Chapter 116: Twists and Turns (Bonus Chapter for 1360 Pink Votes)
Marquis Yingchuan?
What did her marriage have to do with Marquis Yingchuan?
Fu Tingyun's mind snapped to clarity. She urgently tried to push Zhao Ling away. "What exactly did Marquis Yingchuan ask you to do?" The haze in her eyes receded like a tide, replaced by clarity and brightness, shining like moonlight into Zhao Ling's heart and sobering him up as well.
His body stiffened, only gradually relaxing after a moment.
Slowly releasing Fu Tingyun, he forcibly suppressed the restless stirrings in his heart and said solemnly, "The Marquis ordered me to collaborate with Commander Lu to restrain the newly appointed Zhuanglang Garrison Vice General, Lü Rong!"
Fu Tingyun was stunned. "Wasn't Lü Rong transferred from the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission? Does that mean Li Jinru of the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission isn't aligned with Marquis Yingchuan? But then why would both Li Jinru and Marquis Yingchuan show deference to Sixteenth Master? Or perhaps, while both outwardly respect Sixteenth Master, they aren't truly united behind the scenes?" she speculated.
"That's also a possibility," Zhao Ling replied, his expression grave. "We'll have to observe carefully over time."
Fu Tingyun nodded but couldn't resist offering comfort. "At any rate, this is good news for Ninth Master—the more weight you hold in Marquis Yingchuan's eyes, the more he'll favor you. That way, even if the matters of Feng Dahu and Datong Company come to light someday, Marquis Yingchuan will have to carefully deliberate and choose between you and Xiping Marquis." She thought of Shopkeeper Ye. "Should we inform Shopkeeper Ye? I heard from Zheng San that he's still injured. What if he can't endure such a rushed journey?"
Zhao Ling replied, "Shopkeeper Ye managed to escape Xiping Marquis's pursuit—he's clearly no ordinary man. I've also assigned Sanfu and a few handpicked soldiers to escort him. If he still can't evade Xiping Marquis's hunt, then surviving to return to Datong Company would be pointless. Better to die on the road—at least Datong Company would treat his family well in recognition of his sacrifice."
Though his words were cold and ruthless, Fu Tingyun had to admit there was truth in them.
She murmured in agreement, then fell silent as she recalled Shopkeeper Ye's confident departure with the Thousand-Camel Caravan compared to his current lonely, destitute state.
Would his return truly bring him comfort from loved ones and forgiveness from colleagues?
Life's fortunes were so unpredictable—one moment filled with laughter, the next stripped of all glory.
Thinking of her own experiences, Fu Tingyun felt a newfound reverence for the future.
She lowered her head and softly asked Zhao Ling, "Do... do you really want to get married?" As soon as the words left her lips, heat rushed to her face... Thus, she didn't see the sharp glint in Zhao Ling's eyes as they lingered on the Twin Lotus ivory comb in her hair.
"That was entirely my fault earlier!" His expression gradually turned calm, rational, and composed, yet his voice remained as gentle and light as a breeze rustling through leaves, softly brushing against Fu Tingyun's heart. "Don't worry—I'll wait until your parents give their approval."
Fu Tingyun sighed in relief, yet for some reason, a faint sense of loss lingered in her heart. It seemed she felt closer to the Zhao Ling who bantered and joked with her... She gave a slight nod, a trace of melancholy flickering in her eyes.Zhao Ling assumed Fu Tingyun was somewhat disappointed by his earlier boldness, feeling secretly anxious yet unable to devise a good solution. He simply cast aside everything that had happened, pretending nothing had occurred... Sitting at the table, he playfully handed an empty rice bowl to Fu Tingyun and said with a grin, "Serve me a bowl of rice, will you?"
Fu Tingyun was taken aback, then sighed with a hint of resignation.
This fellow really had thick skin!
She shot him a glare before turning to fill his bowl, unconsciously pursing her lips into a smile. Secretly, she felt relieved—thankfully Zhao Ling had always been willing to humble himself before her. Otherwise, after what had just happened, she truly wouldn't have known how to interact with him. At this thought, the scene of their embrace flashed through her mind... Zhao Ling's scorching palms, as if aflame, seemed to still linger on her back with a gentle, reluctant caress... The tingling sensation buried deep within her body once again rippled through her heart... She shivered involuntarily, the rice bowl in her hands suddenly feeling as heavy as a thousand pounds, nearly slipping from her grasp... This jolted her back to her senses... yet she found herself unable to meet Zhao Ling's bright gaze.
"Hurry, eat up!" Fu Tingyun stammered.
A knock came from outside, followed by Zheng San's voice: "Third Lady, open the door!"
As if fleeing, Fu Tingyun hurried out. "I'll go see!"
The rain had stopped, and the courtyard's blue bricks were washed clean by the downpour. The red lanterns hanging under the eaves cast a crimson glow on the ground, shimmering with a rainbow-like halo.
She took a deep breath.
The cool autumn night breeze dispersed the restlessness in her heart, calming her mind.
Fu Tingyun asked Zheng San, who had rushed in: "How did it go? Did you run into Sanfu?"
Zheng San bowed respectfully. "Lao Chai and Sanfu have already safely left Zhangye City."
Fu Tingyun felt relieved.
Zheng San then asked with concern, "Is Ninth Master alright?"
"He's fine!" Zhao Ling had somehow appeared silently behind Fu Tingyun and replied nonchalantly, "As for the Marquis, I have my own plans."
His tone was somewhat ambiguous, and to those unaware of the truth, it would sound as though Marquis Yingchuan had summoned Zhao Ling for questioning due to suspicions about Shopkeeper Ye, but Zhao Ling had managed to talk his way out of it.
