Yang Yucheng immediately slapped Zuo Junjie across the face. “You’re still not being honest? I may not have eaten pork, but I’ve certainly seen pigs run! Is the imperial examination so easy to pass? Promising you’ll become a Jinshi? Even if you want to shirk responsibility, find a better excuse! Tell the truth…” As he spoke, with a “snap,” he cut off another of Zuo Junjie’s fingers.

The cellar echoed with Zuo Junjie’s miserable screams.

“I’m not lying, I’m not lying!” Zuo Junjie moaned and begged repeatedly. “I begged my way to the capital to find Young Master Yu… I knew he would come to the capital for the examinations… I never expected he would become the top scholar!” When he said this, his tone was both envious and jealous, with a hint of resentment. “I was afraid of being discovered by the Fu family, and also afraid that Young Master Yu wouldn’t acknowledge me… But if I didn’t go to him, who else could I turn to?” he muttered. “If his family elders found out, Young Master Yu would not only deny everything but might even turn the tables on me. Then I would be the only one to suffer… Now Young Master Yu works at the Courier Office. I saw him several times and wanted to speak with him, but he was always surrounded by many people. Looking like a beggar, I couldn’t get close, so I had to think of another way… Who knew I would be discovered by you? I had to flee to Daxing County overnight. When things quieted down, I returned to the capital but didn’t dare go back to Tanzhe Temple. Instead, I begged near the Yu family residence and finally learned that the second young master of the Ji family in Bensi Hutong was from the same examination year as Young Master Yu, and the two families were related. Young Master Yu often visited the Ji family on his days off… I managed to get a long gown, calculating that yesterday was his day off. Early in the morning, I lingered outside the Ji family gate, but Young Master Yu never came…”

As he spoke, he shouted harshly at Fu Tingyun, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Young Master Yu! Liu Sutong from Minnan, like Xu Tingyi, who serves the Emperor, was implicated in the Xiping twenty-third year Bingchen civil service examination fraud case. Later, Xu Tingyi fled to Prince Mu’s manor to become an adviser, while Liu Sutong made a living by taking examinations for others… He promised he could help me find Liu Sutong to step forward!” After finishing, he added venomously, “Perhaps his top scholar title was earned by Liu Sutong taking the exam for him!” A flash of hatred gleamed in his eyes.

That gleam stimulated Fu Tingyun’s nerves. She came to her senses and stepped forward in front of Yu Wei. “You say Young Master Yu wanted to break off the engagement. Why?”

Zuo Junjie was slightly stunned and said, “I don’t know either. I just heard Young Master Yu say he would never become a son-in-law of the Fu family.”

Fu Tingyun was bewildered.

“Why?” she murmured to herself, her face turning pale as paper.

“That’s something you’ll have to ask Young Master Yu!” Zuo Junjie laughed, with a distinct tone of schadenfreude.

Fu Tingyun’s gaze suddenly turned cold.

“Rest assured, I will certainly confront Young Master Yu,” she looked at Zuo Junjie with a cold smile. “If what you say is true, I think Young Master Yu will be very interested to hear that you’re in my hands. But if you’re talking nonsense…” She didn’t continue, but snorted derisively, clearly not believing what he said.

Others might not have met Young Master Yu, but he had dealt with him before.

That Fu Tingyun was merely a sheltered woman—how could she know Young Master Yu’s methods? Perhaps when the time came, Young Master Yu would convince her with just a few words and have her hand him over… If so, he would be at Young Master Yu’s mercy…

As this thought flashed through his mind, Zuo Junjie’s face suddenly turned pale.

“No, no, no,” his voice contained a terror he wasn’t aware of. “You can’t hand me over to Young Master Yu! He harbors ill intentions toward the Fu family… You don’t know, this matter wasn’t irreversible at first. It was Young Master Yu—I don’t know what he said to your father—but your father wrote to Master Fu, and that’s why Master Fu suddenly changed his mind and wanted to kill me…” At this point, he suddenly realized his slip of the tongue and fell silent. Then, fearing Fu Tingyun might not understand the gravity of the situation, he paused and continued, “Regardless, this is a Fu family matter. Hand me over to your father, and let him negotiate with the Yu family. I promise I will testify for you then…”

Fu Tingyun was stunned. “You’re saying the incident could have been remedied, but it was because of Fifth Master that First Master changed his mind?” A strange look flashed in her eyes.

Zuo Junjie also began to feel uneasy.

Though they say there are no unfilial parents in the world, if Fu Tingyun became resentful toward the First and Fifth Masters of the Fu family in a moment of confusion, how could she possibly hand him over to the Fu family?

He hastily defended, “Young Master Yu distorts facts and is exceptionally persuasive. I’m afraid both your father and Master Fu were deceived by him…”

Fu Tingyun’s expression softened slightly upon hearing this.

Yang Yucheng grew extremely anxious.

Zuo Junjie had the heart of a wolf and the mind of a thief. One moment he said one thing, the next moment another. For a sister-in-law to negotiate with him was like negotiating with a tiger.

He needed to find a way to remind his sister-in-law.

But in front of Zuo Junjie, how could he undermine his sister-in-law’s reputation?

He anxiously looked toward the resourceful Jin Yuanbao.

Jin Yuanbao frowned slightly, evidently not entirely approving of Fu Tingyun’s approach.

Realizing they were thinking along the same lines, Yang Yucheng couldn’t help but feel relieved. Then he heard Fu Tingyun say, “In that case, why don’t you write me a guarantee? You don’t need to write anything else, just put down everything you just said. If what you say is true, I will certainly settle accounts with Young Master Yu. If you’re just talking nonsense… never mind others, just my Uncle Yang here has thousands of ways to make you regret your actions today!” By the end, her tone carried a hint of intimidation.

