Chapter 188: Double Happiness (Bonus Chapter Seeking Pink Tickets)
With the awareness of her possible pregnancy, though she showed no symptoms, Fu Tingyun proceeded with extreme caution based on her past experience. After helping Yang Yucheng welcome Miss Zhang into their home as his bride, representing Yang's closest relatives by drinking the sister-in-law's tea and presenting gifts, and seeing the newlyweds through their three-day post-wedding visit to the bride's family, Fu Tingyun returned to the capital.
After carefully waiting for over a month, she couldn't resist calling a physician to confirm her pregnancy. When the diagnosis confirmed she was indeed with child, joy overflowed from her eyes and brows.
Fu Tingyun immediately wrote a letter to Zhao Ling.
Zhao Ling was overjoyed. Not only did he reply with a lengthy letter spanning over ten pages, listing all the precautions he knew, but he also sent Anxin back with numerous medicinal herbs and a cartload of poultry, meat, and fish.
Zheng Sanniang laughed, "Fortunately, the weather is cold, otherwise all these fine things would spoil."
Fu Tingyun felt both sweetly pleased and slightly embarrassed. She called Anxin to the main hall and inquired in detail about Zhao Ling's daily life.
"...He specially hired two renowned local women to manage the kitchen," Anxin reported. "There are also dedicated women for laundry. Ninth Master and General Mo said this year's heavy snowfall might lead to Tatar invasions, so they're busy training troops before the deep freeze sets in."
Hearing that all was well with Zhao Ling, Fu Tingyun felt relieved.
Anxin then produced a plain envelope from his robe: "Ninth Master instructed me to give this to you privately, Madam."
Since it was meant to be private, Fu Tingyun didn't open it in front of others. She accepted the envelope and instructed Yu Wei to take Anxin for a meal: "...He said he must return tomorrow. Later, have Zheng San take you by carriage to buy Anxin some seasonal clothes from the tailor's shop. The gloomy weather suggests he might encounter snow on his return journey."
Anxin promptly knelt to kowtow his thanks before following Yu Wei out.
Fu Tingyun dismissed her attendants and went to the western study.
Inside the envelope were seven or eight bank notes—some as large as five hundred taels, others as small as fifty—totaling over two thousand taels.
Frowning slightly, Fu Tingyun summoned Anxin again that evening: "With whom does Ninth Master usually socialize?"
"Oh, many people!" Anxin answered animatedly. "General Mo only handles military training—Ninth Master manages everything else. Everyone from government officials down to minor clerks delivering supplies seeks his audience!" Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Oh, and Third Master Ye—he's now overseeing the Ye family's grain business in Datong and Xuantong, and often visits Ninth Master."
Since his efforts during the capital's siege to assist Zhao Ling, Shopkeeper Ye had grown closer to the Zhao family. Though often away on business, he never failed to send gifts for any Zhao family occasion.
Concerned, Fu Tingyun stayed up late writing Zhao Ling another letter, mentioning Xi'an's harvests: "...With favorable weather and shop rentals, we earn five to six hundred taels yearly. Household expenses never exceed four hundred taels, leaving two hundred to deposit for interest to cover my cosmetics. Please don't worry about our finances." She gave the letter to Anxin at dawn for his return to Xuantong.A few days later, Zhao Ling sent a letter to reassure her, saying he would only take what was rightfully his and not a single penny more.
Fu Tingyun didn’t press the matter further.
By the eleventh month, when Shopkeeper Lu delivered the income from the estates, Zhao Ling had Anxin bring back two carts of New Year goods from Xuantong.
How could they possibly finish all of it?
After discussing with Zheng Sanniang, Fu Tingyun asked Jin Yuanbao to help arrange for Zheng Sanniang and Zhou Shi to sell the excess at the market, earning three hundred taels of silver.
She rewarded each of them with two taels.
Zhou Shi was surprised, but Zheng Sanniang, knowing Fu Tingyun’s considerate nature, waved her reward and asked Youyou, “What would the young miss like to eat? Housekeeper Zheng will treat you!”
Youyou giggled and said in her childish voice, “I want to eat spun sugar.”
She could now speak in full sentences.
Zheng Sanniang laughed heartily, buying Youyou a pack of candy, A Sen an inkstone, and Linchun two brushes—Linchun would turn seven after the New Year, and Fu Tingyun had arranged for him to join A Sen at the Bowen Private School on Chunshu Lane for his early education.
The children were overjoyed, and the festive atmosphere of the New Year arrived early.
Fu Tingyun then had Zheng San take fifty taels to the silver shop, where they minted fifty silver sycees in various auspicious designs—such as “Top Scholar,” “Abundance Year After Year,” and “Three Rams Herald Prosperity”—each weighing one tael. During the New Year, she gifted a pair to everyone.
The unexpected reward brought pleasant surprise, and everyone’s faces lit up with smiles, deepening the festive cheer.
After the Lantern Festival, Madam Yang—formerly Zhang Xiaojie—sent joyful news.
Delighted, Fu Tingyun, escorted by Jin Yuanbao, took Youyou to Zhangjiawan to visit Madam Yang.
Zhang Taitai was at her son-in-law’s home, caring for her daughter.
The two women had endless things to talk about.
Meanwhile, Jin Yuanbao kept teasing Yang Yucheng.
Normally one to bicker with Jin Yuanbao, Yang Yucheng could only grin foolishly, his happiness evident, making Jin Yuanbao shake his head in amusement.
