Chapter 264: Taking a Stand
Fu Tingyun observed Third Sister's expression and felt an inexplicable strangeness, as if Sixth Uncle's insistence on dividing the family was somehow related to her!
She couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is going on? The Shu family has been a lineage of officials for generations, upholding scholarly traditions. How could they encourage Sixth Uncle to propose dividing the family while Mother’s remains are still warm? Such an act is disloyal, unfilial, unkind, and unjust—how could they possibly push him to do this? Could there be some misunderstanding?" After a pause, she added, "Although Uncle Shu enjoys teasing me, aside from that, he’s always been steady and proper. Now that he’s earned the title of Presented Scholar and serves as a local official, his actions should be even more measured. How could he let Sixth Uncle propose dividing the family?" Her face was full of confusion, unable to believe that Shu Ming would do such a thing.
Third Sister blurted out, "You seem to know Uncle Shu quite well!" But before the words had even settled, a flicker of regret flashed in her eyes, and she quickly added with a smile, "What I mean is, among us sisters, Uncle Shu always liked teasing you the most, often making you jump around like a cat with its tail stepped on. I didn’t expect you to still speak so fairly of him."
"One shouldn’t judge the whole based on a single aspect," Fu Tingyun replied. "I’m not a child anymore—I understand that much." Even so, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Third Sister’s words carried some hidden meaning.
"Actually, this matter does have something to do with you," Third Sister continued, now composed and natural as usual, and began recounting how Sixth Uncle had proposed dividing the family. "Somehow, Uncle Shu found out about your situation. It’s said he was furious. First, he sent an advisor to relay a message to Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt, urging them to uphold justice. At the time, Grandmother was already bedridden, so Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt couldn’t say much. Later, Uncle Shu rushed back from Meng County himself. He arrived just as Grandmother passed away, then shut himself in with Sixth Uncle for a private conversation. Even my mother couldn’t find out what exactly was said, but afterward, Sixth Uncle looked terribly upset and spent several days lingering by Grandmother’s coffin.
"At first, we thought Uncle Shu had argued with Sixth Uncle over his habit of traveling frequently and neglecting family matters. But who would’ve guessed that as soon as Grandmother’s funeral was over, Sixth Uncle proposed dividing the family? And he even said he’d already discussed it with the Shu family.
"Eldest Uncle was livid and scolded Sixth Uncle, ‘Are you a son of the Fu family or a son-in-law of the Shu family?’
"Fifth Uncle also criticized him, ‘Since when does a man let his wife’s family dictate his actions, let alone something as unreasonable as this?’
"You know how much Sixth Uncle usually respects Eldest Uncle and Fifth Uncle, but this time, he remained silent, insisting only on dividing the family. Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle, seeing his determination, urged him, ‘At least give us a reason, or how will we explain this to relatives and friends?’
"Only then did Sixth Uncle reveal that you were still alive and that you had been wronged by Yu Jingxiu. He added, ‘When a husband keeps a mistress outside, usually the wife is the last to know. It’s not that I want to divide the family, but I have a wife and children to think of. My wife still has to return to her maiden family, and my children will need to arrange marriages. I must leave some dignity for them…’"Fu Tingyun was utterly astonished and interrupted Third Sister, exclaiming, "Uncle Shu was in Meng County, wasn’t he? How did this reach his ears?" Then, thinking of how gossip could wound the heart, she sighed sorrowfully, "What exactly are people saying?"
"How many people in this world don’t enjoy a spectacle? Especially when it involves our family." Third Sister, too, found the matter vexing, her expression turning grave. "Uncle Shu supposedly heard it from the Shu family. From what Sixth Uncle implied, it seems nearly every prominent family in Shaanxi knows about it. When they speak of you, most pity you for being wronged by that Yu Jingxiu, forced to leave home and marry far away. Others criticize Yu Jingxiu, calling him despicable for scheming even against his own in-laws—though his scholarship is commendable, his moral character is deplorable. But the most heated discussions revolve around Eldest Uncle and Fifth Uncle, accusing them of hypocrisy and greed, forsaking the Fu family’s century-old reputation and the principles of scholars, trading a daughter’s life for their own wealth and status... Before I came, the old master of the Huang family in the east of the city passed away, and they didn’t even send an invitation to the Fu family!" She sighed bitterly. "I haven’t dared mention any of this to your brother-in-law, afraid he’d mock us!"
