Escape to Your Heart

Chapter 143: Preparations

The two gold hairpins weighed no more than one tael and two mace, while the pair of gold rings were less than four mace. Though not particularly valuable, they were still gold ornaments, prized for their exquisite craftsmanship and auspicious symbolism, not to mention being imperial gifts. Zheng Sanniang, Yu Wei, and the others gathered around to admire them for a long while. Yu Wei even specially found a small red lacquer box with gold tracery to store the hairpins and rings:

"...Keep these for formal occasions when receiving guests. They can also be passed down to the young mistresses in the future."

Young mistresses?

Fu Tingyun was momentarily taken aback before realizing whom Yu Wei was referring to, her face flushing crimson. It also reminded her of Yu Wei’s situation.

Yu Wei had been meticulously selected by her mother to help win over her future husband. Not only was she literate and skilled in needlework and accounting, but she had also learned games and songs. Fu Tingyun had once promised to take Yu Wei with her when she married, but now...

After some thought, she called out to Yu Wei, "Let’s talk in the warm room."

According to the regulations for commoners' residences: first- and second-rank officials were entitled to a main hall with five bays and nine beams, a gatehouse with three bays and five beams, painted green with beast-faced knockers in tin; third- to fifth-rank officials could have a main hall with five bays and seven beams, a gatehouse with three bays and three beams, painted black with tin knockers; sixth- to ninth-rank officials were allowed a main hall with three bays and seven beams, a gatehouse with one bay and three beams, painted black with iron knockers. Whether it was to avoid exceeding rank restrictions for future resale or because the original owner had been an official below the sixth rank, this residence had a single-bay gatehouse with three beams, black-painted with iron knockers, and only three bays each for the main hall and side wings. Taking advantage of loopholes in the regulations, the eastern chamber of the main house was adjacent to a small side room, with one space left as a passageway to the back room. The western chamber was connected to two small side rooms, which, together with the western chamber itself, served as a study and storage rooms. The side wing to the right of the hall also had an additional small room added. Zhao Ling rested in the western side wing, while Fu Tingyun occupied the eastern chamber of the main house, with its adjacent small room serving as the warm room.

Yu Wei and Fu Tingyun went to the warm room.

Seeing Fu Tingyun’s hesitant expression, the perceptive Yu Wei had some inkling of what was coming.

Before Fu Tingyun could speak, Yu Wei knelt before her. "Miss, you’ve been busy these past days, and I didn’t want to trouble you, so I kept some matters to myself. Now that you’re about to marry, I’m not sure if there are any taboos, so I’ll take this chance to speak—ever since I met you, I’ve been observing a strict vegetarian diet." She kowtowed three times to Fu Tingyun. "I beg for your understanding!"

Fu Tingyun was astonished.

A strict vegetarian diet was the practice of a lay Buddhist.

Once one became a lay Buddhist, romantic entanglements were to be renounced.

Was Yu Wei sensing her thoughts and preemptively offering this as an excuse to avoid an awkward conversation? Or was this truly her wish?

Fu Tingyun helped Yu Wei up. "Let’s sit and talk."

Yu Wei did not refuse, seating herself on a small stool nearby.

Fu Tingyun told her about the agreement between herself and Zhao Ling, adding, "...It’s not that I’m narrow-minded and unwilling to share. But because it’s Ninth Master, even someone as close as you would feel like a grain of sand in my eye. I’d rather break my promise to you than see that happen." She spoke candidly. "But you don’t have to go this far—why become a lay Buddhist at such a young age? I’ll personally help you find a good match.""Miss, please don't say such things," Yu Wei said urgently. "I truly choose to be vegetarian." Her expression darkened. "I am a person burdened with heavy sins. If not for me, how could you have suffered such grievances? If not for me, how could Zhe Liu and Jian Cao have died? If not for me, how could Zuo Junjie have set his sights on Mo Xiang... It's all because of me..." As she spoke, she knelt before Fu Tingyun again, tears streaming down her face. "Miss, if I had any shame, I should have ended my life long ago. But I cannot rest in peace without seeing Zuo Junjie! That's why I shamelessly continue to serve by your side, hoping that one day when you find him, I can meet him and ask him 'why?' Only then, when I meet Zhe Liu and Jian Cao in the afterlife, can I answer their questions!" With that, she covered her face and sobbed.

Fu Tingyun's eyes also reddened.

Yu Wei was shouldering all the blame herself.

When the scheming targets the unsuspecting, even a tiger has moments of vulnerability, let alone when the betrayer was Mo Xiang, whom she had trusted most.

"Don't be like this," Fu Tingyun said, her voice choked with emotion. "I don't blame you, and I'm sure Zhe Liu and Jian Cao wouldn't either..."

Before she could finish, Yu Wei shook her head with profound sorrow: "That's because you're kind-hearted, Miss. But in my heart, I know—even if I died a thousand, ten thousand times, I could never atone..."

This was a matter of Yu Wei's conscience. No amount of words could heal such wounds; only time and gradual comfort might help.

"Enough," Fu Tingyun said, forcing a smile through her tears. "Let's not dwell on these sad matters. Tomorrow morning, remember to take Zhenzhu and Kou'er to help pack. We'll be moving to Bensi Alley in a couple of days."

Yu Wei hastily wiped her tears.

How could she keep bringing up such distressing matters on the eve of her mistress's joyous occasion!

Though her eyes were still red, she managed a smile. "Don't worry, Miss. We'll have everything packed by tomorrow."

The two of them set aside the past and began discussing which items to take and which to leave in storage.

Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Lü was busy at Xiangguo Temple, hiring workers to repaint and refurbish certain areas. Representatives from the Wedding Shop also came to survey the space for setting up the ceremonial canopy in the courtyard, keeping him running in circles.

