Chapter 207: Avoidance
When Fu Tingyun received the news, a radiant smile spread across her eyes and brows.
She hastily sent Jin Yuanbao to inquire: "...Who is accompanying the Tatar envoy to the capital to present the surrender letter?"
Within a few days, Jin Yuanbao returned with news: "It's Ninth Master. He will surely arrive before the 25th of May."
Fu Tingyun couldn't help but clasp her hands together and murmur, "Amitabha," before taking her children to Tanzhe Temple to fulfill her vow.
After paying homage to the Bodhisattva and making her donation, she encountered Madam Yu and Fan Shi as she was leaving the hall.
Fan Shi didn’t recognize Fu Tingyun, but seeing the woman before her—gorgeous as a flower yet dignified and poised, surrounded by maidservants and accompanied by a son and daughter—she silently wondered which noble family’s daughter-in-law this might be and couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.
Fu Tingyun, however, recognized Fan Shi. Noting that Fan Shi wore a thin, moon-white silver-striped gauze blouse with a right lapel, her right hand resting on her waist, her slightly protruding belly particularly noticeable, Fu Tingyun realized Fan Shi was pregnant—likely here to fulfill a vow. Unwilling to engage with the Yu family, she merely glanced at Fan Shi and deliberately ignored Madam Yu’s hesitant expression as she brushed past them.
Sensing that her mother-in-law seemed to know this woman, Fan Shi whispered, "Whose family does this lady belong to? She carries herself with such grace."
Madam Yu, recalling Fu Tingyun’s coldness the last time they met, was still debating whether to greet her when Fu Tingyun strode past with her head held high.
She couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
Such rude behavior, yet Fu Tingyun carried it off with such confidence. In the end, it was simply because Zhao Ling now enjoyed the Emperor’s favor, and Fu Tingyun felt secure enough to disregard her feelings... Even so, with the other party in a stronger position, what could she do, no matter how displeased she felt?
Hearing Fan Shi’s question, Madam Yu felt a surge of irritation.
If not for her, the Yu family wouldn’t be in such a passive position. Yet here she was, still stirring up trouble, incapable of doing anything worthwhile.
"She merely looks familiar," Madam Yu replied coolly, not wanting to embolden others while dampening her own spirits, and cast a sidelong glance at Fan Shi.
Fan Shi grew suspicious.
If she looked familiar, then they must have met before. Even if Madam Yu didn’t know her, given that her father-in-law was a grand secretary, the woman should have stepped forward to greet them.
She couldn’t resist turning to look back at Fu Tingyun.
Just then, she saw a little monk smiling and speaking to Fu Tingyun.
Fu Tingyun nodded with a smile, whispered a few instructions to those beside her, and then—accompanied by a strikingly beautiful maid and her two children—followed the little monk around the side hall toward the back mountain.
This puzzled her, but when she turned back, she saw Madam Yu’s grave expression.
Fan Shi felt slightly uneasy and explained, "I was just curious about that little monk—he was actually wearing a monk’s robe made of white Songjiang sanluo cloth. Tanzhe Temple truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost temple in the capital!"
To her surprise, Madam Yu’s expression darkened further.
"Could he be attending Master Zhenghe?" she murmured.
Fan Shi asked, puzzled, "Who is Master Zhenghe?"
Madam Yu frowned slightly, impatient. "Even if I told you, you wouldn’t know." She added, "It’s getting late. The abbot must be waiting. Let’s hurry." With that, she strode into the Mahavira Hall.
Fan Shi bit her lip.
In all her life, aside from her father, hardly anyone had spoken to her like this.
Upon returning to Alley Street, Fan Shi immediately sent Mo Zhuan to investigate.By evening, Mo Zhuan had gathered all the details: "Master Zhenghe is none other than Mr. Zhao, who assisted the Emperor in 'Purging the Emperor's Entourage.' It's said that in his early years, he was stripped of his scholarly honors due to an imperial examination fraud case, barring him from official service. After the Emperor ascended the throne, despite the Emperor's earnest pleas for him to stay, he chose to become a monk at Tanzhe Temple. Nevertheless, the Emperor frequently summons him to the palace for companionship and occasionally visits Master Zhenghe at Tanzhe Temple." She paused slightly before continuing, "It's said many wish to seek Master Zhenghe's favor, but the Emperor has stationed a team of his personal guards outside the courtyard where Master Zhenghe resides, making it nearly impossible for ordinary people to approach. Even Grand Secretary Shen has been turned away several times."
