Chapter 96: Ping'an
The eldest and second young misses of the Wang family sat quietly on the heated kang, engrossed in their embroidery.
The morning sunlight bathed them in a golden outline.
When Fu Tingyun entered, both girls' faces lit up with joy as they jumped down from the kang. The eldest Miss Wang asked, "Sister Fu, have you settled all your family affairs?" while the second Miss Wang inquired, "Sister Fu, didn't A Sen come with you?" She even peeked behind Fu Tingyun as she spoke.
A Sen was already ten years old and had started growing taller again after the spring. Fu Tingyun felt it somewhat inappropriate for him to accompany her to meet the young ladies, but seeing the second Miss Wang's clear, innocent eyes, she thought she might be overthinking it.
"He's outside," Fu Tingyun replied with a smile. The second Miss Wang immediately dashed out, calling, "A Sen, why aren't you coming inside?"
A Sen flushed red, stammering awkwardly.
The second Miss Wang tugged at his sleeve. "Come see the plum blossoms I embroidered!" She held up a handkerchief for him to admire. "Do you like them?"
A Sen's face burned crimson, his limbs stiff with nervousness. He glanced hurriedly at the handkerchief and blurted, "They're nice, very nice!"
The second Miss Wang pouted in dissatisfaction. "You didn't even look properly before saying they're nice! You're just humoring me!"
A Sen grew even more flustered. "No, no! They really are nice!"
"Really?" The second Miss Wang tilted her head, her eyes twinkling. "Then tell me, what's nice about them?"
"Um..." A Sen gaped, his eyes fixed on the handkerchief as he searched desperately for something to say, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Jingyi, stop teasing him," the eldest Miss Wang chided softly, earning a playful grimace from her sister.
The eldest Miss Wang shot her sister a warning look before turning to A Sen with a gentle tone. "A Sen, it's been a while since you last visited. What have you been up to?"
A Sen exhaled in relief, visibly relaxing. "I've been studying and practicing writing with Miss Fu."
"What books have you been reading?"
The eldest Miss Wang carried herself with the poise of an elder sister.
"Still working on 'A Thousand Poems,'" A Sen replied. A maid served tea, and he bowed slightly in thanks before sitting back down. "Miss Fu said that by autumn, she'll send me to the county school to formally begin my studies under a tutor." He puffed out his chest proudly.
The second Miss Wang giggled. "Shame on you! You're already ten and only just starting your studies."
"You—!" A Sen glared.
The eldest Miss Wang quickly interjected with a smile, "What do you know? Sister Fu teaching A Sen counts as his initiation into studies. But since women aren't allowed to be formal teachers, Sister Fu has to arrange for a tutor for him later."
She gave A Sen a way to save face.
A Sen shot her a grateful glance, though the eldest Miss Wang didn't notice, as she was busy lecturing her sister. "Don't speak carelessly about things you don't understand, alright?"
The second Miss Wang looked unconvinced, but recalling her mother's praise for Sister Fu's calligraphy—how it showed signs of training under a master—she reluctantly conceded. With a small huff, she held back any retort.
A Sen, feeling vindicated, decided not to press the matter further.
Fu Tingyun found the whole exchange amusing and smiled faintly.
Just then, Li Niang entered. "Miss Fu, Aunt Feng Shi has left."
Fu Tingyun followed Li Niang to the main hall.
Wang Furen was instructing a maid to brew fresh tea. Seeing Fu Tingyun, she sighed with emotion. "I've never seen Feng Shi act so meek before." She then invited Fu Tingyun to stay for lunch."The family even invited a Taoist for an exorcism!" Fu Tingyun thanked Wang Furen for helping her inquire about Zhao Ling's news but politely declined her kind offer.
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future!" Wang Furen didn’t stand on ceremony. "Come visit whenever you’re free." She then escorted Fu Tingyun to the door.
As she left the General Military Headquarters, Fu Tingyun felt as though someone was following her. She turned around, but there was no one behind her.
