TGCFNM -Chapter 537 They Don’t Want Friends Like This

“Master?”

Wan Sanjin hurried over and lowered his voice, asking, “Is the Empress Dowager really that terrifying?”

Chu Ling leaned against the wall and slowly lifted her head. She knew her expression must look grim right now. “It’s not that the Empress Dowager is terrifying… it’s… where’s Yuan Luo?”

“Ran off. Said he’s going to find Gui Wushuang.” Wan Sanjin glanced around, “Don’t know where he went. All I heard was him say one sentence, then he vanished.”

Chu Ling slapped her palm against her forehead. “This is the imperial palace!”

Wan Sanjin rubbed his arm. “Of course I know it’s the palace, but if Yuan Luo wants to run, I can’t stop him. He’s the senior disciple of the Tianjian Sect, after all.”

Chu Ling pressed a hand to her forehead in frustration. “What do we do now? We don’t even know where to go to bring him back.”

“No worries, Yuan Luo should be able to find us,” Wan Sanjin said, a worried look on his face as he glanced at Chu Ling. “Master, you better think carefully about what to say when you see Young Master Fu later. After all, you did break one of Qingtong’s fingers.”

“Break it, so what?” Chu Ling waved her hand casually. “If he really had his eye on Qingtong, he would have caused us trouble long ago… Come on, let’s go find someone to take us to the Eastern Palace.”

With that, Chu Ling grabbed a nearby eunuch and had him lead the way.

By the time the little eunuch escorted the two of them to the gate of the Eastern Palace, they happened to run into Qingtong, who was about to leave.

Qingtong immediately flew into a rage, trembling all over with fury.

Chu Ling, however, smiled brightly. “I’ve received the Empress Dowager’s imperial decree. Aren’t you going to hurry inside to report it?”

Qingtong’s face turned from green to purple with anger, but he could only grit his teeth and go inside to report.

After reporting, a palace maid personally came out to invite them in. Qingtong, however, strode past them without a word.

Chu Ling glanced back once, then followed the palace maid inside.

The maid led them to the outside of a hall, lightly knocked on the door, and respectfully said, “Young Master Fu, your guests have arrived.”

“Enter.”

The maid responded with a polite “Yes,” and slowly opened the door to let them in. Once they entered, she closed the door behind them.

Wan Sanjin craned his neck to peek inside and muttered, “Why is the sleeping area so big? There are paths on both sides… which way should we go?”

“The sleeping area is on the left, the study should be on the right…” Chu Ling guessed, and suddenly, when she turned her head, she saw Fu Qingyu standing by the folding screen on the right, watching them.

Chu Ling quickly pulled Wan Sanjin along, and the two of them bowed together. “Young Master Fu.”

“There’s no one else here, so no need to be so formal,” Fu Qingyu waved at them and led them to the study on the right.

As Chu Ling walked toward him, she asked, “Qingtong isn’t by your side to attend to you?”

Fu Qingyu glanced at her, half-smiling. “He’s leaving the palace to treat his injuries.”

Chu Ling clicked her tongue. “People with impure minds always want to run off. Isn’t he doing it on purpose? After all, there are imperial physicians in the palace—surely they can attend to your people, right?”

Fu Qingyu couldn’t help but chuckle. “You… what exactly did he do to offend you?”

“He wanted to chop someone’s head off!” Wan Sanjin said angrily. “Who does he think he is, to just chop off someone’s head?”

Fu Qingyu’s smile faded. “He wanted to chop off someone’s head? Is he becoming more reckless?”

“You know him, Young Master Fu,” Chu Ling said, looking at him. “You better be careful. Don’t let old feelings make you turn a blind eye, or you’ll be the one suffering later.”

“For now, him coming to deliver the message is the best thing,” Fu Qingyu said, letting them sit down. “So… for now, it still has to be him.”

Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin exchanged a glance, then sat down.

“Grand Tutor Fu has been detained. Are you alright? The Empress Dowager sent us to comfort you,” Wan Sanjin said curiously, staring at Fu Qingyu’s face.

Fu Qingyu let out a light sigh. “Not really. After all, it was rare to have someone useful at hand… only to have them killed by His Majesty.”

Chu Ling’s expression tightened as she looked at Fu Qingyu. “How do you feel about the killing, Master Fu?”

“And you, Lord Chu?” Fu Qingyu turned to her. “Are you pleased?”

Chu Ling shrugged. “I can’t say I’m pleased or displeased… I just think… no one should provoke me.”

Fu Qingyu lowered his gaze and smiled. “The Lord is… straightforward, indeed.”

Chu Ling studied him and asked seriously, “Master Fu, have you changed?”

Fu Qingyu turned his head to her. “Yes, I have. Because I want more now.”

Chu Ling shook her head slightly, as if about to persuade him. “Master Fu, you…”

Fu Qingyu raised a hand to stop her. His gaze slowly darkened as he looked at her. “You have been to many places and handled countless cases, so I believe you understand the corruption in the Dazhou bureaucracy even better than I do.”

Chu Ling remained silent, simply watching him, waiting to see what else he would say.

“If the Lord wants to be a good official, to handle cases fairly, you need someone to back you. Otherwise, offending the noble families along the way could cost you your life sooner or later,” Fu Qingyu continued.

Chu Ling was startled. “You’re telling me this?”

His gaze deepened. “Lord, if you treat me unchanged, I will do the same for you… With me supporting you, you can walk freely throughout Dazhou, and you can do anything you wish.”

“That’s not right,” Chu Ling objected. “You think we’re good people now, but what about the future? Who can guarantee that? How can you give us such power just because we’re close?”

“Of course I can,” Fu Qingyu said, looking at the two of them, a faint smile on his lips. “I trust you. I truly consider you friends, so I hope you can trust me as well…”

“Master Fu, what you want isn’t trust—it’s our wholehearted assistance,” Chu Ling cut him off bluntly.

“Yes. I need people, especially now,” Fu Qingyu admitted, facing the topic directly. “I need people desperately, so I hope you’re willing to help me.”

Wan Sanjin shook his head decisively. “We’re not willing. We don’t want to get involved!”

“It’s not just getting involved!” Fu Qingyu gripped the armrest tightly, his eyes full of determination. “I know clearly that as long as one is willing to pay the proper price, one will certainly receive the corresponding reward.”

Chu Ling shook her head. “No, it’s not like that…”

Fu Qingyu pushed himself up on the armrest and looked down at them. “It is. And I am already getting it.”

Chu Ling frowned and let out a deep sigh. “Master Fu, are you thinking that possessing power will give you everything… or that with power, no one will dare make you do what you don’t want?”

“Both, I suppose,” Fu Qingyu said, his gaze expectant on Chu Ling. “You are clever, Lord, so I need you very much.”

Chu Ling held the armrest and slowly stood. “Master Fu, we have business to attend to. We’ll be leaving first.”

Wan Sanjin rose silently and turned to leave.

Fu Qingyu watched them, his voice deep. “Do you and Sanjin intend to oppose me?”

Chu Ling paused and turned to him. “The heir of Dazhou will never be you. Our war has officially begun!”

Fu Qingyu spoke of friendship, yet every word he said revolved around power and interests.

They did not want friends like that!