Perfect Match – CH 077

Chapter 77

After Teng Yue was taken away, everyone gathered at the Teng family home.

The scent of torches hadn’t dissipated yet, and smoke drifted into Teng Yue’s study in the outer courtyard, but everyone else was there except him.

Kong Hui and Wang Fuxiang had both sent people to the General’s Office to inquire about the situation, and now Kong Hui said…

“We all sent people to secretly spread the proclamation against the traitor, but they singled out Teng Yue. Firstly, it must be Shi Zeyou’s malicious intent; secondly, it’s also a way to give us a warning.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun saw Shen Yanxing frown.

“If it were just a warning, it wouldn’t be so bad, but it was Shi Zeyou who came.”

He recounted how, a few months ago, he had rescued General Wu and his family, and it was only thanks to Teng Yue’s intervention that they were successfully saved. “As you all know, although Teng Yue didn’t show himself, he delivered a nearly fatal arrow to Shi Zeyou. That man is extremely narrow-minded; he probably wants to take this opportunity to eliminate Teng Yue, and who knows what he’ll say to Hong Gui.”

Shen Yanxing felt that if someone else had captured Teng Yue, it would be fine, but Shi Zeyou was truly unsettling.

Upon mentioning this, Deng Ruyun saw everyone’s faces darken.

Shi Zeyou and the Teng family had a long-standing feud, with Shi Zeyou nearly causing the family’s ruin. Even Teng Yue’s mother, Old Madam Lin, still suffers from insomnia, fearing Shi Zeyou’s return.

Tonight, Old Madam Lin’s anxieties came true; Shi Zeyou indeed reappeared.

Wang Fuxiang couldn’t hold back any longer. “I’ll go to the General’s office myself and ask them what they really want!”

His fists clenched so tightly they cracked. “Teng Yue’s suppression of the rebellion was the greatest achievement! If he hadn’t feigned surrender to the Rebel Prince and secretly had me and the General’s men coordinate from the inside, how could the rebellion have been quelled in just eighteen days? Does that mean everyone who feigns surrender is a rebel?!”

He was utterly indignant, and who among them could swallow this insult?

Wang Fuxiang was going to ask the general, Kong Hui wanted to unite the generals of Ningxia to pressure Hong Gui, the Chief Eunuch’s nephew, to release the prisoners, and Shen Yanxing was trying to contact Teng Yue, who was imprisoned.

Deng Ruyun looked at them, and the three of them comforted her again.

“Sister-in-law, please wait at home. We’ll have someone inform you as soon as we have news.”

The three of them finished speaking and quickly left without even giving Deng Ruyun a proper thank you.

Deng Ruyun watched them leave, then returned from Teng Yue’s study to the main courtyard.

The night wind ruffled her skirt. She stood where he had stood, sword in hand, and picked up the longsword he had thrown to the ground.

The sword was heavy; she couldn’t hold it with one hand like he did. She had to use both hands to hold it against her chest.

The once brilliant Milky Way and moonlight now cast a cold, desolate light.

Deng Ruyun, sword in hand, slowly returned to the stone steps under the eaves of the main house.

Standing there, she seemed to see the torch-lit courtyard again, and his figure being led away by others.

He first told her to hide in the secret compartment, then took out his sword, saying, “If anything happens, hide in the compartment. I’ll go check.”

She was safe, but he was quickly taken away. Before leaving, he turned back and told her not to be afraid.

“It’s alright, it’s alright, don’t be afraid, wait for me at home.”

Standing on the stone steps, Deng Ruyun’s tears slid down her cheeks.

But she raised her hand and wiped away the tears from her face.

She couldn’t hide in the secret compartment anymore, couldn’t let him protect her all the time. Could she just hide under his sleeve, a useless person cowering in fear?

The moonlight was obscured by clouds, its brightness fluctuating, but after a gust of wind from the high sky, it revealed its bright light.

Deng Ruyun summoned the personal guards from the Teng Mansion, and Tang Zuo and Tang You quickly gathered their men in the courtyard.

“What are your orders, Madam?”

Deng Ruyun stood on the stone steps, looking at the people below.

