Escape to Your Heart

Chapter 181: Turning Hostile

The seemingly gentle and humble Grand Secretary Yu finally bared his fangs.

Fu Tingyun sneered coldly.

Zhao Ling was even more blunt: "Grand Secretary Yu speaks wisely. In this peaceful era, in the heart of the capital, there are actually people openly committing robbery—the Prefect of Shuntian is undoubtedly responsible. Moreover, this incident coincides with His Majesty's determination to rectify official misconduct. No doubt, the Prefect of Shuntian will swiftly conclude the case and deliver justice to the victims." Then, he cupped his hands toward Grand Secretary Yu and said, "Since Grand Secretary Yu is so concerned with the suffering of the common people, you must have many matters to attend to. We shall not impose further and will take our leave now." With that, he led Fu Tingyun away with an air of indifference.

Watching the retreating figures of the Zhao couple, Grand Secretary Yu's expression darkened like still water.

But just as Zhao Ling reached the center of the courtyard, he suddenly turned back and said with a smile, "Ah, by the way, I heard that Ye Bi, the current Left Censor-in-Chief overseeing the Censorate, had served as Deputy Left Censor-in-Chief for ten years. Back then, if not for Grand Secretary Yu suddenly taking over the Censorate, he would have long been promoted to Left Censor-in-Chief. I wonder if this is true?" With that, he turned and strode out of the courtyard, still smiling.

"What should we do now?" Master Fu the Fifth asked Grand Secretary Yu anxiously.

He knew of this matter.

Back then, Ye Bi had been certain he would be promoted to Left Censor-in-Chief and take charge of the Censorate. In his excitement, he had even composed a poem expressing his ambitions after drinking. Yet, when the imperial edict arrived, the new Left Censor-in-Chief turned out to be Grand Secretary Yu, who had somehow secured the position through unknown connections. Humiliated and resentful, Ye Bi took three months of sick leave and scrambled to secure a provincial posting.

He could have just let Ye Bi leave, but Grand Secretary Yu, eager to demonstrate his magnanimity and concern for subordinates, personally visited Ye Bi several times to inquire about his health, effectively keeping him in the Censorate. Just when Ye Bi thought Grand Secretary Yu still needed experienced hands like his to manage the Censorate, Grand Secretary Yu sidelined him completely...

From then on, Ye Bi and Grand Secretary Yu became sworn enemies.

Not only did Ye Bi refuse to leave, but he also rallied a faction to oppose Grand Secretary Yu at every turn.

Though such opposition usually ended badly—failing to harm Grand Secretary Yu while only enhancing his reputation, eventually propelling him into the Grand Secretariat—Ye Bi's "feelings" toward Grand Secretary Yu were understandable...

Moreover, Ye Bi had been personally promoted by the Emperor. Now that the Emperor was determined to clean up official corruption, Ye Bi was in the perfect position to bite at anyone, proving his loyalty and ambition...

Grand Secretary Yu remained silent.

If things were still as before... not just a mere Zhao Ling, but even Ye Bi would be powerless against him.

His hands, clasped behind his back, clenched into tight fists.

Yu Jingxiu, who had long been familiar with—and even aspired to emulate—his father's every move, noticed this and stepped forward, scoffing lightly. "Xiao Fu Daren need not worry. That Ye Bi is nothing but a stray dog, long beaten into submission by my father. How dare he act arrogantly now? Rest assured."

His words were firm and resolute, causing Grand Secretary Yu to glance at his son.

If he had such boldness earlier, why hadn’t he used it before?He couldn't help but sigh inwardly and said to the two Masters of the Fu Family, "Since this matter originated between our two families, how could I stand idly by?" With a hearty laugh, he continued, "Recently, the palace bestowed upon me a pot of Two Qiaos, which is currently in full bloom. If you gentlemen are interested, we might as well admire them together, so as not to waste this opportunity for flower appreciation!"

Two Qiaos, also known as Luoyang Brocade, is a renowned variety of peony.

Upon hearing this, Master Fu the Fifth seemed greatly relieved. He bowed to Grand Secretary Yu with a smile and said gracefully, "In that case, we shall impose upon you!" His demeanor was elegant and pleasing to the eye.

Grand Secretary Yu couldn't help but think of Fu Tingyun... She bore some resemblance to this Xiao Fu Daren, but that keen intelligence of hers—who could she have inherited it from? Perhaps from the late Madam Fu?

His wife had always had discerning judgment.

At this thought, he recalled his own daughter-in-law, Fan Shi.

Back then, his wife had opposed the marriage alliance with the Fan family, reasoning that while Fan Shi was exceptionally talented and had the air of a scholar, she would make a good wife but not a suitable Wife of a Clan Leader. Moreover, she was frail and didn't appear likely to bear sons.

Indeed, his wife's prediction had come true again.

Three years into the marriage, his son remained childless yet stubbornly refused to take a concubine...

Men shouldn't normally interfere in the affairs of the inner courtyard, but it seemed it was time to have a talk with his son.

Grand Secretary Yu cupped his hands toward the two Masters of the Fu Family, temporarily setting aside these distracting thoughts, and smilingly led the two Lord Fus to the small garden nearby.

Master Fu's smile was somewhat forced.

Some things were already past their time and no longer applicable...

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Inside the carriage, Fu Tingyun hugged Zhao Ling and planted several kisses on him: "You're so clever! You actually investigated Grand Secretary Yu's affairs beforehand!"

