"Young Miss, please let this old servant think about it." Uncle Zhang began to recall.

Uncle Zhang held his head and thought for a long time. After a while, he said apologetically to Yun Qingran, "I'm sorry, Miss, this old servant can't remember."

"All you ever do is eat. Didn't the Zhen'an Marquis's mansion undergo a major renovation twenty years ago? I remember they changed the tree species in the courtyard and dug several large pits." Zhang Ma said to Uncle Zhang with disdain.

"Twenty years ago!" Yun Qingran was a little surprised; that was too long a time.

"Old woman, you only entered the Zhen'an Marquis's mansion twenty years ago, how do you remember it so clearly?" Uncle Zhang was a little skeptical of Zhang Ma's words.

"I knew you didn't love me," Zhang Ma said angrily to Zhang Shu.

Uncle Zhang blushed as he glanced at Yun Qingran and the other two, then scolded, "Why are you saying such things at a time like this? Aren't you ashamed!"

Yun Qingran covered her mouth and chuckled. Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang were quite an amusing pair of bickering lovers.

"Twenty years ago, I had just entered the manor. You took a liking to me as soon as I arrived. You bought me a hairpin and asked to meet me late at night, saying you wanted to give it to me. But I accidentally fell into a pit where trees were planted. Have you forgotten about that?" Zhang Ma became angrier as she spoke.

"Oh dear, it seems that's true." Uncle Zhang slapped his forehead. He remembered that he had bought a lot of delicious food to appease her.

“Miss, the mansion underwent extensive renovations twenty years ago. During those renovations, several large pits were dug in the courtyard, and over 800,000 taels of silver should have been buried there,” Zhang Ma said to Yun Qingran.

"Twenty years ago, that's such a long time ago," Yun Qingran sighed softly.

Twenty years is a generation; who would lay a trap for someone for so long?

"Are you sure the only major renovation of the Zhen'an Marquis's mansion was twenty years ago?" Jun Molin asked Zhang Ma.

"This old servant is certain." This was the first time Zhang Ma had spoken to Jun Molin. She felt a little speechless looking at him, as if there was a faint sense of oppression. However, she calmed herself down and continued, "Because during the renovation twenty years ago, this old servant fell into a big pit. So every time the manor is renovated, this old servant remembers it. It's impossible for me to be wrong."

Zhang Ma had such a deeply memorable experience, she certainly wouldn't forget it. Yun Qingran was confused; had she guessed wrong?

"Zhang Ma, do you remember who was in charge of that renovation?" Yun Qingran asked Zhang Ma, as if she had no other choice.

“He’s Su’s younger brother,” Zhang Ma answered without hesitation.

Su is the biological mother of Yun Song and Yun Lian, and the paternal grandmother of Yun Xiyue.

"Zhang Ma, how can you be so sure it's Su's younger brother?" Didn't Grandfather not favor Su? How could he give such a lucrative job as repairing the courtyard to his younger brother?

"Su was a maid who climbed into the emperor's bedchamber, and the old Marquis always ignored her and didn't care about her family. But the year the courtyard was being renovated, the second master passed the imperial examination and asked the old Marquis to give the courtyard renovation job to the Su family as a reward. The old Marquis agreed. We servants discussed this for a long time, thinking that the second master was too petty to ask the old Marquis for such a thing." Zhang Ma spoke very clearly, showing that she remembered this matter very well.

The second master refers to Yun Song. After Yun Song passed the imperial examination, he begged his grandfather to entrust the task of repairing the courtyard to his maternal uncle's family, the Su family.

Repairing the courtyard was a lucrative job, but among the social classes of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, artisans were ranked second to last, so it wasn't a respectable job. Why would Yun Song have to beg his grandfather to give this task to his uncle?

That's a bit strange!

"Zhang Ma, do you know where Su's younger brother lives now?" Yun Qingran asked Zhang Ma.

"This old servant doesn't know, I only remember gossip." Zhang Ma scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"Hmph, all she thinks about all day is eating." Uncle Zhang found an opportunity to retort to Aunt Zhang and delivered that retort.

Aunt Zhang: If it weren't for the young lady and her future son-in-law being there, I'd really like to let him experience what it's like to kneel on a washboard until dawn.

“Young Miss, Su’s younger brother is called Su Lao Si. He is a carpenter and also knows some about planting flowers, plants and trees. This old servant remembers that he lives five miles outside the city,” Uncle Zhang respectfully and in detail told Yun Qingran.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang." Yun Qingran nodded gratefully to Uncle Zhang, then stood up to take her leave. "Uncle Zhang, time waits for no one, we're leaving now."

“Young Miss, are you leaving already? It’s almost time to eat, please stay for dinner.” Chang quickly stood up as well.

"No need, we need to head to Wulipu immediately." Yun Qingran shook her head.

"Then this old servant will not keep you any longer. This old servant will return to serve the Marquis once his innocence is cleared," Uncle Zhang said with tears in his eyes.

"Mm." Yun Qingran patted Uncle Zhang's shoulder.

After leaving the Zhang family, the three of them immediately headed to Wulipu, five miles outside the city.

Su Family of Wulipu

"Niece, what brings you here? Come in, come in." Old Su looked at Yunlian, who was wearing a veil and followed by several burly men, with fawning eyes, and quickly bowed to invite her in.

Yunlian nodded and went inside. The Su family home was large, but empty and dilapidated.

“My dear niece, your uncle has gotten old these past few years and can no longer do carpentry. Our family is poor, and life is tough.” Old Su looked at Yunlian with a tearful expression, practically begging for money.

“Uncle, ever since my mother became a concubine in the Zhen’an Marquis’s mansion, she has been subsidizing you. Later, when my brother and I became successful, we also subsidized you a lot. You even swindled a lot of money by relying on us. The money we gave you, plus the money you swindled, should have been enough for you to live comfortably for several lifetimes even if you didn’t work. How come you have no money?” Yunlian looked at Su Laosi with disgust.

My father treated my mother badly in the past. My mother didn't have much money at all, and she even had to give money to my uncle. My uncle didn't care about my mother at all and accepted it without a second thought. He also often asked my mother for money.

Later, when my brother and I became successful, my uncle used our names to swindle and cheat, bringing shame upon us. In the end, I secretly had someone beat him up and drove him out of the capital, forcing him to return to his hometown of Wulipu to live a simple life.

This kind of maternal uncle's family is a disgrace!

"Niece, as you know, your uncle isn't in good health and has been taking medication all these years," Su Laosi said, clutching his chest as he continued to play the victim.

"You want money, don't you?" Yunlian asked him.

"Yes, yes, yes." Old Master Su didn't see the murderous intent in his niece's eyes and continued to flatter her, "Who says daughters are inferior to sons? You're better than your brother. Our Su family is so lucky to have a daughter like you... Ah..."

Just as he was speaking eloquently, a burly man suddenly appeared behind Yunlian and stabbed him from behind. His words came to an abrupt halt, his body stiffened, and he stared incredulously at Yunlian, who was gradually smiling.