Watching Madam Wang’s retreating figure, Fu Tingyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

This way, the conflict between her and the Feng siblings would be simplified to a mere personal grudge. Even if Deputy Commander Liu wanted to shield his favored concubine, he would need to be cautious. At the very least, he might restrain Madam Feng, giving Fu Tingyun a chance to catch her breath.

She turned and returned to the quarters Madam Wang had arranged for her.

It was a two-room side building. The Zheng couple and A-Sen were staying in the south end, while she occupied the north end. When she entered the room, Zheng San’s wife was tidying up.

“Miss, you’re back!” She brewed a cup of tea for Fu Tingyun and offered it to her, whispering with a smile, “I’ve heard that under the Commander is the Deputy Commander, and under the Deputy Commander is the Battalion Commander. I never expected Madam Wang’s residence to be so small!”

Since Zhao Ling had joined the military, everyone had been paying close attention to military ranks, garrisons, and similar matters, and they had learned quite a bit about such things.

“Lower your voice. We’re in someone else’s home; be careful of eavesdroppers,” Fu Tingyun glared at Zheng San’s wife and said, “That’s why we should be even more grateful that Madam Wang has taken us in!”

When she first visited, Fu Tingyun had been surprised to see that the Wang family lived in just three main rooms plus a two-room side building. Fortunately, Battalion Commander Wang had gone to Xining; otherwise, she would have felt too embarrassed to seek refuge here.

Zheng San’s wife nodded repeatedly.

Madam Wang’s attendant, accompanied by a maid, brought washbasins and toiletries: “Miss Fu, please make do with these.”

“Thank you for your trouble!” Fu Tingyun politely thanked Madam Wang’s attendant, who had given up her quarters and those of two maids to accommodate them.

“No need for thanks, no need at all.” Because Zheng San had once greeted her when they passed by Fu Tingyun’s home, this attendant felt quite favorable toward Fu Tingyun and her people. “Just let me know if you need anything. Make yourselves at home.”

Fu Tingyun thanked her again, and Madam Wang’s attendant left with the maid.

Someone was peering in from outside the door.

Fu Tingyun looked toward the door and saw a rosy apple-like little face.

It was the Wang family’s second young miss.

Fu Tingyun smiled and beckoned to her.

She immediately ran in with a beaming smile: “Sister Fu, Sister Fu, how is it that you just left and now you’re back again?” she asked with childlike innocence.

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile: “I have some issues at home, so I’ll be staying at your place for a few days. Is that all right?”

“Yes, yes!” She was very happy and asked Fu Tingyun with her round, bright eyes, “Could you help me embroider a handkerchief?”

Fu Tingyun was momentarily taken aback.

The Wang family’s second young miss explained with distress: “In a few months, it will be my maternal grandmother’s birthday. Mother asked me to embroider a handkerchief for grandmother, and my sister will embroider a pouch, but I’ve already attempted several handkerchiefs and none of them turned out well…”

Fu Tingyun smiled gently: “A small gift sent from afar shows great affection. It doesn’t matter if your embroidery is good or not; what matters is that you made it with your own hands—it’s the thought that counts.” Hearing the implication that Fu Tingyun was refusing, the Wang family’s second young miss became downcast. But then Fu Tingyun changed her tone and said, “How about I teach you how to embroider?”

The Wang family’s second young miss brightened: “Yes, yes!”

The household had only one female attendant and two maids, who were always busy with many tasks.

Fu Tingyun smiled and opened the box of snacks that Madam Wang’s attendant had just brought, offering it to the Wang family’s second young miss: “Here, have some candy.”

The Wang family’s second young miss’s eyes curved into crescents as she took a white, frosted winter melon strip: “Sister Fu, these are sweet and delicious!”

“Then have some more!” As Fu Tingyun spoke, someone knocked on the door outside: “Sister Fu, is my sister here?”

Upon hearing this, the Wang family’s second young miss looked thoroughly annoyed and called out loudly: “I’m here! Sister.”

The Wang family’s eldest young miss entered and curtsied to Fu Tingyun: “Sister Fu, excuse the intrusion.” Then she took her sister’s hand, “Sister Fu has just arrived and hasn’t even finished unpacking, yet you come barging in to make a nuisance of yourself. Come back with me right away. When Sister Fu has settled in, Mother will naturally arrange for us to pay our respects properly. How could you just rush in without considering whether it’s convenient for her or not?” She spoke with all the authority of an elder sister.

“It’s fine, I’m not busy!” Fu Tingyun quickly came to the second young miss’s defense.

The Wang family’s second young miss gave Fu Tingyun a grateful look.

The Wang family’s eldest young miss then took her sister and bid farewell.

After they left, Fu Tingyun could still hear the eldest young miss complaining: “Can’t you be quieter? Mother said Miss Fu comes from a distinguished family. Behaving like this, she’ll laugh at you, don’t you understand…”

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but smile. After washing up and having a cup of hot tea, her mind gradually calmed as she thought about Madam Wang’s purpose in this visit.

What kind of face would Deputy Commander Liu put on?

Hopefully, this was just a fabrication that Madam Feng had used to deceive her.

Spreading such talk that Marquis Yingchuan was hiding Commander Lu—could the Marquis of Xiping be involved in this somehow?

As Fu Tingyun pondered these thoughts, Madam Wang returned.

She came directly to the side building where Fu Tingyun was staying.

Zheng San’s wife served tea and promptly took Lin Chun outside to give them privacy.

Madam Wang and Fu Tingyun sat on the kang to talk.

