The person Wei Tingyu had in mind for Ren Ruyi was Chai Jing. The cold-faced assassin would surely have many things in common with Ren Ruyi. Of course, before bringing her home, he would have to straighten out her orientation, but Wei Tingyu was confident he could manage that.
It had been about ten days since he last saw Zhuang Hanyan and Chai Jing. According to the original story, they should be arriving in the capital soon. He was looking forward to it.
"By the grace of the heavens, the Emperor decrees:
I have received the mandate of heaven and inherited the great legacy of my ancestors. I strive day and night to select the virtuous and capable to bring peace to the country and prosperity to the people.
Now, the Marquis of Jining, Wei Tingyu, has served the nation with loyalty and diligence, achieving great merit. He traveled to the southern frontier to awe the barbarians and pacify the southern lands. He has shown great benevolence to the people and is a pillar of the nation. This pleases me greatly.
Therefore, I hereby elevate you to the rank of Duke of Wei! You are granted the honor of a duke, with a fiefdom of three thousand households, to be passed down through the generations.
May you continue to be loyal and righteous, uphold this great honor, assist the court, and support the royal family! I grant you a python robe and a jade belt to signify your glory. This is my command!"
After the eunuch finished reading the decree, Wei Tingyu, who was "ill" in bed, immediately shouted "Long live the Emperor!" and made to get up and thank him.
"No need, Duke!" the eunuch quickly intervened, saying with a concerned expression, "His Majesty learned that you fell ill just a few days after returning. He knows you have been ill because of your service to the nation in the southwest. He has specifically exempted you from the kneeling ritual!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!" Wei Tingyu said with a look of profound gratitude, bowing towards the ceiling and nearly bursting into tears.
Pretending to be sick was easy for Wei Tingyu, especially with these eunuchs who had never seen television. The more exaggerated his performance, the more they believed his sincerity and loyalty. This was exactly what the old Emperor wanted—to show his love for his ministers during a time of political instability. Wei Tingyu had become the perfect example for the Emperor to use to win people's hearts.
After the eunuch left, Wei Tingyu's wives and concubines came to congratulate him. As he flirted with them, his eyes drifted to the sky outside the window. The air was getting colder, and winter was coming. When the first snow of the year fell, that would be the day Zhuang Hanyan arrived in the capital.
Two weeks later, the first snow arrived. The entire capital was blanketed in white. Despite the cold, the streets were bustling with people in thick winter clothes. Among them was a frail beggar, leaning on a wooden staff, walking barefoot through the snow. The freezing ground had turned her feet red. A tattered cloak covered half her face, leaving only her mouth and nose visible, just enough to see the path ahead.
Passersby avoided her, not wanting to get close. This was, of course, Zhuang Hanyan.
Wei Tingyu was in a private room on the second floor of a teahouse, calmly watching her struggle through the snow. He felt a pang of sympathy for his future wife but knew this was all part of her plan with Chai Jing. She was deliberately making herself look so pathetic to gain entry into the Zhuang family manor. The manor was just a couple of turns away, and Wei Tingyu could see its roof from where he sat.
"A beggar! A beggar!" a group of children suddenly ran out from a side street and began taunting her. Two of them even threw snowballs at her.
Zhuang Hanyan was so close to her destination. She simply closed her eyes, letting the snowballs hit her. She saw this as a test. If she couldn't endure this humiliation, she didn't deserve to be in the capital.
Wei Tingyu frowned. He hadn't seen these children in the original story, so they were likely a change in the timeline due to his presence. He, however, wasn't going to tolerate their behavior. He secretly used his internal energy to strike a pressure point on their waists. The children, who had been happily bullying Zhuang Hanyan, suddenly felt their legs go numb and fell to the ground. They began screaming for their parents in terror.
Their parents rushed out from a nearby alley. Seeing their children unable to walk, they began to wail, and a few even fainted. The onlookers pointed and gossiped, but few felt pity. These children were a menace, and their parents were unbearable. The locals had long been annoyed with them and were secretly glad to see them get their comeuppance.
"This is divine justice!"
"I knew it! How else could such lively boys suddenly be unable to walk? The heavens must be angry!"
