The eldest and second daughters of the Wang family were sitting quietly on the kang bed doing embroidery.

The morning sunlight shone upon them, outlining their figures with a golden glow.

Seeing Fu Tingyun enter, both girls jumped down from the kang with delighted expressions. The eldest daughter said, “Sister Fu, have you finished handling matters at your home?” The second daughter, however, asked, “Sister Fu, didn’t Asen come with you?” As she asked, she peered behind Fu Tingyun.

Asen was already ten years old. With the arrival of spring, he had begun to grow taller again. Fu Tingyun felt it somewhat inappropriate for him to accompany her to visit the two young ladies, but looking at the second daughter’s clear, water-like eyes, she felt she might be overthinking.

“He’s outside!” Fu Tingyun smiled. The second daughter had already run out: “Asen, why didn’t you come inside?”

Asen’s face reddened, mumbling as if he didn’t know what to say.

The second daughter had already pulled his sleeve: “Come see the plum blossoms I’ve embroidered?” She showed her handkerchief to Asen, “Does it look nice?”

Asen’s face was bright red, his hands and feet awkward, appearing completely at a loss. He glanced briefly before hurriedly saying, “It looks nice, it looks nice!”

The second daughter was quite dissatisfied and pouted: “You didn’t even take a good look before saying it looks nice. You’re just brushing me off!”

Asen became even more embarrassed: “No, no. It does look nice!”

“Really?” The second daughter’s eyes twinkled as she tilted her head and asked him, “Then, what part looks nice?”

“Um…” Asen stammered, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the handkerchief, searching until he was sweating profusely, but unable to find anything particularly nice about it.

“Jingyi, don’t be mischievous.” The eldest daughter gently reprimanded her sister, earning a grimace from the second daughter in return.

The eldest daughter gave her sister a warning glare, then spoke softly to Asen: “Asen, you haven’t come for some time. What have you been doing?”

Asen breathed a sigh of relief, his demeanor becoming much more natural: “I’ve been studying reading and writing with Miss!”

“What books have you been reading?”

The eldest daughter had a very sisterly manner.

“I’m still reading ‘Thousand Family Poems,'” Asen replied. A maid brought tea over, he bowed in thanks, sat back down, and continued, “Miss said that when autumn comes, she would send me to the county school to formally begin my education under a teacher.” He proudly puffed out his chest.

The second daughter laughed at him: “How embarrassing, you’re already ten years old and just starting your education.”

“You!” Asen glared at her.

The eldest daughter quickly smiled and said: “What do you know? Sister Fu is teaching Asen to read is already beginning his education. But since this world doesn’t allow women to be formal teachers, Sister Fu will have to engage another teacher for Asen.”

She gave Asen a way to save face.

Asen shot the eldest daughter a grateful look.

The eldest daughter didn’t notice as she was admonishing her sister: “If you don’t know, don’t speak carelessly, understand?”

The second daughter was somewhat unconvinced, but recalling her mother saying that Sister Fu’s calligraphy was excellent and learned from a famous teacher, she found some truth in it. She snorted twice but ultimately didn’t argue.

Asen felt his dignity restored and no longer held a grudge against the second daughter.

Fu Tingyun found it all quite amusing and smiled with her lips pursed.

Li Mama entered: “Miss Fu, Concubine Feng’s messenger has left.”

Fu Tingyun followed Li Mama to the main hall.

Madam Wang was directing a young maid to brew fresh tea. Seeing Fu Tingyun enter, she remarked with some emotion: “I have never seen Concubine Feng so humble and submissive.” She then invited Fu Tingyun to stay for lunch.

“We’ve invited a Daoist priest to drive away evil spirits at home!” Fu Tingyun thanked Madam Wang for helping her inquire about Zhao Ling’s news, but politely declined Madam Wang’s kind invitation.

“There will be plenty of opportunities in the future!” Madam Wang didn’t stand on ceremony with her. “Come visit whenever you’re free.” She escorted Fu Tingyun to the door.

As she left the Commander-in-Chief’s residence, Fu Tingyun felt as if someone was following her. She looked back but saw nobody there.

