The Imperial Guard’s Revenge
Chapter 132 Pregnancy Pulse
The campaign against the Japanese pirates was gradually gaining momentum. Fu Tingzhou trained in traditional military strategy. Though he was inexperienced in naval warfare, he excelled at deploying talent.
Hu Zongxian was tactful and adept at cunning maneuvers; Qi Jiguang devised the “Mandarin Duck Formation,” adapting tactics to local conditions; Yu Dayou was known for his aggressive and forceful style… Throughout history, assembling an army of thousands had been easy, but finding a capable general was rare. Now, with so many outstanding commanders emerging, it seemed even heaven favored the Ming dynasty. However, Lu Heng couldn’t afford to wait for the war’s conclusion. The battlefield now belonged to the regular forces, he had fulfilled his mission and could retire with honor.
Lu Heng took stock of his personnel and prepared to lead the Imperial Guards back to the capital. Before departing, he inquired about Zhu Yuxiu’s wishes. Unwilling to go to the capital and declining offers to join relatives, she chose to remain in Suzhou to observe the mourning rites for her father and grandmother.
During the Qixi Festival incident, the traitors focused on Zhu Yuxiu and her grandmother, sparing the family’s elderly servant. Now, the servant returned to care for the young mistress, the two relying on each other in their solitude. Respecting Zhu Yuxiu’s decision, Lu Heng did not press further. Instead, he drafted a memorial to the emperor, seeking imperial recognition and support for her.
Lu Heng also arranged for Yuzhong’s emancipation. Born into a brothel, she was registered as a courtesan by default. However, her intelligence on corrupt officials had proven invaluable in the campaign against the pirates. In recognition of her contributions and to shield her from retaliation, Lu Heng erased her original household registration and created a new identity for her.
For a woman of the pleasure quarters, this was nothing short of rebirth, a complete reinvention.
With the Nanjing Imperial Guards now under his control, altering a few records was a trivial matter for Lu Heng. Yet Yuzhong, who had never known her father or her family name, faced a choice. When asked what name she wished to adopt, she replied after a moment’s thought: “I have no surname, but my younger sister, sold into the brothel by our uncle, was born with the name Yin. I’ll take hers. From now on, I am Yin Yuzhong.”
Thus, the celebrated songstress Yuzhong vanished, and in her place emerged a common woman named Yin Yuzhong.
Having settled these matters, Lu Heng prepared for his return to the capital. Many clamored to host farewell banquets, which he publicly accepted. Yet when departure day arrived, he slipped away without notice.
A light rain was falling as Wang Yanqing gathered her skirts to board the vessel. A maid carefully shielded her from the drizzle with an umbrella, urging: “Madam, the rain is becoming heavier. Let’s go into the cabin.”
Wang Yanqing acknowledged her with a sound and turned to go when, through the misty curtain of rain, she noticed a carriage halted at the docks. Beside it stood a woman, her hem dampened by the weather, she had clearly been waiting for some time.
Yin Yuzhong, having learned of Lu Heng’s imminent departure but uncertain of the exact day, had kept vigil at the wharf every day. Fortune had granted her this final glimpse.
Their eyes met across the distance. Yin Yuzhong did not approach but instead performed a deep curtsey, silently wishing Wang Yanqing a safe journey. Wang Yanqing returned the gesture with a smile.
This parting would likely mark their final farewell. Each could only wish the other a lifetime of peace and happiness.
Noticing Wang Yanqing’s pause, the maid followed her gaze and called softly: “Madam…” Wang Yanqing withdrew her gaze and replied mildly: “Let’s go.”
Yin Yuzhong watched as the fleet cut through the river’s currents, parting wind and waves as it disappeared into the misty waters. The river was shrouded in fog, and soon the boats faded from view. Brushing moisture from her lashes, she turned and stepped into her carriage.
Having spent years in the pleasure quarters, she had saved a modest sum, enough to live comfortably if she was careful. Yet this sudden freedom left her adrift, uncertain of where to go.
She remembered her sister’s dream, that when she had saved enough silver to buy her freedom, they’d retreat to Hangzhou. There they’d wake with the sun’s rhythm, and on rainy days drift across West Lake in a painted boat, witnessing how its beauty needed neither adornment nor excess. Resolved, Yin Yuzhong decided to go to Hangzhou.
