Chapter 133

Shopkeeper Ye San hesitated for a moment, weighing his words carefully. "Ninth Master also said that no matter how chaotic things get outside, unless the dynasty itself is about to change, the chaos will never reach the capital. He asked you to stay in the capital and live in peace."

Fu Tingjun was stunned.

This was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family, yet Zhao Ling had told Shopkeeper Ye San beforehand!

Did he trust Shopkeeper Ye San that much?

She stared blankly at Shopkeeper Ye San, momentarily forgetting to cry.

Shopkeeper Ye San looked at her with a wry smile. "At first, I didn't understand what Ninth Master meant by those words. Now that I think about it, I finally understand."

"What do you mean?" Fu Tingjun pressed urgently.

"That message was delivered to me by Ninth Master's people. I found it strange at the time and thought it was just words of reassurance for you to stay in the capital." Shopkeeper Ye San said thoughtfully, "This year, Huguang had a bountiful grain harvest, yet the water transport was far quieter than in previous years. Moreover, someone was buying grain in Zhejiang and shipping it to Huguang. Our family head found this strange and thought perhaps something had gone wrong with our Datong Trading House's business in Huguang, so he specially sent two capable elders from the family to inspect the Huguang branch. Six days ago, the family head received word that Prince Mu had rebelled. Only then did I recall the true meaning behind Ninth Master's message..."

Fu Tingjun was already drenched in sweat. "Rebelled... truly... rebelled..." She looked at Shopkeeper Ye San, her eyes filled with terror.

Shopkeeper Ye San's face was also somewhat pale. His lips trembled for a long moment, but in the end, he could only nod.

What if he failed?

All under heaven is the king's land. When that time came, the emperor would surely purge the realm. Zhao Ling was a rebel—everyone would be entitled to kill him. Where would he find refuge?

The moment Fu Tingjun thought of the consequences of failure, her heart ached as if pierced by knives, and tears involuntarily streamed down her face again.

Wasn't he serving under the Marquis of Yingchuan? How did he end up in Huguang? He was merely a minor centurion who had temporarily acted as the chiliarch of Yanbo Station for a few days. What could he possibly accomplish? And Mo Yi—he said he was going to wish his grandmother a happy birthday. Was he truly going for that, or was it an excuse to help Sixteenth Master? No, it should be clear by now—Sixteenth Master was none other than Prince Mu, who garrisoned Huguang. Was Mo Yi really going home to visit family, or was he going to handle matters for Prince Mu? And what about the Marquis of Yingchuan? He and the current emperor were brothers-in-law. Why would he help an outsider instead of his own kin? Was Zhao Ling's trip to Huguang the Marquis's idea, or was it Mo Yi's invitation? Or perhaps Sixteenth Master had sent someone to deliver a letter to him?

He was so clever. Why couldn't he just stay as the acting chiliarch of Yanbo Station and do his job well? Why did he have to follow along and risk his head?

The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. The more she thought, the more uneasy she grew.

Manager Ye couldn't help but advise her, "Miss Fu, you're a clever woman. Since Ninth Master sent you to the capital ahead of time, he must have wanted to pull you out of this mess. Perhaps when the time comes, Ninth Master might even have a place to take refuge. At this moment, you must not lose your composure. Otherwise, all of Ninth Master's careful planning will have been in vain."

Fu Tingjun was startled by these words.

Zhao Ling had always planned ahead. He had let her bring all the family's assets to the capital—there must be other intentions behind that.

Just like before, when he had bought a residence in Yangliu Lane very early on.

Thinking of this, she wiped her tears with her handkerchief and tried her best to restrain her agitation.

Shopkeeper Ye San, meanwhile, felt a pang of emotion.

When Zhao Ling had saved him without hesitation back then, he had known that this young man, though young, was far from ordinary. Given time, he might even become another Marquis of Yingchuan. But he still hadn't expected that Zhao Ling would take such a desperate gamble.

One moment you leap over the dragon's gate; the next you fall into the Yellow Springs.

Truly a man of decisive action!

He came from a merchant family and knew full well that merchants held low status. Without the support of high-ranking court officials, no matter how extraordinary your abilities, you could only be a traveling trader. The Ye family's rise to prominence came because an ancestor had once inadvertently saved the life of a jinshi scholar. After that, when members of the Ye family competed for the position of family head, the primary criterion was whether you had business acumen, and the secondary was whether you had the ability to deal with high-ranking court officials.

