While Grand Scholar Yu was silently pondering to himself, Fifth Master Fu, who remained standing, saw Grand Scholar Yu’s silence and assumed he was annoyed at being contradicted by Fu Tingyun. This filled him with apprehension.

If even a whisper of cheating in the imperial examinations got out, not only would he be ruined, but the hundred-year-old spotless reputation of the entire Fu family would be destroyed as well. Now, only Grand Scholar Yu, who was on good terms with Uncle Liu, could save him. He had to maintain good relations with the Yu family no matter what.

Fifth Master Fu was entirely focused on how to please Grand Scholar Yu and distance himself from Fu Tingyun. He silently blamed Fu Tingyun for not knowing her place. He thought about the cold shoulder he had received at the Zhao residence these days, the disdainful looks he had endured for breaking faith with Yu Jingxiu, and all the troubles this daughter had brought him since coming to the capital… Old grudges and new resentments surged in his heart. Furious, he stepped forward and raised his hand to slap Fu Tingyun.

When Fu Tingyun came to the Yu residence as a guest, with the two Fu masters fawning over Grand Scholar Yu, she never imagined that Fifth Master Fu would disregard the host-guest relationship and raise his hand against her in Yu’s flower hall, right in front of Grand Scholar Yu… Zhao Ling, however, had never trusted Grand Scholar Yu or the two Fu masters. He had been vigilant, watching in all directions, and was on full alert when Fifth Master Fu stepped forward. As soon as Fifth Master Fu raised his hand, Zhao Ling swiftly moved to stand in front of Fu Tingyun and deftly caught Fifth Master Fu’s wrist. His gaze fixed sternly on Grand Scholar Yu: “Lord Yu, I accepted your invitation and brought my humble wife to admire flowers. We came as guests, not to be insulted. If Your Excellency has no other business, my wife and I will take our leave, lest we risk being slapped at the slightest disagreement!”

Before he finished speaking, Grand Scholar Yu was already flushed with anger.

Never in his life had anyone dared to strike a guest in his home, right in front of him!

This was not only disrespectful to the Yu family but also a challenge to his authority.

Grand Scholar Yu’s face turned stern.

Fu Tingyun stood up, seething with anger.

She tightly gripped the hem of Zhao Ling’s clothes, constantly reminding herself that this was her husband who was standing up for her. She must not lose her temper or argue with the Fu family members, which would make it seem like she didn’t trust Zhao Ling. That would not only weaken Zhao Ling’s standing but also fail to appreciate his good intentions. If she clashed with the Fu family elders, she would inevitably be labeled unfilial. Zhao Ling, as a son-in-law with a different surname and from a different family, might at worst be criticized for having a bad temper if he quarreled with his father-in-law, but it wouldn’t extend to matters of loyalty and filial piety.

First Master Fu didn’t wait for Grand Scholar Yu to react and quickly pulled Fifth Master Fu back, hastily saying “Lord Zhao, please calm down,” then smiled and said: “You may not regard my brother as a father, but my brother has always treated you as his children…” The implication was that a father disciplining his children, whether through scolding or hitting, was appropriate.

After speaking, he glanced at Grand Scholar Yu.

Grand Scholar Yu, having navigated the political seas for decades, could see the irreconcilable conflict between the Fu father and daughter.

He had invited the two Fu masters, intending to reconcile with Fu Tingyun on the condition that “the Fu family acknowledges Fu Tingyun, and Fu Tingyun no longer pursues Yu Jingxiu’s wrongdoing.” Now he realized he had miscalculated.

He had previously thought Fifth Master Fu to be modest, courteous, and graceful, but never imagined him to be all appearance and no substance, panicking and losing his composure when facing difficulties. No wonder he had been manipulated by De Pu.

He felt somewhat contemptuous inside.

But this was now an opportune moment for his plan. He quickly concealed his disdain and smiled, supporting First Master Fu: “Lord Zhao, I am older than you and have experienced more. Call it presumptuous if you will. You young people don’t understand the mindset of us older folks. No matter how good our children are, we always want them to be better, so our demands are inevitably stricter than for others. And no matter how disappointing our children may be, they are still our flesh and blood. However stern we may appear on the surface, in our hearts, we still ache for them.” As he spoke, he stood up and walked to Zhao Ling, saying gently: “Lord Zhao, Master Fu’s actions were indeed somewhat rash, but he had no intention of harming Lady Zhao—his methods were merely inappropriate. I invited you here today, firstly to apologize on behalf of my son, and secondly to use this opportunity to reconcile father and daughter. You may not visit your father-in-law’s home, but surely you wouldn’t want your child to grow up without an uncle?”

After speaking, he gazed at Zhao Ling, his eyes sincere and earnest.

Fu Tingyun secretly cursed Grand Scholar Yu for his cunning.

As a son-in-law, if Zhao Ling refused while Grand Scholar Yu was being so humble in urging reconciliation, word would get out, and people would criticize him for being arrogant. If he agreed, the two Fu masters could use their status as elders to order her to compromise with the Yu family.

She quickly tugged at Zhao Ling’s sleeve, then put on a distressed expression and choked with emotion: “Husband, what should we do? Mother’s dying wish was that once I became a Zhao family bride, I would be a Zhao family member and never set foot in the Fu household again… If I consider our child, I would be breaking my promise to mother; if I follow mother’s command, I would be failing our child…” As she spoke, she gazed expectantly at Zhao Ling.

Grand Scholar Yu and the two Fu masters were startled by what they heard.

