Perfect Match – CH 053

Chapter 53

In Huayin County.

Rain fell in strings from the dilapidated eaves, splashing into puddles on the ground, wetting the hems of the skirts and robes of those beneath.

Deng Ruyun looked over, seeing Teng Yue’s downcast eyes as raindrops drifted into the water below.

He spoke, “For those two years, I dreamed of my elder brother almost every night, as if he had never left my side.”

“And back then, I did not understand why so many people would risk their lives for villains. I did not understand why my elder brother died like that; he had not even grown up yet.”

Teng Yue gripped Deng Ruyun’s hand tightly; she could feel his heartbeat pounding in her palm.

She heard him whisper, “Not long after, Father also got into trouble. It seemed inevitable; after all, there are too many petty people in this world, and yet they thrive.”

He suddenly chuckled.

“Later, I gradually understood that people always seek profit and avoid harm. When life is hard, they think of going to places where things are better. But are those places easy to go to? Once you are under someone else’s roof, you have to work for them. If it were just about working for them, that would not be so bad. You have to go back and trample on those who remain, ruthlessly crush them, to be considered a pledge of allegiance, to gain favor with your new employer, and establish yourself.”

He said, “I do not blame the world; I only blame myself for not being capable enough to pull down those petty people in high positions, to break them up, to make an example of them, so that those who seek profit and avoid harm will choose a different path.”

These words struck Deng Ruyun’s heart like a thunderbolt.

She looked at him, meeting his trembling eyes.

So, almost without hesitation, seeing the authorities unable to punish Xue Dengguan, the bully who preyed on men and women, he leaped onto the hillside the very next day and shot the thief dead with an arrow!

She looked at him, and he looked back.

He gripped both her hands tightly in his.

“Teng Yue’s lifelong wish is to protect his country and fight on the battlefield, but also to bring down those petty people in high positions, to avenge personal grievances and uphold justice for the public good!”

These words were too heavy, too grand; he had never said them to anyone before.

But that was what he truly thought, and today, in the rain, he spoke these words, hidden in his heart for so many years, to her.

He knew his Yunniang was suffering the most; it was this atmosphere of everyone currying favor and looking down on those in power that had crushed her beneath it all.

At that time, she must have been desperate. A young, unmarried girl, dragging her family along, went to the matchmaker to find a husband. She was willing to marry even a blind widower just to protect her family.

Teng Yue often felt a lingering fear; he had almost missed Yunniang.

And Yunniang was the most beautiful and wonderful girl he had ever seen.

He leaned close to her face and saw that her eyes were red like a little rabbit’s. Even though he was talking about his elder brother’s early death, tears were falling from her eyes.

He cupped her face, feeling a mixture of amusement and heartache, and wiped away her tears with his fingertips.

“Why are you crying, my Yunniang?”

He asked.

Deng Ruyun then realized that tears were streaming down her face.

But she could not explain why she was crying. She just shook her head, feeling inexplicably wronged, and sniffled.

“I do not know either.”

He chuckled and pulled her directly into his arms.

“So silly, like a little silly rabbit…”

That day, the heavy rain washed away all the filth from every corner of Huayin County.

The old physician worked tirelessly for half a day, barely managing to save the life of the eldest son of the Wu family.

When he said the boy was alive, Deng Ruyun saw Teng Yue exhale a heavy breath and then close his eyes tightly.

Wu Sheng rushed to his brother, burying his head in his chest and crying.

However, although Wu Ce had survived, he was still too weak. He wanted to reach out and hug his younger brother to comfort him, but he could not lift his hand or speak.

Deng Ruyun fed him some more medicine, and the boy recovered somewhat, but Wu Ce’s condition was such that he could not withstand any more pursuit.

Shi Zeyou was hit by Teng Yue’s arrow and could not return to Huayin for the time being, but there must still be people he left behind in the city. If Shi Zeyou had other reinforcements, they would be in trouble.

As dusk approached and the rain gradually stopped, pedestrians sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and the streets bustled with activity once more. Seeing this, Teng Yue arranged for several groups of men, disguised, to escort the Wu brothers out of the county town.

