Zhao Ling laughed and said, “What do you think I could do? In these peaceful times, under the bright sky, I have a home, a wife, and children. You still think it’s like before, when one person eats his fill, and the whole family isn’t hungry.” His expression was completely open.
“You may deceive others, but you can’t deceive me.” Fu Tingyun didn’t believe him at all. “If you merely missed us, you would stay at home and not go out. How is it that you’re only staying home for two days, yet going to Zhang Family Bay to wait for the Pacification Commissioners? You’re not that kind of person.” She knew he was the type who, once determined, would not turn back, and the more it involved her and the children, the more tightly he kept his secrets. Her tears fell more heavily. “This is what hurts me the most. It’s as if the children and I are burdens to you. When you’re alone outside, I can neither take care of your daily needs nor your living arrangements. Whenever I think of this, I feel both sad and guilty, yet you only share good news and hide the bad. If you truly cared for me, you should put yourself in my position.” As she spoke, she ran her fingers across his back. “Where did this scar come from? You didn’t have it when you left the capital. You write to me every ten days, yet you never mentioned a word of this.” Then she confronted him, “Do you want me to live in constant fear every day?” After speaking, she hugged his waist and sobbed quietly.
Zhao Ling sighed, wiping her tears while smiling bitterly. “Sometimes a woman being too clever is indeed not a good thing…” This was an indirect admission that he had another purpose for returning early.
Fu Tingyun stopped crying, raised her head, and asked with a sniff, “What are you planning?”
With tears in her eyes and a bright red nose, she looked like a wronged child.
Fu Tingyun had always been strong in front of him, and had never shown such vulnerability before.
Zhao Ling felt a surge of tenderness in his heart. His movements became gentler as he wiped her tears. “I have business to attend to in Xi’an Prefecture…”
Fu Tingyun was stunned.
Zhao Ling continued, “You know Feng Laosan, my former rival in the salt smuggling business. He knows I now hold a second-rank official position and am on good terms with Wu Xin. Fearing I might still hold grudges over those old trivial matters, he approached your Third Sister’s husband to mediate and wants to arrange a reconciliation banquet. He even personally came to Guizhou to ask. Didn’t you want me to leave this circle? I’m listening to you. Naturally, I won’t concern myself with the affairs of this circle anymore. I thought it would be good to give the Feng family some closure on this occasion. Since I wanted to return early anyway, I figured I’d handle this matter on the way.”
“Is it really that simple?” Though his words sounded good, Fu Tingyun was half-believing. “If you truly want to leave this circle, why care what the Feng family thinks? To me, you don’t seem like you want to leave; rather, you appear to want to intimidate the Feng family! Could there be some hidden motive here?”
Zhao Ling slapped her bottom with a “pah” sound and laughed, “Why so many questions? When did you become so suspicious?” Then he held her tightly in his arms, lowering his head to capture her red lips, biting and sucking.
After he had his fill, Fu Tingyun sat up with her head hanging low, searching for her undergarments. She said glumly, “There’s still some time before dawn. You must be tired from your journey; take this opportunity to sleep a bit more.” Her expression was very downcast.
Zhao Ling was surprised.
He didn’t like seeing Fu Tingyun like this.
Taking her hand, he asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Fu Tingyun’s eyes reddened as she said quietly, “I originally thought, since you won’t tell me, I would ask Jin Yuanbao or Yang Yucheng, trick them a bit, and find out what you’re planning. But then I realized, even after I’ve said all this, you still won’t tell me anything. I feel too ashamed to pursue it further. I might as well be just a decoration in your house, letting you do as you please! That way, I won’t irritate you.” As she spoke, she shook off Zhao Ling’s hand and continued dressing herself.
The atmosphere within the bed curtains immediately turned cold and distant.
Zhao Ling couldn’t help but frown.
Fu Tingyun lay down on her side, her shoulders heaving.
“Hey!” Zhao Ling quickly leaned over, reaching out to touch Fu Tingyun’s face.
His hand was covered with water.
Yet it felt like flames, as if it would burn his heart.
Zhao Ling became anxious. “Ah Qun, don’t be like this.” Using a bit of force, he turned her around. “Let’s talk properly. Don’t be angry with me.”
“You’ve finally returned after such a long time. I only want to make you happy. How could I bear to be angry with you?” Fu Tingyun sobbed. “That’s why I don’t want to talk to you. I want to think by myself for a while. Once I’ve thought it through, I can appear happily before you…”
Wouldn’t that just be putting on a false front?
They were a couple who had endured hardships together—how could they grow so distant?
Zhao Ling broke into a cold sweat, feeling regretful.
Had he known it would be like this, he should have endured and completed his business before returning. He had only himself to blame for his lack of self-control! Now that Fu Tingyun had caught him, if he didn’t explain, he probably wouldn’t get past this hurdle.
“Alright, alright, stop pressuring me with your words. I’ll tell you everything, okay?” He said somewhat helplessly. “Feng Laosan is indeed afraid that I’ll settle scores with him, and has been wanting to resolve things between us. Almost everyone on the Northwest Route knows about the grudge between our family and the Yu family. In recent years, he’s grown close to the Marquis of Western Peace, and knowing the Marquis has close ties with the Yu family, he thought to use this to curry favor with me. Since we’ve already completely fallen out with the Yu family, I wondered if I could use this situation. But this kind of matter can only be understood implicitly, not explicitly. After much thought, I decided it would be best if I personally went to Shaanxi.” At this point, a hint of coldness flashed across his face. “After what he did to you, not only is he above the law, but he continues to live a carefree, leisurely life without a care. How could things be so good for him? How he treated you is how I will treat him. I’ll let him taste what it’s like to be wrongfully accused and abandoned by his family!”