A Sen curled his lips and said, "Miss, no need to look back. It’s a thin, elderly woman in her forties trailing us. I’ve seen her before—she was with Feng Shi when she visited General Mo’s house."
In this world, no one can be liked by everyone, but knowing who particularly dislikes you at least allows you to be on guard.
Hearing it was someone from Feng Shi’s household, Fu Tingyun relaxed and returned home in high spirits.
Shanning Daozhang’s ritual ceremony had just concluded, and Zheng San was treating the Taoist and his two young attendants to fine food and wine.
Fu Tingyun asked Zheng Sanniang to buy some pastries from a nearby grocery store and took them to Qi Taitai’s place.
Qi Taitai, who had been struck on the head by a servant from the Lu family, was lying at home with a bandage wrapped around her head, moaning and cursing Lu Shi. When she saw Fu Tingyun bringing gifts, she was moved to tears and struggled to sit up. "Among neighbors, Miss Fu is the only one with any kindness and loyalty."
Fu Tingyun quickly pressed her shoulders. "Qi Taitai, please rest!" she urged, then explained, "After what happened at home, I was terrified. If not for Ninth Master’s news from Wang Furen this morning, I wouldn’t have dared to step outside and wouldn’t have known what was happening. As soon as I heard about your troubles, I came to see you."
"Thank you, and I’m sorry for the trouble," Qi Taitai said politely before launching into another tirade against Lu Shi, vowing to complain to Mo Yi as soon as he returned.
Fu Tingyun neither discouraged nor encouraged her, listening quietly the whole time.
Finally, when Qi Taitai had vented enough to feel slightly better, she immediately turned to gossip. "I heard Centurion Zhao saved Commander Lu—is that true?"
Fu Tingyun briefly recounted the incident.
Qi Taitai beamed. "That’s good, that’s very good." She added, "When Master Zhao gets promoted, don’t forget about our family when good things come your way."
"You flatter me," Fu Tingyun said modestly. "Surviving is already fortunate enough—I wouldn’t dare hope for a promotion. Besides, even if he does get promoted, he’d just be working in some remote garrison. It’s nothing compared to your husband, Qi Daren, who manages the storerooms at the General Military Headquarters—leisurely, safe, and able to support the whole family." This delighted Qi Taitai so much that she insisted on Fu Tingyun staying for lunch.
After much gratitude and polite refusal, Fu Tingyun finally managed to excuse herself.
In the afternoon, Shanning Daozhang performed another ritual ceremony. Zheng San accompanied him for dinner. The agreed fee was four taels of silver, but following Fu Tingyun’s instructions, he gave the Taoist five taels instead. "Daozhang, please forgive any impropriety. Our master isn’t home, and the young lady is a woman of the household. We hope you’ll overlook any shortcomings."
Shanning found the family’s conduct very proper and was quite pleased. He thanked them with a smile, telling Zheng San to feel free to seek him out in the future, before leaving with his two young attendants.Zheng Sanniang expressed some concern: "Miss, will this Taoist priest come by from time to time to freeload in the future..."
Fu Tingyun explained: "These people go from house to house and know many people. If we offend them, a few careless words from them could ruin our reputation. It's best not to provoke them if we can avoid it."
Zheng Sanniang nodded in agreement.
Fu Tingyun then instructed the couple: "From today onward, keep the main gate tightly shut and don't go out unless necessary. Wait until Ninth Master and Marquis Yingchuan return."
Since Wang Furen had already sent someone to report the matter to Marquis Yingchuan, an issue involving the Marquis's official authority would surely prompt him to take action.
Zheng San and the others respectfully acknowledged the order. From then on, they simply claimed Fu Tingyun was recovering from shock and refused all visitors.
Lu Shi came to visit several times but was turned away by Zheng San each time.
Marquis Yingchuan's response came much faster than Fu Tingyun had anticipated.
