Perfect Match – CH 037

Chapter 37

“Why is Yunniang’s wrist red?”

His gaze immediately fell on her wrist.

Deng Ruyun was mentally calculating how to find information about the bandit leader when he asked her this. Her first instinct was to lie.

But before she could speak, the man spoke first.

“Think before you speak.”

Deng Ruyun: “…”

His handsome eyes were fixed on her, as if he would immediately know and punish her if she lied.

Deng Ruyun had already lost a hundred taels of silver, and now she was being stared at so intently. She could not help but feel angry.

Did he think she was one of his soldiers? Why was he so strict?

Besides, she remembered him being mostly lenient with his soldiers. When had he ever been this strict?

But he stared intently at her, even taking her wrist for a closer look. “This red mark looks like a man’s handprint to me,” he said.

Deng Ruyun’s heart pounded. If she told him everything, it would inevitably reveal a whole host of things he should not know.

But she knew she could not fool him with a lie.

Now, with his hand in hers, Deng Ruyun felt as if he’d caught her red-handed.

She could only say, “I lost some money on the street today. It happened during the struggle with the thief.”

She was not lying at all. Even when he looked down into her eyes, she was not afraid.

Deng Ruyun let him look, her face showing no sign of guilt.

Seeing her like this, Teng Yue naturally stopped suspecting her and instead gently comforted her.

“Petty theft is inevitable. If you lose something, it’s gone. Why bother arguing with thieves? It will not hurt you.”

Deng Ruyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He did not want her to lie, but he did not say she could not hide anything.

But since he had vaguely omitted many key details, Deng Ruyun certainly would not reveal them now.

She simply nodded. “The General is right.”

But a hundred taels of silver was no small sum. She had to find a way to get it back.

Teng Yue, however, asked her, “How about I assign you a few guards? They can protect you when you move around the city.”

Deng Ruyun refused. Having someone follow her everywhere she went—what difference would that be from the Tartar soldiers he had captured?

She shook her head repeatedly. “Did the general not say that Xi’an Prefecture is relatively safe? I am just taking a stroll; there’s no need for this trouble.”

Xi’an Prefecture had a large garrison, and the security was indeed quite good. At least those from the black market did not easily cause trouble openly.

Seeing her reluctance, Teng Yue could only agree.

But as evening fell, the faint light of the lanterns under the eaves swayed in the wind, casting flickering shadows on the windowpanes. She sat by the fish tank by the window, staring blankly at the shadows.

Teng Yue was originally looking at a map of the area beyond the Great Wall at his desk, but his gaze kept drifting towards her.

It was not unusual for him to look at a map for half an hour, but she could sit by the window and stare blankly for half an hour. What could be going through her mind, pondering for so long?

He put down the map, sat behind her, and pulled her into his arms from behind.

There was no snow outside today. He asked her, “What are you thinking about?”

Deng Ruyun felt his breath tickling behind her ear and tilted her head.

“Nothing, just thinking about the money I lost today.”

Teng Yue snorted. He turned her around, trapping her facing him.

“Just a little money lost on the street, and it’s worth Yunniang thinking about it for half an hour? Are you sure you are not lying again?”

Seeing him checking up on her again, Deng Ruyun was so angry she wanted to pinch him. Her hand reached out, but he fixed it on her.

“Want to pinch me?”

Deng Ruyun’s hand immediately stopped, but he suddenly picked her up and carried her straight to the bed.

“I will take off my clothes so Yunniang can pinch me as much as she wants.”

They had not been intimate for two days. But before he could even take off his clothes, she grabbed them hastily. “I did not mean to pinch you, General. I just noticed your clothes were wrinkled and wanted to smooth them out for you.”

As she spoke, she actually did a rather serious job of straightening his clothes.

Teng Yue knew she could not always keep going; she’d need several days of rest after just one day of work. He did not force her today but asked again, “What were you thinking about just now?”

Deng Ruyun’s head was practically spinning from his questioning. She could only recount how her grandmother’s health had deteriorated slightly since winter began. “When her health is not good, she sometimes does not even recognize people. All she can say are the mantras she used to recite while practicing medicine and making medicine. I am worried that if this continues, one day she might not even recognize me.”

She lowered her eyes, the lamplight casting the silhouette of her long, upturned eyelashes on her nose, like willow leaves falling in the autumn wind.

Teng Yue’s heart sank along with her lowered eyelashes.

“Should we ask some renowned physicians to examine Grandma carefully?”

She shook her head.

