Chapter 23 Selling Her By the dock, officials were fighting in the cold rain...
At the dock, the officials shivered in the cold rain and followed their superior's gaze.
"This, this must be our eldest brother-in-law, right?" Aunt Chen hurried over to Xue Yu, bowing awkwardly. "When Yun Jia got married, I didn't even get to meet him. Before the master and mistress passed away, they kept talking about our brother-in-law and the young lady..."
Aunt Chen was quite pretty when she was young. Now that she is old and ugly, she still has a unique charm, especially when she cries with tears in her eyes.
Yunyang had lived with Concubine Chen for as long as she could remember. Her mother, as the legal wife, was incredibly generous and never lowered her status to argue with Concubine Chen. Over the years, she had remained the principal wife, and Concubine Chen never dared to overpower her, resulting in a relatively harmonious relationship.
Later on, my concubine still had no children, so my mother felt more sympathy for her, and the relationship between my wife and concubine became better than when they were young.
However, Xue Yu did not answer, but just stared at Yun Yang and the young man.
Aunt Chen quickly said, "This is my nephew. He grew up with Yangyang."
After saying that, he stepped forward and tugged at his nephew's sleeve, lowering his voice and saying, "Alright, loosen up a bit. I know you two are close, but this is happening in front of everyone..."
Yun Yang remained dazed until the young man let go of her hand.
Xue Yu asked about the situation of the two elders of the Yun family, and the aunt repeated what she had just said. When asked about the details, she answered fluently.
Xue Yu frowned slightly, his expression becoming calmer. "Since the body hasn't been found, it should be considered a missing person report. The flood came suddenly, and many refugees were washed downstream. Some of them walked back home on their own after a few days."
Yun Yang's hood fell to his shoulders, and his eyes lit up again. He looked past his aunt and uncle and looked at Xue Yu, "Brother-in-law, are you serious?"
Xue Yu nodded. "All the way here, when I was reporting the disaster to you, you were very thorough and detailed. This kind of thing is not uncommon. Report it missing first."
The latter sentence was addressed to the woman in plain mourning clothes.
Aunt Chen was stunned for a moment. Yun Bai, who was standing behind her, stepped forward and bowed, saying in a deep voice, "Then I'll trouble Master Xue to talk to the officers and soldiers and ask them to help me find my brother and sister-in-law. They disappeared from the Zhang family's ridge."
Xue Yu agreed and turned around to explain to the officials.
The beautiful woman took out a handkerchief to wipe Yun Yang's tears and gently comforted her.
At the beginning, Aunt Chen thought Yun Yang was quite smart and liked her because she was as beautiful as a snow ball. She often regretted that she didn't give birth to a daughter like her.
Unexpectedly, when Yun Yang grew up, he was spoiled by his master and mistress and became more and more eccentric and wild. One day during the hot summer, he went directly to the river to swim, and was caught by the master and locked up for a while.
Girls of this age grow up really fast. Less than half a year after going to Beijing, she has grown into a big girl.
Although she had lost some weight, she gradually showed the outline of a beauty. She was graceful and elegant, standing by the river and quietly wiping her tears, with a unique charm that was attractive.
After Xue Yu gave his instructions, he walked over.
Aunt Chen stood holding a lamp and said, "It's getting late. Let's go back to the mansion. Master, are you here on official business? I wonder if you're going to stay at the official residence, or go back to the Yun Mansion with us? The Yun Mansion was also flooded and hasn't been repaired yet. I'm afraid we'll neglect you..."
The river breeze blew, and the dim light of the parchment lantern trembled slightly. Yun Yang looked at him with moist eyes in the light, wanting to speak but hesitant, her beauty unique and clear.
Helpless and panic-stricken.
He understands.
"Since we've come to Youzhou, there's no reason for us to live somewhere other than the Yun Mansion." Xue Yu raised his eyelids and looked at Aunt Chen, "I'll go with you."
They walked in silence all the way to Yun Mansion. When they arrived at Yun Mansion, Yun Yang looked at the plaque with the words "Yun Mansion" standing on the side of the dismounting stone for a long time.
The plaque has signs of blisters.
"The master had this taken down the day before the flood. He said the plaque was old. When Yangyang comes back from Beijing, she might bring her son-in-law back with her, so the master wanted to refurbish the plaque so that it would look more presentable." Aunt Chen said softly.
Yun Yang was reluctant to move or speak. Xue Yu sighed slightly and stepped forward. "We're home now, why don't you go in?"
