Chapter 43 - Rest

Chapter 43: Chapter 37 RestThe sound of the third watch drum echoed in the silent night. Fu Tinghan peered out to check on the soldiers guarding nearby, then leaned back against the wall and pushed Zhao Ju, "It’s time. Let’s go."

Zhao Ju was about to lead his men out when Ji Yuan, who had fallen behind, grabbed him, "Wait a moment. Do you know who to find once you’re inside?"

"The Lord."

"What if you can’t find the Lord?"

Zhao Ju stared, "How could the Lord not be found?"

Ji Yuan lowered his voice and said, "Don’t act rashly. Once inside, first find Third Lady and follow her instructions. If the Lord is stable, then bring Third Lady and Second Son out. I’ll be waiting at the West City Gate; once 5 a.m. arrives, we’ll leave the city, so you must reach the gate before then."

"If the Lord... you should blend in with the guards at the residence, protect Third Lady and Second Son, and don’t act impulsively."

Zhao Ju glared, "What kind of orders are these?"

A sense of foreboding grew in Fu Tinghan’s heart, "Mr. Ji is suggesting that Grandpa Zhao may..."

Ji Yuan turned his head and stared at him with bright eyes, "Mr. Fu, this mission is dangerous. You don’t have to accompany us, you can stay here and wait for news."

Fu Tinghan insisted on seeing Zhao Hanzhang before he could feel at ease; he shook his head, "I’ll go with you, rest assured, I won’t hold you back."

Thinking it over, he added, "If we are discovered, you can use me to deal with them. My grandfather is the Secretary of the Secretariat, they wouldn’t dare harm me."

Ji Yuan raised his eyebrows and saluted, "Mr. Fu, you are righteous."

Fu Tinghan thought to himself, he’s not righteous at all. If Teacher Zhao wasn’t inside, he wouldn’t be wading into these murky waters.

Zhao Ju selected ten skilled men to follow, dividing them into two teams, quietly scaling the wall into the Jia Family’s premises.

Fu Tinghan stepped onto the shoulder of a guard and managed to climb the wall smoothly. He jumped down and took a quick look around the courtyard before whispering, "This is the Jia Family’s northern rear courtyard. Crossing over directly is too dangerous. We’ll go to the back, circle the wall to the east side, where we can climb in. We’ll pass through three courtyards and two long corridors..."

Zhao Ju originally intended to barge in; having come to the Jia Family with the Lord before, though not familiar with the rear courtyard, he felt he could muscle through if he gauged the direction correctly. But Fu Tinghan’s plan... seemed plausible.

Zhao Ju decided to follow him, so the group quietly moved to the back, at some point shifting to Fu Tinghan leading the way.

This was the rear courtyard; the gatekeepers were all servant women, with hardly any patrolling house staff, and since it was midnight, it was when people were sleepiest and in the deepest slumber. The group encountered gates and walls, quickly slipping across corridors without incident until reaching the east wall.

Fu Tinghan didn’t let them climb the wall directly but led them along the wall for about thirty paces before stopping, "Climb over from here."

Through the journey, Zhao Ju kept an eye on him, "Mr. Fu, how are you so familiar with the Jia Family?"

The Jia Family had no Lords in the capital, only Ladies. Yet he was so familiar with the rear courtyard. Is his family Lady’s color still alright?

Fu Tinghan, still surveying the wall ahead, replied without turning his head, "Didn’t Mr. Ji provide the map of the Jia Family’s inner quarters?"

He pressed his ear against the wall, confirmed, "From here we can enter, closer to Qingyi Pavilion and far from their guarded outer walls and corner gates. If we make minimal noise, we shouldn’t be detected."

Zhao Ju looked up, retreated a few steps, and then jumped with force, vaulting onto the wall. He reached out, "Pass Mr. Fu up."

The guard had already knelt down, allowing Fu Tinghan to step onto his shoulder and rise.

With Zhao Ju’s help, Fu Tinghan jumped down the wall and continuously glanced at the guards leaping down from the wall; their movements were agile, landing almost silently.

So there really is such a thing as Qinggong after all?

This body seemed to be only sixteen, high school age, starting martial arts training shouldn’t be considered late?

Once Zhao Ju and the others gathered, he whispered, "Now let’s go find the Lady."

Fu Tinghan came back to his senses, thought for a moment, "Let’s first check Qingyi Pavilion."

Fu Tinghan was even more familiar with the Zhao Family, having been visiting almost daily recently, partly to get acquainted with this world, and partly to practice speaking. He often avoided people while wandering Zhao Mansion with Zhao Hanzhang, thus knowing it very well.

More familiar than Zhao Ju, who had followed Zhao Changyu for almost twenty years.

He led the group down familiar paths to Qingyi Pavilion. It was quiet inside, not a single light was on. With just one glance, Fu Tinghan said, "They’re not in Qingyi Pavilion, let’s go to the main courtyard."

Given Teacher Zhao’s character, with such events occurring, she could not possibly sleep.

The group approached the main courtyard from outside; sure enough, it was brightly lit, and in the quiet night, Fu Tinghan faintly heard crying.

He felt anxious, stepping swiftly ahead. Zhao Ju quickly pulled him back and whispered, "We are hidden guards assigned by the Lord to the Lady, cannot appear before others."

Fu Tinghan regained his composure, thought it over, "You come in with me. If the people of the Second House inquire, just say they are from my Fu Family."

"But..."

"What’s there to fear? I am Zhao Family’s son-in-law; with the Yue Family in peril, isn’t it only right for the son-in-law to come with people to rescue his wife’s kin?"

Zhao Ju thought it over and agreed. Then he instructed the others to disperse and hide in the dark, while he led Fu Tinghan in.

Upon opening the courtyard gate, the people within gave a start, turned their terrifying faces, fearing it was soldiers breaking in.

Once realizing it was Mr. Fu, their eyes immediately sparkled with delight. A maid scrambled inside, "Third Lady, Third Lady, the son-in-law has come, the son-in-law has brought people to rescue us."

Zhao Hanzhang raised her tear-streaked face, clutching hands already limp and cold, unable to utter a word as she cried.

Fu Tinghan strode in, ignoring Zhao Ji and Zhao Dalang as they approached, kneeled straight behind Zhao Hanzhang, and embraced her.

"Nephew, outside..." Zhao Ji stared at Fu Tinghan as he passed, words choking in his throat.

Holding Zhao Hanzhang, Fu Tinghan glanced at the bed, looking directly into Zhao Changyu’s half-open eyes; he pursed his lips, solemnly raised his hand to cover his eyelids, and softly said, "Grandpa Zhao, rest assured, I will take good care of them."

His hand slid down, Zhao Changyu gently closed his eyes.

The room echoed with cries, yet Zhao Hanzhang made no sound, only silently shedding tears.

Fu Tinghan helped her up, guided her to sit aside, held her shoulders, knelt before her, and asked, looking into her eyes, "What do you want to do? I’ll help you."

Zhao Hanzhang wiped the tears off her face, met his gaze for a long time, then said, "Help me take a memorial out and have Grandfather Fu submit it to Your Majesty."

Fu Tinghan, "Are you not coming out with me?"

Zhao Hanzhang shook her head, glanced at the bed where Zhao Changyu lay lifeless, "I must fulfill his wish and preserve the entire Zhao Family."

No one is more suited than her.