Chapter 171: Taking Initiative
"There are no wrong parents in this world, nor wrong children," Fu Tingyun said softly, standing beneath the grapevine trellis in the courtyard as she gazed at the fiery sunset on the horizon. "Moreover, Yu Da Gongzi is inheriting three branches of his family, which should make him even more cherished. If he wanted to break off the engagement, even if the elders were unwilling and resorted to threats and arguments, there must have been ways to make them yield. Yet he took such a risky approach, resorting to actions that endangered lives..." She paused thoughtfully. "And the two Masters of the Fu Family—having served as officials for years, they are worldly and well-versed in the laws of this dynasty. How could Young Master Yu's words alone frighten them into submission, making them obediently follow the orders of a mere youth? It defies all reason!"
Jin Yuanbao, standing beside her, raised an eyebrow and asked hesitantly, "What do you mean?"
"I believe the only way to unravel this mystery is to start with Zuo Junjie," Fu Tingyun replied, turning to smile at Jin Yuanbao. "So I’d like to ask Uncle Jin for a favor—no matter what, we must ensure nothing happens to Zuo Junjie. As long as he remains in our hands, whether we confront the Yu Family or demand an explanation from the Fu Family, they will be hesitant to act against us for fear of hurting him..."
"Rest assured, sister-in-law," Jin Yuanbao quickly replied with a respectful bow. "As long as I, Jin Yuanbao, live, Zuo Junjie will never escape our grasp."
Fu Tingyun felt uneasy at his solemn tone, as if he were making a pledge of life and death.
Man proposes, but Heaven disposes. Who could guarantee such things? He had already helped her so much—how could she bear to add to his burden?
"Zuo Junjie is nowhere near as precious as Uncle Jin’s life," she said with a light laugh. "Please don’t speak so seriously—it makes me feel like an outsider. If I ever need to ask for your help again, I’d feel too guilty."
Realizing his expression had been too grave, Jin Yuanbao smiled sheepishly and changed the subject. "Sister-in-law, do you plan to go to Four Happiness Alley first? Or the Yu Family? I’ve heard the Yu residence is on Alley Street along Chang'an Avenue—it takes nearly an hour by carriage from here. Yang Yucheng is guarding this place, so nothing will go wrong. Since I have a few days off, why not let me drive the carriage and guide you? You’ll have an extra pair of hands by your side."
He was worried she might face danger, wasn’t he?
Touched by his concern, Fu Tingyun acknowledged that his caution wasn’t unfounded—given how strange this situation was, who knew what else might happen?
"Then I won’t stand on ceremony," she said with a smile, sharing her plan. "Tomorrow morning, I’ll have A Sen deliver a letter to Young Master Yu at the Yu residence, inviting him to meet at the nearby East Prosperity Teahouse. That’ll be my chance to clarify some matters. I’ll need both uncles there to back me up when the time comes."
Jin Yuanbao looked surprised. "You’re not going to Four Happiness Alley first?"
After all, that was where her father..."No need," Fu Tingyun said coldly. "If Father still cherished our bond as father and daughter, even if he had no choice but to condemn me to death back then, he should have privately acknowledged me when I survived and sought him out later... Yet he repeatedly drove me away, even causing Ninth Master to suffer humiliation alongside me. This shows that in his heart, I’ve long been an outsider. Now that we’ve finally captured Zuo Junjie, going to him for help would only hand him leverage—it’d be no different from digging our own graves." She added, "Whether it’s the Yu Family or the Fu Family, we must remain vigilant!"
Without the Fu elders' consent, Young Master Yu couldn’t dissolve the betrothal even if he had three heads and six arms.
When Jin Yuanbao first heard of this matter, he had harbored doubts, but out of respect for the father-daughter relationship, he refrained from voicing them. Now seeing Fu Tingyun’s realization, he exhaled in relief and smiled. "I’ll stay at home these days. Just have A Sen call me when the date is set."
After settling a few minor details, they returned together to Shi Family Alley.
Fu Tingyun bathed, gathered her thoughts, and by the bright candlelight in the study, wrote a concise letter to Young Master Yu, summarizing Zuo Junjie’s confession and requesting a meeting.
A Sen took the letter and rose early the next morning to deliver it. As he dressed, Yan Qing rushed in. "Second Young Master! Someone named Yu Jingxiu is outside asking to see Madam!"
A Sen was startled. Hastily fastening his robe, he hurried out. "Let’s go see!"
On the way, he nearly collided with Zhenzhu, who was carrying hot water for Fu Tingyun’s morning toilette.
"Where are you off to so early, Second Young Master?" Zhenzhu muttered.
"Tell Sister-in-law that Yu Jingxiu is here," A Sen called over his shoulder without stopping, swiftly passing through the moon gate.
Zhenzhu hurried to inform Fu Tingyun.
Fu Tingyun was stunned. She sent Zhenzhu to alert Jin Yuanbao while summoning Yu Wei to help her prepare.
"Why is he here?" Fu Tingyun sat before the mirror, gazing at her reflection—a woman with slightly furrowed brows—and murmured in confusion. "Logically, he shouldn’t know so soon that we have Zuo Junjie."
"Perhaps it’s about something else?" Yu Wei offered hollow reassurance. "We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. This is our home. No matter how overbearing a guest may be, what can he do? Don’t worry. We’ll know once we meet him."