Fu Tingyun, however, had an idea. On the way back, she probed Jin Yuanbao’s thoughts: “...Is there anyone you fancy? I know a few ladies who could help me inquire.”
“I spend my days dealing with criminals—how would I know anyone?” Jin Yuanbao replied, uncharacteristically bashful. “Please don’t tease me, sister-in-law.”
“Then let me play matchmaker for you,” Fu Tingyun offered.
Jin Yuanbao stammered and declined.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile.
A few days later, she invited Chen Shi over and asked her to help arrange a match.
After describing Jin Yuanbao’s situation, Chen Shi thought of a distant cousin from her maternal family: “...Her father works in the Shuntian Prefecture treasury, and she has an uncle serving as an assistant commander in the Right Army of the Five Armies Commandery. Their family is quite well-off. Her looks and character are no worse than Madam Yang’s, though she’s seven or eight years younger than Lord Jin.” She added, “But an older man knows how to cherish his wife,” clearly quite pleased with Jin Yuanbao.
Intrigued, Fu Tingyun asked Chen Shi to arrange a discreet meeting with the Shi family’s daughter.
Miss Shi wasn’t as beautiful as Madam Yang but carried herself with greater composure.
Considering Jin Yuanbao’s temperament, Fu Tingyun nodded slightly in approval.
Upon returning, she relayed the details to Jin Yuanbao.Jin Yuanbao's face instantly flushed crimson. "I'll leave it all to sister-in-law's discretion," he stammered before hurriedly scooping Youyou into his arms. "Let's go swing in the backyard!"
Youyou clapped her hands in delight.
Fu Tingyun and Yu Wei both covered their mouths to stifle their laughter.
Jin Yuanbao's retreating figure looked rather flustered.
This only made Fu Tingyun and Yu Wei laugh harder.
When Yang Yucheng heard about this, he volunteered to accompany Jin Yuanbao to meet the young lady from the Shi family.
Meanwhile, Fu Tingyun busied herself with A Sen's preliminary imperial examinations.
A Sen was extremely nervous. "What if I fail?" he asked her.
Fu Tingyun made a disapproving sound. "Where's that bold A Sen I knew? The one who would grab a stick and fight when he saw me being bullied?"
A Sen gave an embarrassed chuckle.
Seizing the opportunity, Fu Tingyun encouraged him: "If you don't pass this time, we'll just study harder and try again next year. There's nothing to worry about."
A Sen had mainly been afraid of disappointing Fu Tingyun. Seeing her relaxed expression, he nodded repeatedly, his spirits visibly lifting.
Linchun, who had been listening nearby, suddenly clenched his little fists and shouted at A Sen: "Second Young Master will definitely pass! Definitely pass!"
His indignant little expression, as if A Sen had suffered some great injustice, made both Fu Tingyun and A Sen burst into laughter, completely dispelling the tense atmosphere.
A Sen patted Linchun's head and said to Fu Tingyun, "I'll do my best."
Fu Tingyun smiled and nodded.
Dong Gu arrived with the Four Treasures of the Study, sent by Wang Furen.
Fu Tingyun thanked her profusely.
Dong Gu then produced a red silk pouch from her sleeve. "This is a scholar's blessing charm that the First and Second Young Misses obtained for Young Master A Sen. They said he should carry it during the examinations for good fortune."
Fu Tingyun was momentarily surprised before smiling and asking Dong Gu to convey her thanks to the young ladies. She then packed a box of famous Kyoto snacks for Dong Gu to take back. "For the young ladies to enjoy."
Dong Gu accepted with a smile and was escorted to the gate by Yu Wei.
Fu Tingyun took the pouch to A Sen.
"The Wang family's young ladies are cheering you on—you mustn't lose heart," she said, tying the pouch to his belt. "At least do justice to yourself."
A Sen nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I'll do my best in the exams." His demeanor was now full of energy.
Only then did Fu Tingyun feel her worries ease.
On the ninth day of the second month, despite her already swollen body, she rose at dawn to make ancestral offerings. Then she accompanied A Sen to the examination hall in a carriage driven by Zheng San.
They returned early, with the sun just peeking over the horizon.
Thinking to bring some candy sticks and melon seeds back for Youyou, she had the carriage detour to Drum Tower Street. They stopped briefly at Jinlan Zhai, the most famous tea house in the capital, where Yu Wei helped her browse the shop and purchase some pastries before assisting her back out.
Opposite Jinlan Zhai was Jiangxiang Garden.
Parked beside Jiangxiang Garden was a black-lacquered carriage with green curtains.
Just as Fu Tingyun stepped out, a woman's surprised "Hmm?" came from inside that carriage.
At the carriage window, Madam Yu still held up the green gauze curtain as she turned to Mama Shu beside her. "Look—isn't that Miss Fu?"
Mama Shu leaned forward and saw Fu Tingyun being helped into her carriage by a strikingly beautiful maid.She was dressed in a rose-red and gold brocade vest, her belly prominently rounded, her complexion rosy, making her striking features even more vivid and radiant.
"I thought it looked like one of the Fu family girls," Housekeeper Shu hesitated, "and it seems she's pregnant again."
Madam Yu glanced out the carriage window.
The Zhao family's carriage had already slowly pulled away from Jinlan Zhai teahouse.
"So, I wasn't mistaken after all!" Madam Yu said, her voice tinged with bitterness.
Housekeeper Shu didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
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Sisters, brothers, I'm working hard to add more updates—today's chapter will also be delayed by a few hours... O(∩_∩)O~... I’ll try for a double update!
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(End of Chapter)
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