She didn’t come closer, but stopped seven or eight steps away from him, frowned and said: "I sent a visiting card to the Zhao Family. If nothing goes wrong, I will visit their place tomorrow. How much money can you bring out from here?"

Fu Xuan reluctantly pulled himself away from the book, "Didn’t Ting Han say everything should be frugal? Just pick some gifts that aren’t disrespectful and it’ll be fine."

Princess Hongnong suppressed her temper and insisted on asking, "How much money do you still have here?"

Detecting the anger hidden in her voice, Fu Xuan finally lifted his head from the book and turned to look at the servant. The servant immediately went back inside, brought out a box, and placed it on the stone table in front of him. After opening it, inside were only two strings of coins and some small thumb-sized silver pieces. He pushed them towards Princess Hongnong, "That’s all there is."

Princess Hongnong stared at the fragmented silver, her eyes reddened with anger. She looked up and glared at him, "There’s only this little money left. Aren’t you thinking about earning some money? You’re just hiding in the backyard reading books?"

Fu Xuan: "...Luoyang City has long been unrecognizable, the Fu Family even had their mansion burnt down completely. We just returned to Luoyang, haven’t even warmed our feet on the ground, where do you expect me to earn money from?"

"Moreover, we don’t need to recruit soldiers for the court, nor are we short of food and drink, so why do I need to earn money?" Fu Xuan straightforwardly announced the decision he made today, "I have already decided to resign from my official position."

This was the decision he made after contemplating deeply overnight. He no longer wanted to be caught between his wife and daughter-in-law, being pulled apart.

Oh, right, Fu Xuan also held an official position, as Imperial Censor!

However, he had been trapped in Chang’an, recruiting soldiers for Jin State with the Princess for five to six years, he hadn’t received a single cent of salary from the court, and even threw away the family estate.

In any case, he didn’t feel the slightest pleasure in holding office, and since he never wanted to be an official back then, if it weren’t for his father and wife pressing him from both sides, he wouldn’t have agreed to take up office.

Indeed, he was also one of the talents sought after yet never attained by Jin State.

When King Zhao Sima Lun was in power, he asked him to become Minister’s Assistant, Chief of Staff, but he didn’t agree. Then he offered him the position of Minister but he tried it for a while, felt the official life was dull, and resigned again.

So Sima Lun, in order to retain him, promoted him to Secretary, Captain of the Imperial Guard. He took the position for a while, and later his father-in-law was beaten and fled to Chang’an with half the court. At that time, he realized this son-in-law seemed to have some talent, so he promoted him to Left Minister.

At that time, Fu Xuan saw the court in such chaos, his emperor father-in-law was forced to flee to Chang’an, he didn’t have as much loyalty as his father, didn’t want to serve such a court, felt serving in Jin Court was just a waste of life, and would rather stay home reading books.

So he did not accept his father-in-law’s imperial decree, did not take that position.

Emperor Hui noticed, thought the son-in-law perhaps disliked the small position, and the ministers around spoke well of him, so he promoted him to Huang Men Lang. This time, before he could refuse, his father and the Princess joined forces to pressure him to agree.

Later, the power in Luoyang shifted, Emperor Hui was welcomed back to Luoyang, Fu Zhi seemed to have a premonition, hence didn’t let Fu Xuan’s family return with them, but found an excuse for them to stay in Chang’an.

Later, two more princes exchanged power within Luoyang City, each transition involved purging the court, but the ones killed the most were the Imperial Family descendants. They fought amongst themselves, resulting in rivers of blood.

If Princess Hongnong was in Luoyang then, she would likely have been implicated and exterminated.

Emperor Hui was later poisoned to death, his children were either detained or scattered, oh yes, Princess Hongnong had several sisters, two died and the remaining two were scattered among the people; currently, it’s unknown whether they are alive or dead, or where they are wandering.

After the former Emperor ascended to the throne, because he wanted Fu Xuan and Princess Hongnong to work for him, he appointed Fu Xuan as Imperial Censor.

At this moment, it doesn’t matter to him, because in such a vast Jin State, the Emperor actually controls only the small piece of land visible to his eyes.

He didn’t receive a single cent of salary in his years serving as an official, except in the beginning, and instead poured money into it, with nobody checking attendance, still living as his heart desires.

So whether he accepts the official position or not seems irrelevant, since he can’t refuse their loyalty and grand plans.

But... now he has returned to Luoyang. Although he hasn’t gone out, he still understands the current state of the officialdom somewhat. He heard Zhao Hanzhang is diligent, so all officials must be diligent too, not only do they need to go to the office early in the morning, but also work late into the night.

After hearing such news, Fu Xuan immediately decided to resign from his official position, even if the court could afford to pay his salary, he wouldn’t serve.

That’s right, he’d rather pay money to be an official as long as he has freedom, than be an official to earn money and lose his freedom!

Princess Hongnong silently looked at the Prince Consort who couldn’t stand firm, already too lazy to argue with him, turned around and left.

In the end, she still made a list for Shi Hongtu to prepare gifts, then led people to look for money in Fu Tinghan’s room.

After searching around, found only a few sets of change of clothes and some accessories in the room, it was obvious that it was not a place often lived in.

Princess Hongnong frowned, "He doesn’t live in the mansion?"

Ren Hui came forward with head bowed and whispered, "The Lord is busy with official duties, so most of the time, he stays at Zhao Mansion."

She explained, "I heard many government affairs need to be handled in Zhao Mansion, so the Lord has a courtyard over there."

Princess Hongnong was silent for a while, didn’t say much, and turned to leave.

Ren Hui didn’t dare to speak more.

Princess Hongnong was only silent for a while, she wasn’t really angry, as a Princess, she accepted such things with more equanimity, valuing power more, in the worst case, a political marriage is acceptable, as long as it can maintain the rule of the Great Jin.

If Zhao Hanzhang were just a Zhao, she naturally wouldn’t want her son to be so close to the wife’s family, but if Zhao Hanzhang is Zhao Hanzhang?

She now held the entire Jin State’s power in her hands, then nothing is impossible.

Princess Hongnong turned and left.

Ren Hui quickly followed, then locked the door.

Fu Tinghan came back from the office in the evening and found that someone had entered his room.

Fu Tinghan poured away the half cup of tea left on the table, furrowing his brow tightly, and turned the teacup upside down.

Fu An was shocked, hurriedly rushed out to question, "Who is so bold to dare enter the Lord’s room without permission? Don’t they know the Lord’s room can’t be entered casually?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Fu Tinghan’s bedroom in Zhao Mansion was more like a study, with many confidential things inside, plus he never liked people being too close, so except for Fu An and Zhao Hanzhang, no one could enter his room casually.

Even when Ting He went, she had to report outside and only enter with permission.

This habit naturally extended to the Fu Mansion, though there was nothing confidential over there.

Fu Tinghan was also temperamental, naturally unhappy when his territory was trespassed.

However, he did not lose his temper, instead took a deep breath and restrained himself.

Fu An was still investigating outside, while he himself found clothes to hang on the screen, went outside and said: "No need to ask, go to the kitchen and call for hot water, I want to bathe and change clothes, you tidy up the things inside the room, all teapots and cups need to be sterilized."

Fu An anxiously responded, whispered: "The servants said the Princess came."