Chapter 85

This was Fu Tingjun's second time stepping into Mo Yi's residence.

The first time, she had come to inquire about Zhao Ling's whereabouts, her heart in turmoil, with no attention to spare for anything else. This time, however, she was on her guard and couldn't help but quietly survey her surroundings.

The layout of the two residences was identical, but Mo Yi's courtyard was paved with large slabs of blue stone, the willows flanking the main hall's steps were thick as an arm's embrace, and the carriage shed in the rear housed not only a carriage but also a sedan chair—altogether more imposing in appearance.

She had brought A Sen with her.

A Sen remained under the eaves of the main hall while she followed Xuemei into the reception room.

Madam Feng and Madam Lu sat left and right in the master's chairs at the center of the hall, with five or six maidservants standing behind them. Two of them Fu Tingjun recognized—they served Madam Lu. The other four were unfamiliar faces, presumably brought by Madam Feng. Their features were quite ordinary, yet they were dressed in silks and adorned with silver, their attire rich and splendid, complementing Madam Feng's crimson garments and golden phoenix hairpin—a scene of lavish opulence.

Fu Tingjun was somewhat surprised. She had not expected that in Madam Lu's own home, Madam Feng would be seated in the host's position.

Turning her gaze to the black-lacquered square table with its carved apron, she saw seven or eight tall-footed blue-and-white porcelain fruit dishes in wave patterns. Besides apples, grapes, red dates, and melons—fruits that could still be found in the cellar this time of year—there was actually a plate of peaches that could not be bought anywhere in the market at this season...

Where on earth had Madam Lu obtained them? Or had Mo Yi procured them?

Judging by such extravagance, one could tell how warmly Madam Lu was entertaining Madam Feng.

As Fu Tingjun pondered this, Madam Feng waved her over: "Come, sit here beside me!" With the tone of an elder, she indicated the master's chair below her own.

Fu Tingjun sneered inwardly, smiled as she exchanged formal greetings with Madam Feng and Madam Lu, and took her seat below Madam Feng as instructed.

"Thank you, Concubine Feng!" she said in gratitude, but her gaze darted toward Madam Lu.

Her meaning was clear: You are the mistress here, yet you allow an outsider to take charge in your own home—are you not going to do something about it?

Whether Madam Lu failed to read Fu Tingjun's look or deemed currying favor with Madam Feng more important, she showed no reaction to the hint. Instead, when she saw Fu Tingjun looking at her, she smiled politely and gestured to the tea Xuemei had poured for Fu Tingjun: "Fine Biluochun. It was sent over during the New Year from the Marquis of Yingchuan's household in the capital—the Marquis specially arranged for some to be delivered to the General. I've been drinking this tea these past few days. The liquor is clear and bright, with a sweet aftertaste. Miss Fu, do try it and see how you find it?" There was a faint note of pride in her tone.

These two were birds of a feather, and Fu Tingjun felt that even sparring with them was a waste of her expressions.

She gave a slight nod, acknowledging Madam Lu's greeting, then fixed her gaze sharply on Madam Feng: "Concubine Feng, you mentioned earlier that you have news of Banner-bearer Zhao. Might I ask what news it is?"

Madam Feng had evidently anticipated the question and showed no surprise. She made a solemn gesture to the maidservants behind her, who immediately curtsied and filed out of the room in succession.

Seeing this, Madam Lu also gestured to Xuemei, who led Madam Lu's maidservants out as well, thoughtfully closing the partition doors behind them.

Only Fu Tingjun, Madam Feng, and Madam Lu remained in the room.

Madam Feng's expression darkened slightly, her face growing more solemn as she asked Fu Tingjun in a low voice: "When you went to Madam Wang's, what did she say?"

Fu Tingjun naturally would not tell the whole truth. She omitted the matter of Wei Shi and relayed to Madam Feng what Madam Wang had learned from Deputy General Liu, then said: "I wonder if Concubine Feng has any means of discovering where Commander Lu and Banner-bearer Zhao are? If Concubine Feng has any news on this end, I will surely reward you handsomely." As she spoke, she glanced meaningfully at Madam Lu. "I imagine Concubine Lu must be just as anxious as I am!"

Madam Lu was instantly overcome with shame and indignation.

This Miss Fu—she truly regarded herself as her mentor, lecturing her without the slightest mercy.

These words were clearly a mockery of her for not caring about Commander Lu.

A young girl who, relying on her better birth and having won the General's favor, thought she knew everything—let her be arrogant now. When she learned that once Deputy General Liu joined forces with the Marquis of the Northwest, even the Marquis of Yingchuan would have to yield three parts, we'd see whether she could still wear that lofty, haughty expression of hers.

She sneered inwardly, recalling Madam Feng's earlier advice: "You're merely a collateral branch of the Lu family. The Lu family's chiliarchy is hereditary. As long as you remain General Mo's woman, no matter who inherits the position, they won't treat you lightly. What matters most is keeping a firm hold on General Mo." The hesitation in her heart vanished without a trace. "The Lu family has several shops in Zhangye. Whenever Zhuanglang Guard needs to send something to me, or I need to send something back to Zhuanglang Guard, Manager Lu at the shop helps with the delivery. This morning, after hearing your words, I immediately sent Nanny Lu to see Manager Lu, but she came back saying that Manager Lu had returned to Zhuanglang Guard two days ago..." The thought that Mo Yi was still alive and well by the Marquis of Yingchuan's side brought her a sense of relief and bolstered her confidence. "As for Commander Lu... I'm completely in the dark now. I can only ask Sister Feng to help me decide what to do!" With that, she looked toward Madam Feng, deftly passing the topic to her.

