Chapter 65

Fu Tingjun quietly left the study's courtyard.

The main hall was filled with laughter and cheerful voices.

Everyone was gathered around A Sen, listening with rapt attention as he animatedly recounted what he had seen on the street: "...When the shopkeeper saw Miss Fu's gaze fall on a bolt of shimmering satin, he immediately scurried over and said, 'This is brocade from Hangzhou—the very same kind the Jiangnan Imperial Textile Works uses for tribute.' Miss Fu gave a slight nod," he said, imitating Fu Tingjun's manner—back straight as a rod, chin lifted just slightly, giving a barely perceptible nod—"then stared at the satin for a moment and said slowly, 'Is that so? It's not bad, but unfortunately it's from two seasons ago.'" He couldn't help but laugh. "The shopkeeper was speechless for a long while. Then Miss Fu touched a piece of napped fabric beside it, had someone unroll it for a look, then had it put back. The shopkeeper couldn't help saying, 'This is Jiading twill.' Miss Fu said, 'I want to make a fur-lined jacket—Zhangzhou velvet would be better.' The shopkeeper's face turned red with suppressed frustration. When Miss Fu said she wanted to make a few cotton undergarments, he immediately brought out a bolt of white cloth as fine as silk and said, 'This is Songjiang three-shuttle cloth—the best for undergarments.'" He blinked. "Guess what Miss Fu said?" Before anyone could answer, he continued, "Miss Fu said, 'Songjiang three-shuttle cloth is fine, but the price is too high. Better to use Wuqing's large-ring cotton. Though its reputation isn't as grand as three-shuttle cloth, once worn it's not necessarily any worse.'" He burst into laughter. "You weren't there—you didn't see it. The shopkeeper was dumbfounded. When Miss Fu asked him, 'How many wen per bolt for this three-shuttle cloth?' he foolishly answered, 'Two thousand one hundred wen.' Miss Fu bought me a pair of Songjiang three-shuttle cloth socks at the shop next door for five hundred eighty wen... And then Miss Fu bought twelve undergarments for Ninth Master on the spot—the shopkeeper's face turned green!"

Everyone roared with laughter.

Madam Lyu, sharp-eyed, spotted Fu Tingjun and hurried over to greet her. "Miss Fu, where is Ninth Master?" She looked behind her, and seeing no one, a hint of disappointment flickered across her face.

Lanterns had already been lit under the eaves and in the hall. It was well past the evening meal time, and besides, they had been out traveling all day—stomachs were growling with hunger.

"They're still talking," Fu Tingjun said with an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid we'll have to wait a bit longer."

"Don't say that, miss," Madam Lyu said quickly with a smile. "Of course we'll wait for Ninth Master to come out for the evening meal together. We also want to know where Master Yang and Master Jin have been settled!"

Talking as they went, they entered the main hall.

Sanfu and Shizhu stepped forward to greet Fu Tingjun, offering their thanks somewhat clumsily. "...They fit perfectly, as if measured for us. The colors are lovely, and the fabric is fine too. We've never worn anything this nice before!"

"I didn't know your preferences, so I just picked out two sets each." Fu Tingjun smiled with reserved composure, though inwardly she felt rather pleased.

Of course they fit!

When she had studied needlework back then, being able to cut garments to fit a person by sight alone was the mark of having completed her training. For that reason, the maids and serving women around her had never lacked new clothes.

At that thought, a faint bitterness rose in her heart.

If not for the strict instruction she had received at home, she wouldn't have earned such admiring glances today!

No matter what, that place was still her home!

Light footsteps sounded from the corridor.

Fu Tingjun turned around. Zhao Ling, Yang Yucheng, and Jin Yuanbao approached one after another.

"Ninth Master!" A Sen called out loudly, running over to bow to Zhao Ling. "Come quick—Miss Fu bought you so many things! Besides clothes, there's pitch-pot, cuju, backgammon, dominoes..."