She took a deep breath. First, she instructed Tang Zuo to send men to assist Kong Hui, Wang Fuxiang, and Shen Yanxing. Then, she ordered the people in the outer courtyard study to keep a close watch on the study and assigned men to search the mansion overnight, strengthening the defenses of the Teng Mansion to prevent anyone from taking this opportunity to plant anything that shouldn’t be there in Teng Yue’s mansion.

Her last words made even Tang Zuo’s face turn pale.

“Madam is absolutely right! I will send men to search the mansion immediately!”

Shi Zeyou was clearly trying to frame Teng Yue. This man was known for his despicable behavior and would likely stop at nothing.

Deng Ruyun had anticipated this. Seeing Tang Zuo agree and send men, she nodded repeatedly and then called for Tang You.

“Tell me all the generals and officials you have close ties with in Ningxia, then check the treasury and accounts. Tomorrow, prepare gifts, and I’ll visit them one by one.”

Kong Hui went to help Teng Yue find people to speak on his behalf; how could she just stay in the courtyard crying?

Since she had temporarily taken his wife’s place, let her overstep her bounds this once and act as his true wife.

*

At the General’s Office.

Hong Gui left the Shaanxi General’s banquet and was escorted to his lodgings.

But the high-ranking officials and generals in the city remained where they were.

When Wang Fuxiang and his men arrived, the faces of the high-ranking officials and generals were not good.

Wang Fuxiang bluntly stated that the generals clearly already knew about Teng Yue’s arrest as a rebel. They all fell silent for a few moments, until finally the Shaanxi General, who had come to quell the rebellion, spoke.

“We all know about Teng Yue’s affair. But after Prince Enhua’s rebellion, the news reached the capital, causing a great stir. Although the Emperor is unaware, the Chief Eunuch knows of Prince Enhua’s rebellion, which he is using as a pretext to ‘purge the court of corrupt officials.'”

He said the Chief Eunuch, having heard of this, was also alarmed and tense.

This man usually engaged in factionalism and backstabbing in court, incurring resentment among officials, though he had never actually done anything substantial. But this time, it had instigated a prince’s rebellion, threatening the Emperor’s throne.

He hadn’t anticipated such a major event but dared not let the young Emperor know a thing of it. Upon receiving the news, he immediately sent his nephew, Hong Gui, to investigate.

The general said, “Hong Gui came here for only one crucial matter: to completely dispose of Prince Enhua’s proclamation denouncing the traitors. Make it clear that Prince Enhua’s rebellion was merely a rebellious prince’s own attempt to overthrow the dynasty and has nothing to do with purging the court of corrupt officials or the Chief Eunuch.”

But Shi Zeyou had just discovered that Teng Yue had secretly distributed the original text of the proclamation.

After the general finished speaking, Wang Fuxiang couldn’t help but shout.

“He says it has nothing to do with anything?! If it weren’t for Teng Yue, Prince Enhua might have already led his troops out of Shaanxi…”

Before he could finish, his uncle Wang Ying stopped him, “Shut up!”

If the rebellious prince had marched out of Shaanxi, everyone present, including the Shaanxi general, would be guilty of a serious crime.

Wang Fuxiang was seething with hatred. Wang Ying feared he would act rashly again, saying or doing things he shouldn’t, only further hindering Teng Yue.

Now, Wang Ying had no choice but to speak for him, asking the general.

“Others may not know how Teng Yue acted during the suppression of the rebellion, but we know it all too well. You can’t just let him be arrested by the Chief Eunuch’s men like that; wouldn’t that discourage the soldiers on the border?”

The General sighed, “Of course I know, but what is the Chief Eunuch afraid of? He did exactly what he wanted, striking a nerve with the Hong family.”

As he spoke, his gaze swept from Wang Ying past Wang Fuxiang, then over Kong Hui and the others.

“The best course of action now is probably to have Teng Yue admit to the crime of disrupting morale. His previous achievements in suppressing the rebellion need not be mentioned again. I will use this crime to send him to a secluded post for three to five years, until the Chief Eunuch has forgotten about this matter.”

