Chapter 136

Fu Tingjun's hands were soft and delicate, carrying a slight coolness, like fine mutton-fat jade. Her eyebrows were dark and thick, gentle as soft feathers, adding a touch of tenderness to her face. Her large, apricot-shaped eyes were always bright and spirited, like the most brilliant stars on a summer night, unforgettable at first sight... Zhao Ling quietly gazed at the person before him. The hesitation he felt when deciding to follow Prince Mu, the worry for her safety after their parting, the doubt in his own abilities after defeat, the pressure to press on after victory—all seemed to become insignificant.

A ripple of smiles spread in his eyes.

But Fu Tingjun only felt her face burning hot.

This fellow—staring at her so intently without blinking... Shameless!

She wanted to pull her hand back from his, but feared that overturning the teacup would spill tea all over him, so she couldn't help but chide: "Are you going to drink the tea or not?"

Her voice was sweet and soft, like a pool of spring water.

Fu Tingjun was both shy and embarrassed, her face as bright as the morning glow.

Zhao Ling's heart tightened at the sight, and he firmly grasped her hand, whispering with a smile at the corner of his mouth: "You feed it to me!" His tone carried a warm intimacy that made Fu Tingjun's ears burn.

"Dream on!" Ignoring the teacup, she hastily pulled her hand back and retreated.

With clattering sounds, Zhao Ling scrambled and barely managed to catch the teacup, though some tea still splashed onto his hand and his sapphire-blue cocoon silk robe.

Zhao Ling in such a flustered state... was a rare sight.

Fu Tingjun pursed her lips and smiled.

Zhao Ling shook his head, his eyes carrying a doting helplessness.

For no particular reason, joy welled up in Fu Tingjun's heart, and she laughed even more brightly. She took out a handkerchief and handed it to him: "Here, wipe your hands!"

Zhao Ling looked at her sparkling eyes, then at the hint of mischief at the corners of her mouth. His heart stirred, and he suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and with a slight pull, she tumbled into his lap, handkerchief and all.

"Help me wipe it!" He wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered by her ear.

His warm breath sprayed against her neck, making half her body tingle with numbness.

"No!" She bit her lip, as if hiding something, and struggled vigorously in his embrace. Her rosy lips were as brilliant and vivid as the oleander blooming on the long table.

A strange glint flashed through Zhao Ling's eyes. He called out "Nannan," his voice turning low and husky: "Don't move!"

You say don't move and I'm supposed to listen!

Then you shouldn't be holding me so tightly!

Fu Tingjun grumbled inwardly, but her movements grew even more forceful... Suddenly, her eyes widened, and her body went rigid as she sat in Zhao Ling's lap, motionless as a puppet.

Zhao Ling smiled wryly.

He gently stroked her hairline: "Be good, don't be afraid, it'll pass in a moment!" His ears were red, and a flush crept up his cheeks.

Hearing this, Fu Tingjun was so anxious she nearly cried.

She was a young woman about to be married—her dowry was all prepared, and the erotic paintings tucked at the bottom of her trunk had been given to her by Sixth Aunt on her mother's behalf... The hard thing at his thigh pressing against hers... Of course she knew what that was... But how did this happen? She hadn't done anything improper! She was just playing around with him... This bastard—since he knew, why did he keep holding her so tightly? If he had let her go in the first place, how could this have happened? Or if he had kept quiet about it, she could have pretended not to notice... and they could have let it pass. But now that he'd made such a fuss, she couldn't pretend to be ignorant even if she wanted to...

And the erotic paintings hadn't told her what to do in this situation. She didn't dare disobey Zhao Ling, but sitting in his lap felt like sitting on a bed of needles. Between grievance and shyness, a trace of moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes.

Zhao Ling, who had been nervously watching Fu Tingjun, felt his own heart panic at the sight. But this kind of thing wasn't something he could control—the more anxious he became, the harder it was to calm down. Yet letting Fu Tingjun grieve like this pained him deeply. He held her tightly: "Don't cry, don't cry, it's all my fault, all my fault!" He gently kissed her forehead and added, "His Majesty has agreed to preside over our marriage. You don't need to worry..."

"What did you say?" Fu Tingjun, stunned, jumped down from Zhao Ling's lap.

Only then did she notice that not only were Zhao Ling's cheeks red, but even his neck was flushed.

Could he be... blushing?

The thought flashed through Fu Tingjun's mind but was quickly replaced by curiosity: "What exactly is going on?" She pressed.

Seeing that Fu Tingjun was no longer focused on their awkward situation, Zhao Ling breathed a sigh of relief, his heart settling somewhat. He said, "His Majesty has decided to ride lightly into the capital and needs skilled guards by his side. The Marquis of Yingchuan recommended me, Mo Yi, Lin Chi, and Tao Mu. The other three all have known backgrounds, but I alone have unclear origins. The Marquis of Yingchuan summoned me and personally questioned me about my background and yours."

Fu Tingjun suddenly understood: "So that time when the Marquis of Yingchuan summoned you, it was to inquire about your background!" Yet they had mistaken it for the Marquis wanting to arrest Shopkeeper Ye San. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but fume, "So you had already decided to go to Huguang back then, but you didn't tell me a single word of truth to my face, and even tricked me into returning to the capital. Do you have any idea that I was so worried I couldn't sleep night after night..." Her almond-shaped eyes glared at him, trembling with anger, "If anything had happened to you, do you think I could have gone on living well!" Tears welled up in her eyes unbidden.