Fan Shi was stunned and quickly asked, "Did you find out who that woman is?"
Mo Zhuan hesitated for a moment before whispering, "She is Fu Shi, the wife of Zhao Ling!"
"What?" Fan Shi exclaimed in shock, leaping to her feet. "That's impossible! That woman is extraordinarily beautiful, how could she—" She abruptly cut herself off.
Fu Shi had been betrothed to Yu Jingxiu when she was only ten years old.
A girl changes greatly as she grows up.
Then... has Yu Jingxiu seen the current Fu Shi?
The thought flashed through her mind, and she silently scolded herself for being foolish.
During the banquet hosted by her father-in-law for the Fu family, Fu Shi had been present—Yu Jingxiu must have seen her then.
Fan Shi suddenly felt deeply uneasy.
Even if Zhao Ling had the "Merit from supporting the emperor," he was still a newly risen noble. How could Fu Shi dare to treat Madam Yu with such disregard?
She pressed urgently, "What else did you find out?"
Mo Zhuan hesitated before replying softly, "According to a newly arrived guest in the residence, Grand Secretary Shen has been greatly troubled these days... Someone, in an attempt to curry favor with the Emperor, actually submitted a memorial recommending Mo Yi for the position of Vice Minister of War to oversee the northwest, while Zhao Ling would take over Mo Yi's post as the Governor of Xuantong, making the temporary governorship a permanent position... Since the governorship is a civil post, many ministers have submitted memorials urging the appointment of a civil official instead. However, the Emperor has left all these memorials unanswered. Someone complained to Grand Secretary Shen, but he dared not intervene—last spring, a censor impeached Grand Secretary Shen for arrogance and abuse of power. Though the Emperor ignored it, he used the pretext of Grand Secretary Zhou's old age to reinstate Mo Yingbo, who had been idle at home, into the Grand Secretariat. As soon as Mo Yingbo entered the Grand Secretariat, he dismissed the former Governor of Shaanxi, Dong Hanwen, on charges of 'harboring lost women'... Seeing this, those sycophants have grown even louder in their demands for Zhao Ling to be appointed Governor of Xuantong..."
Fan Shi was unfamiliar with these court affairs, but as someone well-read in history, she could still assess the situation—the Yu Family had risen to prominence through Grand Secretary Shen's patronage. Now that Grand Secretary Shen was in a precarious position... She recalled Fu Tingyun's dismissive and contemptuous attitude... Could it be that the Yu Family had fallen so low as to endure such rudeness from Fu Shi without protest?
Fan Shi wanted to deny it.
But the grave expression on Madam Yu's face kept resurfacing in her mind, making it impossible for her to deceive herself.
Fan Shi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Yu Jingxiu noticed and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"N-no," Fan Shi replied, for the first time feeling no desire to confide in Yu Jingxiu. "I napped too much during the day and now can't sleep."
Yu Jingxiu chuckled. "Shall I keep you company and chat for a while?"
"No need," Fan Shi said with a smile. "You have court early tomorrow morning. I'll fall asleep soon."Yu Jingxiu said no more and closed his eyes.
In a drowsy haze, he heard his wife murmur, "In our dynasty, only a few Grand Secretaries have had their titles extended for three generations..."
He couldn't help but respond, "Contributions to the state... aren't so easily achieved!"
Hearing her husband's vague reply, Fan Shi rose and looked toward Yu Jingxiu.
He lay with his eyes closed, deeply asleep.
The dim lamplight cast a glow on his face—his sharp brows, high nose, and refined demeanor.
She whispered involuntarily, "With such a husband, what more could a wife ask for?"
Her hand reached out unconsciously to caress his cheek.
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Madam Yu was also pondering the incident at Tanzhe Temple.
She asked her husband, "...Even Grand Secretary Shen was turned away, yet he sent his little monk to summon Fu Shi... What do you think this means?"
Grand Secretary Yu, now wide awake from the news, sat up irritably.
After a moment of thought, he slipped on his shoes, stepped off the kang, and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Suddenly, he turned to Madam Yu and said, "I need some air." Without waiting for her response, he strode out of the inner chamber.
Madam Yu was startled, faintly hearing Grand Secretary Yu instruct the night-watch maid, "Go fetch the eldest young master!"
After a brief hesitation, she draped a sleeveless vest over her shoulders and headed to Grand Secretary Yu's study.
The attendants, recognizing her, dared not stop her.
