Chapter 143

"It's a sickness of the heart," Madam Fu said dismissively. "Now that you're back, I'll naturally recover in time. Don't worry. As for sending a woman to attend to me," she teased her daughter, "you haven't even married yet, and already you're pilfering things from my side. If you do marry, won't you strip the Zhao household bare?"

"Mother!" Fu Tingjun blushed and pouted in protest.

"Alright, alright," Madam Fu laughed. "I won't tease you anymore." With that, she let out a long sigh. "To see you, and to know you're doing well—that's already enough to satisfy me." Then she called for Xiuzhu's Wife. "Please invite Lord Zhao in."

Zhao Ling had been standing outside the door, and upon hearing this, he walked in before Xiuzhu's Wife could even announce him.

Madam Fu smiled at them. "It's getting late, and I still have matters to discuss with Fifth Master Fu, so I won't keep you for a meal. Though Quanhui is no longer a member of the Fu family, and I can't do much for her marriage, I am still her elder. Once you've settled the arrangements, remember to send someone to let me know."

If Madam Fu's appearance could soften Fifth Master Fu's attitude, Zhao Ling felt that would be a good thing.

He respectfully acknowledged the request.

Fu Tingjun, however, was deeply grieved to hear her mother speak this way. She chattered on about this and that, feeling she hadn't said nearly enough, but seeing Zhao Ling waiting patiently by her side the whole time, she finally brought the conversation to a close. She and Zhao Ling bowed to her mother, then left Madam Fu's room one after the other.

Outside the door, Fu Tingzheng was peeking in nervously. When he saw Zhao Ling emerge, his face went pale with fright, and he stumbled back several steps before stopping, only feeling safe once he'd put enough distance between himself and Zhao Ling.

Fu Tingjun didn't even bother to greet him—she couldn't be bothered to look at him. As she walked out with Zhao Ling, she asked in a low voice, "Did you see my father?"

Zhao Ling shook his head. "By the time I came out, your father was already nowhere to be seen."

Fu Tingjun looked up and saw Zhao Ling's waist knife still planted imposingly in the middle of the courtyard.

Good. At least she wouldn't have to look at him and be reminded of his cowering demeanor earlier, which had made her heart ache.

As Fu Tingjun mused over this, she ran into Young Mistress Fu, who had heard the commotion and lifted the curtain to step out of the hall. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she nodded at Fu Tingjun. Fu Tingjun paused slightly, pondered for a moment, and said softly, "Sister-in-law, I must trouble you to look after Mother on my behalf. I'll bow to you here." With that, she bent her knees to perform a salute, but Young Mistress Fu quickly grabbed her arm. "Don't do that, little sister. Looking after Mother is my duty to begin with. Rest assured—I'll fulfill my filial duties at her side."

They had only exchanged a few brief words when Young Mistress Fu caught her husband glaring at her with resentment. She quickly fell silent and stepped aside.

Fu Tingjun didn't need to turn around to guess why Young Mistress Fu had retreated. She felt even more contempt in her heart, and without a word, she left Four Happiness Lane with Zhao Ling.

On the way back, she asked him, "Did you calculate that I wouldn't be able to see Mother smoothly, so you deliberately wore your official robes and carried your waist knife to Four Happiness Lane?"

Zhao Ling chuckled and played dumb. "How could that be? I just thought wearing official robes would make me look more imposing." He felt no remorse whatsoever for having drawn his blade on Fifth Master Fu.

Fu Tingjun said nothing, but quietly reached out and took Zhao Ling's hand.

...

Through the bamboo curtain of the hall, Fifth Master Fu watched Zhao Ling and his daughter's figures disappear through the main gate. Only then did he go to Madam Fu's room, his face ashen.

Madam Fu had already lain down with Xiuzhu's Wife's help. When she saw her husband enter, she lifted her eyelids slightly and said coldly, "Jiezhi was listening at the door. Whatever Quanhui and I said has surely been reported to you by now. You should be satisfied, shouldn't you?" With that, she closed her eyes and turned her face away, refusing to look at Fifth Master Fu again.