When she was alive, her sister joked about their names, Yin Qin (Lute) and Yuzhong (Jade Bell). Wasn’t she destined to hold her younger sister, Yuzhong? A playful remark, yet her sister had taken it to heart, insisting on buying jade pastries that fateful day.
Today, although Yuzhong had gained her freedom, there was no one to share a boat with her.
Aboard the ship, the maid put away the umbrella. When she returned with hot tea, she found her mistress still seated by the window, gazing toward the docks. Peering outside, the maid fetched a cloak and said: “Madam, the river winds are sharp, and the rain drifts in the window. You’ll catch cold, please come further inside.”
Wang Yanqing murmured an agreement, half-closed the window, and rose to retreat inside. As the maid poured tea, she ventured: “Madam, were you concerned for that woman? There’s no need, the Commander erased any traces, no one will find her. For a top courtesan like her, earning a fortune in a single night is no problem. She has saved a lot of money, she wouldn’t have to worry about making a living even if she never got married.”
“I know,” Wang Yanqing said, “Still, having crossed paths, I hope she finds happiness.
Farewell, Zhu Yuxiu, Yin Yuzhong, and Jiangnan.
Their return journey, unlike the perilous trek south, was smooth. They left in midsummer and now traveled through winter’s grip, the northern canal frozen solid, forcing them to switch to overland travel.
Yet they reached the capital by the end of the year. After escorting Wang Yanqing home, Lu Heng changed his clothes immediately and hastened to the palace to debrief the emperor.
While war updates came from Fu Tingzhou and Hu Zongxian, Lu Heng’s report focused on Zhu Wan’s case, the pirates, and the corrupt Jiangnan officials.
His account, polished to cast his actions in the best light, framed the deaths of Pang Yunqi and Chen Ming as necessities. The emperor didn’t care, he only cared for results. Since Lu Heng’s arrival in Jiangnan, the tide turned in the war against the Japanese pirates, victories piled up one after another, and several generals excelled.
Earlier they were facing constant defeats, then under new leadership, they suddenly dominated, with even new talent emerging. Wasn’t this proof enough? The emperor cared only for results, not the means to achieve them.
The emperor and his subject shared an unspoken understanding. The matter of Lu Heng executing imperial officials without explicit decree was quietly buried. With this weight off his shoulders, Lu Heng turned to another triumph.
He had seized a large number of bird guns, arguably his most significant gain from the southern campaign. Investigating corrupt officials was his duty, but securing the Western firearms was a merit beyond expectation. That explained his fervor during the raid on Jintai Island, where his first order upon landing was to secure the weapons.
The emperor, upon hearing Lu Heng’s report, immediately summoned the bird guns for inspection. Imperial Guards demonstrated their use in the palace courtyard. Stunned by their firepower, the emperor ordered studies for replication, intending to replace the outdated Chinese firearms for the army once production was feasible.
Lu Heng returned from the Western Palaces late that night. He was in high spirits when he came back. Even though he had been traveling all day, he couldn’t hide the light in his eyes. Wang Yanqing needed no explanation and asked: “Another promotion?”
To her surprise, Lu Heng nodded without false humility: “Mmm.”
She absorbed this calmly, even feigning concern: “If you get promoted again, you’ll be a first rank. You’ll reach the top soon, what are you going to do then?”
Amused by her worry, Lu Heng played along: “That is true. Perhaps rising too fast is its own curse, there won’t be any room left to aspire.”
Wang Yanqing shot him a glance and ignored him. Engaging such a man only fed his vanity.
Within days, the imperial edict arrived. Lu Heng was promoted to Associate First Rank Commander-General, overseeing the Rear Military Office.
While the imperial edict cited no reason, Lu Heng disappeared from the capital for half a year. It was not difficult for people in the capital to guess that Lu Heng’s promotion was probably due to the Japanese pirate battlefield in the southeast. Many sighed at the whims of fate: what others might never achieve in a lifetime, Lu Heng treated as routine. At twenty-six, he was promoted to the first rank in the government and was about to be promoted to the highest rank. Such a record was simply appalling.
Yet in the corridors of power, twenty-six was merely the beginning.
Setting aside the shockwaves Lu Heng’s promotion sent through officialdom, he himself was thoroughly satisfied. Previously, despite his considerable authority, his influence was confined to the Imperial Guards. Now, as Associate Commander-General, he entered the Rear Military Office.
