Chapter 218

After seeing off Madam Wu, Lady Chen Shi and Fu Tingjun walked toward the main hall, speaking in low voices. "I recall that Lord Wu is also in his mid-forties now, already a grandfather. How is it that he's dabbling in romance at his age, and there's even a pregnant concubine in his household?" She pursed her lips slightly, a hint of disdain creasing her brow. "Look at those civil officials—at the slightest disagreement they're impeaching this one and that one. Honestly, our military households are far more peaceful than those civil ones. If it weren't for the fact that garrisoning the borders keeps couples apart for years without heirs, there really wouldn't be many who, at such an age with children already, still take concubines!" She added, "And look at Madam Wu—when that nurse rushed in disregarding propriety upon hearing the concubine had miscarried, Madam Wu's face changed dramatically and she stood to leave immediately... Who knows what's really going on in all this?"

Fu Tingjun smiled and said, "It shouldn't be Lord Wu's concubine, should it? Otherwise, why would she be called 'Concubine Wu'? Even if Lord Wu were utterly dissolute, he couldn't possibly take a woman of the same surname as a concubine, could he? Lord Wu isn't that muddle-headed. Perhaps it's..." She trailed off, suddenly recalling the Miss Wu she had encountered at Tanzhe Temple. "Could it be..." she murmured to herself, "that she's become someone's concubine?" No sooner had the words left her mouth than she shook her head. "Impossible! The Wu family is, after all, a scholarly official household that has passed down learning through generations. If she had become someone's concubine, given Madam Wu's temperament, how could she possibly accompany Miss Wu to Tanzhe Temple to burn incense? Or perhaps the family Miss Wu has entered is so prominent that they could help Lord Wu in his official career?" She thought about it and found it unlikely as well. After all, a concubine is still a concubine—not a proper relative. Even if they could help, it would be limited... However, if Miss Wu were serving someone like Grand Secretary Shen and had gained his favor, then perhaps... And thinking of how Miss Wu had actually become pregnant... She felt she might very well have guessed correctly.

Beside her, Lady Chen Shi heard her muttering indistinctly and quickly said, "What? You know what's going on? Tell me quickly!" Her face was full of urgency.

This was, after all, someone else's family matter. Fu Tingjun hadn't wanted to speak of it in the first place, and then recalling Miss Wu's shy, bashful expression that day, she felt a pang of regret and was even less inclined to discuss it. She smiled and said, "How would I know anything? I just find it strange, that's all."

Lady Chen Shi, however, didn't believe her. "But aren't you next-door neighbors?"

"So what if we're next-door neighbors?" Fu Tingjun laughed. "These days, everyone minds their own business. Besides, my family and the Wu family are on different paths—one military, one civil. And Madam Wu is so socially adept that she can strike up a conversation with anyone and gain entry anywhere. My husband is stationed at the border, and I must be cautious. I'd avoid her if I could—how would I dare initiate conversation with her?" With that, she changed the subject. "Actually, I think you're right that Madam Wu seemed to have something she wanted from me..." She trailed off thoughtfully. "I wonder what it could be?"

"Who cares what it is!" Lady Chen Shi laughed. "That woman loves playing matchmaker and helping others—it makes her look capable. It might not even be her own matter. Since she didn't succeed this time, she'll find another opportunity to bring it up with you." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I've heard people say that when Madam Wu helps others with their affairs, she always collects silver for it..."

Fu Tingjun was taken aback.

She had heard such things from her elders before.

This was what was called "ladies' diplomacy."

When certain matters were too sensitive, the wives would act as intermediaries to pass along messages, and the compensation would also be handled by the wives. If anything came to light, it could simply be dismissed as lax household management, and they could wash their hands of it completely.

"If that's the case, then I absolutely cannot get mixed up with her." Fu Tingjun said gravely. "Helping relatives and friends is one thing—that's a matter of obligation. But for silver, sticking my neck out for people I don't even know... She's the one earning the money while I run around for her in a daze—wouldn't that make me a fool? Besides, the matters that require greasing palms with silver—how many of those can be clearly explained in broad daylight? What if I get dragged down by one of them!"

