Rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, watermelon lanterns, and an octagonal crystal revolving lantern—all brilliantly illuminated the courtyard, bathing it in light.

Two round black lacquered tables, one large and one small, were placed in the center of the courtyard, separated by Lingshan stone fan-shaped dividers. Blue-and-white porcelain plates were piled with pears, apples, grapes, mooncakes, melon seeds, peanuts, and sliced watermelon.

Zheng San Niang and the Lü family’s maid, Lu Wei, were boiling water to make tea on the steps nearby. A-Sen carried Lin Chun on his shoulders, running wildly around the courtyard, with Lin Chun’s giggles sprinkled across the ground.

Yang Yucheng, sitting with Old Master Lü at the large round table, smiled and scolded A-Sen: “Be careful not to frighten the child!”

Zheng San, who walked in carrying a wine jar, hurriedly said, “It’s fine, it’s fine, children like children.”

Madam Lü chuckled behind the screen.

Zhao Ling, walking out of the side room, looked at everything before him with unprecedented peace and tranquility in his heart.

Wasn’t this what he had longed for all along?

He had thought that only by returning to Jiangnan, only by settling those past matters, would he be able to feel this way. Unexpectedly, the scene from his dreams appeared before his eyes without warning.

By letting go of his obsession, taking a step back, the world had opened up before him.

It turned out that what he had hoped for, what he had longed for, had always been by his side, right before his eyes.

He couldn’t help but look up, searching for Fu Tingyun’s figure.

Fu Tingyun sat beside Madam Lü. Compared to her simple plainness of the past two days, she had dressed up specially today. She wore a moon-white silk right-lapel blouse embroidered with lake-green four-persimmon patterns at the cuffs and hem, a lake-colored Eight Xiang skirt with lake-green floral embroidered edging, and red gold lantern earrings inlaid with lapis lazuli that swayed gently against her jade-like face, creating a captivating effect.

Zhao Ling felt his heart skip a beat.

Sensing someone watching her, Fu Tingyun looked up.

Her face was like a delicate lotus blooming in summer.

Seeing it was Zhao Ling, she pressed her lips together in a smile, her eyes more dazzling than jewels.

“Ninth Master,” Fu Tingyun stood and curtseyed.

Those nearby who heard the movement all looked over, calling out “Ninth Master” one after another.

Zhao Ling smiled, cupped his hands in greeting to everyone, and sat down beside Old Master Lü.

Old Master Lü and the others all stood up.

“No need for formalities today,” Zhao Ling smiled, “It’s rare to be this happy.”

“Yes, yes!” Yang Yucheng was the first to sit down again. “Universal celebration, universal celebration.”

Everyone laughed and sat down without ceremony.

Yang Yucheng hurriedly ordered tea to be served.

Lu Wei brought the tea.

Zheng San Niang, holding Lin Chun, returned to sit by the stove, peeling grapes to feed the child. A-Sen, now free, sat down beside Zhao Ling.

“Ninth Master,” he said excitedly, “after the fifteenth of the eighth month, will you become an official?” His clear childish voice was full of innocent charm.

Everyone laughed again.

“I told Official Wu I have some private matters to take care of,” Zhao Ling said, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally glancing at Fu Tingyun, “I’ll report to the Military Commission office on the twenty-fifth of the eighth month.”

“Ah!” A-Sen jumped up excitedly, “I’ll be an official’s attendant from now on! I’ll be an official’s attendant from now on!”

This sent everyone into fits of laughter.

Lu Wei, who was serving tea, heard this and quickly glanced at Zhao Ling, a blush suddenly appearing on her pretty face. She quickly looked around at everyone present, and seeing that they were all looking at Zhao Ling and no one had noticed her, she let out a long sigh of relief.

He could just speak normally—why did he need to glance at her? It was as if he were explaining something to her.

The thought flashed through Fu Tingyun’s mind, and her ears burned.

It must be because that day she had immediately asked him if he had gone to the Military Commission to see Official Wu!

At the time, she had only been anxious about changes in the situation, but thinking about it now, she seemed like a wife pressuring her husband to study and seek official rank…

Would Zhao Ling think of her that way too?

With this thought, Fu Tingyun was greatly startled.

Could it be that his thoughts matched her guess…?

She was mortified and couldn’t help but turn slightly to look at Zhao Ling.

He was listening to Old Master Lü speak: “…I’ve always worried about the Ninth Master. If the Ninth Master can think about joining the army, about pursuing… pursuing an official career, I can sleep soundly from now on.” In the lamplight, there was a glimmer of moisture at the corners of his eyes.

Zhao Ling was quite surprised.

He hadn’t expected that his actions would cause such concern.

If his parents were still alive, would they be like Old Master Lü?

And then there was the Ninth Miss Fu, who could come up with those ideas. She must have been thinking about this since she saw the Sixteenth Young Master’s name card for him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have figured out all these connections, and she wouldn’t have convinced Yang Yucheng to act according to her ideas.

His gaze couldn’t help but drift toward Fu Tingyun.

Their eyes met.

Fu Tingyun was overwhelmed with embarrassment and wanted to look away, but she saw a hint of confusion in his eyes.

She was stunned.

Today was a joyous occasion. From now on, he would be on the right path. Why would he feel confused?

Could it be that what everyone considered the right path was not to his liking?

She began to feel uneasy.

This matter, after all, had been instigated by her.

A thousand gold pieces can’t buy preference.

If he didn’t like it, he could find fault even in the best situation. At this point, let alone establishing a career, just staying in the military camp would be torture for him. It was like how she disliked painting landscapes—picking up the brush made her feel irritable, not to mention copying others’ works! She had even thrown her brushes into the pond because of it.