Asen pursed his lips and said: “Miss, you don’t need to look back. There’s a thin, small woman in her forties following us. I’ve seen this woman before—she accompanied Concubine Feng when she visited General Mo’s home.”

In this world, no one can be liked by everyone, but knowing who particularly dislikes you at least allows for some precaution.

Hearing it was Concubine Feng’s person, Fu Tingyun was relieved and returned home happily.

Daoist Master Shanning’s ritual had reached a conclusion. Zheng San was entertaining the Daoist master and his two young disciples with good wine and food.

Fu Tingyun had Zheng San’s wife go to the street market to buy several boxes of pastries, which she then took to visit Mrs. Qi.

Mrs. Qi’s head had been broken by the Lu family’s servant woman and was now wrapped in bandages. She was at home, alternating between moaning in pain and cursing Madam Lu. Seeing Fu Tingyun bring gifts to visit her, she was moved to tears and struggled to get up: “Of all the neighbors, only Miss Fu shows such care and righteousness.”

Fu Tingyun quickly pressed on her shoulder: “Mrs. Qi, please rest!” She then explained, “After what happened at our home, I was frightened to death. If not for Madam Wang bringing news of Ninth Master this morning, I wouldn’t have dared to go out, and I wouldn’t have known what had happened outside. As soon as I heard you had been wronged, I came to see you.”

“Thank you, you shouldn’t have gone to the expense.” Mrs. Qi spoke politely, then launched into another tirade against Madam Lu, declaring that when Mo Yi returned, she would certainly file a complaint, and so on.

Fu Tingyun neither discouraged nor encouraged her, simply listening quietly.

Finally, when Mrs. Qi felt her indignation had somewhat subsided, she immediately turned to gossip: “I heard that Chief Zhao saved Commander Lu, is that true?”

Fu Tingyun briefly explained what had happened.

Mrs. Qi listened with a beaming smile: “That’s good, that’s good.” She added, “If Master Zhao gets promoted, don’t forget our family when good things come your way.”

“What are you saying?” Fu Tingyun replied modestly. “Being able to keep one’s life is already fortunate enough—we dare not think about promotions. Besides, even if he is promoted, he would just be serving in a lower garrison; how could that compare to your husband, Mr. Qi, managing the storehouse at the Commander-in-Chief’s residence? It’s more leisurely, safer, and can support your entire family.” Her words made Mrs. Qi bloom with delight, and she invited Fu Tingyun to stay for lunch.

Fu Tingyun thanked her repeatedly and declined persistently until she was finally able to leave.

In the afternoon, Daoist Master Shanning performed another ritual. Zheng San accompanied him for dinner. They had agreed on four taels of silver beforehand, but following Fu Tingyun’s instructions, he gave Shanning five taels: “Master, please forgive us. Our master is not at home, and our miss is just a woman, so if there have been any discourtesies, please be understanding.”

Shanning felt this household conducted itself very properly and was quite pleased. He smiled and expressed his thanks, telling Zheng San to find him directly if they needed anything in the future, then left with his two young disciples.

Zheng San’s wife was somewhat concerned: “Miss, will this Daoist master come to take advantage of our hospitality from time to time in the future…”

Fu Tingyun explained: “These people go from household to household and know many people. If we offend them and they spread malicious rumors, it could damage our reputation. If we can avoid making enemies, it’s best to do so.”

Zheng San’s wife nodded.

Fu Tingyun then instructed the couple: “From today onward, keep the main gate tightly closed. Don’t go out unless necessary, and wait until Ninth Master and the Marquis of Yingchuan return.”

Since Madam Wang had arranged for someone to report to the Marquis of Yingchuan, given that this matter involved the marquis’s official authority, the marquis would surely make arrangements.

Zheng San and the others respectfully acknowledged with “Yes,” and from then on simply said that Fu Tingyun had been frightened and was not receiving visitors.

Madam Lu came to visit several times but was always stopped at the door by Zheng San.

The Marquis of Yingchuan’s response came much faster than Fu Tingyun had imagined.

