Chapter 140

"Who knows each other from birth?" Zhao Ling said. "Lord Fu is far too hung up on such trivial details! I've come to visit you today, Lord Fu, and now you know me, don't you?" He smiled slightly, his expression gentle yet tinged with a certain carefree ease, bearing the unrestrained grace of a noble scion. Yet for some reason, Fu Tingjun felt his words carried hidden meaning, and his smile held an indescribable hint of mockery.

"Lord Fu, today is a rest day, so I imagine the neighboring lords will all take this opportunity to browse the antique shops on West Street," he continued before Fifth Master Fu could speak. "If we keep standing here at the door talking, I wonder if we might block the sedan chairs of those lords? Perhaps we should continue this conversation inside?"

Fifth Master Fu hesitated briefly, then turned and entered the courtyard.

Seeing this, Fu Tingzheng followed his father into the courtyard with a somewhat flustered expression.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but mutter inwardly.

Wasn't he supposed to be studying under some venerable old Hanlin scholar? How was it that he hadn't even learned basic etiquette for receiving guests!

As she thought this, her gaze drifted toward Zhao Ling.

Zhao Ling, however, remained perfectly composed. He shot her a meaningful glance, signaling her to follow him, then strode in with easy grace.

Yuwei thought for a moment, then carefully closed the gate behind them.

Fifth Master Fu stood in the middle of the courtyard, regarding Zhao Ling with a cold expression, while Fu Tingzheng stood behind his father, looking somewhat tense.

"If you have something to say, say it here!" Fifth Master Fu said coldly, with the air of someone who wanted the matter finished and the visitor gone.

How could he behave this way? Even with an ordinary neighbor calling, one wouldn't treat them so shabbily.

"Father!" Fu Tingjun's anger surged. She stepped forward, wanting to argue with her father, but Zhao Ling grabbed her arm and held her back.

"State your business plainly—what use is losing your temper?" he said to Fu Tingjun in a low voice.

Fu Tingjun knew Zhao Ling was right, but she simply couldn't swallow her indignation. She held herself back, again and again, before retreating behind Zhao Ling.

Meanwhile, the eyes of the Fu father and son fell simultaneously on Fu Tingjun's arm, still firmly gripped by Zhao Ling—then, as if stung by something, they quickly looked away.

Just then, the bamboo curtain of the main hall clattered against the doorframe.

Everyone in the courtyard turned toward the sound and saw Young Mistress Fu emerging from the hall with an anxious expression, rolling down her sleeves as she came—clearly she had heard the commotion and come out to see what was happening.

Finding everyone looking at her, she faltered slightly.

Seeing it was her, Fifth Master Fu turned his head back with an expressionless face.

Fu Tingzheng, on the other hand, shot her a vicious glare.

Young Mistress Fu shrank back a few steps involuntarily, her back pressing against the curtain of the hall doorway.

Fu Tingjun lowered her eyes.

Her sister-in-law was caught in an awkward position between them. She didn't want to drag her into this, so she could only pretend not to have seen anything.

Zhao Ling smiled. "Lord Fu, the law is never beyond human sentiment. Whatever has passed, let it be as fleeting clouds and smoke—there is no benefit in dwelling on it. But Madam Fu has been worried about Miss Fu all this time. For Miss Fu's safety, she even entrusted me to escort her to Weinan. And Miss Fu has never stopped thinking of her mother—she went through great trouble to find her way to the capital. I beg you, Lord Fu, to take pity on the bond between mother and daughter, and grant Miss Fu the chance to see her mother!"

Fifth Master Fu said nothing, staring at Zhao Ling with an unreadable expression.

Zhao Ling bowed slightly, his manner humble yet utterly unafraid, allowing himself to be scrutinized.

The courtyard fell into dead silence, broken only by the faint breathing of Yuwei and the others.

