Chapter 9: Creating Something Out of Nothing
The midday sun was blazing, the white light blinding the eyes.
The slaves who were walking suddenly scattered in all directions, making way for an oxcart. Even with their heads bowed, they still managed to glance up. As the oxcart creaked away, a murmur of discussion began to rise.
"Some more criminal slaves."
"There are more and more criminal slaves lately. I don't know which courtyard they are from."
Yun Yuan looked at the four or five slaves in the distant cages among the crowd. They all looked unfamiliar. They were all injured and leaned limply against the cages, their expressions dull.
"Ah, be quiet. The master of the Feng family is quite respectable. Many of these criminal slaves in other mansions have their heads beheaded and displayed to the public for seven days."
The crowd dispersed, but Yun Yuan remained dazed. The Feng family's criminal slaves were almost never publicly executed, yet they never left the Feng residence. Where were these people... sent?
There was a gentle pat on the shoulder, "Yuan'er? Why are you here in the outer house?"
Yun Yuan turned around and saw Qiu Tang.
"I'm here to get something."
Because of the young master's eccentric temper, Ruyue assigned Yunyuan an unskillful task—occasionally visiting the outer residence to receive instructions from the mistress's courtyard and to collect items distributed by the mistress to the various courtyards. This round trip took two or three hours, and it was enough for the day, giving her a break.
She didn't want to attract attention, so when she went to the outer house, she changed into her old clothes that she had worn when she was doing menial work. She looked even more miserable than Qiutang, who worked as a pastry chef in the outer house. Qiutang didn't know why Yun Yuan had ended up in such a situation, but when she thought of the other three people who were even worse off, she just quietly comforted her by saying that Master Yuan was not a good person after all, and it wouldn't hurt to stay away from him. The maids in the outer house didn't think so. Their eyes were full of inquiry. Yun Yuan would either lower her eyes and smile lightly, or shake her head blankly. No matter how they tried to inquire, they couldn't get a word of truth out of her. Over time, everyone said that she was a poor person despised by Master Yuan - those eyes that once envied her favor had now turned into condescending pity.
Yun Yuan was quite content with this situation. However, there was only one problem: Lu Zhong had returned.
When the girl was brought back by the Haofeng Guards, although she looked thin, her eyes and eyebrows revealed an unusual aura. Especially since the Haofeng Guards, Feng Wu, seemed quite respectful to her, the maids in the outer mansions were really jealous. Maids who stayed in the outer mansions always had the chance to be selected into the various young masters' courtyards; no one wanted to be a menial servant in the outer mansions for the rest of their lives. They were all shrewd people, and they could tell at a glance that Lu Zhong was the young master's servant. Is there anything in the Feng family that the young master can't do? In just ten days, Lu Zhong had gathered around her a few "loyal servants" who obeyed her orders, and she had become the person who had the final say in the outer mansions.
Yun Yuan looked at her coldly, and saw that those girls who had mocked her were actually bowing their heads in front of Lu Zhong, and were even more respectful than when they met the mistress.
Ever since Lu Zhong gained power in the outer residence, Yun Yuan had always been harassed whenever she went to collect her share. This day was no different; the cosmetics and jewelry distributed from the mistress's courtyard had already been taken away, yet the account book bore the red seal of Yuanfeng Courtyard.
"Sister, are you mistaken?" Lu Zhong leaned against the door frame, and the maids behind him smiled softly. "The share from Yuanfeng Courtyard was already taken away."
Yun Yuan didn't want to get entangled, so as she was leaving, she suddenly saw Qiu Tang waving anxiously from behind the porch pillars. The two of them retreated to a secluded area, and Qiu Tang, with trembling hands, pressed a cold iron plate into her palm.
"Hurry up! Go find Tao Niang!" Qiu Tang's voice trembled. "They hid Yuanfengyuan's share of the allowance, just waiting to frame you for theft - this is a capital crime!"
Yun Yuan stroked the uneven lines on the token and asked, "Where did you get this pass?"
