Chapter 145

The two gold hairpins weighed no more than one tael and two mace, and the pair of gold rings didn't exceed four mace either. Though they weren't worth much, they were gold ornaments, prized for their fine craftsmanship and auspicious designs, and being imperial gifts made them all the more special. Zheng Sanniang, Yuwei, and the others gathered around to admire them for quite some time. Yuwei even specially found a small red lacquered box with gold tracery to hold the hairpins and rings: "...We'll keep them for wearing when receiving guests in the future, and they can also be passed down to the young mistresses."

Young mistresses?

Fu Tingjun was momentarily puzzled before realizing who Yuwei meant, and her face flushed crimson. This also reminded her of Yuwei's matter.

Yuwei had been carefully selected by her mother to help her win over her future husband. Not only could she read and write, do needlework and keep accounts, but she had also learned some backgammon and folk songs. Fu Tingjun had also promised that she would bring Yuwei with her when she married, but now...

She thought for a moment, then called out to Yuwei: "Let's go to the warm room to talk."

According to the sumptuary regulations for commoner residences: officials of the first and second rank could have five-bay main halls with nine purlins, three-bay gates with five purlins, painted green with animal-faced tin door knockers; officials of the third to fifth rank could have five-bay main halls with seven purlins, three-bay gates with three purlins, painted black with tin door knockers; officials of the sixth to ninth rank could have three-bay main halls with seven purlins, single-bay gates with three purlins, black doors with iron door knockers. Whether it was because the original owner feared the house would be hard to sell if it exceeded his rank, or because the original owner was only an official below the sixth rank, this residence had a single-bay gate with three purlins, black-painted doors with iron knockers, and only three bays each for the main hall and side chambers. It also exploited a loophole in the regulations: the eastern room of the main building was adjacent to a small ear room, with one room left as a passage leading to the rear building; the western room was adjacent to two ear rooms, connected to the western room, which served as a study, while the two ear rooms were used as storage. The side chambers to the right of the hall each had an additional ear room attached. Zhao Ling rested in the western side chamber, Fu Tingjun stayed in the eastern room of the main building, and the ear room to the east was converted into a warm room.

Yuwei and Fu Tingjun went to the warm room.

Seeing Fu Tingjun's hesitant expression, the clever Yuwei more or less understood what was coming.

Before Fu Tingjun could speak, Yuwei knelt before her: "Miss, in the past few days you've been busy, and I feared troubling you, so there were some things I didn't mention. Now that you're about to marry, I don't know if there are any taboos, but I thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you—ever since I met you, I've taken to a strict vegetarian diet." With that, she kowtowed three times to Fu Tingjun. "I beg you to grant my wish!"

Fu Tingjun was quite surprised.

A strict vegetarian diet was the practice of a lay Buddhist devotee.

Having become a lay devotee meant that matters of romance between men and women were to be cut off and never mentioned again.

Had Yuwei sensed her thoughts and feared she would make excuses to push her away? Or was this truly what she wanted?

Fu Tingjun took Yuwei's hand: "Let's sit down and talk."

Yuwei didn't decline and sat on a small stool nearby.

Fu Tingjun told Yuwei about her agreement with Zhao Ling, and said: "...It's not that I'm narrow-minded and can't tolerate others, but because that person is Ninth Master, even with someone as close to me as you, it's like a grain of sand in my eye. I have no choice but to break my promise to you and try to persuade you instead." She said candidly, "But you needn't go to such lengths—you're so young, why become a lay devotee? I'll naturally keep an eye out for you and find a good family for you to marry into."

