TIGR Chapter 97

The Imperial Guard’s Revenge

Chapter 97 Wedding Invitation

In the twelfth month, a blanket of snow enveloped the capital. In the morning, it was a chaotic flurry of crisp flakes, and by noon, the wind had stopped, leaving the snow to drift down in heavy, feather-like clumps.

Fu Tingzhou arrived just as the snowfall was at its heaviest. The steward, having received word of his arrival, hurried out of the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion. As soon as he stepped out, he saw a courtyard full of horses, each robust and tall, now impatiently shaking off the snow from their manes. The snowstorm blurred his vision, making it nearly impossible to see the figures through the snow, but the steward still recognized Fu Tingzhou at a glance.

Fu Tingzhou stood next to a black stallion instructing a groom to feed the horses and then handed his reins to a young servant.

Seeing this, the steward, despite the heavy snow outside, quickly ran down the steps: “Marquis, you’re back! You arrived in the capital today, yet you didn’t send any advance notice. If we had known, we could have met you at the city gate.”

Fu Tingzhou, wearing a heavy cloak, strode into the corridor. The cloak was made of animal fur, sleek and dense. As he moved, the snow on it fell off in soft rustling whispers, blending seamlessly with the storm outside.

As he passed through the intricately winding corridors of the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, Fu Tingzhou thought to himself that the capital and the border regions were indeed worlds apart. How could such an unnecessary and wasteful architecture exist in the Datong Prefecture? No wonder his grandfather, after retiring from the front lines, had never quite adjusted to life in the capital, and always longed for the days of battle.

Even after only a year on the front lines, his own perspective had already changed drastically. Among the nobles, Fu Yue’s strictness in Fu Tingzhou’s upbringing was well-known. Fu Tingzhou himself felt that he had always been diligent in his martial training, never allowing himself to slack off. It was only after experiencing battles where he almost met death did he truly understand how much of a showpiece he had been before.

After a year of warfare on the border, such heavy snow no longer posed any challenge to Fu Tingzhou. He said calmly: “To avoid leaking any information of our movement while on the road, I didn’t let them send any notice in advance.”

The steward had to jog to keep up with Fu Tingzhou, his hands clasped inside his sleeves, responding in a timid and hesitant manner, not daring to question him. The steward secretly felt frightened. Previously, the Marquis had been cold and stern, but the steward had still dared to exchange a few words with him. But now, standing before Fu Tingzhou, the steward didn’t dare utter a word of advice.

If the former Marquis had been a finely crafted sword adorned with gems and gold foil, sharp yet more like an ornate accessory, he was now a sword that had been sharpened and tempered with blood, truly becoming a weapon of war.

Even Fu Tingzhou’s style in doing things had changed considerably. The attendants around him had been almost entirely replaced. These new ones, though seemingly silent, had sharp eyes and fierce expressions, clearly seasoned fighters.

The steward couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The Datong Prefecture was indeed a place of tough and battle-hardened people. The soldiers stationed in Datong resembled both soldiers and bandits. While the locals were not afraid when they heard Mongols were coming, they hurriedly packed up and fleed when they heard that Datong troops were approaching. Even Wang Yanqing, who appeared to be a frail girl, excelled in martial arts with remarkable efficiency.

The steward quickly stopped himself from thinking further down this path, why was he remembering her? There had been many recent events in the capital, and he certainly couldn’t afford to remind the Marquis of her.

Due to the Datong Prefecture’s unique geographical location and harsh living environment, every person there was a fighting maniac. Generals who were dropped from the capital couldn’t subdue the soldiers under them unless they had some true ability. It was precisely because of this that any general who returned successfully from Datong would usually have a smooth career path and a chance to showcase their skills. Fu Yue was like this, as was Fu Tingzhou. After only a year in Datong, had also undergone a complete transformation.

Fu Tingzhou himself deeply felt this change. He used to think that, as a top-ranking marquis, he was on par with Lu Heng, the commander of the Imperial Guards. Both came from military families with similar backgrounds, and apart from Lu Heng’s slightly better luck, there was no significant difference between them. Now, after truly experiencing the hardships of war, Fu Tingzhou understood the vast difference between having real power and not, between having manpower and not.

Lu Heng had been with the Imperial Guards since he was twelve, building his network of influence, while Fu Tingzhou did not genuinely interact with the lower-ranked soldiers until he was twenty-two. The deeper Fu Tingzhou delved into these experiences, the more he realized the gap between himself and Lu Heng. He had to admit that Lu Heng’s advantages were far beyond just luck.

However, facing challenges was the essence of being a soldier, and now that Fu Tingzhou had returned, he was eager to test Lu Heng’s mettle once again.

Fu Tingzhou received the transfer orders to the capital in the eleventh month, but Datong, being a key military stronghold, required meticulous handling of the power transfer. Only after he had arranged all matters did he bring his trusted aides back to the capital. By the time he set foot in the Shuntian Prefecture again, it was already deep into winter.

