Chapter 219

"...It's said she was brought in with a twelve-lift sedan chair last year, and was already with child upon entering the household. Then the Young Madam Yu also announced her pregnancy." Zhao Ling frowned. "And now, isn't the Ghost Festival approaching? Madam Yu and the Young Madam Yu were heading to Tanku Temple to offer incense. As Concubine Wu was seeing them off, she somehow slipped and fell. Two days later, she miscarried." He paused briefly, a hint of melancholy creeping into his tone. "It was a boy, already seven months along... when he came out, he was still alive... it wasn't until two hours later that he passed..."

Once one becomes a parent, one's heart softens at the mention of children—let alone such a bloody, tragic scene.

Even though the child was Yu Jingxiu's, Fu Tingjun couldn't help but feel her eyes sting with tears at the thought of Miss Wu, the mother. "How could this happen?" She was speechless for a long while.

Zhao Ling, sensing the somber mood, said, "If anyone's to blame, it's that the child was born into the wrong family!" Then he tried to comfort her. "Yu Jingxiu committed such heinous acts, and all Grand Secretary Yu did was scold him a couple of times. A family like that—even if nothing happens now, something will happen eventually. That child's fate was sealed; no one else could have changed it."

Fu Tingjun felt he made a good point and nodded. "It's just that the child was truly pitiful!"

Zhao Ling said, "That's why I think Lord Wang did the right thing. Rather than taking concubines for the sake of a son and turning the household into chaos, it's better to raise the daughter properly, bring in a son-in-law, and raise the grandsons to adulthood. It's all the same."

Fu Tingjun teased him, "So you're saying, if I give birth to a daughter, you wouldn't take a concubine either?"

"Of course not." Zhao Ling said with complete confidence. "Whether you have sons or daughters is determined by fate. If you try to force it, you'll inevitably pay a price—either the family falls into chaos, or you lose your fortune, longevity, blessings, or happiness. Better to let things take their natural course."

After all, it was someone else's family matter. The couple chatted idly for a while, their spirits lifted, and they soon put the matter out of their minds.

Fu Tingjun then brought up A Sen's matter. "Madam Wang thinks the twenty-sixth of the seventh month is an auspicious day. She's asking for our opinion."

"Then let's go with the twenty-sixth of the seventh month," Zhao Ling said. "Since we've entrusted Madam Wang with choosing the date, we shouldn't create any unnecessary complications. Let's handle the wedding according to the Wang family's wishes. Surely Madam Wang and Lord Wang wouldn't have any ill intentions toward their own daughter?"

"That's true," Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "I heard the Tartars are entering the capital on the twenty-second. Aren't they worried about delaying your affairs?"

"I'm only in charge of the celebration," Zhao Ling laughed. "By the time the twenty-second arrives, there'll be the emperor, grand secretaries, and ministers—so many of them that I probably won't even have a place to stand... By then, we'll have taken care of A Sen's matter."

Fu Tingjun sent a reply to the Wang family, and the Wang family sent over the uxorilocal marriage contract.

According to custom, the uxorilocal marriage contract had to specify the responsibilities and obligations of both parties—how the elders would be cared for, how funeral rites and ancestral sacrifices would be conducted, how family property would be distributed, and so on.

Perhaps because they were satisfied with A Sen as a son-in-law, or perhaps because they were grateful that Fu Tingjun had prioritized the Wang family's interests throughout this marriage arrangement, the contract the Wang family sent over stipulated not only that A Sen would not change his surname and that if there were three sons, the youngest would take the father's surname, but also added a clause: if there were only two sons, then after three generations, the second branch would revert to the father's lineage.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "Madam Wang's character is truly straightforward!"

Lady Chen Shi also felt a sense of wistfulness. "I may not often serve as a matchmaker, but I frequently serve as the 'all-blessed woman' at weddings. On the wedding day itself, there's no shortage of squabbling. But a couple like you two, who discuss everything with mutual respect—you honor me a foot, I honor you ten feet—that's rare indeed."

"That's why I wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Wang family," Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "I've always deeply respected the character of Lord Wang and his wife."

Lady Chen Shi nodded with a smile, and the two spent the day finalizing the details of the betrothal ceremony.

