Fu Tingyun turned around in surprise and saw Concubine Wu hurrying after them, out of breath.

“Lady… Lady Zhao,” she looked at Fu Tingyun with reddened eyes and a pleading expression, “I, I just want to say a few words to you… just a few words!”

Fu Tingyun hesitated momentarily, remembering the sadness in Concubine Wu’s voice when she said, “My child is gone.”

Fifth Sister silently thought, “this is not good.”

Ninth Sister had always been soft-hearted since childhood, but such softness should be exercised at appropriate times. Such private matters were difficult to intervene in even among relatives, let alone the affairs of the Yu family.

A concubine’s son died… good riddance! It would be even better if the principal wife’s son died too.

That Yu Jingxiu was malicious and crafty—it would be most satisfying if he had no descendants!

She stepped forward and took Fu Tingyun’s hand: “It’s getting late, let’s quickly return to the side hall! Otherwise, Ninth Master and the others will have to search everywhere for us after they finish their chess game!” She didn’t even glance at Concubine Wu.

“Lady Zhao!” Concubine Wu called out urgently, tears rolling down her face, “I know you’re a good person. I just have something I want to ask you about. Please…” As she spoke, she bent her knees, about to kneel.

Yu Wei stamped her foot in frustration.

Judging by her mistress’s expression, she was showing signs of softening. If this Concubine Wu knelt, it would be difficult for the mistress to refuse even if she wanted to.

Quick-witted and nimble, Yu Wei took three steps forward in two strides. Before Concubine Wu’s knees could touch the ground, she stepped forward to help her up: “Please don’t do this, Concubine Wu. You are a concubine of the Yu family. How could you perform such a grand gesture to our lady?” She added pointedly, “Is Concubine Wu burning incense alone here? Where are your maids and servants? Would you like us to help find them? The weather is so cold—it wouldn’t be good if Concubine Wu caught a chill!”

Concubine Wu seemed not to understand Yu Wei’s implications. She nodded gratefully to Yu Wei and explained: “Today is the death anniversary of my child. I reported to Lady Yu, and Lady Yu specially arranged a carriage to send me to Tanzhe Temple to burn incense for my child. The weather is too cold, so I let my maids and servants rest in the side rooms.” She looked at Fu Tingyun, “I wanted to be alone for a while, to say a few words to my child…” The pleading in her eyes grew more intense.

Fifth Sister secretly thought, “how inauspicious.”

Just look at the day she had chosen…

“My sister is with child,” she said bluntly, not knowing that Concubine Wu had miscarried, “Since this is a memorial service, it’s better to keep a distance!” After speaking, she pulled Fu Tingyun away.

Concubine Wu’s tears fell continuously.

Indeed, a miscarried child was considered an evil spirit, and it would be terrible if it disturbed Lady Zhao’s child.

She lowered her head: “Lady Zhao, I’m sorry, I didn’t think it through… I didn’t mean to…” Her face was filled with guilt.

Fu Tingyun sighed and held onto Fifth Sister’s hand: “I’ll speak with her briefly.”

“Ninth Sister,” Fifth Sister frowned, “That’s the Yu family’s business, what does it have to do with us? We’re already showing kindness by not taking this opportunity to cause trouble for Yu Jingxiu. Why would you involve yourself in the affairs of their concubine…” In her urgency, she said, “Be careful, or I’ll tell Third Sister!”

A warm current flowed through Fu Tingyun’s heart.

“I understand,” she said gently. “I’ll just speak with her in front of the main hall. Nothing will happen.” She squeezed Fifth Sister’s hand tightly before letting go, then said to Concubine Wu: “Follow me.” She walked toward the camellia tree.

Concubine Wu was momentarily stunned, then hastily followed, ignoring the tears on her face.

Fu Tingyun stopped under the flower tree and smiled, pointing at her face: “Do you have a handkerchief? Wipe your tears. The weather is cold, and water on your face can easily freeze it.”

Hearing this, Concubine Wu’s tears, which had just stopped, began to fall again. She smiled and responded with a “yes,” quickly taking out a handkerchief to wipe her face.

Fu Tingyun then said: “Did you hear clearly what my Fifth Sister said earlier?”

Concubine Wu hesitated for quite a while before nodding slightly and murmuring: “Is it because I’m a concubine…”

“That’s not it,” Fu Tingyun said frankly. “By rights, even if you are a concubine, considering that Lady Wu and I are neighbors, if you came to me with a problem, I should offer some help. But there are things you don’t know—there is a rift between me and the Yu family…”

“Ah!” Before she could finish, Concubine Wu exclaimed, “How could, could that be?”

She stared at Fu Tingyun with her mouth open, remaining motionless for a long time.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but laugh self-mockingly in her heart.

She had decided to give Concubine Wu an explanation because she sensed the woman’s inexplicable goodwill toward her.

But even so, when Concubine Wu heard that there was a rift between her and the Yu family, her face showed complete disbelief.

Fifth Sister was right—what did the Yu family’s affairs have to do with her? No matter how pitiful Concubine Wu might be, she was still part of the Yu family. By helping her, how was Fu Tingyun any different from Dong Guo Jun?

For a moment, Fu Tingyun felt disheartened.

“I really can’t conveniently listen to your problem,” she said, nodding to Concubine Wu before turning to leave.

But her sleeve was caught by a hand as thin as bamboo: “Lady Zhao, wait!”

She had already said what needed to be said, yet this Concubine Wu was being too persistent! And to think she had wanted to be kind enough to give her an explanation.

Fu Tingyun turned back, suppressing her displeasure.

