novelraw Chapter 763 - 742: Intimacy
Chapter 763 - 742: Intimacy
The Great General did not quite catch what Mrs. Fang had said. "Madam, what did you say?"
"Nothing!" Mrs. Fang’s expression turned slightly cold as she looked at him indifferently. "Tunan has already explained that it’s no big deal, so why must you press the matter? Always resorting to family discipline—if you dislike him so much, at least don’t make it so obvious. It will chill his heart."
"Madam!" The Great General felt aggrieved. "It’s clear Tunan is hiding something from us. I just want to get to the truth. I’m left with no choice. He’s grown up now—if he hadn’t made a grave mistake, why would I punish him?"
"He hasn’t said a word, yet you’ve already passed judgment on him. What reasoning is this? Since he hasn’t spoken and even Ting Feng stepped in to stop you, doesn’t that prove the matter is within their control? They can handle it. Why are you so desperate to know the truth? If they don’t want to tell you, can you still force it out of them?"
The Great General said, "You should understand Tunan’s temperament by now. He has always been proud and rebellious. If he’s determined about something, he wouldn’t admit fault even if his bones were broken—let alone apologize to me. You shield them and refuse to let me investigate; what will we do if he truly causes a calamity one day? If he’s come to find me now, there might still be a chance to turn things around. If we let the situation escalate unchecked, no one will be able to control it by then, and he’ll be the one to suffer."
"A compassionate fatherly heart you have," Mrs. Fang said coldly. "I trust Tunan. If he doesn’t want you to know, then just pretend you don’t know!"
Mrs. Fang felt deeply uneasy. The bite mark on Xie Jue’s neck lingered in her mind. Yet, she didn’t want the Great General to make things difficult for Fang Chuning, making it clear she didn’t wish to discuss the matter further with him.
Fang Chuning brought Xie Jue to his courtyard. Xie Jue often visited the Fang Family and even stayed overnight frequently, so he was very familiar with the Fang Family’s layout. As soon as they entered Fang Chuning’s courtyard, the Shadow Guards were already lining up at the gate as sentries.
Xie Jue was furious and asked in a deep voice, "Fang Chuning, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Is he out of his mind!
To actually dare confess to the Great General!
"I *am* out of my mind!" Fang Chuning let out a bitter laugh, his voice hoarse. "Ting Feng, if both my father and mother agreed, would you still give up?"
"Use that brain of yours and think carefully. Would they agree?" Xie Jue lowered his voice, unusually flustered and exasperated. "The Great General would only break your legs and hasten your early death and quick rebirth!"
"So be it!" Fang Chuning was recently driven to despair by Xie Jue. The upcoming mission loomed near—if he couldn’t win over his family, where could he and Xie Jue go from here? They couldn’t possibly spend the entire trip in a cold war, ignoring each other. He wasn’t committing murder or arson; his conscience was clear, and he was righteous to the people—why couldn’t it be allowed?
"Anning..." Xie Jue’s heart softened. He couldn’t bring himself to force Fang Chuning and even began to waver in his resolve. Was he perhaps in the wrong?
"Don’t worry, I won’t say anything more." Fang Chuning adopted a posture that signaled he no longer wished to discuss the subject. He didn’t want to hear Xie Jue speak of the future, nor did he want to find out about a future in Xie Jue’s plans where he did not exist. "I’ll comply and accompany you on the mission. I won’t act recklessly again."
Fang Chuning had initially intended to explain everything to his family before the mission, so his mother wouldn’t feel the need to host any more banquets to pressure him into meeting women. But now, upon reflecting, it seemed utterly unnecessary.
Mrs. Fang knew Xie Jue had left through the side gate. Fang Chuning’s courtyard was close to the east gate. In the past, when Xie Jue stayed over at the Fang Family household, he often left directly through the east gate, sometimes without even alerting the elders in the family.
Yet tonight, Mrs. Fang was filled with anxiety, worrying for the first time whether Xie Jue would stay in Fang Chuning’s courtyard overnight. In the past, when Xie Jue visited Fang Chuning to discuss matters late at night, Mrs. Fang would send maids to deliver meals and prepare a room, fearing something might be amiss with Xie Jue. But now, all she wanted was for him to leave as soon as possible.
The next morning, Fang Chuning appeared radiant, with no trace of the despondency he’d shown the previous night. He was once again the brilliant Great General. After breakfast, the Great General left to meet with friends, and Mrs. Fang sought out Fang Chuning for a private conversation. "Tunan, you’ve spent years at war, rarely spending time with your mother and younger sister. The borders are peaceful now, and there’s no pressing military duty. I want to take you and Junjun to Jiangnan to visit your grandmother for a few days. It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen her. This time, Ting Feng is departing on a mission, so what do you say to staying behind and not going as his escort?"
Fang Chuning replied, "Mother, the imperial decree has been issued, and all preparations for the envoy have been made. Backing out now wouldn’t be appropriate."
"I’ll speak to the emperor myself. The borders are stable, and there are plenty of military generals. Ting Feng has capable people by his side—why must it specifically be you?" Mrs. Fang recalled the hunting trip to Xiyanshan years ago. Back then, despite everyone’s objections, Fang Chuning had insisted on accompanying Ting Feng into the mountains, nearly losing his life in the process. That time, Ting Feng even lost his sight.
The rumors back then had been rampant. People said Fang Chuning and Xie Jue shared a bond of brotherly affection, entrusting their lives to one another. At the time, Mrs. Fang hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, but now she couldn’t help but recall every interaction between Fang Chuning and Xie Jue in detail.
Tunan and Ting Feng... Were they too close?