Yun Yang looked up at him in confusion, muttering, "When I used to go home, my parents would always be waiting at the door..."
"I will find my father-in-law and mother-in-law back." Xue Yu smiled slightly.
The young man had been following behind, and as they were about to part, his mind was filled with thoughts, his eyes fixed on the graceful figure of the girl.
He could only see that she had lost both her parents, and was frail and lonely. The snow-white fox fur made her pale little face look breathtakingly moving. As he looked at her, the heartache and stupidity in his eyes were about to overflow.
Xue Yu watched the pair from the side and thought the young man looked particularly funny.
"Sister." Jiang Heguang said courageously.
"Brother Jiang?" Yun Yang stopped and looked at him. Thinking of his previous overtures, he quickly said, "Brother Jiang, my parents may not be... gone. Thank you for your concern, Brother Jiang. I'm tired today. I'll visit you another day."
A smile had already appeared on the boy's face, and he nodded heavily, "Take care of yourself, sister."
The Yun Mansion is not big and the garden is quiet. Because of the flood, most of the maids and servants, who were already few in number, have gone back home to take care of their families.
Passing through the water pavilion, there is a green tile and pink wall hidden under the overlapping rocks. The flowers and trees in full bloom are properly trimmed, like a pink cloud, covering the wall beautifully.
"Yunyang, this courtyard was particularly badly damaged by the flood and hasn't been repaired yet. Come with me and live over there," Aunt Chen said softly, pointing to a small path nearby. "Master Xue, there aren't many vacant rooms in the mansion, and given the current situation, I'll have to inconvenience you and Yangyang by sharing a courtyard. The two guest rooms are both clean."
Yun Yang recognized the guest room his aunt mentioned. It was in a remote place, at the deepest part of the Yun Mansion. It used to be a place where miscellaneous items were piled up and servants who had made mistakes were imprisoned.
But now she had no mood to care about these things. After a long journey, it was good enough to have a place to rest. What's more, she had to get up early tomorrow to look for her parents.
The candlelight in the room was dim, much worse than the original exquisite boudoir. Even though incense had been burned in advance, there was still a musty smell.
Yun Yang lay on the bed, fully clothed, her mind a turmoil, as if invisible threads were threading through her body. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and when she finally did, she was awakened by a nightmare.
Late at night, the wind blew rain, and moisture squeezed in through the window cracks, mixed with dust.
Even though Yun Yang had been pampered in the Xue Mansion for a while, she was able to adapt to such an environment very quickly.
But now, a slight ripple appeared in her heart. Will her brother-in-law be able to adapt?
She knocked gently on the wall next to the bed, "dong, dong, dong."
If he was asleep, then she would be relieved. But not long after, the wall responded with the same three knocks.
"Brother-in-law? Are you asleep?" Yun Yang asked.
The wall panels were thin, and only Xue Yu's calm voice could be heard, "Not asleep."
"Then I'll come over." Yun Yang said, "I'm very nervous."
"good."
Pushing open the half-open door, Si Qing bowed and invited her in, then stood outside the door guarding it politely.
Yun Yang's peripheral vision swept across the yellow paper, gold ingots, and paper figures that were half-covered behind the screen. Even with just a glance, a look of fear appeared on his face, and he had difficulty breathing.
"Don't be afraid." Xue Yu's voice came.
He changed out of his official uniform and put on moon-white casual clothes, a light fur coat and a loose belt, with his black hair casually draped. Under the cold moonlight, he looked like a banished immortal, like a snow-capped mountain.
Even this humble room was filled with a clean glow.
"How come they've prepared all this..." Yun Yang's eyes fell on those things, bewildered, "and they let us live in a place like this."
There is a saying that goes "When people leave, the tea gets cold."
The Xue family has a kind and benevolent tradition. They would never prepare funeral items before it is certain whether a person is still alive or dead, and they would not treat an orphan girl harshly.
The Yun family is not a poor family, so this shouldn't happen.
Obviously, the room he lived in was not intended for anyone to live in, as all the miscellaneous items were piled up there. Aunt Chen probably didn't expect that he would come here with Yun Yang.
Xue Yu had witnessed too much of the ugliness of human nature in the Ministry of Justice, so when he came to Youzhou and Yun Mansion and encountered such a situation, it was inevitable that he would make malicious speculations, but the girl in front of him was still young, and he didn't want to destroy this pure and beautiful scene.
"Maybe they just suffered a flood and many people died. They are worried that there won't be enough yellow paper, so they prepare it first." Xue Yu said.
