The next day at dusk, Fu Tingyun and Madam Lu returned to Yangliuxiang with packages large and small.

Not only was the thousand taels of silver from Zheng Third completely spent, but also the five taels Madam Lu had brought with her, Fu Tingyun’s three taels, and even A Sen’s one tael had all been used.

San Fu, Shi Zhu, and Lu Wei rushed out to help carry things.

A Sen stood on the carriage, shouting: “Brother San Fu, Brother Shi Zhu, Miss Fu bought new clothes for us too.” Joy was evident in every feature of his face.

San Fu, Shi Zhu, and Lu Wei all looked surprised.

Supported by Zheng Third Mistress, Fu Tingyun descended from the carriage and explained with a smile: “We don’t know where you’ll be stationed. The weather is getting colder, and a few more winter clothes will always come in handy.”

San Fu and Shi Zhu, one grinning widely and the other rubbing his head, thanked Fu Tingyun with simple smiles.

Old Master Lu came out carrying Linchun.

The Lu couple had lost their son in middle age, leaving them childless, and they were particularly fond of Linchun. When Zheng Third Mistress accompanied Fu Tingyun to go shopping, Old Master Lu volunteered to take care of Linchun.

“Miss Fu is back!” he greeted Fu Tingyun with a smile.

Madam Lu went forward to pat Linchun’s head and asked Old Master Lu, “Where is Master Nine? Has he returned?”

Today was the twenty-fifth of August. Zhao Ling had gone to the Regional Commander’s office early in the morning.

“He’s back, he’s back!” Old Master Lu quickly replied. “He returned at noon and has been talking with Yucheng and Yuanbao in his room!”

Fu Tingyun was surprised: “They’ve been talking the whole time?”

Old Master Lu nodded.

Fu Tingyun began to worry.

What matter could require discussion from noon until dusk?

She pondered: “Do you know where Master Yang and Master Jin and the others have been assigned?”

Old Master Lu shook his head: “As soon as Master Nine returned, he called Yucheng and Yuanbao to the study. We don’t know the details yet!” Then he smiled, “But, Miss need not worry. As soon as Master Nine returned, he sent me to Thirteen Mountain to order a feast, saying we should celebrate. It must be good news!”

But shops also gather for a final meal when they dissolve partnerships!

Fu Tingyun objected in her heart, not believing it. After thinking for a moment, she headed toward the study.

Everyone exchanged glances, but no one stopped her.

Entering the courtyard, Fu Tingyun heard Yang Yucheng’s voice: “…this Mo Yi is too overbearing!” He sounded very angry.

Fu Tingyun quickened her pace.

“Yucheng, don’t act on impulse,” Jin Yuanbao was also advising Yang Yucheng. “If I were in his position, I would make the same demand…”

Before he could finish, Yang Yucheng interrupted him.

“You?” There was a hint of mockery in his voice. “We’re not like you. You’re always calm and collected, calculating everything perfectly. Even when Brother Hu, who rescued you from prison, was killed by Deng Sanmao’s men, you could still greet Deng Sanmao cordially. We can’t do that. We’re just brutes—one disagreement and it’s knives in and blood out…”

“Yang Yucheng!” Jin Yuanbao shouted, followed by the sound of a chair falling over.

The two had started arguing.

Fu Tingyun felt anxious.

Then she heard Zhao Ling call out “Yucheng” in a deep, cold voice, saying: “You’ve gone too far. Apologize to Yuanbao!”

A moment of silence filled the room.

“I was wrong!” Yang Yucheng mumbled an apology.

Fu Tingyun breathed a sigh of relief.

Jin Yuanbao sighed: “Let it go. We’re brothers, and I know what kind of person you are.” Then, changing his tone, “But your words hurt me.” His voice grew heavy, “Privately speaking, when Brother Hu was killed by Deng Sanmao, I should have fought him to the death. But publicly speaking, even if I had confronted Deng Sanmao then, with Feng Laosi in front and Tang Daishan behind, we would have been surrounded by enemies on three sides with only death awaiting us. If we endured the momentary anger, dealt with Feng Laosi first, intimidated Tang Daishan, and then settled accounts with Deng Sanmao, we would have had the upper hand to annihilate Deng Sanmao…”

“Yuanbao, say no more.” Yang Yucheng was both embarrassed and ashamed. “I was talking nonsense…”

Jin Yuanbao, however, didn’t intend to let the matter drop and continued: “I know you’re eager for justice, but from today on, you’re no longer Yang Yucheng the salt smuggler, but a small standard-bearer of Nantongbao in Zhuanglang Guard…”

A small standard-bearer of Zhuanglang Guard!

Fu Tingyun felt a surge of joy.

This meant Yang Yucheng and Zhao Ling had been assigned together!

She wondered where Jin Yuanbao, San Fu, Shi Zhu, and the others had been assigned.

She was considering whether to make some noise to find an excuse to go in and ask, when she was drawn in by Jin Yuanbao’s next words: “Your every word and action not only affects yourself but also Master Nine, who recommended you. If you truly think of Master Nine, you should endure temporary anger to strive for a hundred years of life.” He continued, “Don’t think I’m being alarmist. Mo Yi is merely a mobile corps general under the Marquis of Yingchuan, yet his methods are already so formidable. The Marquis of Yingchuan must be a remarkable hero, otherwise, the Sixteenth Master wouldn’t be friendly with him, nor would he be friendly with the Sixteenth Master. You must not take this lightly.”

