“This is a sickness of the heart,” Madam Fu said dismissively. “Now that you’ve returned, naturally, I will gradually get better. You needn’t worry. As for sending a woman to serve me,” she teased her daughter, “you haven’t even married yet and already you’re trying to move things to my place. Once you’re married, won’t you empty the Zhao household?”
“Mother!” Fu Tingyun pouted with a red face, unwilling to accept the teasing.
“Alright, alright,” Madam Fu laughed, “I’ll stop joking with you.” She sighed deeply, “Being able to see you and know that you’re living well, I am already content.” Then she called for Xiu Zhu’s wife, “Please invite Lord Zhao to come in!”
Zhao Ling had been standing outside the door. Hearing this, he entered without waiting for Xiu Zhu’s wife to summon him.
Madam Fu smiled at them: “It’s getting late, and I still have matters to discuss with the Fifth Master, so I won’t keep you for dinner. Although Quanhui is no longer part of the Fu family, and I can’t do much for her wedding, I am still her elder. Once you’ve decided on everything, remember to send someone to let me know.”
If Madam Fu’s appearance could change Fifth Master Fu’s attitude somewhat, Zhao Ling thought that would be a good thing.
He respectfully agreed.
Fu Tingyun felt sad hearing her mother speak this way. Though she had talked with her mother at length, she still felt it wasn’t enough. Seeing that Zhao Ling had been patiently waiting beside her all this time, she finally stopped talking. Together with Zhao Ling, she bowed to her mother, and they left Madam Fu’s chamber one after the other.
Outside the room, Fu Tinggui was anxiously peering around. When he saw Zhao Ling emerge, his face turned pale with fright, and he retreated several steps. Only when he felt the distance between himself and Zhao Ling was safe did he stop.
Fu Tingyun didn’t even bother to look at him, let alone greet him. As she walked out with Zhao Ling, she asked in a low voice: “Did you see my father?”
Zhao Ling shook his head: “When I came out, Uncle Fu had already gone somewhere.”
Fu Tingyun looked up and saw that Zhao Ling’s waist knife was still impressively stuck in the middle of the courtyard.
That was just as well—it spared her from seeing her father and being reminded of his cowardly behavior, which would only make her feel worse.
As Fu Tingyun pondered this, she met Young Madam Fu, who had heard the commotion and lifted the curtain to come out from the hall. Her eyes were red, and she nodded to Fu Tingyun. Fu Tingyun paused briefly, thought for a moment, and said gently: “Sister-in-law, please take good care of Mother for me. I bow to you here.” As she bent her knees to perform a formal curtsy, Young Madam Fu quickly grabbed her, “Little sister, please don’t do this. Taking care of Mother is my duty. Rest assured, I will serve Mother well and with filial piety.”
They had barely exchanged these few words when Young Madam Fu caught sight of her husband glaring at her resentfully. She quickly fell silent and retreated to the side.
Fu Tingyun could guess the reason without turning around, feeling even more contemptuous. Without another word, she left Sixi Hutong with Zhao Ling.
On the way back, she asked Zhao Ling: “Did you anticipate that I wouldn’t be able to see Mother smoothly, so you deliberately wore your official robes and waist knife to Sixi Hutong?”
Zhao Ling chuckled evasively: “How could that be? I just thought wearing official robes would make me look more imposing.” He showed no remorse for drawing his knife against Fifth Master Fu.
Fu Tingyun made no sound but quietly reached out to hold Zhao Ling’s hand.
…
Fifth Master Fu, watching through the bamboo curtain of the hall as Zhao Ling and his daughter disappeared through the main gate, finally went to Madam Fu’s room, his face ashen.
Madam Fu had already lain down with Xiu Zhu’s wife’s assistance. Seeing her husband enter, she slightly raised her eyelids and said coldly: “Jiezi was at the door listening to everything Quanhui and I said, and has surely reported it all to you. You must be satisfied now?” With that, she closed her eyes and turned her face away, no longer looking at Fifth Master Fu.