"Oh, she bought those things too." Zhao Ling responded to A Sen, but his eyes were fixed on Fu Tingjun. His expression was calm, yet there was a profound depth to it—inscrutable and unfathomable.

For some reason, Fu Tingjun's heart began to pound uncontrollably.

"Yes," she said, trying her best to appear composed and at ease. "Sometimes when accompanying superiors or playing backgammon or dominoes with colleagues, it helps you get acquainted quickly."

Jin Yuanbao's eyes flickered slightly at her words.

Master Lyu, who had followed behind A Sen, let out two hearty chuckles and said, "I didn't expect Miss Fu to know about such things."

Whether it was praise or gentle reproach was hard to tell.

Fu Tingjun didn't want Zhao Ling to misunderstand, however, so she smiled and said, "I noticed that whenever our household stewardesses took charge of matters, they would invite the servants under them to drink, play drinking games, and play backgammon. I imagine it's the same outside."

Everyone laughed.

Madam Lyu sought Zhao Ling's opinion: "...Shall we serve the evening meal now, or wait a while longer?"

"Serve it now," Zhao Ling said, and Madam Lyu and the others went off to make preparations.

This was a men's gathering, so Fu Tingjun naturally excused herself.

Zhao Ling, however, instructed Zheng San, "One table inside, one table outside!" Then, as if explaining something, he laughed and said, "Today is a good day, let's all be merry together." He then announced in a loud voice, "I went to the Military Affairs Office today—we've all been assigned to Zhuanglang Guard."

Sanfu and the others cheered.

"Really? Really?" A Sen was even more elated, hopping about. "We can really all go to Zhuanglang Guard together?"

Zhao Ling chuckled and replied with an "Mm," adding, "It's a bit far, but we're all on the military register now. Compared to Suzhou Guard or Ganzhou Guard, it's not that far at all."

Shizhu grinned widely. "As long as I can get on the military register, I'd go to Suzhou Guard or Ganzhou Guard too!"

"You'd actually want to go to Suzhou Guard or Ganzhou Guard?" Zhao Ling's eyes widened. "If I'd known that, I should have begged Lord Wu to send you there instead!"

Everyone was taken aback, and only after a moment did sparse laughter ripple through the room.

Zhao Ling looked a bit embarrassed.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

It was rare for Zhao Ling to crack a joke, but no one seemed quite used to it...

Fortunately, Zheng San soon brought over the tables. Sanfu, Shizhu, and the others helped set one up on the east side and another in the main hall. Fu Tingjun and the other women sat on the east side, while Zhao Ling and the men sat in the main hall. Zheng Sanniang and Luwei served the dishes, and Master Lyu brought over a jar of shaodaozi liquor. "We're drinking this today!"

Yang Yucheng laughed. "This must be one of your treasured reserves!"

Master Lyu smiled, though a glimmer of moisture appeared at the corners of his eyes. "Once we pass through the pass, we need to drink this kind of liquor!"

He was from Liangzhou.

Everyone knew that Master Lyu was thinking of his homeland.

Jin Yuanbao poured drinks for everyone. "Today, no one leaves until we're drunk."

"Excellent!" Yang Yucheng laughed heartily. "But it seems there's not enough liquor!"

Master Lyu declared loudly, "I'm afraid you'll be so drunk you won't know which way is north!" His usual modesty gave way to a touch of boldness.

"What do I need to know north for?" Yang Yucheng said dismissively. "I just need to find the door to the side room." Then he called out, "Bring out the big bowls!"

The men in the main hall laughed without end, and the atmosphere grew lively once more.

Fu Tingjun lowered her head.

Scenes like this, she doubted she would ever experience again in her life.

Zhao Ling's gaze drifted across the crowd, landing on the beaded curtain on the east side.

Jin Yuanbao, who was pouring wine, glanced at Zhao Ling. His wrist trembled, and the wine nearly spilled onto the floor, prompting a loud shout from Yang Yucheng.

...

A crescent moon hung in the deep blue night sky, casting a hazy silver glow.

Zhao Ling stood in the courtyard and let out a long breath, as if trying to expel all the alcohol in his chest with that single exhale.