Fifth Master Fu stood silently by his wife's bedside for a long while, then said in a low voice, "You should move back to the main chamber. It's dark and damp here."

"But this is the farthest from you!" Madam Fu murmured, turning over to leave her back to Fifth Master Fu.

Fifth Master Fu gazed at his wife's back with a complicated expression, his face unreadable. After a long moment, he flicked his sleeves and left the room.

Tears welled up from beneath Madam Fu's tightly shut eyes.

...

Back at home, Zhao Ling changed into a plain sapphire-blue summer robe of Hangzhou silk that Fu Tingjun had made for him, and prepared to go out. "I still have some matters to discuss with Mo Yi. Don't wait for me at dinner."

"Wait a moment." Fu Tingjun called him back and hung a pouch at his waist. "There's a twenty-tael banknote and five taels of loose silver inside. When you're out and about, you'll need to entertain people now and then. Having money on you will give you more confidence."

Zhao Ling grinned and gazed at her for a long while before turning and heading out the door.

When he returned that evening, he was slightly tipsy and told Fu Tingjun happily, "I've asked Teacher Yao to be the chief witness at our wedding." Then he scratched his head and said, "I just don't know who to ask to be your family representative." A youthful shyness showed on his face.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but smile softly.

So this was what he had been busy with.

The Fu family didn't acknowledge her, so she couldn't possibly be married off from the Fu residence. The place she lived in now would be their future home—she was to marry into it, so she would need to find somewhere else to depart from for the wedding.

She had no particular candidates in mind, and blushed as she said in a low voice, "We can discuss it slowly!"

"There are only a little over ten days until the sixth day of the eighth month," Zhao Ling sat down beside her. "Jin Yuanbao and Yang Yucheng probably won't make it back in time for the wedding. We'll need to find an enthusiastic person to serve as the wedding steward, send out invitations, hire people to prepare the wedding feast, and get the new wedding clothes... there's so much to do." He muttered to himself, "Mo Yi is now the Commander of the Imperial Guard. He asked us just yesterday when we were getting married. If we asked him to be your family representative, he would certainly be willing. But then we'd become relatives with the Mo family, and the Mo family has many members—thirteen branches within, nine branches without—with complicated interpersonal relations. That might not be a good thing. Lin Chi is a very decent person, and he's now the Front Guard Commander of the Feather Forest Guard. It would be fine to ask him to be your family representative, but he's also the Marquis of Yingchuan's bodyguard, and both he and I were recommended to the Emperor's side by the Marquis of Yingchuan. Getting too close wouldn't be good either." He said with a headache, "Shopkeeper Ye San isn't suitable either—after all, his family are merchants."

For a moment, he felt somewhat melancholy.

The Emperor was most wary of factionalism, especially now that he hadn't yet secured his position.

Fu Tingjun poured a cup of cold tea for Zhao Ling and said quietly, "Why don't we just rent a residence? That would be clean and simple."

Zhao Ling hesitated: "It's just that you'd be put out—it wouldn't be lively enough."

Fu Tingjun appreciated his thoughtfulness, but she had her own ideas: "We're going to live our lives together, not put on a play for people to watch."

Zhao Ling had experienced the transition from glorious prosperity to lonely decline, which had shaped his low-key and restrained way of doing things. Fu Tingjun's words hit the mark perfectly. An unmistakable smile welled up in his eyes—under the lamplight, it sparkled like the stars of a summer night, bright and twinkling.

"Alright then." He stood up. "I'll go discuss this with Master Lyu."

His eager manner made Fu Tingjun purse her lips and smile.

...

Zhao Ling didn't return until after the third watch. Early the next morning, he went to the palace. Master Lyu went out and came back in the evening, reporting to Fu Tingjun: "There's a small residence on Bensi Hutong ahead, occupied by only a mother and daughter. They have three south-facing rooms for rent. I've already arranged it with them—ten taels of silver for ten days. Would you like to go take a look, miss?"

