Chapter 38: The Name Card (Bonus Chapter for 40 Pink Votes)
"Oh!" Fu Tingyun exclaimed in a fluster, the words she had buried deep in her heart slipping out. "So Ninth Master is called Zhao Ling!"
No sooner had she spoken than she regretted it. Of all things to say, why bring this up? It made her seem as though she had been fixated on questioning why he had concealed his name from her before.
Zhao Ling grew even more uncomfortable.
Originally, he had thought that once he escorted her to Weinan, they would part ways and never cross paths again. They were merely strangers who happened to meet—why bother exchanging names? But now, it made him appear petty and overly cautious.
"I never meant to hide it..." he began awkwardly, unsure how to explain.
Noticing his discomfort, Fu Tingyun felt a pang of guilt.
He had only rescued her from danger—it wasn’t as if they were discussing marriage. Why should he have to disclose every detail about himself? To ease the tension, she changed the subject: "When I told Sixteenth Master that you were from Longxi County, did that cause you any trouble?"
Zhao Ling visibly relaxed. "I lived in Liangzhou for several years and often visited Longxi County, so it wasn’t entirely unfamiliar."
Reassured, Fu Tingyun said, "I only mentioned it because A Sen told me Ninth Master found him in Liangzhou, so I instinctively said you were from Longxi." Then, feeling slightly uneasy about fabricating someone’s ancestral hometown, she added, "At the time, I thought we’d never see Sixteenth Master again anyway, so it didn’t matter what I said..." Suddenly, she gasped.
Zhao Ling’s heart skipped a beat.
Was she about to bring up the "fiancé and fiancée" act?
Though it had been a necessary deception, it was still an awkward subject. Better left unmentioned, like water under the bridge.
As she had said, they would never encounter Sixteenth Master again, and he had no intention of seeking refuge with him. On this point, they were of the same mind.
While wealth and status could be pursued through risk, there was no need to court infamy for the sake of fortune.
Just then, Fu Tingyun spoke again: "Ninth Master, did you notice anything unusual about that name card?"
Relieved to steer the conversation elsewhere, Zhao Ling felt like a lost traveler who had finally found his way.
He handed her the name card. "Take a look."
The card was a common red-and-gold design, the calligraphy in the standard script all scholars learned.
"‘Sent by my humble disciple, respectfully signed by the Recluse of Green Stream,’" Fu Tingyun read aloud. "Since it doesn’t specify the recipient, the purpose of the visit, or even the disciple’s name, and the signature is just a pseudonym... Even if we showed this to the most well-informed elder, they probably couldn’t identify whose name card this is." She examined it inside and out before musing, "If it were lost, no one would be able to trace it back. Such caution suggests Sixteenth Master must be a feudal prince."
Zhao Ling nodded slightly. "Tell me in detail how you ended up at the City God Temple." Earlier, with Sixteenth Master and his men present, she had only given a brief account.
Understanding that her words would be crucial to Zhao Ling’s judgment, Fu Tingyun carefully recalled every detail, leaving nothing out.Zhao Ling remained silent for a long while, pondering deeply before speaking. "So, according to you, when you entered, Mo Yi and the Sixteenth Master pretended not to know each other. Later, when we clashed with the bandit leader, Mo Yi disappeared, while the Sixteenth Master stood by coldly observing. It wasn’t until I killed the bandit leader that his men stepped in to help?"
Fu Tingyun nodded. "I was furious at the time. Why did they wait until we were at our wit's end to intervene? I understand that the best way to earn gratitude is to offer help in desperate times, but this wasn’t timely aid—it was like handing someone a fan in autumn, only appearing when they’re about to collapse. If it were me, I would’ve stepped in when you were facing off against the bandit leader… shouted something like ‘Brother, let me lend you a hand!’ and sent his men charging forward… The bandit leader would still be alive then, and the credit would naturally be theirs. We’d be endlessly grateful… They’d gain both reputation and favor…"
Seeing her righteous indignation, Zhao Ling couldn’t help but smile. She looked like a child who couldn’t get candy and ran to tattle to an elder.
He said to Fu Tingyun, "Call A Sen in. I have a few questions for him."
Fu Tingyun summoned A Sen.
"Are you certain the person tailing you walked right into your trap?" Zhao Ling’s expression turned serious, his brows furrowing with gravity. The earlier lighthearted atmosphere vanished instantly.
"I’m certain," A Sen vowed. "I originally planned to capture him alive, but I worried he might be Third Master Feng’s spy—Sir, haven’t you always taught us to leave room for reconciliation? I didn’t want to offend him in case he went back to Third Master Feng with wild accusations, provoking an unrelenting pursuit." As if afraid Zhao Ling might misunderstand, he hastily added, "Not that we’re afraid of Third Master Feng! We’re just in a hurry to reach Xi’an Prefecture and don’t want unnecessary trouble…"
Fu Tingyun turned her head away, covering her mouth to stifle laughter.
Zhao Ling watched her shoulders shaking with mirth, his own eyes twinkling with amusement. He lightly scolded A Sen, "Enough, enough. Spare me the smooth talk!"
