“I’m taking Jingtong and Jingyi back to Fujian,” Madam Wang put down her teacup and remarked with some emotion, “I don’t know if we’ll have the chance to meet again in the future.”
Fu Tingyun was greatly surprised.
Madam Wang hadn’t returned to Fujian even for her mother’s birthday, so why was she suddenly going back now?
“Is there something happening with your family?” she asked after some thought.
“Yes!” A happy smile bloomed at the corners of Madam Wang’s mouth. “My mother wrote to me, asking me to come back.”
But that didn’t mean she had to leave and never return!
Could it be that Deputy Commander Wang’s position was being transferred recently?
That couldn’t be right either. Deputy Commander Wang had just been promoted, so even if he were being transferred, it wouldn’t happen so quickly!
Fu Tingyun became even more confused.
Madam Wang looked at her and smiled: “This is a family matter, but I don’t consider you an outsider, so there’s no harm in telling you.” As she spoke, she sighed softly, “I am the second daughter in my family. My mother nearly lost her life giving birth to me due to a difficult labor, and she was left with lingering health issues. After that, she lost several pregnancies, two of which were boys, so she favored my elder sister more. After we sisters grew up, my sister married the second son of Commander Cheng of Quanzhou Guard, while I married Lord Wang. My father thought Lord Wang was both virtuous and talented, though from a poor background, and had more affection for him. He wanted Lord Wang to inherit our family’s position of Battalion Commander. My mother, however, felt that since my brother-in-law Cheng was a second son with no inheritance in his own family, she wanted him to take over our family’s position. My parents argued frequently over this matter, and my mother became unwilling to see me.” At this point, her eyes grew slightly moist, “When Lord Wang saw this, he persuaded me to return with him to Shandan Guard.”
So that was it.
Fu Tingyun suddenly understood: “Then this time when the Elder Madam wrote asking you to return, does it mean she regrets her decision?”
Madam Wang nodded with tears in her eyes: “When I received my mother’s letter, I also received one from my father. He said that my brother-in-law Cheng’s behavior has been rather outrageous these years, and my mother is very disappointed. She fears that if our family business falls into his hands, it will decline, making my sister’s life even harder. So she regrets her previous decision and wants us to return. I discussed it with Lord Wang, and he feels that since my mother is elderly and now has regrets, he’s afraid she might become unwell with worry. He’s letting me take the children back to Fujian first, and in some time, he’ll find a way to transfer to Jiangnan. As for the family inheritance position, my brother-in-law Cheng has considered it his all these years. If it were suddenly given to Lord Wang, he might behave even more erratically, making my sister’s life more difficult, so it’s fine to let him have it. As long as we still hold our position of Senior Third Rank, he won’t dare to act recklessly, and that’s enough.”
“Congratulations, Madam!” Family conflicts were the most irrational and difficult to resolve, and Fu Tingyun sincerely said to Madam Wang, “Nothing could be better than this!”
Madam Wang nodded continuously, her smile full of satisfaction: “So I’ll set off after the fifteenth day of the eighth month.” She added, “Since we’ve become acquainted, I won’t be able to attend your wedding with Lord Zhao. I have a pair of camphorwood chests to give you as a memento!”
When Fujian women marry off their daughters, they always prepare camphorwood chests as part of the dowry. Perhaps this pair of chests was part of Madam Wang’s dowry?
“I couldn’t possibly accept such a gift!” Fu Tingyun waved her hands repeatedly.
“Please accept them!” Madam Wang said, covering her sleeve as she smiled, “If you ever need them in the future, just send me a message.”
The only future use would be when she marries off her daughter.
Fu Tingyun’s face turned bright red as she exclaimed, “Madam!” She reproached, “How can you also joke with me like this!”
Madam Wang chuckled and said, “I’ve been so happy these past few days.” Then she invited her, “Come to my home to enjoy the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival, will you? Jingtong and Jingyi will miss you terribly!”
Fu Tingyun thought of the two lively and adorable little girls, and also of Madam Wang’s motherly and sisterly guidance, feeling reluctant to part: “I will come then.”
Madam Wang smiled and nodded slightly, rose to take her leave, and left behind the two camphorwood chests.
Fu Tingyun caressed the ivory-inlaid passion flower pattern on the camphorwood chests, feeling somewhat melancholic. She went with Zheng Sanniang to buy two tapestries woven by Hui Muslims from the market. She also selected a pair of red gold cordyceps hairpins from the jewelry her mother had given her, placed them in a box, and sent everything to Madam Wang.
Madam Wang’s room was filled with people who had come to bid her farewell. Fu Tingyun smiled politely as she exchanged greetings with everyone. Among them, a graceful woman wearing a pink padded jacket smiled kindly at Fu Tingyun. A lady nearby introduced her: “This is the Marquis’s Concubine Xiao.”
Fu Tingyun was somewhat surprised.
Compared to Concubine Feng, the minor wife of the Commander and Deputy Commander, Concubine Xiao, the minor wife of the Marquis of Yingchuan, was like a shadow-like figure. According to Mrs. Qi, she rarely even left the second hall of the Yingchuan Marquis’s official residence. In the almost year since Fu Tingyun had been in Zhangye, this was the first time she had met this Concubine Xiao.
She smiled and greeted Concubine Xiao.
Concubine Xiao responded warmly: “Miss Fu, the white jade gourd pendant you sent me is very beautiful. I love it very much.” As she spoke, she pulled out a red string from her collar, on which hung the white jade gourd that Fu Tingyun had given her.
Fu Tingyun was surprised: “I didn’t expect you would wear it.”