This way, at least the Hong uncle and nephew would be at ease, and Teng Yue could be released on the spot.

However, as soon as the General-in-Chief uttered this expedient plan, not only the impetuous Wang Fuxiang but even the usually composed Kong Hui could not contain his anger.

“General-in-Chief, Teng Yue has rendered the greatest service in suppressing the rebellion; he is a true meritorious general. How can he be subjected to such a fate because of those who distort the truth? Where is the law?!”

The Ningxia generals were all furious.

The Shaanxi General-in-Chief took a deep breath and slowly calmed down.

He spoke in a low voice.

“This isn’t just my thought; it’s also what Hong Gui just whispered in my ear.”

The Chief Eunuch only wanted to suppress the matter of Prince Enhua’s rebellion as quickly as possible. “If not, how can the Chief Eunuch in the capital be at ease?”

He voiced his frustration, and the other generals fell silent, except for Wang Fuxiang, who remained defiant.

“Then why not present that proclamation against the traitor to the Emperor? Let the Emperor see the true face of this treacherous eunuch?!”

He cursed angrily, and his uncle, Wang Ying, couldn’t stop him.

But the General only asked him one question, silencing him.

“Then tell me, who, who exactly, can bypass the Chief Eunuch and deliver this proclamation against the traitor to the Emperor?!”

In this world where the Chief Eunuch controlled the court, treacherous officials curried favor with the powerful, and loyal ministers and generals lived in constant fear, who could possibly carve out a path of justice?

*

The next day at the Teng Mansion.

Shi Zeyou’s men placed Teng Yue under tight surveillance, with three layers of guards, comparable to the guards protecting the Rebel Prince Zhu Zhenfan. Shen Yanxing couldn’t find a way to communicate with Teng Yue in prison.

Kong Hui and his group disagreed with the method of forcing a meritorious official to confess and then exiling him. He discussed with the officials of Ningxia and decided to unite and speak on Teng Yue’s behalf, pressuring Hong Gui so that even if the court didn’t reward Teng Yue for his achievements, he wouldn’t be labeled a rebel and convicted.

The others agreed with Kong Hui’s plan, and as soon as he mentioned it, Deng Ruyun had Tang You bring out all the money.

Kong Hui waved his hands repeatedly. “Sister-in-law, what are you doing? We’ve been brothers with Yu Chuan countless times; why would we need money?”

Deng Ruyun, however, said the money wasn’t for everyone. “How could I not know the relationship between you generals and my General Teng? But right now, to contact more people and ask more generals to speak on his behalf, money is indispensable.”

She said Teng Yue didn’t have much of a connection. “As for me… I’m just a country girl with no connections. I can’t help him much, but the Teng family can afford this money; it’s only money the Teng family can afford.”

She had prepared all the money and valuable items from Teng Yue’s storeroom, categorizing them according to quantity and value as gifts.

Kong Hui looked at the money and gifts she had prepared, finally noticing her weariness.

“Sister-in-law, you must have had a sleepless night. Alright, I’ll accept everything you prepared for Yu Chuan. Don’t worry too much; get some rest yourself.”

Deng Ruyun couldn’t close her eyes, but she nodded to Kong Hui, thanked everyone, and then thought of the man still in prison whom she couldn’t contact.

“Could we try to find another way to talk to him? His situation in prison is unclear, and I’m afraid Shi Zeyou won’t let him off the hook. Maybe we can take advantage of this opportunity to strike him.”

She said that before dawn last night, someone had indeed tried to break into the Teng Mansion from what appeared to be an empty spot in the backyard.

Thankfully, she had Tang Zuo send men to guard the area beforehand, and the person failed to break in and disappeared in a panic.

Kong Hui and the others exchanged glances upon hearing this.

Wang Fuxiang gritted his teeth. “It must be Shi Zeyou trying to frame him!”

Deng Ruyun nodded. “If that’s his intention, then he probably wants to kill Teng Yue. So I think it’s best to find a way to get to him in prison, at least to find out his current situation.”

She was afraid Shi Zeyou might secretly harm Teng Yue in prison.

Last night, everyone was focused on getting him out and hadn’t considered this possibility.

