“So what?” said Zhao Ling, his brow cold as ice. Fu Tingyun being coveted by that villain, ultimately having to escape to Madam Wang’s home to seek refuge—this was the greatest humiliation of his life. If he hadn’t killed Feng Dahu, he wouldn’t have had the face to see Fu Tingyun again. Turning to see Fu Tingyun’s worried expression, his demeanor softened slightly, and he smiled, hoping to ease her mood. Still feeling somewhat concerned, he explained further, “Before, I was only concerned with brotherhood, wanting to secure a future for Yang Yucheng, Jin Yuanbao, and the others, which is why I led them to join the military camp. But now it’s different. I have you, and in the future, we’ll have our own family. I’ll be more vigilant and careful in my dealings.” As he spoke, he tightly held Fu Tingyun’s hand. His gaze no longer tender, but adding a solemn dignity: “Nan’nan, please believe me, I will never let you suffer such humiliation again.” His voice wasn’t loud, but his expression was so earnest, his tone so sincere, with an undeniable seriousness.

Fu Tingyun nodded involuntarily, her eyes moistening, quickly blurring her vision.

…

The next day, the neighing of horses broke the tranquility of Centurion Si’s home.

“I said, if it got too late, Magistrate Zhao would rest at my old comrade Si’s place in Minhe Town,” Zhao Ming’s resonant voice carried a hint of pride. “Well, Brother Zheng San, did I guess correctly?”

Zheng San smiled and flattered him: “Inspector Zhao truly lives up to his military background.”

Centurion Si, who had come out to welcome them, laughed heartily: “This brother speaks true. What could escape the sharp eyes of our Brother Zhao?” Then he loudly called for servants to lead the horses and feed them good fodder, before turning to Zheng San with clasped hands: “This gentleman is…?”

“This is Manager Zheng San from Magistrate Zhao’s household!” Zhao Ming quickly introduced them.

“Delighted to meet you! Delighted!” Centurion Si smiled even more warmly.

“You’re too kind, too kind!” Zheng San exchanged pleasantries.

The clamor of laughter and conversation awakened Fu Tingyun.

The conversation with Zhao Ling had finally set her anxious heart at ease, allowing her to sleep soundly until daybreak.

She sat up rubbing her sleepy eyes, and saw that the room was bright, with the bride already neatly dressed, sitting at the edge of the kang bed sewing shoe soles. She was startled: “What time is it now?”

“It should be almost noon,” the bride smiled, putting down her needlework to bring Fu Tingyun a basin of water to wash her face.

Fu Tingyun inwardly exclaimed in dismay.

Usually, she would rise at daybreak, but today she had slept in at someone else’s home. What would the Si family think of her?

She hurriedly thanked the bride and got up in haste.

Watching her, the bride thought of the sounds she had heard outside the door last night.

Miss Fu’s words had carried a hint of displeasure, and Magistrate Zhao had tried every way to make her smile… She never imagined that the usually cold and stern Magistrate Zhao would behave this way in front of his fiancée! However, Magistrate Zhao and Miss Fu were quite similar to her and her husband; when she got angry, her husband would also try to please her… Looking at Fu Tingyun again, she felt more affinity toward her and kindly comforted: “My mother-in-law said that you had a scare yesterday, and it’s best if you sleep more. Otherwise, we would have needed to go to the Grand Buddha Temple to ward off the fright.”

Fu Tingyun smiled awkwardly.

Last night, she and Zhao Ling had talked endlessly, as if they could never finish their conversation. If the bride hadn’t coughed a couple of times from the night wind, who knows how long they would have continued talking!

Thinking of Zhao Ling’s reluctance to part when escorting her back to the room last night, she suddenly felt a sweet sensation in her heart and asked the bride: “Is Magistrate Zhao awake?”

“Magistrate Zhao has only just awakened,” the bride smiled. “He came to check on Miss, saw that you were still sleeping, and told us not to wake you. My father-in-law is accompanying him in the hall.”

Fu Tingyun’s face reddened slightly. Remembering the commotion she had heard upon waking, she quickly asked: “Has someone arrived? Why is it so noisy?”

The bride went out to check and returned with a bowl of hand-pulled noodles.

“Inspector Zhao and Master Zheng San from your household have arrived,” she placed the noodles on the kang table. “They said they and Magistrate Zhao had been searching for you separately, and they searched to the banks of the Datong River. Inspector Zhao reasoned that you couldn’t have crossed the Datong River, so he and Master Zheng San rested at a post station for the night. Early this morning, they came to Minhe Town, and as soon as they entered, they heard that Magistrate Zhao and you had spent the night at our home, so they came looking. They’re now speaking with Magistrate Zhao in the hall.” She then pointed to the large bowl on the kang table. “Miss, please have something first. Lunch will be ready soon.”

Fu Tingyun felt embarrassed.

Her momentary willfulness had caused Zhao Ming, Zheng San, and others to search everywhere…

She murmured thanks to the bride and sat down to eat the noodles when Zheng San came to pay his respects.

Seeing Fu Tingyun radiant and full of vitality, Zheng San knew that the storm had passed, but he still couldn’t help saying tactfully: “Fortunately, Magistrate Zhao specially left two gentle-natured horses for Miss to use. If anything had happened, it would have been too late for regrets.”

Fu Tingyun blushed, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Zheng San, seeing this, knew better than to say more and asked about other matters: “Lord Jiu says we’ll return to Ledu after lunch…” But inwardly, he was thinking about Miss Tang, who was also in Ledu, and he wasn’t sure of Fu Tingyun’s attitude toward this matter.