Deng Ruyun and Teng Yue, meanwhile, reverted to their merchant attire, leading their men away from the market with an air of nonchalance.

*

Outside the city.

After the arrow was pulled from Shi Zeyou’s shoulder, he felt as if most of his life had been ripped from his body, barely clinging to life.

But this was the best possible outcome. If he had noticed it even a moment later at the city gate, the arrow would have pierced his heart.

He would have died, fallen from his horse, and those surrounding him now were there to collect his body.

His subordinates fed him some medicine, and Shi Zeyou felt slightly better.

Thinking of what had just happened, he could not help but ask… “Have you spotted this new group of people?”

The subordinate shook his head. “These people are even careful to conceal themselves. Our men in the county spotted them in two places but quickly lost track of them both. It’s clear that the people who came to aid the Wu family are all from Shaanxi.”

Shi Zeyou had also noticed this. The key question was: who rescued the Wu family?

He had now lost control over the Wu family. He did not know how to explain himself to Hong Gui when he returned.

Thinking of this, he suddenly tore off all the medicine covering his shoulder.

The renewed pain made him tremble, and his subordinate was even more alarmed.

“General, your injury is so severe. How soon will it heal without medicine?”

“But if this injury heals soon, I will have no excuse for failing when I return to the capital!”

He tore off all the medicine, leaving the wound exposed to the air.

He needed to leave the wound for Hong Gui to see, using this genuine act of self-inflicted injury to at least prevent Hong Gui from punishing him.

As for the people who rescued the Wu family, he felt that they were not just after the Wu family but also after him and seemed intent on killing him.

Shi Zeyou could not help but recall that chillingly cold arrow.

He had indeed offended many people in Shaanxi over the years, but judging from the figure of the leading general among the newcomers, he did not seem to recognize him.

But the man’s mannerisms suggested he was a young man. It was normal for someone his age not to have seen many young people, but what young man possessed such skill and such intense killing intent towards him?

Thinking of this, Shi Zeyou suddenly thought of someone—

Teng Yue? Teng Wenli’s second son?

He had long heard of this young man’s outstanding military achievements in Ningxia and how he had become a third-rank military officer at such a young age. If it really was him, then everything would make sense.

He and the Teng family had an old feud.

However, Shi Zeyou had no evidence to prove the stranger was Teng Yue. Naturally, without evidence, he could file a complaint with Hong Gui, but he had heard that Teng Yue had clashed with the Prince Enhua’s Mansion last year.

And the Ninth Prince wanted to cultivate his own forces within the army, which directly opposed the Prince Enhua’s Mansion. He had previously heard that the Ninth Prince wanted to recruit Teng Yue, who was at odds with the Prince Enhua’s Mansion, to his side, but Teng Yue had been transferred to the Xi’an Prefecture’s military headquarters, and an opportunity had not yet arisen.

The Chief Eunuch had taken a liking to Teng Yue. If he filed a complaint against Teng Yue without evidence, it would likely not only be ineffective but also incur the displeasure of the Chief Eunuch and his nephew.

Regardless of whether he was a member of the Teng family or not, Shi Zeyou could only swallow his anger.

The pain in his shoulder caused him to break out in cold sweats, and he felt as if his soul was drifting into the wilderness.

But the thought of Teng Yue filled him with unease.

This young man was already a general commanding troops, while he himself had not yet fully secured his position with the Chief Eunuch. If today’s events truly stemmed from Teng Yue, then the young man’s desire to kill him was likely far from insignificant.

If that were the case, how could he sit idly by and await his fate?

Shi Zeyou stood up anxiously, clutching his shoulder. He looked outside, the rain gradually subsiding, but heavy clouds still gathered in the small patch of sky overhead.

He frowned, deep in thought for a moment.

*

In the county town’s streets, after the rain stopped, pedestrians emerged, bustling about. Bargaining and hawking filled the streets.

The group had only traveled halfway when a guard came to report that the Wu brothers had safely left the city. Kong Hui’s men had previously picked up Old General Wu and his wife, and now they had sent men to take the Wu brothers away as well.