If that was the case, she would need to find a way to persuade him.

She was so immersed in her own emotions that she momentarily forgot that Zhao Ling was still looking at her.

Zhao Ling was met with eyes as panicked as those of a little deer.

He was very puzzled.

Why was she panic-stricken?

Was it because he had caught her looking at him?

At this thought, his heart began to race.

Could it be that she had been stealing glances at him?

This idea made his heart incredibly soft, and it beat even faster.

But soon, a trace of sadness appeared in those startled eyes.

Why did she become sad?

Was it because the Mid-Autumn Festival made her feel lonely, away from her family’s company?

Zhao Ling suddenly felt somewhat restless.

Jin Yuanbao would return before the twenty-fifth of the eighth month. He wondered what Madam Fu planned for her daughter. From what he knew, the remaining relatives in Madam Fu’s family were all distant, and the Ninth Miss Fu had been disowned by the Fu family for those reasons. Rather than seeking refuge with those distant relatives of unknown generations, she might as well stay in Yangliuxiang. After all, he would soon be joining the army, and whether he could return to Xi’an Prefecture was still uncertain.

Having made up his mind, he felt somewhat settled.

He thought that he should still hint at this intention to her to prevent her from being constantly disturbed. Previously, when she had been drugged, he had gone to great lengths to treat her, and he didn’t want her to become depressed and fall ill.

Having decided, he was about to stand up and say something when Old Master Lü offered him a toast: “Ninth Master, you not only saved the lives of us old couple but also helped avenge my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. For great kindness, no thanks are needed. I won’t say more—just a cup of thin wine to express my sentiment!” With that, he tilted his head back and drank first in respect.

Zhao Ling smiled and picked up his wine cup, but then came Fu Tingyun’s exclamation: “Ninth Master, your illness hasn’t fully recovered—perhaps you should substitute tea for wine!”

As soon as the words fell, the courtyard was dead silent.

Everyone looked in surprise toward the screen.

Fu Tingyun, sitting behind the screen, now wished only for a crack in the ground to swallow her up.

How could she have blurted out such words?

In front of so many people, even his wife shouldn’t speak to him this way… let alone her!

He must feel very embarrassed and think of her as an unreasonable, capricious person!

Fu Tingyun lowered her head, feeling like she wanted to die.

From behind the screen came Zhao Ling’s calm and peaceful voice: “I had forgotten about that. You all drink wine, I’ll have tea!”

Fu Tingyun looked up, her face full of disbelief as she looked toward the screen.

What did he say?

“You all drink wine, I’ll have tea”… His peaceful voice seemed to be right by her ear, and her heart gradually came back to life.

He… he hadn’t reproached her.

With this thought, her heart tightened again.

Was it because he was giving her a way out in front of everyone? Or did he truly not mind?

Her delicate eyebrows, curved like fine feathers, knitted tightly together.

Madam Lü, sitting opposite her, watched with flickering eyes and smiled, patting her hand: “You meant well, and the Ninth Master can understand that. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned substituting tea for wine. You should know, the Ninth Master can drink like a fish!”

Really?

Fu Tingyun’s heart was in tumult, and she dared not speak again, listening to the people at the other table talk.

“…Originally, I thought the Ninth Master had some matters inconvenient to attend to personally. When you said you wanted me to look after the house for you, I agreed without hesitation. Now that the Ninth Master has decided to join the army, I should return this house to you.” Old Master Lü said with great satisfaction, “While you’re still free these few days, I’ll go with you to the yamen to change the name on the property deed and calculate the accounts for these past few years for you.” Then he said, “I used to be a shopkeeper for others. Though I’m old now, I’ve never been idle. I often go around the streets to see what businesses are good, and over the years, I’ve gained some insights. If the Ninth Master doesn’t mind, let me be your shopkeeper!”

The house had cost a considerable amount of silver initially, but it was not important to him now. Over these years, Mr. and Mrs. Lü had looked after this house—if they deserved no merit, they at least deserved credit for their hardship. Giving it to them would not be excessive. As for doing business, he had always known Old Master Lü’s capabilities, but he had been so focused on returning to Jiangnan that he hadn’t given it any thought.

Zhao Ling was about to refuse, but the words reached his lips and were swallowed back.

Better to settle the Ninth Miss Fu first.

If the Ninth Miss Fu truly had nowhere to go, it would be better to give both the house and the shop to Mr. and Mrs. Lü.

“Let’s set this aside for now,” he said. “I have something else I want to ask everyone.” Zhao Ling’s expression turned serious. “I’ve already agreed with Official Wu that I’ll bring several brothers as close as family to join the army together. Who wants to go with me?”

“Ah!” Yang Yucheng and the others were visibly delighted.

To be able to clear their names and live openly and honestly from now on… who wouldn’t be happy?

“I, I’ll follow the Ninth Master,” Yang Yucheng was the first to speak.

“I also want to follow the Ninth Master,” San Fu and Shi Zhu said in unison.

San Fu was over thirty, and Shi Zhu was two or three years younger. Both were of medium build with honest faces, though one appeared dull and the other simple.

“Very well, we’ll wait for Yuanbao to return and see what his plans are. Then we’ll go together to the Military Commission to meet Official Wu,” Zhao Ling said, glancing toward the screen as if to see how Fu Tingyun would react.

Fu Tingyun listened with a sense of loss.

When Jin Yuanbao returned, she would have to leave, wouldn’t she?

She became somewhat anxious.

The matter of persuading him to join the army, and just now, stopping him from drinking… she needed to explain these things to Zhao Ling as soon as possible. Otherwise, if she left, wouldn’t these misunderstandings never be resolved?

Fu Tingyun hoped she could leave Zhao Ling with a good impression.