Chapter 129: Fate Exists in This World

Duke Zhang Fu’s belated birthday gift was indeed generous. Since he cited the principle that elders giving gifts to juniors cannot be refused, Zhang Yue simply accepted it without hesitation. For Zhang Fu, who already received three thousand dan of annual salary and owned numerous estates, these gifts were nothing much. But for Zhang Yue, they were of utmost importance.

At least, it meant he didn’t have to rely on saving 150 guan of silver each month to do anything—now he had a decent starting capital. After all, even though he had achieved some success, he could always ask certain elders for financial support when he needed to spend a lot of money. But he didn’t want to be seen as someone who neglected his duties.

After several months in Beijing, Zhang Yue had been busy taking care of Zhang Fu’s illness. Now that that ordeal was over and it was the day before the Lantern Festival, Zhang Fu “pushed” him to leave before he could ask. So, he visited Du Zhen, Yang Rong, and Shen Du one by one, giving each of them a festival gift. Seeing that it was getting late, he asked Peng Shisan if there were any good restaurants to eat at. Without hesitation, Peng Shisan led him through several alleys to a noodle shop.

After entrusting his horse to a staff member, Peng Shisan found a clean table and, once seated, said with a smile, “If those two kids, Lian Sheng and Lian Hu, find out their master is eating lamb noodles here, they’ll probably blame me! But this delicious food really can’t be found in those big-name restaurants. When it comes to noodles in Beijing, this little place is the best.”

Before Zhang Yue could respond, the waiter who came to wipe the table became proud upon hearing Peng Shisan’s words and quickly interjected, “This guest is indeed a regular. I’m not bragging—there’s not a single noodle shop in Beijing that can compare to ours! The taste, texture, and ingredients—once you try them, you’ll understand why you’ll definitely come back…”

As Zhang Yue listened to the waiter’s exaggerated praise, he suddenly heard a strange noise beside him and noticed Peng Shisan’s strange expression. After a moment of confusion, he suddenly realized what was going on and pointed at Peng Shisan, laughing and scolding, “Old Peng, the noodles haven’t even been served yet, and your stomach is already acting up!”

“Heh, Old Peng, I’m really hungry. I might have to eat three or four bowls. Anyway, it’s your turn to treat me today!”

“Alright, alright. Even if I’m poor, I still have enough money for these bowls of noodles. Eat as many as you want!”

Hearing this, the guy grew even more proud. He polished the shiny table until it gleamed, then returned shortly after with two bowls of noodles, beaming with joy. Zhang Yue saw more than a dozen thin slices of lamb on top of the rich broth and watched Peng Shisan gobble it down like a hungry tiger. Shaking his head, he began to eat. Indeed, the noodles were smooth and chewy, and the lamb was delicious. In no time, he finished the entire bowl. As he was drinking the broth, he suddenly felt a heavy pat on his back.

“Hey, Brother Yue! We’ve heard you’ve been in Beijing, but we haven’t seen you come to visit us!”

“That’s right! Dad and Fourth Sister have mentioned it several times!”

Zhang Yue coughed repeatedly from the sudden attack. Hearing those two noisy voices, he immediately realized who they were. Sure enough, when he turned around, he saw the Meng Fan and Meng Tao brothers standing there, smiling.

Although he had gone out to visit guests today, since it hadn’t snowed, he hadn’t worn any snowproof coats or robes. He was simply dressed in a sapphire-colored front-buttoned shirt, which didn’t look particularly luxurious. Now, seeing Meng Fan in a eggplant-colored brocade coat with patterns and Meng Tao in a light green camel fur cloak, both wearing soft hats adorned with crystal beads, they looked like noble young men, completely out of place in this plainly dressed noodle shop. He couldn’t help but glance around again.

Indeed, such elegantly dressed people were rare in this ordinary noodle shop frequented by commoners. All the other customers were staring over here, yet the two who were the center of attention seemed unaware of it at all. Meng Fan even sat down cheerfully on the stool across from Zhang Yue. “It’s always Brother Tao who has sharp eyes. We were riding past here, and he spotted you right away! Now that the Duke of Ying has recovered, you shouldn’t stay indoors all the time. How about we all go out and have some fun? It’s quite a coincidence we ran into each other today. The Prince of Anyang has gathered quite a few people for an archery competition. Will you go?”

Meng Tao also leaned on the table, urging him enthusiastically, “Brother Yue, the Prince of Anyang has a high opinion of you. Come with us! It doesn’t matter if you can’t shoot—with us brothers around, no one will dare laugh at you! Besides, Fourth Sister has also been invited by the Princess of Anyang to go see the plum blossoms. She’s leaving right after us. Maybe we’ll even run into her!”