“I truly love it.” Concubine Xiao’s smile was sincere and sweet.
Recalling what Zhao Ming had said about the Marquis of Yingchuan being brother-in-law to Prince Zhuang, the Emperor’s only son, Fu Tingyun decided it would be best to stay far away from the Marquis of Yingchuan’s inner chambers. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Concubine Xiao and then rose to take her leave.
Concubine Xiao reminded her: “Even though Madam Wang is returning to Fujian, we’re still here at the Commander’s residence.” She glanced at the various ladies present and added, “Miss Fu, when you have free time, you should still come to visit the Commander’s residence often, just as before.”
Fu Tingyun smiled and agreed, and Li Niang showed her to the door.
“Why did Concubine Xiao have time to socialize today?” she asked Li Niang.
“I don’t know,” replied Li Niang, who was Madam Wang’s maid. Now that Madam Wang was returning to Fujian, she was as happy as her mistress and had been busy preparing luggage these days. “Concubine Xiao has been going out frequently lately.” At this point, she smiled, “Perhaps because our Madam is returning to Fujian, there will be no woman of higher status than her in the Commander’s residence, so she can’t contain herself and has started showing off everywhere.” Her tone carried a hint of teasing.
“Perhaps!” Fu Tingyun felt she might be overthinking and chatted with Li Niang as they walked, parting ways at the entrance of the Commander’s residence.
Walking into the alley of the back street, she saw Mrs. Qi holding a small jar of wine and talking with the shopkeeper’s wife. Upon seeing Fu Tingyun, she hurriedly said a few words to the shopkeeper’s wife, then smiled at Fu Tingyun: “Miss Fu, you’d better hurry home. Your Lord Zhao has returned!”
Passersby all looked toward Fu Tingyun.
Hearing this, Fu Tingyun’s heart began to race, but she dared not show it. She simply exclaimed, “Oh?” and asked, “Is that true?”
“It’s true, it’s true!” Mrs. Qi said, “If you don’t believe me, ask the shopkeeper’s wife. Lord Zhao just passed by here.”
The shopkeeper’s wife nodded with a smile.
So he had returned!
Fu Tingyun was overjoyed but only smiled and greeted Mrs. Qi and the shopkeeper’s wife, slightly quickening her pace as she entered her courtyard.
Zheng San and Asen were talking with an unfamiliar young man, but Fu Tingyun went straight to the stable, glimpsing Zhao Ling’s horse resting there. Her heart finally settled down. A smile spread uncontrollably across her entire face as she lifted her skirt and ran toward the main house, leaving Zheng San’s calls behind her as she hurriedly pushed open the door to Zhao Ling’s inner room.
“Oh!” Zhao Ling, who was changing clothes, quickly turned away. Fu Tingyun’s face instantly flushed crimson, and she hastily left the inner room.
The August weather was pleasantly cool, but she felt hot all over as she stood under the eaves.
His tall figure… fair skin… broad shoulders… strong chest…
Asen came running over.
“Miss, Miss,” his voice was full of joy, “Master Nine has returned and is bathing in the room…” He pulled Fu Tingyun’s thoughts back to reality.
Fu Tingyun quickly composed herself, responded with an “Oh,” and noticed from the corner of her eye that the unfamiliar young man was looking at her with some awe. She took the opportunity to point at the young man and ask: “Who is this?”
“His name is An Xin. He’s a new servant that Master Nine has taken in. He just turned fifteen this year,” Asen explained with a smile, “Master Nine said that if there’s anything in the future, An Xin will help deliver messages.” He continued, “An Xin is from Ledu, his family belongs to the military household registry, and he rides very well. When Master Nine led people outside for training for over two months last time, that’s when Master Nine took a liking to An Xin. This time he specifically brought him here to get familiar with the place.”
He wasn’t using Zhao Ming anymore?
Well, that was good. That Zhao Ming talked too much and went around claiming to be a relative of Zhao Ling.
Zhao Ling had killed Feng Dahu, using the training exercise as an opportunity to leave Ledu. Then he divided his personnel into several groups—those in one group thought Zhao Ling was with another group, and those in the other group thought he was with the first, while he had gone to Liangzhou… Could this An Xin have some connection to this matter?
Fu Tingyun decided to find an opportunity to ask Zhao Ling.
An Xin was quite astute. When Fu Tingyun looked at him, he had already stepped forward to bow to her, and after Asen’s introduction, he respectfully called out “Miss Fu.”
Fu Tingyun smiled and nodded to him. Zhao Ling walked out and said, “You’ve already met. Then I won’t say more.” With a stern expression, he instructed An Xin, “In the future, if Miss Fu has any requests for you, you must fulfill them diligently, just as you would my orders. Understood?”
An Xin quickly responded, “Yes.”
Zhao Ling paid him no more attention and spoke to Fu Tingyun: “I heard you went to Madam Wang’s place. Is there something happening with the Wang family?” His tone was casual and natural, showing no awkwardness or discomfort about Fu Tingyun’s accidental intrusion into his room, which helped Fu Tingyun regain her composure.
“It’s a long story,” Fu Tingyun noticed his wet hair tied up on top of his head and asked Asen to bring some dry towels. She placed a stool for Zhao Ling under the eaves, and while helping him wring out his hair, she quietly told him about Madam Wang’s plan to return to Fujian.
After listening, Zhao Ling pondered for a while and said, “So, Madam Wang’s family has asked her to bring the children back to Fujian?”
“Yes,” Fu Tingyun smiled, “Lord Wang might also be transferred to Jiangnan in some time.”
Zhao Ling remained silent for a long while.