Hong Gui wanted to suppress the matter for the Chief Eunuch, but Shi Zeyou wanted to take the opportunity to retaliate against Teng Yue—these were completely different.

Shen Yanxing immediately frowned, “I’ll have someone find a way to get to him in prison!”

Deep gratitude needed no words; Deng Ruyun had nothing more to say.

However, that evening, Shen Yanxing and Kong Hui suddenly arrived and asked her to bring out all the medicine for treating injuries.

Shen Yanxing looked utterly exasperated. “That scoundrel surnamed Shi actually tortured Yu Chuan!”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun nearly stumbled.

But Kong Hui told her not to rush, “Fortunately, my sister-in-law reminded us, and we discovered him in time. The General and several high-ranking officials from the Shaanxi Military Command personally intervened and temporarily saved him, though he suffered some minor injuries.”

Shen Yanxing said that with the hot weather, the injuries might not heal on their own. He asked Deng Ruyun, “Now that the General has vouched for him, he’s been moved from the prison. We can go there. Madam, would you like to go see him yourself?”

“Yes!” Deng Ruyun blurted out almost without thinking.

She immediately grabbed her medicine kit, carrying all the medicine, and followed Shen Yanxing and Kong Hui straight to the prison.

Teng Yue was transferred to a separate cell in the back courtyard of the prison.

When Deng Ruyun arrived, she saw him sitting against the wall, seemingly lost in thought.

Deng Ruyun gasped. Fortunately, the guard at the gate said he had only taken some medicine and was temporarily unconscious.

The guard opened the door, letting only Deng Ruyun, who had brought the medicine box, in, leaving the others outside.

The cell was extremely dark. Both windows were nailed shut with wooden strips, allowing only slivers of sunlight to filter through the cracks.

After the guard closed the door, Deng Ruyun could barely see where she was going. She could only take a tinderbox from the medicine box, grope for an oil lamp beside Teng Yue, and light it.

The small, weak flame flickered and gradually grew brighter. Deng Ruyun held it close to Teng Yue.

The man’s brows were furrowed, his eyes were closed, and his eyelids trembled constantly. He seemed to want to sleep but couldn’t, wanting to wake up but unable to.

“General.”

She called him softly, but he didn’t respond. She called him again.

“Teng Yue…”

His eyelids fluttered faster, but he still couldn’t open his eyes; he wouldn’t wake up.

She stopped calling out, only shining a small lamp on his entire body. She saw that his brocade robe looked as if it had been lashed by a long whip, torn in places, revealing his white undergarment and the flesh and blood beneath.

At first glance, there were over twenty whip marks all over his body. Besides the whip marks, there were knife wounds, club wounds, and branding marks on his back…

In just one day and one night, Shi Zeyou had inflicted so much torture on him.

Deng Ruyun couldn’t imagine what would have happened if they had delayed for a few more days and then rescued him from the prison.

She couldn’t imagine it and dared not think about it. With tears welling in her eyes, she used scissors to cut open his blood-stained clothes, wrung out a towel, and used water to wipe his body. Then, she carefully applied medicine to treat his numerous wounds.

After the medicine, he was delirious, but his brow twitched incessantly when the wounds were touched.

“It’s alright, it’s alright, I’ll be gentler, I’ll be gentler…” she whispered, trying to soothe him as she cleaned his wounds.

Whether it was the lingering effects of the medicine or the effectiveness of her gentle coaxing, he only frowned and showed no other reaction.

Later, he seemed to stop even frowning, as if patiently letting her proceed slowly and deliberately.

However, when Deng Ruyun treated the only burn on his back, the pungent medicinal powder was sprinkled on, stinging the burned skin, causing his entire body to tremble.

The wound, though on his back, seemed to pierce his heart, as if it were the very spot where he had once shot Shi Zeyou with an arrow.

And Shi Zeyou had deliberately branded him in the same spot with a scorching hot iron, leaving a palm-sized mark.

The medicinal powder made Teng Yue tremble, but he was still under the influence of the medicine, with only cold sweat dripping down his face, falling onto Deng Ruyun’s palm.

