Chapter 98

The Tubo people were even less courageous than the Mongols. Hearing that the Marquis of Yingchuan was personally leading the army to attack Jiayuguan, they retreated before the Marquis even reached the pass. After staying at Jiayuguan for several days, the Marquis returned to Zhangye. Good news also came from the west—the leader of the Wulianghai tribe of the Mongols was killed by Commander Lu's men, and the leader of the Tuoli tribe was gravely wounded. The Mongols lost all will to fight and retreated like a tide, allowing Commander Lu to recover Xi'ning Garrison.

When the news arrived, the entire city of Zhangye erupted in celebration.

The Marquis of Yingchuan led his officers to the Great Buddha Temple to hold rites for the souls of the fallen soldiers. The clerks of the General's Office were busily tallying the lists of the dead, drafting reward rosters, calculating compensation amounts, and itemizing the horses, grain, weapons, and other supplies that needed to be replenished... They were kept busy without end. Even Registrar Qi, who usually went home before the end of the day, was now leaving early and returning late.

Madam Qi came to ask several times: "When will your Banner-bearer Zhao be coming back?"

"I don't know." Fu Tingjun had gone to see Madam Wang about this, but Madam Wang had also shaken her head. "They say he's with Commander Lu at Zhuanglang Garrison—this time, more than half of Zhuanglang's men were killed or wounded. Commander Lu is busy holding memorial rites for the fallen soldiers and comforting their families. He's been running himself ragged every day."

Madam Qi nodded and murmured, "I wonder when General Mo will be back?"

"He should return once he's finished with matters at Xi'ning Garrison, I should think?" Fu Tingjun said with a smile. "He still needs to report to the Marquis of Yingchuan, and with Colonel Lü taking up his new post, he ought to come and celebrate as well."

Just as she was speaking, Jin Yuanbao came over.

He respectfully greeted Fu Tingjun, his face unable to hide his joy: "Miss, there's news of Sanfu—he was wounded and hid with a few comrades on a small hill near Ledu in the Yanbo Institute. Later, when Ninth Master was pursuing the Tuoli tribe, they suddenly attacked from behind, throwing the Tuoli into chaos. That's how Ninth Master was able to put an arrow in the chest of the Tuoli leader. Commander Lu said that Sanfu and the others have redeemed themselves through merit, and they won't be punished for leaving their posts without permission."

Fu Tingjun clapped her hands in delight: "Wonderful, wonderful!"

Madam Qi, however, stared at Jin Yuanbao with her eyes darting about. "And who might this be?"

Fu Tingjun smiled apologetically at Madam Qi. "Do forgive me—I got so carried away in my excitement! This is Jin Yuanbao, a Junior Banner Captain who joined the army with our Ninth Master. Because of his skill in military affairs, he's earned the favor of the Marquis of Yingchuan and now serves by his side as a clerk."

"So Junior Banner Captain Jin serves at the Marquis's side!" Madam Qi's gaze toward Jin Yuanbao grew even more interested. "Truly a fine-looking young man, achieving success at such a young age!"

Jin Yuanbao made a few modest remarks, and seeing that Madam Qi showed no sign of leaving, he had no choice but to go over to Zheng San's place.

Madam Qi immediately pulled Fu Tingjun aside and asked: "Has Junior Banner Captain Jin married? My cousin has a daughter who just turned nineteen this year, and she's skilled in every kind of needlework. If it could work out, he'd become the son-in-law of General Chen, the Defense Commander of Zhenfan. This is a gift falling from the heavens—you should mention it to Junior Banner Captain Jin." Her gaze was eager as she looked at Fu Tingjun.

All along, whether it was Zhangye or the Gansu General's Office, in her mind they were merely a stepping stone—a means for Zhao Ling and the others to wash clean their identities. Fu Tingjun had never thought of staying in Zhangye for long. Although Jin Yuanbao and the others were no longer young, she had never considered having them settle down and marry in Zhangye—that would mean some of them would have to stay behind.