Zhao Ling had seen Fu Tingyun at her most disheveled, so she harbored no such concerns. Yet, hearing this stirred a tumult of emotions within her. "It seems the saying 'justice lies in the hearts of the people' holds some truth," she murmured. "As the one involved, I couldn’t bear to tarnish the Fu family’s century-old reputation, swallowing every grievance out of gratitude for their upbringing. Who’d have thought the truth would still come to light..." Then, recalling Shu Ming, she added, "But Uncle Shu acted too rashly. This is the Fu family’s affair—others might see him as meddling..." A sudden realization struck her. "Wait, shouldn’t Uncle Shu be in Fang County? Did something happen to bring him back to Huayin so abruptly?"
Unease crept into her heart.
Meanwhile, Third Sister remembered how Shu Ming had reacted upon hearing the news of Fu Tingyun’s supposed death.
At the time, Shu Ming had been on his way to the capital for the imperial examinations. Upon hearing the news, he insisted on turning back. The Shu family steward traveling with him couldn’t dissuade him, so they had no choice but to return midway.
After arriving, Shu Ming visited Fu Tingyun’s grave to offer three sticks of incense.
As in-laws, this gesture was seen as heartfelt and proper, fulfilling all expected courtesies.
Yet no one anticipated that in the dead of night, he would sneak back alone to her graveside, collapsing in tears. The gravekeeper, mistaking it for a haunting, raised an alarm to exorcise the "ghost," only to discover it was Shu Ming weeping.
From then on, Lady Shu distanced herself from the Fu family.
This time, upon learning Fu Tingyun was alive, Shu Ming abandoned his official duties without hesitation and rushed back. He bombarded Third Sister with questions: Why hadn’t Fu Tingyun returned? What kind of man was Zhao Ling? Did he treat her well? Had she gained or lost weight? How many children did she have? Were they well-behaved? Who did they resemble? He left no detail unasked. Even Fifth Uncle had never shown such concern for Fu Tingyun. Defying propriety, Shu Ming even persuaded Sixth Uncle to divide the family estate...When she was younger, she simply thought that Shuming treated Fu Tingyun with more patience than her other sisters, and since Fu Tingyun had always been adept at winning the favor of elders, she assumed Shuming, like everyone else, appreciated Fu Tingyun’s cleverness and charm. Now that she was older, married, and understood the dynamics between men and women, looking at Shuming again made her feel somewhat uneasy.
Yet, the two of them hadn’t seen each other since Fu Tingyun’s engagement to Yu Jingxiu, so these feelings could only be suppressed in her heart, leaving her unable to even voice a word of advice. But if she said nothing, come next spring, Shuming’s three-year term as county magistrate would end, and by protocol, he would return to the capital to report on his tenure. If they were to meet then… She couldn’t help but worry, fearing Shuming might lose his senses again, as he had before, and do something as absurd as weeping at a gravesite.
“That fellow is as cunning as a fox—what could possibly happen to him?” Though Shuming was their elder, he was three years younger than Third Sister. Having grown up playing together, Third Sister spoke of him with more familiarity than respect. “He returned to Huayin specifically because of what happened to you…” As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized they sounded ambiguous, so she continued bluntly, “You know how he is—he was always book-smart, the youngest son, and Lady Shu doted on him the most. He’s got the temperament of a spoiled young master—usually well-behaved, but once he sets his mind to something, not even nine oxen could pull him back. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have persuaded Sixth Uncle to divide the family estate. He served as assistant magistrate in Meng County for three years, earned a ‘good’ evaluation, and was promoted to magistrate. Next year, he’ll return to the capital to report. Given his temperament, he’ll definitely come to see you then. I’m just afraid he’ll act foolishly again and do something utterly ridiculous.”