"I know, I know. It was precisely because I knew that I didn't tell you." Zhao Ling stepped forward, wanting to pull Fu Tingjun into his arms, but she retreated a few steps and glared at him with fury. Zhao Ling smiled helplessly, "Nannan, going to Huguang, though it was an opportunity, I couldn't tell whether it would bring fortune or disaster. If it succeeded, then naturally nothing more needed to be said. If it didn't," he stepped forward a few paces and said in a low voice, "I'm a solitary man—I could hide away anywhere for a few years, then come back to the capital to find you. Knowing your temperament, whether I lived or died, you would surely keep waiting for me. When that time came, we'd sell the house in the capital and go to Jiangnan, or beyond the passes... Nannan, since you've chosen to be with me, I would never let you end up alone and desolate!" As he spoke, his expression gradually turned solemn, and the look he gave Fu Tingjun became earnest and serious.

Fu Tingjun wept like rain, Zhao Ling's words echoing in her mind—"Knowing your temperament, whether I lived or died, you would surely keep waiting for me."

She and Zhao Ling had known each other for only three years, yet he was so certain she would remain faithful to him. And she had lived in the Fu family for fifteen years, yet a single fabrication from Zuo Junjie had made everyone in the Fu household begin to doubt her.

Was this her fortune or her misfortune?

Fu Tingjun embraced Zhao Ling, gently resting her head against his broad chest.

Zhao Ling held her tightly in return, his fingers softly stroking through her hair to soothe her emotions: "Nannan, I promise I will never do anything to make you worry again."

She heard the steady beating of his heart.

Thump, thump, thump... strong and powerful.

Gradually calming her restless heart.

"So you've been serving as the Emperor's personal guard all this time?" Fu Tingjun lifted her head to look at him, speaking softly, "Were you ever injured?"

No wonder he couldn't come to see her.

The Emperor had just entered the capital—he would certainly need his own people guarding him. How could Zhao Ling have time to attend to his personal affairs? If the Emperor found out, he would surely think Zhao Ling wasn't loyal enough.

"Mm!" Zhao Ling smiled. "I also joined a few battles under several senior generals, but none of them were major engagements. Most of the time I stayed by the Emperor's side. How would I have had the chance to be injured?"

Fu Tingjun felt relieved and asked about the Marquis of Yingchuan: "Didn't he join the Emperor's campaign?"

"No!" Zhao Ling laughed. "He still has to guard Zhangye. However, his Divine Crossbow Battalion and Wind-Chasing Battalion were both dispatched to the Emperor's side. The reason the Emperor was able to enter the capital so quickly this time was thanks to the Wind-Chasing Battalion."

If the rumors were true—that the Duke of Fuguo had helped the Emperor open the capital's gates, and the Marquis of Yingchuan had escorted the Emperor back to the capital—then with such merits, the Meng family would likely become the foremost noble house in the capital.

Fu Tingjun thought of Xiao Shi: "She tested me several times—was that on the Marquis of Yingchuan's orders? To see if I could keep a secret?"

Zhao Ling mused, "I heard from Mo Yi that Xiao Shi was formerly a maidservant by Madam Mei's side, specially trained by Madam Mei to attend to the Marquis's correspondence. Later, when the Marquis came to Zhangye, he brought Xiao Shi along. The Marquis never conceals anything from Xiao Shi, and Xiao Shi is very devoted to the Marquis's affairs. If the Marquis wanted to probe you, he would have asked you directly. This kind of roundabout approach was most likely Xiao Shi's own idea."

Fu Tingjun thought of the rumors about Madam Mei... and felt that if the Marquis of Yingchuan returned to the capital, there would likely be stories circulating from his household.

"I'm merely an acting chiliarch of Niambo Station," Zhao Ling said. "When the time comes, I only need to tell the people at Niambo Station that the court is sending a new chiliarch and that I've returned to Zhuanglang Guard; and tell the people at Zhuanglang Guard that I'm still at Niambo Station. Keeping it hidden for a few months wouldn't be difficult. But you're different—once I go to Huguang, I can't even send a single letter. If you started searching for me, things might come to light," Zhao Ling said. "It happened that the Marquis of Yingchuan suspected you were from the Fu family. I didn't want you entangled with that Xiao Shi, so I vaguely said I would escort you back to the capital. The Marquis probably thought that once you were in the capital, under the watchful eye of the Duke of Fuguo's household, you'd be easier to control. So when I asked to borrow his name card, he simply sent a squad of soldiers to escort you back."

Fu Tingjun thought of how overjoyed she had been at the time and couldn't help but let out a cold "hmph." Then she remembered encountering Yuwei at the Weinan post station and told Zhao Ling about her: "...She's now serving by my side and has helped me a great deal."

"I went straight to the main courtyard upon entering," Zhao Ling said with a smile, "and I truly didn't take a close look at how many people were in the household." He remarked with emotion, "I didn't expect that any of the maidservants by your side would still be alive! But that's good—having a close companion to attend to you puts my mind at ease."

Fu Tingjun nodded repeatedly, wanting to ask whether Nanny Chen had been killed by him, but then thought, even if it were him, so what? Zhao Ling was never one to kill the innocent; since he had killed Nanny Chen, there must have been reason for it. She thus cast the matter aside and said with a smile, "This too is our fate!"

Yet such fate had come at too great a cost.

Zhao Ling did not want Fu Tingjun to dwell too much on these matters, so he said with a smile, "However, the Emperor and I nearly missed our chance at fate—when he saw me, he had already forgotten who I was!"

Fu Tingjun was quite surprised.

Zhao Ling said, "The Emperor indeed trusts those he employs and employs those he trusts. Because we were introduced by the Marquis of Yingchuan, he asked nothing and kept us by his side for duty. It was Liansheng, who serves the Emperor, who recognized me. The Emperor, however, still remembered you—he even asked about you at the time, and upon learning you were in the capital, joked that he and I both longed to reach the capital to see our long-parted loved ones."