After a long moment, Fifth Master Fu finally spoke, his tone flat: "Lord Zhao, since you keep speaking of 'Miss Fu' and 'Madam Fu,' you must know that this is a family matter of the Fu household, is it not? Even the Emperor himself would have no grounds to interfere in clan affairs. Surely Lord Zhao doesn't think that, having earned merit by following the dragon and being newly risen to power, you can disregard the laws of the court and meddle in the private affairs of the Fu family?" He fixed Zhao Ling with a piercing stare. "I advise Lord Zhao to go study with the old scholars of the Hanlin Academy, to learn some proper manners in dealing with others, lest you bring shame upon His Majesty in the future!"

Fu Tingjun felt her chest tighten with fury, her hands clenching into fists.

She was his daughter—he could humiliate her if he wished. But since he treated Zhao Ling as an outsider, what right did he have to put on airs and humiliate Zhao Ling?

Fu Tingjun was about to speak up in her own defense when she heard Zhao Ling say with neither humility nor arrogance, laughing, "Lord Fu has hit the mark—I lost my father at a young age and never had much schooling. It was only by the emperor's favor that I was appointed Commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Forest Guard. Indeed, I ought to follow those old scholars in the Hanlin Academy and study more, learning proper clan laws and etiquette." He added, "I've heard that Lord Fu once served as an academician in the Hanlin Academy, so you must be immensely learned. If the opportunity arises, I would be grateful for your guidance. As for interfering in the Fu family's affairs," his tone turned serious, and he smiled, "Lord Fu, the gates are closed tight, so let us speak plainly." He could not mention his relationship with Fu Tingjun—otherwise, on the single charge of "improper private dealings," Lord Fu could punish Fu Tingjun all over again—so he could only blur the nature of their connection. "Miss Fu knows that Madam Fu is in poor health, and she certainly would not bring any unpleasant matters to Madam Fu's attention. This is merely a daughter wishing to see the mother who has always worried over her. If you feel Miss Fu has done anything improper, you have only to instruct her, and I am certain Miss Fu will respectfully heed your teachings."

His tone was sincere, his manner humble, and his bearing toward Fifth Master Fu was entirely that of a junior showing respect to an elder. Even Young Mistress Fu, watching, could not help but nod inwardly.

Fifth Master Fu, however, turned pale.

"Good, good, good!" He laughed in fury. "Today I have truly seen something new. I had heard that those military men are nothing but brutes who know only how to throw punches and have no sense of honor or decency, but I never imagined they could be so shameless as to barge into my home with a clear conscience and spout nonsense at the top of their lungs..."

Fu Tingjun's tears welled up in her eyes.

No, she could not let Zhao Ling stand up for her any longer.

Their relationship was, after all, not legitimate in the eyes of propriety. As long as her father seized on that point, no matter how reasonable Zhao Ling's words were, her father could wipe them away with a single stroke; no matter how correct Zhao Ling was, her father could cling to his status and attack him for it.

She should have known all along that her father would never let her see her mother, not even if Zhao Ling intervened. Why should she let Zhao Ling suffer humiliation for nothing?

"Father!" Fu Tingjun pulled Zhao Ling forcefully behind her. "There is no need for you to distort the facts. Lord Zhao has already made it perfectly clear—he came at Mother's request. If you don't believe it, go and ask Mother yourself. Why must you insult people here? If not for Lord Zhao, I would already be dead. Isn't it simply that you're afraid of me seeing Mother? Fine, I won't see her! As for Zuo Junjie's matter, I will seek justice from Uncle myself." As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and with a thud, she knelt facing the direction of the southern wing. "Mother gave me life and raised me, yet not only have I failed to fulfill my filial duty before her, I have caused her to worry and fret over me. In the future, I fear I will not be able to serve at her knee..." She broke down sobbing, unable to speak for a long moment, before choking out, "Mother, I kowtow to you," and with that, she knocked her head three times, thud, thud, thud. "Mother, take care of yourself. Your daughter is unfilial—just think of me as having died of illness at Biyun Nunnery..."

Her jade-white forehead was red and swollen.

Zhao Ling's heart trembled at the sight.