Yun Yang thought about it and shook his head, "I don't think it's right."
"I know what you suspect." Xue Yu said.
Yun Yang shook his head. "Mrs. Chen has always been down-to-earth and very kind to me. She is alone and helpless, and her survival depends entirely on the Yun Mansion. She wouldn't lie... Forget it, let's go check it out and we'll know!"
"Check?" Xue Yu raised his eyebrows.
"Well, brother-in-law, you come with me." Yun Yang said as he walked out, "No matter what, I can't let you live in a place like this."
Xue Yu paused as he put on his robe, his eyes softening. He picked up the candlestick and said calmly, "You've arranged a marriage in Youzhou. Why didn't you tell me and my grandmother?"
Yun Yang was stunned and explained, "You mean Brother Jiang? I haven't arranged a marriage with him. He's from my aunt's uncle's family. When I was little, I often came to play in the mansion, so we have some friendship. Hey, don't carry the lamp with you. If you carry a lamp, won't people find you? Put it down, put it down."
Xue Yu saw her frank expression and smiled calmly, "Okay."
The night wind carried a faint sweet scent of osmanthus, blowing the corners of his robe and intertwining it with her shawl.
Yun Yang didn't expect that she could get out of her sadness so quickly. Maybe she was not that kind of person, or maybe it was her brother-in-law's calmness that calmed her heart.
She knew every corner of the Yun Mansion courtyard with her eyes closed. The flat courtyard was where she and the martial artists in the mansion learned spearmanship. The stone table and stone benches beside it were where she and her sister listened to training. There was also the osmanthus tree not far away, which she planted with her own hands when she was twelve years old. It didn't bloom in the first year, and she was so angry that she cried. Her sister looked at her crying and making a fuss, and she just covered her mouth and laughed. She was more impatient than a dog.
Now, looking at the deserted courtyard in the darkness, my mood is indescribable.
This is what it means when we say home is where your parents are.
"Let's go to my parents' upper room." Yun Yang walked in the dark and naturally took Xue Yu's sleeve. "Brother-in-law, don't make a sound and follow me closely."
She was still young and didn't have such deep thoughts. She just instinctively wanted to go to her parents' room to take a look.
Xue Yu lowered his eyes and stared at his sleeve. He only needed to reach forward to touch her hand.
She often grips a gun, so her palms aren't as smooth as silk, but rather calloused. A girl like that really doesn't take care of herself...
The cry of a crow cut through the night sky, like the cry of an old woman.
Xue Yu shook his head and calmed down.
Could it be that I've been completely exhausted lately? It's been ages since I've had a good night's sleep. Perhaps I'm just too exhausted to have such a ridiculous thought.
The two entered the upper room of the Yun Mansion. There was no candle lit, and it was pitch black all around. They could only see the vague shadows of the furniture.
Although the eyes cannot see, the senses of touch and hearing are extremely sensitive.
Xue Yu could smell Yun Yang's quiet and tranquil breath, and it was difficult for him to breathe.
After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Yun Yang looked around carefully. Everything was normal and there was nothing wrong. His mother's ointment had not been covered yet, as if she would be back soon.
Yun Yang walked forward, took down the spring robe that his mother often wore, which was casually hung on the clothes hanger, hugged it to his chest, closed his eyes and deeply inhaled his mother's scent.
The silence of the endless night was suddenly broken, and the gate of the upper house was kicked open.
Yun Yang held his breath, looked at Xue Yu, and then tiptoed to the window. The window was half open, and through the gap he could just see two dark shadows in the yard.
The two shadows quickly tangled together. The woman said in a delicate voice, "Don't... just stay here. You reckless man, do you have to come here to have fun?!"
The man said nothing as he and the woman made love in the open air, the rich fragrance of the golden osmanthus wafting in the air...
Yun Yang stared blankly with his eyes wide open. The air in the quiet space unconsciously became strange and ambiguous.
The next moment, he felt a piece of cloth covering his head. Xue Yu's voice was cold and deep, "Don't look."
She was stunned for a moment, unable to see anything, and could only struggle slightly, pushing him randomly with her white fingertips, "Why?"
In the darkness of the night, he stood behind her, his figure completely enveloping her. He covered her head with his spring shirt, which blocked Yun Yang's gaze but couldn't stop the blushing sound. The lewd music continued incessantly.
And Xue Yu's heartbeat was rapid and irregular.
Her back was pressed against his chest, the slight heat hard to ignore, and she could only feel the tenseness of his muscles.
"Why can't I look? How can I know who it is if I don't look?" she whispered.