"Exactly right." Lady Chen Shi nodded repeatedly.

The two sat down, drank a cup of tea, ate a few pieces of pastry, and played with Youyou and Xige'er for a while. Then Yanqing came in to report: "Madam, Ninth Master says you should decide everything as you see fit." She added, "Ninth Master also said he'll be going with Lord He to Lord Qin's place, and he'll be back for the evening meal!"

Fu Tingjun nodded and said to Lady Chen Shi with a smile, "There, you can rest easy now! I'll have the kitchen prepare some fine dishes, and you can stay for the evening meal. We'll have a good chat."

Lady Chen Shi smiled. "I'm at ease now, but Madam Wang is the one whose heart is in her throat! I need to go back and give her my answer, and then I'll still need to come discuss the date for the betrothal ceremony with you. Surely we'll have plenty of time to talk!" She politely declined the invitation to stay.

Fu Tingjun thought this made sense and escorted Lady Chen Shi to the front gate, where she saw Madam Wu leading several maids and married servants hurrying onto the carriage waiting at the door, driving off without so much as a backward glance down Shi Family Lane.

"Where is Madam Wu off to in such a hurry?" Lady Chen Shi muttered to herself as she boarded her own carriage.

Fu Tingjun, however, was lost in thought.

Could it be that Miss Wu had become the concubine of one of the Grand Secretaries?

She felt a pang of regret for Miss Wu.

She couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

Yuwei, standing nearby, laughed at this and said, "Are you reluctant to part with Second Master?" She teased further, "It's not too late to change your mind, you know?"

"I might want to change my mind," Fu Tingjun laughed, "but I'm afraid if I did, someone would fly into a rage!"

The two of them chatted and laughed as they went inside.

That evening, when Zhao Ling returned, Fu Tingjun asked him about his meeting with Qin Feiyu.

Zhao Ling laughed and said, "These days, plenty of people are trying to curry favor with Qin Feiyu, but he doesn't bother with ordinary folk. He Xiulin, relying on nothing more than my name card, managed to gain Qin Feiyu's assistance, and so he concluded that Qin Feiyu holds me in high regard. He thought of bringing me along to meet Qin Feiyu, hoping that when Qin Feiyu saw me personally escorting him, he would treat him with special consideration."

Fu Tingjun smiled and asked, "So did Qin Feiyu immediately warm up to him, then?"

Zhao Ling laughed. "Whether he truly warmed up to him or not, I couldn't say. But he did obtain a name card from Qin Feiyu, so that whenever he has business, he can present the card and request an audience with Qin Feiyu directly."

Fu Tingjun thought of that hearty, straightforward man in the dilapidated Temple of the City God in Linchun and clicked her tongue in amazement. "I never imagined Qin Feiyu would put on such airs now!"

"There's no helping it," Zhao Ling said with understanding. "If he didn't put up some barrier, he'd probably spend all his days entangled with those people." Then he asked about A Sen. "So what was the final word?"

"I've asked Madam Wang to set a date," Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "Madam Wang is older and has more experience with these matters than we do."

Zhao Ling nodded. Seeing that he had drunk quite a bit, Fu Tingjun attended to him as he washed up.

"Let Zhenzhu and the others handle it!" Zhao Ling said softly, gently stroking her lower belly. "Are you feeling all right?"

"Couldn't be better," Fu Tingjun said, somewhat disgruntled. "I just have to wait until after three months for a proper confirmation."

Other women either vomited until they were dizzy or felt too lethargic to move when pregnant, but she had to wait until her pulse was unmistakable before she could be certain.

"You see, this child of ours is both sensible and considerate," Zhao Ling said, stroking her belly again. "Knowing that Father isn't home to take care of Mother, it behaves itself and doesn't fuss or make a scene."

"We don't know that yet!" Fu Tingjun was happy about the pregnancy, but she was even more afraid of raising Zhao Ling's hopes only to have them dashed.

"It's certain," Zhao Ling said with complete confidence. "I'll accompany you to Tanzhe Temple tomorrow to pay respects to the Bodhisattva! That way, we can ask the Bodhisattva to bless you with a safe and smooth journey."