“It’s an old ailment. After my parents passed away, my grandmother could not bear the shock and fell seriously ill, which led to this condition. I always hoped she could recover, but it seems unlikely she can maintain her current state. The Imperial Medical Bureau has renowned physicians who treat this kind of illness, but the capital is so far away; my grandmother cannot possibly travel that far for treatment.”

The old woman could not go to the capital, and the imperial physicians from the capital would not come all the way to Xi’an.

Teng Yue looked at the person he held in his arms, at her hands hanging limply and her head bowed, and his heart suddenly ached.

Her closest relatives, her parents, brother, and sister-in-law, had all passed away in those years. Her grandmother and Linglang were her only two blood relatives now. If she lost her grandmother as well, how heartbroken she would be.

Teng Yue could not help but pull her into his arms, letting her lean against his chest. A warm breeze blew through the curtains, and he lowered his head, gently kissing her forehead.

The wind rattled the windowpanes, and Deng Ruyun abruptly stopped.

She had actually been pondering how to find the hundred taels of silver, and when he asked, she did not know how to answer, so she told him about her grandmother. Naturally, this matter was also on her mind, but she had not expected him to suddenly pull her into his arms, his lips landing on her forehead.

She looked up at him, startled. The man’s embrace was broad and strong, and he was just there with his eyes closed. This sudden kiss, in the quiet winter night, was deep and lingering.

Deng Ruyun’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively turned her head away.

She moved, and Teng Yue opened his eyes.

He looked at his wife in his arms, his hand stroking her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

Deng Ruyun shook her head repeatedly.

“I am just a little tired and sleepy.”

She quickly pulled away from his embrace, curled up in the blanket, and went to sleep at the innermost part of the bed. Teng Yue smiled, said, “Alright,” looked at her for a moment, and then tidied up the maps on his desk.

Meanwhile, Deng Ruyun, nestled inside the bed curtains, blinked, stunned.

His lips, which had just touched her, were probably just a result of his absent-mindedness.

*

Deng Ruyun ordered her men to inquire in the Louyu Lane.

However, the two thieves were extremely vigilant. They recognized Deng Ruyun’s men as soon as they appeared, assuming they had not yet resolved the matter of the Jinzhou swindle. The two men packed their things and went into hiding for two days.

Changxing helplessly told his mistress that it was probably too late for their own men to go to the Louyu Lane again; the alley was likely full of the thieves’ spies, and they would be discovered as soon as they showed their faces.

Deng Ruyun felt troubled. When she arrived at Cixin Hall, Physician Fu happened to come and ask her about this matter.

Now, they had essentially broken through the barrier between them. Seeing that he was willing to conceal her identity, Deng Ruyun became slightly closer to him and spoke her mind.

“…I reckon this lead will not be easy to get.”

But he laughed. “Then let’s just find a new face.”

He immediately called over his apprentice, “Zhu Huang, go to the Louyu Lane and inquire about things for Master Liang.”

Deng Ruyun saw that his apprentice looked only fourteen or fifteen, about the same height as her. Thinking of the poisoned silver needles she’d used earlier, she could not help but say, “Quite a few bandits are living in Louyu Lane. Zhu Huang seems too young; is that not a bit inappropriate?”

She saw the man chuckle, saying that Zhu Huang was indeed young, “But I found him at the foot of Mount Song. Guess what his identity is?”

“What identity?” Deng Ruyun asked suspiciously. “Could he be a lay disciple of Shaolin?”

Upon hearing this, Bai Chunfu laughed. “Master Liang is truly clever.”

Deng Ruyun: ?

Was he teasing her? But the thieves in Louyu Lane were no joke.

Just as she was about to put on a serious face and say no, Zhu Huang said, “I grew up in Shaolin Temple. Sixth Brother has been protected by me all this way. Master Liang, do not worry.”

As he spoke, he picked up the door bolt behind the door and twirled it in his hand. Despite his young age, he wielded a wooden stick with surprising power.

Deng Ruyun immediately believed him.

Zhu Huang accepted her order and went to stake out the Louyu Lane for her.

But when she looked at this Physician Fu again, the man asked her instead, “Where does Master Liang live? Once Zhu Huang gets the news, I will have him inform you immediately.”

His question was abrupt and serious. Deng Ruyun was about to tell him, but she swallowed the words back.

It was not enough that he knew she was not male but female; he also wanted to know where she lived. Should she tell him about her family history for three generations?

Deng Ruyun noticed a slight flicker in the man’s gentle eyes and gave a dismissive snort.

Bai Chunfu immediately laughed, tilting his head to look at her.

