Chapter 76: Moved
From the moment Zhao Ling entered the room, his gaze never left Fu Tingyun.
He watched as her emotions played across her face—now joy, now sorrow; now furrowed brows, now radiant smiles... Every thought and feeling was laid bare with a childlike sincerity that warmed his heart and deepened his desire to protect her.
"What's really troubling you?" His voice softened further. "No matter what it is, it's always better to talk it through together than to keep it bottled up inside. Don't you think?"
She did.
But how could she voice such thoughts?
Could she really ask him whether his feelings for her were genuine?
Would he actually seek her parents' permission for marriage?
If her father treated him coldly, would he endure it for her sake?
And if one day her true identity were exposed, would he forsake his career and future just to shield her?
She dared not dwell on these questions, much less ask them.
Her eyes suddenly brimmed with moisture.
She couldn’t cry in front of him.
She wanted his sincere devotion, not his pity.
Fu Tingyun blinked hard, forcing back the tears.
"Today, I saw a couple arguing on the street from the window," she said slowly. "It reminded me of the past, and I felt a little sad, that's all."
Was that really it?
Zhao Ling was skeptical, but the melancholy in her expression gave him pause.
Yet he was broad-minded. Having resolved to cherish her wholeheartedly, he believed that even if she wasn’t ready to confide in him now, he would eventually uncover the truth by paying attention. He didn’t press the matter and instead shifted the conversation to his meeting with Mo Yi that day, hoping to lift her spirits.
"...That Lin Chi—I suspect he was the one who ambushed me that night. Sometimes, you can gauge a man's character over drinks. He struck me as forthright, though I’m not sure what position he holds in the Divine Crossbow Camp."
Suppressing her sorrow, Fu Tingyun gradually steadied herself and joined in the casual chatter. "Since Mo Yi invited him along, they must be close. And if you think he’s straightforward, it might be best to pretend you don’t recognize him."
"Naturally," Zhao Ling agreed with a smile. "Not only are we all in the same boat now, but even if we weren’t, he suffered a heavy loss that night and never sought revenge. I certainly won’t provoke him." He added, "It seems Mo Yi is on good terms with Marquis Yingchuan. When I mentioned wanting him to arrange a dinner with the Marquis, Mo Yi agreed on his behalf without hesitation. Tao Mu and Lin Chi didn’t bat an eye either. We may need Mo Yi’s help often in the future."
Fu Tingyun recalled her first encounter with Mo Yi at the City God Temple, a faint smile touching her lips. "Back then, I just thought, ‘Where did this ruffian come from?’ Who’d have guessed he was a Guerilla General? It’s true—you can’t judge a book by its cover."
Their conversation meandered, yet there was a rare warmth and tranquility between them. Though one knew it was late and should leave, and the other felt the chill and longed for bed, neither wanted to broach the subject of parting.
Outside, the fourth watch drum sounded.
Dawn was approaching.Zhao Ling was startled and quickly stood up. "Then I'll return to my room first," he said, inwardly regretting his sudden talkativeness on such a cold night. "You should get into bed and warm up!" Worried she might catch a chill, he added, "Have Zheng Sanniang make you some ginger soup later."
Tomorrow—no, today—he still had to meet with Marquis Yingchuan, and there might be a heavy drinking session at noon. Staying up late and then socializing would take a toll on his health. It was all his fault for getting carried away with outside matters without keeping track of time. Fu Tingyun's voice carried a hint of urgency: "You should go rest for a while too!" Knowing he couldn’t avoid the drinking, she simply advised, "Remember to eat a few bites of food before drinking to cushion your stomach."
Zhao Ling noticed the concern in her eyes and brows, her chatter resembling that of a wife seeing her husband off on a long journey. His heart swelled with joy. "Mm," he responded, gazing at her with a smile for a moment before turning to leave.
Fu Tingyun stood silently at the door, watching him walk to his room, watching him turn and wave at her to hurry inside, watching him frown in displeasure when she remained standing there, disobeying his request, watching him shake his head with a resigned sigh as he pushed open the door to the guest room, watching him step back out to check on her, his expression darkening when he saw she still hadn’t returned to her room, striding toward her with an imposing air...
She smiled faintly, then abruptly turned and slammed the door shut with a "bang," pressing her back against it as she muffled her laughter with her hand. Yet her face was wet and cold with tears.
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Zhao Ling’s affairs progressed smoothly. He left early and returned late each day, constantly occupied with social engagements. A Sen, being young, and Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao—who were to accompany him to Zhuanglang Garrison—needed to meet certain people, so Zhao Ling only took them along. Every night, A Sen would eavesdrop and then rush to report to Fu Tingyun.
"...Although Marquis Yingchuan didn’t dine out with Master, when Master went to the General Military Headquarters, the Marquis’ personal guard waited at the entrance and escorted him all the way to the Marquis’ Duty Room. The Marquis then summoned the clerk of the headquarters and personally instructed him to take Master to the records office for registration. On the way out, they ran into Deputy General Liu, who stopped to ask who Master was. He praised Master as a young hero and urged him to serve the court well."
