Chapter 282

Fu Tingjun stepped forward to offer a formal salute.

Yang Tong turned his face away to return the greeting, but Daoist An narrowed his eyes and looked Fu Tingjun up and down with a smile, then let his gaze fall on the children behind her.

Fu Tingjun hurriedly instructed the children to step forward and pay their respects to Daoist An and Yang Tong.

Daoist An smiled without speaking, while Yang Tong brought out gold ingots that had clearly been prepared in advance to reward the children. Finally, he took Xu Ge'er from the wet nurse's arms and said to Zhao Ling with a laugh, "So this is your second son! He's a fine-looking boy indeed."

Xu Ge'er, however, fixed his big, dark, glistening eyes on Daoist An.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but wonder inwardly.

This Daoist An looked to be in his sixties—how had Yang Tong managed to coax him all the way to the capital with just a few words? A teacher leads by example and preaches through deeds—was this Daoist An really up to the task?

When Daoist An saw Xu Ge'er staring straight at him, he smiled and said to the boy, "What are you looking at?" As he spoke, he walked up to stand before Xu Ge'er.

Xu Ge'er reached out and grabbed for Daoist An's beard.

Fu Tingjun was deeply embarrassed. She moved quickly to stop Xu Ge'er while murmuring sternly, "You must not be rude to your elder!" But Xu Ge'er's hands had always been quicker than hers—by the time she moved to intercept him, his hand was already right in front of Daoist An's face.

Daoist An was clearly taken aback, but he tilted his head slightly, and Xu Ge'er's hand grasped at nothing.

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

Setting aside propriety, she quickly took Xu Ge'er from Yang Tong's arms and apologized profusely to Daoist An: "The child doesn't know any better. Please don't take it to heart."

Daoist An's eyes curved even more deeply with his smile.

He gently patted Xu Ge'er's head, then pointed at Xige'er and asked, "Is that your eldest son, Xige'er?"

"Yes," Fu Tingjun said with a smile. Knowing that they had all come for Xu Ge'er, she nevertheless didn't want them to think lightly of Xige'er. "Xu Ge'er is restless and active, while Xige'er is calm and quiet—he's very gentle and modest in everything he does."

Daoist An smiled at this and asked, "Has he begun his studies yet?"

Fu Tingjun was taken aback.

Xige'er was only five this year—most children wouldn't begin formal education this early.

"No," she said, shaking her head with a smile. "He's still young. He just learns a couple of characters with me in his spare time."

Hearing her words, Daoist An looked somewhat surprised.

Zhao Ling, who had been standing by without saying a word, quickly interjected, "Not yet!" Then he explained gently to Fu Tingjun, "The Daoist is asking whether Xige'er has begun martial arts training with anyone."

Only then did Fu Tingjun understand.

"Bang, bang, bang"—the sound of fireworks bursting came from outside the window.

The brilliant, colorful fireworks brightened the night sky by several degrees.

Daoist An smiled, then said, "Zhao Ling, I accept. I'll be the martial arts instructor for your two sons." Without waiting for Zhao Ling's reply, he turned and walked out, calling to Yang Tong as he went, "Didn't you say there's a Hui-run lamb spine hotpot shop in the alley off Chang'an Avenue? Let's go have some lamb spine hotpot."

Yang Tong quickly acknowledged, casting Zhao Ling a glance that couldn't hide his envy before hurrying after Daoist An out of the private room.

Seeing the guests leave, Youyou and Xige'er scrambled to climb onto the official's hat chairs, while Xu Ge'er, held in Fu Tingjun's arms, twisted his little body toward his sister and brother, calling out, "See fire, see fire."

Fu Tingjun handed Xu Ge'er to Mother Tong and asked Zhao Ling in a low voice, "What's all this about?"