"Do you have time tomorrow?" Fu Tingjun asked in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be helping the Ministry of Rites handle the Tartars' surrender?"

"Most of the preparations are done. There are just a few trivial matters left that I can leave to the clerks at the Ministry of Rites," Zhao Ling said. "After tomorrow, I'll be busy again."

"Oh!" Fu Tingjun acknowledged, then suddenly remembered that Lord Wu held a post in the Ministry of Rites, and brought up Madam Wu. "...Do you think I'm being too sensitive? Or could there really be something she needs from you?"

"There shouldn't be anything she needs from me, I don't think," Zhao Ling mused. "Lord Wu is the Right Vice Minister of Rites, but the one working with me this time is Left Vice Minister Bai..." Seeing how worried Fu Tingjun looked, he smiled and comforted her, "Don't worry. If anything comes up, just refer it to me." Then he carried her to the bed. "Get some rest early. I'll join you after I wash up."

Fu Tingjun absentmindedly murmured in acknowledgment, thinking about the day's events. She felt something was odd, but no matter how she turned it over in her mind, she couldn't figure out what it was.

When Zhao Ling came out after washing up and saw her still staring blankly into space, he sat down on the edge of the bed, took her hand, and said gently, "What are you overthinking now?"

Fu Tingjun thought for a moment, then told Zhao Ling about Miss Wu. "...Lord Wu is at least a third-rank official. To have come this far, he must have some skill and cunning. If he thinks that's all it takes to win a Grand Secretary's support and enter the Grand Secretariat, isn't he being a bit too naive?"

Seeing that she couldn't stop dwelling on these matters, Zhao Ling smiled and fanned her with a fan. "Go to sleep now! I'll make some inquiries for you tomorrow."

Fu Tingjun beamed with joy at this.

Not because Zhao Ling was willing to make inquiries for her, but because he took such an interest in everything concerning her, which made her feel deeply cherished.

Zhao Ling couldn't help but chuckle. "Go to sleep now! Look at you, like a child—happy as can be the moment someone humors you."

Fu Tingjun then spoke sweetly to him: "That's only because it's you who's humoring me. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't care at all!"

Hearing this, Zhao Ling's eyes and brows were full of smiles, though his mouth refused to let it go. "Oh, I never would have guessed—so there are others besides me who humor you, are there?"

"You rascal!" Fu Tingjun pretended to be annoyed and gently pinched his arm. "Keep talking nonsense, and I won't pay you any mind!"

"Even if you don't pay me any mind," Zhao Ling said nonchalantly, "I'll still pay you mind, and that's all that matters!"

The couple bantered playfully, laughing as they settled down for the night.

The next day, the carriages for Tanzhe Temple were all prepared, and Youyou and Xige'er were dressed and ready, but Zhao Ling was suddenly summoned to the Ministry of Rites.

"Ah, Jun," he said, half frustrated, half irritated, "I'm truly sorry..."

"Don't say that," Fu Tingjun said, though somewhat disappointed, she tried her best to appear cheerful and bright. "Official matters come first. Besides, I'm not even three months along yet, and Tanzhe Temple is over twenty li away..." Then she teased, "Weren't you going to pay respects to the Bodhisattva and ask for her blessings on my safety and smooth delivery? Maybe this is the Bodhisattva's way of showing her will!"

Zhao Ling grew even more uneasy.

Fu Tingjun had already let the two children bid him farewell: "...Father is going to the government office, and we're going to Uncle Jin's house for a visit!"

The children's spirits were quickly soothed.

Youyou cheered happily, and Xige'er echoed with a giggle: "Going to Uncle Jin's house!"

With a hint of guilt etched on his brow, Zhao Ling headed to the Ministry of Rites. On the way, he instructed Anxin to make inquiries about Miss Wu.

By the afternoon, word came back from Anxin: "...She is a distant relative of Lord Wu, and in December of last year, she became Yu Jingxiu's concubine."

Zhao Ling was momentarily stunned.