“Do I really seem like a bad person to you? Why has no one ever said anything like that about me before?”

Deng Ruyun replied, “Since no one else has said it, I will not.”

The implication was that even if she did not say it, she did not think he was an honest person.

The girl’s temples were not covered in heavy makeup, revealing glimpses of fair skin beneath her soft hair.

Bai Chunfu could only say, “It seems Master Liang has far too much experience dealing with people.”

Deng Ruyun, however, disagreed. “Some people are obviously open and honest, but others always have secrets.”

She was talking about herself and also about someone else. “For example, is this person truly so poor they can only afford a donkey, or are they a hidden master, preferring poverty to revealing their identity? Or is the name they give their real one or a fake one? Or is it completely reversed?”

She shook her head slightly, offering a few seemingly ambiguous points.

Bai Chunfu burst out laughing, waving his hands in pleading.

“Alright, alright, I will not try to trick you anymore, Miss. Please do not say any more; I cannot take it.”

He was afraid that if she said a few more words, she would truly uncover his identity.

His gaze fell on her face, covered in yellow powder. Through her temples, he could glimpse her fair cheeks, and like her bright eyes, her slightly pouting lips gave her an air of agile intelligence, like a forest deer.

Bai Chunfu glanced at her a few more times until he heard her say,

“You should call me Master Liang.”

He looked at her and smiled helplessly, “Alright, alright, Master Liang.”

He could only ask again, “How should I tell Master Liang if Zhu Huang has any news?”

Deng Ruyun replied, “I will send someone over every day.”

… …

Two days passed, and Zhu Huang indeed received news that the two thieves were going to meet their leader at the flower market in the north of the city that afternoon.

Upon receiving the news, Deng Ruyun was immediately approached by Bai Chunfu, who asked her, “Report it to the yamen, do not act on your own.”

Deng Ruyun knew how formidable the ringleader was and nodded in agreement. Bai Chunfu then told Shopkeeper Qin, “I will accompany him to the yamen.”

The Patrol Office was staffed with officials and constables, and Deng Ruyun had little experience with them. Seeing that Bai Chunfu was willing to accompany her, she felt somewhat relieved and stopped her playful banter, formally thanking him.

The man accepted the thanks and smiled, “I will consider it a favor owed to me by Master Liang, and I’ve noted it down in my little notebook.”

Deng Ruyun: “…”

Alright.

The ringleader was scheduled to appear in the afternoon, so the two of them headed to the yamen without further ado.

Deng Ruyun, having lost one hundred taels of silver, was a genuine victim. She recounted the entire incident to the constable, including the information she had gathered, and thoughtfully spent five taels of silver to buy a packet of tea as a token of her appreciation.

The constable, of course, overheard her story and asked her to describe the thief’s appearance. Bai Chunfu, who had also seen the thief, immediately replied, “This thief is quite formidable, and he carries concealed weapons. Do you have any sketches of thieves recently apprehended, Constable? Perhaps this is one of them.”

The constable immediately agreed, finding the sketches. Deng Ruyun and Bai Chunfu examined them and indeed identified a person from the portrait.

“It looks like him!”

The two did not know what other crimes the thief had committed. The sketch was in the hands of the constables, but after exchanging glances, one of them said, “This person is being pursued by someone higher up. You wait here; I will report to my superiors first!”

Upon hearing that this was a wanted criminal and that other forces were chasing him, Deng Ruyun was overjoyed.

Would this not be much easier than catching him herself?

Her lost one hundred taels of silver might finally be found!

Seeing her relaxed expression, Bai Chunfu smiled and gestured for her to sit by the fire.

“Let’s sit here and warm up while we wait for the others to arrive.”

He sat in the drafty spot by the door, leaving the seat inside for Deng Ruyun.

The charcoal fire in the stove was burning brightly, and the two sat down together to wait for the others to arrive.

*

At the Military Command Office.

When Tong Meng arrived, he saw Teng Yue summoning seven or eight garrison commanders to inquire about land reclamation matters.

“The acreage of land you’ve cultivated over the past three years does not match the figures in the registers. I do not care what happened before; since I’ve taken over this job, I cannot let the soldiers go hungry.”

He slammed the land register shut.

Through the crack in the door, Tong Meng glimpsed his general’s cold face as he swept his gaze over the men standing with their heads bowed.

“Go and recount the land in each of your garrisons, and draw up accurate maps. I want to see who has gotten all that land the court allocated to the army!”

His words stunned the men, who all bowed low.

But he said no more, waving his hand to dismiss them.

