Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C060 extra

Extra: Fusheng

Before Fusheng was ten years old, he was not called Fusheng, but Gou Shuan*.

TN: literally Dog Pin

Because there were too many children in the family, and they truly could not afford to raise them all, his father led him to find Quick-Knife Li.

They were near the capital, and the area was poor, so many eunuchs came from there. Quick-Knife Li specialized in this line of work. Of course, one could also seek out the official knife-wielders, but that cost was too great. Gou Shuan’s family, being poor, wanted to send their child into the palace, and naturally could not afford that expense.

Fusheng no longer remembered the specific process, only that he was in pain for nearly a month. When he finally no longer hurt, his father led him to Quick-Knife Li again.

Quick-Knife Li pulled down his trousers and looked him over, saying he was not bad. He gave his father five taels of silver, and a few days later, used a donkey cart to take several children like him to the capital.

And so, he entered the palace.

But after entering the palace, it was not as Quick-Knife Li had said, with endless meat and steamed buns. New little eunuchs were bullied upon entering the palace. If you were clever, you were bullied; if you were too stupid, you were also bullied. You had to slowly blend in, and also be sharp-eyed, quick-witted, and good at navigating all sides. It was best to find a good godfather, who might pull you up a few rungs.

Gou Shuan did not find a good godfather. Instead, he encountered a psychologically twisted and perverted old eunuch. He was framed and took the blame for others. After several close calls, he managed to survive and slowly rose through the ranks. Although he still had no bright future, at least he was no longer bullied.

That's right, he was not called Gou Shuan then, but Little Shuanzi.

In the year Little Shuanzi turned fifteen, he ushered in his opportunity. He was chosen to serve the Third Prince at Yongyan Palace.

Along with him was another boy of about the same age, who was so dull he couldn't squeeze out a fart. He didn't remember his name, but after arriving at Yongyan Palace, they were both renamed. He was called Fusheng, and that boy was called Fulai.

TN: Fu is fortune, so Fusheng is Fortune is Born, Fulai is Fortune is Coming

On the day he was chosen, Fusheng went to find an old eunuch he was familiar with.

This old eunuch collected night soil in the palace. It was said that he had once been prominent, but for some reason had fallen from grace. Fusheng did not remember how he had met him, only that this person occasionally uttered a few words that made sense, and he liked to listen to him. Whenever he felt uneasy, he liked to seek him out.

He would not ask about anything, but would prepare a pot of heated wine and a dish of peanuts, and the two would drink a cup together.

Occasionally, he would give him a few pointers.

This time, the old eunuch's eyes were narrowed, and the wrinkles on his face were all bunched together. Clearly, he had drunk quite a bit.

The old eunuch said, "The most important thing for a servant is not how clever or capable he is, but to recognize who his master is. When the master prospers, the servant prospers; when the master is disgraced, the servant dies. A servant chosen to serve a prince is different from serving a concubine. One cannot easily change course, but must follow one path to the end. This is your misfortune, and also your fortune."

Fusheng still remembered these words to this day.

At the time, he understood them vaguely, but later gradually came to understand the meaning of these words.

***

Fusheng had followed Prince Wei for nearly twenty years, and knew too many secrets, both known and unknown to ordinary people.

As a servant, he should have no secrets from Prince Wei, but now he had his own worries.

Seeing Prince Wei sitting on the couch, slowly smoothing the Princess Consort's hair as she slept, and then slowly withdrawing his hand, Fusheng recalled what Prince Wei had instructed him yesterday, also on the day of the wedding.

"If this Prince has not gone to the study by noon tomorrow, you will use an excuse to call this Prince to the study."

Upon hearing these words, many images flashed through Fusheng's mind—

Before the imperial decree for the marriage was issued, His Highness had gone to Yongyan Palace and met with Granny Gong. After the imperial decree for the marriage was issued, Granny Gong came to the mansion. His Highness spoke with her in the study, and later Granny Gong left with her people.

That day, he had a chance encounter with Third Miss on the street. After returning to the mansion, His Highness had people collect all the information about that cloth shop, and had people keep a close watch on the cloth shop and the Su family.

Granny Gong had people send back a message. The carpenter was chosen by His Highness. The matter of helping to prepare the dowry seemed to be done by Granny Gong, but in reality, Fulai was helping. Fusheng had seen Fulai come to find His Highness several times with lists.

And that day, His Highness had people bring Third Miss over, and the sound of crying came from the room…

***

Because he was by Prince Wei's side every day except when he closed his eyes, Fusheng knew more than he imagined. He also knew that that living ancestor went to Marquis Changyang's mansion every night, and that His Highness had specifically sought out Song You to discuss the matter of treating the illness…

If he did not quite understand Prince Wei's words at the time, he understood after returning from the palace during the day.

At that time, Fusheng had been trembling, hiding outside and listening for a long while. Only when there was no more movement inside did he dare to speak. The journey his heart had taken during that time was difficult to describe.

