The Tufan people had even less courage than the Mongols. When they heard that the Marquis of Yingchuan was personally leading troops to Jiayuguan, they had already retreated before the Marquis reached Jiayuguan. After staying at Jiayuguan for several days, the Marquis of Yingchuan returned to Zhangye. Good news also came from the west: the leader of the Mongolian Wulianghai tribe had been slain by Commander Lu’s subordinates, and the leader of the Tuoli tribe was severely wounded. The Mongols had lost their will to fight and retreated like the receding tide. Commander Lu had recaptured Xining Garrison.

When the news spread, the entire city of Zhangye erupted in jubilation.

The Marquis of Yingchuan led various commanders to the Great Buddha Temple to perform memorial services for the fallen soldiers. Clerks at the Commander-in-Chief’s office were busy tallying the lists of fallen soldiers, drafting reward lists, calculating bereavement allowances, and determining the quantities of horses, provisions, and weapons that needed replenishing. Even Clerk Qi, who usually returned home before his shift ended, was now working from early morning until late at night.

Mrs. Qi came several times to ask: “When will your Chief Zhao return?”

“I don’t know,” Fu Tingyun had gone to see Madam Wang about this, but Madam Wang had also shaken her head. “They say he’s with Commander Lu at Zhuanglang Garrison. This time, Zhuanglang Garrison suffered heavy casualties. Commander Lu is busy conducting memorial services for the fallen soldiers and comforting their families. He’s so busy his feet barely touch the ground.”

Mrs. Qi nodded, murmuring: “I wonder when General Mo will return?”

“He should return once the matters at Xining Garrison are settled, right?” Fu Tingyun smiled. “He still needs to report back to the Marquis of Yingchuan, and when Commander Lü assumes his new post, he should come to celebrate as well.”

As they were speaking, Jin Yuanbao arrived.

He respectfully saluted Fu Tingyun, his face revealing undisguised joy: “Miss, we have news of San Fu—he was wounded and hiding with several colleagues on a small mountain near Leduo in Nianbo Garrison. Later, when the Ninth Master was pursuing the Tuoli tribe, they suddenly flanked from behind. The Tuoli tribe fell into chaos, allowing Ninth Master to shoot an arrow into the chest of the Tuoli leader. Commander Lu said that San Fu and the others have atoned for their crimes with meritorious service, and their offense of leaving their posts without permission will not be pursued.”

Fu Tingyun couldn’t help clapping her hands: “Wonderful, wonderful!”

Mrs. Qi, however, kept her eyes fixed on Jin Yuanbao, her gaze constantly shifting: “And who might this be?”

Fu Tingyun smiled apologetically at Mrs. Qi: “Look at me, too caught up in my excitement! This is Jin Yuanbao, a Small Flag Officer who enlisted with our Ninth Master. Because of his military expertise, he has gained the favor of the Marquis of Yingchuan and now serves as a scribe by the Marquis’s side.”

“So Flag Officer Jin serves by the Marquis’s side!” Mrs. Qi’s gaze grew even more interested. “Truly a talented young man who has achieved early success!”

Jin Yuanbao made a few modest remarks, but seeing that Mrs. Qi had no intention of leaving, he had no choice but to go to Zheng San’s place.

Mrs. Qi immediately pulled Fu Tingyun aside and asked: “Is Flag Officer Jin married? My cousin has a daughter who just turned nineteen this year. She’s skilled in all kinds of needlework. If it works out, he would become the son-in-law of Commander Chen, who is in charge of Zhanfan’s defense. This is like a windfall from heaven—you should mention it to Flag Officer Jin.” Her gaze was expectantly fixed on Fu Tingyun.

All along, both Zhangye and the Gansu Commander-in-Chief’s office had been merely stepping stones in her mind—stepping stones for Zhao Ling and the others to clean up their identities. Fu Tingyun had never thought about staying in Zhangye for long, and although Jin Yuanbao and the others were not young anymore, she had never considered having them start families in Zhangye—that would mean someone would remain in Zhangye.