Xue Yu took a deep breath, and then another deep breath, but his inner anxiety did not diminish.
The two were having sex.
The harmony of yin and yang and the performance of family rituals are part of human nature, but in this place with a tent and a mat, people have completely abandoned the etiquette of being a human being and have no sense of shame at all.
The moon is dark and the wind is strong, stealing the fragrance and jade. These two are definitely not husband and wife.
The slapping sounds were incessant, and the woman made sounds that sounded like pain and pleasure, as well as some incoherent obscene words.
"Don't listen." Xue Yu's face was as cold as jade, and he reached out to cover Yun Yang's ears.
"Why, why?" Yun Yang struggled slightly, scratching impatiently, his tone filled with anxiety. "How can I know what they are doing if I don't see? How can I know who they are?"
Xue Yu: “…”
Still want to know what they are doing?
Because he had to control the strength and avoid her struggle, Xue Yu's sleeves were slightly wrinkled, and the arms hidden under the sleeves had blue veins.
He suddenly remembered the first time he went to Jinxiang Pavilion to see her, and the window under the banana leaves.
Her ears, small, round and soft, were rubbing against his palms slightly. Under the wide sleeves, Xue Yu's arm muscles were a little tense.
"Let me go, let me go." Yun Yang struggled to poke her head out from her mother's spring clothes, shaking her head from side to side, trying to break free from his grip. "Why can you see and I can't?"
Her eyes were clear and innocent, filled with anger.
Xue Yu sighed quietly in her heart, thinking that she was still young and didn't know what the joy of lovemaking was.
"You're still young." His voice was cold and calm, and he said perfunctorily, "You just can't see or hear."
"But how can I know who it is in the mansion if I don't look? The woman's voice sounds familiar to me..." Yun Yang said.
As she was speaking, the noise outside became quieter, and then there was the rustling sound of someone putting on clothes. The woman said in panic, "Why, why do I hear noises in the lady's room? Don't, don't be haunted..."
"Hey, where are my shoes? Give me my shoes."
Yun Yang felt vaguely that the voice was very familiar, and stared intently at the black shadow that was still closely attached to him.
Xue Yu made a "hush" gesture.
The two people in the courtyard left stealthily. Yun Yang remained silent, a blush appeared on his face, and he looked strange.
Xue Yu let her go and looked towards the empty courtyard. "Why aren't you talking now that you can?"
"I, it sounds like Aunt Chen's voice." Yun Yang said softly, and then asked with a confused look, "Were those two people just now...?"
Xue Yu lowered his eyes to look at her, his Adam's apple rolling slightly.
Just now when those two people didn't know what heaven and earth were, he didn't feel upset, but when he saw Yun Yang's confused eyes, his heart began to ripple.
He looked away, trying to dispel the discomfort with his rationality, calmness, and the investigative thinking he had developed while working in the Ministry of Justice.
He changed the subject, "Are you sure that the woman just now was the concubine of the mansion?"
Yun Yang was still pondering the matter, not really listening to his words. She kept mumbling to herself, "They were so strange just now. It sounded like the man was bullying the woman, but she didn't hide. If he really was bullying, he didn't use any violence on her. Why did she scream so miserably, and yet with such an inexplicable sense of pleasure?"
Xue Yu: “…”
Yun Yang's mind suddenly flashed with the spring picture that was pressed under the soft pillow the night before her sister got married. The two people with entangled figures on the paper seemed to come alive and merged into one with the black shadow that was tightly pressed together just now.
Yun Yang opened his eyes wide and said in surprise, "They, they are making peace?!"
After hearing these two words from her mouth, Xue Yu's cold and steady expression finally showed a crack.
Yun Yang was so shocked that his breathing stopped. He said angrily, "When that woman was humming just now, I just thought her voice sounded familiar. But when she spoke later, it was clearly Aunt Chen. What's wrong with Aunt Chen? Why is she having an affair with someone?"
He took in her angry and aggrieved expression, and the oppressive feeling he had cultivated while solving cases in the Ministry of Justice naturally spread to him.
If the woman's affair and Yun Yang's parents' disappearance were connected...
When he saw the panic-stricken face of the girl in front of him, he swallowed his words and said gently and comfortingly, "Maybe it was just because it was dark that you saw it wrong."
Yun Yang thought about it, and her eyes, filled with doubt, finally calmed down. She stood up, opened the door, and said something incomprehensible, "Just right."
She shook him off and walked quickly. When she reached a courtyard, her steps became more and more panicked. She screamed in panic: "Auntie! Auntie, Auntie, save me!"