Even during their flight from danger, he had never let her suffer so much as a scratch, and now she was enduring such humiliation.

He looked at Fifth Master Fu.

Fifth Master Fu's eyes held only contempt.

He looked at Fu Tingzheng.

Fu Tingzheng's face showed only disgust.

He looked at Young Mistress Fu.

Young Mistress Fu wept behind her sleeve but dared not move an inch.

He looked at the servants and maids hiding behind the wing rooms and trees.

All was silent, not a sound to be heard.

A fierce glint flashed across Zhao Ling's face.

He lifted his robe and knelt solemnly beside Fu Tingjun.

"Madam Fu!" His voice was calm, yet carried a strange tension, as if it rang directly in everyone's ears. "I am Zhao Ling. You entrusted me with escorting your daughter to Weinan to seek refuge with relatives, but unexpectedly, Master Xie's entire family met with misfortune. With no other choice, your daughter and I had to go to Xi'an Prefecture to seek refuge. On the way, we encountered bandits, and it was your daughter who saved my life. After arriving in Xi'an, it was again your daughter who advised me to pledge my service to a worthy master. I admire your daughter's composure in the face of danger and her wisdom and courage, and I wish to marry her and spend my life with her. But your daughter insisted on informing her parents and seeking their blessing. However, my parents are both deceased, and I have no elder to act on my behalf. Today, I have come especially to propose to you, Madam Fu, and beg you to give your beloved daughter to me in marriage..."

"Utter shamelessness, utter shamelessness!" Before he could finish, Fifth Master Fu roared, "Shut your mouth! Don't defile my courtyard..."

Zhao Ling remained unmoved and continued, "I will share honor and disgrace with your daughter, share fortune and misfortune, and never abandon her..."

Fifth Master Fu raised his hand and slapped Zhao Ling across the face.

But Zhao Ling did not dodge or flinch, taking the slap squarely.

Fu Tingjun threw herself onto Zhao Ling.

He was highly skilled in martial arts—so much so that the Marquis of Yingchuan had recommended him to serve as the emperor's personal bodyguard. If he had wanted to dodge, how could her father have possibly struck him? He had clearly treated her father as an elder, willingly accepting that slap.

Her Zhao Ling had gone to Huguang without telling her, and she hadn't even had the heart to complain about it—yet now, because of her, he had been slapped across the face by her father!

Not on the body, but on the face!

He was a man of true stature, one who had never bowed or groveled even when schemed against by the likes of the Marquis of Yingchuan or Mo Yi—yet he had been struck on the face by her father.

"Father, you've gone too far, far too far..." Fu Tingjun shouted at her father, never having regretted anything more than this moment—regretting stepping into this courtyard, regretting bringing Zhao Ling before her father to be humiliated. "Let's go, let's go..." She pulled at Zhao Ling, "Let's go home... let's go home..." Tears fell like rain, endless and unceasing.

Then came a creak as the door of the innermost room against the southern wall suddenly opened. Xiuzhu's Wife emerged with reddened eyes: "Master, the Mistress says she wishes to see Lord Zhao and Ninth Miss!"

"Mother!" Fu Tingjun murmured, staring blankly at the dark room beyond the wooden door, frozen in place.

Xiuzhu's Wife nodded at Fu Tingjun through her tears, as if telling her it was true—your mother truly wants to see you both.

Fu Tingjun was both startled and overjoyed. She turned her head toward Zhao Ling, but as her gaze rose, she saw the red mark left by her father's slap on his cheek. Her eyes turned cold. "Wait for me here. I'll go see Mother, and then we'll go home!"

"I'll go with you!" Zhao Ling smiled at her. "Auntie wants to see both of us."

His voice was gentle and soothing, like warm spring sunlight.

Fu Tingjun nodded involuntarily.

But from beside her came her father's icy voice: "Xiuzhu's Wife, you have quite the nerve, daring to defy my orders! Jiezhi, go—have someone bind this insolent wench."