“…They said the General need not worry anymore. Once you and your wife leave Huayin County, you will go to General Kong’s estate nearby. General Wang will be there too, and we will discuss settling the Wu family together.”

This news brought a huge sigh of relief to Deng Ruyun. Teng Yue smiled and nodded, sending the guard to deliver the message. He glanced at the woman beside him, who was now completely at ease, thinking to himself that she was quite worried for him.

But what if she saw him leaving the pass to fight? Would she not be even more anxious?

However, thinking of how much she cared for him, the man’s lips could not help but curl into a smile. She still valued him far more than anyone else.

Thinking this, she overheard a roadside vendor say to someone, “…This dog, though old, has a special skill: it can smell all sorts of herbs from the mountains. If it were not for its lame leg and its refusal to sell cheaply, would you buy it?”

The person asking was clearly uninterested in herbs, saying, “At this price, it’d be worth more if the dog could find gold; herbs are probably worthless.”

The man left after saying this.

Teng Yue, however, turned and took Deng Ruyun’s hand. “Yunniang, would you like to buy a dog?”

Deng Ruyun was talking to Shen Xiu about how the crystal cakes from Huayin County were exquisite and delicious. There happened to be a small shop selling them by the roadside, and she had just bought two.

Deng Ruyun was about to try them when Teng Yue pulled her over and asked.

Deng Ruyun already had several old dogs at home, so there was no need to buy another one. She simply handed him a crystal cake, and he said, “Really not buying one? I heard the stall owner say that this dog can identify herbs.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun paused for a moment.

Suddenly remembering something, she turned to look at the dog stall.

The stall owner, seeing that he had not sold any dogs for days, slapped one on the head.

The dog whimpered and lowered its head.

But the next moment, it suddenly saw and smelled something, looked up, and barked at the center of the street.

This bark startled two girls passing by, causing them to stumble and glare at the dog owner. The owner, embarrassed, apologized repeatedly, then, seeing his old dog barking incessantly, he picked up his whip to strike.

However, before he could strike, someone suddenly ran forward and stopped him.

It was a woman dressed as a merchant who rushed over and hugged the old dog on the ground.

“Dafu?! Dafu, is that you, Dafu?!”

The dog, held in her arms, barked with whimpers, nuzzling against the woman in response.

Teng Yue quickly bent down and asked, “Does Yunniang know this dog?”

Deng Ruyun saw that the dog was thin, with injuries on its legs, and its eyes seemed to be filled with tears as it whimpered softly at her.

Deng Ruyun’s tears were almost flowing, and she repeatedly said yes.

“This is Dafu, the dog my brother took with him when he went out to buy medicinal herbs!”

Yunniang’s brother had passed away a few years ago, yet the dog had appeared in the market of Huayin County.

Teng Yue immediately had someone pay for the dog, and before Deng Ruyun could speak, he asked the stall owner first.

“Where did you get this dog?”

Seeing his generosity, the stall owner told him the truth.

“This dog has been with me for less than a year. I bought it in Xi’an last year. As for who sold it, I do not know. The man was in his forties or fifties. I only know that this dog can identify herbs, and he would not sell it if it were not for its frequent misbehavior.”

That was all the stall owner knew about Dafu’s previous owner.

Deng Ruyun then asked, “Are you sure it’s in Xi’an?”

The stall owner said yes, it was in the market of Xi’an.

But Deng Ruheng died outside the Great Wall, and Dafu went with him. How could it have ended up in Xi’an in just a few years?

Deng Ruyun stood there, holding Dafu, stunned. Teng Yue put his arm around her shoulder.

“Could it be that your brother did not actually…”

Before he could finish, tears streamed down Deng Ruyun’s face, but her eyes shone brightly after the tears.

“My brother’s body could not be found for a long time, so my sister-in-law went out to search for it herself. When she found it, the body was barely recognizable; only the stone pendant hanging on the body could barely identify it. But could it be that it was not actually my brother?!”

Deng Ruyun called out repeatedly to Dafu, “Dafu, Dafu, do you know if my brother is still alive? Is he still alive?!”