The Department of Regional Military was the highest authority in a region, but the highest authority overseeing national defense was the Five Military Offices. It was divided into Central, Left, Right, Front, and Rear Offices. Among them, the Rear Army Military Office oversaw Northern Zhili, Daning Prefecture, Wanquan Prefecture, Shanxi Prefecture, and Shanxi Xing Prefecture. Its jurisdiction included the capital region and key northern territories, standing as the most significant among the Five Military Offices.
The Imperial Guards operated as an independent command, separate from the Five Offices. As their former commander, Lu Heng led this elite force. Now, as the Associate Commander-General, he became deputy chief of the Rear Military Office while retaining his command of the Imperial Guards, effectively extending his reach from undercover policing to the entire military apparatus.
This leap from the Imperial Guards to the central command structure marked a clear transformation. After receiving the edict, Lu Heng was in soaring spirits. Noting his barely contained delight, Wang Yanqing teased: “Congratulations on your ascension, husband. The eunuchs delivered your new Associate First Rank robes this afternoon. Come, let’s check the fit.”
Official robes differed by rank, and they couldn’t be privately tailored, they had to be issued by the court. Normally, procuring a new set would take at least ten days to half a month. But the eunuchs, ever quick to sense which way the wind blew, had Lu Heng’s garments ready that very day.
With each ascending rank, the embroidery grew more elaborate. Wang Yanqing observed Lu Heng’s increasingly ornate official robes with an amused eye: “Youth certainly has its advantages, you can still wear such designs. Hold still, the waist needs to be adjusted. I’ll ask the embroiderer to modify it for you later.”
She pinched excess fabric at his side, carefully measuring the adjustment. When Lu Heng heard Wang Yanqing mention youth, he felt a bit sour, wondering if she was deliberately mocking him with backhanded praise.
It seems I’ll have to prove myself through action, Lu Heng thought. His gaze fixed on her jade-white earlobe as he murmured: “For such a significant promotion, don’t you have anything to say?”
Distractedly measuring his robes, Wang Yanqing offered a brief reply: “Congratulations, husband. How impressive.”
“Such an insincere gift.” Lu Heng chided. “Mere words without substance, this isn’t how you behave at banquets.”
Preoccupied by recording measurements, Wang Yanqing absently hummed agreement. Lu Heng embraced her from behind, waiting until she set aside her brush before declaring: “Then it’s settled.”
Wang Yanqing stiffened: “What’s settled?”
“You agreed to begin training tonight.”
Her brows knitted. Although she’d been distracted, she was certain her vague consent had no relation to training, right?
Turning, she found Lu Heng’s smiling face inches from hers on her shoulder, his eyelashes near enough to count. Wang Yanqing asked slowly: “What training?”
“Endurance training.” Lu Heng said seriously, “Didn’t you lament your declining martial skills? Especially your stamina. I felt sorry for your hard work before, so I spared you during our travels. But now that you have been back for several days, you should be well rested. It is better to start now than wait.”
Wang Yanqing glanced at the darkening sky: “Now?”
“Persistence breeds mastery. How can you achieve results if you are picky about time?”
Wang Yanqing immediately voiced her contrite after hearing this: “My mistake. How shall we practice?”
“Your choice.” His breath warmed her neck. “Any location you prefer.”
The more Wang Yanqing heard, a dreadful suspicion dawned: “Wait, what training are you talking about?”
“What do you think?” Lu Heng wrapped his arm around Wang Yanqing’s waist and effortlessly lifted her onto the round table. “Let’s get you warmed up first, so it won’t hurt later. Last time my arm was injured, and things were cut short. Now that we’re back in our own home, there’s no need to worry about noise. Let’s go all out.”
Memories of that encounter flushed her cheeks: “You can’t possibly mean to…”
“You were really bad on top.” Lu Heng said, looking at her with disappointment. “I need to train you properly. If your master isn’t satisfied, you won’t be allowed to graduate.”
Wang Yanqing really couldn’t understand why she ever believed anything this man said. She sank to her knees on the brocade quilt, her hands weakly holding onto the bed rail, breathing heavily with her head lowered. Her hair was swept to one side like a waterfall, cascading in front of her, stark black against snowy white skin, the contrast so striking it made people want to explore the softness hidden beneath.