Fu Tingyun nodded, feeling she should clarify this matter with Zheng San, otherwise, no one would know how to treat Miss Tang: “Yesterday, Lord Jiu discussed this with me. Master Tang has passed away, and there are still some old accounts to settle. Miss Tang wants to ask Lord Jiu to help as an intermediary. Lord Jiu cannot conveniently involve himself in these matters now, but considering Master Tang’s reputation, he cannot simply ignore it, both emotionally and rationally. Miss Tang may need to stay in Ledu for some days. She is a visitor from afar. After I greet Miss Tang, we will return to Zhangye.”

On the journey, Zheng San had heard Zhao Ming mention Miss Tang more than once. He said Miss Tang was beautiful, orphaned by both parents, with a vast fortune left behind, and no siblings. Whoever was fortunate enough to marry Miss Tang would truly gain both wealth and beauty. He also said that Miss Tang had traveled a great distance to find Magistrate Zhao, clearly showing her admiration for him. If Miss Tang were willing to humble herself as a concubine, who could refuse such a good arrangement?

Upon careful thought, Zheng San felt Zhao Ming’s words were reasonable.

He couldn’t help but worry for Fu Tingyun.

Marriage was not only about uniting two families but also about producing offspring and prospering the family.

He knew Zhao Ling was a man of integrity who kept his promises, but if Miss Tang truly was willing to humble herself as a concubine, although Fu Tingyun was beautiful and virtuous, and shared hardships with Zhao Ling, from Zhao Ming’s tone, Miss Tang was not unattractive. Add to that her willingness to be a concubine, with vast personal wealth at her disposal, and if she were to bear children, over time, no matter how beautiful or virtuous Fu Tingyun was, she might find it difficult to maintain authority over Miss Tang. And if the primary wife couldn’t control the concubine, then the primary wife would be one in name only.

Fu Tingyun had saved his life, and he was her servant, so his heart naturally leaned toward her.

All along the way, he had been anxious, fearing that Fu Tingyun’s stubbornness might cause a fallout with Zhao Ling, giving Miss Tang an opportunity, or that Fu Tingyun might rashly agree to let Miss Tang become a concubine…

Thankfully, Fu Tingyun and Zhao Ling had reconciled, and thankfully, Zhao Ling was an honorable gentleman!

Only now did he truly breathe a sigh of relief and rise to take his leave.

Madam Si’s hand-pulled noodles were springy, with a clear and refreshing broth, truly delicious. Fu Tingyun finished the large bowl, and by lunchtime, she couldn’t eat anymore. She sat in the room chatting with the bride and packing her things. When Zhao Ling finished his meal, Madam Si brought snacks and fruits for her to eat on the journey and personally escorted her to the carriage at the door.

Fu Tingyun looked up and saw Zhao Ling dressed in a ginger-yellow ramie straight robe, bidding farewell to Centurion Si at the door.

Perhaps sensing something, Zhao Ling suddenly turned his head.

Their eyes met.

His gaze suddenly became fiery.

This was their first meeting after having confessed their feelings to each other.

Across the crowd, she could feel his tender affection.

Fu Tingyun’s face turned rosy like the dawn.

Hastily nodding to Zhao Ling, she escaped into the carriage.

Even after the carriage had left Minhe Town, her heart was still pounding fiercely.

…

Her jet-black hair was coiled into a bun, adorned with two pure white jade hairpins. She wore a bamboo-green right-lapel gauze shirt and a lotus-pink Hangzhou silk skirt, radiant like a pomegranate flower blooming in May. Especially her face, with beads of sweat on her forehead and the tip of her nose, clearly without powder, appeared even more fair and delicate than her snow-white skin that she had always been proud of.

Miss Tang looked at the person before her, her gaze somewhat unsteady.

She never imagined that someone as proud as Zhao Ling would chase after her in front of so many people!

Fu Tingyun paid no mind to Miss Tang’s unpredictable mood.

As long as Zhao Ling was faithful and righteous toward her, she had nothing to fear.

She smiled and exchanged greetings with the wives of the Centurions and Standard-bearers who had heard of her safe return. She patiently answered their questions such as “How did Magistrate Zhao find you later,” “It’s fortunate you only fell into water; what if you had fallen somewhere else,” “I know Madam Si well, her hand-pulled noodles are exceptional, Miss Fu truly had a treat,” and the like. Meanwhile, she invited these ladies to sit in the hall and instructed the two women serving Zhao Ling to serve tea.

Miss Tang also followed into the hall, sitting humbly on the small stool closest to the main door, which made her stand out.

A woman smiled and beckoned to her: “Miss Tang, you’re not an outsider. Come sit closer.” Then she smiled at Fu Tingyun, “Miss Fu, you don’t know. When your horse was startled, Miss Tang was afraid something might happen to you. Last night, she burned incense and prayed for you all night at the City God Temple.”

Several other women nodded in agreement, praising Miss Tang for her kind and generous heart.

Fu Tingyun was quite surprised and smiled: “Miss Tang is too modest. If everyone hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have known.” She smiled and gave a slight courtesy to Miss Tang. “Thank you for your concern, Miss Tang.” Then she added with concern: “I noticed you looked unwell today, but I had no idea you spent all night at the City God Temple. You must be tired? You should go rest! Staying up all night is most harmful to one’s health.”

Miss Tang hurriedly replied modestly: “It’s fine, it’s fine. I couldn’t be of much help, so I could only pray to the Bodhisattva to keep Miss Fu safe!”

“Miss Tang is thoughtful,” Fu Tingyun thanked her repeatedly and urged her to go rest. “Otherwise, I would feel too guilty.”

Some ladies exchanged glances and lowered their heads to drink tea. Others helped Fu Tingyun persuade Miss Tang, who could not decline such hospitality. She apologized to the ladies and returned to her room to rest.