Perfect Match – CH 006

Chapter 6

Linglang was injured and frightened, and Deng Ruyun did not feel comfortable leaving her at home, so she brought her to the Teng Mansion.

She placed the child in the Liumingxuan courtyard. That night, Teng Yue did not return home, so Deng Ruyun felt relieved and took care of Linglang. Even though she had taken medicine beforehand, the little girl still showed signs of convulsions that night. Deng Ruyun was worried and stayed with her until late into the night before finally getting some sleep.

As dawn broke, Deng Ruyun was still asleep, but little Linglang, whom she was holding in her arms, woke up.

The little girl felt a bit better. Seeing that her aunt was sleeping soundly, she quietly got out of bed.

She had never been here before. The place looked just like home, with the courtyard filled with herbs. But she did not know what lay beyond the courtyard. Just then, a cat darted in over the wall.

The cat crouched low, its eyes fixed intently on a bird pecking at the grass. A moment later, it pounced, but the bird was extremely alert and flapped its wings, taking flight.

The cat gave chase, darting after it as well.

Little Linglang, engrossed in the spectacle, followed. Before she knew it, she had slipped through a crack in the door and escaped out of the courtyard. But there was another courtyard within a courtyard, and Linglang looked around carefully.

Compared to the ordinary courtyard where her aunt had taken her, where weeds grew on the eaves, this place was exquisitely decorated, neat and tidy, with not a single messy spot.

The little girl looked around for a while, then saw the cat dart out through another door.

Curious about the cat, and even more curious about whether there was an even larger and more beautiful courtyard outside the outer courtyard, she stepped out through the same door the cat had left through.

The gatekeeper was chatting idly with the old woman, no one noticing the little child running out the door.

… …

Yesterday, Teng Yue pretended to have some business at the military headquarters, then changed his clothes and headed north.

The band of outlaws he was keeping an eye on had recently wandered into the territory of Xi’an Prefecture, quietly joining forces with a small band of local thugs, seizing someone’s hideout, and setting up camp.

Although the bandits were fierce, they were no match for the Tartars outside the border. Teng Yue observed the situation for a while, then placed his men nearby, planning to gather information and apprehend them all at once.

He had only returned home that morning and changed his clothes in the front courtyard when he heard that his mother and sister were arguing again about attending a neighbor’s school. He went to the back courtyard to mediate, and thankfully, nothing serious happened. He then prepared to return to the outer courtyard.

However, accustomed to his brisk pace in the army, he accidentally bumped into a little girl at a bend in the road.

The little girl, only four or five years old, bumped into his leg and nearly fell.

Teng Yue quickly helped her up and noticed that the child was fair-skinned and pretty, dressed in clean clothes. Her features seemed to resemble someone, but he could not quite place them.

Seeing that she was clean and well-behaved, and did not cry after being bumped into, she just looked up at him with wide, bright eyes, somewhat dazed.

Teng Yue leaned down and asked, “Did I bump into you and hurt you?”

He asked, and she blinked, then nodded gently, looking a little aggrieved.

Teng Yue looked apologetic and examined her closely. He noticed several red marks on her face, less noticeable because of the ointment, but her ear was bandaged, as if it were injured.

“What happened to your ear?” he asked.

But the little girl turned away, hiding her injured ear like a wounded little animal, refusing to let him see it.

Teng Yue’s heart softened, and he squatted down, asking gently.

“Whose child are you?”

At his question, the little girl pursed her lips, and just when Teng Yue thought she would not speak, she suddenly said, “Someone else’s child.”

After saying this, she seemed unhappy. Her little brows furrowed, and she turned and ran into the bushes, disappearing from sight.

“Someone else’s child?” What kind of answer was that?

Teng Yue could not help but chuckle softly.

He glanced at the bushes a few more times.

The little girl was truly pitiful. She seemed to resemble someone, but he could not quite place her.

Perhaps just the child of a servant in the mansion.

*

When Deng Ruyun woke up, she did not see Linglang. She called Xiuniang and asked, but Xiuniang was also dumbfounded.

Just then, the little girl ran in from the side courtyard, which connected to Liumingxuan’s door.

Deng Ruyun was startled. Seeing that she was unharmed, she was relieved for a moment, then asked, “Why did you run outside? Did you see anyone?”

Little Linglang saw several maids and servants, but none of them noticed her. Only one person stopped and spoke to her.