The strands of hair near her forehead and neck were soaked, clinging messily to her skin, outlining her long and graceful neckline. Because she was leaning forward, her long hair fell over Lu Heng’s chest, the tips brushing lightly against him with each breath, tickling so much the itch seemed to seep into his bones.
Lu Heng lounged lazily on the bed, silently admiring the scene before him. Her skin was like snow, long hair draped over her shoulders, glistening with sweat. Her slender waist was taut, soft yet full of strength. He reached out, placed a hand on her lower back, and quietly urged: “Qing Qing, class isn’t over yet.”
Wang Yanqing gritted her teeth: “I don’t think you’ll ever be satisfied.”
“True.” Lu Heng nodded in agreement. “You’re still young, so there’s no rush to end. Take your time.”
At this point, she was holding herself up purely from the strength in her waist. Her legs were trembling, but she couldn’t sit down, nor could she pull away. Every movement emphasized his overwhelming presence. She asked, biting her lip: “What exactly do you want?”
“Simple.” Lu Heng continued slowly pressing along the muscles at her waist. “Qing Qing, your voice is so sweet, I bet it sounds even better if you call out.”
“No!”
“Well then, there’s nothing I can do.” Lu Heng said regretfully. “If the teacher gives you the answer and you won’t copy it, then you’ll have to find your own way to pass the exam.”
Red curtains draped to the floor, flower-shaped candles lined with waxed tears. Behind the canopy, two shadowy figures faced each other, only vague silhouettes visible. The candle flickered, and a woman’s muffled gasp echoed out. Her slim figure arched in a breathtaking curve, her breath growing more and more disordered.
On the boat, Lu Heng had to worry about guards outside. At the inn, he had to worry about thin walls. For the past six months, he had been holding back. Now, back in his own residence, he could finally do as he pleased.
And with the New Year holiday, Lu Heng had plenty of time to catch up with Qing Qing.
The next morning, Wang Yanqing woke up with a hoarse voice. She remembered the final scene of the previous night and covered her eyes, unwilling to face it.
Lu Heng really was the kind of person who could get anything he wanted.
With his constant interruptions, her mornings were mostly delayed, and she had yet to return to her martial arts training. Whether it was due to his overindulgence or not, she was starting to sleep excessively, feel lazy, and lacked all strength. Lu Heng went to the office during the day, and she usually ate lunch alone. That day, she only picked at her food without an appetite, and eventually told the servants to take it away.
She went back to the bedroom to rest. She napped heavily and when she groggily woke up, the bed curtains had already been drawn. The room was dim, she couldn’t tell what time it was. She had only intended to nap briefly and hadn’t drawn the curtains herself. Who did it?
She sat up to drink some water, and just as she did, footsteps sounded outside. A pair of long, fair hands lifted the curtain and hooked it up neatly, then someone sat down by the bed. Seeing him, Wang Yanqing asked: “Did I sleep until the evening?”
“I came back early.” Lu Heng looked at her and for some reason his eyes seemed serious, “Qing Qing, do you remember when your period was supposed to be this month?”
She bit her lip, thinking, but before she could answer, Lu Heng said: “If I remember right, it should’ve come around the second.”
Wang Yanqing fell silent. It was now the sixteenth of the second month. Her period was nearly two weeks late.
Her cycle had always been irregular, but now she was married, and lately, she had also been feeling nauseas and fatigued.
Wang Yanqing didn’t dare to think about the possibility. Lu Heng took her hand gently, his fingers tightening slightly: “Don’t be scared. I’ll secretly ask a doctor to check you. A child is a blessing. Whether it is true of not, it’s okay either way.”
That day, Lu Heng had returned early after hearing from the house staff that Wang Yanqing hadn’t eaten and had gone to sleep. Ling Xi and Ling Luan had quietly been observing her and suspected she might be pregnant.
When Lu Heng heard the news, he didn’t dare take it lightly and rushed back to the mansion immediately. He summoned a doctor to the house and waited until Wang Yanqing woke up before asking him to check her pulse. The doctor placed a cloth under her wrist to feel the pulse. Both Lu Heng and Wang Yanqing watched him closely without blinking. The intense scrutiny made the physician nervous, and fearing a misdiagnosis, he pressed down for longer than usual.
