Yu Shida was seriously injured and retreated. After returning to Nanzhou Prefecture, the head of the Yu family ordered his steward to send people to carry him back to the Yu family to recuperate.

"You secretly kept him, fine, but now you're disregarding my feelings and brazenly bringing him home. Where do you think you're putting me?"

With a cold face, Madam Yu questioned the Yu family head, who was sitting on the bed.

“Ada is so badly injured and is recuperating in the manor. Who would dare to gossip about her?”

The head of the Yu family lifted his eyelids to look at her. Having suffered several serious illnesses, his hair was now gray, his face was thin and gaunt, and his swollen eyes showed signs of fatigue, giving him an overall impression of being old and frail.

“He looks so much like you, it goes without saying, anyone with eyes can see what’s going on,” Madam Yu said, turning her head away in disgust, somewhat sulking.

"Now is the most difficult time for the Yu family, so let's not fuss over these trivial matters and let's not bring up old grievances again."

"A trivial matter? Your mistress is all grown up now and wants to move into the Yu family's house, and you're saying it's a trivial matter?"

"My own son has become like this, half-dead, and you immediately abandon him? Don't think I don't know that the Yu family will fall into the hands of that mistress sooner or later. Do you think I'm being petty?"

Mrs. Yu became more and more agitated as she spoke.

She had originally planned to take him to a village outside the city to relax after he had recovered enough.

Thinking about it, she decided against it. She was always the one who did all the work for no reward. She covered up a lot of her daughter's shameful deeds, but in the end, she was accused of being a mean and ungrateful person, using her to gain benefits for the family.

The head of the Yu family pinched the bridge of his nose. "Madam, if you hadn't failed in raising your son, Cheng'er wouldn't have turned out like this. I thought you were a sensible person, but I never expected you to be no different from a shrew."

His words were rather harsh, and Mrs. Yu felt as if her heart was being squeezed tightly by a hand, making it difficult for her to breathe for a long time.

After a long pause, she glanced at Yu Xunmei, who stood beside her like a wooden statue, and sneered, "Fine, you two father and daughter are in cahoots, very well! In the end, I was blind."

No matter how hard Madam Yu tried to stop it, it was to no avail.

There is no greater sorrow than a broken heart; she staggered out of the house.

The warm spring sun shone through the corridor, bathing Madam Yu in its warmth, yet she felt no warmth at all.

The butler hurried over from the other end.

"Madam!" the steward bowed and said, "Just now, Aunt Tao's mother caused a scene at the gate of the mansion again, and we chased her out."

A ruthless glint flashed in Madam Yu's eyes. Aunt Tao was useless; she couldn't even give birth to a son.

"If she comes again, kick her out and tell Aunt Tao that if she sees her mother in private, I will make sure she and her mother get out of the Yu family."

Cheng'er's health is deteriorating day by day, and there's no point in keeping these women around.

"Yes!" The butler nodded hurriedly and then left.

The maid followed behind with her head down, not uttering a word, trying to minimize her presence.

Madam has always been tolerant, and she rarely interfered in Aunt Tao's affairs in the past. It seems that Aunt Tao giving birth to a young lady has displeased Madam.

Madam Yu walked along the corridor, preparing to go see her good-for-nothing son.

She suddenly stopped and turned to look at the other side of the yard. Her son was having a hard time, so why should he take away everything that belonged to him?

Thinking this, Madam Yu turned and walked through the garden into a quiet courtyard.

The room was filled with the smell of herbs, and Mrs. Yu covered her nose with a handkerchief in disgust as she went inside.

"lady!"

Two strong and sturdy guards were standing watch in the room. They were both surprised to see Madam Yu enter.

Seeing the two blocking her way, Madam Yu snorted coldly, "What? Are you afraid I'll kill him?"

"I wouldn't dare!" The guard stepped aside.

Madam Yu turned to her maid and said, "You can wait outside."

Yu Shida was seriously injured. In the final battle, Yun Yi and Yun San joined forces and attacked him from both sides, determined to take his life. He had knife wounds on his shoulder, back, and legs, and the injuries were quite severe.

He lay on the bed, his whole body wrapped in gauze, with many bruises on his pale face.

Madam Yu looked him up and down and found that he did resemble Cheng'er by about seven or eight points.

Yu Shida was startled awake by her scrutinizing gaze. When he opened his eyes, he saw Madam Yu's eyes, which seemed to want to devour him. He was shocked, but considering his injuries, he dared not move.

"Madam, what brings you here?"

"Congratulations on finally getting what you wanted. You can now live openly in the Yu family and soon you'll be in charge." Madam Yu said with a cold smile and disdain in her eyes.

"Madam, please be careful with your words. I had no such intention."

"Are you all hoping my son dies soon so you can make way for him?"

Hearing her say that, Yu Shida's face immediately darkened. His father had already made it clear when he arranged for him to join the military headquarters that his elder brother would be in charge of the family, while he would be in charge of the military.

He is very grateful to his father for his mother's humble origins and the fact that he has achieved what he has today.

He said coldly, "Over the years, I have always been grateful for my father's guidance and have never had any designs on my position as the elder brother. Please do not look at me with such filthy thoughts, Madam."

"I risked my life for the Yu family."

"What a fine excuse, 'for the sake of the Yu family'!" Madam Yu laughed angrily, her face gradually contorting. "As long as I am in the Yu family, you can forget about taking control of the family, and the position of family head is certainly not for a concubine's son like you!"

"That's all I have to say. You'd better take care of yourself."

After speaking, Madam Yu stormed off with her maid, leaving the two guards looking at each other in bewilderment.

As Yu Xunmei came out of her father's room, she caught a glimpse of her mother leading a maid out of the courtyard where Yu Shida lived.

Fearing that her mother might harm Yu Shida, she hurriedly walked in that direction.

But at the end of the corridor, they encountered Xinming.

"Miss Yu, it's been a long time! Xinming has missed you dearly." His words were blunt and flippant.

Yu Xunmei glanced at him and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to ask Miss Yu when she'll send me back. Of course, if Miss Yu can come and keep me company often, I can consider staying."

This useless piece of trash!

If they weren't so useless, unable to even defend an iron mine, causing them to lose so many men and soldiers, even Da Ge would have been entrusted with a heavy responsibility.

Even while living in the Yu family, he was restless and ruined the maids sent to serve him. He was worse than a beast.

Thinking of this, Yu Xunmei narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly, and a bright smile appeared on her lips.

"There's no time like the present. I've heard there's a chef in the kitchen who can cook Japanese cuisine. How about we have a couple of drinks together tonight?"

Xinming's gaze lingered unabashedly on Yu Xunmei. Her graceful figure captivated him, and drool almost dripped from the corner of his mouth as he rubbed his hands together in a lewd manner.

"Then I'll prepare some food and drinks for you tonight!"

"You go back first, I have something to do. See you tonight."

After sending Xinming away, Yu Xunmei didn't bother to look at Yu Shida and turned back to her own courtyard.