Madam Feng's eyes had already lit up when Fu Tingjun mentioned "generous reward." The moment Madam Lu finished speaking, she immediately said, "Rest assured, when Deputy General Liu reviews official documents, I'm right there grinding ink and attending to him. The moment there's any news of Commander Lu or Banner-bearer Zhao, I'll come tell you both right away." Having said this, she looked at Fu Tingjun and Madam Lu as if she wanted to say more but held back.

Before Fu Tingjun could say anything, Madam Lu urgently asked, "Is there something else Sister is keeping from us?" She tugged pleadingly at Madam Feng's sleeve. "Good sister, I'm worried to death right now. Please just tell me?"

Madam Feng quickly glanced at Fu Tingjun.

Fu Tingjun sat there with her lips pressed together and brows furrowed, looking deeply troubled.

Madam Feng nodded inwardly and said in a low voice to Madam Lu, "There's something Deputy General Liu told no one to speak of, for fear of shaking morale and causing unrest..." Her peripheral vision remained fixed on Fu Tingjun. "Releasing the news that Commander Lu had gone missing was also a last resort. In truth, Commander Lu is perfectly fine..."

"What did you say?" Madam Lu was both shocked and overjoyed, gripping Madam Feng's hand tightly. "Sister, is this true? How do you know? Why was it necessary to spread word that Commander Lu had gone missing..."

Fu Tingjun's heart churned like stormy waves at these words.

Madam Feng was Deputy General Liu's concubine; she would certainly have access to some highly confidential documents. This matter concerned not only life and death but also reputation—Fu Tingjun was certain Madam Feng wouldn't speak carelessly.

"What exactly is going on?" Fu Tingjun grew agitated as well. "Could it be that Commander Lu's disappearance is merely a ruse to lure the enemy?" she asked Madam Feng urgently.

"No!" Madam Feng looked at her, shaking her head with a solemn, almost tragic expression, and said in a low voice, "Commander Lu led five hundred households' worth of troops from Zhuanglang Guard to support Lord Hu, and the entire force was wiped out. Only Commander Lu himself escaped with the protection of his closest guards... By law, Commander Lu deserves the death penalty for this. But as you know, Commander Lu shares an extraordinary relationship with the Marquis of Yingchuan, so... the Marquis came up with this plan. To the outside world, they only say he's missing. If they can win a great victory, they'll credit the military merit to Commander Lu's name and let his achievement offset his crime..."

"No, no, no," Fu Tingjun knew well how officials shielded one another. That year, when her family had sued another prominent clan of Huayin over irrigation channels for their estate, because the county magistrate had passed the imperial examinations in the same year as her uncle, her family only sent a steward to court, and the magistrate ruled in their favor. Zhao Ling had said that Lu Cheng was personally promoted by the Marquis of Yingchuan, so it was only natural he would protect Lu Cheng. But Zhao Ling... "Ninth Master won't die," she shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face. "Perhaps he just got separated from the troops and couldn't find the camp for a while; perhaps he was wounded and couldn't walk..." The pain in her heart was like a knife twisting, her vision blurring as she stumbled toward the door. "I'm going to find him—he must still be alive..." He hadn't yet delivered her to her parents' side—how could he die?

No, it can't be, it can't be...

"Miss Fu!" Someone grabbed her arm firmly, the heavy scent of face powder filling her nose. "Calm down, calm down." It was Madam Feng's voice, full of sympathy and pity. "Banner-bearer Zhao is truly dead. He was dispatched from the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission, and Deputy General Liu must give an accounting to the Commission... Though he was only a banner-bearer, his name was listed first. I saw it clearly with my own eyes—there can be no mistake."

"I don't believe it, I don't believe it!" Fu Tingjun covered her face and sobbed. He had even killed Feng Laosi, and even Sixteenth Master had recognized him as a true man and given him his own name card. How could he die? How could he die... "It's all my fault, all my fault..." If only she hadn't been so presumptuous as to give Yang Yucheng advice, why would he have gone to join the army? No wonder the poem said, "I regret urging my husband to seek a title of nobility." If she had known this would happen, she would rather he had continued smuggling salt. "I'm the one who harmed him..." Grief, sorrow, anguish, and regret like Chang'e's when she stole the elixir of immortality.

"Miss Fu," she heard Madam Feng console her in a tone of pity and compassion, "The dead are easy to speak of. Once their eyes close, it's over. But the living are the pitiable ones. Look at you—you traveled all this way with Banner-bearer Zhao to Zhangye, and before you could enjoy a single day of happiness, he left you and went away. You're young and now without support. How will you get by in the days ahead?"

The days ahead...

Fu Tingjun gazed blankly at the two women before her, their faces indistinct.

What days ahead did she have?

Naturally, she would take the memorial tablets of Zhao Ling and his parents, find a nunnery, and from then on spend her remaining years before the green lamp and ancient Buddha.

The only thing she regretted was why she hadn't asked Zhao Ling clearly when he was willing to tell her everything—where exactly his hometown was. Then she could have sent him back to rest among his roots. During festivals and ancestral worship days, he could have enjoyed the incense offerings of his descendants...

"Miss Fu! Miss Fu!" Madam Feng called out to Fu Tingjun with some urgency.

She hadn't expected Fu Tingjun to be so deeply shaken—even more so than women who had actually lost their husbands.

Could it be that the two had already consummated their relationship?

She mused inwardly.

But looking at Fu Tingjun's face, delicate as a crabapple blossom beaten by rain, and recalling Fu Tingjun's words about "a generous reward," she immediately felt at ease.

Even if they had been intimate, so what? This young lady was beautiful and had some family wealth. Most importantly, her brother was smitten with her, and he had promised that if she helped him marry Miss Fu, he would behave himself and live an honest life, spending his days with Miss Fu...