“Lady Zhao,” Concubine Wu’s pale face flushed with an unnaturally bright red, her eyes shining with unusual brilliance, “Thank you, thank you for treating me this way.”

Fu Tingyun was quite surprised.

Concubine Wu continued: “That lady was right. You don’t need to concern yourself with my affairs, yet you spoke frankly to me… Although I may be somewhat slow-witted, I appreciate your kindness.” She smiled, and her melancholic face brightened like a flower in the sun, “Lady Zhao, you are a good person. If there is a rift between you and the Yu family, it must be that the Yu family is in the wrong. Good people will be rewarded—you will surely be blessed with prosperity and your family will remain safe and healthy.” She curtsied to Fu Tingyun, “Ignorance is not a sin—please forgive my earlier rudeness. It’s getting late, and I should go back. My maids and servants are waiting for me in the side rooms.” Without waiting for Fu Tingyun to respond, she curtsied again and quickly walked toward the moon gate to the east.

Fu Tingyun hadn’t expected that Concubine Wu would believe the Yu family was in the wrong simply because she thought Fu Tingyun was a good person!

They had no prior acquaintance—how could she think Fu Tingyun was a good person?

Watching Concubine Wu’s retreating figure, Fu Tingyun wanted to say something but hesitated.

Even if she called her back and learned the reason, what good would it do?

Would it mean she could help with Concubine Wu’s problems?

Fu Tingyun sighed as she returned to Fifth Sister’s side.

“What did you say to that concubine?” Although Fu Tingyun’s voice had been neither loud nor soft, Fifth Sister and the others had been too far away to hear clearly, even when straining their ears. Fifth Sister worried that she might have made some promise to Concubine Wu.

“Nothing much,” Fu Tingyun said. “I frankly told her that there is a rift between me and the Yu family, so it’s not convenient for me to hear her out.”

Fifth Sister’s tense nerves relaxed upon hearing this, but she still said: “Why say so much to her? In the future, stay as far away as possible from such matters. Those who know you will say you’re kind-hearted, but those who don’t might think you’re trying to cause trouble in the Yu household! Don’t end up sacrificing yourself. Do you understand?”

“I understand, I understand,” Fu Tingyun quickly assured Fifth Sister with a smile. “I’ll take this as a lesson and won’t speak much with their family members again.”

“Remember what you’ve said,” Fifth Sister reminded her repeatedly as they went to the side hall at the back.

Soon after, Fifth Brother-in-law returned.

He asked: “Hasn’t Ninth Brother-in-law returned yet?”

“Not yet,” Fu Tingyun smiled.

Fifth Brother-in-law greatly regretted his decision: “Had I known, I would have continued my tour longer!”

Hearing this, Fifth Sister glared at him: “Ninth Brother-in-law entrusted you to look after Ninth Sister, and Ninth Sister, fearing you might be bored, arranged for a novice monk to guide you around the temple. Yet here you are, complaining. If I had known, I should have made you stay here and listen to our idle chat.”

Fifth Brother-in-law didn’t argue, just smiled somewhat bashfully.

Fu Tingyun felt that Fifth Sister was being too harsh on Fifth Brother-in-law, so she quickly said: “Fifth Brother-in-law, which places did you visit today? Was it enjoyable?”

“Tanzhe Temple truly deserves its reputation as an imperial temple.” Fifth Brother-in-law had countless impressions to share after his tour, and Fu Tingyun’s question hit just the right spot. His expression brightened with excitement, “The Upper and Lower Pagoda Courtyards are filled with pagodas, with the earliest stone dating back to the Jin Dynasty. There’s a stele inscription that is majestic and solemn, deeply imbued with Liu Zhenqing’s style. I made a rubbing…” He called loudly for his servant to bring in the rubbing he had made to show Fu Tingyun, “…I plan to research it when I return home to see whose calligraphy it is!”

Fifth Sister, knowing her husband’s passion and being skilled in calligraphy herself, went forward with Fu Tingyun to view it.

The side hall immediately became lively.

If Yu Wei hadn’t been keeping watch, they might not have noticed when Zhao Ling returned.

On the way back, Zhao Ling smiled and said: “Fifth Brother-in-law and Fifth Sister are truly kindred spirits.”

Fu Tingyun smiled and told Zhao Ling about meeting Concubine Wu.

Zhao Ling said the same thing as Fifth Sister: “We don’t provoke them, and they should be burning incense in gratitude for that, yet they dare to come and bother you…”

Seeing a flash of coldness in his eyes, Fu Tingyun knew he was angry and quickly said: “She’s just a concubine, what does she know? Besides, you’re about to leave for Guizhou, so it’s better to focus your attention on the military affairs there. Don’t worry about these messy matters. Didn’t you say you trust me? I will handle it well.” She then asked, “What did Master Yan discuss with you today? Did you ask him about his views on the situation in Guizhou?”

“I was just playing chess with Master Yan, we didn’t discuss anything else,” Zhao Ling smiled as he held Fu Tingyun in his arms, “Sometimes saying too much isn’t good.”

“Always so mysterious,” Fu Tingyun murmured, nestling comfortably in his embrace.

Zhao Ling smiled and said, “After the New Year, Lord Wu Xin from Shaanxi may send a steward to visit our home. If he sends any gifts, just accept them.”

“What are you up to now?” Fu Tingyun asked, “Why would Lord Wu send gifts to our family?”

“It’s nothing,” Zhao Ling said casually, “I helped him with a small favor. Being too rigid can make people distant. Just do as I say. At most, we’ll return the favor when he has some matter to attend to.”

External matters were Zhao Ling’s domain, and besides, what he said made sense.

Fu Tingyun nodded and began discussing Master Yan’s chess skills with Zhao Ling.