Upon returning home, Fu Tingzhou’s first priority was to visit his elders. The female family members, having received news of his return, had gathered in the Madam’s quarters. Chen Shi, nervously clasping her hands, suddenly heard greetings outside. Overcome with surprise and emotion, Chen Shi stood up uncontrollably and exclaimed: “Marquis!”

With Chen Shi’s exclamation, the door curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold wind and swirling snow rushed into the room. A tall, stern figure appeared at the entrance. The women all stood up, clutching their handkerchiefs and greeting him. Even the Madam, with tears in her eyes, trembled as she said: “Good, good. It’s good to have you back.”

Seeing her son, who had changed so much, Chen Shi couldn’t help but shed tears. The women gathered around, offering comfort and crying together, creating a scene of collective sorrow. After some time, they finally calmed down.

Fu Tingzhou waited until Chen Shi’s emotions were stable and she had taken her seat before he greeted his elders in turn: “I pay my respects to Grandmother and Mother.”

Fu Tingzhou’s sudden return caught the household off guard. Fu Chang was not at home, leaving only the Madam, Chen Shi, and a few legitimate and concubine-born daughters of the Fu family in the room. Fu Tingzhou was like a treasure to both the Madam and Chen Shi. They couldn’t bear for him to perform the usual formalities and quickly urged him to sit down.

The maids stepped forward to serve them tea. Chen Shi closely examined her son. After a year on the border, Fu Tingzhou had become somewhat darker and appeared slimmer. His face had become more angular and defined, and he had a greater pronounced masculine presence than before. Chen Shi felt a mix of relief and heartache as she looked at him and sighed: “You’ve endured much hardship this past year. Fortunately, you weren’t injured. Rest well in the capital for a few days. Once the wedding is complete, you’ll have a woman to take care of you, and you’ll recover gradually.”

Fu Tingzhou heard this as he was about to take a sip of tea and frowned, immediately setting the cup back on the table: “What wedding?”

Chen Shi and the Madam exchanged a rare, guilty glance: “Your marriage to the third Miss Hong. The emperor personally arranged this match for you. It is a great honor. Since you’ve been reassigned to the capital, we should advantage of this opportunity and arrange a wedding quickly.”

Fu Tingzhou understood now. Chen Shi had taken it upon herself to set a wedding date while he was away! He suppressed his anger and asked: “Didn’t we agree to decide after I returned? Why did you make a decision on your own?”

Chen Shi was at a loss for words, her eyes darting around nervously: “I did it for your own good. You’re twenty-two this year. Most people your age have children by now, and you’re still not married. What kind of situation is this?”

Fu Tingzhou sneered disdainfully: “Lu Heng isn’t married either.”

Lu Heng’s unmarried status was a well-known topic in the capital, often discussed and speculated upon. But after Fu Tingzhou’s remark, the room fell into a long silence.

Sensing something was off, Fu Tingzhou furrowed his brow and asked: “What?”

The steward hesitated while the Fu family’s legitimate and concubine-born daughters all stared at their shoes. Finally, the Madam spoke slowly: “Master Lu is getting married next month. Your mother was envious that another was getting married in the first month of the year, so she hurried to set your wedding date. Unfortunately, it is too rushed. The earliest date is in the second month.”

Fu Tingzhou suddenly felt a lump in his throat. After a moment, he managed to ask: “Who is he marrying?”

The room fell silent again, and everyone lowered their heads as if in tacit agreement, with only the sound of crackling coal from the fire. Finally, the steward stepped forward and handed Fu Tingzhou a delicately crafted wedding invitation: “Marquis, this is Master Lu’s wedding invitation.”

Fu Tingzhou opened the invitation and was immediately stung by the surname “Wang” printed on it. Fu Tingzhou stared at the names side by side on the invitation and, after a long silence, hoarsely asked: “Who is this Wang?”

In a world where a woman’s maiden name was a closely guarded secret, it was normal for Lu Heng to list his fiancée simply as Wang. However, there were so many women with the surname Wang, which one did he intended to marry?

The Fu family remained silent, all were fully aware of the answer but unwilling to reveal it. The suffocating silence was finally broken by Chen Shi: “This woman is quite mysterious. Master Lu kept her hidden well, so no one in the capital has seen her true face. Regardless of who she may be, it’s evident from Master Lu’s attitude that he cares deeply for her. As outsiders, how can we question the woman Master Lu has chosen? We should just attend the wedding politely and make no further inquiries.”

Hearing her mother’s words, the Fu family’s legitimate daughters displayed signs of anxiety. One of them glanced at their elder brother. Although he appeared relatively calm, his grip was so tight that he had crumpled the Lu family’s wedding invitation.

She sighed inwardly, reflecting on how, when the invitation first arrived at the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, they had all wondered who this Wang could be. Though it wasn’t explicitly stated, the Fu women had a strong premonition that this Wang was Wang Yanqing.

