Chapter 45

Xi'an Prefecture was the capital of Shaanxi and an ancient metropolis, its towering city walls and grand architecture lending it a majesty unlike any other place.

Fu Tingjun gripped the thick rope tightly, watching the figures of Mo Yi and the others below, who were looking up at her, grow smaller and smaller.

"Miss," said Zheng Sanniang, who had come up earlier, reaching out to pull her, "please be careful."

Fu Tingjun looked up and saw Zhao Ling standing beneath the gate tower on the city wall.

The gentle moonlight fell silently upon him; the tall gate tower cast his upright figure into shadow, his face half hidden in the darkness of the tower, half bathed in moonlight, carrying an inexplicable air of stillness and solitude.

When he saw Fu Tingjun looking at him, he smiled slightly, the smile dispelling the coldness around him and bringing a hint of warmth.

A Sen walked over carrying Linchun: "Miss, are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Fu Tingjun smiled at him, and in the moonlight, she was like a night-blooming cereus in full bloom, possessing a radiant, ethereal beauty.

Zheng Sanniang murmured involuntarily, "Miss, you truly are beautiful."

The guard nearby had grown impatient: "Hurry up, don't dawdle. If the night patrol officers catch us, we'll all lose our heads."

"My apologies, my apologies!" Zheng Sanniang took the child from A Sen's arms and apologized in a flustered voice.

Zhao Ling had decided to leave Linchun Town, and Fu Tingjun wanted to bring Zheng San's family along: "Because they fetched water and washed clothes for us, the refugees in Linchun Town already see them as our people. If we leave, they'll likely have no way to survive. I still have some valuables, enough to cover the bribes for entering the city."

Zheng San was overwhelmed with gratitude, his eyes reddening as he pulled Zheng Sanniang to kowtow to Fu Tingjun.

Fu Tingjun quickly stopped Zheng Sanniang: "If anything, it's I who have dragged you into this."

"Miss, don't say that. If it weren't for you, our whole family wouldn't have survived," said Zheng San. "I have no real skills, just a bit of brute strength," he added with a bitter smile, "and even that strength survived only because you gave us food to eat. Your great kindness is something my wife and I can never repay in this lifetime, and if not us, then our Linchun, and if not Linchun, then Linchun's sons. As long as you say the word, we'd go through fire and water without hesitation."

Zhao Ling, watching from the side, seemed lost in thought. On the road, he said to Zheng San, "If you have nowhere to go, why not follow Miss Fu? Setting aside everything else, as long as she has a bite to eat, you'll have one too."

Zheng San agreed without a second thought and wanted to pledge himself as her servant right then and there.

Wouldn't that be using kindness to demand repayment?

"No need!" Fu Tingjun waved her hands repeatedly.

Zhao Ling paid her no mind and said to Zheng San, "Once we enter Xi'an Prefecture, Steward Mo will bear witness, and you'll write a deed of allegiance!"

He even wanted their indenture papers!

Fu Tingjun was about to object when she saw Zhao Ling's stern gaze, and swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.

Zheng San agreed immediately.

When they entered the city, the guards demanded an exorbitant sum—thirty taels of silver per person, counting even Linchun as one, and requiring payment in cash. Mo Yi was so furious he stamped his feet, but Zhao Ling somehow produced three large gold bars and handed them to the guards. The guards' eyes lit up, and they immediately had the gate guards lower the basket.

Zheng Sanniang's heart raced at the thought of the gold bars given to the guards.

If it were because of her that they failed to enter the city, she would not deserve to live even if she died a hundred or a thousand times.

She dared not say another word, quickly stepping aside to watch the guards pull Mo Yi, Zheng San, Chen Liu, Xiao Wu, and the others up one by one.

"Let's go!" Unlike Zheng San and A Sen's silence, Mo Yi, Chen Liu, and Xiao Wu all seemed relaxed. "Let's find a place to wait for dawn—it's the middle of the night, and with the curfew in the city, if we alert the night patrol, we'll have just as much trouble."

No one spoke, following Mo Yi down from the city wall and heading west. Several times they brushed past night patrol guards, but Mo Yi led them through with clever evasion. Finally, they stopped next to a street filled with music and revelry: "Wait here a moment. Let me see if I can find a place for us to change clothes. The way we look now is fine at night, but in daylight it'll be too conspicuous—anyone can tell we're refugees at a glance. These days, Xi'an Prefecture sends any refugees they see to Jiuligou."

No one said anything, staying where they were while Mo Yi took Chen Liu to the neighboring street.

Fu Tingjun noticed that on the adjacent street, red lanterns lit up half the sky, and the delicate laughter of women rang out continuously, full of bustle and excitement. Curious, she asked, "Is someone hosting a private performance next door? I wonder which household it is, to be so grand."

Zhao Ling stood with his hands behind his back, as if he hadn't heard her. A Sen kept his head down, Xiao Wu looked around, and Zheng San stood far off carrying a huge bundle. No one answered her.

In the silence, the women's affectionate laughter from next door grew clearer, making the empty little street seem all the more desolate and vast.

Zheng Sanniang noticed that everyone was ignoring Fu Tingjun's words and, fearing Fu Tingjun might be displeased, smiled and said, "Xi'an truly lives up to being the capital of Shaanxi. Even a private theatrical performance at a wealthy household brings in this many people. Back in our hometown, even the county magistrate's birthday celebration didn't have such a grand scene."

"Nonsense!" Zheng San's forehead broke out in sweat as he scolded his wife, "When the young lady speaks, what right do you have to interrupt!"

Zheng Sanniang shrank back.

"We're just chatting idly—there's no need for so many rules," Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "Be careful not to wake the child."

