Escape to Your Heart

Chapter 176: Negotiations

Such a thing had happened!

Fu Tingyun was utterly surprised.

She had no recollection of it at all.

Master Fu looked at her with a self-deprecating smile. "Do you think the inheritance of a family is such a simple matter? You girls were raised like orchids—sheltered from strong winds and heavy rains..."

Fu Tingyun fell silent.

What was the point of saying this now? Could they ever return to the past?

She gestured to the teacup in front of Master Fu and said in a subdued tone, "This is premium Downy Tips tea, brought back by Lord Zhao from Guizhou. Please try it, Uncle."

Sensing Fu Tingyun's reluctance to continue the topic, Master Fu also lost interest. He took a few sips from the teacup, though he couldn’t discern any particular flavor, and politely praised, "Excellent tea."

Like the calm before a storm, Fu Tingyun exchanged pleasantries with him. "I thought it would take some time before we heard from you, Uncle. I didn’t expect you to come in person. Have you met Lord Fu yet?"

Referring to her own father as "Lord Fu" made Master Fu the Fifth’s brow twitch slightly, his eyes flashing with sharpness. But then, as if remembering something, his gaze dimmed. After a moment of silence, he said, "I received a letter from your father at the beginning of the year. I originally intended to send Fu Gui to check on things, but after much deliberation, I decided it would be better to come myself..."

Fu Tingyun was taken aback. "You didn’t come because of my letter?"

Master Fu also looked surprised. "You sent me a letter recently?"

The two stared at each other in bewilderment.

Fu Tingyun then recounted the entire incident to Master Fu, including how Yu Jingxiu had sent someone to the cellar where Zuo Junjie was hiding.

Master Fu’s frown deepened as he listened, and by the end, his anger was barely contained.

He took several sips of tea, his expression easing slightly.

"Parents are never truly in the wrong. Your father may have made mistakes, but your temperament is too stubborn," Master Fu remarked tersely. He paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back before stopping to ask her, "When will Lord Zhao return?"

Men governed external affairs, women managed internal ones.

Though this matter involved Fu Tingyun, she was now a married woman, and such significant issues naturally required consultation with her husband.

Fu Tingyun understood this, but having always discussed everything with Zhao Ling, she felt a lump in her throat before replying, "Lord Zhao received an imperial summons to return to the capital yesterday. This morning, he went to the palace to report. After leaving the palace, he still has to visit the Ministry of War and the Five Armies Commandery. He likely won’t return home until very late. I’ll send a servant to inform him—if possible, he’ll try to return as soon as he can..."

"Nonsense!" Before she could finish, Master Fu interrupted with a low rebuke. "State affairs take precedence over personal matters. How can official duties be delayed for private concerns?" The reprimand slipped out before he realized he had overstepped—Fu Tingyun was no longer a member of the Fu family. He paused, softening his tone. "In that case, I’ll return to visit Lord Zhao after he finishes his official duties."

And just like that, he was leaving?

Fu Tingyun had hoped that meeting Master Fu would reveal the truth and that she could debate the faults of her elder sister-in-law with him...She couldn't help but step in front of Master Fu: "Uncle, if our master isn't scheduled to return until May, will you wait in the capital until then?"

Master Fu was momentarily taken aback.

Fu Tingyun continued: "Now that the Yu Family and I are like fire and water, I've been thinking—if Yu Jingxiu doesn't give me an explanation within these two days, I'll go make a scene with Grand Secretary Yu. It'll just mean everyone loses face. After all, the Emperor and The Empress Dowager already know about my situation, but the Yu Family is different. Young Master Yu is inheriting three branches and currently serving in the Office of Transmission, with boundless prospects ahead—this is just the first step in his official career. And considering our master is someone close to the Emperor, Grand Secretary Yu will surely have to weigh his options to protect Yu Jingxiu."

The Office of Transmission handled imperial edicts and enfeoffments. Though its rank wasn't high, its officials served directly by the Emperor's side. Moreover, Yu Jingxiu was a top graduate of the imperial examinations and held the seventh-rank position of Compiler. If he were fortunate enough to gain the Emperor's favor, it wouldn't be impossible for him to be appointed as a deputy minister in one of the Six Ministries.

"Are you threatening me?" Master Fu's shock quickly turned to fury.

You can use the Yu Family to threaten me, but I can't use them against you? Fu Tingyun sneered inwardly, though her words remained sincere and composed: "Please set aside this battle of wills, Uncle. This matter leaves me no choice but to fight—do you truly expect me to sit back and wait for death?"

Master Fu fell silent.

Fu Tingyun stood as still as a tree, waiting patiently.

After a long pause, Master Fu slumped into the Grand Tutor chair, suddenly looking a decade older. "Open the doors," he murmured weakly. "Have everyone withdraw beyond ten paces."

Fu Tingyun's heart leapt with quiet triumph as she calmly gave the order.

Throughout this, Master Fu's expression remained hesitant.

This likely involves some disgraceful affairs of the older generation—things he can't bring himself to discuss before a junior like me.

And if he can't speak of it to me, how could he possibly justify it before Zhao Ling?

Most likely, meeting Zhao Ling would only lead to another round of arguments.

Though she privately scoffed at the thought, Fu Tingyun recognized this as a rare opportunity. She took a few steps forward, standing meekly before Master Fu in hopes of softening his resistance.

"Uncle..." she whispered.

"Hmm?" Master Fu looked up as if startled from a dream, his gaze lingering on her with unspoken words.