The silence in the yard was broken. Aunt Chen's hair was slightly disheveled. She straightened her clothes, opened the door and stood there in a daze, only to see Yun Yang diving into her arms like a little animal.
"It's haunted, it's haunted, Aunt Chen!" Yun Yang cried, hugging the woman regardless, his thin body shaking like a sieve, "There's a ghost in my parents' yard! Wuuuuu!"
The woman was surprised and asked, "How could there be a ghost? Could it be that Yangyang was haunted by a nightmare while sleeping? Did she have a nightmare?"
"No, I missed my parents, so I wanted to go to their room to check on them. But as soon as I entered, I saw two dark figures. I couldn't see their faces clearly, it was so scary!"
As if she was thinking of that horrible scene, her soft body trembled, and she was obviously terrified. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed non-stop, "And the side yard is so scary too. There are all kinds of strange noises, bugs in the room, and it's drafty. Woo woo woo..."
Yun Yang rested her head on Aunt Chen's shoulder and wiped her tears and snot all over her chest like she did when she was a child, but there was a cunning look on her face. This was also good. It was a blessing in disguise. She could move out of that dilapidated side courtyard with her brother-in-law.
"Yunyang, Yangyang," Aunt Chen said soothingly, patting Yunyang on the back. "Don't cry, don't cry. How about this? Don't live in that side courtyard anymore. Move to the Fran Courtyard. It's closer to the Buddhist temple. Tomorrow, I'll find a Taoist priest to perform a ritual. It must be because too many people died in the recent floods that ghosts are causing trouble."
Tears hung on her pointed chin, and the woman gently wiped them away for her, "Don't cry, you're such a grown-up, but you're still acting like a child."
Xue Yu did not wait for Yun Yang, so he went back to the side courtyard first. After a while, he heard a commotion. Si Qing reported that Yun Yang asked Aunt Chen to move to another house and no longer live in the side courtyard.
Xue Yu glanced at Si Qing.
Si Qing quickly packed up her simple luggage and went to Fran Courtyard with Yun Yang.
Fran Courtyard was much more comfortable and tidier than their previous residence. Yun Yang did not think about anything wrong. He did not wonder why Aunt Chen did not directly arrange them to stay in Fran Courtyard, nor did he wonder who those two dark figures making love were. He just smiled and said good night to him.
For some reason, Xue Yu couldn't sleep well all night.
It wasn't that he was used to seeing evil and therefore assumed the worst of people. Rather, it was his habit over the years to rehearse the worst-case scenario in his mind before thinking of a response, so he could be prepared for any setbacks.
In fact, it is not difficult to guess what happened to the Yun family.
Well, as long as he is here, these bad guys can't do anything wrong.
The one who couldn't sleep well like him was Aunt Chen.
"Yangyang has really grown up." Aunt Chen recalled the stunning feeling Yunyang gave her when she first saw her at the dock and sighed, "I knew it, she's been a beauty since she was little. She's so pretty, it would be great if I had her as my daughter."
"What a pity, we can't keep her." The man's voice was low, and his hands were dishonestly lighting fires all over her body.
"Oh, be careful, don't leave any marks on me." Aunt Chen said while dodging.
"What are you afraid of?" the man said coldly, "My eldest brother is dead, why are you still guarding him? Besides, when he was alive, he didn't let you be a good woman again... Come on."
Aunt Chen pushed the man who was covering her away and said, "Let's talk about serious matters. Why can't we keep her? My nephew has treated her as a bird in a cage. What? Now he wants to fly away?"
The man said, "I thought the marriage with the Xue family was just a facade. We've traveled thousands of miles to the capital, so how could the Xue family have the time to meddle in our affairs? But I didn't know that this little girl Yunyang was so extraordinary. She hooked up with Xue Yu and brought him back... If it weren't for her relationship, Xue Yu might not have cared about our affairs."
Aunt Chen said, "Didn't we agree to marry her to my nephew? Keep her close to you. This girl is very cunning. As long as you treat her well, she might not become suspicious. So what are you going to do now?"
The man was a little annoyed and blurted out, "I've heard about it. Xue Yu has to go to Baizhou for official business tomorrow and won't be back for a while. While he's gone, we can take Yun Yang out of the house. I'll write her a contract to sell her... When Xue Yu comes back, we'll say she's engaged to your nephew and they're going back to their hometown in Yazhou together. Yazhou is a long way away, and he's tied up with official business so he can't go after her."
