Chapter 98: Passing Without Entering
The Tibetans were even more timid than the Mongols. Upon hearing that Marquis Yingchuan was personally leading troops to Jiayuguan, they retreated before the marquis even arrived. After staying at Jiayuguan for several days, Marquis Yingchuan returned to Zhangye. Good news also arrived from the west—the leader of the Uliangha tribe had been killed by Commander Lu's subordinates, and the leader of the Tuoli tribe was severely wounded. The Mongols, having lost the will to fight, retreated like a receding tide, allowing Commander Lu to recapture Xining Garrison.
When the news reached Zhangye, the entire city erupted in cheers.
Marquis Yingchuan led his generals to the Great Buddha Temple to perform rites for the fallen soldiers, while clerks at the General Military Headquarters busied themselves compiling lists of the deceased, drafting commendations, calculating compensation amounts, and tallying the required replenishments of horses, provisions, weapons, and other supplies. Even the usually punctual Qi Taitai, who normally left work early, was now leaving home at dawn and returning late at night.
Qi Taitai came by several times to ask, "When will your Centurion Zhao return?"
"I don't know," Fu Tingyun replied. She had even gone to see Wang Furen about this, but Wang Furen had also shaken her head. "They say he’s with Commander Lu at Zhuanglang Garrison—this time, Zhuanglang suffered heavy casualties. Commander Lu is busy holding memorials for the fallen soldiers and comforting their families. He’s so busy his feet barely touch the ground."
Qi Taitai nodded and murmured, "I wonder when General Mo will return?"
"Once matters in Xining Garrison are settled, he should return," Fu Tingyun said with a smile. "He still needs to report to Marquis Yingchuan, and with Deputy General Lü assuming his new post, he should also come back to celebrate."
Just then, Jin Yuanbao arrived.
He bowed respectfully to Fu Tingyun, unable to hide his joy. "Miss, there’s news about Sanfu—he was injured and hid with a few comrades on a small hill near Ledu in Nianbo Garrison. Later, when Ninth Master was pursuing the Tuoli tribe, they suddenly ambushed them from behind, throwing the Tuoli into chaos. That’s how Ninth Master managed to shoot an arrow straight into the Tuoli leader’s chest. Commander Lu said that since Sanfu and the others redeemed themselves through merit, they won’t be punished for deserting their unit."
Fu Tingyun clapped her hands in delight. "Wonderful, truly wonderful!"
Meanwhile, Qi Taitai’s eyes darted around as she studied Jin Yuanbao. "And who is this?"
Fu Tingyun smiled apologetically. "Look at me, I was so caught up in the good news! This is Jin Yuanbao, a junior officer who enlisted under our Ninth Master. Skilled in military affairs, he caught Marquis Yingchuan’s eye and now serves as a clerk by his side."
"So Officer Jin serves directly under the marquis!" Qi Taitai’s gaze grew even more interested. "What a fine young man, already achieving so much at such a young age!"
Jin Yuanbao humbly deflected the praise, but seeing that Qi Taitai showed no sign of leaving, he excused himself and went to find Zheng San.
Qi Taitai immediately pulled Fu Tingyun aside. "Is Officer Jin married? My cousin has a daughter, just turned nineteen, skilled in all manner of needlework. If this works out, he’d become the son-in-law of General Chen, the garrison commander of Zhenfan. This is a heaven-sent opportunity—why not mention it to him?" Her eyes burned with eagerness.
All along, whether it was Zhangye or the Gansu General Military Headquarters, Fu Tingyun had seen them only as stepping stones—a way for Zhao Ling and the others to legitimize their identities. She had never considered staying in Zhangye long-term. Though Jin Yuanbao and the others were already of marriageable age, she had never thought of arranging marriages for them here—that would mean some of them might end up staying in Zhangye.Madame Qi proposed a marriage for Jin Yuanbao, which left Fu Tingyun quite surprised. Instinctively, she wanted to refuse, but a voice in her mind reminded her: Everything is fate, just like you and Ninth Master... Perhaps this girl is a good match?
