Chapter 72

Fu Tingjun asked Zhao Ling, "What does the Datong Firm in Shanxi do?"

"They're in the north-south trade," Zhao Ling said thoughtfully. "They're the largest shareholder in Baoqing Tower." He added with some admiration, "I originally thought they only dealt in medicinal herbs and furs with the Northeast, but I didn't expect they also organized caravans to trade with the Arabs."

Fu Tingjun felt these matters had little to do with her; she was more concerned about when she could finish making Zhao Ling's fur coat.

After leaving Yongchang Guard, it began to snow heavily.

The snowflakes drifted down, and within the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the surrounding fields were already a vast expanse of white.

They took shelter from the snow at an inn beside Dongle Post Station in Shandan Guard. As they got off the carriage, they saw Master Ye, with his handlebar mustache, standing alone at the inn's entrance with his hands behind his back, staring solemnly at the falling snow, lost in thought.

Seeing Zhao Ling, he looked slightly surprised but still nodded politely at him.

Zhao Ling was also quite taken aback. He nodded, brushed past Master Ye, and entered the inn.

Yang Yucheng couldn't help but glance back at Master Ye's figure.

Jin Yuanbao said, "How about we stay here for the night? The snow is too heavy—if we can't make it to the next post station, we'll be in trouble."

Zhao Ling nodded.

Jin Yuanbao asked the innkeeper for several guest rooms.

They had just settled in when a commotion broke out outside.

Zheng Sanniang had made Fu Tingjun's bed and gone to tidy up Zheng San's room. Fu Tingjun was bent over trimming the fur coat's edging—once the edging was done, the coat would be ready to wear.

But the noise grew louder, and before long, it was coming toward where Fu Tingjun and the others were staying.

"None? Then make two rooms available for us, damn it!" a rough voice bellowed. "Do you have a death wish?"

The innkeeper repeatedly begged for forgiveness.

Someone began pounding on the door of the adjacent room.

That was Zhao Ling's room.

Fu Tingjun grew worried and set down her needle and thread to open the door.

But just as her hand touched the latch, she heard the creak of the neighboring room's door, followed by Zhao Ling's voice: "Who is it?"

Since the people outside were all men, Fu Tingjun opened the door just a crack to peer out.

She saw seven or eight men crowding the corridor, surrounding an arrogant-looking man in a green Luzhou silk robe. The innkeeper wore a fawning smile and kept bowing to them.

One of the men behind the green-robed figure shouted, "We're from the Gansu Regional Military Commander's office. We're passing through on official business. Clear out these rooms for us."

Fu Tingjun frowned deeply.

If they were truly from the Gansu Regional Military Commander's office on official business, why would they skip the free post station next door and insist on staying at this paid inn?

"So you're from the Gansu Regional Military Commander's office," Zhao Ling said with a faint smile. "I happen to be heading there to report in myself. You could say we're colleagues. Might I ask where you serve, brother? If the opportunity arises, we can share a drink together."

His expression was cold and stern, his chin slightly raised, looking down at the man in the green robe with an air of arrogance, as if the Gansu Regional Military Commander's office was beneath his notice. The group exchanged uneasy glances and remained silent for a long moment.

"Brother," the man in the green robe said, his tone now cautious and probing, "might I ask what post you hold? That way, I can find you and buy you a drink." He smiled with shifting, evasive eyes.

"Oh!" Zhao Ling said casually. "I'm heading to Zhuanglang Guard to serve as a banner commander..."

Before he could finish, the group burst into raucous laughter, their smiles full of arrogance. The man in the green robe even shouted, "A mere banner commander wants to drink with me? Go take a piss and look at your reflection! I'm a centurion of Yongchang Guard..."

He had let it slip.

Zhao Ling cast a contemptuous glance at the man in the green robe, impatiently cutting him off, and called out to "Sanfu" and "Shizhu": "Beat him. Beat him until he shuts up."

Beat an official!

Sanfu and Shizhu didn't have that kind of nerve, but they didn't dare defy Zhao Ling either. They glanced nervously at him while rolling up their sleeves and walking toward the group.

Zhao Ling seemed dissatisfied with their hesitation and barked, "What are you afraid of? If anything happens, just find Mo Yi!" He added, "Since he dared to send me to this godforsaken place, he'd better clean up the mess!"

Sanfu and Shizhu didn't immediately understand Zhao Ling's meaning, but Fu Tingjun did.

He was borrowing influence!

She silently praised his cleverness.

The man in the green robe's eyes began to waver.

Everyone in the Gansu Regional Military Commander's office knew Mo Yi's background. He came from a distinguished family and was a skilled warrior; he showed respect to no one except the Marquis of Yingchuan. Since this man had been sent here by Mo Yi, he must be a relative or close associate... His voice dropped. "May I ask how you're connected to General Mo?"

Zhao Ling didn't even glance at the man. He slammed the door shut.

Fu Tingjun couldn't help but smile behind her hand.

Sanfu and Shizhu reacted at that moment, swinging their fists as they charged forward, yet they held back, their movements not overly swift.

Running an inn, one values harmony and prosperity. The shopkeeper hurried to stand between the two groups, bowing first to one side and then the other: "We're all friends here, friends." Why let trivial matters harm our goodwill..."