Madam Qi's proposal of marriage for Jin Yuanbao caught her by surprise. Her instinct was to refuse, but a voice in her head told her: everything is fate, like you and Ninth Master... perhaps this is a good girl?

She found herself mulling it over.

Just turned nineteen, meaning she was already twenty, skilled in all kinds of needlework—but nothing was mentioned about her temperament or appearance...

Seeing Fu Tingjun hesitate, Madam Qi's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said: "What? Has Junior Banner Captain Jin already married?"

In her mind, being able to become General Chen's son-in-law was like a carp leaping over the dragon gate. The only reason Fu Tingjun could possibly hesitate was if he were already married.

But Fu Tingjun suddenly came to her senses.

Madam Qi hadn't asked whether he was betrothed, only whether he was married. She wasn't worried at all that someone might be drawn to General Chen's family standing—which showed that in her heart, this Miss Chen had nothing else to recommend her besides her family background.

They were like family to her, and she wanted Jin Yuanbao to marry a virtuous wife.

"That's not it." Fu Tingjun quickly thought of a way out. She said hesitantly, "Jin Yuanbao can't stay in Zhangye forever—this place is too barren. But if he went back home, his wife would inevitably have to fawn over the people in his household... Miss Chen is the daughter of an official family; it wouldn't be quite suitable."

Madam Qi understood.

So Jin Yuanbao had been transferred from servile status to military status.

In great households, once a servant, always a servant. Even if one shed the servile status, one was still the master's underling.

She was deeply disappointed. Losing all interest in staying, she exchanged a few more words before taking her leave.

Fu Tingjun told Jin Yuanbao about the matter.

Jin Yuanbao felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I come from a modest family. When taking a wife, what matters is virtue. As long as husband and wife are of one mind, our days will surely prosper."

Fu Tingjun smiled and nodded.

Jin Yuanbao, as if trying to escape, scooped up Linchun, who had been chasing a puppy around the courtyard with A Sen: "Come on, today Uncle will take you to buy candy."

This drew laughter from Fu Tingjun and Zheng Sanniang.

In mid-June, the imperial rewards were announced.

There was no need to mention the Marquis of Yingchuan, Wang Yi, and the others. Zhao Ling, Yang Yucheng, and Jin Yuanbao were all promoted to Centurion, while Sanfu and Shizhu were promoted to Company Commander. Zhao Ling and the others were each rewarded with ten taels of silver and two jars of imperial wine. Sanfu and Shizhu each received five taels of silver and two jars of imperial wine.

A Sen cried out, "How can this be? Ninth Master helped Commander Lu fight in battle, and it was our Ninth Master who killed that chieftain of the Wulianghai tribe. This has been spread all over Xining Garrison and Zhuanglang Garrison. How could he only be made a Centurion? I can't accept this. I'm going to find Brother Yuanbao and have him speak to the Marquis of Yingchuan..."

"Sit down and behave yourself!" Fu Tingjun put on a stern face, and A Sen obediently sat down without daring to move. "When will you ever change this temperament? Since the Marquis of Yingchuan had Ninth Master help Commander Lu atone for his crimes through merit, no matter how great the achievement Ninth Master accomplished, it wouldn't be credited to him. What's wrong with promoting Ninth Master to Centurion according to military merit? You must remember: to gain, one must first let go. Only by knowing how to let go can one gain. When can military merit not be earned again? But if you displease your superiors, even with the greatest abilities, if they don't use you, how can you earn military merit? What Ninth Master gave up this time was military merit, but what he gained was Commander Lu's gratitude and left the Marquis of Yingchuan with the impression that he considers the bigger picture. That's more important than anything. Now, use some of that cleverness of yours to think about these things, will you?"

A Sen's face turned bright red.

Zheng Sanniang came in: "Miss, Ninth Master's colleague Zhao Ming has come again, entrusted by Ninth Master to deliver things to us."