Noticing how long the examination was taking, Lu Heng’s heart began to tense up without realizing. Under the pressure of Lu Heng’s unrelenting gaze, the doctor’s scalp prickled. Internally, he was conflicted. He thought it was a pregnancy pulse, but given how seriously Supreme Commander Lu was treating the situation, he felt it couldn’t possibly be that simple.
He summoned all his skills but couldn’t find any other issue. Finally, under Lu Heng’s oppressive stare, he stood up and stammered: “Congratulations, Supreme Commander. The Madam’s pulse is slippery, it likely means she is pregnant.”
In most households, hearing “slippery pulse” would bring great joy. But Lu Heng’s expression grew even more serious: “Likely?”
The physician immediately began doubting himself and replied with trepidation: “I do not dare be certain. Sometimes women with cold constitutions or blood deficiency may also present with a slippery pulse. It’s best to wait until three months when the pregnancy stabilizes before confirming.”
Lu Heng nodded after hearing that and signaled Ling Xi to escort the doctor out to receive his payment: “Come back in a month and a half to check again.”
“Of course.”
Wang Yanqing clenched her fingers tightly. From the moment she heard the word, slippery pulse, she had fallen into a daze. She didn’t even notice when the physician left. When she came back to herself, she realized Lu Heng had placed a soft pillow behind her waist and removed all the sharp objects nearby: “Don’t be nervous. If it turns out in a month and a half that it’s not a pregnancy, that means your health is good and that’s a blessing. But if it is, then we’re going to have a child which will be a greater blessing.”
Her hand instinctively rested on her lower abdomen. Even now, it all felt unreal. Could there already be a little life growing inside her?
She panicked: “But I don’t know anything about this…”
“That’s okay.” Lu Heng said, placing his hand gently over hers, shielding both his wife and their possible child. “I don’t know anything either. We’ll learn together.”
Though it was just past the New Year, the chill of early spring still lingered. The entire capital seemed to be in a lazy haze, but the Lu Mansion was in a state of high alert, guarded as if preparing for battle. Lu Heng had even started ignoring matters at the Rear Military Office, rushing home whenever he had a moment to spare.
For someone as obsessed with work as Lu Heng, this behavior was highly unusual. Everyone around him became secretly vigilant, suspecting there must be some hidden reason. Then, just as spring began to blossom, joyful news suddenly spread from the Lu Mansion, Madam Lu was pregnant.
After the execution of the pirate leader Xu Hai, the eastern and southern coasts continued fighting for another year. Chen Dong was captured, Wang Zhi surrendered, and at last the collusion with the coastal pirates was broken, enabling a full-scale campaign to eliminate the threat. With the pacification of the pirates nearly complete, Fu Tingzhou was called back to the capital. Hu Zongxian succeeded him, promoted to Governor overseeing the southern Zhili province.
Generals Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang had become household names over the past two years. The troops they commanded were dubbed the Yu Army and Qi Army, respectively, with the people reverently calling them Dragon Yu and Tiger Qi. Their fierce campaigns against the pirates earned them great admiration among the public.
Fu Tingzhou returned to the capital during the first snowfall of northern Zhili. Coming from the damp cold of Jiangnan to the bitter freeze of the capital, even he felt a little unaccustomed. Guo Xun personally led an entourage to the city gate to greet him. Upon seeing Fu Tingzhou, he couldn’t hold back his laughter: “Well done! Your victory has spread all over the capital, this was a beautiful campaign!”
Fu Tingzhou replied with a calm smile: “Thank you, Marquis of Wuding. It was a collective effort.”
Guo Xun waved it off, clapping him heavily on the shoulder: “Even so, it depended on your command as Governor. Of course, the Governor deserves the most credit for winning the battle. Go report to the palace first, and once you’re done, come directly to the Wuding Marquis Mansion, I’ll host a celebration for you!”
Fu Tingzhou smiled and agreed. At the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, Hong Wanqing had been waiting anxiously all day, but Fu Tingzhou still hadn’t returned. Unable to bear the suspense, she called a servant and asked: “Where is the Marquis? Didn’t the letter say he would arrive today? It’s already dark, why isn’t he back yet?”
The servant ran to the front courtyard to inquire and came back with a report: “Madam, the Marquis went to the Wuding Marquis Mansion after leaving the palace. The Marquis of Wuding is hosting a banquet tonight. Many nobles and military officials are attending. The Marquis will likely not be returning tonight.”