The man in the green satin robe seized the opportunity to save face: "Forget it, for the sake of General Mo, I won't hold this against you." His anger naturally redirected toward the shopkeeper, "Damn it, hurry up and free up some rooms for me, or I'll tear this inn apart."

The shopkeeper weighed his options and ultimately had to go consult Master Ye.

Master Ye said nothing, smiling as he vacated a few guest rooms.

Hearing the commotion outside, Yang Yucheng couldn't help but remark: "I thought only petty merchants behaved this way. Who'd have thought that even a business as big as Datong Hao would have to put on a smiling face for riffraff like that." He added, "It's still better to hold an official position!"

Zhao Ling smiled without responding.

A Sen was craning his neck, peeking around.

"What are you doing?" Jin Yuanbao laughed, tapping him on the head.

A Sen pouted, rubbing his head with a aggrieved look: "Miss Fu asked me to see what the master is doing..."

Jin Yuanbao glanced at Zhao Ling with a smile and said, "Does Miss Fu have something for the master?"

"It seems the fur coat is almost finished," A Sen said. "Miss Fu wants to bring it over..."

"I'll go take a look!" Zhao Ling stood up upon hearing this. "You two go check what's in the kitchen. It's snowing heavily today, and more travelers will likely seek lodging. Better not wait too long or there'll be nothing left to eat!"

Jin Yuanbao acknowledged with a sound.

Yang Yucheng watched Zhao Ling leave, then called out "Hey" to Jin Yuanbao: "Don't you think Ninth Master..." He struggled to find the right words, pausing before continuing, "visits Miss Fu's place rather frequently?"

"Not at all!" Jin Yuanbao replied without hesitation. "Miss Fu is a woman traveling with us through hardship. It's only natural to check in on her more often. You're overthinking it."

Yang Yucheng still felt something was off, but Jin Yuanbao's reasoning seemed sound, so he let out a few awkward chuckles.

...

The fur coat had just been finished, and Fu Tingjun was still tidying up her needles and thread. She hadn't expected Zhao Ling to come by. Setting down her work, she handed the coat to him: "Ninth Master, try it on and see if it fits. If anything's off, just tell me and I'll make adjustments."

Zhao Ling hummed in acknowledgment, went back to his room to change into the fur coat, and returned for Fu Tingjun to inspect.

Perhaps thanks to the rest he'd had these past days, compared to when she first met him, not only had his complexion improved greatly, but his build had grown sturdier as well. The plain dark green fur coat draped over Zhao Ling's upright frame lent him an air of composed elegance.

"How is it?" he asked Fu Tingjun.

"Oh!" Fu Tingjun quickly collected herself and examined the coat carefully. "The size fits well. Move around a bit and see if anything feels uncomfortable."

Zhao Ling stretched his arms as he spoke: "This padded robe I'm wearing underneath was also made by you, and it fits me well." The implication being that this one should be fine as well.

Fu Tingjun found no flaws either and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

At least her efforts hadn't been in vain.

A faint joy welled up in her heart, and she smiled: "The weather has turned today. Ninth Master, wear this fur coat!"

Zhao Ling nodded and sat down in the armchair nearby.

Fu Tingjun naturally went to serve a cup of hot tea, then brought up the earlier matter: "...If you do this, and Mo Yi finds out, won't he hold it against you?"

Though she knew Zhao Ling's methods were clever, she had been raised with values of modesty and pragmatism, and she couldn't help but worry.

This entire area was under the guard posts, and word would spread quickly. If Mo Yi were to distance himself from them, Zhao Ling's days would become difficult.

She had recently inquired with Zheng San.

According to imperial regulations, every ten men formed a small banner, five small banners made a general banner, two general banners made a hundred households, ten hundred households made a thousand households, and five thousand households made a guard.

Zhao Ling was currently only a general banner commander.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Zhao Ling took a sip of tea and smiled as he told her about the relationship between Lu Cheng and Mo Yi. "The reason I'm doing this is to get word to Lu Cheng through that centurion. If Mo Yi tells Lu Cheng everything truthfully, then think about it—given Lu Cheng's character, he'd even fawn over Mo Yi, let alone someone from Sixteenth Master's camp! If Mo Yi conceals anything from Lu Cheng, even better. Lu Cheng, for Mo Yi's sake, will certainly take good care of us." He added, "If Mo Yi wants to distance himself from me, let him. Having been suddenly sent here by the military commissioner, I imagine many people are curious about my background. If I tell them the truth when the time comes..." He winked at Fu Tingjun, suddenly revealing a childlike playfulness. "I'm afraid Mo Yi will have an even bigger headache. He might even jump out on his own to claim I'm his relative!"

Fu Tingjun's heart suddenly seemed to skip a beat.

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

She suddenly thought of how A Sen would sometimes blink his eyes like that too.

So that's it—A Sen had learned it from Zhao Ling!

She couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Like the sun breaking through the clouds, like the morning glow filling the sky at dawn, the room suddenly seemed brighter.

Zhao Ling felt a warmth in his heart.

If only time could stay frozen at this moment forever!

He looked at Fu Tingjun, hoping that in his presence, she would always be this happy, this radiant...