The young lady sighed. She didn’t understand what made Wang Yanqing so captivating that men seemed to be infatuated with her, including Lu Heng, who was willing to give her a formal title. Initially, when Wang Yanqing went missing, they thought Lu Heng’s abduction of her was merely to provoke Fu Tingzhou and perhaps to amuse himself.

After all, Wang Yanqing’s beauty was exceptional, and few men could resist it.

However, this invitation shattered the Fu family women’s subtle sense of superiority. Lu Heng was not merely toying with Wang Yanqing. He was preparing to genuinely marry her with the full traditional ceremonies. The Fu family had always considered Wang Yanqing to be insignificant. She was just a guest living in the mansion, who would treat Wang Yanqing as truly part of the family?

But now, Wang Yanqing had transformed into Lu Heng’s legitimate wife, placing herself on equal footing with them and making it necessary for them to curry favors with her. Who in the capital would dare show disrespect to Lu Heng’s wife?

The young ladies of the Fu family and Chen Shi had been silently uncomfortable these past days, but that wasn’t all. Even worse was the fact that Fu Tingzhou, the pillar of the Fu family, still harbored lingering feelings for Wang Yanqing. A single invitation was enough to make Fu Tingzhou lose his composure.

Even despite the life-and-death experiences that made him much more composed than before. He gripped his palm tightly to maintain his calm and asked: “When was this invitation delivered?”

The Fu family members exchanged glances, unable to conceal the truth, and replied: “It was sent at the beginning of the eleventh month. It wasn’t just the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, several prominent families in the capital received it as well.”

The realization that the invitation had been sent so early shattered Fu Tingzhou’s last glimmer of hope. The date on the invitation was before Fu Tingzhou had received his transfer orders, meaning that Lu Heng wasn’t just trying to provoke him by marrying Wang Yanqing, he genuinely intended to marry her.

Fu Tingzhou’s heart felt numb, devoid of any pain: “Why did you decide on a marriage date for me and Miss Hong?”

Chen Shi was momentarily taken aback by the question. After fumbling for a moment, she said: “The emperor granted the marriage. Wasn’t it natural for us to set a date?”

Fu Tingzhou realized that Lu Heng had orchestrated things so that Chen Shi and the Hong family would set the wedding date while he was away. He manipulated the situation without them even realizing it.

This was very much Lu Heng’s style, taking the initiative and not giving his opponent any chance to counter. Fu Tingzhou was surprised that Lu Heng would go this far.

Fu Tingzhou took a moment to consider this. Since the Imperial Guards were different and couldn’t form factions, Lu Heng would have needed to marry someone of no power or influence. Possibly, that Lu Heng had been solitary for many years and been too lazy to choose, simply picking someone to play the role… Fu Tingzhou thought of many reasons but was unwilling to admit that Lu Heng had more courage than he did. Lu Heng dared to disregard everything and marry Wang Yanqing, boldly bringing her into the public eye, while Fu Tingzhou was always cautious and hesitant, burdened by too many considerations.

Fu Tingzhou had once believed that Lu Heng sought revenge and was intentionally deceiving Wang Yanqing, that all of Lu Heng’s actions had ulterior motives. That was why Fu Tingzhou had dared to pursue Wang Yanqing, believing that she would follow him once she learned the truth.

But if Lu Heng was genuinely sincere, who would Wang Yanqing choose?

Fu Tingzhou didn’t dare think about it.

As Fu Tingzhou sat calmly among the many watching eyes, he appeared composed, but he wasn’t really listening to Chen Shi and the others. Finally, Fu Tingzhou felt that he had spent enough time greeting his elders. He stood up and said: “I’ve just returned to the capital and have many matters to attend to. I must take my leave now. Grandmother, Mother, please excuse me.”

The Madam and Chen Shi nodded. Though they verbally urged Fu Tingzhou to attend to his business, they knew in their hearts that his real reason for leaving was Wang Yanqing.

Chen Shi sighed, feeling a tinge of regret. If she had known things would come to this, why didn’t she just let them get married? But it was too late for regrets now. Chen Shi could only hope that after Miss Hong Wanqing’s arrival, Fu Tingzhou would eventually move on.

As Fu Tingzhou walked through the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, wind and snow swept behind him, showing no mercy. He wandered aimlessly, eventually realizing with frustration that he was circling the courtyard where Wang Yanqing had once lived.

He didn’t dare confront her but found himself unable to stay away.

Fu Tingzhou stood in the snow for a long time, until a thick layer of snow had gathered on his shoulders. He finally convinced himself to try once more.

Perhaps this would be the last time.

Even if she was heading toward another man, Fu Tingzhou hoped that she would at least make her decision with complete clarity.

|| Translator’s Note: 😱 Come on Fu Tingzhou, redeem yourself!… Or just make a mess of everything 😅 Wishing you all a lovely week!

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