She was quite surprised that Mrs. Qi wanted to propose a match for Jin Yuanbao, and her first instinct was to refuse. But then a voice in her mind told her: Everything is predestined, like you and Ninth Master… perhaps this might be a good girl?

She couldn’t help but ponder.

Just turned nineteen this year meant she was almost twenty. Skilled in all kinds of needlework, but there was no mention of her temperament or appearance…

Seeing Fu Tingyun’s hesitant expression, Mrs. Qi’s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly asked: “What’s wrong? Is Flag Officer Jin already married?”

In her mind, becoming the son-in-law of Commander Chen would be like a carp leaping through the dragon’s gate. Unless Jin Yuanbao was already married, Fu Tingyun had no reason to hesitate.

Fu Tingyun suddenly realized something.

Mrs. Qi didn’t ask whether Jin Yuanbao was engaged; she only asked if he was married. She wasn’t at all concerned that someone might be after Commander Chen’s family status, which suggested that in her mind, Miss Chen had no advantages besides her family’s position.

They were like family, and she hoped Jin Yuanbao could marry a virtuous wife.

“That’s not it.” Fu Tingyun quickly thought of a strategy. She hesitated and said, “Jin Yuanbao can’t stay in Zhangye forever—this place is too harsh. But if he returns home, Jin Yuanbao’s wife would inevitably have to please the people in his household… Miss Chen is the daughter of an official family, which might not be suitable.”

Mrs. Qi understood.

So this Jin Yuanbao had transitioned from the slave registry to the military registry.

In a great household, once a slave, always a slave. Even if one escaped slave status, one was still a servant of the master’s family.

She was greatly disappointed and no longer had any interest in staying. After exchanging a few more words, she rose to leave.

Fu Tingyun told Jin Yuanbao about this matter.

Jin Yuanbao was somewhat embarrassed and said: “I come from a humble family. When choosing a wife, I value virtue. As long as husband and wife are of one mind, our lives will eventually prosper.”

Fu Tingyun smiled and nodded.

Jin Yuanbao, as if trying to escape the topic, picked up Linchun, who was chasing a puppy with Asen in the courtyard: “Come on, today uncle will take you to buy some candy.”

This made Fu Tingyun and Zheng San’s wife burst into laughter.

In mid-June, the imperial rewards were announced.

The Marquis of Yingchuan, Wang Yi, and others need not be mentioned. Zhao Ling, Yang Yucheng, and Jin Yuanbao were all promoted to centurions. San Fu and Shizhu were promoted to chief flag officers. Zhao Ling and the others were each rewarded with ten taels of silver and two bottles of imperial wine. San Fu and Shizhu each received five taels of silver and two bottles of imperial wine.

Asen shouted: “How can this be? Ninth Master helped Commander Lu fight, and it was our Ninth Master who killed the leader of the Wulianghai tribe! This news has spread throughout Xining and Zhuanglang Garrisons. How could he only be promoted to centurion? No, I’m going to find Brother Yuanbao and have him speak to the Marquis of Yingchuan…”

“Sit down right now!” Fu Tingyun put on a stern face. Asen obediently sat down, not daring to move an inch. “When will you change this temperament? Since the Marquis of Yingchuan had Ninth Master help Commander Lu redeem himself through meritorious service, no matter what great achievements Ninth Master accomplishes, they won’t be credited to him. Being promoted one rank to centurion based on military merit—what’s wrong with that? You must remember: to gain, one must first give. Military merit can be earned anytime, but if your superior doesn’t like you, even with tremendous skills, if they don’t use you, how can you earn military merit? What Ninth Master gave up this time was military credit, but what he gained was Commander Lu’s gratitude and the impression on the Marquis of Yingchuan that he considers the bigger picture. That’s more important than anything. Why don’t you use some of that cleverness of yours to think about these matters?”

Asen’s face turned bright red.

Zheng San’s wife entered: “Miss, Ninth Master’s colleague Zhao Ming has brought us some things on Ninth Master’s behalf again.”