In mid-May, news arrived from Xining that Commander Lu had captured the leader of the Wuheer tribe. By the end of May, an imperial censor arrived in Zhangye—Liu Fuzongbing was impeached for disorderly conduct regarding his wives and concubines, sentenced to forty lashes, stripped of all positions, and replaced as Gansu Deputy Military Commander by Wang Yi, formerly the garrison commander of Zhuanglang Garrison. Mo Yi was promoted to garrison commander of Xining Garrison, while Lü Rong, the registrar of Shaanxi Regional Military Commission, was transferred to become garrison commander of Zhuanglang Garrison.
Fu Tingyun hurried to Wang Furen's residence.
Wang Furen's home was already filled with well-wishers.
Though happiness brings vigor, Wang Furen appeared no different from usual. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Fu Tingyun, she had Li Niang escort her to the inner quarters.
The gazes of all the ladies and madams in the room followed her, making Fu Tingyun feel as if her back were being scorched by fire.
Soon, Wang Furen came to see Fu Tingyun.
Fu Tingyun smiled and curtsied: "Congratulations, congratulations!"
Wang Furen didn't hide her joy in front of Fu Tingyun and accepted her felicitations, saying: "From third-rank to full third-rank—many never progress beyond the lower third-rank. Our master is already thirty-nine this year. If he didn't move now, he likely never would. Truly, we must thank Marquis Yingchuan for this!" Then she added, "You didn't come just to congratulate me, did you?"
Fu Tingyun smiled sheepishly but saw no reason to hide her purpose: "I wanted to ask—how close is Lü Rong to Marquis Yingchuan?"
Wang Furen chuckled: "I don't know about his relationship with Marquis Yingchuan, but I do know Lü Rong is very close to our master. They passed the military Presented Scholar exams in the same year."
Fu Tingyun was delighted: "Then we need not fear Xiping Marquis anymore?"
They would be safe now.
Wang Furen nodded with a smile.
Li Niang entered: "Concubine Feng requests an audience."
Wang Furen raised an eyebrow: "Didn't I just give her a bottle of wound medicine two days ago?" After a pause, she mused, "Could it be that with Lord Liu stripped of his rank and made a commoner, she's afraid I'll stop giving her the medicine?"
To humiliate Feng Shi, Wang Furen always gave her only one bottle of wound medicine at a time. Once, she even delayed for half a month, claiming the shipment from Fujian hadn't arrived yet.
"No!" Li Niang replied with a smile. "The General Military Headquarters clerk has ordered them to vacate the premises by nightfall. Feng Shi is here to plead for an extension of two days."Madam Wang's face showed a hint of mockery. "This is an official matter, how could it be my place as a woman secluded in the inner chambers to speak? She thinks everyone is like her, daring to meddle in everything and speak out on anything, managing to ruin her husband's career and official position—only then would she be content."
Li Niang laughed and said, "Then I'll go persuade Concubine Feng to leave!"
Madam Wang nodded slightly, but as Li Niang turned to go, she changed her mind. "I’d better see her myself, so she can learn what it means that 'the husband is the guiding principle for the wife.'"
Seeing this, Fu Tingyun stood up to take her leave. "I’ll go ahead then and visit you again when you have time."
Madam Wang didn’t press her to stay. Under the gazes of the other ladies and madams, Li Niang escorted Fu Tingyun out of the General Military Headquarters.
Upon returning home, there was a letter from Zhao Ling.
Since his safe arrival at Marquis Yingchuan’s camp, he had been writing to Fu Tingyun every fifteen days, briefly reporting his safety and nothing more.
Zheng Sanniang muttered, "If he could just write one more sentence about the war, we’d feel more at ease."
"Military affairs are confidential; they can’t be discussed casually," Fu Tingyun understood. "As long as he’s safe and sound, that’s enough."
This time, however, Zhao Ling’s letter had one extra line: "...Is everything at home peaceful? Has anything happened?"
Fu Tingyun replied, "All is well. Ninth Master need not worry!" Yet she faintly suspected that Zhao Ling might have sensed something about Feng Dahu’s affairs.
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I need to speed things up a bit and bring Zhao Ling back... O(∩_∩)O~
(End of Chapter)
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