Fu Tingyun felt that the expression on her face must be quite a sight.

Accidentally ingested arsenic?

Who would accidentally ingest arsenic?

If that doctor heard this, he would probably laugh secretly, thinking she was some jealous woman who had knocked over a vinegar jar…

Wait… doctor… he had called for a doctor… When his companion was injured by a tiger trap, he merely rummaged through his medicine cabinet for remedies, yet he had called a doctor for her…

She stared at him blankly, an unusual emotion sliding through her heart, making her uneasy.

Or perhaps it was because she was lying in bed, appearing undignified and impolite in front of him?

Fu Tingyun pondered as she struggled to sit up, only to discover she was wearing a clean, pale moonlight-colored cotton shirt.

Her expression changed dramatically—she remembered she had been wearing a Hangzhou silk blouse when Chen Mama had forced medicine down her throat, and some of it had spilled onto her clothing.

As if seeing through her thoughts, he suddenly said, “At the time, the situation was unclear, and I dared not take you to Huayin City for medical treatment, so I brought you to Tongguan instead. Your clothes were changed by the doctor’s wife.”

Tongguan was only twenty li from Huayin; they hadn’t traveled far.

Fu Tingyun’s face reddened slightly.

Suspecting him like this seemed somewhat petty!

She felt somewhat guilty.

While glancing around, she changed the subject: “Where are we?”

She was lying on a couch covered with a cool bamboo mat. The couch was old and broken, its red paint mottled, revealing white undercoat. The carved flowers on the railings had disappeared, leaving bare rails. The bamboo mat, however, was new, emerald green in color, and fragrant with the scent of bamboo. The roof had several large holes, allowing sunlight to stream directly in. A spider was spinning its web in the corner of the opposite wall. The wooden door on the left was propped up with an old tree stump, completely rotten and drafty. The right wall had half-collapsed, revealing the side of a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha not far away.

“This is a dilapidated temple outside Tongguan city,” he said. “We couldn’t afford an inn, so we’re resting here!”

Is that so?

Fu Tingyun thought of what she had just heard and secretly pouted. Then, remembering Han Yan and Lu’E, she asked, “What happened to my two young maids?”

She had called so loudly at that time, yet neither of them had responded—they must have either been confined by Chen Mama or tied up… She hoped they were unharmed!

Hearing this, the corner of his mouth tightened, and his gaze upon her deepened: “We left in a hurry, and I couldn’t attend to them!”

Fu Tingyun was embarrassed.

It sounded as if she was blaming him for not bringing the two young maids along… The situation had been so urgent that it was already remarkable he had managed to rescue her, let alone two powerless young girls… She understood this much.

Not wanting him to misunderstand, she quickly explained, “Chen Mama had sent away all the servants in Jing Yue Hall at that time. Those matrons were likely sent to do something else, but I’m a bit worried about Han Yan and Lu’E…”

He nodded slightly, appearing unwilling to discuss it further: “By the way, I met your mother,” he interrupted, pulling out something wrapped in a handkerchief from his sleeve. “She asked me to give this to you.”

Fu Tingyun took it suspiciously and opened it.

It was a slightly tarnished silver bracelet.

Such silver bracelets were most common and ordinary, sold all over Huayin City. If there was anything different about this silver bracelet her mother had asked him to bring her, it was the small engraved magnolia flower at the tarnished spot. Others might see it merely as an identifying mark, but seeing it filled her with turmoil.

This was specially ordered by her mother from a silversmith in Xi’an Prefecture for her wedding.

It was hollow inside, with the opening mechanism at the tarnished spot.

When her mother had placed the silver bracelet in her mirror box, she had whispered that any important personal items could be hidden inside—no one would ever suspect.

Disregarding his presence, she opened the silver bracelet.

Inside were two banknotes worth one thousand taels each.

They bore the seal of Baoqing Silver House.

Baoqing Silver House honored notes regardless of the bearer and could be redeemed at any of their twenty-seven branches throughout the north and south.

At that time, the best farmland in Xi’an Prefecture cost no more than eight taels of silver per mu.

Why would her mother give her so much money?

What did her mother mean?

The banknotes trembled in Fu Tingyun’s hands.

He watched, and suddenly in his mind appeared a face that resembled Fu Tingyun’s by five or six parts out of ten.

“My benefactor, please save my daughter!” In the dim lamplight, the woman trembled just like her daughter now, her eyes filled with tears as she begged him, “In my next life, I will repay your kindness even if I must be reborn as an ox or a horse.” As she spoke, she removed all her jewelry and pushed it into his hands. “In this life, I will erect a memorial tablet for you, praying that you live a long life, blessed with fortune and prosperity, and have numerous descendants…” Seeing him unhesitatingly put all the jewelry in his bosom, the woman gave a bitter, self-mocking smile—these items were worth thousands, enough for an ordinary person to buy land and houses and never worry about food or clothing for the rest of their life. Her daughter had lost the protection of her family, and she was acting out of personal interest. He could easily take these jewels and leave without risking himself to save anyone… If he were malicious, he could even sell the sheltered daughter who had never left home… Even if discovered, who would there be to hold him accountable? But she truly had no other option; she could only hope against hope!

Seeing the silver bracelet, he immediately understood the woman’s thoughts.