"It can’t be about anything else," Fu Tingyun shook her head lightly. "His swift reaction proves Zuo Junjie’s fears weren’t unfounded."
Dressed in a plain rose-red Hangzhou silk robe, her dark hair coiled into a peony bun adorned with a twin lotus, Fu Tingyun went to the south hall.
Jin Yuanbao, standing in for Zhao Ling, was hosting the guest.
The man was about twenty-five or twenty-six, handsome and tall, clad in a slightly worn sky-blue Hangzhou silk robe. His eyes were sharp yet warm, radiating a bright, sunny vigor.
Fu Tingyun was taken aback.
She had never met Yu Jingxiu before.
Whenever the Fu family mentioned him, they spoke only of his scholarly prowess and noble lineage—never had they mentioned his striking appearance and dignified bearing.Yu Jingxiu's eyes flickered slightly as he saw Fu Tingyun enter.
He had caught a glimpse of her once when he was a child.
Back then, she had been sitting in his family's flower hall, devouring Goubuli steamed buns with her head down.
Tall in stature, fair and plump.
He had fled in panic.
But now, though she remained just as tall, her skin as fair and delicate as fine jade, her figure as graceful as rolling hills, through the tempered lens of time, she appeared to him alluring and radiant, exuding a captivating charm.
For some inexplicable reason, Yu Jingxiu smiled self-deprecatingly.
But he quickly regained his composure, standing up with warm yet restrained enthusiasm to greet Fu Tingyun. "You must be Madam Zhao? I am Yu Jingxiu, styled De Pu, from Nanjing Fengle Ward. Our families are actually old acquaintances. However, I was previously engrossed in my studies and later occupied with official duties, so I may have been somewhat remiss in social matters. Had I not attended Madam Fu's funeral and noticed Lord Zhao and Madam Zhao setting up an altar for her, I might never have known you had come to the capital! I had long intended to pay a visit, but Lord Zhao's departure from the capital made it inconvenient. Then yesterday, I heard your household had been burgled. Concerned that Madam Zhao might be alone and in need of assistance, I hurried over." He smiled amiably at Jin Yuanbao. "Little did I know Lord Zhao had already arranged for a brother to stay here for your safety. I must have been rather slow on the uptake."
His tone was gentle and cordial, his smile bright and open—the very picture of a refined gentleman.
Fu Tingyun's heart grew cold.
If she had harbored any lingering doubts about Zuo Junjie's words before, Yu Jingxiu's speech now erased them entirely.
Zuo Junjie had barely been apprehended when Yu Jingxiu fearlessly followed, even mentioning their memorial for her mother. This proved Young Master Yu had been keeping tabs on her for at least half a year. Yet he had only appeared after Zuo Junjie's misdeeds came to light—a testament to his deep cunning...
Fu Tingyun couldn't help but sneer.
With such a man, the best strategy was to seize the initiative. Otherwise, if he gained the upper hand, she might find herself trapped without even realizing it...
"So Lord Yu knows all about my husband and I paying respects to my mother," she said, her gaze sharp as a blade as she stared at Young Master Yu. "I hadn't realized Lord Yu took such an interest in my husband, monitoring his every move. No wonder you knew about the burglary the moment it happened!"
The sharpness of her words clashed starkly with her delicate appearance, causing Young Master Yu's face to flicker with surprise. He hurriedly replied, "Madam Zhao misunderstands. My knowledge of your visit to Madam Fu's memorial was purely coincidental. As for the burglary, the commotion that night was so loud the whole capital has been talking about it...""In that case, I must thank Young Master Yu for your concern." Fu Tingyun remained unmoved by his words, speaking coldly. "Fortunately, the thief was discovered early, and our household suffered no losses. Young Master Yu can rest assured. When my husband returns, I will naturally convey your concern to him." She straightened her posture, her gaze locking onto Young Master Yu's eyes as she enunciated each word deliberately. "Incidentally, the thief is someone you know. His name is Zuo Junjie, and he is related to our family by marriage. According to him, he met you four years ago and was instructed by you to falsely accuse me of having an affair with him, all to achieve the goal of breaking off the engagement. I was quite shocked to hear this and was planning to ask you about it. I never expected that upon hearing about the thief in our home, you would rush over first. It seems you are quite anxious about this matter as well..."
Having laid things out so plainly, she expected Young Master Yu to be startled, flustered, or at the very least, embarrassed. Yet, to her surprise, he merely smiled faintly and said, "Madam Zhao, you’ve spoken my very thoughts. When I heard Zuo Junjie had fallen into your hands, I was beside myself with worry and came immediately. However, I did not come for my own sake, but for the dignity of both our families!"
Fu Tingyun scoffed disdainfully.
Unfazed, Young Master Yu maintained his gentle, spring-like smile. "You must understand, the matter of breaking off the engagement was not something I alone could decide. There are certain things you should ask your father about." His tone then shifted, half-serious, half-teasing. "Of course, to be honest, I truly did not wish to marry into the Fu family—not because of you, Madam Zhao, but because I hold the Two Masters of the Fu Family in utter contempt and had no desire for such elders..." His every gesture exuded an effortless grace.
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The power went out at home...
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