Chapter 117: Eastward Journey
Fu Tingyun leaned forward slightly, her anxiety evident between her brows. "Don't rush, start from the beginning," she urged.
Jin Yuanbao took a deep breath to steady himself. "Your matter is quite peculiar, and since your father is an official of the court, I didn’t dare visit your home recklessly. So first, I inquired about your mother in the neighborhood. The neighbors all said they only knew your mother had come to the capital to recuperate from illness but weren’t acquainted with her. The usual social interactions with the neighbors were handled by your sister-in-law. They also mentioned that your mother was gravely ill—when she first arrived, a physician was called every few days for consultations. Lately, though, the visits have stopped, but the housekeeper attending your mother goes to the temple to offer incense on the first and fifteenth of each month..."
"How could this be?" Fu Tingyun interrupted, her voice breaking. "Wasn’t it said that Mother only feigned illness to come to the capital because she couldn’t bear the gossip about me?" The moment she spoke, she fell silent. As the saying goes, emotional wounds are the hardest to heal. Perhaps her mother had truly fallen ill from the distress caused by her situation—what began as pretense had become reality, leaving her bedridden... "It’s all my fault, all my fault," she murmured in self-reproach. "If not for me, Mother wouldn’t have fallen ill..." Tears welled up in her eyes, but then her expression hardened. "If my mother is bedridden, why is only her housekeeper going to the temple? What about my sister-in-law? And my brother?"
Jin Yuanbao replied, "Your father was promoted this spring to the position of Director of the Bureau of Appointments in the Ministry of Personnel. His duties became so demanding that he could no longer tutor your brother, so he sent him to study under a renowned old Hanlin scholar named Chen in the capital. Your brother rises at mao hour (5-7 a.m.) every day and walks three li to Scholar Chen’s residence, not returning until you hour (5-7 p.m.). The household affairs are entirely managed by your sister-in-law..."
Fu Tingyun was astonished.
The Bureau of Appointments in the Ministry of Personnel oversaw the promotion and transfer of officials—a highly lucrative post. The Director of the Bureau was a fifth-rank official. Her father had previously been nothing more than a Hanlin Expositor-in-Waiting, a lower fifth-rank position. To leap directly to Director of the Bureau of Appointments... his career had truly flourished.
"Even so, if Mother is ill, my brother and sister-in-law can’t just stand by!" she said gravely. "What happened next? Did you ask the physicians who treated my mother about her condition?"
"I did," Jin Yuanbao said, pausing briefly. "They all claimed it was merely difficulty adapting to the climate, with digestive imbalances. They prescribed remedies to regulate her stomach and intestines, saying she’d recover naturally in time."
Her mother had been in the capital for nearly a year. If it were just a matter of acclimatization, would her condition have worsened?
Fu Tingyun was deeply skeptical. "Then what about the servant following Xiu Zhu’s family? What was that about?"Jin Yuanbao said, "Since I couldn't see your mother, I turned my attention to the servants, hoping to find someone who could secretly pass a message to her. I inquired about who had come from Huayin with your mother, but the neighbors said the household steward had complained that those who came from Huayin didn't speak Mandarin and didn't know their way around. If they got lost, people would have to be sent to find them, so they were only assigned tasks within the inner quarters. Outside errands were handled by servants who had accompanied your father in the capital. Only Xiu Zhu's family, who attended closely to your mother, occasionally went out, but only for minor tasks. I had no choice but to wait outside your residence. Finally, when Xiu Zhu's family appeared, she was either accompanied by other housekeepers or followed by maids. I couldn't find a chance to speak to her alone. So I dropped a silver bracelet into her basket. I figured if she showed it to your mother, your mother would surely order her to find out who had left it. When she returned to Four Happiness Alley, I waited patiently outside. Sure enough, within the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Xiu Zhu's family hurried out. Just as I was about to approach her, I noticed a young servant following her..."
His tone made it sound as though she was under confinement.
Fu Tingyun was startled by this thought.
Her eyes widened, and she remained silent for a long moment.
Jin Yuanbao lowered his voice. "The servant was dressed like an ordinary boy, cracking melon seeds, occasionally teasing birds in cages or joking with others, but he always kept a certain distance behind Xiu Zhu's family—even she didn't notice. That's why I didn't dare approach."
She had thought that once she contacted her mother, everything would become clear. Instead, she was met with even more mysteries and greater confusion.
Her expression darkened. "In such a short time, you've made a round trip from Zhangye to the capital. You must be exhausted. Go and rest." She added, "How long can you stay in Zhangye? When will you return to Jiayuguan?" Remembering how Marquis Yingchuan had summoned Zhao Ling and exposed his past, she told Jin Yuanbao bluntly, "What do you think we should say to Marquis Yingchuan?"
Jin Yuanbao was shocked to hear that Marquis Yingchuan knew their secrets, but by the time Fu Tingyun finished speaking, he had calmed down. After a moment's thought, he said, "This might be for the better—we can say we still have unfinished business on the road and that this trip to Xi'an is to sever ties with our past. Marquis Yingchuan won't blame us if he knows."
Fu Tingyun agreed with this idea and called for Zheng Sanniang to attend to Jin Yuanbao so he could rest.
Soon after, Zheng Sanniang returned. "Miss, Master Jin said he would spend the night at the General Military Headquarters and come back first thing tomorrow morning."
Fu Tingyun felt a headache coming on.
The room next to hers had originally been the inner quarters for Jin Yuanbao, Yang Yucheng, and the others. Now that she had moved into A Sen's place, she was living right next to them. Jin Yuanbao must have felt it was inappropriate, so he preferred to squeeze in with the soldiers at the headquarters.
