Chapter 107 Enjoying the Cool
The moon climbed the treetops as Fu Tingyun saw off the last guest. She exhaled deeply and turned back toward the inner hall.
Two maidservants were tidying up the cups and dishes in the hall. When they saw her enter, they hurried forward with smiles and curtsied. One of them said, "Lord Zhao mentioned that the moonlight is particularly lovely tonight and asked if the young lady would like to admire it in the courtyard. If you're inclined, we can bring out a daybed and prepare some fresh fruits."
Zhao Ling had given up his own quarters for her, while Miss Tang and her two maids occupied the side rooms behind the inner hall, leaving neither side convenient. He had planned to spend the night in the Duty Room these past couple of days.
Would he come tonight?
Fu Tingyun felt a flutter of anticipation. "It's so hot—some fresh air in the courtyard would be nice!"
The two maidservants, eager to make up for their earlier misstep, immediately set aside their tasks to fetch water and assist Fu Tingyun with her bath. By the time she emerged, freshly washed, the hall and courtyard had been swept clean. A bamboo-mat daybed had been placed beneath the osmanthus tree, and a blue-and-white porcelain fruit platter held washed grapes, apricots, sliced watermelon, and melon. A freshly brewed pot of tea sat nearby.
"Is there anything else the young lady requires?" the maidservants asked with ingratiating smiles, one clasping her hands respectfully while the other fanned Fu Tingyun. "We’ll fetch it right away!"
Since Fu Tingyun’s return, the two had been working nonstop without a moment’s rest. Strands of sweat-dampened hair clung to their cheeks, and their clothes carried the scent of exertion.
Fu Tingyun was not one to nitpick with servants. Considering that Zhao Ling would still need their service in the future, she took the fan with a smile and said, "You’ve thought of everything. I don’t need anything else—you’ve worked all afternoon. Go and rest."
Relieved that she bore no grudge, the maidservants beamed and offered a few flattering words before withdrawing.
The osmanthus tree was thick enough to encircle with both arms, its lush, glossy leaves now studded with golden buds. A few blossoms had already opened, filling the air with their delicate fragrance.
Dressed in a fine white gauze gown, Fu Tingyun reclined on the daybed beneath the tree, lazily fanning herself as she gazed at the bright moon through the dappled leaves. A profound sense of peace settled over her.
Then she suddenly felt as if a pair of deep, quiet eyes were fixed upon her.
Her thoughts flew to Zhao Ling...
A joyful smile curved her lips as she sat up abruptly—and met a pair of eyes as brilliant as morning stars.
Her cheeks burned uncontrollably, and her heart fluttered in disarray. "H-have you had dinner yet?" she blurted out.
The moment the words left her mouth, her face grew even hotter.
While he had hosted the centurions and officers in the courtyard, she had entertained their wives in the inner hall. They had bid farewell to their respective guests—she at the inner hall, he at the main gate. If she had already bathed, of course he would have eaten by now!
Zhao Ling stepped toward her slowly. Under the moonlight, his gentle expression was as warm as early spring."I only had some wine and half a bowl of noodles," he said, sitting casually on the cool daybed. "You were entertaining the ladies in the back hall—did you get enough to eat?" As he spoke, his gaze fell on the fruit platter on the low table. "Do you have anything to eat here?"
Fu Tingyun had also eaten haphazardly. However, because she had been traveling by carriage all afternoon, she was exhausted and had little appetite, so she hadn’t felt hungry. Only after Zhao Ling mentioned it did she belatedly realize that it was common to leave banquets still hungry.
She quickly stood up. "Shall I make you a bowl of noodles?"
"No need!" Zhao Ling took her hand. "I drank a bit too much and don’t feel like eating. Could you peel some grapes for me?" With that, he naturally released her hand.
Fu Tingyun didn’t mind and sat down to peel grapes for Zhao Ling.
Zhao Ling, in turn, fanned her with a hand fan.
She peeled a teacup’s worth of grapes, stuck a toothpick in them, and handed them to him, then casually took the fan from his hand and began fanning him instead.
He accepted the teacup, picking at the grapes with the toothpick while stealing glances to chat with her. "Why don’t you stay until after the Mid-Autumn Festival before heading back?"
"Who told you to announce in front of everyone that you’d left important documents at home and that I was here to deliver them?" Fu Tingyun teased him. "Now that the documents have been delivered, how can I keep staying here? The Ghost Festival is in a few days, and it’s inconvenient to travel then. I’ll leave after the festival." Her voice softened with a hint of shyness. "You can come home to visit when you have time."
Zhao Ling deeply regretted his earlier words. "If I’d known, I should’ve just told them you were here to celebrate my birthday."
"Stop talking nonsense," Fu Tingyun chided, recalling the skeptical expressions of the captains when Zhao Ling had claimed she was delivering documents. "Your birthday isn’t for another two months. Who would believe that?"
"What does it matter whether they believe it or not?" Zhao Ling said dismissively. "Everyone’s just looking for an excuse anyway." Thinking he might be able to visit Fu Tingyun during the Mid-Autumn Festival, he quickly changed his mind and smiled. "Fine. Stay until after the Ghost Festival, and we’ll go release river lanterns together."
Delighted at the prospect of releasing lanterns with Zhao Ling, Fu Tingyun readily agreed. "Then I’ll prepare some offerings, and we can also visit the temple to pay our respects." Her mood dimmed slightly as she thought of the soldiers who had fought alongside Zhao Ling but had fallen in battle. "I’ll also copy a few volumes of the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī , the Maṇḍala Sūtra , and the Ullambana Sūtra for you to offer to the Bodhisattva."
