Chapter 274

Zhao Ling laughed and said, "What do you think I could possibly do? In these peaceful times, under this bright and open sky, I have a family, a wife, and children. Do you still think it's like before, when one person was fed and the whole family was full?" His brow and eyes were open and honest.

"You might fool others, but you can't fool me." Fu Tingjun didn't believe him at all. "If you just wanted to see us, you'd stay cooped up at home without going out. Why would you only stay home for two days, yet go to Zhangjiawan to meet with several pacification commissioners? You're not that kind of person." She also knew that once he set his mind on something, he never turned back, and the more it involved her and the children, the more tightly he concealed it. Her tears fell even harder. "This is what hurts me most. It's as if the children and I are burdens to you. When you're out there alone, I can neither tend to your food and clothing nor look after your daily needs. Every time I think of it, I feel both sad and guilty, and you still only report the good news and hide the bad. If you truly care about me, you should put yourself in my shoes." As she spoke, she fumbled along his back. "Where did this scar come from? You didn't have it when you left Yanjing. You wrote to me every ten days, yet you never mentioned a word of it." Then she used words to corner him. "Do you want me to live in constant anxiety every day?" With that, she hugged his waist and wept softly.

Zhao Ling sighed, wiping her tears while forcing a bitter smile. "Sometimes a woman being too clever really isn't a good thing..." He was indirectly admitting that his early return had another purpose.

Fu Tingjun forgot her tears for a moment, looked up, and sniffled as she asked him, "Then what exactly is your business?"

Her eyes were brimming with tears, her nose red and swollen, like a wronged child.

Fu Tingjun had always been strong in front of him; she had never shown such vulnerability before.

Zhao Ling felt a thousand threads of tenderness in his chest, and even his movements as he wiped her tears became gentler. "I have something to do. I need to make a trip to Xi'an Prefecture..."

Fu Tingjun was stunned.

Zhao Ling said, "You know Feng Laosan—he was my rival back when I smuggled salt. He knows I'm now a second-rank official and on good terms with Wu Xin, and he's afraid I still remember those old stale grudges from the past. He found Third Sister's husband to mediate, wanting to set up a reconciliation banquet. He even personally came to Guizhou to beg for it. Didn't you want me to step out of that circle? I listened to you. Naturally, I won't meddle in that circle's affairs anymore. I figured it would be good to give the Feng family some closure while I'm at it. And since I wanted to come back early anyway, I thought I'd take care of this matter along the way."

"Is it really that simple?" Though his words sounded nice, Fu Tingjun was half-convinced. "If you want to step out of that circle, why bother caring what the Feng family thinks? I don't see you trying to step out—it looks more like you're going to intimidate the Feng family! Could there be something fishy going on?"

Zhao Ling smacked her bottom with a "pop" and laughed. "Why so many whys? Since when did you become so suspicious?" Then he pulled her tightly into his arms, lowered his head, and captured her red lips, nibbling and sucking.

When Fu Tingjun had had enough of his antics, she slumped her head down and sat up to look for her undergarment, saying gloomily, "There's still a while before dawn. You've worked hard traveling—why don't you take this chance to sleep a bit more?" Her expression was deeply dejected.

Zhao Ling was taken aback.

He didn't like seeing Fu Tingjun like this.

He took her hand and said gently, "What's wrong?"

Fu Tingjun's eyes reddened, and she said softly, "I originally thought, since you wouldn't tell me, I'd go ask Jin Yuanbao and Yang Yucheng, and try to bluff them into revealing something—surely I could figure out what you're up to. But then I thought, I've already said everything I could say, and you still won't tell me anything. I felt I had no face left, so I might as well not bother. I'll just be like a decoration in your room—do whatever you want! That way I won't annoy you or make you dislike me." With that, she shook off Zhao Ling's hand and went to put on her undergarment herself.

The atmosphere inside the bed curtains immediately turned cold and distant.

Zhao Ling couldn't help frowning.

Fu Tingjun lay down on her side, but her shoulders kept heaving.

"Hey!" Zhao Ling hurriedly leaned over and reached out to touch Fu Tingjun's face.

His hand came away soaked.

But it was like flames, as if it could sear his heart.

Zhao Ling panicked. "Ajun, don't be like this." He used a little force and turned her over. "Talk to me properly. Don't sulk with me."

"You barely manage to come home, and I only want to make you happy—how could I bear to sulk with you?" Fu Tingjun sobbed. "That's why I didn't want to talk to you. I wanted to be alone and think things through. Once I've sorted it out, I can appear before you with a happy face..."

Wouldn't that just be papering over the cracks?

They were a couple who had weathered hardship together—when had they ever become so estranged at heart?

Zhao Ling broke out in a cold sweat and couldn't help but regret his decision.

If I had known this would happen, I should have endured it and finished the matter before returning. I can only blame my own lack of restraint! Now that Fu Tingjun has caught me red-handed, I'm afraid there's no way past this without telling her everything.

"Alright, alright, stop trying to corner me with your words—I'll tell you everything, won't I?" he said with some resignation. "Feng Laosan is indeed afraid I'll settle accounts with him after the autumn harvest, and he's been wanting to make a clean break with me. Almost everyone on the northwestern road knows about the feud between our family and the Yu family. In recent years, he's grown close to the Marquis of Xiping, and knowing that the Marquis has close dealings with the Yu family, he wanted to use this to curry favor with me. Since we've already burned bridges with the Yu family, I thought—why not see if I can make use of this opportunity? But such matters can only be understood, not spoken aloud. After much deliberation, I decided it was best to make a personal trip to Shaanxi." At this point, a cold, stern look flashed across his face. "He harmed you like this, and not only has he gotten away scot-free, he continues living his leisurely life without a care in the world—how can such a thing be allowed? However he treated you, I will treat him the same. Let him taste what it's like to be wrongfully accused and abandoned by his family!"