On the morning of the twenty-sixth, Jin Yuanbao and Yang Yucheng, as A Sen's sworn brothers, went to the Wang residence to present the betrothal gifts.

Mo Yi had also returned to the capital and was chatting with Qin Feiyu and others in the outer courtyard, while Madam Mo and the other ladies were conversing with Fu Tingjun in the inner courtyard.

Madam Wu personally came to offer her congratulations.

Fu Tingjun was wary of her, but received the guest with a smiling face, never giving her the chance to speak with her alone.

Madam Wu left in disappointment.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

But unexpectedly, the very next day, Madam Wu came calling again.

Fu Tingjun had no choice but to steel herself and receive her.

Madam Wu had brought her some fine West Lake Longjing tea.

"Try it—how does it taste?"

Fu Tingjun saw that the gift was neither expensive nor particularly rare, and Madam Wu was looking at her with eager anticipation. Although she sensed something might be amiss, she felt no fear. She smiled and had Yuwei brew a pot of tea.

"Well?" Madam Wu said with a smile once Fu Tingjun had tasted it. "Not bad, is it?"

The tea was clear and bright in color, with a sweet, mellow flavor.

"Not bad at all!" Fu Tingjun said truthfully.

Madam Wu smiled upon hearing this and said, "Actually, this isn't from me. Someone asked me to give it to you."

Here it comes!

Fu Tingjun thought to herself, but remained composed, looking at Madam Wu with a hint of feigned surprise.

Madam Wu shifted closer to Fu Tingjun and said in a low voice, "Mrs. Zhao, has Lord Zhao ever mentioned the Zhao clan of Songjiang to you?"

So she had come to plead on behalf of the Zhao family.

Fu Tingjun could hardly conceal her astonishment this time.

Madam Wu understood at once.

Zhao Ling must have told Madam Fu everything.

She no longer felt any need to be guarded in her speech: "...The former Sixth Great-Uncle Zhao has grown old and senile, and no longer manages affairs. The one in charge of the Zhao family now is the Eighth Master Zhao, nephew of the Sixth Great-Uncle. Eighth Master says that everything back then was stirred up by Sixth Great-Uncle, and it was only after Sixth Great-Uncle stepped down that everyone realized it had all been a misunderstanding. The Zhao family all feel they have wronged Lord Zhao. They did send people to search for him. But so many years had passed—they never imagined Lord Zhao had gone to the northwest. With no word of him for so long, they assumed he had passed away, and so they erected a cenotaph for him beside the graves of Old Master Zhao and Old Madam Zhao."

"If not for the Zhao family needing to move silver through the Datong Number money shop a while back, Eighth Master Zhao would never have learned that Lord Zhao was still alive!"

"They originally wanted to come and acknowledge the kinship, but knowing the fault was theirs to begin with, they could not help feeling guilty. They also feared that Lord Zhao still harbored resentment over what happened back then, and that if words turned harsh with anger pent up, there would be no room left for reconciliation." With that, she picked up her teacup and smiled. "As it happens, our Wu family and their Zhao family are both great households south of the Yangtze, tangled up in connections—turns out we're even related by marriage. The Zhao family thought it over, knew that I live next door to you, and so came begging to me. It was entirely their fault back then. They don't ask Lord Zhao to forgive them—only that Lord Zhao, in his magnanimity, not hold the faults of petty men against them. Let him curse and strike as he pleases; once that anger is vented, well, one stroke of the pen can't write two separate 'Zhao' characters—they hope to resume relations as before. As for the properties Old Master Zhao left behind, some were merged into the Zhao family's communal holdings, and some fell into Sixth Great-Uncle's hands. Regardless, Eighth Master Zhao will take responsibility for returning everything in full." Then she leaned close to Fu Tingjun's ear and said, "Eighth Master Zhao also said that if Lord Zhao is willing to accept this gesture, he will transfer four hundred mu of prime farmland outside Dingjia Bridge in Songjiang, along with three silk shops on Wenli Lane in Hangzhou, into Mrs. Zhao's name, as a little allowance for her personal expenses. And should the young miss or young master need schooling in the future, or become engaged or married, there will be additional funds for books, brushes, and dowry gifts."

