Chapter 218: Return to Xi'an
Even the strictest laws bow to human sentiment. Consort Wu was a concubine of the Yu Family. While the aunts and cousins from her maternal side weren't considered proper relatives, she had still entered the Yu household and lived among them daily. As long as her conduct wasn't overly improper, the principal wife would usually show some courtesy to her family—both to maintain appearances of magnanimity and to cultivate a reputation for generosity. Moreover, Wu Daren was a legitimate third-rank official in the court, while Fan Shi was merely a daughter-in-law of the Yu Family, with Madam Yu still presiding above her. Since Consort Wu had been personally selected by Madam Yu and maintained frequent contact with Madam Wu, this closeness was understandable.
Mama Shu must have come to pay respects to Madam Wu under Madam Yu's orders!
The thought flashed through Fu Tingyun's mind as she took a step back with a smile, yielding the space to Madam Wu and Mama Shu.
Yet Mama Shu studied Fu Tingyun with curiosity.
Noticing this, Madam Wu chuckled and explained, "Lord Zhao has distinguished himself in battle, and His Majesty has posthumously honored his father as Grand Master of Excellent Counsel (third-rank) and his mother as Worthy Person (third-rank). Madam Zhao is hurrying back to her hometown to pay respects to their ancestors."
"So that's the reason," Mama Shu replied, visibly relieved.
She had long heard of Zhao Ling's military achievements and initially feared that his promotion might prompt the Zhao Family to move into a grander residence.
If that were the case, the rift between the Zhao Family and the Yu Family's eldest son would only deepen.
Mama Shu promptly curtsied to Fu Tingyun, greeting her with polite enthusiasm. "Had we known Madam Zhao was departing today, our mistress would certainly have sent a Courtesy Gift." She then turned to instruct the maid behind her, "Quickly fetch some pastries." Smiling at Fu Tingyun, she added, "For the young miss and master to snack on during the journey."
"No need," Fu Tingyun declined graciously. "We must set off now—if we delay any longer, we'll miss the midday meal. Ten Mile Inn is always bustling with traffic!"
Mama Shu hesitated, about to insist, but a glance at Madam Wu's puzzled expression made her reconsider. She didn’t want to arouse suspicion by appearing overly familiar with Fu Tingyun. With a nod, she conceded, "In that case, I shall inform our mistress and pay Madam Zhao a visit upon her return from her ancestral home."
Fu Tingyun acknowledged with a slight nod and exchanged a few pleasantries with Madam Wu—"Since you have guests, I shall not impose further"—before boarding the carriage with her children once the luggage was secured.
Madam Wu had intended to escort them to Ten Mile Inn but instead approached the carriage to wish them a safe journey. She watched until their party disappeared from Shi Family Alley before returning to the residence with Mama Shu.
Once the carriage turned the corner, obscuring the alley from view, Yu Wei lowered the curtain and sat back down. "The Yu Family’s housekeeper visited the Wu Family!"
Fu Tingyun smiled faintly. "That much was obvious." Yet she knew Yu Wei still harbored resentment—Yu Jingxiu, the chief culprit, continued to live in splendor as a noble young master, while they remained powerless to bring him to ruin. The thought inevitably left Yu Wei unsettled.
Truthfully, Fu Tingyun felt the same.After a brief moment of contemplation, she said softly, "Yu Wei, revenge is a dish best served cold. If we act now, it would only damage his reputation at most—he might lose his official position, but in a few years when the storm passes, he could very well be reinstated. By then, these matters would have no effect on him. It's better to wait for the right moment to strike, so he can never hold his head up again!" By the end of her words, her tone carried a chilling coldness that frightened Youyou, who immediately buried herself in her mother's arms. "Mama, Mama, don't be angry!"
Fu Tingyun's heart softened instantly. She reined in her emotions and smiled, hugging Youyou gently to comfort her. "Mama isn’t angry at Youyou! Mama and Yu Wei were talking about someone else. Don’t be scared!"
Youyou lifted her head from her mother’s embrace, blinking her large almond-shaped eyes as she studied her mother’s expression.
Seeing that her mother had returned to her usual gentle and kind demeanor, she visibly relaxed.
Fu Tingyun felt a pang of regret.
Why let unrelated matters unsettle her daughter?
She smiled warmly and spoke to Youyou, "...Didn’t you say you wanted to sing to cheer Mama up? What songs did you learn from Housekeeper Tong yesterday?"
Youyou, being young and easily distracted—especially when it came to something she was proud of—immediately perked up. "Mama, Mama, Housekeeper Tong taught me the 'Tea-Picking Song'!" She cleared her throat and began enthusiastically, "Mama, listen... In March, the partridges roam the hills; in April, the rivers flow everywhere. The tea-picking girls walk the tea mountains, their songs soaring to the white clouds..." Her childish voice was as melodious as a nightingale’s, and Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but praise her. "Youyou sings so beautifully!" Hearing this, Youyou’s little face lit up with pride.
Yu Wei, however, hesitated slightly and whispered, "Madam, these songs are rather... unrefined." She couldn’t bring herself to say the words outright. "Since the young miss is still little, if she enjoys singing, perhaps we could hire a proper music tutor..."
"Children are fickle—let her do what she likes for now," Fu Tingyun replied dismissively with a smile. "When she’s older and settles on what she truly wants to learn, then she must practice diligently, rain or shine, without missing a single day."
Her meaning was clear: it was too early to worry about such things.