Madam Yu stood by the window, listening.
Grand Secretary Yu's heavy voice drifted out intermittently: "...First, make contact with the Feng family... Zhao Ling is currently enjoying imperial favor—now isn't the time to act... We must wait for the right opportunity..."
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Meanwhile, Fu Tingyun sat cheerfully on the kang, watching Youyou point at a picture book for Xi Ge'er: "...He lay on the ice, and it melted into a hole. Fish jumped out, and Wang Xiang took them home..."
Yu Wei, who had just entered with a bowl of silver ear soup, smiled faintly. "Master Zhenghe actually had time to draw such a booklet... How strange!"
"Indeed!" Fu Tingyun laughed. "He even played with Youyou for hours, answering all her whimsical questions seriously... It seems Master Zhenghe truly has grown weary of court affairs!" She sighed deeply.
Just then, Youyou cried out, "Xi Ge'er, stop! You'll tear the book—it was a gift from Master Zhenghe!"
Fu Tingyun and Yu Wei turned to see Xi Ge'er clutching a page stubbornly.
They hurried over—one grabbing Xi Ge'er's hand, the other scooping up Youyou—and finally managed to free the page, though it was now crumpled.
Youyou burst into tears at the sight.
Fu Tingyun rushed to comfort her, while Xi Ge'er, seeing his sister cry, began wailing too. Yu Wei soothed him.
Amid the commotion, Zhenzhu rushed in. "Lord Jin is here!"
Fu Tingyun quickly told Youyou, "Uncle Jin is here. If you keep crying, he'll laugh at you."
Youyou stifled her sobs, though her lips still quivered.
Only then did Fu Tingyun go to meet Jin Yuanbao.
Jin Yuanbao was brimming with excitement. "I've heard—Ninth Master will enter the capital through Chaoyang Gate on the eighteenth of May."
Fu Tingyun beamed and instructed Yu Wei, "We'll go to Ten Mile Inn to welcome him then."
Yu Wei nodded eagerly.Jin Yuanbao, however, said, "Since it's the Tatars coming to surrender, the Ministry of Rites and the Bureau of Translators might send people to receive them..."
Fu Tingyun was momentarily taken aback, but it didn't dampen her excitement.
"Then let's go take a look," she said with a smile, happily preparing for Xi Ge'er's first birthday celebration.
Everyone knew Zhao Ling had achieved great merit and would soon accompany the Tatar envoys to surrender. Though Zhao Ling wasn't home, apart from old friends like Tao Mu and Lin Chi who came to show support, many acquaintances made after moving to the capital also attended. Unexpectedly, there were more male guests than female ones, with many unexpected visitors arriving to offer congratulations. The prepared banquet seating fell far short, and the courtyard was packed with people.
Fu Tingyun couldn't conveniently host the guests herself. A Sen was too young, while Jin Yuanbao and Yang Yucheng held minor official positions. Tao Mu and Lin Chi couldn't take charge either, leaving the household in some disarray.
Shopkeeper Ye San, who had come to congratulate them, voluntarily stepped forward to help. He first reserved several nearby restaurants to divert some guests, then ordered catering from Penglai Pavilion to arrange the household banquet. He accompanied A Sen to toast table by table, and after the banquet, personally went over the accounts with Zheng San. Thus, they managed to navigate the situation without major mishap.
Fu Tingyun privately remarked to Yu Wei, "No wonder Grand Secretary Shen's family hosted three hundred banquet tables when marrying off his daughter... I'll never host guests again."
Hearing this, Shopkeeper Ye San paused his abacus calculations and looked up with a smile, "I'm afraid you might not have a choice in the future."
Fu Tingyun thought this reasonable and smiled wryly, thanking Shopkeeper Ye San, "...Today was all thanks to you."
"Second Master conducted himself very steadily today," Shopkeeper Ye San said, glancing at A Sen who was helping nearby. "After not seeing him for years, one must view him with new respect."
A Sen blushed and muttered something about "only managing because you were helping."
Shopkeeper Ye San teased, "Madam, see how he's even learned to say such things now."
Everyone laughed, ignoring A Sen's embarrassment.
Shopkeeper Ye San then asked, "Second Master is fifteen this year, isn't he? Has his marriage been arranged yet?"
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When I checked in the afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to see the August pink votes had maintained second place—quite unexpected! After three consecutive months in fourth place, we've finally made it into the top three... Thank you all for your continued support! O(∩_∩)O~
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(End of Chapter)
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