When Zhao Ling appeared at the inn with two carpets over his left shoulder and a large package of tea leaves in his right hand, following Fu Tingyun, everyone was dumbfounded and couldn’t react for a moment. Asen was the quickest to respond, running over first: “Master Zhao, why didn’t you call me when you went out?” As he spoke, he reached out to help Zhao Ling with the tea leaves.

Zhao Ling moved his hand back, avoiding Asen, and said: “The tea leaves are too heavy for you to carry.”

As he spoke, Yang Yucheng and the others came to their senses and quickly gathered around, some helping with the carpets, others with the tea leaves, surrounding Zhao Ling and Fu Tingyun as they entered the hall.

Zheng Sanniang brought in tea while San Fu and the others had already arranged the goods.

Yang Yucheng took the tea from Zheng Sanniang’s hands and offered it to Zhao Ling while complaining: “If you thought Asen was too small to help, you could have called us! If that wouldn’t work, you could have spent a few coins to hire a porter from the street. Why did you carry everything back yourself?” He continued, “No matter what, our lives were saved by you, our food comes from you, and now that we’ve joined the military and become soldiers, it’s all because we followed you. If you remain so distant from us, I don’t know what to think, and being an official doesn’t seem meaningful.”

San Fu and Shi Zhu nodded repeatedly as they listened.

Zhao Ling, however, felt somewhat embarrassed.

He didn’t mean it that way.

When he went out, he only wanted the two of them to go for a walk alone. After buying things, there was no reason for her to help carry them, so naturally, he carried everything back himself. Afraid she might get lost following behind him, he let her lead the way in front of him, keeping her in his sight, which made him feel more at ease.

But these thoughts were impossible to express.

“It’s fine,” he smiled dismissively. “We bought these just outside the gate. I’m not some pampered young master who can’t lift or carry things. Hiring a porter would have been too much trouble.” His manner showed no sign of discomfort as he asked Zheng Sanniang: “Is lunch ready?”

Most guests at the Yongjing County inn were merchants passing through. Merchants valued profit, so the meals provided by the inn were usually cheap and delicious. Plus, Yang Yucheng and the others had things to do these past few days and didn’t know when they would return, so they also had their meals at the inn. This way, whenever Yang Yucheng and the others returned, food would be available.

Zheng Sanniang quickly replied: “I’ll go check in the kitchen right away.”

Zhao Ling nodded and asked Yang Yucheng and the others: “You’ve returned so early?”

Jin Yuanbao smiled without answering, but Yang Yucheng had a mischievous look on his face: “Master Zhao, we were just thinking about lunch!”

Zhao Ling laughed heartily, knowing that their inquiry about Lu Cheng had gone smoothly. He pointed to the tea leaves nearby: “I didn’t expect to find such fine Biluochun tea. Everyone can have a share!”

Traveling west beyond the pass, tea merchants sold tea cakes; only when heading south toward the sea did they sell loose tea leaves.

Yang Yucheng chuckled: “Which unfortunate soul paid tuition fees here?”

Everyone laughed at this remark.

Zheng Sanniang brought lunch.

Fu Tingyun returned to her room to eat, while Zhao Ling, Yang Yucheng, Jin Yuanbao, and the others ate in the hall, then went together to Zhao Ling’s bedroom.

As soon as they sat down, Yang Yucheng eagerly said: “We’ve found out everything. This Lu Cheng is a concubine’s son of the Lu family. Because the legitimate son injured his leg in a horse-riding accident, several uncles were clamoring to ‘borrow the succession,’ so his stepmother had no choice but to let Lu Cheng succeed to the position. That’s precisely why the Lu family doesn’t give him much face. Later, he married the widowed sister of the former Gansu General Li Yunlan, which helped him get promoted to Zhuanglang Wei Deputy Commissioner. Everyone in Zhuanglang Wei knows these things; we didn’t even need to investigate.”

Zhao Ling was quite surprised.

Seeing this, Jin Yuanbao quickly said: “Master Zhao, don’t underestimate him. This man is quite a gentleman who knows when to bend and when to stand firm.”

Zhao Ling raised an eyebrow.

Jin Yuanbao continued: “Later, when Li Yunlan was imprisoned for losing Hami Wei, everyone thought Lu Cheng would divorce Lady Li. But not only did Lu Cheng not divorce her, he made arrangements for Li Yunlan’s case from top to bottom. When Li Yunlan was demoted to commoner status, he sent a gift of one hundred taels of gold and assigned personal guards to escort Li Yunlan back to his hometown.” At this point, he smiled with worldly insight and continued, “That’s why after the Marquis of Yingchuan became the Gansu General, the first person he met was Lu Cheng, and Lu Cheng was subsequently appointed by the Marquis as the vanguard to attack Hami Wei.”

Zhao Ling smiled: “This Lu Cheng is quite interesting!” He became enthusiastic like a lonely chess player who had found an opponent, his face radiating with energy.

Yang Yucheng grinned at Zhao Ling: “If you knew one more thing, you’d find it even more interesting!”

Zhao Ling smiled at him expectantly.

Yang Yucheng lowered his voice: “After Mo Yi arrived in Zhang Ye, he took a concubine with the surname Lu.”

Zhao Ling paused for a moment, then burst into laughter.

His laughter was bright and cheerful: “That is quite interesting!”

Asen came in with tea, gave Zhao Ling a curious look, then quietly withdrew and ran to Fu Tingyun’s room.

“Miss, Miss, what did you and Master Zhao buy when you went out?” he asked curiously.

Fu Tingyun took out the headscarf to show Asen: “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Thinking that this was a gift from Zhao Ling, her face turned slightly red with shyness.