"This is what happens when parents don't discipline their children."
"Too late for regrets now!"
Wei Tingyu smiled at the commotion. He hadn't crippled the children; they would be fine after a few days of rest. He hoped this would teach them and their parents a lesson. He had made a small contribution to the peace of the capital.
Zhuang Hanyan, watching this unfold, raised a puzzled eyebrow. The scene felt familiar. It was like when she was being harassed by Zhang Youcai. She remembered the masked man who had helped her and his promise to meet her in the capital. She wondered if he was helping her again. She subtly scanned her surroundings but saw no one. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was there, watching. She took a deep breath, pushing her doubts aside, and continued on her way.
Wei Tingyu nodded approvingly. This woman's resolve was truly impressive. But if she entered the Zhuang family's home as a beggar, how would he establish a connection with her? He couldn't just sneak around in the dark. He needed a legitimate reason to visit the Zhuang family.
A plan formed in his mind. He paid for his tea and left the teahouse.
After navigating the cold, snowy streets, Zhuang Hanyan finally turned into the alley leading to the Zhuang manor. She saw the gate was open and people were milling about. This was her chance. She rushed forward, desperate to get to the gate before it closed. If it was closed, she would have to pretend to faint in the snow, and by the time she was discovered, she might have frozen to death.
She gritted her teeth and, as she reached the gate, let go of her staff and began to collapse. But instead of hitting the ground, she fell into a broad, solid chest. A well-dressed young man had caught her. He looked down at her with a surprised expression.
Zhuang Hanyan was taken aback. Her plan was failing. She couldn't get up without giving herself away. With no other choice, she rolled her eyes and pretended to faint. Wei Tingyu, holding her in his arms, almost laughed. He managed to hold it in and shouted, "My lady! What's wrong with you?"
His expensive clothes and the scene of him holding a passed-out beggar quickly drew the attention of the people inside. A quick-witted servant rushed to inform his masters, while another ran out to see what was happening.
"Sir, what is going on?" the servant asked respectfully.
"This girl looks exhausted and fainted at your gate!" Wei Tingyu said, feigning concern. "Do you have any hot soup? Bring her a bowl."
"Yes! Yes! I'll go at once!" the servant said, relieved that no one had died at the gate, which would have been bad for the master's reputation.
Just then, two maids and a young girl with a candied hawthorn stick ran out of the gate. If not for Wei Tingyu's timely interruption, the little girl would have discovered Zhuang Hanyan. But Wei Tingyu had successfully intercepted her.
"Who is this girl?" one of the maids asked, seeing Zhuang Hanyan in Wei Tingyu's arms. Their natural curiosity and gossip-loving nature made them rush over. "Sir, what happened to her? Why did she faint at our Zhuang manor's gate?"
Zhuang Hanyan knew she couldn't pretend to be unconscious anymore. Wei Tingyu didn't know her name. She fluttered her eyelids and, pretending to wake up, whispered, "I am... Zhuang Hanyan." Having delivered her message, she "fainted" again.
"Zhuang Hanyan?" The two maids looked at each other, confused. The name sounded familiar, but they couldn't place it.
Wei Tingyu sighed. Did he have to spell it out for them? "She has the same family name as you," he said. "She came all this way. It can't be a coincidence, can it?"
"Ah?" The older maid suddenly had a look of dawning realization. "The third miss! The third miss from Danzhou!" she cried out. "Quick! The third miss has returned!" She handed the little girl to her companion and ran inside.
Wei Tingyu sighed again and looked down at Zhuang Hanyan in his arms. He saw her lips twitch slightly, as if she were trying to suppress a laugh. She knew her plan had worked, and she couldn't help but feel a little smug.
"Please have some tea, Duke," Zhuang Yushan, Zhuang Shiyang's second daughter, said respectfully, offering a cup to Wei Tingyu.
He accepted it gracefully, took a sip, and placed it on the table. The Zhuang matriarch, Madam Wei, and Zhuang Shiyang's concubine, Zhou Ruyin, were beaming with joy. Zhuang Shiyang was just a minor official, and their family was not used to having a Duke as a guest.