In mid-May, news had just arrived from Xining about Commander Lu capturing the leader of the Wuhe’er tribe. By the end of May, an imperial censor had arrived in Zhangye—Vice Commander-in-Chief Liu was impeached for failing to control his wives and concubines, received forty strokes of the cane, and was stripped of all official duties. The position of Gansu Vice Commander-in-Chief was filled by Wang Yi, the former defense commander of Zhuanglang Garrison. Mo Yi was promoted to Defense Commander of Xining Garrison, and Lü Rong, the Records Manager from the Shaanxi Military Command, was transferred to serve as the Defense Commander of Zhuanglang Garrison.

Fu Tingyun hurriedly went to see Madam Wang.

Madam Wang’s home was already filled with people coming to offer congratulations.

Although one usually becomes spirited when encountering happy events, Madam Wang appeared no different than usual. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Fu Tingyun, then had Li Mama take Fu Tingyun to the rear courtyard.

The gazes of all the ladies in the room followed her figure, and Fu Tingyun felt as if her back was being roasted by fire.

Shortly after, Madam Wang came to see Fu Tingyun.

Fu Tingyun smiled and curtsied to Madam Wang: “Congratulations, congratulations!”

Madam Wang did not hide her joy in front of Fu Tingyun. She accepted the congratulations and said: “From Senior Grade 3 to Grade 3, many people stop at Senior Grade 3. My husband is already thirty-nine this year—if he doesn’t move up now, there might not be another chance. This is all thanks to the Marquis of Yingchuan!” She then asked, “You didn’t come just to congratulate me, did you?”

Fu Tingyun smiled somewhat embarrassedly but didn’t try to hide anything from Madam Wang: “I wanted to ask, what kind of private relationship does this Lü Rong have with the Marquis of Yingchuan?”

Madam Wang smiled and said: “I don’t know about Lü Rong’s private relationship with the Marquis of Yingchuan, but I do know that Lü Rong and my husband have a very good personal relationship—they were martial jinshi from the same imperial examination.”

Fu Tingyun was delighted: “In that case, we need not fear the Marquis of Xiping anymore?”

They would be safe now.

Madam Wang nodded with a smile.

Li Mama entered: “Concubine Feng requests an audience.”

Madam Wang raised an eyebrow: “Didn’t we just give her a bottle of wound medicine a few days ago?” She pondered, “Could it be that because Commissioner Liu has been demoted to commoner status, she fears I won’t give her wound medicine anymore?”

To humiliate Concubine Feng, Madam Wang only gave her one bottle of wound medicine each time. Once, she even used the excuse that medicine from Fujian had not yet arrived and was delayed for half a month.

“No!” Li Mama smiled. “The Commissioner-in-Chief’s office has ordered them to move out of the Commissioner-in-Chief’s residence by nightfall today. Concubine Feng has come to plead for a two-day extension.”

Madam Wang’s face showed contempt: “This is an official matter. How could it be decided by a woman like me who lives in seclusion? She still thinks everyone is like her, daring to interfere in everything, daring to speak on any matter, causing her husband to lose his position and career, and then living peacefully as if nothing happened.”

Li Mama smiled upon hearing this: “Then I’ll go and persuade Concubine Feng to leave.”

Madam Wang nodded slightly, but as Li Mama turned to leave, she changed her mind: “I should see her after all, to let her know what it means for a husband to guide his wife.”

Seeing this, Fu Tingyun rose to take her leave: “Then I’ll go first and come to see you when you’re free!”

Madam Wang didn’t detain her. Under the watchful eyes of all the ladies, Li Mama escorted Fu Tingyun out of the Commander-in-Chief’s residence.

Upon returning home, there was a letter from Zhao Ling.

Since safely arriving at the Marquis of Yingchuan’s camp, he had written to Fu Tingyun every fifteen days, simply reporting that he was safe, mentioning nothing else.

Zheng San’s wife grumbled a bit: “He could write one more sentence about the war situation so we could feel at ease!”

“Military matters are confidential and cannot be discussed casually.” Fu Tingyun was quite understanding about this. “It’s good enough that he’s safe and well.”

However, this letter from Zhao Ling contained one more sentence than usual: “…Is everything peaceful at home? Has anything happened?”

Fu Tingyun wrote back to him: “All is well, Ninth Master need not worry!” Secretly, she felt that Zhao Ling somehow sensed something about Feng Dahu’s matter.