Dafu could not speak, only bark.

Deng Ruyun could not help but look up at Teng Yue. “Do you think Dafu is saying my brother is alive?!”

Teng Yue bent down and hugged her and Dafu in his arms.

“It must be, it must be. Does Dafu’s name mean ‘great fortune and a long life’? My brother-in-law must be the same!”

His brother was gone, but if Yunniang’s brother was still alive, Teng Yue would feel happier than anyone else.

He just wondered, if Yunniang’s brother were still alive and knew how badly he had treated her in the past, would he be angry and take her away…?

But at that moment, Teng Yue patted Deng Ruyun’s shoulder, then patted Dafu.

He said, “I have some skilled dog breeders under my command. Have them take good care of Dafu, and then take it for walks around the streets of Xi’an every day. Perhaps we will find something!”

This was the best solution.

Deng Ruyun nodded emphatically, “Alright!”

Dafu left the dog vendor and came back to Deng Ruyun’s face, wagging its tail. Deng Ruyun held Dafu tightly, refusing to let go, and carried it out of Huayin County.

*

Near Tongguan Guard, in Kong Hui’s Estate.

Teng Yue and his party arrived; Wang Fuxiang had been waiting at the door for a long time.

“Why are you so late? Teng Yue, are you injured? Why are you in a carriage?”

Seeing the carriage, he quickly stepped forward to ask, only to see Teng Yue stride down, his movements nimble and showing no signs of injury.

Wang Fuxiang looked him up and down, then asked suspiciously, “You are not injured; why are you making such a fuss in a carriage?”

Teng Yue glared at him. “Does my wife also want to ride a horse in the rain?”

After he finished speaking, Wang Fuxiang was surprised. “Sister-in-law is here too?”

He was surprised, but Deng Ruyun was in the carriage, holding Dafu, her hands slightly sweaty.

General Wang was here again… She was afraid that his mind would suddenly flash back to her past.

She did not get out of the carriage for a moment, but Teng Yue seemed to remember something and called out to Wang Fuxiang.

“I am fine here. I will come find you later. You go first.”

Wang Fuxiang could not stay in front of Madam Teng Yue’s carriage and wait for her to get off, so he left first.

Deng Ruyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Only after hearing his footsteps fade into the distance did she get off the carriage and quickly carry Dafu to the courtyard Kong Hui had prepared for them.

The Kong family’s estate was spacious and impeccably clean. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary estate, but the interior was quite remarkable.

Deng Ruyun fed Dafu some water and saw him constantly circling around her feet. She felt an indescribable joy. Could it really be, as Teng Yue said, that she could find her brother again? What would little Linglang’s reaction be?

She tidied herself up and changed her clothes. Although she was happy, she was also afraid that General Wang would recognize her, so she decided to avoid him later.

Teng Yue, along with General Kong, General Wang, and others, discussed their next move with the Wu family.

Given Hong Gui’s relentless pursuit, even returning to the Wu family’s ancestral home would not guarantee safety. It was best to find a place to hide for some time.

After discussing for some time, darkness fell. Having survived such an ordeal, the Wu family was determined to have a grand dinner.

Kong Hui had already arranged for a meal. There were few women present, only Deng Ruyun and Old Madam Wu. Both having experienced life and death, they did not stand on ceremony and sat down together.

Deng Ruyun naturally sat with Old Madam Wu, but during the meal, she noticed General Wang stealing glances at her several times. However, it was getting dark, and the room was not brightly lit. Deng Ruyun was far enough away that she figured he would not notice, so she ate in silence.

After the meal, she hurried back to the courtyard that General Kong had prepared for her and Teng Yue.

Teng Yue, seeing her hasty return, asked her a few questions. Deng Ruyun replied that it was nothing, just a little tired.

Teng Yue escorted her back to the courtyard, telling her to rest well. But as he turned and reached the courtyard gate, he saw Wang Fuxiang approaching.

Teng Yue noticed that the man’s face was a little flushed after drinking a few cups of wine and spoke…

“Yu Chuan, can I talk to you about something?”

