When Zheng San returned, Fu Tingyun was making winter clothes with Zheng San’s wife in the room, while A-Sen was holding Lin Chun and playing in the hall.
Seeing her father, Lin Chun called out to him with babbling sounds.
Zheng San smiled and patted her head, and Zheng San’s wife hurriedly took the child away.
Fu Tingyun asked A-Sen to pour Zheng San a cup of tea and asked him, “Have you had lunch yet?”
No one was more loyal to Zhao Ling than A-Sen. He might need to run errands in the future, and being clever and resourceful, the more he knew, the better he could act in emergencies. So Fu Tingyun didn’t hide her actions from him.
Zheng San gulped down the tea in one go, handed the cup back to A-Sen, quietly thanked him, and respectfully said to Fu Tingyun, “I bought two flatbreads outside and ate them.” A slight smile appeared on his honest face.
Fu Tingyun had A-Sen bring him a stool to sit on, and asked somewhat anxiously, “What did you find out?”
Zheng San said solemnly, “Master Yang and Master Jin aren’t living together. I first went to Tai’an Inn, where Master Yang was staying. The innkeeper said Master Yang felt that the situation wouldn’t improve anytime soon, and there was no point in staying in Xi’an Prefecture. He sold all his goods at low prices and returned home with several assistants, settling his bill just this morning. Then I rushed to the Lotus Temple, where Master Jin was temporarily residing. The reception monk said Master Jin was in the small stationery business, and staying in Xi’an Prefecture was too expensive. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, rather than being stuck here, he preferred to take his assistants back home for the holiday. He also packed up and left the city early this morning.”
“Both of them left?” Fu Tingyun was shocked.
Zheng San nodded, “I was a step too late.”
Fu Tingyun looked toward A-Sen.
A-Sen was surprised, but not shocked.
Fu Tingyun told Zheng San to go rest: “Ask your wife to make more flatbreads. I might need you to go out again later!”
“This servant will follow Miss’s instructions,” Zheng San respectfully bowed to her and withdrew.
“A-Sen!” Fu Tingyun asked him with a stern face, “What do you know? Tell me quickly. Don’t make me waste time guessing!”
Perhaps truly sensing the seriousness of the situation, A-Sen didn’t say anything unnecessary this time and directly told her all about Zhao Ling’s arrangements, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.
The more he spoke, the worse Fu Tingyun’s expression became. Before he could finish, Fu Tingyun had already jumped up: “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? How could someone as clever as you believe Master Nine’s words? Helping him guard his backup plan? With all of us—servants, women, and luggage—arriving noisily at Willow Lane, how could we possibly hide from Moyi, a mobile general under the Yingchuan Marquis? This place has been established and arranged for so many years—the houses, the shops, even the identity of the Lü couple—all real. Unless the Lü couple betrayed us, even if Moyi had suspicions, he couldn’t find evidence. Because of our arrival, hidden pieces became visible pieces. If Moyi meant harm to Master Nine, how could Master Nine possibly come to Willow Lane? The talk of helping him guard his retreat route simply doesn’t hold up!”
Fu Tingyun’s earlier forceful questioning had already left A-Sen with an indelible impression of her intelligence. Zhao Ling’s words had crumbled in his mind, but still, he stubbornly said, “According to what you’re saying, this place can’t be hidden from Moyi at all. Then why did Master Nine send us all here? Isn’t Master Nine afraid that Moyi might harm us or use us to threaten him?”
This child, why is he so stubborn?
“Master Nine’s relationship with Moyi isn’t like the one with Feng Laosi,” Fu Tingyun patiently explained to A-Sen. “Master Nine and Feng Laosi have conflicts of interest and have already broken ties. Whatever methods they use against each other, they use them openly. Between Moyi and Master Nine, there’s still a window paper. As long as it’s not pierced, Moyi won’t move against Master Nine. But once it’s pierced, it will be a fight to the death. We here are either women or children. For Moyi, this mobile general, dealing with us would be effortless. As long as he and Master Nine maintain their current situation, he won’t harm us.” Her voice grew slower, “If they do come to blows, and Master Nine manages to escape, I am his ‘fiancée,’ and you are the servant who grew up with him. As long as we stay here, Master Nine might not be able to let us go and would come back for us. Moyi only needs to station people here and wait for Master Nine to walk into the trap. If Master Nine… whether we live or die wouldn’t matter to him at all. This is under the jurisdiction of Shaanxi Provincial Administration, and he is from the Shaanxi Military Commission, with the Yingchuan Marquis above him and the Sixteenth Master behind him. It’s not worth killing our entire household and drawing the attention of the Provincial Administration, creating unnecessary complications. Most likely, they would leave us alone. We would be fine either way.” Her heart seemed to be bleeding, “Master Nine’s move appears to be stirring the grass to scare the snake, but it’s transforming the hidden into the visible… Once he escapes, even if Moyi knows it’s a trap, he would have no choice… Master Nine never intended to see us again!” At this point, tears streamed down her face, “How can you still believe his words!”
Before she finished speaking, A-Sen was already convinced and heartbroken. Seeing Fu Tingyun’s tears, he couldn’t hold back either and began sobbing, kneeling before Fu Tingyun and pleading, “Miss Fu, please save Master Nine. I will serve you like an ox or a horse in my next life to repay you.”
