Her brother had personally come to escort her mother…
Fu Tingyun paced anxiously: “Is my mother seriously ill?”
Jin Yuanbao hesitated for a moment, then said: “Before your mother left for the capital, the Fu family’s relatives by marriage all sent parting gifts. I also inquired at these relatives’ homes. There was little discussion about your mother’s illness, but many discussions about the death of the Fu family’s Ninth Miss.”
This meant that her mother went to the capital solely to escape the gossip.
Fu Tingyun stood motionless, slowly lowering her head. Her eyes moistened, but she held back her tears with great effort.
It was all because of her… If not for her, how would her mother have become the subject of gossip…
Zhao Ling frowned and asked: “Has the news from Weinan not reached the Fu family yet?”
“When I arrived in Huayin, the Fu family had just received the news,” Jin Yuanbao said. “By then, Madam Fu had already left Huayin.” He continued, “The Fu family’s First Master and Fifth Master left together. Currently, the Second Master is in charge of the family affairs. The Second Master has sent people to Weinan to help with the funeral arrangements and to the capital to report the death.”
Her mother didn’t know about her uncle’s situation, which was why she hadn’t left any message when she departed… Her mother certainly thought she had safely arrived at her uncle’s home… When the news from here reached the capital—her uncle’s death and her disappearance…
Fu Tingyun dared not continue that line of thought.
Zhao Ling sighed softly and didn’t pursue the topic further, instead asking Jin Yuanbao: “What are your plans?”
Earlier in the hall, everyone had already told Jin Yuanbao about the events of the past few days in a clamor of voices.
Jin Yuanbao pondered: “I wish to stay by Master Nine’s side.”
The implication was clear: if he couldn’t be with Zhao Ling, he wasn’t interested in joining the military.
Zhao Ling nodded.
If he couldn’t arrange even this much, it would only prove that Mo Yi and the others didn’t value him at all. Even if he went to the military camp later, his prospects would likely be difficult.
“That settles it then,” he said. “You must be tired from your journey. Go wash up first, and later we’ll have a good drink together.”
Jin Yuanbao knew Zhao Ling still had words for Fu Tingyun, so he bowed respectfully and withdrew.
Yang Yucheng had been waiting in the courtyard outside the study. Seeing Jin Yuanbao emerge, he immediately approached: “What did Master Nine say?”
Most people in the Yangliuxiang residence had followed Zhao Ling for several years and naturally knew his rules. Seeing him enter the study, they had all kept their distance. At this moment, only Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao were near the study door.
The two walked several steps forward to ensure they couldn’t hear the conversation in the study before stopping.
Jin Yuanbao first related the events in Huayin, then said: “Master Nine asked if I was willing to join the military with him. I said if I could be with Master Nine, I would go, but if we couldn’t be together…”
He didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear.
Yang Yucheng couldn’t help but grow anxious: “How could you be like this? Master Nine is not in control of his fate right now. Of course he wants us all to stay together…”
“I know!” Jin Yuanbao made a gesture to silence him, interrupting his words. “I have my plans for these matters.”
Yang Yucheng fell silent.
Jin Yuanbao was different from them. They all came from farming families and had followed Master Nine into salt smuggling because they couldn’t make ends meet. Jin Yuanbao’s father was a xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examination at the county level), and he had studied the Four Books and Five Classics. He had previously worked as an accountant for a wealthy family but was implicated when the legitimate son and the concubine’s son fought over the family inheritance and ended up in prison. By chance, he met Master Nine, admired his sense of justice and strategy, and thus followed him. Though they all ate from the same pot, his manner of speech and habits were different from theirs, making it difficult for them to be close to him. Though he appeared taciturn, when he spoke, it was as if Zhang Yi had been reborn—no one could outargue him. He was also strong-willed; once he made up his mind, not even nine oxen could pull him back…
Usually this didn’t seem to matter, but at this difficult time for Master Nine, Yang Yucheng found it hard to accept and couldn’t help but mutter: “If Miss Fu hadn’t guessed correctly, I would have thought you had run away!”