"No, no, no." Fu Tingjun quickly grabbed his hand. The Yu family had deep roots and had built their current position through several generations of effort. Though Grand Secretary Yu's influence had waned, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse—they were not something the two of them could easily shake now. What he was proposing was clearly an eye-for-an-eye approach, framing the Yu family with false charges. But such a scheme was no small matter, involving many people. If any link in the chain went wrong, it could come back to haunt them later. It really wasn't a good plan. "I don't want you to go. It's not worth risking yourself for someone like him. I feel neither resentment nor hatred now—only gratitude." Worry creased her brow. "Really, Ninth Master, never again do anything for me that might harm yourself. I'm doing well now. All I want is to have children with you and grow old together... Let's just not bother with him!" With that, she sat up and shook Zhao Ling's hand. "Alright? Ninth Master! Promise me—let's not concern ourselves with him..."

Zhao Ling smiled and stroked her cheek. "I know what I'm doing." Then he laughed heartily. "Haven't I told you? I'm a man with children and a family now. I wouldn't do anything that harms others to benefit myself, let alone something that harms others without benefiting me at all."

"Then you..." Fu Tingjun looked at him with suspicion.

Zhao Ling raised an eyebrow at her. "Now that you know, remember to help cover for me—don't let anyone find out I've returned to the capital." He added, "When I go to Shaanxi, I'll act according to circumstances. We still have a long life ahead of us. If I miss this opportunity, there may be another one later. I won't force things. If I end up getting myself trapped in the end, then even if future opportunities arise, I won't be able to shake the Yu family. I know how to calculate this."

Fu Tingjun knew Zhao Ling was a very clever man, and hearing this, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Still, she worried he might take reckless risks, so she nestled against his chest and said, "In my heart, even a single strand of your hair is more precious than Yu Jingxiu..."

"I know." Hearing this, Zhao Ling's heart filled with tenderness. He gently stroked her hair and said in a low voice, "We still have plenty of good days ahead. I won't do anything for his sake that would make you sad."

Fu Tingjun nodded.

"But dawn will be breaking soon," Zhao Ling said. "I'm afraid we'll barely get to sleep before we have to get up again. How about we do something else?"

"Do something else?" Fu Tingjun looked at him in confusion.

Zhao Ling smiled without speaking, took her hand, and guided it down below his waist... That thing had somehow grown hard again without her noticing.

Fu Tingjun was both startled and embarrassed, her face flushing crimson. She spat a "pah" at him, but didn't struggle. Instead, she turned her face away and, following his lead, gently massaged the thing.

Zhao Ling chuckled, lifted her up to sit in his lap, and nibbled at her ear, urging her: "Sit on top..."

Fu Tingjun's face was so red it seemed ready to drip blood. Like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Then... then blow out the lamp."

Zhao Ling was overjoyed and dared not say another word. He quickly blew out the lamp.

Fu Tingjun braced herself on his shoulders and slowly lowered herself down.

Zhao Ling drew in a sharp breath and gripped her waist, ready to move.

But Fu Tingjun frowned slightly and whispered, "Give me... give me a moment to catch my breath..."

Zhao Ling pulled her into his embrace and kissed her gently.

Suddenly, from outside the door came a patter of rapid, light footsteps—a child's hurried little feet.

"Father, Father!" The inner door was slapped with a series of bangs. "It's me, Youyou! Mother Tong said you came back in the middle of the night. Why didn't Father come to see us?" Her voice carried the joy of one about to see her father.

Fu Tingjun inwardly cursed. Her body, which had just begun to relax, immediately went stiff.

"Get up quickly!" she whispered frantically, about to stand, but then remembering her clothes were half-open, she hurriedly lowered her head to adjust them. "The children are coming over." Yet she remained seated on Zhao Ling, her movements as she adjusted her attire causing her waist to twist, sending waves of pleasure through Zhao Ling that made him groan involuntarily, gripping her waist as he thrust a few times.

Fu Tingjun, startled, quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, thinking that with him at full readiness, asking him to stop immediately was indeed too much to ask. She had no choice but to coax him with sweet words: "Let go of me quickly... Tonight, I'll do whatever you want, alright?"

Zhao Ling was merely feeling a bit frustrated; how could he bear to disappoint the children?

Seeing Fu Tingjun bring it up voluntarily, he was overjoyed and naturally seized the opportunity to press his advantage, immediately whispering, "No, during the afternoon nap..." As he spoke, he deliberately thrust his hips.

Fu Tingjun, only wanting him to let go, nodded hastily.

Zhao Ling quickly released her, whispering, "You go down first. I'm in this state... I'll come down in a bit."

Fu Tingjun, thinking of his awkward predicament, couldn't help but chuckle softly.

From outside the door came Mother Tong's admonishing voice: "Young Miss, it's still early. The Master and Mistress haven't gotten up yet! Why don't we come back later?"

"But I'm already up," Youyou said, puzzled. "Mother is usually up at this time too..."