“You guessed it correctly.” Her expression was somewhat unpleasant. “When I mentioned this matter to Commander Liu, he flatly denied it, saying it was all rumors, and that Madam Feng must have heard it from someone else. He said that women like to gossip, especially someone like Madam Feng, who hasn’t read much, and told me not to take it seriously. Then he pressed me to reveal who had told me about this. Fearing it might cause trouble for you, I didn’t mention your name. But in my judgment, this is most likely Madam Feng talking nonsense. There are some things you may not know—if not for Marquis Yingchuan, Commander Liu would have been promoted to Gansu Commander-in-Chief already. So Commander Liu has always been reluctant to serve under Marquis Yingchuan. He and the Marquis of Xiping joined forces, intending to marginalize Marquis Yingchuan, but Marquis Yingchuan is no pushover. After several confrontations, not only did Commander Liu and the Marquis of Xiping fail to gain any advantage, but they were instead sidelined by Marquis Yingchuan. Having no other recourse, they could only hope that Marquis Yingchuan would win battle after battle, gain the Emperor’s favor, and be recalled to the capital…”

Fu Tingyun looked at Madam Wang in astonishment.

She never would have thought… being an official like Marquis Yingchuan, he could already be considered triumphant among his colleagues!

She pondered this as she heard Madam Wang analyze the situation: “Therefore, if Marquis Yingchuan had truly hidden the defeated Commander Lu, he would not let Commander Liu know about it.”

Fu Tingyun’s heart came back to life.

“So this means that Flag Bearer Zhao… most likely hasn’t met with any mishap!” she murmured, with joy that couldn’t be concealed hanging at the corners of her eyes and brows.

Sometimes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Zhao Ling’s position was too low; even if something had happened, the Commander’s office wouldn’t necessarily know right away.

Madam Wang, fearing the worst and worried that Fu Tingyun might not withstand such a blow, gently said: “Don’t be anxious. Wei Shi should return in a few days. Then everything will be clear.”

Zhao Ling served under Commander Lu; news of Commander Lu would mean news of Zhao Ling… Fu Tingyun had always thought this way, and nodded upon hearing these words.

Madam Wang rose to take her leave: “I’ll go freshen up too. Later, we’ll have dinner together.”

Fu Tingyun saw Madam Wang to the door and encountered Madam Wang’s attendant.

She was walking hurriedly, with a peculiar expression that was neither quite a smile nor not a smile.

Madam Wang quickly asked: “What has happened?”

The attendant glanced at Fu Tingyun.

Seeing that the attendant’s expression didn’t suggest any bad news, Madam Wang wasn’t concerned about Fu Tingyun knowing, so she said: “There are no outsiders here, just speak freely.”

The attendant burst into laughter: “Madam, at Commander Liu’s residence, a fight has broken out!”

For a moment, neither Madam Wang nor Fu Tingyun understood.

The attendant laughed even harder: “For some reason, as soon as Concubine Feng returned from outside, Commander Liu summoned her to the inner chamber and berated her harshly. In his anger, he even kicked her. Concubine Feng ran crying to the side room, grabbed her son, and threatened to jump into the river. Commander Liu chased after her to the second hall, where Concubine Feng sat on the threshold and began to wail, saying, ‘If I hadn’t given you a son, how would your Liu family have anyone to continue the incense? I’ve served you with all my heart, yet you scold me for being an outsider. I don’t want to live anymore… The spectators were crowded in layers, with more than half of the Commander’s household there!”

Madam Wang and Fu Tingyun were shocked, vaguely guessing that this incident was related to Madam Feng’s claim that Marquis Yingchuan had hidden Commander Lu. Madam Wang felt somewhat uneasy, but Fu Tingyun said: “We neither exaggerated nor fabricated facts. We have nothing to hide. Even if she were to question me, I would answer her the same way.”

Hearing this, Madam Wang couldn’t help but laugh heartily: “It seems I was being too old-fashioned!” She felt relieved at once.

…

After having dinner with Madam Wang and the two young misses of the Wang family, Fu Tingyun had Zheng San and the others come in to pay their respects to Madam Wang.

Madam Wang had met the Zheng couple before, but A-Sen was completely unfamiliar to her. With his clear, handsome features and a hint of liveliness in his demeanor, he had a cheerful air about him that was quite likable. When A-Sen paid his respects to her, she took particular notice and asked Fu Tingyun: “This is…?”

Fu Tingyun, recalling how she had been distressed that Zhao Ling had no one to make offerings to him, thought for a moment and said: “This is Flag Bearer Zhao’s sworn brother. Both his parents passed away, and he grew up with Flag Bearer Zhao. His name is Zhao Sen.”

The Zheng couple and A-Sen were all surprised, but fearing that Fu Tingyun had said this with some purpose in mind, they all lowered their eyes to conceal their unusual emotions.

Being a mother herself, Madam Wang felt some compassion seeing how well-behaved A-Sen was. While she gave the Zheng couple two five-fen silver pieces as rewards, to Zhao Sen she gave a camphorwood sword: “I brought this from Fujian. When a child is young, it can be used for sword practice. When the child grows up, it can be placed in a chest to repel insects.”

Fu Tingyun thanked her repeatedly.

Madam Wang began talking with Fu Tingyun about her childhood in Fujian.

The Wang family’s second young miss beckoned to A-Sen.

A-Sen, thinking of how Fu Tingyun had said he was Ninth Master’s sworn brother, felt he couldn’t dishonor Ninth Master, so he sat upright and proper, refusing the Wang family’s second young miss with his eyes.

The Wang family’s second young miss found this amusing and kept staring at him.

A-Sen had never been stared at by a young girl like this before. Gradually, he became uncomfortable, and a flush rose to his face.

Nearby, the Wang family’s eldest young miss covered her mouth and laughed silently.

A-Sen’s face grew redder and redder.