Chapter 79

Elara lifted the bed curtain and looked directly at him for two seconds. She gave a soft hum and pointed her chin toward the stool by the bed. "Sit."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Scholar Fu said calmly and obediently sat beside her bed.

"How long have you been in the princess's manor, Fu Xu?"

Elara turned slightly and leaned against the soft cushions at the head of the bed. She looked at Scholar Fu's perfectly defined side profile and asked in a quiet voice.

"Two years, Your Highness."

"Do you want to leave the manor?" This was what Emory had promised her. He said she must let Fu Xu leave the princess's residence.

If someone else had heard her ask this, they would likely become nervous and fearful. They'd think she was playing some kind of trap.

Or they would immediately kneel and swear loyalty, insisting they had no other thoughts, even if deep down they longed to escape. They would still keep showing loyalty just in case she got angry and killed them.

But when Fu Xu heard the question, his face stayed completely calm.

He sat beside her quietly and looked at Elara with his amber eyes, without any change in emotion.

"Whether I leave or stay, it's up to Your Highness," he said. His voice was calm, as if he didn't care at all.

Elara raised her eyebrows. According to the original memories, this unlucky top scholar caught the princess's eye exactly because of his cold and distant attitude.

Even when she called him to share her bed and whipped him until he was covered in wounds, Fu Xu never complained. Once she was done venting, he would still quietly stand beside her and do whatever she asked, almost like he didn't care at all.

He never resisted or said more than necessary.

But was this kind of behavior really suitable for someone who studied hard for ten years to earn his title, only to end up as a male concubine in the back courtyard?

Of course not.

So was it that his heart had truly died? But based on the original memories and what Elara had found out by ordering the Wei guards to keep watch on the back courtyard,

This top scholar stayed quietly in his yard every day, doing what he was supposed to do. He never caused trouble or acted suspicious. When he had free time, he would play chess and drink tea with Rafael in the garden. He even kept his books from his years of study close, often taking them out to read.

There was no sign of depression or sadness at all. In fact, he seemed to be living the most relaxed life of all the men in the manor.

Elara stared at Fu Xu's amber eyes for a while longer. She thought he was either hiding very deeply or had truly let go of all worldly concerns.

From her experience in both lifetimes, she leaned toward the second.

She thought for a moment, then said to Fu Xu, "In a few days, how about coming with me to another place?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Fu Xu agreed without hesitation.

Elara nodded in satisfaction and pointed to the stack of official documents on the table.

"Help me review that pile of reports now. Also, draft a few travel routes to my fief. Note down anything along each route that I might be interested in. I want it all by tomorrow."

As the only royal princess of Plumera State in a time when land titles were divided, Elara naturally had her own fief.

Her fief was located in the southernmost part of Plumera State, slightly to the east. It was called Huayan County and was given to her the year Benedict took the throne.

Huayan County was far from the capital and bordered the third-class nations of Shuhua and Fanxi. It was once the richest and most prosperous region in the south and had the best terrain for development and trade.

Of course, the reason it caught the original princess's eye wasn't just because it was prosperous. It also had something even more important — it produced many beautiful people.

When Elara thought about leaving the capital before, this was the first place that came to mind.

Even though she agreed to Emory's condition to let Fu Xu leave the manor, that didn't mean letting him leave her. If Fu Xu really had talents equal to Mathias, then as someone who badly needed capable people, Elara had no reason to let him go.

She could at least promise that she wouldn't mistreat him the way the original princess did. Elara had always valued capable people.

Emory's real goal in setting this condition was to make sure Fu Xu wouldn't be whipped or imprisoned again and have his talents wasted. Elara agreed to that.

Taking Fu Xu with her to handle business outside the manor didn't break the promise at all.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Fu Xu responded, then got up and walked to the desk stacked with reports. He started doing the tasks Elara gave him.

He didn't question why she suddenly asked him to review reports or why these documents, which should be in the imperial palace, were in her room. He just quietly and steadily got to work, keeping the same calm attitude as always.

Seeing that Fu Xu had taken over one of the tasks that used to belong to Mathias, Elara looked away and began thinking about the timing of her departure.

At this time, Francis had just quelled a rebellion and uncovered the Yan family's secret transfer of treasury funds. That news probably already reached Lord Gregory.

After suffering such a major loss, Lord Gregory would definitely not let her leave the capital easily.

Sneaking away wasn't even an option Elara considered. Not to mention how it would look for a royal princess to slip away in secret — which would create countless rumors and political chaos — there were also Lord Gregory's own hidden guards.