Fu Tingyun was inwardly surprised but quickly understood Zhao Ling's intention.
Rather than revealing the truth to Zheng San, it was better to let this misunderstanding persist—at the very least, Shopkeeper Ye would be deeply grateful upon hearing it.
Was he trying to befriend Shopkeeper Ye?
Fu Tingyun mused silently, standing by with a smile as she quietly listened to Zhao Ling questioning Zheng San.
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The next day, the skies cleared. Zhao Ling left for the General Military Headquarters after breakfast and didn't return until after nightfall. Each day, he either busied himself with handling affairs among the officials at the headquarters or went out socializing with He Xiulin, no longer in a hurry to return to Nianbo Garrison. Yet no matter how late he returned, he always made sure to see Fu Tingyun before retiring. Occasionally, he would bring her rare treats like fried quail or small trinkets such as peach wood hairpins and glass bead bracelets.Fu Tingyun maintained a composed smile as she thanked Zhao Ling outwardly, but inwardly she was overjoyed. Every day, she would wait for Zhao Ling to return before retiring. Zhao Ling no longer urged her to rest early as he used to. Sometimes, if he returned early, he would sit and chat with Fu Tingyun for hours. Noticing that Zhao Ling often talked about delicious dishes at certain restaurants or scenic spots recommended by He Xiulin, Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but feel concerned: "Is it alright for you to stay away from the Nianbo Garrison for so long?"
"Let’s focus on completing Marquis Yingchuan’s task first!" Zhao Ling replied dismissively.
Fu Tingyun trusted Zhao Ling implicitly and rarely questioned his official duties. Hearing this, she said no more, simply ensuring his clothes were neatly pressed and that he had enough silver for his needs.
A few days passed, and September arrived. Chrysanthemums began appearing in the markets. Fu Tingyun asked Zheng San to buy two pots and placed them on Zhao Ling’s windowsill, pondering how to celebrate his birthday.
Jin Yuanbao returned from the capital, covered in dust.
Fu Tingyun was overjoyed and quickly invited him into the hall. Before he could even sit down, she eagerly asked, "Did you see my family?"
"No," Jin Yuanbao replied. He had traveled the post road under Marquis Yingchuan’s name, covering six hundred li at a breakneck pace day and night. Exhausted, he slumped into the Grand Tutor chair without bothering to dust himself off. "Your mother has kept a low profile since arriving in the capital. I was in a hurry to return and couldn’t stay longer, so I never got the chance to meet her. However, I did encounter a housekeeper from her household referred to as 'Xiuzhu’s family.' I wrote a note assuring your safety, then bought a common blue handkerchief from the street, wrapped the silver bracelet you gave me along with the note inside, and discreetly dropped it into the basket she was carrying for incense offerings while she was visiting the temple. I saw with my own eyes how Xiuzhu’s family opened the handkerchief, looked around in shock, then abandoned her temple visit and hurried back to your family’s residence at Four Happiness Alley. Not long after, I saw her again, holding the handkerchief and inquiring at nearby stalls about its origin. I had intended to approach her, but she was constantly shadowed by a young servant. Several times, I stood right beside her, but before I could speak, she’d eye me warily..." Jin Yuanbao chuckled awkwardly. "This housekeeper of your mother’s... seems a bit overly cautious in her duties!"
Naturally. Otherwise, she—not Bibo—would have been her mother’s most trusted aide.
At the thought of Bibo’s disappearance and likely grim fate, Fu Tingyun’s expression darkened momentarily, but it was soon replaced by the joy of reconnecting with her family. "So, my mother must have received my message?" she exclaimed, her face alight with happiness. Then her smile faded, and she frowned. "You mentioned a servant following Xiuzhu’s family... What’s going on?"
Zheng San cheerfully brought in tea.
Jin Yuanbao thanked him with a smile and took a sip.
Fu Tingyun’s heart sank.Ever since learning in Xi'an Prefecture that her mother had gone to the capital, her thoughts had been consumed by worry for her mother. She feared her mother might be burdened with guilt over her disappearance or even fall ill from longing. Others might not realize, but Jin Yuanbao, with his meticulous nature, couldn't possibly be unaware. He wasn't in a hurry to answer her question, instead leisurely sipping his tea... There was only one possibility—he didn't know how to respond appropriately to her inquiry.
Her face instantly turned pale. "Has... has something happened to my family?" As she spoke, she recalled Jin Yuanbao's words: "I never found the right opportunity to pay my respects to your mother." Her mother, as an inner household woman, would naturally be difficult to meet, but he could have visited her father or elder brother, couldn't he? Even if Jin Yuanbao didn't dare to visit her father, an official of the court, her brother was merely a scholar—could he not even meet him?
No, something was wrong about this.
Jin Yuanbao had once served under Marquis Yingchuan. He couldn't possibly be too timid to visit her father.
Her fingers twisted tightly together.
Jin Yuanbao seemed unable to meet her gaze, lowering his eyelids before finally speaking after a long pause. "I don't quite know how to say this... In any case, I felt the atmosphere was strange. I didn't even dare to visit your father or brother..."
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I must admit, I feel rather ashamed. Last month, everyone cast 1,349 pink votes for me, but due to various reasons, the additional chapters I promised were delayed until now. I sincerely apologize for this. Although the pink votes didn't reach 1,360, they were all tokens of your encouragement. I think I'll still add chapters up to 1,360... O(∩_∩)O~... Thank you all for your continuous support and patience. At last, I've settled my "debt" from May.
I hope you will continue to support me as always. Those with pink votes, please cast them; those without, please support through official subscriptions, so I can write with greater peace of mind.
Thank you all!
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(End of Chapter)
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