Zhao Ling sat there nonchalantly, letting Fu Tingyun kiss him as she pleased, and said smugly, "Knowing it was a Hongmen Banquet, how could I not hide a few knives on my person before attending?" Then he chuckled, "You're not bad either. You actually looked into Yu Jingxiu's affairs." As if suddenly remembering something, he straightened up seriously and said, "Do you have any evidence or clues about what you mentioned? If we can seize upon this point and also expose the Yu Family's involvement in the Shuntian Prefecture's murder to silence witnesses, not even his position as a grand secretary—which he owes entirely to Grand Secretary Shen—would save him. Even if he became Chief Grand Secretary by the Emperor's favor, we could still drag him down." As he spoke, a hint of severity flashed between his brows. For some reason, Fu Tingyun was reminded of Zhao Ling's ferocity when they first met... Back then, it had only frightened her, but now it made her feel Anxin...

She nestled into Zhao Ling's embrace, pressing her ear against his chest.

"I'm not as capable as you..." Fu Tingyun murmured softly. "I just thought Yu Jingxiu's words were inconsistent and decided to bluff him. Who knew I'd accidentally hit a vital spot..."

When women gather, they always like to compare themselves to others.

Having her engagement broken off because of another woman was probably more heartbreaking than discovering Master Fu the Fifth's cheating in the imperial examinations!

Zhao Ling thought to himself smugly, tightening his embrace around Fu Tingyun and planting a kiss on the top of her head. He declared resolutely, "I'll definitely make that Yu Jingxiu regret this!"

Fu Tingyun found his words oddly discomforting."What's there to regret later!" She pushed Zhao Ling away and sat up. "You're the one who shouldn't regret it!" she said coquettishly. "Marrying such a fierce wife who dares to slam the table even when you're speaking with Grand Secretary Yu..."

"Where's the fierceness?" Zhao Ling cupped her face, examining it from all angles. "I don't see it at all." He added, "When Yu Guoliang pointed fingers right at our faces, were we supposed to just swallow the insult? We're going to establish our own ancestral hall someday—we can't let this slide!" He pulled her back into his embrace. "A-Jun, don't just blindly follow what those books say. The way you are now is perfect!" Then, mischief sparkled in his eyes as he whispered, "Though if you followed the books hidden at the bottom of the chest, I'd be even happier."

And just like that, he started spouting nonsense again.

Who knew he had this kind of personality when they first met?

Fu Tingyun blushed and glared at him, only to be met with his boisterous laughter.

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After leaving the Yu Family, Master Fu boarded the carriage and saw the rather self-satisfied Master Fu the Fifth. His expression darkened immediately.

Master Fu the Fifth was taken aback. "What's wrong?"

Master Fu stretched his legs in the cramped carriage and said quietly, "What do you plan to do about this matter?"

Master Fu the Fifth was baffled. "Isn't Grand Secretary Yu handling it?"

Master Fu barely held back the word "idiot" from slipping out. "Didn't you hear what Grand Secretary Yu said? Since this matter originated between our two families, he won't stand idly by... which means while they are at fault, we are no less to blame!"

Master Fu the Fifth paled.

Master Fu murmured to himself, "There are plenty of rare peonies, so why did the Emperor specifically gift Grand Secretary Yu the Two Qiaos... Two Qiaos, as the name suggests, blooms two flowers on the same branch... one purple-red, the other pink-white... Could it symbolize the purple robes of high officials and the white garments of commoners..."

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Grand Secretary Yu's study was dead silent.

Yu Jingxiu stole a glance at his father, but seeing his livid expression, he quickly lowered his eyes again.

Grand Secretary Yu felt a sharp pain in his chest from anger. He said sternly, "A real man must have the courage to take responsibility. The situation is already like this—are you still going to hesitate and cower?"

"Father!" Yu Jingxiu looked at him in surprise.

Grand Secretary Yu sighed deeply at his son's still-confused expression.

Only then did Yu Jingxiu dare to believe it. Joy flashed across his face uncontrollably. "Father, don't worry. I know what to do..." As he spoke, he straightened his posture, exuding confidence.

What he had feared and worried about all along was simply disappointing his father.

Now that he had his father's understanding, what else was there to hold him back?

For the first time, he felt the soaring freedom of a bird in the vast sky and a fish leaping in the boundless sea.

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Meanwhile, after dinner, Fu Tingyun watched Zhao Ling playing wildly with their daughter and felt a headache coming on. "The two from Shuntian Prefecture are manageable, but Zuo Junjie and his group seem determined to get their way. What should we do now?"

"What's so difficult about it?" Zhao Ling, following their daughter's lead, held a toy in front of his face, now peeking left with a "meow," now peeking right with another "meow," making Youyou burst into laughter. Distracted, he said, "Just make sure the Yu Family can't find them—problem solved!""You make it sound so simple," Fu Tingyun said as she tidied up the toys their daughter had left scattered on the kang. "'Making sure the Yu Family can't find him'—is it really that easy?"

Zhao Ling set down the doll and chuckled. "I've already thought it through on my way back. The safest place is often the most dangerous one. Didn't Zuo Junjie disguise himself as a beggar to avoid attention? We'll break his legs, cripple his hands, cut out his tongue, and hand him over to a beggar ringleader to keep watch. Even his own parents wouldn't recognize him—how could the Yu Family possibly identify him? Even if they do find out, searching for him would be like fishing for a needle in the ocean. Where would they even start? As long as Zuo Junjie remains in our grasp, the Yu Family will never know a moment's peace."

As he spoke, a cold severity crept into his expression, startling Youyou, who burst into tears with a loud wail.

Zhao Ling quickly scooped up his daughter, his face softening into a warm smile as he comforted her. "Youyou, sweetheart, don't cry, don't cry. Daddy will play peek-a-boo with you."

Youyou's tears turned to giggles.

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O(∩_∩)O~

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(End of Chapter)