My husband is pure and has few desires, but I gave birth to three children in a row

Fu Zhiyi walked in like this, and his footsteps didn't even wake up the old marquis.

Fu Zhiyi had no intention of waking up the old marquis. Instead, he picked up a chair not too far from the old marquis and sat down, half-closing his eyes, wondering what he was thinking.

It was the noise of the servant outside coming in to pour tea that woke the old marquis up.

The old marquis suddenly woke up and opened his eyes. His cloudy eyes were confused for a moment, but he soon regained consciousness.

Looking at Fu Zhiyi who was sitting below, he rubbed his face and said, "You're here."

Fu Zhiyi stood up and respectfully greeted the old marquis: "Grandson has come to pay his respects to grandfather and thank him for his gift."

The old marquis waved his hand: "Get up!"

At the same time, he ordered someone to bring strong tea as a reminder.

Strong tea was brewed quickly, a cup of tea and half a cup of tea leaves.

The old marquis swallowed half of it in one gulp, and it was so bitter that his head almost flew off.

People immediately feel refreshed.

After sending the servants away, only the grandfather and grandson were left in the room.

The old marquis rubbed his brows tiredly, and said nothing else. Instead, he talked directly about the climate in the northwest, as well as some local customs and folkways.

If Fu Zhiyi said anything else, it would probably go in one ear and out the other.

Fu Zhiyi actually listened to this. After all, he was going to the northwest soon. Knowing more would be helpful to his future affairs.

It was a rare peaceful atmosphere between the grandparents and grandchildren as they talked and listened to each other.

It was not until the sun set in the west and the sunlight could no longer shine into the house that the old marquis finished his instructions.

Watching the old marquis take another sip of strong tea, which was so bitter that it wrinkled his entire body, he finally spoke: "Grandfather, do you have anything else to tell me?"

The old marquis glanced at Fu Zhiyi with a sharp look in his eyes: "If I really have other instructions, will you listen?"

Fu Zhiyi's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "That depends on what Grandfather has told you. Once Grandfather tells you, I'll know whether I should listen or not."

The old marquis was choked.

He paused and continued, "I'll give you your great-grandfather's armor, weapons, boxes of medicine and maps, and twenty or so expert guards. I'll give you my advice today in exchange for a promise. Okay?"

This was because he knew that it was useless to try to be tactful with Fu Zhiyi, so he just went straight to the point.

Fu Zhiyi decisively shook his head and refused: "Of course not!"

"You—" The old marquis was furious: "You know exactly what promise I want, and you can do it, so why don't you agree?"

Fu Zhiyi smiled slightly: "Because I don't want to! As our master said, if the things left by my great-grandfather are not given to me, they will just stay in the warehouse and get moldy."

"As for the twenty or so expert guards, since they are by my side, they are naturally mine. Even if grandfather wants to recall them, he cannot!"

"Those are my people! How dare they disobey my orders?" the old marquis reminded in a cold voice.

Fu Zhiyi smiled. "Now, anyone with a discerning eye knows where the Fu family's future lies, and who they can follow. Is it better to follow you, the old marquis with gray hair and on his deathbed, or to participate in politics with me, Gan Ning, the newly appointed Northwest Dao?"

"You are old, but they are young. They still want to achieve great things, bring honor to their ancestors, and have their families and children receive titles and benefits. Following you is nothing more than being a long-term attendant, receiving a small monthly salary. The whole family will be nothing more than servants in the Marquis's mansion until they die."

"But if they follow my grandson to the northwest, they will be my trusted confidants and will be valued. If they can achieve great things, that would be great. If not, I can give them much more than you, grandfather, can give them!"

“Who do you think they will choose?”

The slight mockery in the last sentence was not concealed at all.

The old marquis's face flushed red, "You, you rebellious grandson, you are committing a heinous crime, disobedient and unfilial—"

Fu Zhiyi raised his eyebrows slightly: "Grandson is just telling the truth, why is grandfather so anxious?"

The old marquis took a few deep breaths, calmed himself, and softened his posture and tone: "Brother Yi, Grandfather knows that you are a child with a hard mouth but a soft heart. I, your grandfather, was biased before. I'm sorry for you. It's Grandfather's fault."

"But Grandfather had to do this for the Fu family and the Marquis' Mansion! You are still young and don't understand now. When you reach my age, you will understand why Grandfather did this—"

Fu Zhiyi interrupted the old marquis: "Grandfather, there's no need to repeat these old tunes! Even if I live to be ninety-nine, I probably won't be able to empathize with you, nor will I be able to understand you."

"My grandson's family doesn't have a title or inheritance to fight for, so naturally they wouldn't do something like my grandfather did, using one grandson's life as a stepping stone for another."

The old marquis's face was ashen. "Fu Zhiming tried to murder you, yet you were able to save Brother Jie in the end. Although Grandfather has wronged you, do you really forget all the kindness he has shown you over the years?"

Fu Zhiyi's eyes were icy. "Of course I remember! I remember it very clearly. All the kindness Grandfather showed me back then was just to make me willingly become Big Brother's stepping stone and dedicate myself to the so-called century-old foundation of the Marquisate until my death. Maybe I feel a little guilty, too? But that's probably not important!"

"Grandfather, please stop talking. Not attacking my eldest brother and not harming him is already the greatest kindness I have shown. If you anger me, I don't know what bad things I might do. I don't think Grandfather wants to know."

The old marquis took a long time to finally force out a sentence from his throat: "Do you really hate me so much? Hate Jian Ge'er? It was my fault back then, but the poison has been cured, and you have a child. Now you have a bright future. You have surpassed Jian Ge'er long ago, and you may even surpass the Marquis' Mansion in the future. Why don't you just let it go? After all, it's like breaking bones and connecting tendons with blood vessels!"

Fu Zhiyi's eyes grew even colder. "Just because I've been cured of the poison, have a child, and have a bright future, can all the hurt just be ignored?"

"Grandfather, did you find someone to help cure the poison? Did you help him with his future?"

The old marquis was speechless and had no way to defend himself.

"I didn't rely on you, Grandfather, to be where I am today! I relied on myself, my eldest uncle from the Lan family who loved me, my mother, and my wife! If it weren't for me and them, I'm afraid that in my lifetime, our third branch would not be able to escape the fate you had planned long ago, right?"

At this point, Fu Zhiyi suddenly laughed: "Grandfather, you were able to be so cruel back then, so why not be so cruel to the end? Now you act like this again, it's really disgusting!"

The old marquis's face suddenly turned pale and no blood could be seen.

Fu Zhiyi stood up, brushed off the invisible dust on his clothes, and said slowly, "Grandfather, you should be thankful that I can still stand here peacefully. What's the matter with the Ningping Marquis's Mansion? That's a matter for the Ningping Marquis and the Crown Prince to consider. What does it have to do with me?"

"As for me, what do you think of opening a separate family tree from my grandson?"