"Miss, please don't say that." Yuwei said urgently. "I'm sincere in my vegetarian practice." Her expression gradually darkened. "I am a person burdened with grave sins. If not for me, how could you have suffered such humiliation? If not for me, how could Zheliu and Jiancao have died? If not for me, how could Zuo Junjie have set his sights on Moxiang... It was all because of me..." As she spoke, she knelt before Fu Tingjun once again, tears streaming down her face. "Miss, if I had any shame, I should have ended my life long ago, but I cannot rest in peace without seeing Zuo Junjie! That's why I've shamelessly stayed by your side to serve you, only hoping that one day when you find Zuo Junjie, you'll let me see him once and ask him 'why.' Then when I meet Zheliu and Jiancao in the afterlife and they ask me about it, I'll be able to give them an answer!" With that, she covered her face and sobbed softly.

Fu Tingjun's eyes also reddened.

Yuwei had placed all the blame upon herself.

When the scheming plots against the unsuspecting, even a tiger can be caught napping—let alone when that person was Moxiang, whom she trusted most.

"Don't be like this," Fu Tingjun said, her voice choked with emotion. "I don't blame you, and I'm sure Zheliu and Jiancao wouldn't blame you either..."

Before she could finish, Yuwei shook her head with a mournful expression: "That's because you're kind-hearted, Miss. But I know in my own heart that even if I died a thousand times, ten thousand times, I still couldn't atone for my sins..."

This was a sickness of the heart in Yuwei, and only a remedy for the heart could cure it. No matter how much she said, it would be useless; she could only slowly persuade her over time.

"Alright," Fu Tingjun broke into a smile through her tears and said, "Let's not dwell on these sad matters. Tomorrow morning, remember to bring Zhenzhu and Kou'er to help pack up our things. We'll be moving to Bensi Hutong within the next couple of days."

Yuwei quickly wiped away her tears.

On the eve of her young mistress's happy occasion, how could she go on and on about such messy matters without end!

Though her eyes were still red, a smile had already appeared on her face: "Rest assured, miss, I'll have everything packed by tomorrow."

The two of them no longer spoke of the past, instead discussing which things to bring along and which to leave in the storeroom.

Meanwhile, Boss Lü found a foreman near Xiangguo Temple and told him which areas needed plastering and which needed painting. People from the wedding shop also came to survey the place, planning to set up a festive awning in the courtyard. He was bustling about in every direction.

That evening, when Zhao Ling returned, he personally wrote the wedding invitations in his study.

Teacher Yao arrived unexpectedly.

Zhao Ling quickly set down his brush and welcomed Teacher Yao to the southern hall for tea.

Curious, Fu Tingjun couldn't help but want to sneak a peek at what Teacher Yao looked like.

After all, this Teacher Yao was the emperor's military strategist!

But on second thought, she dismissed the idea.

Since he was a strategist, he must be a man of profound wisdom and deep calculation. If she went to spy on him and he caught even the slightest trace of her, it would be far too embarrassing.

She called Yuwei: "Go serve tea, and while you're at it, listen to what Teacher Yao says."

Yuwei went off happily.

Before long, she returned with a delighted expression: "Teacher Yao asked Ninth Master whether the matchmaker and the all-blessed woman had been arranged. He said that if Ninth Master hadn't settled on anyone yet, he had an old friend serving in the Hanlin Academy, and he could help arrange for the matchmaker and the all-blessed woman through him!"

Fu Tingjun had been worrying about this very matter, and her face lit up with joy upon hearing this. "What did Ninth Master say?"

Yuwei smiled. "Ninth Master naturally agreed, and he even kept Teacher Yao for a little drinking. Teacher Yao didn't stand on ceremony either. Zheng Sanniang is just about to light the fire and prepare a meal!"

Fu Tingjun quickly said, "Take those two jars of fine Jinhua wine from the storeroom to the southern hall."

Yuwei acknowledged and went off.

The drinking didn't end until the second watch of the night.

Seeing that the lamp in Fu Tingjun's room was still lit, Zhao Ling tapped on her window and stood beneath the sill, saying, "Teacher Yao has invited Minister Ji of the Hanlin Academy to be the matchmaker on your side, and the eldest daughter-in-law of Chen Yunsheng, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's front division, to be your all-blessed woman. On my side, the matchmaker is Minister Miao of the Hanlin Academy, and the all-blessed woman is the wife of Li Yunxiang, the assistant commander of the Banner Guard's left division." He added, "I've requested ten days of wedding leave from the commander-in-chief, but I can't ask for more time before that. Tomorrow after I finish my duties at the office, I'll escort you to Bensi Hutong."