“No, no, no.” Fu Tingyun quickly grabbed his hand. The Yu family was deeply rooted, having built their position over several generations to reach today’s status. Although Grand Secretary Yu’s influence had waned, he was still like an emaciated camel larger than a horse—not something they could easily shake. His plan sought to use Yu’s methods against him, framing and harming the Yu family. But such framing was a serious matter involving many people, and if any link went wrong, it could implicate them in the future. It was not a good approach. “I don’t want you to go. It’s not worth risking yourself for someone like him. I no longer feel resentment or hatred, only gratitude for my current situation.” Her brow furrowed with anxiety. “Truly, Ninth Master, don’t do anything that might harm yourself for my sake again. I’m very well now. I just want to have children with you and grow old together… Let’s not concern ourselves with him anymore!” As she spoke, she sat up, shaking Zhao Ling’s hand. “All right? Ninth Master! Promise me, we won’t bother with him anymore…”
Zhao Ling smiled as he caressed her face. “I know my limits.” Then he laughed heartily, “Didn’t I already say? I’m now a man with children, a wife, and a home. I won’t do things that harm others for my benefit, let alone things that harm others without benefiting myself.”
“Then you…” Fu Tingyun looked at him with doubt.
Zhao Ling raised his eyebrows at her. “Now that you know, remember to help me cover up, so people don’t discover I’ve returned to the capital.” He added, “When I go to Shaanxi, I’ll act according to the situation. We still have a long life ahead of us. If we miss this opportunity, there might be others. I won’t force matters. If I end up entrapping myself, I won’t be able to shake the Yu family even if future opportunities arise. I will still settle this score.”
Fu Tingyun knew Zhao Ling was a clever person. Hearing this, she sighed with relief but was still concerned he might take extreme measures. Nestling in his arms, she said, “In my heart, a single strand of your hair is more precious than all of Yu Jingxiu…”
“I know.” Zhao Ling listened, his heart full of tenderness as he gently stroked her hair and said softly, “We have many good days ahead of us. I won’t make you sad for his sake.”
Fu Tingyun nodded.
“However, it’s almost dawn,” Zhao Ling said. “We’ll probably have to get up as soon as we lie down. Why don’t we do something else?”
“Do what?” Fu Tingyun looked at Zhao Ling in confusion.
Zhao Ling smiled without speaking, guiding her hand down to his lower body… that object had hardened again without her noticing.
Fu Tingyun was both shocked and embarrassed. Her face turned crimson as she spat a “Hmph!” at him, but she didn’t struggle. Turning her face away, she followed his lead and gently caressed that object.
Zhao Ling chuckled, lifting her to sit in his lap, biting her ear as he encouraged her: “Sit on it…”
Fu Tingyun’s face reddened to the point of bleeding. Like someone covering their ears while stealing a bell, she closed her eyes and said softly, “Then, blow out the lamp.”
Zhao Ling was overjoyed. Not daring to say more, he quickly extinguished the lamp.
Fu Tingyun steadied herself on his shoulders, slowly lowering herself.
Zhao Ling drew in a sharp breath, holding her waist to begin moving.
Fu Tingyun’s fine eyebrows furrowed tightly as she whispered, “Let me… let me catch my breath…”
Zhao Ling held her in his arms, tenderly kissing her.
Suddenly, there came a patter of quick, light footsteps from outside the door.
“Father, Father!” The inner chamber door was struck with a “pah-pah” sound. “It’s Youyou! Mother Tong said you returned in the middle of the night yesterday. Why didn’t Father come to see us?” Her tone carried the joy of imminent reunion with her father.
Fu Tingyun inwardly cried out in dismay. Her body, which had just relaxed, immediately tensed up.
“Quick, get up!” she whispered anxiously, trying to stand up. Realizing her clothes were only half-fastened, she hurriedly lowered her head to adjust her garments. “The children are here.” Yet she was still sitting on Zhao Ling, and her every movement and twist of her waist brought waves of pleasure to Zhao Ling, making him involuntarily moan as he gripped her waist and moved her up and down several times.
Fu Tingyun, frightened, quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. Realizing he was at the point of no return and that asking him to immediately stop would be too difficult for him, she resorted to coaxing him: “Let me go quickly… Tonight I’ll do whatever you want, all right?”
Zhao Ling was merely a bit disappointed—how could he bear to let the children down?
Seeing Fu Tingyun take the initiative, he was overjoyed and naturally wanted to press his advantage. He immediately whispered, “No, during the midday nap…” As he spoke, he deliberately thrust his waist.
Fu Tingyun, desperate for him to release her, nodded hurriedly.
Zhao Ling quickly let her go, whispering, “You go down first. In my condition… I’ll come down later.”
Fu Tingyun, realizing his predicament, couldn’t help but laugh softly.
From outside came Mother Tong’s voice of persuasion: “Young Miss, it’s still early. The master and mistress haven’t risen yet! Let’s come back later.”
“But I’m already up,” Youyou said, puzzled. “Mother usually gets up by this time too…”