Chapter 11: News
That night, Fu Tingyun enjoyed a rare peaceful sleep.
When she woke the next morning, though she wouldn’t say she felt refreshed, her complexion was noticeably brighter—a stark contrast to her usual gloom. This change made Housekeeper Chen suspicious, and she kept shooting Fu Tingyun sidelong glances.
Go ahead and wonder!
Fu Tingyun felt inwardly pleased and deliberately curved her lips into a smile, even speaking with an extra touch of gentleness.
Housekeeper Chen frowned repeatedly.
Pretending not to notice, Fu Tingyun went to see Hanyan.
She was resting in bed. When she saw Fu Tingyun, she struggled to sit up. "Miss!"
Fu Tingyun held her shoulders. "How are you? Feeling any better?" She gently lifted Hanyan’s pant leg to check her injury.
The wound was red and swollen, looking quite alarming.
"It’s nothing, really!" Hanyan hurriedly pulled her pant leg down to cover it, not wanting Fu Tingyun to worry. "Master Guohui said I’ll be able to get out of bed in a couple of days."
Lü'e came in with tea. "Miss, I heard Housekeeper Chen was on night duty in your room last night?"
"Don’t mind her." Hanyan was already in this state, and Fu Tingyun didn’t want to drag her maids further into the mess. "Let her do as she pleases. It’s been over two months now—I think we’ll have a resolution soon. We can’t stay at Azure Cloud Temple forever. I was just too impatient before."
The two young maids were simple-hearted, and since Fu Tingyun was their mistress, they naturally took her words at face value.
After chatting for a while, Fu Tingyun went to see Master Guohui.
"I think Hanyan’s injury needs proper medicine!" she said, asking for wound-healing ointment. "And if there’s something to nourish her blood and qi, that would be even better."
Master Guohui was silent for a moment before standing up to retrieve two porcelain bottles—one with green flowers on a white base, the other with red flowers. "This one is for external application, and this is for internal use. Change the dressing daily, and take one pill morning and evening."
"You’re being stingy, Master," Fu Tingyun said, scooping up all the green-and-white and red-and-white bottles from the Menthut Cabinet into her arms.
Master Guohui was taken aback by her audacity. "More medicine isn’t necessarily better—Hanyan isn’t seriously hurt. It’s fine whether she uses it or not. Don’t overdo it, Miss Nine."
Fu Tingyun’s ears burned.
She had actually resorted to that man’s bandit-like behavior… Truly, bad company corrupts good morals. But she had no choice—who knew if she’d need to ask him for help again? Having more medicine on hand meant more bargaining power.
"Forgive me, Master," she sighed. "I’m feeling restless—just let me vent a little."
Master Guohui gave her a deep look but said nothing more.
Fu Tingyun then went to the kitchen. "I’d like to make a bowl of scallion noodles myself."
The nuns had no idea what was happening in Tranquil Moon Hall, but they knew Azure Cloud Temple relied on the Fu family’s support. To them, the Fu family was their lifeline. Some helped sift flour, others wiped the cutting board, and others fetched the rolling pin—all eager to assist.
As she kneaded the dough, Fu Tingyun chatted with the nuns. "…I remember our family sent grain and flour to the temple not long ago. Why is the rice jar empty now?"
"Weren’t there thieves recently?" one nun said, boiling water for the noodles. "We only take out what we need each day to avoid theft. The price of rice and flour has skyrocketed lately…"The noodles were ready, and Fu Tingyun had learned what she wanted to know. After eating a few bites, she sent the rest with a young nun to Hanyan and Lü'e before returning to her room.
Housekeeper Chen greeted her: "Ninth Miss, shall we serve lunch now?"
"I've already eaten," Fu Tingyun replied with a faintly mocking glance at the two maidservants behind her. "Didn't they tell you?" Then she slammed the door shut with a loud "bang."
Housekeeper Chen turned a stern gaze toward the two maidservants.
"Housekeeper Chen," they stammered nervously...
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The red-lacquered ice-crack-patterned long window was half-propped open. Two volumes of Miscellaneous Items brought from home were neatly arranged on the desk by the window. The white cotton bed curtains were hooked up with brass hooks adorned with magpies—a symbol of joy. The bluestone floor tiles still bore traces of water from recent cleaning.
Clearly, the room had been thoroughly cleaned in her absence.
Fu Tingyun curled her lips, entertaining the malicious thought that Housekeeper Chen might have taken the opportunity to rummage through her belongings...
She placed one bottle each of external and internal medicine in the Menthut Cabinet, storing the rest in her trunk before sitting down at the desk.
It was noon, and the bright sunlight cast shimmering heat waves over the roof, walls, and silver-edged weeping willows. The room, shaded by eaves and long windows, felt even more serene and secluded.
All the worries she had pushed aside in her busyness now resurfaced.
By her calculations, he should have entered the city long ago.
Had he managed to meet Bi Bo's family smoothly?
What message would Mother have asked him to bring back?
Some of the people in her quarters were Generational Servants of the Fu family, while others had been purchased from villages. With so many sent to the estates under the pretext of a Seasonal Epidemic, surely some parents or siblings would risk visiting their daughters... Would the lie be exposed?
Yi Tong, Yu Wei, Zhe Liu, Jian Cao... Who among them had done such a foolish thing, putting everyone in danger?
And what were Grandmother and Aunt doing now?
Had Mother written to Father?
The more she thought, the more confused and anxious she became, so she decided to lie down.