He considered himself to have business talent, but he lacked the opportunity that his eldest cousin had—the chance to build connections with court officials through years of overseeing the capital branch. Though he was somewhat anxious, he wasn't desperate, thinking he was still young and would have his chance.

But then the camel caravan was plundered. He narrowly escaped with his life and returned to the Ye family. After much hardship and struggle, he was ultimately sent to the capital to help his eldest cousin manage internal affairs—which was as good as placing all the blame for the caravan's loss squarely on his shoulders. He knew then that he would never have another chance to compete for the position of family head.

But now, another opportunity had been placed before him.

And it was the only one...

Suddenly, Shopkeeper Ye San's mind conjured the image of Zhao Ling's young, handsome face and his clear, cold eyes like winter stars.

If he dared, then what did I have to fear!

Shopkeeper Ye San couldn't help but feel eager to act. His voice low, he said, "Miss Fu, in recent years, the late emperor employed eunuchs and the Tengji Guard, and the court's governance collapsed, with all discipline falling into disrepair. I fear that what happened in Huguang may not reach the capital anytime soon. Even if it does, how the court responds will likely depend on Hong Du's wishes. You'd best stay indoors these days and let stillness counter motion."

Fu Tingjun was taken aback. "How could this be? This is treason..."

Shopkeeper Ye San replied, "If it weren't, how could one say the court's governance has collapsed and discipline has fallen into disrepair?"

Fu Tingjun fell silent.

Shopkeeper Ye San couldn't stay long and soon took his leave: "The moment I hear anything, I'll come notify you immediately."

The next day, he sent over several dan of rice and flour.

Only then did Fu Tingjun understand Shopkeeper Ye San's thoughtful intentions.

Once war broke out, food would become scarce, so Shopkeeper Ye San was seizing the opportunity to do grain business, wasn't he?

She immediately instructed Zheng Sanniang and Yuwei to pickle vegetables and stockpile oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, firewood, and charcoal. Meanwhile, her neighbors were still caught up in mixed feelings of joy and worry over the new emperor's ascension—some rushing about day and night, others gathering to scheme—as if no one had noticed anything unusual about her household.

Fu Tingjun breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

But this state of affairs didn't last long.

On the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month, Prince Mu raised troops in Huguang under the banner of "Executing Hong Shi to Purge the Court." By the time the formal declaration reached the capital, Prince Mu's forces had already arrived at Xinxiang in Henan.

The capital was thrown into uproar, and only the next day did the court react, ordering Wu Bingcheng, Commander of the Five Armies Supervisory Office, to bear the general's seal as Commander-in-Chief, with Hong Du's adopted son Yan Fu as army supervisor, leading the Thirteen Guards of the capital into battle. They also ordered Li Rujin, the Shaanxi Regional Military Commissioner, and Deng Zhong, the Henan Regional Military Commissioner, to coordinate with Wu Bingcheng in the campaign.

Shopkeeper Ye San quietly told Fu Tingjun: "The Shaanxi Military Commission has held its troops in place, and the Henan Military Commission has avoided battle. That Wu Bingcheng has the nickname 'Bear Paw Commander'—he was originally the commander of Tieling Guard and rose to Commander of the Five Armies Supervisory Office by sending bear paws to Hong Du. Catching bears he can manage, but fighting a war... I'm afraid that's a stretch."

"Amitabha!" Fu Tingjun pressed her palms together. "Let us hope so."

Shopkeeper Ye San noticed three strings of agarwood prayer beads wrapped around her wrist.

Following his gaze, Fu Tingjun explained, "Better to be busy than idle—I recite sutras when I have nothing else to do."

She was praying for Zhao Ling, wasn't she?

Shopkeeper Ye San smiled knowingly and brought up the grain business again: "It's not too late even now."

Fu Tingjun truly had no heart for it and politely declined.

Shopkeeper Ye San didn't press further.

Within a few days, Prince Mu's forces had crossed Luancheng.

"How did they come so fast?"

"Weren't they still at Xinxiang?"

"What are Li Rujin and Deng Zhong doing?"

The capital's citizens sat in teahouses discussing the matter in hushed tones.