Fu Tingyun immediately jumped down from the kang: “What did he bring? Besides bringing things, didn’t he bring any verbal messages?” As she spoke, she walked outside and around to beneath the window of the west wing room to listen to Zhao Ming and Zheng San’s conversation.

“…Brother Zhao originally wanted to come home to see everyone, but Commander Lu was in a hurry to leave, so he had to ask me to make the trip.” Zhao Ming said, then added with a smile, “Brother Zhao received quite a few rewards this time. He’s made a small fortune!”

Fu Tingyun stood there dumbfounded.

Zhao Ling had returned to Zhangye City!

Then why didn’t he come to see her?

Her eyes suddenly felt sore.

What excuse about Commander Lu being in a hurry… During the New Year, hadn’t Commander Lu been in just as much of a hurry? Yet hadn’t Zhao Ling still found a way to come back and see her?

Why this time?

He had passed by the door without entering…

What had happened?

Was he injured and didn’t want her to know? Or had something happened that made him decide to distance himself from her?

Fu Tingyun stood there in a daze. If Zheng San’s wife hadn’t pulled her back into the room, she would have come face to face with the departing Zhao Ming.

“Miss, Ninth Master truly might not have been able to get away!” Seeing her sitting pale-faced and silent on the kang, Zheng San’s wife tried to comfort her gently. “Now that Ninth Master is a favorite of Commander Lu, it’s not like before when he could leave whenever he wanted. He’s not his own master now. Miss should understand Ninth Master’s position…”

“It’s good that he’s just a favorite of Commander Lu. If he became a favorite of the Marquis of Yingchuan, wouldn’t we not even see his shadow?” Fu Tingyun sneered, then was startled to hear the sharpness and bitterness in her voice, breaking out in a cold sweat.

What was wrong with her?

As Zheng San’s wife said, Zhao Ling was now just a small centurion who was being heavily relied upon by Commander Lu. How could he act freely? Men handle external affairs, women handle internal affairs. She had never been an unreasonable person, so why had she suddenly lost her composure?

She covered her face, trying to hide the moisture in the corners of her eyes.

Deep down, she felt that if they were engaged or married, perhaps she wouldn’t feel so insecure!

From outside came Zheng San’s voice: “Miss, Ninth Master had Zhao Ming bring back seven hundred and fifty taels of silver, two bolts of bright red brocade, two bolts of sapphire-blue decorated silk, two bolts of moon-white Hangzhou silk, two bolts of bright blue summer cloth, two bolts of dark summer cloth, a jar of imperial wine, and a letter for you!”

Fu Tingyun quickly wiped away her tears and called Zheng San in.

Zheng San handed her the inventory list and the letter.

“Put everything away properly!” Fu Tingyun instructed the couple, took the list, and sat on the kang to read Zhao Ling’s letter.

The letter was as brief as ever. It only mentioned that Commander Lu was very grateful for saving his life and had given him five hundred taels of silver. Upon meeting the Marquis of Yingchuan, the Marquis had rewarded him with not only two hundred taels of silver but also a jar of imperial wine and ten bolts of fabric. Additionally, there were fifty taels of silver obtained from battle. All of these were entrusted to her care.

Fu Tingyun angrily tossed the letter onto the kang table and sat there expressionless, watching as the couple worked together to bring in the seven hundred and fifty taels of silver and carefully put them in the trunk. Only then did her rapidly heaving chest gradually calm down.

By the time Zheng San asked her what to do with the jar of imperial wine, she had completely calmed down: “I’ll give you a prescription tomorrow. Go to the market and buy some medicinal herbs so we can make some medicinal wine for Ninth Master.”

Zheng San acknowledged, and the couple, thinking that Fu Tingyun might want to carefully count the silver that Zhao Ling had brought back, withdrew together.

Only then did Fu Tingyun slowly smooth out the letter that she had crumpled in her grip and place it in the red lacquered box at her bedside.