She looked at her aunt. “Linglang just saw…someone else’s uncle.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun paused, stunned.

“Then, what did he say? Does he know who you are?”

Linglang shook her head. “No. I did not tell him and ran into the woods. He could not catch me.”

Xiuniang chuckled. Deng Ruyun had not expected Linglang to get a little rough treatment from Teng Yue.

She breathed a sigh of relief but still told Linglang not to run around, “Stay in this little courtyard and do not go out. When you’re feeling better in a couple of days, Auntie will take you home.”

But Linglang did not want to leave; she just wanted to stay with her aunt.

She asked softly, “Is that someone else’s uncle’s house outside?”

This question was as difficult to pronounce as a tongue twister. Deng Ruyun chuckled and patted Linglang’s little head. “Yes, it’s someone else’s house.”

*

That evening, Canglang Pavilion hosted a dinner, and Deng Ruyun was invited as well.

Teng Xiao, as usual, did not come. Old Madam Lin, resting her forehead on her hand, looked listless.

Old Madam Lin rarely appeared so dejected, but Deng Ruyun knew without asking that she was probably still upset by her daughter.

It seemed that even the most formidable mother was helpless against her child.

Old Madam Lin frequently let out a long sigh; in a short while, she had exhaled seven or eight times, yet she showed no signs of calming down. Even Nanny Wei could not bear to watch any longer and brought her some chest-opening and qi-regulating pills, which she took.

Deng Ruyun secretly found it amusing.

Teng Yue did not bring up the previous incident again but simply explained why he had summoned Deng Ruyun.

Tomorrow would be Old Madam Huang’s birthday. She was, after all, the mother of Minister Huang Xiqing, and the Teng family was originally supposed to attend. However, given Teng Xiao’s situation, they likely would not give him face, so they could only take Deng Ruyun along.

Given Huang Xiqing’s current position as Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, not only the Teng family but also prominent families from the entire Xi’an Prefecture and even half of Shaanxi Province would be attending Old Madam Huang’s birthday banquet.

Teng Yue reminded Deng Ruyun, “There are always some rules at birthday banquets. If you do not understand anything, ask Mother, and try to stay by her side.”

She was a girl from a small town and did not understand the rules of high-ranking families, so following Old Madam Lin would not be a mistake. Deng Ruyun understood.

However, Teng Yue added, “But it’s not always convenient for Mother. If it’s inconvenient for Mother, you can stay with my cousins ​​from the Yang family.”

The Yang family had two daughters. The eldest, Yang Youyun, was married into the Prince Qin’s household. She did not attend the Teng family’s flower banquet last time, and Deng Ruyun had not met her before. The second daughter of the Yang family was Yang Youling. Deng Ruyun guessed that, given Yang Youling’s attitude towards her, she probably did not want to say a word to her.

However, she could not say this to Teng Yue; otherwise, it would be another case of acting evasively.

Deng Ruyun nodded directly. “I’ve remembered.”

Her response was quite appropriate. Teng Yue glanced at her, and his voice softened slightly.

“Minister Huang has been incredibly kind to me. The Old Madam Huang is a devout Buddhist who has accumulated merit and good deeds for many years. I only hope that this birthday banquet will proceed smoothly.”

The Teng family had only truly established itself through Teng Yue’s struggles in recent years; their foundation in Xi’an Prefecture was still weak.

Currently, the young Emperor had only been on the throne for four years and was fond of playing around. It was one thing for important court affairs to be handled by the regents, but the Emperor trusted the chief eunuch, who had, in just a few years, wielded immense power.

Those who obeyed prospered; those who defied perished. With this powerful eunuch wielding absolute authority, those without connections either had to curry favor with him and wait for their rise to power, or they would be trampled underfoot and buried in the mud.

Teng Yue did not want to climb the social ladder by associating with any powerful figures, but he needed to secure his own position to avoid being affected by this corrupt trend.

… …

That night, the man stayed at Liumingxuan courtyard. His presence actually caused Deng Ruyun considerable inconvenience.

Xiuniang whispered to her that Linglang had developed a fever again that evening, but Deng Ruyun, seeing the man sitting in the room reading, felt it inappropriate to go to the side courtyard to take the child to bed that night.

She instructed Xiuniang to give Linglang some medicine, and seeing that it was getting late, she and Teng Yue washed up and went to bed.