"I... I stole Aunt Lu's..." Qiu Tang stamped her feet anxiously, "It's already this late and you're still asking this! Hao Fengwei clearly wants your life, and Lu's seed came back just for you..."
"Did Aunt Lu ever say that escape was the only way out?"
Qiu Tang was startled: "She said so...but..."
Yun Yuan suddenly smiled and put the token into her sleeve. "Forget about this when you go back. If anyone asks, just say you never saw me today." She gently stroked Qiu Tang's pale cheek with her fingertips. "Remember? If you say one more word, I'll blame you on the road to hell."
After Qiutang left in a panic, Yunyuan looked up at the sky. It was a clear, blue spring sky, with a few kites swaying in the clouds.
Her illegal slave status was eventually discovered by Haofengwei.
However, this crude trap seemed designed to scare honest people like Qiu Tang. The real killer move might be hidden behind this token.
The Feng family was built along the natural landscape. Besides the courtyards of each master and the outer courtyards for servants, there were also numerous secluded gardens. These areas were devoid of houses, but rather consisted of plank roads along the mountainside, paths through the forest, white bridges spanning the lake, and pavilions connected by soft bridges. Entering these areas felt like entering a wild forest, a place for the masters to find peace and tranquility. Servants were forbidden from entering these areas except during designated cleaning hours.
It was on this night that a shrill scream broke the silence.
When the servants on duty near the forest garden heard the noise and rushed over, they saw several Haofeng Guards holding torches surrounding the lake. In the light of the fire, a dripping corpse was being dragged ashore.
When the news reached the servants' yard, everyone lost all sleepiness. The one on duty said that he saw clearly that the body was that of Aunt Lu who had disappeared in the afternoon. Some sharp-eyed people also saw that Aunt Lu was carrying a package on her back, and she must have been trying to escape. Others said that the new maid in Yuanfeng Courtyard seemed to have been captured as well. Everyone was puzzled about the relationship between Aunt Lu and the maid. Some people laughed. The "flower-destroying hand" witch Xi Ran really never failed. There was no good girl sent to Yuanfeng Courtyard. In the dark, the servants chatted for half the night before they fell asleep. In the bunk bed of the female slaves in the outer house, Qiu Tang's eyes were wide open, and she curled up into a ball, shivering in the quilt. She bit the corner of the quilt tightly, and all she could see was Yun Yuan's meaningful smile when she left.
The dungeon was dank, and the iron chains cast dark, sinister shadows on the stone walls. The iron in the furnace burned red, casting flickering shadows on Feng Wu's scarred face.
"So smart." The tip of his boots crushed the dry grass on the ground and he stopped in front of Yun Yuan.
Yun Yuan raised her eyes, a firelight flickering in them: "This servant is dull, I wonder where my intelligence comes from?"
Feng Wu sneered and threw a scroll of indictments onto the wooden table. As the parchment unfolded, it raised a cloud of dust, revealing the indictments written in cinnabar.
"It would be a shame to burn such delicate hands." He brushed his fingertips against the iron, smoke billowing up. "Sign your name, and I'll leave your body intact."
Yun Yuan held up the indictment. It detailed how she had stolen the mistress's reward, how she had been caught by Aunt Lu, and how she had finally pushed the old woman into the lake. It was so convincing that even the time and location of the body's disposal were clearly written.
Feng Wu stared at her calmly flipping through the indictment and sneered, "You've already got the token, but you're still trying to fly a kite. The little girl raised in the music school is really different."
"Lord Wei has blocked the road back to Yuanfeng Courtyard and deliberately left the corner gate of Linyuan out of the Feng family. I truly cannot accept this 'kindness' of letting him go. I'm afraid..." She raised her eyes and smiled faintly, "If he really escapes, the charge will only be 'accidentally killing a fugitive during pursuit', right?"
Feng Wu's face suddenly turned cold, and he snorted, "Do you think you can survive by staying here?"