Zhao Ling, who was in perfect harmony with Fu Tingyun, immediately understood her meaning. He put on a hesitant appearance, and after a moment said: “We must respect the dead, and filial piety comes first among all virtues… We are now parents ourselves. If we don’t honor our parents, our children will see this and follow our example… We should prioritize my mother-in-law’s last wishes!”

Hearing this, Fu Tingyun heaved a sigh of relief, her expression relaxed, and said: “Husband’s wisdom is clear. I will obey my husband’s command.” After speaking, she made a formal curtsy to Zhao Ling.

Fifth Master Fu’s anger was evident on his face, while First Master Fu, seeing Grand Scholar Yu’s furrowed brow, decisively held his brother’s shoulder.

Others might not know, but he did: his fifth brother valued face above all. Originally, if he hadn’t been forced by Yu Jingxiu with no other options, he would never have told him about the imperial examination cheating. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been put in such a passive position. Therefore, when he first heard that Fu Tingyun was still alive, he quickly wrote to his fifth brother, urging him to minimize the matter and let it fade away. When he learned that Fu Tingyun had also written a letter to his wife, he became secretly anxious, fearing that Fu Tingyun would persist with the issue while his fifth brother would be unwilling to tell Fu Tingyun the truth, leading to further turmoil. After a year had passed with no resolution to Fu Tingyun’s situation, he realized things were likely worse than he had imagined. After much deliberation, he secretly claimed illness, abandoned his official duties in Jinhua, and rushed day and night to the capital… but he was still too late.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but glare at his brother, then turned a pleading gaze toward Grand Scholar Yu.

Whether what Fu Tingyun said was true or false wasn’t important; what mattered was what she meant.

Grand Scholar Yu inwardly blamed the two brothers for their incompetence while chuckling and returning to his seat. He pointed to the teacup in front of Zhao Ling: “A fellow graduate who serves as the prefect of Hangzhou recently sent me some pre-rain Dragon Well tea. Lord Zhao, please have a taste.” He hoped to move past this storm.

Fu Tingyun and Zhao Ling had come to resolve this matter and naturally wouldn’t dwell on it further.

Zhao Ling smiled and sat down, while Fu Tingyun’s expression became warm, as if nothing had happened. The couple picked up their teacups and took a sip. Zhao Ling praised the fine tea, while Fu Tingyun smiled without speaking, her expression casual.

Grand Scholar Yu nodded approvingly to himself. His gaze swept over Fu Tingyun’s serene and beautiful face, and suddenly inspired, he smiled and asked: “How does Lady Zhao find the tea?”

Fu Tingyun had come today to confront them, and even if Grand Scholar Yu had offered dragon liver and phoenix marrow, she wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow, let alone for pre-rain Dragon Well tea!

“The tea is good, and so is the water,” she smiled. “If I’m not mistaken, this is water from Yuquan Mountain, isn’t it? Yuquan Mountain water is known for its clarity and coolness. Your household was a bit hasty in brewing the tea, using it before the third boil, so the color isn’t as rich and aromatic. But that’s just a minor flaw—it’s still quite drinkable.” Her smile was bright and guileless, like a picky neighboring girl, not at all offensive.

Grand Scholar Yu was quite shocked. He uttered an “Oh!” with undisguised surprise in his eyes: “I didn’t expect Lady Zhao to be knowledgeable about tea!”

“My grandmother loved tea,” Fu Tingyun smiled. “I often served by her side and learned a bit about it.”

Being able to discern how many times the water had boiled was hardly superficial knowledge.

Such a fine young lady, and the Yu family had simply given her up.

Grand Scholar Yu couldn’t help but glance at Fifth Master Fu.

If Fifth Master Fu had brought this matter to him back then, how could there have been a broken engagement?

Thinking of this, he found himself saying almost supernaturally: “I hear Lady Zhao has a daughter. She must be quite clever and lively, right?”

Even though she didn’t see eye to eye with the person before her, hearing him kindly mention her daughter, Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but break into a radiant smile: “She’s not walking yet, but she’s already talking. She knows everything, and when she’s the least bit unhappy, she pouts with teary eyes looking at you…”

If Grand Scholar Yu had any regret in life, it was about offspring. Moreover, as he grew older with a successful career, it was precisely the time when he longed to enjoy playing with grandchildren. Listening to her, he couldn’t help but reveal an envious expression. After some thought, he called for Yu Huaian: “Go to the study and bring the longevity lock I prepared for the little Miss Zhao.”

This was what he had originally prepared to win over Fu Tingyun. But since he had never interacted with Fu Tingyun before, he had a red ruby-encrusted gold piece in his sleeve and a pure silver one in his study—the former being too valuable, more of a social gesture than a gift, while the latter, though ordinary, could be worn, truly representing an elder’s blessing to a junior.

Yu Huaian, as Grand Scholar Yu’s confidant, understood this distinction perfectly.

He looked at Fu Tingyun in surprise before acknowledging and withdrawing.

Fu Tingyun didn’t want to accept Grand Scholar Yu’s gift. She smiled and said: “You’re too kind. She hasn’t reached her first birthday yet, so it’s not appropriate to accept an elder’s gift so early.”

Unless one was so poor as to beg for food, a child’s birth always involved calculating their fate and fortune, with many considerations. Grand Scholar Yu genuinely wanted to give the child something, and hearing this, he became hesitant.

After some thought, he called Yu Huaian in: “…Then send some small playthings for the little girl!”

First, Master Fu was shocked.

Grand Scholar Yu had only met Fu Tingyun once, and under such circumstances, yet he had already developed some fondness for her… Could it be that his niece was truly as the old Taoist priest they had consulted had said: not only with a noble fate but also bringing prosperity to her husband and descendants?