Chapter 246: Wavering (Bonus Chapter Seeking Pink Tickets)
Fu Tingyun was both grateful and moved. She quickly invited the little monk to stay for breakfast and rewarded him with two taels of silver. She handed him the Lotus Sutra that Third Older Cousin's Husband had managed to procure the day before, saying, "Please take this to Master Zhenghe." She also gave him a bundle, adding, "I made some vegetarian cakes—take them back to share with your senior and junior brothers."
The little monk thanked her cheerfully.
Fu Tingyun arranged for a carriage to take him back to Tanzhe Temple, then sent Yu Wei to inform Third Sister: "...Mr. Zhao sent someone to say he already knows about the matter, so we don’t need to visit him at Tanzhe Temple."
Upon hearing this, Third Sister rushed over in person. "Is Mr. Zhao displeased about something?" she asked, her tone anxious.
"Not at all," Fu Tingyun reassured her. "If he were truly displeased, he wouldn’t have sent the little monk to inform us specifically."
Only then did Third Sister relax, smiling sheepishly. "Lately, I’ve been so preoccupied with your cousin-in-law’s situation that I can’t even sleep properly. I’m constantly afraid something might go wrong... I’ve become rather paranoid."
"If I were in your position, I’d probably be the same," Fu Tingyun said with a laugh. "You’re actually quite composed—those who aren’t might repeat themselves a dozen times a day."
Third Sister shot her a glare. "I’ve been through my share of hardships—I wouldn’t go so far as to repeat myself a dozen times a day, would I?"
Fu Tingyun covered her mouth, laughing.
The two sisters chatted happily, sharing intimate thoughts.
Meanwhile, in the inner courtyard of the Yu residence on Alley Street, Fan Shi frowned as she spoke to Zhen Jie'er’s wet nurse. "Wasn’t she better yesterday? Why did she develop a fever this morning? Were you all negligent in caring for her last night?"
At her words, all the maids, wives, and matrons in Zhen Jie'er’s room knelt in unison.
"Please be just, Madam. We took shifts every hour and didn’t dare close our eyes," the wet nurse kowtowed repeatedly. "At the hour of Yin, she was fine. But when I checked at the beginning of Mao, I noticed the young lady’s face was slightly flushed. When I touched her, her body was cool. Yet by the hour of Mao, when the next shift arrived, she was already feverish..."
Fan Shi grew increasingly irritated. "Who was on duty at the beginning of Mao?"
The room fell silent.
Fan Shi slammed her palm onto the kang table with a loud smack , causing the teacups and teapot to rattle violently. The maids and matrons all paled in fright.
"Have you all gone mute?" she shouted. "Who was on duty at the beginning of Mao?" she repeated.
Two young maids, about fifteen or sixteen years old, crawled forward trembling. "M-Madam, it... it was us on d-duty!"
Fan Shi gave them a disdainful glance and ordered Mo Zhuan, "Call a matchmaker for servants."
The two maids panicked and threw themselves at Fan Shi’s feet. "Please spare us, Madam! We truly tended to the young lady without slacking for even a moment—we swear! If we’re lying, may lightning strike us dead—"
Matrons immediately pulled the two maids away.
The girls struggled, still begging for mercy.
The room descended into chaos—cries, pleas, and commotion filling the air.
Just then, Yu Jingxiu lifted the door curtain and stepped inside, his expression dark. "What is going on here?"Fan Shi stood up and walked over with a smile, greeting him, "You're back, husband!" She curtsied to Yu Jingxiu and said, "The little maid in Zhen Jie'er's room made her fever flare up again. I had her dragged out and sold."
Yu Jingxiu nodded indifferently.
Fan Shi shot a glance at the two matrons holding the maids, signaling them to quickly drag them out and not make a scene.
Understanding her meaning, the two matrons covered the maids' mouths and hauled them away.
The room immediately fell silent again.
Fan Shi personally stepped forward to help Yu Jingxiu change his clothes. "Who were you drinking with yesterday? You stayed out so late you didn’t even come home." Then she asked with concern, "Have you had breakfast yet?" She wrinkled her nose. "You still smell of alcohol. Should I have the kitchen prepare a sobering soup for you?"
During dinner the previous evening, Yu Jingxiu had sent a servant to inform her that he was drinking with friends outside and wouldn’t return for the night, but he hadn’t said anything else.
Perhaps due to the late-night drinking, Yu Jingxiu seemed listless, and his voice was hoarse. "No need. Just help me change." He added, "I was with Brother Zhongming yesterday. We talked so late that I was afraid of disturbing Father and Mother, so I just stayed at his place for the night."
Fan Shi smiled and said, "Very well. I’ll have someone prepare four kinds of pastries to send over later—you can’t trouble someone without even a word of thanks, can you?"
Yu Jingxiu paid little attention to such trivial matters and nodded. After a casual breakfast, he and Fan Shi went to pay their respects to Madam Yu.
Not seeing her granddaughter, Madam Yu asked, "Where is Zhen Jie'er?"
Fan Shi quickly replied, "Her fever flared up again this morning, so I didn’t dare bring her out."
Madam Yu’s expression darkened. "How is she sick again? Her constitution is already weak, so you must be even more careful in caring for her—not the slightest negligence is allowed."
Hearing the reproach in Madam Yu’s tone, Fan Shi hurriedly said, "It’s all because those maids and matrons weren’t diligent. I’ve already called the Matchmaker for Servants and sold the two night-duty maids."
Madam Yu’s displeasure deepened. "When De Pu was born, he was perfectly healthy! But since he’s the only heir in our third branch, his wet nurse and I took turns caring for him day and night without rest. Not until he turned three—without even a single sneeze—and grew stronger than other children did I dare sleep through the night."