The eaves blocked the moonlight, leaving the lower half of the side room's blue stone walls exposed to the moonlight while the upper half's lattice windows were hidden in shadow.

Jin Yuanbao stepped out of the side room and happened to see Zhao Ling standing there.

He couldn't help but smile. "Ninth Master, everyone was toasting you today, but you only wet your lips."

Zhao Ling turned his head.

The colorful silk threads on Jin Yuanbao's bat-head shoes were clearly visible in the moonlight, but his face was hidden in the shadow of the eaves, impossible to make out.

"My internal injuries haven't fully healed," Zhao Ling said slowly. "It's better if I drink less."

Jin Yuanbao let out a "pfft" as if he'd heard something particularly amusing, then, as if remembering something, abruptly fell silent.

Zhao Ling turned away and said flatly, "You did that on purpose today, didn't you?"

Jin Yuanbao played dumb. "Did what on purpose? I didn't try to get you drunk today!"

Zhao Ling smiled faintly, even more indistinct than the moonlight. "When did you notice that Miss Fu was outside the study?"

Jin Yuanbao was silent for a long while.

Zhao Ling waited patiently.

Jin Yuanbao let out a helpless sigh and said, "When Yucheng said I was cold and heartless... You usually hate it most when companions attack each other, but today, you were even slower to react than I was. I jumped up in anger, and only then did you speak up to rebuke Yucheng!"

"Is that so?" Zhao Ling was clearly surprised.

Jin Yuanbao hesitated, then took a few steps forward.

His plain, unadorned face appeared in the moonlight, adding a touch of tranquility to his gentle eyes.

"Since you... why not just tell her directly?" He seemed somewhat puzzled. "Letting her hear half and guess the other half—I'm afraid it will only make her more anxious and unsettled..."

Zhao Ling fell silent.

Just as Jin Yuanbao thought he wouldn't answer, he spoke in a low voice. "Perhaps because I'm also hesitant."

Jin Yuanbao was confused.

Zhao Ling gave a soft laugh. "At this moment, I both hope she'll go to Zhangye and fear that she will."

Jin Yuanbao began to understand.

If Miss Fu chose to go to Zhangye, it would naturally mean the man was willing and the woman was agreeable. But if she truly went to Zhangye, Ninth Master would worry that she couldn't adapt to life beyond the pass.

Such wavering between hope and fear—was it good or bad?

He gazed at Zhao Ling's sharply defined face, and a faint unease stirred in his heart.

Zhao Ling had been on tenterhooks these past days, and since Jin Yuanbao was a brother who had been through life and death with him, now that he had sensed what was weighing on his mind, some words came naturally to his lips: "Zhangye is too desolate. I don't want her to wither away there. As long as she lives well, that is enough for me!" Yet in his heart, he felt a pang of guilt: Testing her like this was truly inexcusable of me.

The torment that had kept him tossing and turning at night finally lifted, and Zhao Ling let out a long, relieved breath.

Each was lost in their own thoughts, and neither noticed a long shadow standing silently in the corridor.

"Zhangye is too desolate. I don't want her to wither away there!" Fu Tingjun, who had only managed to catch this one sentence, repeated it silently to herself. Thinking of the finality in Zhao Ling's tone, thinking of his soft sigh, she felt slightly dazed.

If she hadn't been unable to sleep and mustered the courage to seek Zhao Ling out for answers, would she never have known of his pity for her?

No, she should have known long ago.

When he saved her.

When he set aside his own safety to escort her to Weinan.

When he hid her in the water vat upon encountering Feng Laosi.

When he pushed her westward all the way, bearing his injuries without a single word of complaint.

...

Some things, she could afford to wait on.

But some things could not wait a single moment.

This matter had begun because of her, so let her be the one to resolve it!

Just as Zhao Ling had done for her.

Without shirking, without fleeing, without complaining... there would always come a day when things would be settled.

In that instant, her heart felt as light and free as willow catkins dancing in the air.