She couldn’t help but ponder.
The girl had just turned nineteen this year, meaning she was already twenty. She excelled in needlework and embroidery, yet there was no mention of her temperament or appearance...
Seeing Fu Tingyun’s hesitation, Madame Qi’s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly asked, “What? Has Centurion Jin already married?”
In her mind, becoming the son-in-law of Adjutant Chen was like a carp leaping over the dragon’s gate. The only reason Fu Tingyun might hesitate was if Jin Yuanbao was already married.
But Fu Tingyun suddenly realized something.
Madame Qi didn’t ask whether Jin Yuanbao was betrothed—only whether he was married. She showed no concern that someone might pursue the match solely for Adjutant Chen’s family influence. Clearly, in her eyes, Miss Chen had no advantages beyond her family background.
They were like family, and Fu Tingyun hoped Jin Yuanbao would marry a virtuous and kind wife.
“That’s not the case,” Fu Tingyun quickly devised a response. She hesitated before saying, “Jin Yuanbao won’t stay in Zhangye forever—it’s too desolate here. But if he returns home, his wife would inevitably have to cater to his family’s expectations... Miss Chen is an official’s daughter, so she might not be the best fit.”
Madame Qi understood.
So Jin Yuanbao had transitioned from a servant’s status to a military one.
In noble households, once a servant, always a servant. Even if freed from servitude, they remained subordinate to their former masters.
Greatly disappointed, Madame Qi lost all interest in staying. After exchanging a few more words, she took her leave.
Fu Tingyun later told Jin Yuanbao about the matter.
Jin Yuanbao was somewhat embarrassed and said, “I come from a humble family. In marriage, virtue matters most. As long as husband and wife are united, our life will surely prosper.”
Fu Tingyun smiled and nodded.
Jin Yuanbao, as if eager to escape the topic, picked up Linchun, who was playing in the courtyard with A Sen, chasing a puppy. “Come, Uncle will take you to buy sweets today.”
This made Fu Tingyun and Zheng Sanniang burst into laughter.
By mid-June, the imperial rewards were announced.
Marquis Yingchuan, Wang Yi, and others naturally received their due. Zhao Ling, Yang Yucheng, and Jin Yuanbao were all promoted to centurions, while Sanfu and Shizhu were elevated to centurions as well. Zhao Ling and his comrades were each awarded ten taels of silver and two bottles of imperial wine, while Sanfu and Shizhu received five taels each along with two bottles of imperial wine.
A Sen exclaimed indignantly, “How can this be? Ninth Master helped Commander Lu in battle—it was our Ninth Master who killed the Uliangha tribe’s leader! This is common knowledge in Xining Garrison and Zhuanglang Garrison. How could he only be promoted to centurion? No, I’m going to find Brother Yuanbao and ask him to speak with Marquis Yingchuan—”
“Sit down right now!” Fu Tingyun’s stern expression made A Sen obey instantly, not daring to move. “When will you ever learn? Since Marquis Yingchuan assigned Ninth Master to assist Commander Lu in redeeming himself through merit, no matter how great Ninth Master’s achievements were, they wouldn’t be credited to him. Promoting him to centurion based on his military contributions is perfectly fair. Remember this: to gain, one must first know how to let go. There will always be more opportunities to earn military merit. But if you displease your superiors, no matter how capable you are, they won’t use you—how then can you distinguish yourself? This time, Ninth Master sacrificed military merit but gained Commander Lu’s gratitude and left Marquis Yingchuan with the impression that he prioritizes the bigger picture. That’s what truly matters. Why don’t you use some of that cleverness of yours to think about these things?”
A Sen’s face flushed red with embarrassment.Zheng Sanniang came in: "Miss, that colleague of Ninth Master, Zhao Ming, has come again at Ninth Master's behest to deliver things for us."