In other words, if she could persuade Zhao Ling not to retaliate against the Zhao family, they would give her the so-called four hundred mu of prime farmland outside Dingjia Bridge in Songjiang and the three silk shops on Wenli Lane in Hangzhou as her private money—and they would even cover the children's pocket money from then on.

Fu Tingjun could not help but sneer inwardly.

The Zhao family certainly had some imagination!

Setting aside the fact that she and her husband had always treated each other with complete sincerity—what was his was hers, and what was hers was his, so what need was there for private money? Even if she did want to amass some private funds, she would hardly need to reach out to the Zhao family—the Zhao family currently had not a single member holding official rank, and as the saying goes, a county magistrate can ruin a family, a prefect can wipe out a clan. The Zhao family might look prosperous and flourishing now, but they were like paper pasted over a frame—how could they withstand any trouble? If she accepted gifts from the Zhao family, the moment any wind stirred among them, they would come knocking on her door... She was no fool!

Such were her thoughts, yet she raised an eyebrow slightly and said thoughtfully, "Madam Wu, this is a matter of great importance. Allow me to think it over carefully."

Hearing the hint of possibility in her tone, Madam Wu was delighted and quickly smiled, "Of course, of course." She felt that Fu Tingjun might need time to weigh the matter, so she rose to her feet. "Then I'll be on my way. They're waiting for my reply on the other side!" With that, she lowered her voice again, "You should come to a decision soon as well. Every opportunity is a chance. If Lord Zhao loses his temper and the two families end up at each other's throats, the Zhao family has nothing to lose—if they're determined to make a scene, they'll have no scruples left."

Meaning that the private money would no longer be on the table.

Fu Tingjun smiled without responding and saw Madam Wu to the door.

Yuwei spat in the direction of Madam Wu's retreating figure: "Blind as a bat."

"Those 'bat eyes' of hers are quite skilled at trimming sails to the wind." Thinking of Miss Wu, Fu Tingjun could not resist adding a jab of her own, which left Yuwei momentarily startled.

Fu Tingjun had already gone back inside.

When Zhao Ling returned, she told him about the matter: "...What are your plans?"

Zhao Ling gave a cold laugh and said, "Keep them dangling for now. I have my own ideas."

"Mm!" Fu Tingjun acknowledged, though a trace of worry crept across her brow.

"It's fine." Zhao Ling glanced at her and took her hand. "Qin Feiyu tipped me off that the conferral of honors will come within the next few days. If the Zhao family has good sources of information, they've likely already heard the news, but as long as the imperial edict hasn't been issued, they'll cling to hope. If they haven't heard anything, they'll probably try to pin the blame on Fifth Great-Uncle to appease my anger. Either way, once the honors are officially bestowed, they'll only grow more anxious. We'll play it by ear."

Most people fear the unknown.

By dragging their feet and refusing to give an answer, they were just scaring the Zhao family—consider it collecting a bit of interest in advance.

Fu Tingjun smiled and nodded, planning to drag things out and ignore the matter as planned.

Madam Wu waited for several days, only to receive news that Zhao Ling's father, Zhao Xiang, had been posthumously conferred the title of Grand Master of Imperial Entertainments, third rank, and his mother, née Meng, had been posthumously conferred the title of Lady, third rank.

The Zhao family panicked and sent someone to Madam Wu, saying: "...Our Eighth Madam rushed over from Songjiang the day before yesterday. She said that if it weren't for your kindness, we wouldn't even know which way Lord Zhao's door opens! She last came to the capital ten years ago. She heard that Baoding Silver House has recently commissioned several sets of fashionable hair ornaments from the Su family of Jiangnan. She was wondering if you might have some free time one of these days, and would like to invite you to go take a look together." They added, "As they say, one fears facing the person directly. Our Eighth Madam said you might as well bring her along to meet Madam Zhao. After all, Eighth Madam is Lord Zhao's aunt by marriage. When she kneels before Madam Zhao, Madam Zhao can hardly strike a smiling face, can she?"

The Zhao family had become desperate, even addressing Fu Tingjun as "Madam."