Though they couldn't compare to the Wei family, they could still pose a major threat if they tried to block or assassinate her.

Besides, what she needed to do in her fief required the status of a royal princess. That title would make things much easier.

So Elara had to find an open and legitimate reason to leave the capital. One that Lord Gregory couldn't refuse.

That way, instead of getting hunted in the dark, she could leave openly and make her enemies hesitate.

Thinking this through, Elara called a servant. "Prepare a piece of silk for me. I need to write a letter."

The servant quickly brought the silk and waited quietly for Elara to finish writing. Then they respectfully asked,

"Your Highness, who should this letter be delivered to?"

Elara put down the brush and looked at the servant holding the letter with both hands. She suddenly smiled.

"Of course, it's for my royal uncle whom I haven't seen in a long time."

In the northern border, this letter was addressed to Regent Martin.

After the servant took the letter pouch away, Elara leaned against the bedhead. She watched Scholar Fu quietly reading the memorials while sorting out her thoughts about leaving the palace.

By the time she was done thinking, her worn-out body felt even more exhausted.

She glanced outside and saw the sky had already gone dark. Elara was about to call the servant to help her wash up and sleep when she heard a voice from outside.

"Your Highness, Imani is asking to see you in the courtyard."

Imani? Why is he here? To check for Lord Gregory how badly she was hurt?

Elara frowned slightly and turned her eyes to Scholar Fu. "Take the memorials to the back and continue reading them there."

"Yes."

After Scholar Fu carried all the memorials to the back hall, Elara looked at the door. "Let him in."

Not long after, Imani walked in wearing a bright red, luxurious robe, his face carefully made up. He was holding a food container.

"Imani greets the Princess."

His steps were cautious, clearly still remembering the whipping he received last time he came to this room.

But when he noticed Elara's pale face as she leaned on the bed, worry appeared on his face, and he couldn't help speeding up.

"P-Princess, I heard you were injured during the ceremony. I specially made some medicinal soup to help you recover. Are your injuries serious?"

He spoke softly, placing the food container gently on the low table by the bed. Then he knelt beside her. Though kneeling, his tall figure still nearly matched her half-lying height.

He lowered his body even more and looked up at her. At a glance, he looked like a bright red fox crouching by the bed, carefully hoping for her attention.

It had to be said that Lord Gregory really did send over a beautiful person. And Imani clearly knew how to use his looks to gain favor.

If it had been the soul that once lived in this body, seeing such a beautiful man kneeling by the bed might have made her pull him into the bed right away and keep him locked up to play with.

Unfortunately, although Elara liked beauty, what she cared about most was still morality and gain. Since Imani was sent by Lord Gregory, there was no way she would truly let him get close. She definitely wouldn't touch him.

"Everyone saw what happened at the altar. Do you think I'm lightly injured?"

Elara gave a couple of light coughs. She pressed her hand against the edge of the bed, trying to sit up a bit.

Seeing this, Imani looked more worried. When he noticed her movement, he quickly reached out to help her.

"What are you trying to do? Let me serve you."

As he spoke, it was as if he forgot all the perfect poses he had practiced for days. He also seemed to forget how scared he was of the last punishment. His hand gently supported her waist.

His tall figure leaned into the bed. The red robe brushed against her body, and his pale chest nearly covered her entirely as he half-hugged, half-supported her to help her sit up.

Suddenly, the door was flung open with a loud noise.

"Elara! If you want me to treat you, then you must…" Oswyn burst in holding a bowl of medicine, his sleeves rolled up and even wearing a small apron.

He was speaking loudly while walking toward the room.

But after taking only a few steps and seeing the man and woman almost pressed together inside, Oswyn froze. His voice stopped, his face turned stiff, then from pale to deep purple.

"Hmph." He let out a heavy snort. The bowl of medicine that was originally held with both hands was now casually held in one. He gave Imani a cold glance, then stared hard at Elara.

That look reminded Elara of a phrase she used to hear in her past life. A dog can't change its bad habits.

The expression in Oswyn's eyes was clearly saying those exact words. He obviously believed she was once again acting on her shameless instincts.

Elara thought, even if she broke character and shouted that she was innocent, he probably wouldn't believe her.

Of course, she wouldn't break character either.

In that strange, silent moment, Oswyn took a deep breath and walked over with the medicine bowl. He didn't care if the medicine would spill. He marched right up to Elara's bed, placed the bowl down with a loud clunk, and ignored Imani completely. He stared at Elara and said one word at a time,

"While treating your injury, no whipping or abuse is allowed. Even more so, absolutely no indecent acts between men and women."