Yu Wei recalled that the young ladies of the Fu family had only begun formal lessons with tutors at four or five years old and said nothing more.
Youyou sang a line here and a line there, filling the journey with laughter and song as they passed through Chaoyang Gate.
Madam Mo, Wang Furen, Lady Li, and Chen Shi had all come to see them off.
Several carriages gathered near the city gate, blocking the bustling flow of pedestrians and causing some inconvenience, leading to minor commotion. Fortunately, Zheng San and the coachmen from Datong Company were highly skilled and quickly maneuvered the carriages to the roadside, clearing the way and restoring the usual steady stream of traffic.
Even so, some were displeased.
The curtain of a tung oil-roofed carriage with a bright blue printed cloth drape was lifted, revealing the lovely yet slightly petulant face of a young woman.
"Whose family is this?" she murmured with a faint frown. "Why such a spectacle?"
A personal housekeeper inside the carriage chuckled in response. "The capital is the heart of the empire, home to all kinds of people. It’s not like our small hometown. Once you’ve lived here longer, Madam, you’ll grow accustomed to it."The lady nodded and lowered the carriage curtain.
Their carriage passed by Fu Tingyun's.
Through the window, Fu Tingyun exchanged greetings with Madam Mo and the others. They all followed Madam Mo's carriage into the "Yangguan" restaurant at Ten Mile Inn—where Madam Mo had already arranged a farewell banquet for Fu Tingyun.
After lunch, they bid each other reluctant farewells.
Fu Tingyun headed west toward Shaanxi, while Madam Mo and the others returned to the capital.
They stayed at the same relay station as before, even in the best room, but this time she held Zhao Ling's name card and the Tengji Guard's travel permit.
Fu Tingyun couldn't help but feel emotional.
Yu Wei, however, was reminded of her reunion with Fu Tingyun.
Hesitantly, she asked, "Do you think we'll see the Fourth and Fifth Young Misses?"
Back then, Fu Tingyun had been closest to these two cousins.
"Everything depends on fate," Fu Tingyun said, having grown more philosophical through these experiences. "Even if I were still the Ninth Miss of the Fu family, with the Fourth and Fifth Sisters married off, we might not see each other often."
Yu Wei was silent for a moment before saying, "I'd like to see Sister Yi Tong again!"
Previously, she had avoided Yi Tong out of fear of causing her trouble—Yi Tong still had a large family dependent on the Fu household. But now, it shouldn't matter anymore.
She wouldn't constantly bring up her background, but neither would she deliberately hide it.
"Since we have time," Fu Tingyun said with a smile, "if you want to visit, I'll have Zheng San accompany you to Huayin."
Yu Wei was surprised. "Don't you want to go back and see for yourself?"
"No," Fu Tingyun replied bluntly. "Why should I force myself where I'm not welcome? Besides, Youyou and Xi Ge'er might suffer along with me. What's the point?"
Yu Wei nodded in agreement, then suddenly brightened. "Then, when the time comes, could you have Zheng San take me to Huayin?" Some things weren't suitable for the mistress to do, but she didn't have to worry about such constraints.
What was the point of wearing fine clothes at night?
Fu Tingyun's mind was preoccupied with erecting memorial tablets for her parents-in-law. Though she sensed Yu Wei's hidden intentions, thinking of the hardships Yu Wei had endured, she said nothing. The two chatted about past and future matters, occasionally lifting the curtain to point out roadside scenery to Youyou and Xi Ge'er. By mid-September, they arrived at Xi'an Prefecture.
Master Lu had long since received word and had been waiting at the city gates every day.
Spotting Fu Tingyun's carriage, he hurried forward.
Fu Tingyun leaned out the window and greeted him warmly.
Master Lu was visibly moved. After exchanging pleasantries, he eagerly peered into the carriage. "Where are the young miss and young master? Were they well on the journey?" His concern was far more heartfelt than his earlier greetings.
Fu Tingyun couldn't help but smile.
Over the past two years, Zheng San had been the one traveling to Xi'an to settle estate accounts with Master Lu. The last time Master Lu had seen Youyou was when she was seven months old, and he had never met Xi Ge'er at all—no wonder he was so excited.
She quickly lifted the carriage curtain, urging Youyou to greet Master Lu, then brought out the soundly sleeping Xi Ge'er for him to see.
Tears welled up in Master Lu's eyes. "Good, good, good... like the golden boy and jade girl before the Goddess of Mercy... truly, virtue has its reward... Ninth Master's blessings continue... the young miss and young master are fortunate indeed..." He hastily wiped his tears with his sleeve.
Seeing Master Lu's graying hair, Fu Tingyun felt a lump in her throat, and her vision blurred.Yu Wei's eyes were also brimming with tears, but she was more worried about the carriage curtain being lifted, letting the cold wind in and chilling the child. She hurriedly said, "It's quite cold at the city gate—let's hurry back!" Then she added, "The Tengji Guard officers who accompanied us have worked hard all the way. We should find them a place with warm soup and hot water to settle in properly."
Only then did Master Lu realize that the respectful guards by the carriage were actually Tengji Guard officers. He was startled, then sighed inwardly—in just four or five short years, Zhao Ling had soared like a swan, and he was still so young. Who knew what grand future awaited him!
Thinking of how Zhao Ling had gone from having nothing to establishing a family and career... Master Lu felt a surge of warmth. Chuckling, he led them all to Willow Lane.
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O(∩_∩)O~
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(End of Chapter)
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