Hong Wanqing gave a disappointed sigh, but Madam Chen, upon hearing the news, was quite pleased that her son was the guest of honor. She beamed: “So he’s at the Wuding Marquis Mansion. You all should have reported sooner. Quickly send a message so the Marquis can enjoy the banquet in peace. Tell him there’s nothing urgent at home.”
When Madam Chen learned that Fu Tingzhou had returned safely, she was at ease. Her son was home, so what if she didn’t see him for another day? Why disrupt the men’s festivities? The young ladies of the Fu family were all overjoyed as well. With their brother having earned such military merit, their own marriage prospects had risen alongside. The entire Fu household was filled with joy, even the maids were smiling brightly. Only Hong Wanqing sat silently in the main room, clearly out of place in the joyous atmosphere.
At the Wuding Marquis Mansion, the wine flowed, and the music swayed. The hall was filled with nobles and military officers. Naturally, there were dancing girls present to liven the mood. Guo Xun, a connoisseur of pleasure, had the evening thoroughly arranged. Before long, many of the men were drunk and flirting with the dancers.
Two beautiful dancers served Fu Tingzhou, one on either side, one pouring his wine, the other picking out dishes for him. Someone nearby laughed loudly: “The Marquis of Zhenyuan is enjoying himself, left and right!”
The two dancers heard this and shyly lowered their chins, though the corners of their eyes secretly glanced at Fu Tingzhou with lingering affection and seductive charm. Guo Xun, seated at the head of the table, heard it and immediately spoke in Fu Tingzhou’s direction: “If the Marquis of Zhenyuan likes them, both of them are yours. You’ve been off fighting wars, gone for two or three years at a time, you should hurry and have an heir.”
The Marquis of Yongping’s heir sat not far away and said nothing upon hearing Guo Xun’s words. He was Hong Wanqing’s elder brother and naturally knew that his sister still didn’t have a child. But for a man, having three or four wives was the norm. Was he supposed to start a scene with Fu Tingzhou at the banquet over a sister who was already married?
Besides, the dancers were sent by Guo Xun, Hong Wanqing’s own maternal uncle. Clearly, in Guo Xun’s eyes, the recently victorious Fu Tingzhou was far more important than his niece, Hong Wanqing.
Others chimed in as well: “That’s right, even Supreme Commander Lu has a son now. If you don’t act soon, you’ll be the last among the capital’s elite.”
Fu Tingzhou had always played the social game with ease, half participating and half detached. But upon hearing that, he was suddenly stunned and asked: “Lu Heng has a son?”
Fu Tingzhou knew Lu Heng had been promoted, but didn’t know he was expecting. In the year he had been away from the capital, had he missed that much?
Another guest said boisterously: “Yeah, you came back too late. If you’d returned just a few days earlier, you could’ve attended his son’s first-month banquet.”
Many at the table were drunk, and under the influence of alcohol, things they wouldn’t dare say while sober all came spilling out: “He’s already that old, finally he has a child. He didn’t marry until late in life, and even after he did, there was no sign of a child for years. I honestly thought he was not very capable, I never would have expected that he’d finally have a son.”
“I heard his wife had a cold constitution, not easy to get pregnant, always taking medicine in private.”
“Then why not take a concubine?”
“Who knows?”
Fu Tingzhou heard this and asked: “His wife was taking medicine? What happened?”
The men at the table looked at each other, a bit uncomfortable discussing the private matters of another man’s wife. One of them shrugged and vaguely replied: “I don’t know the details. My wife mentioned it in passing. Supposedly, Madam Lu was injured when she was younger and almost lost the ability to have children. But now Lu Heng has a son, and the child looked pretty strong at the first-month banquet, so I guess she recovered.”
Fu Tingzhou’s heart clenched as if gripped by a hand, trembling violently, he nearly spilled his wine.
She was injured in her youth and nearly lost the ability to conceive?
When did that happen?
Grief surged within Fu Tingzhou. He had nearly ruined her future without even knowing it.
If she hadn’t experienced that accident and had stayed in the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, unable to bear children… Even though Fu Tingzhou never paid much attention to inner household matters, he knew such a fate would bring endless suffering for a woman. Thinking of his mother’s temperament, he suddenly felt relieved that she had left.