He had thought then that perhaps His Highness was acting out of official duty. Never had he imagined that after going to the study, His Highness would turn around and return to Luanxiang Courtyard.

Thinking of the scene he had just witnessed, Fusheng fell into silence.

Yet, outwardly, he was still a dutiful and loyal servant, standing outside with lowered eyes, acting like a dead man, a wooden stake.

As Fusheng sighed for the Nth time, he saw Fulai.

Fulai had come to ask about the Princess Consort managing the household affairs. Prince Wei pondered for a moment, then told him to handle it as he saw fit. If she was willing to manage it, then hand it over to her; if she was unwilling, then Fulai would continue to manage it.

When Fulai came out, he saw Fusheng with his neck craned, staring blankly at the sky.

He looked straight ahead, intending to leave.

Unexpectedly, Fusheng instructed little Douzi with a few words, and then chased after him from behind.

"You don't even greet your brother when you see him, running away like a thief."

"You, when others talk to you, you're lucky to reply with one out of ten sentences. Aren't you lacking in virtue?"

As he talked all the way back, Fulai knew that this fellow must have something on his mind. He dismissed the little eunuchs who were serving them, closed the door, and adopted a posture of listening attentively.

As expected, Fusheng couldn't hold back and revealed his worries, though he omitted the details, only stating his guesses.

The two had served Prince Wei for nearly twenty years, and had experienced countless hardships. Because Fusheng was quick-witted and meticulous, he stayed by Prince Wei's side, while Fulai was taciturn but handled matters steadily, so he remained in the rear.

Overall, the two understood and trusted each other. Otherwise, anyone else would not be able to squeeze even a shred of information out of Fusheng.

"No matter which Highness it is, they are both a Highness, and the Princess Consort is only this one Princess Consort."

"But how can they be the same?"

How could they not be the same? Fusheng's confusion lay in the fact that he had discerned two minds beneath one shell. The more he knew, the more uneasy he became.

"What if, one day, they start fighting…"

They had already begun to fight, otherwise, he wouldn't have been specifically instructed to handle things that way before.

"Even if they fight, is your worrying here going to be of any use?"

It had to be said, Fulai was truly skilled at speaking. Fusheng was so choked up that he bared his teeth.

"No use!"

"Then that's that!"

"But…"

"Then what do you think you can do?"

Fusheng racked his brains to think, and discovered that there was really nothing he could do. Thus, he sighed in dejection.

***

Previous life

After carefully instructing the people below to see the guests off properly, Fusheng turned and entered the hall.

By this time, the hall had already been cleaned by the palace servants and had become brand new again, a far cry from the licentiousness and disorder when Fusheng had entered with his head lowered earlier.

Behind the dragon desk, a figure clad in an autumn-apricot colored kesi* satin robe embroidered with eight round dragons sat rigidly, head lowered as he reviewed memorials, as ever exuding an air of majesty and restraint.

TN: kesi cloth 

Fusheng, head bowed, tiptoed stealthily, wanting to shrink to the side like a quail, when several soft sounds came from the dragon desk above.

He hastily looked up, only to see a hand wearing a jade thumb ring resting on the dragon desk.

"This glazed lamp from Sumatra is quite exquisite. Her path home is dark at night, so bestow it upon her."

Though the 'her' was not named nor her surname mentioned, Fusheng knew who was meant.

"Send several bolts of the newly presented iridescent brocade over as well."

Iridescent brocade was a type of Shu brocade, and as the saying went, "an inch of brocade is worth an inch of gold." Iridescent brocade was especially rare. This season, there were only a few bolts in total. Even the Empress did not have any, it seemed they were all to be sent over.

Perhaps it was because Fusheng, who was usually talkative, was unusually silent today, that the figure in the dragon robe behind the desk raised his head to glance at him.

"You are usually so talkative, today you are like a gourd with a sawed-off mouth."

Fusheng gave a dry laugh, and said in a low voice, "This old servant was afraid of disturbing Your Majesty."

The person behind the dragon desk looked at him with a profound gaze, "But it is also good, knowing what should be said and what should not."

Though the voice was gentle and slow, Fusheng was so frightened that he thumped to his knees, prostrating himself on the ground, "This old servant would never speak of what should not be spoken."

The person behind the dragon desk said no more.

After a long while, Fusheng got up on his own, stood for a moment, and then retreated.

After relaying the newly received imperial decree, Fusheng did not go far, but stood under the eaves of the corridor, holding his horsetail whisk, looking at the sky.

The autumn sky always seemed darker than in summer, and once the sun was gone, it appeared dull and gray.

Little Douzi walked over, imitating his posture, also looking at the sky, but seeing nothing, he could not help but ask in confusion, "Master, what is in the sky that you are looking at so intently?"

Fusheng glanced at him and said, "There are secrets."

Secrets?

What secrets?

Little Douzi scratched his head, looked again and again, but could not see any secrets.