Fu Tingjun was quite interested. Zheng Sanniang and Yuwei walked in.

One was busy with the wedding banquet menu, the other with Fu Tingjun's dowry—both had come to report to her.

Fu Tingjun laughed at herself, and couldn't help but have some peculiar thoughts—someone like her, arranging her own wedding affairs, was probably the first in all of history.

As they were talking, the young servant Yanqing ran in: "Miss, miss." He was panting heavily, with a somewhat flustered expression. "Two eunuchs from the palace have arrived and say they wish to see you. Young Master A Sen is accompanying them in the south hall, having tea and conversation."

Fu Tingjun was greatly startled.

She was merely an ordinary woman. If eunuchs wanted to see her, it must be because of Zhao Ling.

When had Zhao Ling gained such standing before the imperial family?

She gave Yuwei an instruction and followed Yanqing, hurrying to the south hall.

Of the two eunuchs, one was around thirty years old and claimed his surname was Zhong; the other was about ten years old and served at his side.

Eunuch Zhong was very courteous. Smiling, he told her that the Grand Empress Dowager would see her tomorrow at the third ke of the si hour (around 10:45 AM): "...I will be waiting for you at the Shenwu Gate at the beginning of the mao hour (around 5 AM)."

Could it be about the imperial betrothal decree?

Fu Tingjun's heart trembled, and her voice was taut as she spoke: "Thank you, Eunuch." Yuwei hurried over and handed a pouch to the young eunuch, and only then did Fu Tingjun add, "I would be grateful for your guidance tomorrow, Eunuch."

Eunuch Zhong was clearly pleased with Fu Tingjun's quick wit. His expression grew even more amiable as he smiled: "The Grand Empress Dowager is a kind-hearted soul—you needn't worry, miss." After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Fu Tingjun personally escorted Eunuch Zhong to the main gate. Only when he had walked far away did she realize her palms were covered in sweat.

Stay calm. Stay calm.

Fu Tingjun kept telling herself, but when she thought that if she could win the Grand Empress Dowager's favor, her marriage to Zhao Ling would be more secure, she couldn't help but turn around and go search for clothes to wear to the palace.

...

When Zhao Ling returned, he saw the house in a mess—Fu Tingjun's trunks and cases lined up from the inner chamber all the way to the hall. Completely bewildered, he asked in confusion: "What's going on here?"

"You say that," Fu Tingjun had been trying on clothes all afternoon and was exhausted, sweating profusely. She panted and said with playful reproach, "Since the Grand Empress Dowager wanted to see me, why didn't you tell me in advance? Tomorrow I'm going to the palace, and I don't know what to wear—it's given me such a hard time searching." She was quite vexed.

Zhao Ling, upon hearing this, was filled with delighted surprise: "Really? The palace sent someone to summon you?" He appeared completely unaware of the matter.

Fu Tingjun was stunned.

Zhao Ling was already rubbing his hands together excitedly. "I invited Teacher Yao to be the chief witness at our wedding, hoping that through him, the Emperor would learn of our marriage. I never expected Teacher Yao to act so quickly..."

Although the Emperor had agreed to bestow the marriage, one couldn't very well rush the Emperor, could one?

It seemed this Teacher Yao was quite a clever fellow as well.

Fu Tingjun's face was flushed red.

Zhao Ling said, "How about we go out onto the streets while the shops are still open?"

Fu Tingjun, however, grew calmer and said, "You serve in the palace—haven't you made inquiries about the Grand Empress Dowager's habits?"

Zhao Ling's eyes lit up, and he murmured thoughtfully, "The Grand Empress Dowager has lived in the nunnery for decades, and because of the late Emperor, she has grown accustomed to being extremely cautious. Although the Emperor holds her in great esteem and goes to pay his respects every day after the morning court, she remains very prudent. On ordinary days, she wears her old clothes, and only when the Emperor comes to pay his respects does she change into the new garments made for her by the Empress..."