Asen nodded repeatedly: “It’s very pretty!” Then he asked curiously: “Is this a Hui people’s headscarf?”

“Yes!” Fu Tingyun responded, trying the headscarf on.

The black velvet fabric embroidered with golden threads was magnificent, complementing Fu Tingyun’s porcelain-like face, black eyebrows, and rosy lips. The distinct colors brought out an irresistible charm in her features.

“Miss Fu,” Asen gazed at Fu Tingyun admiringly, “you look so beautiful wearing this!”

“Really?” Fu Tingyun was both surprised and delighted as she went to look in the mirror.

Zheng Sanniang entered and saw Fu Tingyun wearing the headscarf in front of her dressing table with an elated expression. After hesitating briefly, she gently said: “Miss, this is a Hui people’s item. It’s fine if you just wear it for fun in your room.”

Fu Tingyun felt somewhat disappointed.

If she only wore it in her room, how would Zhao Ling see it?

Perhaps she could find an opportunity to let him have a glimpse?

He would certainly be surprised and would stare at her.

The thought flashed through her mind, immediately making her blush.

He was already doing things that embarrassed her. If she were to parade in front of him wearing the headscarf he bought… wouldn’t that be telling him she liked it very much!

Fu Tingyun bit her lip.

Would he think she enjoyed being treated this way by him?

Well, then perhaps it was better not to let him see.

Though she thought this way, her mood still declined.

Fu Tingyun responded with an “Oh” and put the headscarf in her trunk, deciding to put the matter out of her mind. She asked about Zheng San: “He hasn’t returned yet?”

Two hundred taels of silver was no small sum, and anyone carrying such an amount would be concerned about safety.

“Not yet,” said Zheng Sanniang. Seeing that Fu Tingyun had readily accepted her advice, she was quite pleased and said with a smile, “Miss, don’t worry. My family members are used to traveling around; nothing will happen to him!”

Fu Tingyun responded with an “Mm” and said nothing more. Asen asked her to watch him write: “I practiced all morning, and now I can write everything without looking at the book.”

“Asen is getting smarter and smarter,” Fu Tingyun was quick to praise him, asking him to bring in the sand tray so she could watch him write.

After a while, Zheng San returned. He hadn’t bought a fur coat but brought back seven or eight fox pelts and a piece of plain blue silk: “…The best would have been gray squirrel fur, all half-new. I happened to meet a Hu merchant selling furs, so I took the liberty of buying a few pieces.”

Fu Tingyun felt the sleek, glossy fox fur and praised Zheng San for his good judgment, asking Zheng Sanniang to serve him his meal. She laid the newly purchased carpet on the kang bed and began cutting fabric for clothes.

Two days passed like this. She had finished the main body of the garment, and they began to prepare for their journey to Zhang Ye.

Zhao Ling came specifically to remind her: “Lay the new carpet in the carriage to keep warm.”

Fu Tingyun nodded.

Zhao Ling, however, fixed his gaze on the blue silk in her hands, which was a man’s garment: “Who is this for?” His brows furrowed slightly, his expression subtly showing displeasure.

Fu Tingyun had felt uncomfortable when he stared at the blue silk in her hands.

This was the second time she had made clothes for him.

Although the first time was to thank him for saving her life, and this time was to repay him for the fur coat, she still hoped Zhao Ling wouldn’t misunderstand. So when Zhao Ling asked, she didn’t overthink and quickly explained: “You gave your fur coat to me. I originally wanted to buy one to give back to you, but couldn’t find a suitable one. Fortunately, we found some good fur, so I thought I’d make one for you…”

Before she could finish, Zhao Ling’s brows had already relaxed, and his eyes revealed a hint of a smile.

“Take your time making it,” he said gently. “There’s no rush to wear it, just be careful of your eyes.” Then he rode his horse forward: “We’ll rest at an inn by the Zhuanglang Wei post road today.”

Yang Yucheng and the others smiled in acknowledgment.

Fu Tingyun, however, felt that the usually quiet Zhao Ling suddenly shouting like a caravan manager seemed somewhat unusual.

Perhaps men become more spirited when riding horses, making them a bit different from usual?

She pondered this, smiled, and shook her head, then lowered her head to continue sewing.

…

Zhao Ling and his men traveled on horseback, while Fu Tingyun and her group rode in a carriage, making good progress.

Not many days after leaving Zhuanglang Wei, they passed Liangzhou Wei and stopped at an inn next to the Shuiquaner post station near Yongchang Wei.

As the name Shuiquaner suggests, this place had water.

Many caravans would rest here, replenish their water supply, and then continue westward.

As they were dismounting from the carriage, a caravan was departing.

They passed each other.

Fu Tingyun saw the mustached man they had encountered while shopping in Yongjing County. He was sitting on the lead camel of the caravan, appearing to be the caravan leader.

The mustached man also noticed them.

He paused slightly, nodded to Zhao Ling, and led the caravan westward.

Jin Yuanbao asked Zhao Ling in a low voice: “Master Zhao, do you know this person?”

“No,” Zhao Ling replied solemnly, looking at the caravan of over a thousand camels. “We met once when buying things in Yongjing County.”

Yang Yucheng couldn’t help saying: “I’ll go ask whose camel caravan this is. It’s quite an impressive operation.” Without waiting for Zhao Ling’s approval, he went straight to the inn’s counter.

“You’re asking about Master Ye!” the innkeeper said with a smile. “That’s the caravan of Shanxi’s Datong Trading Company.”

Zhao Ling and his companions were visibly moved by this information.