Jin Yuanbao knew they always felt he was somewhat pretentious, which wasn’t his intention. Sometimes he would explain things repeatedly, but they still wouldn’t understand, occasionally even finding his concerns laughable, like the man who worried that the sky might fall. Over time, he had grown reluctant to say much. After all, a long road tests a horse’s strength, and time reveals a person’s heart.
Hearing Yang Yucheng’s muttering, he was stunned: “What did you say?”
Yang Yucheng was feeling displeased, and seeing Jin Yuanbao’s surprised expression, he thought to himself: Aren’t you the one who claims to calculate everything without error, always acting so composed? Today I’ll give you a real shock.
With this in mind, he couldn’t help but display a smile as bright as a summer day: “Didn’t you go to Huayin? Everyone was feeling somewhat uncomfortable, but Miss Fu said you had calculated that Master Nine’s strategy had little chance of success, and not wanting Master Nine to have regrets, you went to Huayin to deliver the message, then planned to return to help us collect our remains…”
“What did you say?” Jin Yuanbao’s expression changed dramatically, looking at Yang Yucheng with uncertain disbelief.
Yang Yucheng couldn’t help feeling a bit smug and embellished: “Miss Fu had you figured out completely. She said you wanted to be like Cheng Ying.” This was something he only knew from reading the play “The Orphan of Zhao.” “She also said that living with humiliation is more difficult than dying heroically.”
Jin Yuanbao turned his head to look at the study, appearing somewhat happy yet also a bit sad, his expression quite strange as he stood there speechless for a long time.
…
In the study, Zhao Ling was speaking with Fu Tingyun: “You shouldn’t worry too much. Since your mother is in good health, everything can be worked out. In the next couple of days, I’ll find a reliable person to hurry to the capital and bring a message to your mother. For now, please stay here peacefully. Once the person returns from the capital, we’ll make further plans.”
This was the only option!
Fu Tingyun nodded dejectedly.
Her mother had gone to the capital… her uncle was gone… for the Fu family, the Ninth Miss had already died from illness… in this vast sea of humanity, where was her home?
Her mood gradually grew heavier.
She looked up at Zhao Ling.
She saw him sitting formally with a solemn expression, his eyes deep in thought, motionless for quite some time.
With things at this point, he probably felt somewhat helpless too.
Fu Tingyun smiled bitterly, her spirits low: “Then I’ll trouble Master Nine!”
“Oh!” Zhao Ling came back to his senses and quickly said, “No need to be so formal.” Seemingly finding these words too stiff, he smiled and added, “With you here, Yangliuxiang has become much livelier.”
Fu Tingyun forced a smile and rose to take her leave.
Zhao Ling silently accompanied her to the study door.
Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao, who had been talking in the courtyard, turned around and both bowed to Fu Tingyun.
Fu Tingyun curtsied and headed toward the back courtyard.
Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao walked over.
“Master Nine, Miss Fu…” Yang Yucheng watched Fu Tingyun’s retreating figure.
Zhao Ling remained silent.
A reliable person—who could be considered truly reliable?
Jin Yuanbao looked somewhat hesitant: “What if I go to the capital?”
Yang Yucheng stared at him with wide eyes.
Jin Yuanbao pretended not to notice and said pointedly: “The matter of the Fu family’s Ninth Miss is being heavily gossiped about in Huayin. Some say the Fu family’s Ninth Miss didn’t die from illness at all, but eloped with someone; others say the Fu family’s Ninth Miss was… violated while paying respects at Biyun Temple, and to protect her reputation, the Fu family silenced witnesses, disposing of all the maids and old women who served the Ninth Miss at Biyun Temple…”
Even Zhao Ling, who was usually composed, couldn’t help but become furious.
“This is complete nonsense!” he reprimanded. “The Fu family has lived in Huayin for generations with deep roots. How could they allow such rumors to spread without trying to clarify matters?”
Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao were both surprised to see Zhao Ling so angry.
Zhao Ling knew he had lost his composure somewhat, but he couldn’t suppress his anger.
He paced back and forth in the courtyard several times before his mood gradually calmed. He asked Jin Yuanbao, “The Fu family’s Second Master is in charge now? What is this Second Master like?”
Jin Yuanbao smiled bitterly: “Indecisive, reporting back to the Old Madam in the inner quarters for even the smallest matters, unwilling to commit to anything without her approval.”
Zhao Ling lowered his head in thought.
Jin Yuanbao said: “Master Nine, there are many people with the surname Fu in the world, but if someone connects Miss Fu with the Fu family’s Ninth Miss, it would be bad for both you and Miss Fu. I think the fewer people who know about this matter, the better. Besides me, no one else would be suitable to go. Moreover, the situation in the capital is complex, and an ordinary person might not even know which way the Fu family’s gate faces!”
Zhao Ling nodded slightly: “It’s good if you go. At least you can find out why the First Master also went to the capital at this time… I feel that something is unusual about this situation.”
The Fu family was known for their strict discipline in raising their daughters. If rumors spread that their daughter had eloped or been violated, and if they didn’t handle it properly, allowing people to believe it, it might shake the foundations of the Fu family. Even if the First Master had urgent business in the capital, shouldn’t the family have arranged for someone capable to take charge?
Jin Yuanbao nodded to Zhao Ling in understanding: “I plan to leave on the evening of the twenty-fifth of August!”
Both Zhao Ling and Yang Yucheng were somewhat puzzled.
Jin Yuanbao explained: “I returned to Xisheng Inn secretly. Mo Yi only left Small Five to watch, and he doesn’t know I’ve returned to Xi’an Prefecture. If I can’t go with Master Nine, I might as well rush to the capital overnight.”
This way, Jin Yuanbao would become a chess piece that Zhao Ling kept in reserve.
“What if you can go with Master Nine?” Yang Yucheng quickly asked.
“If I can go with Master Nine, then I’ll find a way to visit the capital after reaching the military post,” Jin Yuanbao smiled. “After all, we were assigned to the military post by the Regional Commander. At that time, I could just say I have business to attend to in Xi’an Prefecture. The people at the post presumably wouldn’t want to offend us over such small matters!”
Zhao Ling smiled as he listened: “Then don’t go out these next few days.” He agreed with Jin Yuanbao’s reasoning.
Jin Yuanbao respectfully answered, “Yes.”
A Sen came running in: “Master Nine, Master Nine, Manager Mo is here.”
Everyone looked at each other in surprise.
Yang Yucheng glanced at Jin Yuanbao and muttered: “Does Mo Yi know you’re back?”
Jin Yuanbao was uncertain.
Zhao Ling was quite straightforward: “I’ll go meet him, and then we’ll know.” Then he said, “You all go about your business and avoid meeting him.” He then went to the main hall.
Mo Yi sat composed in the dignified armchair, drinking tea. Seeing Zhao Ling enter, he smiled: “Your residence is quite nice, isn’t it? You must have spent quite a sum?”
“It’s alright!” Zhao Ling replied modestly. “I bought it some years ago when the original owner needed cash urgently.” He then changed the subject, “May I ask what brings Manager Mo to see me?” He added, “How come I don’t see Manager Tao, Chen Six, and Small Five? It’s been some days since I’ve seen them, and I miss them quite a bit.”
Mo Yi was unperturbed, though his face smiled warmly: “I’ve come to congratulate you! I heard Wu Xin has assigned you to the Zhuanglang Guard. From now on, we’ll be one family.”
Zhao Ling was stunned.
Zhuanglang Guard was under the jurisdiction of Meng Shu, the Commander-in-Chief of Gansu and Marquis of Yingchuan.
Mo Yi looked at him, revealing a mouthful of gleaming white teeth!