As soon as Zhang Yue heard the two brothers shouting the name “Prince of Anyang,” he knew something was wrong. Sure enough, upon hearing such a prominent title, many diners who hadn’t finished eating dropped their money and slipped away quietly, while Peng Shisan beside him frowned. Worried that the two might say something even more outrageous, he quickly tossed a half-guan gold coin aside and pulled Meng Tao out of the restaurant.
“Be more careful with what you say in public!”
Meng Fan, who had chased after them, laughed and said, “Everyone knows Father is the commander of the guards in Changshan. We’ve been playing with Prince of Anyang since we were kids—this isn’t something new. But it’s you, Brother Yue, who needs to be careful! Well, since you didn’t say anything just now, we’ll assume you agree. Come on, hurry up and help Young Master Yue onto his horse!”
Seeing the Meng family guards gather outside, Peng Shisan stepped forward to stop them but felt a hand on his shoulder. Having spent no less than three years with Zhang Yue, he knew well his temper, so he was somewhat surprised. He spoke in a firmer tone, “Young master, we’re here to pay respects to guests. We’ve already finished visiting all the guests we needed to!”
Meng Fan and Meng Tao had never met Peng Shisan before, and they were annoyed to see a servant overstep his bounds. At that moment, Zhang Yue coughed appropriately, whispered a few words to the two brothers, then called Peng Shisan over.
“Old Peng, I know you’re still worried about what happened with Prince of Hengshan before. But since Prince Zhao is still guarding Beijing, and the Meng brothers have invited us so generously, it would be unreasonable to refuse outright.” As he spoke, he thought of that unsolved case involving the Jinyiwei, causing his brows to furrow unconsciously. Then he smiled again and said, “Since there’s an archery competition over there today, you know my skills are mediocre. I’ll definitely need you to show off your skills then.”
Peng Shisan still harbored resentment over Prince of Hengshan’s rampage at the Duke of Yingguo’s mansion. Thinking that those young royals were all of the same sort, he was reluctant to go to Prince of Anyang’s mansion. Hearing Zhang Yue’s words, he realized his earlier rude remarks had been excessive. Scratching his head, he bowed and said, “I was wrong in speaking rudely earlier. The Duke of Yingguo told me to follow Young Master Yue’s orders. Wherever you say to go, I’ll go.”
Zhang Yue smiled and patted Peng Shisan’s arm before speaking a few more words to the Meng brothers. After all, Peng Shisan was not only a household general of the Duke of Yingguo but also acted as a kind of mentor and friend to him. There was no point in being aloof. After praising Meng Fan and Meng Tao a bit, he saw them gaping in shock.

Meng Fan and Meng Tao learned that Peng Shisan was a veteran soldier who had followed the Duke of Ying in numerous battles, and they immediately forgot their initial annoyance. Although they had boasted in front of Zhang Yue, their archery skills were quite ordinary; only one of their companions was a veteran from the Jingnan Campaign. With Peng Shisan, who had extensive combat experience, joining them, they were naturally pleased. Soon, the group mounted their horses and rushed through the alley at lightning speed. Unbeknownst to them, the waiter from the noodle shop stood at the door, staring at their retreating figures.

After a while, the talkative young man finally shouted to the counter inside, “Boss, we’ve finally got such distinguished guests at our noodle shop. If they keep coming, our door will be trampled to pieces. You better give me more pay!”

“You brat, I’ll beat you! If those noble young masters keep coming, I’d rather close the shop altogether!”

After causing a small disturbance at the noodle shop, the group wandered through streets and alleys for some time before reaching the east gate of the Anyang Prince’s mansion. Unlike the secluded residence of the Duke of Ying, this place was located on Beijing’s busiest North Street. However, the alley leading directly to the mansion’s main gate was off-limits to outsiders. As soon as they stopped their horses, Zhang Yue saw a carriage parked in front of the gate, with several guards beside it.

“What a coincidence! Sister Four has arrived too!”

Meng Fan quickly dismounted and ran toward the carriage. Before he could steady himself, he shouted, “Sister Four, look who I and Brother Tao have brought!”

“No matter who Second Young Master brings, the young lady doesn’t bother to pay attention. Who could be good enough to be with you?”

The maid who had already gotten off the carriage grumbled irritably, but when she looked in Meng Fan’s direction, she was shocked. She quickly lifted the carriage curtain and peeked in, saying a few words. Soon after, Meng Min stepped down from the carriage, leaning on the carriage wall and holding Red Sleeve’s hand. Seeing Zhang Yue jump off his horse and walk over quickly, she showed slight surprise before a hint of joy appeared on her face.

Meng Tao also stepped forward, laughing mischievously, “I told you! Sister Four will definitely be happy to see Brother Yue!”

Just as the brothers were gloating, Meng Min glared at them, causing them to immediately drop their smiles. Although Meng Min was the fourth in line among their cousins, she was considered the eldest in their family—more like a legitimate daughter than an adopted one. Even though they were fearless elsewhere, they would obey her. The two of them quietly stepped aside and called a few attendants to enter first with smiles. Not far away, Peng Shisan, who was leading two horses, looked over and also smiled in realization.

With no distractions around, Meng Min asked boldly, “Brother Yue, I heard that the Duke of Ying has almost recovered from his illness. You must have been very tired these past days. It’s rare for you to get a day off, yet your younger brothers Fan and Tao, being thoughtless, dragged you here. But since you usually work your mind, let’s consider archery as a way to exercise your body today!”
“Fourth Sister, you’ve said everything. How could I possibly say no?”
Zhang Yue replied with a smile. Suddenly, a soft gasp came from nearby. Looking over, he saw a woman wrapped in an old felt cloak sitting in the seat next to the coachman. As he wondered what was going on, the woman jumped down from the carriage and staggered toward him, her knees giving way as she knelt down and kowtowed without saying a word.
“Kind sir, please accept this humble woman’s bow!”