Zheng San gave an awkward laugh.

Zhao Ling suddenly spoke up: "Let's move a few steps further in! Standing at the street corner makes it easy for the night patrol guards to spot us."

Xiao Wu quickly responded with assent, and the group retreated more than twenty paces.

Before long, Mo Yi and Chen Liu returned.

"All done!" Mo Yi said, his face beaming with joy. "Follow me." He led them into an alley on the other side of the street and into a remote, cluttered little courtyard.

Inside the courtyard was a small back room.

Fu Tingjun and Zheng Sanniang went in first to change clothes, followed by Zhao Ling and the others.

By the time everyone was ready, a hint of light had appeared on the horizon.

The group left the courtyard.

The neighboring street was eerily quiet, with only the occasional man hurrying past, carrying a rich fragrance with him.

Fu Tingjun found this secretly strange.

Mo Yi led them to a nearby inn called "Gaosheng," claiming to be a traveling merchant who wished to rent a side courtyard.

The innkeeper was a fair-skinned, plump man in his forties, his eyes squeezed into slits: "Sir, I'm terribly sorry, but our inn is fully booked. Perhaps you could try the 'Liansheng' inn next door?"

They went to Liansheng, but only two rooms remained there. Following the innkeeper's recommendation, they went to an inn called "Xilian." This one had a small courtyard, but it cost ten taels of silver a day, payable in cash on the spot.

Mo Yi looked at Zhao Ling.

Zhao Ling looked back at Mo Yi. "I'm completely out of money."

Everyone was stunned.

Fu Tingjun felt even more distressed.

How could he have held nothing back... If Mo Yi hadn't asked him to pay for the inn this time, would he have never let anyone know? She thought of that tub of bathwater at Lijiawa, and the image of Zhao Ling's embarrassed expression because he had no money surfaced in her mind... It was as if she had been stabbed—the pain in her heart was beyond words.

She stepped forward and tugged at the hem of his clothes.

He turned around. "Whatever it is, we'll talk about it later."

With everyone watching, Fu Tingjun couldn't press the matter.

Mo Yi glared at Zhao Ling. "You're broke, yet you handed those three big gold bars to those gatekeepers without a second thought?"

Zhao Ling replied, "I saw you buy so much food in one go and not take a single thing with you when we left, so I assumed Brother Mo had already made arrangements."

Mo Yi paced angrily in front of the inn, fuming, and it was a long while before he stopped and led them to the next inn.

Finding an opportunity, Fu Tingjun whispered to Zhao Ling, "I still have some valuables in my bundle..."

Before she could finish, Zhao Ling said, "I'll handle this matter as I see fit. Don't worry about it."

Fu Tingjun felt reassured.

After all this running around, by midday they finally found suitable lodging at an inn called "Xisheng."

They hadn't eaten breakfast, the sun was blazing, and they'd been walking constantly—everyone was exhausted. After settling into their rooms, they ate a pricey but poorly prepared lunch at the inn, washed up, and all collapsed into sleep, except for Zheng San, who kept a vigilant watch at the courtyard gate.

It wasn't until lamplighting time that everyone gradually woke up.

Zhao Ling summoned Zheng San and his wife, with Mo Yi as witness, and had them press their fingerprints on a written contract. Then he knocked on the door of the eastern chamber where Fu Tingjun was resting, handed her the contract, and said in a low voice, "Where's your bracelet? Put these away safely!"

Being so eager to have Zheng San sign the contract...

Fu Tingjun felt Zhao Ling wasn't being generous enough in this matter.

Zhao Ling whispered, "I've observed carefully—Zheng San is shrewd and capable, and he knows martial arts; Zheng Sanniang is honest, loyal, and hardworking. With these two by your side, you'll have someone to rely on if anything happens... This indenture contract is absolutely necessary."

Rely on?

Why would she need to rely on Zheng San and his wife!

The thought flashed by, and Fu Tingjun suddenly realized—she was now in Xi'an Prefecture.

According to their agreement, once they reached Xi'an, he would find a way to send word to her mother... And then her path forward would be decided by her mother...

Zhao Ling was about to part ways with her!

Fu Tingjun's face suddenly turned deathly pale.

Fear, sorrow, loss... came flooding in one after another.

But what could be done about it?

This was the agreement made from the very beginning.

He had already given so much for her... From Huayin to Weinan, from Weinan to Xi'an Prefecture—she could no longer trouble him.

Even knowing this was so, why was there an indescribable sadness in her heart?

Even knowing he had thought of everything for her, why did she still feel afraid?

Even though she knew she should be thanking him gratefully at this moment, why couldn't the words of gratitude come out?

Fu Tingjun looked at him in a fluster, her eyes inexplicably welling up with tears.

Zhao Ling let out a soft sigh inwardly.

Even the longest journey must come to an end.

This was all he could do for her.

Regardless, she was still a daughter of the Fu family—with elders above and uncles around, it was hardly his place to meddle in such matters.

Besides, he had his own affairs to attend to, and she had her own path to walk. Even if he had the intention, he couldn't be of much help—in fact, he might only make things worse and end up harming her in the process.

Just like this time at Biyun Nunnery... snatching her away like that, who knows what the Fu family must be thinking? Would they hold this against her?

His mind was somewhat unsettled.

He only hoped that after all the hardships she had endured, Heaven would show her some mercy and spare her any more grief.

When he looked up, he saw her glistening eyes.

So clear and pure, without a single flaw.

It was almost unbearable to look at.

"Don't worry—I'll make sure you're safe before I leave."

Another promise, made inadvertently, as if guided by some unseen force.