If only she had brought her qin when she left. Playing it when her mind was in turmoil always helped calm her emotions.
But the qin revealed one's heart. She hadn't interacted much with Master Guohui before, but now she realized the woman was deeply perceptive. If she played a piece, Master Guohui might discern all her thoughts...
Lost in these musings, Fu Tingyun heard a soft "knock knock knock" on the eastern window lattice.
"Who is it?" she asked nervously, stepping closer to the window.
"It's me," came a flat, emotionless voice.
To her ears, it sounded like celestial music.
She hadn't expected him to return so soon.
"Come in from the roof, as before," Fu Tingyun said, overjoyed. "That way, Housekeeper Chen won’t notice if the wooden bars on the window are removed, sparing us unnecessary trouble."
Silence followed outside the window.
Fu Tingyun paused.
Was he upset by this?
She pressed her ear to listen.
Nothing.
Then, suddenly, a voice spoke behind her: "What are you doing?"
Startled, she whirled around to find him standing there. Looking up, she saw the skylight tile had been removed, letting in a shaft of sunlight that brightened the room abruptly.
Why did he always have to make such a dramatic entrance?
She grumbled inwardly but dared not show it.She hurried to close the window and listened intently at the door for a moment before finally relaxing. She then invited him to sit on the Grand Tutor chair and served him a cup of tea.
His face was flushed red from the sun, his temples drenched in sweat. He wore a clean and tidy lilac-colored short robe, with straw sandals on his feet.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but glance at those straw sandals twice.
He had already unceremoniously downed the tea she offered in one gulp and handed the cup back to her. "Bring a bigger bowl. I’ll have another."
Fu Tingyun barely restrained herself from glaring at him. "I don’t have a bigger bowl here."
"Then bring the teapot over," he replied indifferently.
Her lips twitched, but she fetched the teapot anyway.
He poured the tea into the cup and drank it in one go.
At least he didn’t gulp directly from the spout—otherwise, she’d have to explain to Housekeeper Chen why she suddenly no longer wanted this teapot.
Fu Tingyun repeatedly reminded herself to maintain basic courtesy and wait until he finished drinking before asking her questions...
But he set the cup down first. "I didn’t see Bi Bo's family. The Fu family said she’s at Azure Cloud Temple, attending to the Ninth Young Miss who suffered heatstroke."
"What?" Her heart pounded like thunder, and she shot to her feet.
From outside the door, Housekeeper Fan called, "Ninth Young Miss, do you need anything?"
The shocking news he brought, combined with her suppressed resentment toward Housekeeper Chen and the others, made Fu Tingyun’s emotions erupt. She snapped furiously, "I want to eat eggs—can you arrange that? If not, stop chirping uselessly outside my door!"
Silence fell beyond the door.
After venting her anger, Fu Tingyun calmed down considerably.
If Bi Bo's family hadn’t returned to the Fu residence, where had she gone?
Did Mother know Bi Bo's family was missing? Did she know her daughter was being confined at Azure Cloud Temple?
Her anxiety flared. "Then did you see my mother?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake.
He was a man, and Mother resided in the inner quarters. How could he possibly have seen her in broad daylight?
But she missed her mother so desperately—what if Mother was just as kept in the dark as she was?
Who had orchestrated all this?
Grandmother? Aunt?
Fu Tingyun’s panic grew unbearable.
If only her elder brother were here—he had accompanied Father to the capital with his wife and children for studies. At least she could have sought his advice!
Though this man could scale walls and leap rooftops, it was improper for him to visit Mother at night, given the difference in their sexes...
Lost in thought, she slid a pristine white mutton-fat jade bracelet from her wrist and placed it on the tea table. "Warrior, I’ve already confirmed the grain storage is in the cellar beneath the incense table of the Skanda Statue in the Mahavira Hall. I beg you to make another trip for me. Pawn this bracelet for some pongee silk robes, then claim you’re a messenger sent by my father from the capital and request an audience with my mother directly."
He remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the jade bracelet. After a long pause, he finally looked up. "Ninth Young Miss, your ideas seem rather... unimpressive."
His eyes, dark and fathomless like an ancient well, regarded her with icy detachment.
Fu Tingyun was stunned.
What did he mean by that?
Mocking her for being unrealistic?
If taking a risky approach wasn’t feasible, then why not do the opposite—strike openly and honorably... What was wrong with that?"First of all, those sent back home to deliver letters are all trusted aides, and no one in your family knows me. Moreover, your uncle is currently in charge of the Fu household. If I were to deliver the letter, my first duty would be to pay respects to your uncle. If he were to ask about your father's situation in the capital, how should I respond?" he asked her softly.
Fu Tingyun was at a loss for words.
This was indeed a bit risky, but apart from this method, she couldn’t think of any better, more direct, or more effective solution!
"Then let me tell you about my family," she said immediately. "You can handle my uncle with a few words. When the time comes, just say the matter is urgent and insist on seeing my mother. My uncle wouldn’t dare stop you..."
"I’ve always been a little curious," he suddenly interrupted her. "With your cleverness, even if you were quarreling with your cousins, you could have easily extricated yourself. How did you end up confined in Azure Cloud Temple?" He gazed at her intently. "I’ve heard people in the city say that someone in your family committed adultery and was caught in the act—everyone’s speculating whether it’s true..."
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Work has been quite busy lately, and despite several attempts, I haven’t been able to adjust my schedule. Updates will definitely be posted before midnight every night... ⊙﹏⊙b sweat...
(End of chapter)
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