Hongyu knew that she was just a servant, without wealth, power, or freedom. If she wanted to leave the Bai family, someone had to buy her or redeem her.

Just now, she had been eavesdropping outside the hall. Shen Yu and Bai Yehua had broken off their engagement. If she could stay by Shen Yu's side, wouldn't that mean she would be free from ties with the Bai family?

She knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, hoping to grasp at Chen Yu as a lifeline.

Shen Yu looked puzzled. Hong Yu was Madam Bai's favorite maid. Whether it was clothing, food, or lodging, Hong Yu's treatment far exceeded that of other servants.

Moreover, Hongyu is destined to become Bai Yehua's concubine. If I remember correctly, Hongyu became Bai Yehua's personal maid half a year ago.

If we take Hongyu away, wouldn't we be entangled with the Bai family again?

Chen Yu naturally didn't want to cause any trouble, so she sent Cui Zhu out to deal with it.

Cuizhu lifted the curtain and got off the carriage, then helped Hongyu up and pulled her to the roadside, saying, "My young lady is not feeling well and needs to go back to the manor to rest..."

As the carriage continued on its way, Hongyu panicked. Remembering the nightmare that Chenyu had told Liu Yu earlier, she decided to take a gamble, betting that Chenyu hadn't just had a nightmare, but had been reborn like her.

She struggled free from Cuizhu and chased after the carriage, stopping it again. She shouted at the sedan chair, "Miss Chenyu, Hongyu had a nightmare. She dreamt that you lost both your legs and your body was dismembered, and Hongyu was also there..."

*Slap!* Cuizhu slapped Hongyu across the face and shouted angrily, "Shut up! How dare you threaten my young lady!"

Hongyu not only kept talking, but also revealed more about her past life, eager to verify whether Chenyu had been reborn.

“Sister Cuizhu, Miss Chenyu treats you the best and will find you a good family. Please persuade her to accept me. I will serve her together with Sister Cuiwei…”

Inside the sedan chair, Chenyu lowered her head, pouted, and shed tears. Hongyu was talking about her past life.

In her past life, Hongyu entrusted Nian'er to her, and she failed to protect Nian'er, so she truly felt guilty towards Hongyu.

Now that Hongyu has been reborn, how could she just stand by and watch Hongyu jump into a fire pit?

She wiped away her tears and sobbed, tugging at Master Mu's sleeve as she pleaded, "Father, Yu'er wants to take Hongyu away, please think of something..."

Master Mu loved his daughter dearly, so he naturally wouldn't refuse. He gently patted Chen Yu's shoulder to comfort her, "Alright, alright, Yu'er, go back and rest first. Father will go find Madam Bai and redeem Hong Yu."

------

Master Mu did not return by noon.

Cuizhu pushed Chenyu and peered out the door, while Hongyu secretly hid behind the water vat in the corner, not daring to show herself. Bai Yehua told her to wait on the bed; if she escaped, she would surely anger Bai Yehua and Madam Bai.

As expected, Bai Yehua led a dozen or so brothers on horseback straight to the Mu family.

"Hoo..."

Bai Yehua and his group stopped in front of the Mu family's house.

"I hope my sister-in-law is well."

"How did my sister-in-law get injured?"

"..."

Bai Yehua's brothers dismounted and nodded to Shen Yu in greeting, but Bai Yehua remained on his horse, looking down at Shen Yu with his eyes lowered. His arrogant and disdainful demeanor was unprecedented, and even the tone of his voice was serious.

"Little Fish, hand over Hongyu. Her origins are unknown. Keeping her around will only bring endless trouble."

The origin of the red jade is unknown.

Shen Yu curled her lips into a disdainful smile.

In her past life, before she asked Bai Yehua to take Hongyu as a concubine, she sent people to Jiangnan to investigate Hongyu's background.

Hongyu's mother was named Lu Qing'er, the legitimate daughter of Lu Guisheng, a wealthy oil-paper umbrella maker in Jiangnan.

Lu Qing'er and the poor scholar secretly pledged their lives to each other, severing ties with the Lu family. She even used all her jewelry to support the poor scholar as he went to the capital to take the imperial examination. However, the poor scholar never returned and disappeared without a trace.

With nowhere else to turn, Lu Qing'er had no choice but to marry a fisherman, taking her two-year-old daughter Hongyu with her.

To put it bluntly, Hongyu was simply abandoned by her biological father, so how could her origins be unknown?

If we're talking about those of unknown origin, then Liu Yao'er, the little dancer of the Jia family, is a prime example.

However... Bai Yehua never mentioned Liu Yao'er's existence in front of Chen Yu.

Shen Yu dared not inquire casually, for fear of getting into trouble and dying a gruesome death.

He looked up at Bai Yehua, his brows furrowed, a shadow falling over his cold, handsome face.

When the two usually met, they were always affectionate and whispered sweet nothings. They had never been so serious and cold as they were now. Seeing this, Bai Yehua's brothers led their horses away first.

Shen Yu's expression wasn't much better. Before they were even married, Bai Yehua was already spreading rumors everywhere... that Mu Shen Yu was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Bai family, and even made his brothers call her sister-in-law.

Wouldn't that ruin her reputation?

She rolled her eyes at Bai Yehua, and as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, her lips involuntarily pursed, "Young Master Bai, please tell your brothers not to call Shenyu 'sister-in-law.' Also, Shenyu has been feeling unwell lately and wants Hongyu to come and serve her. If Young Master Bai could give Hongyu to Shenyu, that would be wonderful."

"Little Fish, our marriage is preordained. Every year on the Lantern Festival, we buy a pair of carp lanterns. Have you forgotten?"

As Bai Yehua spoke, he jumped off his horse, squatted down beside Shen Yu, and reached out to grab Shen Yu's hand, but Shen Yu hid her hand behind her back.

Last night, Chen Yu deliberately provoked him by taking advantage of Liu Yu, and now she still acts like this, refusing to be touched. In a fit of anger, he stood up, disregarding the people coming and going, and raised his voice to argue with Chen Yu, "Mu Chen Yu, stop making trouble. Hong Yu is just a maid. Even if she is taken into the household in the future, she will only be a concubine. Why are you so jealous and want her to leave the Bai family?"

Shen Yu was extremely disappointed. She had known Bai Yehua for many years, but Bai Yehua never understood her. She had never objected to Bai Yehua taking a concubine.

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!