She was copying the scriptures for his sake, wasn’t she?
"Alright!" Zhao Ling smiled at her. "We’ll go together then."
The understanding in his gaze made Fu Tingyun feel somewhat embarrassed.
Light footsteps approached.
Both of them frowned.
They saw Miss Tang, dressed in a pale blue silk summer gown, enter the courtyard.
Spotting Zhao Ling, she paused briefly before breaking into a radiant smile. "I thought Miss Fu was here alone admiring the moon and wanted to keep her company. I didn’t expect Lord Zhao to be here as well!" She stepped forward to greet both Zhao Ling and Fu Tingyun.
If you knew Zhao Ling was here, why did you still come and ruin the moment?
Fu Tingyun grumbled inwardly but smiled and returned Miss Tang’s greeting. Seeing no sign of Miss Tang leaving, she went inside to fetch a stool and invited her to sit.Miss Tang smiled and said, "Lord Zhao, Miss Fu, what are you chatting about? The Ullambana Festival is approaching. I've heard that every year at this time, from the General Military Headquarters down to the various garrisons, they invite Taoist priests and Buddhist monks to perform ritual ceremonies. Lord Zhao, will the Nianbo Garrison hold a ritual ceremony this year?" Tears glistened in her eyes. "Miss Fu, will you attend the Buddhist assembly? I'd like to go with Miss Fu to burn some paper money for my late father and mother." As she spoke, tears streamed down her face. "I don't know what to do now... My father left me hundreds of thousands in gold... A common man's only crime is possessing a treasure... So many people are eyeing the properties my father left me... I'm terrified... Only Lord Zhao has never shown any greed..." She wiped her tears, her face showing a hint of shyness. "That's why my father repeatedly urged me on his deathbed to seek out Lord Zhao. He said if I wanted to survive, I must beg Lord Zhao to take me in. Otherwise, as a weak and solitary woman carrying a fortune, I probably wouldn't live long..." She covered her face and wept bitterly.
What did she mean by this?
Asking Zhao Ling to take her in—how exactly? As an adopted sister? Or as a concubine?
A sharp glint flashed in Fu Tingyun's eyes as she looked at Zhao Ling.
Zhao Ling frowned, appearing somewhat irritated.
"Miss Tang..." He paused, looking very troubled, then said thoughtfully, "The enmity between your family and the Fengs runs deep. Even if I were to invite respected elders to mediate, the Fengs, for the sake of face, would still demand some monetary compensation from you. If that's your concern, perhaps you could offer more silver to the Fengs and request their protection. I believe the Fengs would be willing to appear magnanimous."
"Lord Zhao," Miss Tang sobbed, "you still don't understand my father's meaning. My father wasn't unwilling to part with the wealth. If it could save my life, what does losing the money matter? What I fear is that some people, even after taking the money, won't be satisfied. They might put on a righteous front but secretly plot against me. I could lose my life, and others would still praise them as noble gentlemen aiding the distressed. Killing me, then using my death to enhance their reputation. If that happens, neither my father nor I could rest in peace."
Fu Tingyun remained silent.
How could Miss Tang be so certain Zhao Ling wouldn't covet her fortune?
Recalling Miss Tang's earlier gift of a sword, she wondered if there was some deeper connection between them.
But whatever the connection, she couldn't allow this Miss Tang, who constantly flaunted her wealth, to become entangled with them. Just because Zhao Ling wasn't tempted didn't mean others wouldn't be.
"From what you're saying, Miss Tang, you're afraid your wealth will attract those who would kill for it?" Fu Tingyun said slowly.
Miss Tang nodded repeatedly. "Yes—"
She had barely uttered the word when Fu Tingyun continued, "I think this matter can be easily resolved."
Miss Tang's heart leaped with hope.The first time she met Zhao Ling, she felt he was different from all the salt smugglers she knew. She had taken a liking to him right then, but back then, Zhao Ling was just a poor lad, and she didn’t dare say anything. Later, Tang Daishan and Zhao Ling did a few deals together, and Tang Daishan came to greatly admire Zhao Ling. Miss Tang hinted at the idea of having Tang Daishan recruit Zhao Ling as a son-in-law. After some consideration, Tang Daishan also thought it was a good idea, but Zhao Ling firmly refused. Master Tang and Miss Tang both assumed Zhao Ling didn’t want to marry into their family. Master Tang gave up on the idea, but Miss Tang kept it in mind. Later, as Zhao Ling’s business grew bigger and even the Feng family had to step back, she once again hinted at her desire to marry Zhao Ling. Tang Daishan thought it over and decided that compared to securing an heir, pulling Zhao Ling to their side and preserving the Tang family’s legacy was more important. So he sent someone to propose the match again. This time, Zhao Ling politely declined with the excuse, "My career is not yet established; I have no mind to marry." Master Tang brought it up several more times afterward, but Zhao Ling refused each time.
Miss Tang knew full well that wealth alone couldn’t sway Zhao Ling. She also knew that when Zhao Ling said he had a betrothed wife, he would never break the engagement to marry someone else.
But not everyone was like Zhao Ling.
If she entered the Zhao household, as the mistress, Miss Fu might have to share the family fortune with her. Could Miss Fu really remain unmoved?
She couldn’t help but hold her breath and stare intently at Fu Tingyun.
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O(∩_∩)O~
(End of Chapter)
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