Even after they were gone, the chilling atmosphere still lingered in the hall.

Tong Meng paused for a moment before announcing that he had something to report. Teng Yue beckoned him in. Seeing the strong wind and cold outside, he prepared to have tea served to Tong Meng, but Tong Meng declined.

“General, there’s no need for such hospitality. I have an urgent matter to attend to.”

He said quickly, “Our men have not yet tracked down the black market thief who was smuggling military supplies for Baifeng Mountain. Unexpectedly, the Xi’an government has received news that two people have reported finding traces of this thief, and he’s scheduled to meet with his underlings at the flower market today.”

Teng Yue had been investigating this man for a long time; he was very cautious and had not shown himself.

Upon hearing this, he immediately stood up.

“I am tired of sitting in the Government Office today. I will go to the Patrol Office and ask if this information is reliable.”

He was going to the Patrol Office himself, and Tong Meng quickly followed behind him.

*

The Patrol Office was bustling with people. As soon as the curtain was lifted, the dry, biting north wind rushed into the hall. Fortunately, someone of considerable height sat beside her, shielding her from much of the wind.

After waiting a while and seeing no one else arrive, Deng Ruyun decided to inquire with the constables about what other crimes the thief had committed and who was still chasing him.

A young constable who had just entered seemed easygoing. Deng Ruyun asked him a couple of questions, and the young constable readily answered her.

“There was a band of roving bandits who ruled the mountains, extremely arrogant and domineering. They even kidnapped a general’s wife. Fortunately, the lady escaped quickly, but the general was furious and wiped out the bandits completely. However, a batch of military supplies that the bandits sold is still missing. According to the bandits, the person who sold the military supplies is the bandit leader you met.”

The constable smiled at Deng Ruyun as he spoke, “If it really is him, your information is accurate. Once we arrest him, we can not only recover your money but also earn merit.”

But Deng Ruyun felt a sense of familiarity.

Her ears tingled. “What you are saying, Constable, could it be the bandits of Baifeng Mountain?”

“Indeed, you’ve heard about them too?” the constable asked.

Deng Ruyun had not only heard about them but had also personally participated in their activities.

The north wind was so strong that it was hard to stand. She asked, stunned, “So, this time, you reported this matter to General Teng Yue?!”

The constable nodded, somewhat surprised. “It seems you know quite a lot.”

Deng Ruyun knew everything, but then she heard the constable add, “General Teng has been transferred back to the Shaanxi Military Command. The Command Office is not far from here; he will probably be here soon.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun felt as if the biting north wind had blown her away.

Teng Yue was coming?!

If Teng Yue saw her here, he’d probably be watching her closely. If he also saw Physician Fu, would he not dig up everything about her?

And Physician Fu was trying to find out her address and identity; if he saw Teng Yue, would he not know everything too?

Deng Ruyun felt her clothes were about to burst open when she suddenly heard the sound of horses’ hooves approaching from outside the Patrol Office courtyard.

Horses’ hooves? The hooves of a galloping horse?!

Deng Ruyun abruptly turned back into the hall where she had been warming herself by the fire and grabbed Bai Chunfu.

“Physician Fu, it’s too cold in here. You are weak; do not sit here. Let’s go back to Cixin Hall.”

Bai Chunfu: ?

When did he become so weak?

He was pulled to his feet, looking at her in confusion.

“Master Liang, I am not cold, and I am not weak. I do not plan to go back so soon.”

But Deng Ruyun heard a voice outside welcoming someone, and his question was carried into the hall by the north wind.

“Who reported a crime? Where is the person?”

The hairs on Deng Ruyun’s ears stood on end.

Fortunately, there was a side door near the main hall. Deng Ruyun pulled Bai Chunfu towards it.

“I just heard Shopkeeper Qin send someone looking for you. Someone must need medical attention. Physician Fu is kind and skilled; you should go back and see the patient.”

Bai Chunfu did not want to leave, but seeing her like this, he felt she was like a porcelain cup squeezed between two forces, about to shatter.

He had no choice but to nod. “Alright, I am leaving.”

These words were like a pardon to Deng Ruyun. She was the one who could not leave, but with Physician Fu gone, things would be much easier.

Just as she saw him out the side door, someone strode in from the main entrance, lifting the curtain.

The man’s gaze swept over everyone in the hall, landing instantly on Deng Ruyun’s face.

Deng Ruyun was still disguised as a man, half-turned to hide her identity from him. He walked over step by step, his handsome brows furrowed as he looked at her, disbelief in his eyes.