Fu Tingyun was now both anxious and angry.
She was anxious because he hadn’t taken her words to heart, had sent away everyone around him, and intended to perish together with Moyi. She didn’t know if it was too late to stop him. She was angry because he only cared about himself and not the feelings of those around him, acting stubbornly without considering how heartbroken people would be if anything happened to him.
She pulled A-Sen up: “That’s why I have tasks for you and Zheng San. We must prevent Master Nine from taking this path!”
Hearing that Fu Tingyun had a plan, A-Sen immediately stood up, no longer crying, looking at her with full hope: “Miss Fu, I’ll do whatever you say.”
Fu Tingyun wiped the corners of her eyes, her heart becoming as firm and immovable as a rock.
This time, even if Zhao Ling resented her for life, she couldn’t let him lose his life.
“Call Zheng San, take the flatbreads, and wait at the entrance of Xisheng Inn. You must wait for Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao,” her expression was solemn, “Ask them to come see me.”
A-Sen was too young, and Zheng San had sold himself into servitude out of desperation—they couldn’t compare to Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao, who were Zhao Ling’s right and left arms. They could even find out Moyi’s identity, so their abilities and loyalty were beyond question. Some matters would be more reliably handled by them than by A-Sen and Zheng San.
A-Sen hesitated, “But Brother Yuanbao, he, he went to Huayin!”
“Even I can see that Master Nine is in danger now. How could Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao not see it?” Fu Tingyun said. “Otherwise, Master Nine wouldn’t have repeatedly cautioned them not to act on their own. Those two definitely wouldn’t leave. They might even be planning something in secret.” She said with some concern, “I’m afraid they might use force,” and then instructed A-Sen, “Don’t follow them in rash actions. Moyi is a great general. He will command troops, not fight you personally like Feng Laosi did. In a direct military confrontation, you’d have no advantage at all.” Then she gathered her spirit, fixed her bright gaze on A-Sen, and said, “Just listen to me, that’s all.”
Fu Tingyun’s analysis was thorough and addressed A-Sen’s confusion perfectly. A-Sen now had complete faith in her and stood straight with his small frame: “Miss Fu, don’t worry. I’ll do exactly as you instruct!”
…
Chen Six, however, could no longer stand straight.
“Both of them have sent away their people,” he murmured. “Yang Yucheng has disappeared, and Jin Yuanbao has left the city…”
“Damn it!” Moyi couldn’t help but slam his palm on the tea table, which shattered with a “crack” into pieces. “Where’s Little Five? Tell him to take men and pursue them.” After shouting, he calmed down a bit and said, “Forget it. Since Jin Yuanbao has left the city, he’s probably blended in with the refugees. Even if we had men from all ten banners, it would likely be in vain.” His gaze turned cold, revealing a hint of grimness, “Tell Little Five to send a message to Tao Mu to bring men from the Divine Steed Battalion.”
The Divine Steed Battalion and the Pursuing Wind Battalion, created by the Yingchuan Marquis, were two unique units of the Gansu Commander-in-Chief’s Office, not found elsewhere.
“Sir Moyi,” Chen Six hesitated upon hearing this, “The Divine Steed Battalion is too conspicuous. If they were discovered by officials from the Shaanxi Provincial Surveillance Office or the Provincial Administration, and reported to the Ministry of War or the Censorate, it would create great trouble for the Marquis. This Zhao Ling is merely a jianghu wanderer who only met the Sixteenth Master once. Aren’t we… making too much of this?”
He was under Tao Mu’s command, sent to assist Moyi. Given the importance of the matter, he felt he should advise Moyi.
The Mo clan of Luyi had produced many military talents.
Born into a prestigious family, Moyi was a valiant general skilled in warfare. Though serving under the Yingchuan Marquis, even the Marquis showed him some deference, which had fostered his violent temper.
At this moment, with a fire burning in his heart, Chen Six’s words were like oil poured on flames. He laughed coldly: “If Zhao Ling is a jianghu wanderer, then what are you all?”
Despite orders given earlier, Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao had slipped away right under their noses.
Chen Six’s face changed drastically, filled with shame. He lowered his head: “General Moyi, it was my incompetence. I am willing to accept your punishment.” But he had his pride, “I still ask General Moyi to carefully consider my suggestion.”
Divine-Footed Chen Six was the most elite scout under the Yingchuan Marquis, the grandson of the former Yunnan Commander-in-Chief. Moyi had to give him some respect.
“If this Zhao Ling only had some brute strength, what would we have to fear?” His expression softened slightly, “But look at his journey so far—calculating and leaving no loose ends, not only giving us no opportunity to act but also leaving us unable to complain when humiliated. If we could find out about his clan and friends, that would be fine. Money, fame, the lives of his entire clan—surely one of these would move him. But he happens to be alone, his background a mystery. He gives us no way to deal with him even when he’s right beside us. If we let him leave, wouldn’t it be like a fish returning to the sea? We’d never find him again. Leaving such a person lurking in the shadows—I don’t know what Tao Mu thinks, but I certainly am not at ease.” He declared firmly, like metal striking stone, “We must stop and kill him!”