Their large compound was now too crowded to accommodate everyone.There were two reasons she hadn't considered buying a new house—first, she had decided to move to Nianbo Garrison after marrying Zhao Ling; second, this residence had been the scene of a bloody incident, and selling it while the case was still fresh in people's minds wouldn't fetch a good price.
Fu Tingyun lifted the curtain and stepped out, calling to Jin Yuanbao, who was about to leave with A Sen: "You and Ninth Master can just stay somewhere else here! What's the sense of crowding outside when you're already at home? If there's crowding to be done, it should be with family."
A Sen had wanted Jin Yuanbao to stay but couldn't persuade him earlier. Now that Fu Tingyun had spoken, he immediately grabbed Jin Yuanbao's arm: "See? Even Miss Fu says so!"
Jin Yuanbao's lips parted slightly, his face flushing as he murmured an agreement.
Zheng San and his wife then helped prepare a room.
Standing under the eaves, Fu Tingyun watched them bustling about, her thoughts in turmoil.
What should she do?
Was her mother truly ill, or was it just a pretense?
Why would her father treat her mother this way?
Could there be some hidden reason behind it all?
Her brows furrowed deeply when Zhao Ling returned.
Seeing Jin Yuanbao, he was stunned. But those inside were equally surprised to see Zhao Ling. One asked, "When did you get back?" while the other questioned, "Why are you home so early today?" They exchanged glances and laughed, the atmosphere instantly becoming lively.
Poor Jin Yuanbao barely had time to catch his breath before Zhao Ling pulled him aside for questioning.
After learning about the situation in the capital, Zhao Ling lowered his head in thought for a long while. When he looked up again, his expression was resolute: "A-Jun, I'll arrange for an escort to take you back to the capital!"
"What?" Fu Tingyun stared at Zhao Ling in shock.
Zhao Ling nodded, his expression stern. "Regardless of whether your mother is truly ill, since such news has reached us, you should return to see her. I'll follow as soon as spring arrives next year." Sensing his tone was too severe, he softened slightly and added, "Besides, if you go first and gently prepare your mother, my appearance later won't seem so abrupt. Isn't there a saying—'A mother-in-law grows fonder of her son-in-law the longer she looks at him'? Perhaps we'll even need to rely on your mother to put in a good word for me with your father!"
Jin Yuanbao gaped, taking a long moment to recover. He glanced between Fu Tingyun and Zhao Ling, stammering, "You two... have you gotten engaged?"
Fu Tingyun wished she could stuff a cloth into Zhao Ling's mouth to silence him, but Zhao Ling simply grinned openly. "That's still missing the final stroke of the character—right now, it's just a thought!" His words turned Fu Tingyun's face scarlet, and she shot him a glare before telling Jin Yuanbao, "Don't listen to his nonsense."
Jin Yuanbao chuckled awkwardly.
But Zhao Ling suddenly turned serious again. "There's no time to waste. It's already September—any later, and the roads will freeze. I think you should pack and leave tomorrow. Yuanbao will be staying in Zhangye for a few days anyway, so anything left unfinished can be entrusted to him."
So soon!
Fu Tingyun froze, blurting out, "But your birthday is in a few days..."
Zhao Ling's eyes brightened, his gaze piercing straight through her as if laying bare all the tender affection she had hidden in her heart.
She murmured softly, "A few days' delay wouldn't hurt...""A-Jun!" He approached, his tall figure enveloping her like an emerald mountain peak. "The matters I needed to attend are finished, and I must return to Nianbo Garrison tomorrow... Next year, how about next year?" He coaxed her gently, "Next year, A-Jun will properly celebrate my birthday for me, alright?"
His voice, like a warm current, flowed quietly through her heart, and she found herself nodding involuntarily.
They still had many more years ahead...
※※※※※
At the break of dawn, Fu Tingyun's household was already bustling with activity.
Zhao Ling had only given her one day. Though she had merely packed some trunks simply and bid farewell to neighbors like Qi Taitai, Fu Tingyun was still swamped with tasks when Xiao Shi unexpectedly paid a visit.
Fu Tingyun cleared a path through the trunk-filled hall to invite Xiao Shi in for tea.
Xiao Shi politely declined, "...I heard you're leaving today and must have many arrangements to make. I won't add to your troubles." With that, she took a sandalwood box from her maid and handed it to Fu Tingyun. "I only just learned from Lord Zhao that you're returning to the capital to visit an ailing elder. There wasn't time to prepare much, but here are two century-old ginseng roots, bestowed by the Marquis in the past. Please take them back as a small token of my regard."
Fu Tingyun was taken aback and graciously refused, "No, no, these are far too precious! You should keep them for the Marquis's use."
"The Marquis wouldn't lack for my two roots even if he needed them," Xiao Shi said with a smile, placing the box on a nearby tea table. "You must be busy, and I should return as well. The Marquis will be departing for Zhuanglang Garrison in a couple of days." With that, she took her leave.
※
Dear sisters, let me explain a small historical detail.
During the Ming Dynasty, there was no Gansu Province. The territory that is now Gansu was administered by Shaanxi Province. The garrisons there were called the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission, while those within Shaanxi proper were known as the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission. Though differing by just one character, they were two distinct units... In short, Marquis Yingchuan and Li Jinru were peers, both regional military commanders.
O(∩_∩)O~
And now, dear sisters and brothers, Flowers in Brocade has slipped to fifth place in the popularity rankings. Please lend your support with some pink votes...(>_
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