Teng Yue glanced at him. “What is it? Do not tell me you are also thinking of coming to Xi’an?”

Before Wang Fuxiang could speak, he interrupted, “Ningxia needs to keep some capable fighters. Otherwise, if the Tartars invade again and break through the pass, it will be troublesome.”

Wang Fuxiang did want to return to Xi’an, but that was not what he wanted to talk about this time.

He cleared his throat slightly and whispered, “Ever since I saw my sister-in-law last time, I cannot remember where I saw her. It’s giving me a headache. Could you let me say a few words to her so I can at least remember?”

Upon hearing this, Teng Yue raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

Wang Fuxiang was a little drunk and did not notice Teng Yue’s expression. He simply said, “I just want to say a few words to her.”

Before he finished speaking, Teng Yue had already shoved him against the roadside wall.

Kong Hui, who was nearby, rushed over upon seeing the situation.

“What’s this guy doing now?! Do not hit him, do not hit him! Is he drunk again?”

Wang Fuxiang looked aggrieved. “I just cannot remember! I’ve racked my brains, but I still cannot remember. I just wanted to say a few words to my sister-in-law to recall; it’s not like I am doing anything bad!”

Kong Hui knew his condition and quickly said to Teng Yue, “He’s really been thinking about it for days. You know, Yu Chuan, he’s the type to get stuck on things. Why do we not let him say a few words to his sister-in-law?”

Wang Fuxiang nodded, adding a comment.

“It’s not just that I cannot remember; I also feel like she’s somehow connected to you.”

Teng Yue frowned.

Yunniang did say she’d seen him before, but only on the street. But she’s a liar; maybe she was just trying to fool him.

He released Wang Fuxiang, panting for a few breaths before speaking.

“I need to ask her opinion first.”

He turned and went back to the room in the courtyard, telling Deng Ruyun what he had said.

Deng Ruyun’s hair stood on end upon hearing this.

She had met General Wang more than once. Another time, she had disguised herself as a soldier in the garrison, following behind Teng Yue’s ranks, when General Wang suddenly appeared, spoke a few words to her, and then looked at her and said, “Why did Teng Yue recruit a soldier like you who looks like a girl?”

Then Deng Ruyun’s hair stood on end just as much as it did today.

Now she shook her head.

“Forget it. General Wang did not do it on purpose. Besides, I am actually a little afraid of him.”

If she did not want to, why would Teng Yue force her? Seeing her genuinely frightened appearance, and remembering that she had even been a little afraid of him before, he softened his voice. “Then you will not see him. I’ll send him away.”

After saying this, the man left. Deng Ruyun overheard him through the crack in the window, rejecting Wang Fuxiang.

Unexpectedly, General Wang was still not satisfied.

“What’s there to be afraid of? I am not ugly, am I? If my sister-in-law takes a second look, she might even think I am quite good-looking. Just let me see her…Oh, why are you hitting me?”

A commotion broke out outside the courtyard. Deng Ruyun heard Teng Yue say, “If you keep bothering her, I will hit you again!”

General Kong, standing nearby, repeatedly tried to break up the fight, “Stop fighting! Stop fighting!”

General Wang, his voice trembling with tears and grievance, said, “Teng Yue, you’ve changed. You’ve really changed. I do not even recognize you anymore since you got married. How could you do this…?”

The three of them were fighting outside the courtyard, but Deng Ruyun could not help but burst out laughing inside the house. She whispered apologetically, “I am sorry, General Wang; please do not think about it anymore, or you will get beaten again.”

She laughed more and more as she spoke. There was no one else in the room, only her incessant laughter, which attracted Dafu, who circled around her.

She giggled and picked up Dafu, then sat down at the dressing table.

But as she sat down, she turned her head and saw a beaming face in the bronze mirror on the dressing table.

The girl in the mirror had eyes full of smiles, revealing snow-white teeth, and her rosy lips could not close properly.

Deng Ruyun glanced at her and suddenly froze.

Was the person in the mirror her? Why was she smiling so happily?

The smile… seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Deng Ruyun’s smile froze on her face. She seemed to have unconsciously forgotten something important.