Fifth Master Fu stood silently by his wife’s bed for a while, then said softly: “Why don’t you move back to the main room? It’s dark and damp here.”
“But it’s farthest from you!” Madam Fu murmured, turning over to show her back to Fifth Master Fu.
Fifth Master Fu gazed at his wife’s back with complex emotions, his expression changing unpredictably. After a long while, he flicked his sleeve and left.
Tears welled up in Madam Fu’s tightly closed eyes.
…
Zhao Ling returned to his room and changed into a sapphire blue plain Hangzhou silk summer robe that Fu Tingyun had made for him, preparing to go out: “I have some matters to discuss with Mo Yi. Don’t wait for me for the evening meal.”
“Wait a moment.” Fu Tingyun stopped him and attached a money pouch to his waist. “Inside are twenty taels in banknotes and five taels in loose silver. When you’re out, socializing is inevitable. Having silver with you will make you more confident.”
Zhao Ling smiled at her for a good while before turning to leave.
When he returned in the evening, slightly tipsy, he happily told Fu Tingyun: “I’ve invited Master Yan to be our wedding officiant.” Then he scratched his head, “But I don’t know who should represent your family?” His face showed a youthful shyness.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile slightly.
So that’s what he had been busy with.
The Fu family didn’t recognize her, so she couldn’t possibly marry into the Fu household. Where they lived now would be their future home; she was the one marrying into it, so she needed another place to marry from.
She had no candidates in mind either, and with a flushed face, she said softly: “We’ll figure it out gradually!”
“It’s only about ten days until the sixth day of the eighth month,” Zhao Ling said, sitting beside her, “Jin Yuanbao and Yang Yucheng probably won’t make it to the wedding. We need to find someone enthusiastic to be the master of ceremonies, send out invitations, invite people to the wedding feast, and there’s also the new wedding clothes… so many things.” He muttered to himself, “Mo Yi is now the Commander of the Jinwu Guard. He asked yesterday when we’re getting married. If we ask him to represent your family, he would certainly be willing, but then we’d be connected to the Mo family. The Mo clan is numerous, with thirteen internal branches and nine external ones—their relationships are complex, which might not be a good thing. Lin Chi is a good person, currently the Forward Commander of the Yulin Guard, and it would be fine to ask him to represent your family, but he’s the bodyguard of the Marquis of Yingchuan, and was recommended to the Emperor alongside me by the Marquis. Being too close isn’t good either.” He said with a headache, “Shopkeeper Ye isn’t suitable either; after all, his family is in commerce.”
For a moment, he became somewhat melancholy.
The Emperor was most wary of factions, especially since he hadn’t yet firmly established himself.
Fu Tingyun poured a cup of cold tea for Zhao Ling and said softly, “Why don’t we just rent a residence? That would be cleaner.”
Zhao Ling hesitated: “But it would be unfair to you, not lively enough.”
Fu Tingyun appreciated his thoughtfulness but had her ideas: “We’re going to live together, not put on a show. Do we need to create a spectacle for others?”
Zhao Ling, having experienced both grand splendor and lonely decline, had developed a low-key, reserved manner of conducting himself. Fu Tingyun’s words matched his inclinations perfectly. His eyes couldn’t help but brim with thick laughter; in the lamplight, they sparkled like the bright stars of a summer night.
“That sounds good,” he said, standing up. “I’ll go discuss this with Master Lü.”
His eager appearance made Fu Tingyun cover her mouth and smile.
…
Zhao Ling didn’t return to the room until after the third watch. Early the next morning, he went to the palace. Master Lü went out and returned in the evening to report to Fu Tingyun: “There’s a small residence in the front part of Bensi Hutong with only a mother and daughter living there. They have three south-facing rooms for rent. I’ve already arranged with them—ten taels of silver to stay for ten days. Would Miss like to go have a look?”