Zhao Ling laughed. "Daoist An has paid no attention to worldly affairs for many years. The best way to get him to accept Xu Ge'er as a disciple would have been to bring Xu Ge'er to Mount Jiugong to show him. But for one thing, I didn't have the time, and for another, Xu Ge'er is still too young—I was worried about the hardships of the journey. So I asked Brother Yang for help, and he persuaded the old master to come to the capital for a visit, giving us the chance to have him meet Xu Ge'er..." He broke into a broad smile. "Just last night I was racking my brains over how to get Daoist An to teach Xige'er a few moves as well, and it turns out Daoist An not only took a liking to Xu Ge'er, but to Xige'er as well." He looked very pleased.

Fu Tingjun, however, felt somewhat uneasy. "I noticed that Daoist An seemed to know from the very beginning what you were planning..."

"Of course," Zhao Ling said with a laugh. "Daoist An has crossed more bridges than we've walked roads. How could our little schemes ever escape his notice? The reason Brother Yang was able to persuade Daoist An to come is simply that the old master is advanced in years but has yet to find a worthy successor to carry on his legacy. When he heard Brother Yang praise Xu Ge'er, he would have come no matter what. As for agreeing to be Xige'er and Xu Ge'er's martial arts instructor," he mused, "formally entering Daoist An's tutelage isn't such an easy matter. The old master wants to first see whether Xige'er and Xu Ge'er can meet his standards, which is why he only said he'd be their martial arts instructor, without mentioning taking them as disciples."

Seeing how methodically Daoist An was handling things, Fu Tingjun felt reassured. She thought for a moment, then said, "Why don't you go keep Daoist An company? I'll watch the fireworks here with the children, and you can come pick us up later."

Zhao Ling considered this and said, "Then I'll go settle the bill at the hotpot restaurant and come right back."

Fu Tingjun smiled and nodded, straightening his collar for him. She said softly, "Go early and return early. We'll be waiting for you here."

Zhao Ling smiled and gave a slight nod, gently squeezing Fu Tingjun's hand before hurrying off after Daoist An and the others.

Fu Tingjun watched the fireworks with the children, but her mind was occupied with where Daoist An should stay when he came to their home. In at most two months, the tutor she had engaged for Youyou would also arrive. If the tutor were to hold classes in the small study beside the southern hall, then it would be best to arrange for Daoist An to stay in the rear wing rooms. In front of the rear wing rooms was the back courtyard, which had an open space. That being the case, they would need to open a back door in the rear wing rooms.

There was no time to lose—when they got home, she would have Zheng San find a mason to come take a look!

Having made up her mind, she began to enjoy the fireworks blooming and fading in the night sky along with the children.

Before long, Zhao Ling returned.

"I drank a few cups with him, and Daoist An shooed me back," he said with a laugh. "He probably figured it wasn't easy for me to get back home!"

Fu Tingjun was naturally delighted that he had returned so quickly. She asked about Guizhou: "How is the Miao unrest there? Will you be stationed in Guizhou for a long time?"

"The main problem is that the county offices have been far too negligent toward the Miao people." His expression turned serious as he spoke of this. "Although I've petitioned the Emperor for policies to pacify the Miao, putting those policies into real effect will take time and effort." He paused slightly in his speech. "You haven't seen it—those Miao people live such bitter lives... Some have never even known what salt tastes like in their entire lives. Girls of fifteen or sixteen don't have a proper set of clothes to wear. And there was a child, about the same age as our Youyou, who accidentally bumped into a birdcage while at the market and was nearly beaten to death for being mistaken as a thief..."

Fu Tingjun gradually began to understand what he was getting at.

She couldn't help but step forward and wrap her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest. "Then, I'll give you ten years. Is that enough?"

Zhao Ling was taken aback.

Fu Tingjun looked up at him, gazing into his eyes that seemed deeper and darker than usual from his suppressed anger, and said softly, "You want to use your reputation as the Emperor's favored minister to put those policies into real effect, don't you? I'll give you ten years. You do your work well in Guizhou, and I'll raise our children well at home. But after ten years, you must come back to my side, to be with me and the children, and not go anywhere else... alright?" Her eyes grew moist as she spoke.

