FID – Chapter 744

Chapter 744: If I’d Known You Were This Rich…

“I love you, Shengsheng!”

The cold winter moon hid behind the clouds, and the shadow guards stationed at the four corners of the villa had all retreated to a distance.

At the edge of the sky, pale light began to tear through the darkness.

……

Liu Yusheng didn’t know when she’d fallen asleep.

When she woke again, it was already midday. Startled, she bolted upright, nearly tumbling out of bed in her rush to get up.

One glance out the window told her something was off—no one had come to wake her the whole morning.

At this hour, lunch should already be served.

Feng Qingbai was nowhere to be seen.

She looked around the room but didn’t see any trace of him. Liu Yusheng guessed he must’ve gone to morning court.

Her face flushed a little.

He sure had plenty of energy.

Completely unaware, she had no idea that a strange ‘father-in-law vs. son-in-law’ showdown was currently unfolding in the main hall.

Feng Qingbai had indeed gone to the palace early in the morning, but not to attend court. He’d gone to settle his personal estate.

Over the past decade or so, he had collected all kinds of rare treasures for one person, along with the finest tributes from foreign lands. They were claimed through power and status, all meticulously recorded and inventoried. 

It took him the entire morning.

By the time he returned, it was just about lunchtime.

When Chen Xiulan was about to wake Liu Yusheng, Feng Qingbai stopped her. Then, looking at the elders seated in the main hall, he said, “Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle, Aunt, I have something to say.”

The Liu family elders exchanged a glance, a knowing look flickering in their eyes, but they remained composed.

No one spoke, waiting to hear what the young man had to say.

Feng Qingbai took a deep breath, then pulled out a ledger and two tokens from his robe, handing them all to Grandpa Liu. For the first time in front of the elders, his hands trembled uncontrollably.

“I want to marry Shengsheng. This is everything I have. I offer it as a betrothal gift, asking only to marry her.”

Inside the ledger was a detailed record of all his assets. The two tokens represented his authority and power.

Together with himself, he offered it all.

He was giving everything he had.

After saying those words, he practically held his breath waiting for a response.

For the first time in his life, outside of Shengsheng, he had placed himself in a position of such humility and vulnerability before others.

Willingly.

Unable to read more than a few characters, Grandpa Liu called Liu Zhiqiu over to read the contents of the booklet aloud.

Liu Zhiqiu skimmed the contents of the booklet, and his eyes twitched.

“Fifteen prime shops in the capital, twenty villas and farms, one estate each in Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Pingzhou, Liangzhou, and Xiangzhou, a private palace under construction in Yunzhou… One hundred and fifty chests of gold, jade, and fine silks, two trunks of top-grade medicinal herbs, eight hundred thousand taels of gold, six hundred thousand taels of silver—holy sh*t!”

The words holy sh*t had barely left his mouth when both Grandpa and Grandma Liu smacked the back of his head in unison with iron palms.

Grimacing, Liu Zhiqiu still insisted on finishing what he had to say.

“…If I’d known you were this rich, I would’ve charged you a thousand taels just for passing along one message!”

Feng Qingbai curved his lips into a smile, his tone coaxing and mild, “If you agree, I’ll buy a message from you for a thousand taels. How about it?”

Liu Zhiqiu immediately straightened his expression and sat up properly.

“Even if you gave me ten thousand taels, it wouldn’t work. This is Nannan’s lifelong happiness we’re talking about. You can’t buy me off with money. I mean, sure, I think highly of you, but it still depends on Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, and Aunt.”

He then turned and looked at the elders with a flattering smile. “Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt, I swear I’m not speaking up just because of the money. But if you ask me, he’s a good match for our Nannan.”

Liu Dalin gave him a sideways glare and snorted, and Liu Zhiqiu instantly shut up.

Then turning to look at Feng Qingbai again, Liu Dalin’s expression remained stern. That list of assets had certainly shocked them, but it only proved that Feng Qingbai could offer their daughter a prosperous life.

“Our Nannan can live a good life by earning it herself. We don’t need your money,” Liu Dalin muttered, his voice low. No one could tell the conflict in his heart. “But your surroundings are full of danger. One Prime Minister has fallen, and there may still be a few hidden ones in the court. Can you guarantee our girl’s safety for her entire life?”

Feng Qingbai’s expression became serious as he responded, “One Prime Minister has fallen, but half the kingdom is already stabilized. I can’t see through every hidden person, but if they come, I won’t be afraid. As for the current situation in court, the only two things I still fear are Qin Xiao, whose stance is unclear, and the Empress Dowager, whose thoughts are hidden. But no matter the circumstances, I’ll always prioritize protecting Shengsheng’s safety. As long as I’m here, I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“What unclear stance and hidden thoughts? That’s also a potential threat. Can’t you sort these things out before you ask for her hand?”

“As long as I’m in the court, risks will always be present. Even ordinary people can’t say they’re 100% secure. Uncle Liu, I don’t want to spend my whole life waiting for the right time. That wouldn’t be fair to either me or Shengsheng.”

At the doorway of the hall, Liu Zhixia, who had just returned from a walk in the garden with his son and wife, overheard the conversation and walked in.

“Father, our Nannan is already nineteen this year. If you wait another year, she’ll only grow older. If you want to hold your grandson, you’ll have to wait another year. Anyway, our Nannan isn’t going to fall for anyone else.”

Liu Zhiqiu, who had been sitting with his wife, glanced at the conversation and took a seat.

Fu Yuzheng leaned in to whisper to Chen Xiulan in a volume just loud enough for Liu Dalin to hear, “Mother, I heard the palace’s old physician say that the older a woman gets, the more dangerous childbirth becomes. That’s why royal princesses and noble ladies never marry after nineteen.”

Liu Dalin’s expression immediately shifted; he looked startled and somewhat troubled.

He stood up abruptly, grabbed Feng Qingbai, and pulled him toward a side room. “Father, Mother, I’m going to have a private word with this young man.”

Chen Xiulan wanted to follow but didn’t dare to ask, “Father, Mother, do you think Dalin will beat up Axiu?”