Fu Tingyun thought of the things Shuming had done when she was little and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Third Sister’s concerns aren’t unfounded. But I’m not a child anymore—if he tries to stir me up, he’ll have to see if I agree to it!”
“Just remember what you’ve said,” Third Sister urged repeatedly. “You’re both parents now—you can’t act recklessly and lose the dignity befitting your station.”
“Do you really think Uncle Shuming would grab my hair the moment he sees me?” Fu Tingyun laughed. “Don’t worry—Uncle Shuming isn’t a child anymore either.”
Only after repeated admonitions did Third Sister finally take her leave.
Fu Tingyun then wrote a letter to Zhao Ling. Besides mentioning Hao Jianfeng’s matter, she also told him about Shuming, adding, “Uncle Shuming was always mischievous as a child—I can hardly imagine him sitting sternly in court presiding over cases…”
Zhao Ling’s reply didn’t arrive until after the Yuanxiao Festival. He advised Fu Tingyun to remain calm and not take the initiative regarding Hao Jianfeng’s matter, saying, “I’ve already sent a letter by express courier to Mr. Zhao. If any of them want you to act as a go-between, they’ll seek you out themselves. Just act according to the situation.” As for Shuming, he wrote, “This shows that justice lies in the hearts of the people. Not everyone is like Master Fu and Master Fu the Fifth—it’s just that the truth isn’t widely known. As long as we live well and keep improving our lives, one day everyone will despise the Yu Family. In this world, most people add flowers to brocade, but few offer help in times of need.”Fu Tingyun reflected on the events of recent days and found Zhao Ling's words quite reasonable. Recalling Madam Mo's mention that all the Dong villages in Guizhou had been peaceful and law-abiding lately, she thought of asking him about the war situation in Guizhou in her reply.
Just as she picked up her brush, Baoshu entered and announced, "Madam Wu from next door and Madam Hao are here to visit you."
The surname Hao... she must be Hao Jianfeng's second wife.
During the welcoming banquet Third Sister hosted by Madam Wu last time, she had specifically introduced Madam Hao.
Madam Wu never visited without a purpose, so her arrival with Madam Hao likely meant they had something to discuss.
Thinking this, Fu Tingyun instructed Baoshu to usher them into the main hall, changed her clothes, and went to meet them.
Madam Hao was only about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with a plump figure and a perpetually smiling face. Upon seeing Fu Tingyun, she immediately stood up and greeted her somewhat eagerly, "Madam Zhao."
Madam Wu also rose but said with a smile, "It's been days since we last met, yet Madam Zhao looks as spirited as ever. Clearly, life has been smooth sailing for you lately, with everything going your way!"
"You flatter me, Madam Wu," Fu Tingyun replied, curtsying to both ladies. "I merely take things as they come, keeping a relaxed mind and a comfortable body."
Madam Hao quickly interjected, "Madam Zhao, you're far from plump! Look at your waist—even girls of seventeen or eighteen can't compare. Unlike us, one shaped like a bucket, the other like a teapot, neither with any proper form."
Madam Wu burst into laughter at this.
Fu Tingyun joined in the laughter and chatted idly with Madam Wu and Madam Hao for a while. It wasn't until the maids served tea and snacks that Madam Wu gave Madam Hao a meaningful glance. Only then did Madam Hao, her smile tinged with caution, say, "Actually, I came today to ask for Madam Zhao's help with a matter!"
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The hospital was overcrowded, with over 800 numbers ahead when I went for my appointment. Drenched in sweat, I had no choice but to pay at the reception desk to schedule an appointment for tomorrow... Poor me, my registration fee ended up as a donation to the hospital... (>_
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