Fu Tingjun was secretly alarmed.

At this rate, that Henan Regional Military Commissioner Deng Zhong must have some connection to Prince Mu as well.

Just how much had this Prince Mu planned?

And how many others were implicated?

Compared to the outside world, the atmosphere on Shi Family Lane was somewhat tense.

Zheng Sanniang told Fu Tingjun: "That Madam Wu across the street has been running to Madam Ji's house on Bensi Lane in front of us every day these past two days. I hear Madam Ji is also from Zhoushan."

In such circumstances, there was nothing closer than fellow townsfolk in a strange land.

Fu Tingjun worried about her mother on Sixi Lane, yet resented her father's hard-heartedness, and sulked for quite a while.

The hired women from the Li household, not understanding what was wrong, saw Fu Tingjun standing alone under the eaves with a displeased expression and flattered her with a smile: "There's going to be a dragon boat race at the Western Garden, miss. Why not go watch? It'll be quite lively."

Fu Tingjun was shocked. "They're still holding the dragon boat race this year?"

"Why not?" the two women laughed. "With a new emperor on the throne, it should be even more lively than previous years." They presented a picture of peace and prosperity.

Fu Tingjun was speechless.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Dingzhou fell to Prince Mu's forces. The prefect of Dingzhou died in battle, the Left Guard and Right Guard of the capital's Thirteen Guards were annihilated, and the Front Guard suffered more than half its casualties.

Only then did the capital begin to show some signs of panic.

Early one morning, Zheng San went out to sweep the courtyard and saw seven or eight carriages lined up in front of the Wu residence. A steward from the Wu household hurried over with a smile to explain: "Our mistress and young ladies are going to Guanyue Nunnery outside the city to offer incense."

"The weather is cool today—morning is the perfect time to go." Zheng San chatted amiably with the steward, but noticed several maids carrying trunks and loading them into the carriages.

He reported this to Fu Tingjun.

"Could they be planning to flee?" Fu Tingjun muttered to herself. "Their master is Vice Minister Ren of the Ministry of Rites!" Then she had Yuwei keep watch.

The women of the Wu household never returned.

Fu Tingjun sighed.

By the time Fu Tingjun's birthday arrived, Prince Mu's forces had captured Baoding Prefecture.

On the twenty-fourth day of the fifth month, Prince Mu's forces met Wu Bingcheng at Zhuozhou and routed the capital's garrison. Wu Bingcheng died in battle, and Yan Fu fled back to the capital.

The emperor flew into a rage, executed Yan Fu, and summoned the Grand Secretariat and the Ministry of War for a joint deliberation.

Shen Shichong suggested that an imperial edict be issued appointing Minister of War Chen Qingxiao as Grand General to replace Wu Bingcheng in battle.

The emperor adopted the suggestion and dispatched troops from Shanxi, Shandong, Liaodong, and other regions to the capital for reinforcement.

Before the troops from various regions could arrive, on the fourteenth day of the sixth month, the capital was besieged.

The capital immediately fell into chaos—rice became more precious than gold, and incidents of looting shops, silver houses, and the homes of officials and wealthy families occurred frequently, yet no one was in charge. Everyone feared for their own safety.

Fu Tingjun gathered all their belongings and stored them in the rear chamber, and everyone moved there to live. Zheng San led A Sen on patrols, while during the day, Master Lyu was responsible for going out to gather information.

Some said that Prince Mu's troops were insufficient and relied entirely on cavalry speed to win, having fought their way all the way to the capital. Now that they had reached the capital, where the defenders were strong and well-equipped, the cavalry advantage was lost. The Shanxi Regional Military Commissioner's troops had already arrived at Xinle, temporarily cutting off Prince Mu's retreat, and Prince Mu would soon be defeated. Others said that Deng Xiao of the Henan Regional Military Commission had defected to Prince Mu and was leading the Henan troops to block the Shanxi forces at Xinle—so the ones fighting the Shanxi troops were actually the Henan troops.

All sorts of rumors circulated, impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood, and no one knew who was winning or losing.

Yet there was still no news from the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission or the Guangdong Regional Military Commission.

Both the west and the south remained strangely silent.

Fu Tingjun set up a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and burned incense before the bodhisattva three times a day—morning, noon, and evening.