In the evening, when Zhao Ling returned, he personally sat in his study to write the wedding invitations.

Suddenly, Mr. Zhao paid an unexpected visit.

Zhao Ling immediately set aside his brush and welcomed Mr. Zhao in the south hall, serving him tea.

Hearing of this, Fu Tingyun grew curious and was tempted to sneak a peek at this Mr. Zhao.

After all, this man was the Emperor's military strategist!

But on second thought, she dismissed the idea.

As a strategist, he was surely a man of profound wisdom and sharp perception. If she were caught spying and he noticed any clues, it would be utterly embarrassing.

She called Yu Wei over: "Go serve tea and listen to what this Mr. Zhao has to say."

Yu Wei eagerly complied.

Soon, she returned beaming with news: "Mr. Zhao asked Ninth Master if he had secured matchmakers and the 'complete blessing' attendants yet. He even said that if Ninth Master hadn't decided, he could recommend old friends from the Hanlin Academy to serve in those roles!"

This was precisely the matter troubling Fu Tingyun, and the news delighted her. "What did Ninth Master say?" she asked eagerly.Yu Wei smiled. "Ninth Master agreed, of course, and even invited Mr. Zhao to stay for a drink at home. Mr. Zhao didn’t stand on ceremony either. Zheng Sanniang is just about to start cooking!"

Fu Tingyun quickly said, "Take those two jars of fine Jinhua wine from the storeroom to the south hall."

Yu Wei acknowledged and left.

The drinking lasted until the second watch of the night before it ended.

Seeing the light still on in Fu Tingyun’s room, Zhao Ling tapped on her window and stood beneath the sill, saying, "Mr. Zhao has invited Academician Ji from the Hanlin Academy to be the matchmaker on your side, while the daughter-in-law of Chen Yunsheng, the former commander of the Golden Crow Guard, will serve as your 'complete blessings' attendant. On my side, Academician Miao from the Hanlin Academy will be the matchmaker, and the wife of Li Yunxiang, the deputy commander of the Left Standard Guard, will be the 'complete blessings' attendant." He added, "I’ve requested ten days of marriage leave from the commander, but I can’t take any more leave before that. Tomorrow after my shift, I’ll escort you to Bensi Alley."

Fu Tingyun pushed open the window.

Moonlight bathed her face, making it glow like jade. Zhao Ling stared, momentarily transfixed.

"What? Are the wives of Mo Yi and the others not in the capital?" Fu Tingyun asked with a slight frown.

Understanding her concern, Zhao Ling chuckled. "The Emperor isn’t that kind of person. Don’t be so suspicious."

I hope so, Fu Tingyun thought to herself.

The next day, Zhao Ling escorted her to the Sun family’s home in Bensi Alley.

The Sun residence was a modest three-room courtyard. Master Sun was a traveling merchant, away from home for ten months of the year. Madam Sun lived with her daughter and two elderly servants. To create privacy, they had built a wall between the eastern and western wings and the southern rooms, forming an inner gate. The space between the southern rooms and the inner gate was merely a three-foot-wide passageway. The room they rented out was the westernmost one in the southern wing.

Fu Tingyun preferred this arrangement—it meant she wouldn’t have to socialize with the Sun mother and daughter.

Yu Wei settled everything in place, and the wedding shop delivered thirty-two loads of dowry.

Fu Tingyun then went to Four Happiness Alley.

Neither Master Fu the Fifth nor Fu Tinggui was home, but Madam Fu was overjoyed to see her and immediately took her to see Madam Fu.

When Madam Fu learned that the wedding preparations were complete and that Fu Tingyun had even been granted an audience with the Empress Dowager, she clasped her hands and murmured, "Amitabha." Looking at Fu Tingyun, her eyes crinkled into slits. "The old madam always said you were blessed. Now we see her words have come true."

With the Empress Dowager’s blessing, even if Zhao Ling’s affection for her daughter waned in the future, he wouldn’t dare treat her carelessly.

Unaware of her mother’s thoughts, Fu Tingyun smiled demurely. "Zhao Ling was the one who asked the Emperor for this."

"I know Zhao Ling is good," Madam Fu teased her daughter. "But you don’t have to keep singing his praises to me!"

"Mother!" Fu Tingyun pouted playfully, making Madam Fu laugh heartily, her earlier sickly pallor vanishing.

Fu Tingyun then asked about her mother’s health. Madam Fu brushed it off as nothing serious. The two shared intimate conversation until noon, when Madam Fu came in to ask where they should have lunch. But Madam Fu waved her hand and said, "Quan Hui, since you’re no longer part of the Fu family, I don’t think you need to stay and eat Fu family meals anymore."

Her tone made it clear she wanted Fu Tingyun to sever all ties with the Fu family.Fu Tingyun was momentarily taken aback, but seeing her mother's resolute attitude and genuinely unwilling to deal with Master Fu the Fifth and Fu Tinggui any further, she hesitated briefly before agreeing. As for Madam Fu, it took her a long while to regain her composure. When she finally did, she murmured, "I... I prepared a few dowry items for my sister-in-law."

Madam Fu asked, "Were they bought with your private savings or the household funds?"

Madam Fu hurriedly replied, "They were bought with my private savings." Then she added in a low, hesitant voice, "You know how Jiezhi's temper is..."

Madam Fu nodded. "Then give them to Quan Hui."

Madam Fu acknowledged and quickly fetched a small box, handing it to Fu Tingyun. "Just two silver hairpins and a pair of bracelets—all from my dowry. Please don’t disdain them, sister-in-law."

Fu Tingyun repeatedly expressed her thanks. After exchanging a few more words with Madam Fu, she was escorted out by Madam Fu.

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Getting married, getting married... How to write about the wedding chamber—that's the question...

O(∩_∩)O~

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(End of Chapter)