The implication was clear: if the maids and matrons couldn’t care for the child properly, then she should do it herself.
Fan Shi bit her lip and softly replied, "Yes."
Madam Yu ignored her after that, exchanged a few words with her son, then picked up her teacup—a signal for them to leave.
Fan Shi and Yu Jingxiu promptly rose and took their leave.
Madam Yu smiled and nodded.
Once outside, Fan Shi couldn’t hold back her grievances. "Husband, I often check on the child in the middle of the night..."
"I know," Yu Jingxiu said with a smile before she could finish. "You’ve lost weight these past days."
Her heart warmed at his words.
But then Yu Jingxiu’s tone shifted. "Still, Mother has a point. What do those maids and matrons know? It’s better if you take care of Zhen Jie'er yourself. After all, she’s our first child."
In the end, he still thought she hadn’t cared for the child well enough.Fan Shi secretly fumed, about to argue with Yu Jingxiu when he spoke first, "I have some matters to attend to after my shift today, so I won’t be back for dinner." With that, he strode off with Cheng Xin in tow.
Fan Shi stood there, stunned for a long moment. The moment she returned to her room, she immediately summoned Mo Zhuan: "What have you found out about the matter I asked you to investigate? Why haven’t you reported back?"
Mo Zhuan hesitated before finally saying, "The young master has been in poor spirits lately... It’s said that the master originally intended to have him appointed as Left Remonstrance Official in the Ministry of Personnel, but someone else took the position before him..."
Fan Shi was shocked. "A mere seventh-rank post, and someone snatched it away?"
Mo Zhuan nodded, not daring to say more.
A wave of unease washed over Fan Shi.
The Yu Family had stood firm for centuries, as unshakable in her mind as the memorial archway on Jiqing Street, weathering all storms.
How had it suddenly become so precarious and unstable?
She pressed Mo Zhuan urgently, "What else have you heard?"
Mo Zhuan still hesitated.
Fan Shi grew impatient. "You and I are bound together—what can’t you say? If you delay and cause trouble, that would truly be letting me down."
Only then did Mo Zhuan speak. "They say the master was too close to Grand Secretary Shen. Now that Grand Secretary Shen has retired, and our master has been in the Grand Secretariat for years with widespread support, the new Chief Grand Secretary can’t tolerate him and is targeting him!"
Fan Shi was dumbfounded, panicking. "What—what do we do? What can we do? He can’t just stop being a Grand Secretary!"
Mo Zhuan also fretted. "Yes! Everyone is uneasy, unsure what will happen."
Fan Shi gritted her teeth. "At worst, we can return to Nanjing—the young master is the top scholar of the Jiaxu year! The Yu Family has produced several Directors of the Imperial Academy—surely we can open an academy?"
Mo Zhuan’s expression relaxed slightly, and she quickly smiled. "Yes! The young master is a top scholar! If he wanted to open an academy, students would surely crowd the gates."
Though she said this, the thought of a distinguished top scholar reduced to a mere teacher still left her discontented.
Fan Shi looked deeply troubled.
Perhaps because "deception stops at the lower ranks," Consort Wu also learned of the matter.
She asked Lianxin, "Do you know who took the young master’s position?"
Lianxin shook her head.
Consort Wu thought for a moment. "In two days, it’s the birthday of the Wu Family’s third young mistress. Bring some gifts then and ask Madam Wu’s attendants who took the young master’s post."
"Mm!" Lianxin nodded repeatedly.
Consort Wu then mused, "Also, find out where Madam Zhao next door is from—or where Lord Zhao is from. If no one in the inner courtyard knows, ask the stewards!"
Lianxin was puzzled. "Why ask about that?"
"Just curious," Consort Wu said with a smile. "I heard Lord Zhao is from the south, but Madam Zhao seems more like a northerner." She added, "Madam Zhao is truly beautiful."
Lianxin understood now and laughed. "Don’t worry, I’ll find out everything."
Consort Wu nodded in satisfaction and rewarded Lianxin with a tael of silver. "For you to buy flowers."
Lianxin left, overjoyed.
Consort Wu then went to report to Madam Yu.Madam Yu naturally agreed and even rewarded her with twenty taels of silver, saying, "When the time comes, buy something on my behalf to send over as well."
Consort Wu thanked her profusely.
After she left, Housekeeper Shu smiled and flattered Madam Yu, "Madam is truly kind-hearted. For Consort Wu to come to our household is a blessing she’s earned over three lifetimes!"
Madam Yu sighed and said, "I’m just preparing for a rainy day—Wu Daren and the former Vice Minister of Personnel Hao Jianfeng were classmates in the imperial examinations, and the two are close friends. Hao Jianfeng is also a veteran in the Ministry of Personnel. When it comes to De Pu’s matter, we’ll inevitably have to seek Hao Jianfeng’s help."
Housekeeper Shu smiled in acknowledgment but said nothing more.
On the day, Lianxin rose before dawn to dress up. After breakfast, she happily boarded the Yu Family’s carriage and set off for the Wu Family.
But just past noon, Lianxin returned.
With a tearful face, she said to Consort Wu, "Madam Wu says you must go to the residence immediately."
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Yesterday, a friend forwarded me a post from the book review section about the female lead’s name. Fu Tingyun—the "yun" refers to the green skin of bamboo. When naming Fu Tingyun’s second son, I initially used "Yun," which is also pronounced "yun.""I forgot about the taboo on names, ⊙﹏⊙b sweat… Later, I changed the second son’s name to 'Xu' (旭), which, like 'Hui' (晖) and 'Xi' (曦), carries the meaning of morning sunlight." I apologize for any confusion caused by this.
O(∩_∩)O~
PS: Today is my child’s first day back at school after the National Day holiday, and I need to help her move some things. The evening update will be delayed by two hours.
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(End of Chapter)
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