He couldn’t help but flash a bitter smile.

“Your mother asked me to take you to your uncle’s home in Fengyan, Weinan, and never to return to the Fu family again,” he said, pointing to a blue cloth bundle beside Fu Tingyun’s pillow. “Inside are some clothes to change into and some gold and silver jewelry your mother gave you. Keep them safe. We’ll set off at dusk.” Having finished, he turned to leave.

“Wait!” Fu Tingyun’s voice trembled. “You said my mother told you never to return to the Fu family?”

He turned back to face her.

Her gaze, fixed on him, was both hopeful and fearful.

Suddenly he felt somewhat irritated: “That’s what your mother said!” His tone was harsh.

Fu Tingyun’s face turned ashen.

“So my mother knew all along that Chen Mama would deal with me?” she hugged her knees, her gaze vacant as she murmured to herself. “Why? Why would she rather believe Zuo Junjie than me? Why did she say such comforting words like ‘I’d rather believe in the daughter I raised than in the rules of the Fu family’? Why did she condemn me without even asking for my side of the story? If so, why send me to my uncle’s? Is it to humiliate me again? How pitiful that I was still wholeheartedly hoping to see her… thinking that if only I could see her, I could clear my name of false accusations…” She covered her face and buried her head between her knees.

“Your mother must have had no choice,” he hesitated for a moment before saying softly. “I went several times but couldn’t find your mother. It was only when I overheard a maid delivering food that I learned your mother had moved to your grandmother’s quarters more than a month ago. She spends every day with your grandmother in the prayer hall, praying for your speedy recovery…”

“Are you saying my mother is also being confined?” Fu Tingyun raised her head, her tear-stained face full of shock and hope.

He understood clearly.

The shock was from disbelief about her mother’s situation; the hope was from wanting to believe her mother had neither doubted nor abandoned her.

He nodded solemnly: “In my view, your mother is indeed being confined!”

Fu Tingyun suddenly became excited.

She threw aside the bright blue cotton sheet covering her and got out of bed.

“Sir, may I ask your honorable surname?” Fu Tingyun looked at him with bright eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, then said: “My surname is Zhao!” He did not reveal his given name.

“Master Zhao Jiu(Zhao Jiu)!” Fu Tingyun smiled slightly. “I just heard someone call you ‘Master Jiu(Nine),’ so I’ll call you that too!”

In the sunlight, her features were striking, like a half-bloomed peony, overwhelmingly beautiful.

He nodded slightly, somewhat entranced.

Fu Tingyun smiled even more cheerfully.

She handed him the two banknotes worth two thousand taels.

He glanced at the banknotes in Fu Tingyun’s hand and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“I want to go to the capital to find my father,” Fu Tingyun’s beautiful eyes sparkled with spirit. “I would like to request Master Zhao Jiu’s escort along the way, and this is your payment.” She continued, “I know Master Nine must reach Xi’an Prefecture before the fifteenth of the eighth month. I dare not hinder your important business and only hope to stay by your side during these days. After your business is completed, perhaps you could accompany me to the capital. I’ll cover all your food and lodging during this time. If it’s not enough, my father can compensate you further when we reach the capital!” Her tone was very sincere.

His gaze lingered on her face, as if trying to memorize her appearance, his expression very serious.

Fu Tingyun always felt that Master Zhao Jiu was mercurial in temperament, capable of fierce methods, and very difficult to get along with. Now seeing him staring at her intently, she couldn’t help but feel nervous, and her tone became even more submissive: “I cannot let my mother suffer such injustice. I must see my father and ask him to help my mother and me…”

“However,” he said slowly, “your father has already returned to Huayin days ago!”

“What?” Fu Tingyun was horrified, speechless.

“The Fu family has already announced your death,” Master Zhao Jiu said slowly, “and held a fourteen-day memorial service for you, reporting your death to your father and the Yu family. Your father returned to Huayin five days ago, and the Yu family representatives arrived three days ago—your fiancé and his third uncle came. After visiting your grave, your father returned the betrothal cards to the Yu family…”

“That’s impossible! Impossible!” Fu Tingyun shouted, as if only by doing so could she prove him wrong… but her expression was already filled with panic.

Her mother knew she was still alive. Even if her father had doubts about her, he could have found her and questioned her to learn the truth. Why didn’t he investigate to discover what happened? Why didn’t he clear her name? And he had even broken off the engagement with the Yu family!

What was she to do now?

Was it true, as her mother said, that she should never return to the Fu family?

Fu Tingyun collapsed onto the bed.

She had never imagined that one day she would not be able to return to the Fu family.

She was born and raised there.

Even if she were to marry into the renowned Yu family in Fengle Ward of Nanjing, whenever she thought of the Fu family, of being a daughter protected by the Fu family, she would feel secure. Whether it was a shrewd and capable mother-in-law, a talented husband she had never met, or numerous sisters-in-law with varied personalities, she feared nothing, because she had the Fu family that could always offer her a warm embrace!

But now, although she was alive, in everyone’s eyes she was already dead… She was no longer a daughter of the Fu family, no longer under the Fu family’s protection… The vast world stretched before her, yet she was all alone, like a rootless duckweed, unable to find a place to settle…

Fu Tingyun hugged herself, feeling a chill pervade her entire body.