"...Today, Master hosted Deputy General Liu at Xiqin Tower. Lord Peng, who oversees Suzhou, and Lord Hu, who oversees Xining, also came. They took turns toasting Master, but he only drank four or five cups before pretending to be too drunk and had us help him back."
"...General Mo’s friend, Lord Lin, hosted a welcome banquet for Master at Xiqin Tower and brought seven or eight colleagues. Master drank them all under the table."
After hearing so much, Fu Tingyun grew worried. She asked A Sen, "When will Master leave for Zhuanglang Garrison?" At least then there would be fewer banquets.
"I don’t know!" A Sen shook his head, his large dark eyes rolling mischievously. "Should I go ask for you?"
Just then, Zhao Ling arrived.
"Master, no social engagements today?" A Sen immediately ran over eagerly.
Zhao Ling patted his head. "Can’t be feasting every day, can I?" His eyes, however, were fixed on Fu Tingyun, as if the words were meant for her.Unnamed emotions bubbled up like spring water from a hidden source, but she had already resolved not to dwell on the matter. Suppressing the strange feelings in her heart, she smiled and went to pour Zhao Ling some tea.
Zhao Ling sipped his tea, his expression betraying a hint of hesitation.
He was usually decisive in action—what could be troubling him so?
At this thought, Fu Tingyun's heart softened, and she took the initiative to ask, "Ninth Master, if there's something on your mind, please speak freely."
Zhao Ling pondered for a moment before replying, "I'll be setting off for Zhuanglang Garrison in a few days. I think... perhaps you should stay in Zhangye..."
Fu Tingyun was stunned.
Zhao Ling quickly added, "It's livelier and more prosperous here, and Mo Yi can look after you..."
Fu Tingyun misunderstood his intentions.
Originally, she had come to Zhangye to serve as a "hostage." Now that they were here, it made sense for her to stay where Mo Yi could keep an eye on her.
"Ninth Master, don't worry," she said gently. "I'll stay quietly in Zhangye, keeping to myself so Mo Yi won't find any fault with me."
Why was she answering a question he hadn't asked?
After a brief moment of confusion, Zhao Ling realized his mistake.
He felt a pang of shame.
This was why lies were dangerous.
How could he fix this now?
If she thought he was the kind of man who would sacrifice his wife for personal gain... the mere idea sent a chill down his spine.
"It's not what you think," he said hurriedly. "Mo Yi and I are on good terms now. Besides, once I'm at Zhuanglang Garrison, he won't have any ill intentions..." He trailed off, realizing his blunder. Saying "won't have any ill intentions" implied that there had been ill intentions before—that he'd brought her here for his own advancement. "It's my idea," he explained anxiously. "You've been traveling with me for over half a year—you need time to rest and recover. Zhangye is a key stronghold in the northwest. Whatever you need, whether food or clothing, you can find it here..."
No one wanted others to see their worst side.
For Zhao Ling, her coming to Zhuanglang Garrison would be seen as a form of submission to Sixteenth Master and Mo Yi.
"I was thinking the same," Fu Tingyun said with a smile. "Ninth Master, don't worry about me. Go to Zhuanglang Garrison with peace of mind. I have Zheng San and his wife to look after me—nothing will go wrong. And if anything does happen, Zhuanglang Garrison isn't far. I can send word, and you could ride back in seven or eight days."
Women could be so contrary.
Clearly bothered to the core, yet putting on a show of magnanimity.
Fu Tingyun's composed yet distant smile and her considerate yet formal words made Zhao Ling so frantic he could spit blood. They forced the truth out of him: "At Zhuanglang Garrison, I'm just a lowly Centurion. If you come with me, you'd have to curry favor with the Chiliarch's wives and concubines, not to mention the families of my colleagues... It'd be better to live near Mo Yi. Though his rank is higher than mine, the woman in his household is just a concubine. If she speaks pleasantly, you can chat with her. If not, just shut the door and do as you please..."
Was he afraid she'd be mistreated?
Fu Tingyun had resolved to keep her heart still as dead water, yet tenderness surged uncontrollably like spring floods, stealing her breath and words.
She thought of that green-clad Centurion.Zhao Ling ultimately only asked Mo Yi to send his personal guard to escort that person back... As for Wang Yi, the assistant commander stationed at Zhuanglang Garrison, he never appeared on Zhao Ling's guest list, clearly indicating things weren't progressing as smoothly as A Sen had imagined.
She couldn't help him with these matters, but at the very least, she could avoid causing him trouble by staying quietly in Zhangye, allowing him to focus on dealing with those external affairs with peace of mind.
"Alright," she said meekly, "I'll listen to Ninth Master and remain in Zhangye."
When Fu Tingyun suddenly interrupted, Zhao Ling couldn't help but look her way.
Their eyes met, and Fu Tingyun's gaze was as gentle as the bright moonlight, rendering Zhao Ling momentarily speechless before he regained his composure.
What nonsense had he been spouting?
Yet Fu Tingyun seemed to enjoy listening... and had completely changed her attitude and stance in an instant.
Zhao Ling faintly felt he might have glimpsed something...
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O(∩_∩)O~
(End of Chapter)
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