Fu Tingjun immediately jumped off the kang: "What kind of things did he bring? Besides the things, did he bring any message or anything?" She spoke while walking out, circling around to the window lattice of the west wing room to listen to Zhao Ming and Zheng San talking.

"...Brother Zhao originally wanted to come home and visit as well, but Commander Lu left in a hurry, so he had to entrust me to make the trip." Zhao Ming said, then laughed, "Brother Zhao received quite a lot of rewards this time. You could say he's come into a bit of money!"

Fu Tingjun stood as if struck dumb.

Zhao Ling—he had returned to Zhangye City!

Then why didn't he come back to see her?

Her eyes suddenly felt sore.

What do you mean Commander Lu left in a hurry... During the New Year, did Commander Lu stay long? Yet he still found a way to come back early to see her.

Why this time?

Why did he pass by the door without entering...

What on earth had happened?

Was he injured and didn't want her to know? Or had something happened that made him decide to distance himself from her from now on?

Fu Tingjun stood there in a daze. If Zheng Sanniang hadn't pulled her back into the room, she would have nearly run straight into Zhao Ming as he took his leave.

"Miss, perhaps Ninth Master truly couldn't get away!" Zheng Sanniang saw her sitting blankly on the kang with a pale face, not saying a word for a long while, and gently tried to console her. "Now that Ninth Master has become a favored man by Commander Lu's side, unlike before when he could come and go as he pleased, he's not his own master anymore. You should be understanding of Ninth Master..."

"It's a good thing he's only a favored man by Commander Lu's side. If he became a favored man by the Marquis of Yingchuan's side, wouldn't we not even catch a glimpse of him?" Fu Tingjun snorted coldly, then was startled to realize how sharp and somewhat caustic her own voice sounded, and broke into a cold sweat.

What was wrong with her?

As Zheng Sanniang had said, Zhao Ling was only a lowly Centurion now, and just when Commander Lu was entrusting him with important duties. How could he do as he pleased? The man handles matters outside the home; the woman handles matters within. She had never been an unreasonable person—why had she suddenly lost her composure?

She covered her face, trying to hide the moisture at the corners of her eyes.

In her heart, she vaguely felt that if they had been betrothed, or if they had already married, perhaps she wouldn't feel so unsettled!

From outside the door came Zheng San's voice: "Miss, Ninth Master sent seven hundred and fifty taels of silver back with that Zhao Ming, along with two bolts of crimson gold-threaded brocade, two bolts of sapphire-blue patterned silk, two bolts of moon-white Hangzhou silk, two bolts of bright blue summer cloth, two bolts of dark summer cloth, a jar of imperial wine, and a letter for you!"

Fu Tingjun quickly wiped away her tears and called Zheng San inside.

Zheng San handed both the list and the letter to her.

"Have the things put away properly!" Fu Tingjun instructed Zheng San and his wife, then took the list and sat on the kang to read Zhao Ling's letter.

The letter was as brief as always. It only said that Commander Lu was very grateful for his life-saving grace and had given him five hundred taels of silver. When he met the Marquis of Yingchuan, besides rewarding him with two hundred taels of silver, the Marquis had also given him a jar of imperial wine and ten bolts of fabric. Additionally, there were fifty taels of silver from the spoils of battle, all entrusted to her for safekeeping.

Fu Tingjun flung the letter onto the kang table with force, sitting there expressionless as she watched Zheng San and his wife work together to carry the seven hundred fifty taels of silver inside, carefully packing it into the chest. Only then did her heaving chest slowly begin to calm.

By the time Zheng San asked her what to do with that jar of imperial wine, she had already fully composed herself: "I'll give you a prescription tomorrow. Go to the market and buy some medicinal herbs—we'll steep some medicinal wine for Ninth Master."

Zheng San acknowledged the order, and the couple, thinking that Fu Tingjun might want to carefully count the large sum of silver Zhao Ling had brought back, withdrew together.

Only then did Fu Tingjun slowly smooth out the letter she had crumpled in her grip, and place it into the carved red-lacquered box at the head of the bed.