“I know!” Yang Yucheng pouted, then added reluctantly, “It’s precisely because I know that I worry. Since Mo Yi has set his sights on Miss Fu, I fear he won’t let it go…”

Set his sights on her!

What did this have to do with her?

Fu Tingyun’s heart pounded like a drum as she held her breath and listened intently.

“You’re overthinking,” Zhao Ling laughed. “Mo Yi merely asked how the family should be arranged…”

Jin Yuanbao, whom Yang Yucheng had described as always calm and collected, suddenly became agitated, urgently calling out “Master Nine” and saying: “That’s not the right way to look at it. Consider Mo Yi’s methods. In Linchun Town, he joked and played with you like a good friend. After arriving in Xi’an Prefecture, once he knew you had capable brothers under you and saw you delay meeting with Lord Wu, he immediately turned ruthless, trying to put you to death. After you repelled the Divine Crossbow Battalion and met with Lord Wu, he immediately came to visit you, revealed his identity, and disclosed that you were assigned to the Zhuanglang Guard by the Regional Commander because he had recommended you to the Marquis of Yingchuan, implying he could influence your future career. This was both a gesture of friendship and a show of ‘power.’ He calculated that you value loyalty and would bring us brothers into the military camp, arranging this matter quietly to make you grateful to him and indebted to him—this is ‘favor.’ Combining favor and power, assessing the situation—how can we say it’s ‘overthinking’ when Miss Fu is being targeted by such a person? How can it be as simple as ‘asking a question’?”

Mo Yi had arranged for Jin Yuanbao and the others to be stationed with Zhao Ling?

Fu Tingyun could hardly believe it.

But why would Mo Yi be concerned about her?

Besides her relationship with Zhao Ling, she couldn’t think of any value she might have in Mo Yi’s eyes.

Yet with this flash of insight, Fu Tingyun suddenly turned pale.

Generals in the field may disregard imperial orders. The families of military officials of the third rank and above were required to remain in the capital precisely to keep control over commanders in the field. Zhao Ling had met the Sixteenth Master only once, yet now he was bringing a group of brothers to join him. How would the Marquis of Yingchuan control him?

To the outside world, she was his fiancée!

Fu Tingyun felt her palms grow wet.

Could it be that Mo Yi wanted Zhao Ling to send her to Zhangye?

“We’ll think of a solution!” Zhao Ling’s voice was faint, his tone somewhat vague, as if troubled. “Mo Yi didn’t say it explicitly, so we can pretend not to know. If he asks, we’ll just say that Zhangye is full of flying sand and rolling stones, dry with little water, and Miss Fu couldn’t adapt to living there.”

She had guessed correctly!

Fu Tingyun felt a chill down her spine.

Jin Yuanbao spoke in an exasperated tone: “Master Nine, you can’t deceive yourself like this. Miss Fu faced bandits and was willing to slit her throat to preserve her chastity, yet because of Zhangye’s harsh environment, she wants to stay in Xi’an Prefecture? Such an excuse—even if you can say it, even if Miss Fu can bear it, Mo Yi will never believe it!” At this point, sensing his tone was too intense, he quickly lowered his voice and advised, “Anyway, Miss Fu has no support in Xi’an Prefecture. It would be better for her to come with us to Zhuanglang Guard…”

“No!” Zhao Ling’s tone was firm. “Beyond the frontier is no place for a woman. I will make this clear to Mo Yi.”

No, no, no, this was not the way.

Zhao Ling had finally found an opportunity to clean his reputation. Mo Yi might even become his superior in the future. This matter could not be handled so bluntly.

Fu Tingyun raised her hand to knock on the door.

But as her fingertips touched the hard, black-lacquered door, her heart trembled, and she withdrew her hand.

Her mother was in the capital, suffering greatly because of her situation. How could she watch without concern?

And there was her father.

Had he returned before she was drugged? Or after?

If he had returned before, why hadn’t he forcefully intervened? He was the only one in the family with an official position. Even if drugging her was the grandmother’s idea, for the sake of not her but at least his position, the grandmother should have shown some restraint.

If he had returned after, with something like this happening to her, why hadn’t he investigated thoroughly, but instead had her brother escort her mother to the capital, as if everything was her fault and the parents had to retreat in shame?

And her eldest uncle.

At home, one follows the father; when the father dies, one follows the husband; when the husband dies, one follows the son. No matter how high her grandmother’s status, no matter how formidable her eldest aunt, they were still women. Her eldest uncle had served as an official outside, had seen much of the world, and had returned to manage family affairs. Whether it was anyone’s idea to drug her, it couldn’t have been hidden from her eldest uncle. Why had he acted thus?

She wanted to wait in Xi’an Prefecture for news from the capital.

She wanted to see her mother once more.

She wanted to know what exactly had happened when she was drugged.

She wanted to tell her father that she was innocent.

She wanted to ask her eldest uncle why he would rather believe the one-sided words of Zuo Junjie, an outsider, than ask her once if the affair was true.

She even thought that after Zhao Ling finished his affairs, she would ask him to find a reliable person to escort her to the capital.

From Xi’an Prefecture to the capital was only a journey of a little more than a month.

She wanted to stand before her parents, stand before her eldest uncle, and, face-to-face, ask for clarity.

Whether to live or die, she wanted to know the truth.

But now, what should she do?

If she stayed in Xi’an Prefecture, how would Zhao Ling explain to Mo Yi?

If she went to Zhangye, what about all the heartache, sorrow, confusion, unwillingness, and resentment that had been stuck in her throat?

She stood bewildered in the courtyard, not knowing what to do.