Fu Tingyun waited quietly.

With a soft sigh, Master Fu turned his face away.

"The Xiping 23rd Year Bingchen Examination Scandal implicated many who could have been immortalized in history," he said heavily. "Among them were Zhao Tingyi, who later became the Emperor's military strategist, and Liu Shutong, infamous for taking imperial exams in place of others..."

In just half a month, this was already the second time she'd heard someone mention the Bingchen scandal and Liu Shutong's name.

Fu Tingyun was surprised but listened even more intently.

"Liu Shutong originally came from a prominent official family in Minnan and showed literary talent from a young age. After this calamity, he became somewhat cynical and took up the business of taking exams for others. He set a rule—no less than hundreds of thousands in silver per attempt. Yet people still sought him out, and he actually succeeded several times. Soon, Liu Shutong's reputation soared among scholars. The Yu Family, determined to have Young Master Yu follow in their footsteps, paid a hefty sum to hire Liu Shutong to tutor Yu Jingxiu in examination essays..."With a buzzing sound, something seemed to flash through Fu Tingyun's mind, but by the time she tried to grasp what it was, it had vanished without a trace.

She looked up in surprise, only to see the bitter expression on Master Fu's face: "Then Yu Jingxiu accidentally discovered that the essay which earned Fifth Uncle the title of Huiyuan was actually a practice piece by Liu Shutong..."

"How could this be?" Fu Tingyun shrieked in shock.

It felt as though something had collapsed inside her, making her legs go weak. She staggered and slumped into the nearby Grand Tutor chair.

"How could this be?" she murmured to herself, turning to Master Fu with pleading eyes.

But Master Fu kept his eyes tightly shut.

As if by doing so, he could deny the truth of the matter.

For a moment, the hall was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

"Do you understand now?" Master Fu finally opened his eyes after a long pause, his voice hoarse. "Do you still insist on going to the Yu Family to demand an explanation?"

"I will go!" Fu Tingyun declared loudly, springing to her feet. Her fair face flushed crimson with anger. "Not only will I go to the Yu Family, but I'll also demand answers from the Fu Family." She stared unblinkingly at Master Fu, her almond-shaped eyes burning like fire. "Even so, our families are connected by marriage—what affects one affects the other. Why must you drive me to my death? Is this your idea, Uncle? Or is it Lord Fu's? Or perhaps Grand Secretary Yu's?"

Her questions came one after another, sharp and relentless, leaving the guilt-ridden Master Fu flustered and humiliated. Feeling his dignity under attack, he flew into a rage. "How dare you speak to your elders like this? Fifth Uncle never expected Yu Jingxiu to be so ruthless—when threats failed, he directly incited Zuo Junjie to stir up trouble. By the time I learned the truth, there was no other way..." Seeing Fu Tingyun's eyes redden with fury, as if she wanted to tear him apart, his courage faltered slightly. Remembering that he had ordered the poison to be forced down her throat, yet she not only survived but thrived, his resolve weakened further. Then he recalled how his mother had always praised Fu Tingyun as a woman blessed with fortune, and how the Yu Family had sought her hand precisely for this reason. As a man who believed in fate, he couldn't help but feel this was her destiny. His voice grew even quieter. "As for your elder sister-in-law... a chaste widow must remain faithful for thirty years and be over fifty before she can petition the court... I've already instructed your Aunt to confine her at home..."

First using her, and now her sister-in-law!

In the end, it was all about reaping benefits without effort.

Fu Tingyun laughed bitterly in her fury. "How thoroughly you've thought this through! Kill me, then imprison my sister-in-law—do the men of the Fu Family make a habit of relying on women to earn their reputation? When I was framed, not only did you refuse to help, but you had Aunt force poison down my throat. Even if this was Lord Fu's idea, as the head of the family, you should have restrained your brother and protected your niece. Yet even now, you still believe everyone else is at fault, and you bear no blame at all..."

She thought back to her first meeting with Zhao Ling, and the flicker of disdain in his eyes when he learned she was from the Fu Family of Huayin.

So he had known all along.

The only ones kept in the dark were those of them caught in the middle.Fu Tingyun stood up, her back as straight as a birch tree, and walked out, calling loudly for Zheng San: "Escort the guests out!"

But Zheng San approached with a strange expression: "Madam, Grand Secretary Yu from Alley Street has sent his chief steward, Yu Huaian, with an invitation. He says the Purple Magnolias in his residence are in full bloom and would like to invite Ninth Master and you to admire them tomorrow morning."

Yesterday, Yu Jingxiu had failed to abduct someone, and today Grand Secretary Yu was already sending an invitation for Zhao Ling, who had just returned, and her to admire flowers... How swift they were!

"What did you say?" Master Fu, who had originally chased after Fu Tingyun to reprimand her, was now both shocked and delighted. He hurriedly asked, "Yu Huaian personally delivered the invitation to invite your master and madam to admire flowers?"

Zheng San glanced at Fu Tingyun. Seeing her expression cold as water but without any sign of objection, he nodded at Master Fu.

Master Fu hastily admonished Fu Tingyun: "This is a great opportunity. Don't mess it up! Zhao Ling has returned victorious, and rewards for his merits still need to be discussed by the Grand Secretariat..."

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The internet technician won't come until Monday to install the line. I'm not sure if Monday's update will be affected... On one hand, I marvel at how there could be an internet café near the school, and on the other, I'm grateful there is one...

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(End of Chapter)