Yang Yucheng felt embarrassed.

But Zuo Junjie wasn’t afraid.

What he had said was the truth.

And what Fu Tingyun cared about was simply clearing her name and restoring her reputation! As long as he agreed to testify for her, she would probably be willing to pay any price, wouldn’t she?

He pondered.

It was just a guarantee. If he didn’t write it, Fu Tingyun would certainly think he was lying.

He might as well write the guarantee for her and let the Fu and Yu families quarrel.

Perhaps when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits—and that fisherman could be him!

With this thought, Zuo Junjie said, “Bring me brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. I’ll write and affix my thumbprint.”

Fu Tingyun glanced at Yu Wei, who quickly turned and left the cellar.

Yang Yucheng took the opportunity to approach Fu Tingyun, but Jin Yuanbao reached her side first and said in a low voice, “Sister-in-law, earlier you spoke earnestly, but Zuo Junjie disregarded his sister’s well-being. Now he suddenly shows concern for his sister’s difficulties… Such a rapid change in attitude suggests something is amiss… Perhaps you should let Yucheng and me interrogate this Zuo fellow further?”

“No need,” Fu Tingyun said. “I only want a guarantee from him. As for its authenticity, I believe once I see Young Master Yu and meet with my husband, I will naturally know!”

Jin Yuanbao realized she already had a plan in mind. His eyes brightened, and he silently retreated to the side.

Yang Yucheng was puzzled.

Zuo Junjie, who had overheard fragments of their conversation, felt greatly relieved.

The Fu family had been looking for him all along.

Rather than being manipulated by Young Master Yu, he would rather deal with the two masters of the Fu family. Regardless, his elder sister was still a daughter-in-law of the Fu family, and one who might earn the Fu family their fourth chastity memorial arch. As the sole descendant of the Zuo family, his sister would never watch him die… As long as he didn’t fall into Young Master Yu’s hands, there would always be a chance. If he fell into Young Master Yu’s hands, with matters having escalated to this point, Young Master Yu would have no choice but to silence him permanently.

So when Yu Wei brought in the writing materials, he even carefully considered his wording before writing a guarantee and handing it to Fu Tingyun.

After receiving the guarantee, Fu Tingyun left the cellar under the protection of Yu Wei and A Sen, without sparing Zuo Junjie another glance.

Zuo Junjie looked at the cold expression on Yang Yucheng’s face and felt the heart-piercing pain of the pliers surging back like a tide.

“Madam Fu, release me quickly!” he shouted in fear. “This matter should be decided by your father. Don’t act rashly—Young Master Yu is not to be trifled with…”

“Since you’re so afraid of Young Master Yu,” Fu Tingyun’s cold voice, tinged with disdain, came from outside the cellar, “For your safety, I think it’s best you stay in the cellar until this matter is clarified!”

Zuo Junjie was taken aback.

Jin Yuanbao had already given Yang Yucheng a look, then turned and climbed up the cellar ladder.

Yang Yucheng chuckled and once again crouched beside Zuo Junjie, taking out the pliers and snipping them in the air a couple of times.

Zuo Junjie’s face immediately turned pale. “What, what are you going to do?”

“Nothing much,” Yang Yucheng smiled. “You’ve already written your guarantee, and your sister-in-law asked me to guard you here. Since we’re idle anyway, why don’t I test whether you’ve been telling the truth…”

“No…” Zuo Junjie let out a piercing scream.

Having left the cellar, Jin Yuanbao heard this and frowned impatiently. He called down to the cellar, “Don’t kill him—Young Master Yu might want to see him,” then covered the cellar lid and quickly walked to Fu Tingyun, who was standing somewhat dazedly in the middle of the courtyard.

Sister-in-law must be upset by Zuo Junjie’s words about “your father writing to First Master Fu, and First Master Fu suddenly changing his mind.”

“Sister-in-law,” he hesitated, “Zuo Junjie is like a cornered animal now. Please don’t take his words to heart…”

“Among Ninth Master’s good friends, you’ve always been calm and wise,” Fu Tingyun listened and smiled faintly at him. “Please don’t offer such insincere comfort in the future.”

That smile, hanging lightly at the corners of her mouth, was like thin mist in a forest—ethereal, transparent, as if a slight breeze could make it vanish without a trace.

Jin Yuanbao lowered his head in shame. “Sister-in-law…”

“I was just joking with you!” Fu Tingyun said with a smile. “You don’t need to be so serious.” As she spoke, her expression turned melancholic. “I’ve long harbored some suspicions in my heart, but I’ve been avoiding them, afraid to think too deeply. It’s good that Zuo Junjie has brought it out in the open…”

Jin Yuanbao felt sad.

What reason could make Fifth Master Fu, her father, abandon such a good woman as sister-in-law?

Thinking this, he took a deep breath and summoned his courage to say, “Sister-in-law, if you find me useful, let me run some errands for you?”

“Without all of you, this matter couldn’t be accomplished!” Fu Tingyun laughed. “Even if you hadn’t offered, I would have had to trouble you.”

Hearing this, Jin Yuanbao felt relieved. He smiled and bowed to Fu Tingyun. “At your service, sister-in-law!”

Fu Tingyun began to laugh.

Though she had lost much, she had also gained much.

Heaven is always fair.

Thinking of the good people and things in her life, she found she had nothing to hate!