A Sen glanced at Fu Tingyun, still giggling, then at Zhao Ling, who was also smiling. The atmosphere in the room felt different from usual—though he couldn’t quite pinpoint how—but he decided he liked it.
"I’m telling the truth," he muttered. "If not for the smell of blood, I had something special prepared for him…"
Zhao Ling didn’t press further. "Go guard the door."
A Sen, ever obedient, immediately went to stand outside.
Fu Tingyun asked Zhao Ling, "Did you discover something?"
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Zhao Ling paused before replying indifferently, "Nothing much. I just wanted to know what happened while I was unconscious."
Who are you trying to fool?
It’s always like this—when things get critical, he puts on that aloof, distant expression to downplay the importance of the matter… as if everyone else were fools.
She hadn’t even confronted him about hiding his name, yet here he was, treating her with such detachment!
Fu Tingyun was livid. She sprang to her feet and stormed out.
After two steps, she hesitated.
If they encountered similar situations in the future, would she just walk away like this every time?Would Zhao Ling take the initiative to tell her what had happened just because she acted this way?
She paced back and forth in the room a couple of times, waiting for her emotions to gradually calm down, then asked Zhao Ling, "Ninth Master, are you brushing me off like this because you think I'm too dull to understand even if you told me? Or do you feel this matter has nothing to do with me, so I don’t need to know?"
Zhao Ling was puzzled.
They had been talking just fine—how had she gotten angry again?
Her temper was like the weather in June, shifting unpredictably from wind to rain, changing without rhyme or reason.
He frowned slightly, but the soft backrest behind him, the warm breeze drifting in through the window, and the bright, spacious room all reminded him of how attentively she had been caring for him... It would be too cold-hearted of him to ignore her now.
Feeling uneasy, Zhao Ling wondered how to break the awkward silence when Fu Tingyun sat back down by the bed.
His heart lightened, and he said, "Miss Fu, don’t misunderstand. I just haven’t figured it out yet. Once I do, I’ll definitely tell you!"
Haste makes waste.
Some things needed to be taken slowly.
His words were enough for now.
Fu Tingyun smiled and stood up. "You haven’t slept all night and are badly injured, Ninth Master. You should rest properly! We can discuss this again in the afternoon." Without waiting for Zhao Ling to respond, she opened the door with a creak, startling A Sen, who had been leaning against the doorframe. "Miss, what’s wrong?"
"Nothing!" Fu Tingyun replied cheerfully. "I’m just going downstairs to find a rag to clean the room."
Her own living space was also quite dusty.
"I’ll go!" A Sen hurried down the stairs with a clatter.
Neither of them noticed Zhao Ling’s slightly darkened expression.
Why had he said, "I just haven’t figured it out yet. Once I do, I’ll definitely tell you"?
Did that mean he really had to discuss this with Fu Tingyun in the afternoon?
She was just a woman—what could she do even if she knew?
It would only make her worry needlessly.
His head throbbed painfully as he lay back down, brows furrowed.
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Downstairs, Mo Yi sat astride the shop’s threshold like a warrior.
Seeing A Sen descend, he glanced over and asked, "Something the matter?"
"Nothing much!" A Sen replied. "I’m just getting a rag for Miss Fu to clean the room."
Mo Yi nodded as Chen Liu and Xiao Wu walked in.
One carried water, while the other held a bamboo basket filled with flour, eggs, and scallions.
A Sen’s eyes lit up. "Where did you get all this?"
The two only smiled without answering.
Guessing their goods might not have been obtained through proper channels, A Sen didn’t press further. After the two made flatbreads, he took some upstairs for Zhao Ling and Fu Tingyun.
Mo Yi shot Chen Liu a meaningful look.
Chen Liu squatted by the staircase on the first floor, bowl in hand.
Mo Yi asked Xiao Wu, "Was it that kid who made you fall into the shithole?"
Xiao Wu flushed red.
Mo Yi’s face darkened like an approaching storm.
※※※※※
Upstairs, after watching A Sen help Zhao Ling take his medicine, Fu Tingyun sat by the bedside. "Ninth Master, have you figured out what happened at the City God Temple?" She then added earnestly, "But I’ve been thinking carefully. Since Sixteenth Master can’t leave his fiefdom without permission, he must have come to Shaanxi in secret. Do you think Mo Yi might be here looking for him? They probably ran into each other at the City God Temple, but when we accidentally barged in, they had to pretend not to know one another..."Zhao Ling's expression was rather interesting, unsure whether he was surprised by her words or exasperated by her persistence.
Fu Tingyun raised an eyebrow at him. "Ninth Master, am I wrong?"
Zhao Ling gave a bitter smile.
But he didn't answer her.
Fu Tingyun simply said, "How about this, Ninth Master? If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me."
Zhao Ling watched the flicker of mischief in her eyes and couldn't help but rub his forehead.
This Ninth Miss of the Fu family had a bit of stubbornness, a touch of obstinacy... Otherwise, she wouldn't have insisted on getting to the bottom of things when falsely accused of having an affair.
※
I can only write extra updates after the regular 7 PM updates, so the timing is a bit unstable. It's best if everyone checks back tomorrow morning.
O(∩_∩)O~
(End of Chapter)
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