Tears streamed down Deng Ruyun’s face, but the medicine wasn’t finished. This burn was more severe than the others, and in the sweltering heat, it couldn’t be delayed.

Deng Ruyun gritted her teeth, her heart filled with resentment, and while coaxing him, she sprinkled the last pinch of medicinal powder onto his arm.

As soon as she sprinkled the powder, she saw the veins on Teng Yue’s arm throb. The man, eyes closed, let out a low growl, his whole body trembling.

She reached out and hugged him tightly.

“Just bear with it a little longer; just bear with it a little longer; the pain will subside soon!”

But the piercing pain from the powder continued. Deng Ruyun felt as if she were about to hug him completely, so she could only keep wrapping her arms around his waist, mimicking his movements, gently rubbing her nose against his cheek.

She wasn’t familiar with his movements, but she imitated him, clumsily rubbing her nose against his cheek. Gradually, he was able to calm his trembling body, and the throbbing veins on his arm subsided.

He weakly rested his forehead against hers, as if he wanted more of her affectionate nose-rubbing, a soothing balm amidst his pain.

He wanted it, and Deng Ruyun would never refuse again.

She wouldn’t reject him, push him away, or even deliberately annoy him as she usually did. Now, she went along with him, nuzzling her nose against his cheek.

“Alright, alright, you’ll feel better after the medicine… Yu Chuan, Yu Chuan…”

She softly called his courtesy name, the one he most wanted her to call him.

Hearing this, he finally quieted down completely.

She used her slender shoulders to let him lean against her, cutting up his tattered clothes and changing him into the clean ones she had brought.

It was getting late, and the jailers outside were urging them on.

Deng Ruyun couldn’t stay any longer, so she hurriedly dressed him, left the medicine beside him, and finally wiped his face with a handkerchief.

He seemed to be regaining his senses, finally muttering something, but Deng Ruyun didn’t hear it. She simply pulled her hand away from his, gently grasping one, and rose at the guards’ insistent urging.

The small lamp in the cell was almost extinguished.

Deng Ruyun turned back, taking one last look at the man with his eyes closed, then turned and quickly left.

The cell door opened and then slammed shut again.

There was no one else in the room, only Teng Yue, still dazed, murmuring again.

“Yunniang…”

*

With a group of high-ranking officials and generals vouching for him, even if Teng Yue couldn’t be released, Shi Zeyou couldn’t continue to torture him “for personal revenge.”

Teng Yue didn’t confess, and the Ningxia generals, seeing him being tortured, became somewhat restless.

Hong Gui was filled with fear, yet dared not release Teng Yue directly. Unable to make a decision, he instead planned to take Teng Yue, along with Prince Enhua and others, back to the capital for his uncle, the Chief Eunuch Hong Jin, to decide their case.

While this wouldn’t result in immediate conviction, once outside Ningxia, if Shi Zeyou were to attempt another assassination attempt, protecting Teng Yue would become much more difficult.

As for how many officials would still speak up for Teng Yue in the capital and how the Chief Eunuch would decide his case, it was all unknown.

Deng Ruyun didn’t have a chance to visit him in prison again, but she didn’t remain idle.

She used the remaining silver from the mansion as gifts, and, along with Tang Zuo and the others, personally visited the homes of various generals, asking them to write petitions on Teng Yue’s behalf.

She didn’t recognize any of these high-ranking officials and generals. When Meng Zhao arrived, she saw her about to leave the city to seek help from several local aristocratic families outside the city.

“Sister, are you just going to go alone like this?”

Deng Ruyun’s face showed embarrassment, and she lowered her head.

“Sister, you know I have no background, and I don’t know any of these people, but my general needs people to speak for him now; the more, the better. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know me; as long as they’re willing to speak for Teng Yue, I don’t care if I’m embarrassed.”

This was one of the few things she could do for him.

Meng Zhao looked at her and heard her say, “He used to protect me, and now it’s my turn to use all my strength to protect him. Although, although there’s really not much I can do…”

“How can it be little?! What you’ve done is no less than anyone else’s!” Meng Zhao’s eyes reddened.