Teng Yue made no other moves that night but noticed the person beside him seemed to be sleeping restlessly. He was used to being a light sleeper during battles, and he found she had woken up four times, only managing a short restful sleep near dawn.

Her affairs were mostly convoluted and complicated, and since she did not speak of them, Teng Yue did not want to pry.

Fortunately, at daybreak, Nanny Wei sent someone to wake them, and she immediately woke up, washed, dressed, and put on her clothes.

She wore a honey-colored and autumn-fragrance-colored ruqun, simply adorned with two pearl hairpins. Although simple, it was elegant and graceful, without any hint of complexity or ambiguity.

Teng Yue glanced at her and then looked away. He heard her seemingly give some instructions to Xiuniang, and then he followed them to the Huang Mansion.

*

The Old Madam of the Huang family was celebrating her seventy-seventh birthday, with dignitaries filling Xi’an.

Teng Yue offered his greetings and was led to the tea area for the men, while Deng Ruyun followed Old Madam Lin to the women’s section to exchange greetings and conversations.

The Huang family garden was full of people, and Deng Ruyun, being of low status, went largely unnoticed. She was relatively at ease, though her mind was preoccupied with the child at home.

She followed Old Madam Lin for a while and then saw Old Madam Lin conversing with several familiar ladies.

They initially chatted about ordinary matters—who had a baby, who had a funeral—but gradually the conversation shifted to who had married off a daughter or son.

These were no small matters. In recent years, the trend of marrying into higher social classes had become prevalent, bringing with it promotions and transfers through marriage. For these official families, was this not the most important thing?

However, as the conversation reached more crucial points, the ladies dismissed the young wives and daughters.

Old Madam Lin glanced at Deng Ruyun. “Why do you not go for a stroll too?”

Deng Ruyun left Xiuniang at home to look after Linglang. Accompanying her was Qingxuan, the head maid of Canglang Pavilion. Qingxuan quietly suggested she spend some time with the young ladies and women, and Deng Ruyun readily agreed.

She followed behind the crowd, occasionally stopping near a waterside pavilion, where she happened to see Yang Youling, the second daughter of the Yang family.

However, this second cousin was eavesdropping intently on the conversation of several exquisitely dressed young women.

“…That Sixth Young Master Bai is almost here in Xi’an. I heard the Grand Princess was initially reluctant to let her son come here, but the Sixth Young Master said Xi’an is a land of outstanding people and abundant resources, surely hiding good medicines among the common people, and he intends to search far and wide.”

“You all know, right? The Sixth Young Master is completely devoted to the art of medicine, studying medical books extensively. The Grand Princess confined him to the house, forbidding him to go out. Somehow, this matter reached the palace, and the Emperor not only did not stop him but also bestowed upon him an official position, ordering him to set off for Xi’an on a chosen day.”

The young ladies were discussing matters concerning nobles in the capital. Deng Ruyun noticed that her second cousin from the Yang family’s eyes lit up, and she suddenly asked, “Does that not mean he will arrive in the second half of the month?”

Her question was extremely abrupt, and the young ladies, who seemed not to know her well, all paused in surprise.

Yang Youling was also a little embarrassed and wanted to say something to smooth things over, but the young ladies only nodded and said “probably” before turning away to talk to others.

Yang Youling felt out of place in their circle, and her face paled.

However, in front of these noble ladies from families far more prestigious than hers, she did not dare to speak as casually as she had that day in the Teng family garden.

Deng Ruyun watched the scene unfold like a spectator.

At this moment, she did not want to face this second young lady of the Yang family, so she stood at a distance by the waterside pavilion, watching the koi swimming in the water with Qingxuan.

Just then, she suddenly felt a gaze upon her.

Deng Ruyun turned her head and, across the small lake in the Huang Mansion, saw a woman dressed in a bright red dress with gold trim on the opposite bank. For a fleeting moment, Deng Ruyun’s eyes met, and she paused.

But the next instant, the woman turned and left, surrounded by the crowd.

Deng Ruyun asked Qingxuan, “Who is that… on the other side of the lake?”

Qingxuan looked and gasped. “Reporting to Madam, that’s Princess Rongle of the Prince Enhua’s Mansion.”

Princess Rongle, Zhu Yijiao, the one who forced the Teng family into marriage out of desperation.

“What’s wrong, Madam?” Qingxuan asked uneasily.

Deng Ruyun did not answer.

Just now, she saw Princess Rongle, across the crowd and the lake, suddenly grin at her.