Those long, lonely nights—just thinking about them was enough to send a chill down her spine.

But she couldn't keep him by her side by force.

A wild goose leaves its call behind; a person leaves their name.

No matter who it is, in their youth, everyone has a bit of obsession and aspiration.

Since she loved this man, she wanted him to be happy, to remain forever spirited and full of vigor, with no regrets in his life.

"Ah, Jun!" Zhao Ling's eyes reddened as well.

He held Fu Tingjun tightly.

"Five years—give me five years," he said with some agitation. "No matter what happens by then, I will return to your side and the children's side, and we will never be apart again."

"Mm!" Fu Tingjun nodded, tears brimming in her eyes.

Outside the window, the fireworks were at their most brilliant.

...

Zhao Ling had already been away for over half a year, so he could not linger in the capital any longer.

After settling Daoist An into the household and selecting a juren surnamed Yan from the several tutors recommended by Third Sister's husband to teach at the residence, he took Anxin and returned to Guizhou.

Juren Yan was over fifty, a native of Haining, Zhejiang. Since passing the provincial examination at twenty-one, he had failed the metropolitan examination time and again, selling off all his family property until his son died of illness for lack of money to treat it. Only then did he give up on the examinations and devote himself wholly to seeking teaching positions to support his family. At first, he was somewhat reluctant to hear that he would be teaching a seven-year-old girl, but when he learned that the household also had two young masters—one five and one three—and that the remuneration was more generous than what other families offered, and that if he taught well, he might continue on to teach the two young masters as well, which would mean at least ten years without needing to move, he accepted the position. When he arrived at the Zhao residence and saw that the young miss was brilliantly intelligent, cheerful, and lively—learning everything at first instruction and understanding at first explanation—he was extremely pleased. The servants, from top to bottom, also treated him with great respect, which made him even more satisfied. He threw himself into teaching the young miss with renewed vigor, hoping only to secure a long-term position at this household.

Fu Tingjun was equally satisfied.

Scholar Yan was highly learned and a man of good sense. Daoist An resided in the rear courtyard, where Xige'er and Xu Ge'er practiced martial arts under his tutelage. Though their legs trembled from holding horse stances and their hands shook so badly they could barely grip their chopsticks, the fact that the children could persevere through such hardship was, to her, more precious than anything else. Each evening, she would help the children apply hot towels to their arms and legs while offering words of encouragement to keep their spirits up.

After several days passed, the Empress's birthday—the Qianqiu Festival—arrived. She entered the palace together with Madam Wu and Madam Ji to pay their respects to the Empress.

Compared to the grand celebration of the Grand Empress Dowager's birthday, the Empress's Qianqiu Festival was quite simple.

Inner noblewomen were served a bowl of longevity noodles in the Kunning Palace, while outer noblewomen performed their courtesies, each receiving a few birthday peaches before being dismissed.

By the time the Emperor's birthday—the Wansheng Festival—came on the twentieth day of the third month, it was even less a concern for outer noblewomen. Fu Tingjun was glad for the leisure, and thinking that summer was approaching again, she set about making belly bands for the children.

...

As Yu Jingxiu hurried out, he saw from a distance Lady Fei approaching with a small bamboo basket in hand.

His steps faltered slightly.

He had not seen Lady Fei since that day.

He wondered how she was faring.

Just as he was deliberating whether to greet her, Lady Fei had already drawn near.

She seemed not to have expected to run into Yu Jingxiu, and her expression showed a hint of surprise. But she quickly regained her composure and, with a smile, bent her knees in a salute to Yu Jingxiu.

Yu Jingxiu noticed the basket was full of daphne flowers. He wanted to ask what she intended to do with so many of them, but felt such a question would be meaningless. The words rose to his lips, then he swallowed them back down.