"This humble servant is dull and ignorant, and there is one fact I do not understand. Since I cannot escape death, why don't you, Lord Wei, explain it to me?"
"Stop talking nonsense and place your bet quickly." Feng Wu said impatiently.
"Since this servant has become an eyesore to Lord Wei, you should just kill her directly. Why bother to create such a farce and kill the innocent Madam Lu?"
Feng Wu picked up the tongs and fiddled with the red-hot iron in the furnace. "That old fellow thought he had it all figured out, and he even tampered with the selection process, sneaking in three or four assassins." Sparks flew as the iron was lifted. "Sacrificing her life for the safety of my family was worth it."
The hot iron sheet drew a blinding light in the dark and damp prison, and the heat rushed towards him. Seeing the red triangular iron approaching his cheek, Yun Yuan not only did not dodge at all, but suddenly leaned forward to meet it.
Feng Wu's grinning face suddenly froze, and he retreated hurriedly. Then, out of shame and anger, he slammed the soldering iron back into the furnace with a clang, and golden sparks instantly flew out.
"You! You're looking for death!"
Yun Yuan sneered, "I'm really curious. The Haofeng Guards are the Young Master's men, yet they're so restrained in dealing with me that they're not only orchestrating a drama, but also forcing me to sign a confession. Could it be because... I'm from Yuanfeng Court?"
Feng Wu shouted angrily: "Even if they are from Yuanfengyuan, Haofengwei will still take them!"
"Then why," Yun Yuan interrupted softly, "does the Haofeng Guard never dare to set foot in Yuanfeng Courtyard when the Young Master is away?" Yun Yuan stroked the red mark on her wrist. "This matter hasn't even begun the trial yet. If I were to suffer any injuries, and the Third Young Master were to ask about it... I'm afraid it would be difficult for the Guards to explain."
Feng Wu's face was ashen, his knuckles crackling as he carefully studied the unhurried girl before him. A faint smile played on her lips, but her eyes gleamed with a sharp light, like a wild cat waiting for its chance to strike. He knew that the betting would fail today. Not only could he not torture her, he couldn't even do anything except bluff her. The Third Young Master Feng was not so easily fooled. With such ample evidence, there was no need to be accused of being forced into a confession. He himself wasn't worth pitying, but he couldn't cause trouble for the young master.
He grabbed the charge and threw it into the fire. The parchment instantly curled up and charred, turning into wisps of green smoke.
"Signing your name would be more convenient. If you don't want to, then you don't have to. But the evidence is irrefutable. You will be sentenced to death. Even the Third Young Master cannot violate the Feng Family's rules."
"I never set foot in the forest garden yesterday, and I have no idea how Madam Lu fell into the water. Is there anyone who can prove that it is such a forbidden place?"
"Hahaha!" Feng Wu burst into laughter, rattling the chains. He leaned in, his shadow completely enveloping Yun Yuan. "The account book bears the seal of Yuanfeng Court, yet your valuables were found on the deceased." He grabbed Yun Yuan's chin fiercely. "Yesterday, the young master personally visited Yuanfeng Court, and the Third Young Master's closest guards and maids were present. Tell me, who can vouch for you?"
Yun Yuan's mind was as clear as a mirror: the Haofeng Guards had used the excuse that the young master was in Yuanfeng Courtyard to prevent her from returning, precisely to prevent anyone from there from testifying on her behalf. The servants in the outer residences were also unlikely to testify on her behalf; if anyone did, they would be framed and killed.
"In this Feng family compound," Feng Wu released his hand and sneered, "How many slaves who don't catch the young master's eye can survive long?" He turned and walked towards the prison door, the sound of his iron boots clattering on the ground. "Enjoy your last night. Tomorrow, let's see how the Third Young Master deals with a slave who murdered and escaped."
The prison door slammed shut, blocking out the last ray of firelight. In the darkness, Yun Yuan's fingertips gently brushed the faint red mark on her palm—the mark left by the hemp rope from flying a kite that afternoon.
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