Fu Tingyun was very interested. Just then, Zheng Sanniang and Yu Wei came in.
One was busy with the wedding feast dishes, the other with Fu Tingyun’s dowry, both coming to report to her.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but laugh, inevitably giving rise to some unusual thoughts—someone like her, arranging her wedding, was probably unprecedented in history.
As they were talking, the young servant Yan Qing ran in: “Miss, Miss!” He was panting, his expression somewhat flustered. “Two eunuchs have come from the palace, saying they want to see you. Young Master Asen is currently entertaining them with tea and conversation in the south building’s hall.”
Fu Tingyun was greatly surprised.
She was just an ordinary woman; the eunuchs wanted to see her because of Zhao Ling.
Since when did Zhao Ling have such standing with the royal family?
She instructed Yu Wei and hurriedly followed Yan Qing to the south building’s hall.
Of the two eunuchs, one was about thirty years old and introduced himself as Zhong. The other, about ten years old, stood by serving him.
Eunuch Zhong was very polite, smiling as he informed her that the Grand Empress Dowager wanted to see her tomorrow at the third quarter of the hour of Si (9:45 AM): “…I will be waiting for Miss at the Shenwu Gate at the beginning of the hour of Mao (5:00 AM).”
Could it be about the imperial marriage blessing?
Fu Tingyun’s heart trembled, her voice taut as she spoke: “Thank you, Eunuch.” Yu Wei hurried over and handed a money pouch to the young eunuch. Fu Tingyun then added, “Tomorrow, I would appreciate your guidance, Eunuch.”
Eunuch Zhong was pleased with Fu Tingyun’s quick-wittedness. His expression grew even more kindly as he smiled: “The Grand Empress Dowager is a merciful person. Miss need not worry.” After some small talk, Fu Tingyun personally escorted Eunuch Zhong to the main gate. Only when Eunuch Zhong had walked far away did she realize her palms were completely sweaty.
Stay calm, stay calm.
Fu Tingyun kept telling herself this, but thinking that if she could gain the Grand Empress Dowager’s favor, her marriage to Zhao Ling would be more secure, she couldn’t help but immediately turn to search for appropriate clothes to wear to the palace.
…
When Zhao Ling returned, he saw the house in disarray, with Fu Tingyun’s trunks extending from the inner room to the hall. Completely bewildered, he asked: “What’s happening?”
“You’re one to talk,” Fu Tingyun had been trying on clothes all afternoon and was exhausted, sweating profusely. Catching her breath, she protested coquettishly, “Since the Grand Empress Dowager wants to see me, why didn’t you tell me in advance? Going to the palace tomorrow, I don’t know what to wear. You’ve put me through such a search.” She was quite distressed.
Hearing this, Zhao Ling’s face lit up with surprise: “Really? Someone from the palace came to summon you?” He looked completely unaware.
Fu Tingyun was stunned.
Zhao Ling was already excitedly rubbing his hands together: “I asked Master Yan to be our wedding officiant, hoping to use his influence to inform the Emperor about our marriage. I didn’t expect Master Yan to act so quickly…”
Although the Emperor had agreed to bless their marriage, they couldn’t very well rush the Emperor.
It seemed this Master Yan was quite a remarkable person.
Fu Tingyun’s face flushed red.
Zhao Ling said: “Why don’t we go to the shops before they close for the day?”
Fu Tingyun calmed down instead and asked: “Don’t you serve in the palace? Haven’t you inquired about the Grand Empress Dowager’s habits?”
Zhao Ling’s eyes brightened as he pondered: “The Grand Empress Dowager lived in a nunnery for decades and, because of the Late Emperor’s situation, has been very cautious. Although the Emperor respects her greatly and goes to pay his respects every day after the morning court session, she remains extremely prudent. Usually, she wears old-style clothes, only changing into new clothes made by the Empress when the Emperor visits her…”