She lost her parents when she was very young, perhaps it was the will of her late family protecting her that she had forgotten the past and started over. Marrying Lu Heng really had made her far happier than if she had married him. Fu Tingzhou suddenly drained a cup of wine. The courtesan beside him was startled by the abruptness. She had planned to flirt a bit, but when she looked up and saw Fu Tingzhou’s expression, she was too scared to continue clinging to him.
Lu Heng was a taboo topic in the capital, no one dared gossip about him. He usually didn’t attend banquets and was famously aloof. But with the wine flowing, people couldn’t help but talk: “He was promoted to the highest rank in his twenties, transferred to the Rear Army Office, yet still holds power over the Imperial Guards. The emperor really trusts him too much.”
“He’s the only one who can still meet with the emperor regularly. Even when Head Auxiliary Xia requests an audience, he must wait, but Lu Heng can go in and out of the Western Palace freely. Even the East and West Factories echo his words. What can anyone do?”
He’s a top-ranked official with a virtuous wife, and now a son too. No wonder he always walks around smiling. I heard the emperor even picked his son’s name?”
No one could tell if they were more jealous or envious, the bitterness in their tone was obvious. Fu Tingzhou had been listening quietly until now, when he suddenly asked: “What’s the child’s name?”
The people nearby were stunned, not quite catching his meaning: “What?”
“Their child, what’s the child’s name?”
They glanced at each other, then someone said uncertainly: “I think it’s Lu Xuan?”
Fu Tingzhou silently refilled his cup and downed it in one go.
The table was full of noble guests, yet none of them understood whether the “their” he spoke of was a man or woman.
Good. She was now the wife of a top-ranked official. With a husband and a son, she had a stable life ahead. The future they once dreamed of as kids, at least she had achieved it.
After that, Fu Tingzhou fell into an unusual silence, drinking cup after cup. The two dancers no longer dared approach him. Guo Xun saw Fu Tingzhou drinking sullenly and assumed he was upset about Lu Heng. He said: “You young men still have a long road ahead, no need to compete over short-term wins. You’re two years younger than him. If you go back tonight and get a woman pregnant with a son, you’ll have beaten him.”
The whole table burst into laughter at that, knowingly amused. Young nobles, raised in such environments, learned crude jokes at an early age. Fu Tingzhou had grown up in those circles and was long used to it. As they teased him about women, Fu Tingzhou suddenly remembered a time many years ago, during his grandfather’s birthday banquet, when a young noble made a lewd joke. Everyone laughed it off, but Wang Yanqing had clearly disliked it, her ears had turned red from embarrassment.
So many years had passed in the blink of an eye. He wondered, was she still that easily embarrassed now?
Fu Tingzhou suddenly spoke, interrupting the laughter around the table: “I’m afraid I can’t out do Supreme Commander Lu. During today’s audience with the emperor, he expressed his intention to send me to Gansu. I’ll be departing soon, and I fear there won’t be time to think about having children.”
Everyone at the table fell silent at that. Guo Xun asked seriously: “The emperor wants to appoint you as the General of Gansu?”
Fu Tingzhou nodded. Guo Xun clapped his hands and laughed heartily: “Fresh off a military victory and now entrusted with real power, truly impressive for someone so young. Come, let’s all toast the Marquis of Zhenyuan!”
A group of men gathered without restraint, carousing through the night. It wasn’t until the second half of the night that they each took someone and retired to their rooms. The next afternoon, the Marquis of Yongping’s heir finally returned home. The Yongping Madam Marquis, upon seeing her son, hurried to ask: “Why are you only just getting back? What did your uncle say yesterday?”
The Marquis of Yongping had been tied up with official business the day before, so he sent his son to attend the banquet instead. The heir took a sip of tea, forcing down the bitterness in his throat, then set the cup down and suddenly said with a serious expression: “Mother, Fu Tingzhou is going to Gansu after the New Year. My sister still doesn’t have a legitimate heir, shouldn’t we start thinking of something?”
The Yongping Madan Marquis was stunned: “These… matters of the marital chamber, what solution could we, her maiden family, possibly come up with?”
|| Author’s Note:
Petty and prone to self-doubt, a certain someone surnamed Lu:
When others say he’s older than his wife – Lu Heng: She must be mocking me for being old.
When his wife says he looks good in youthful clothes – Lu Heng: She’s definitely insinuating that I am old.