Fu Tingyun immediately jumped off the kang: "What did he bring this time? Did he bring any messages along with the items?" As she spoke, she walked outside and made her way to the window of the west wing, eavesdropping on Zhao Ming's conversation with Zheng San.
"...Brother Zhao originally wanted to return home for a visit, but Commander Lu left in a hurry, so he had to entrust me with the task," Zhao Ming said with a laugh. "Brother Zhao received quite a few rewards this time—it's like he's struck a small fortune!"
Fu Tingyun stood frozen, dumbstruck.
Zhao Ling—he had returned to Zhangye City!
Then why... why hadn’t he come back to see her?
Her eyes suddenly stung.
What nonsense about Commander Lu leaving in a hurry... During the New Year, had Commander Lu stayed long? Yet Zhao Ling had still found a way to return early and see her once.
So why this time?
How could he... how could he pass by without even stopping in?
What had happened?
Was he injured and didn’t want her to know? Or had something occurred that made him decide to distance himself from her?
Fu Tingyun stood there in a daze. If Zheng Sanniang hadn’t pulled her back inside, she would have nearly bumped into Zhao Ming as he was leaving.
"Miss, perhaps Ninth Master truly couldn’t get away!" Zheng Sanniang said gently, seeing her sitting pale and silent on the kang for a long while. "Now that Ninth Master is favored by Commander Lu, it’s not like before when he could leave whenever he wished. He has no choice—you should understand his position..."
"If it’s bad enough being Commander Lu’s favorite, what if he becomes Marquis Yingchuan’s favorite? Would we never even catch a glimpse of him then?" Fu Tingyun scoffed, then startled at the sharp, bitter edge in her own voice, breaking into a cold sweat.
What was wrong with her?
As Zheng Sanniang had said, Zhao Ling was merely a lowly centurion now, and with Commander Lu relying on him, how could he act as he pleased? The man handles outside affairs, the woman manages the household. She had never been unreasonable—why had she suddenly lost her composure?
She covered her face, trying to hide the dampness at the corners of her eyes.
A faint thought crossed her mind—if they were betrothed, or already married, perhaps she wouldn’t feel so unsettled!
Zheng San’s voice came from outside: "Miss, Ninth Master sent back seven hundred and fifty taels of silver through Zhao Ming, along with two rolls of crimson gold-patterned brocade, two rolls of sapphire brocade, two rolls of moon-white Hangzhou silk, two rolls of bright blue summer cloth, two rolls of black summer cloth, a jar of imperial wine, and a letter for you!"
Fu Tingyun quickly wiped her tears and called Zheng San inside.
Zheng San handed her both the inventory list and the letter.
"Go and put everything away properly," Fu Tingyun instructed the couple. She took the list and sat on the kang to read Zhao Ling’s letter.
As usual, the letter was brief. It only mentioned that Commander Lu was grateful for his life-saving act and had rewarded him with five hundred taels of silver. When he met Marquis Yingchuan, the marquis had also given him two hundred taels, a jar of imperial wine, ten rolls of fabric, and an additional fifty taels from the spoils of war—all of which he entrusted to her for safekeeping.
Fu Tingyun flung the letter onto the kang table with force, sitting expressionless as she watched Zheng San and his wife work together to carry in the seven hundred and fifty taels of silver, carefully storing them in a chest. Only then did the violent heaving of her chest gradually subside.When Zheng San asked her what to do with that jar of imperial wine, she had already completely calmed down. "I'll give you a prescription tomorrow. Go buy some medicinal herbs in town, and we'll brew some medicinal wine for Ninth Master."
Zheng San acknowledged the order. The couple thought that since Zhao Ling had brought back so much silver at once, Fu Tingyun might need time to carefully count it all, so they withdrew together.
Only then did Fu Tingyun slowly smooth out the letter she had crumpled in her grip and place it into the red lacquered box by her bedside.
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Tomorrow is the annual college entrance exams—may all students and parents achieve their heart's desires!
Also, just putting this out there... votes would be appreciated... O(∩_∩)O~
(End of Chapter)
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