Fu Tingjun pushed open the window.

Moonlight fell upon her face, luminous as jade, and Zhao Ling's gaze lingered, almost transfixed.

"What's the matter? Are the wives of Mo Yi and the others not in the capital?" Fu Tingjun asked with a slight furrow of her brow.

The two understood each other's hearts, and Zhao Ling laughed at her words. "The emperor isn't that kind of person. Don't be so suspicious."

Let's hope so.

Fu Tingjun muttered to herself.

The next day, escorted by Zhao Ling, she went to the Sun family residence on Bensi Hutong.

The Sun residence was a one-entry courtyard with three rooms. Old Master Sun was a traveling merchant who was away from home ten months out of the year, leaving Madam Sun to manage the household with two old servants and her daughter. A wall had been built between the eastern and western wing rooms and the southern rooms to serve as a second gate, with a narrow passage of only three feet between the southern rooms and the second gate. The room she rented was the westernmost one in the southern wing.

Fu Tingjun liked this layout—it spared her from having to entertain the Sun mother and daughter.

Yuwei settled everything in place, and the wedding shop delivered the thirty-two-carriage dowry.

Fu Tingjun went to Sixi Hutong.

Fifth Master Fu and Fu Tingzheng were both away from home, but Young Mistress Fu was overjoyed to see her and quickly led her to Madam Fu.

Madam Fu, upon learning that all the wedding preparations were complete and that Fu Tingjun had even had an audience with the Grand Empress Dowager, pressed her palms together and recited "Amitabha." Then she looked at Fu Tingjun, her eyes narrowing into slits: "The old lady always said you were a fortunate one—truly, her words have come to pass."

With the Grand Empress Dowager's blessing of the marriage, even if Zhao Ling's feelings for her daughter ever cooled, he wouldn't dare treat her carelessly.

Fu Tingjun had no idea what her mother was thinking and smiled with pursed lips. "It was Zhao Ling who petitioned the emperor!"

"I know Zhao Ling is good," Madam Fu teased her daughter. "But you don't need to sing his praises to me over and over again!"

"Mother!" Fu Tingjun pouted in feigned displeasure, which made Madam Fu chuckle, her earlier sickly pallor swept away.

Fu Tingjun then asked about her mother's illness. Madam Fu insisted it was nothing serious. The mother and daughter exchanged intimate words for a long while, and when noon approached, Young Mistress Fu came in to ask where the meal should be set. But Madam Fu waved her hand and said, "Quanhui, since you are no longer a member of the Fu family, I see no need for you to stay and eat the Fu family's food."

She appeared determined to sever all ties between her and the Fu family.

Fu Tingjun was momentarily taken aback, but seeing her mother's resolute attitude, and truly unwilling to deal with the book, Fifth Master Fu, and Fu Tingzheng any further, she hesitated briefly before agreeing. As for Young Mistress Fu, she was slow to come to her senses, and when she finally did, she murmured, "I, I had also prepared a few items for my sister-in-law's dowry."

Madam Fu asked, "Did you purchase those with your private savings, or with the household's money?"

Young Mistress Fu quickly replied, "They were purchased with my private savings." Then she added in a low voice, "You know Jiezhi's temper, after all..."

Madam Fu nodded. "Then hand them over to Quanhui!"

Young Mistress Fu acknowledged the instruction and hurriedly fetched a small box, which she handed to Fu Tingjun. "They are merely two silver hairpins and a pair of bracelets, all part of my dowry. I hope my sister-in-law won't think them too humble."

Fu Tingjun expressed her thanks repeatedly, exchanged a few more words with Madam Fu, and then was escorted out by Young Mistress Fu.