These people were mostly from local aristocratic families, differing only in their reputation, but Deng Ruyun wasn’t. She was just an ordinary girl with absolutely no connection to any powerful family.

She knew that her connections wouldn’t help Teng Yue at all, but she disregarded her pride, meeting with strangers and asking them to speak on Teng Yue’s behalf. She met with everyone willing to see her.

Meng Zhao grasped her hand.

“Yunniang, you’re not alone. I’ll be with you!”

… …

Two more days passed, and Meng Zhao accompanied Deng Ruyun to meet with everyone influential in and around Ningxia Town. Some, intimidated by the Chief Eunuch’s power, politely declined to protect themselves; others hesitated and gave vague answers, but many more were willing to try and speak on Teng Yue’s behalf in court.

Hong Gui was preparing to depart, escorting the Rebel Prince and his entourage, along with Teng Yue, to the capital.

Teng Yue was about to embark on his journey, but the road was uncertain.

Wang Fuxiang personally volunteered to escort the Rebel Prince, which would also allow him to keep an eye on Teng Yue along the way. Shen Yanxing, fearing that he might cause trouble on the road, also went along. With the two of them protecting Teng Yue, Kong Hui took Deng Ruyun directly back to Xi’an to seek reinforcements.

They rode swiftly towards Xi’an but unexpectedly encountered Old Madam Lin’s carriage halfway there.

Old Madam Lin, having not yet received the news, had personally come to Ningxia Town.

Kong Hui and Deng Ruyun immediately told Old Madam Lin about Teng Yue’s capture by Shi Zeyou and the Chief Eunuch’s men.

Upon hearing the news, the latter’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed.

“Sure enough, sure enough…”

The dream she had that night had left her extremely uneasy, and she had similar dreams for two consecutive days.

She dared not wait idly in Xi’an any longer and decided to head north to Ningxia, but unexpectedly received the news halfway there.

“Shi Zeyou… he’ll definitely harm Yu Chuan!”

Kong Hui and Deng Ruyun repeatedly reassured the old lady, “Wang Fuxiang and Shen Yanxing are protecting him; he’ll be fine! We’re only focused on finding someone to rescue him!”

Kong Hui told the old lady about the alliance she had formed, adding that he had also written to his uncle, Huang Xiqing, “Don’t worry, we’ll definitely rescue Yu Chuan!”

Although the old lady thanked him profusely, there was no sign of relief in her expression.

Deng Ruyun accompanied her back to the Teng family in Xi’an and told the old lady about the people she had contacted in Ningxia.

She had also prepared a detailed list, including names, gifts she had sent, and people’s attitudes towards Teng Yue’s situation.

She showed these lists to the old lady.

“We’ll ask people in Xi’an Prefecture to speak on his behalf. With more influence, even the Chief Eunuch in the capital won’t ignore us!”

Old Madam Lin looked at the detailed record on the paper and couldn’t help but glance at Deng Ruyun.

She saw that Deng Ruyun’s eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn’t slept for days.

Her nose stung with tears.

She had witnessed everything Yunniang had done for Teng Yue.

But could this really save Teng Yue?

She paused for a moment, then said, “I’ll go to the Yang family.”

Upon hearing this, Deng Ruyun immediately said, “The Yang family is related to us by marriage. How much do you think we should prepare as gifts? I’ll prepare them right away and then accompany you!”

She was about to give instructions, just as she had done in Ningxia these past few days.

But Old Madam Lin didn’t respond. She simply looked at Deng Ruyun.

She looked at her, and Deng Ruyun, startled, looked back at her.

Deng Ruyun heard Old Madam Lin speak slowly and with some difficulty.

“Yunniang, don’t bother. You’re tired enough. Rest. I can handle the Yang family myself, and I’ll take care of Teng Yue’s matter myself.”

The words were met with silence, both inside and outside Canglang Pavilion.

Deng Ruyun paused, a chill blowing in the wind.

She looked at the Old Madam, then at the list of names scattered on the ground by the gentle breeze.

The wind swirled the light papers, scattering them across the floor.

After a long while, Deng Ruyun lowered her eyes.

“Alright… I understand.”