As he spoke, the woman's face turned pale. She looked at him with horror and said in a trembling voice, "You, you want to sell Yunyang? She, she is your niece."
"Who made her my niece!" The man said with a stiff expression, "Yun Jia married into the Xue family, so naturally she doesn't care about the wealth of my eldest brother's family. Now she's the only one left in my eldest brother's family... Isn't it all for the sake of being able to be with you openly? Isn't it for the sake of our future lives together?"
Aunt Chen immediately broke out in a cold sweat, and her back felt cold. She shook her head, "No, no, isn't this just selling one's virtue for the sake of cheapness? Yun Yang has been my wife since she was a child, and it was agreed that she would be my nephew's concubine... So what if you let her really go with my nephew?"
"Are you stupid? Not to mention that she has higher standards now, whether she is willing to marry your nephew or not, even if she does, she will never see you again. When she gets older, she will naturally figure out what is going on! By then, she will run to the Xue family in Shangjing to take advantage of their influence. It's not like she can't do it. Let's see how you can control her?" The man said, "If she didn't have any connection with the Xue family, it would be fine..."
The man paused and gently stroked Aunt Chen's long hair. "I know you and Yun Yang are close, but don't you want to have your own children? How much contraceptive soup have you secretly drunk over the years to avoid getting pregnant with Big Brother? I owe you..."
After saying that, his big hand reached down and bit the woman's earlobe, his waist and abdomen swaying slowly, "This is all my fault. I will make it up to you now, make it up to you. Give me a child, a son!"
The moonlight swayed, and even the heavy bed was creaking. The woman's breathing, which had just calmed down, became rapid again. Her eyes were misty, and the tears in her eyes were mixed with contradictions and pain.
The wave hit her again, drowning her remaining sanity and conscience. She closed her eyes and hugged the man.
*
The next morning, Yun Yang got up not too late, but by the time she had washed up and left the room, Xue Yu had already left.
He also ordered Si Qing to stay and tell her that he would investigate the disappearance of her parents in detail.
After breakfast, Yun Yang took a walk around the mansion. The lotus pond that he and his sister used to love was overflowing with silt. No one took care of it, and it smelled stinky and had a decaying and dead smell.
She sighed and stood in a small shadow, her ivory-carved face looking a little pale.
Walking further, they arrived at Aunt Chen's yard. Yun Yang knocked on the door, but no one answered, so he went in without permission.
Although she didn't hear the woman's voice clearly last night, she had a very good relationship with Aunt Chen since childhood, so just by listening, she could tell that it was 80% similar to Aunt Chen.
As for Aunt Chen and her father, Yun Yang had the impression that they treated each other with respect. Before she was old enough to understand things, she thought Aunt Chen was a maid in the mansion.
At first, she was quite angry because her father took a concubine, but after careful observation, she found that her father was distant and cold towards her aunt, and that aunt Chen was not as seductive and clingy as other concubines. So, in Yunyang's heart, she gradually let down her guard against aunt Chen, who had no children, and she and her mother felt some pity for her.
The door to the inner room was open. Yun Yang stepped over the threshold and saw through the screen the thin silhouette of a woman bending over to tend to flowers and grass. The branches were winding and thick, with a few sparsely blooming flowers on them. Through the light yellow gauze, there was a unique hazy and graceful feeling.
"Aunt?" Yun Yang called.
"Hey?" Aunt Chen responded, waving to Yun Yang. "Come here, look at this pot of flowers. You planted it before. I knew it wasn't easy for you to keep it alive, so when the flood came that day, I rushed to rescue it for you. Come and see, is it growing well?"
Yun Yang said, "Ah, this is the one I planted three times and it died three times, but it finally came back to life the last time... Thank you, Aunt Chen! Aunt Chen is so kind! Aunt Chen is getting more and more beautiful!"
The woman's eyes dodged, she took a breath, and then coaxed him like a child, "Have you eaten yet? Do you want to eat the food I cook? Your mother was always nagging you, worried that you wouldn't be used to the food after you went to Shangjing."
While observing whether there was anything unusual in Aunt Chen's room, Yun Yang said absentmindedly, "It's okay. I can eat anything. I vomited all over the boat before, but now I can eat a whole cow."
Aunt Chen stood up, still with that calm and gentle look, "I'll go wash my hands and then cook for you. But there are not many servants in the mansion right now, and the ingredients are not complete, so you can only make do with this to fill your stomach."
Yun Yang followed Aunt Chen to the kitchen to help her. While helping to pick vegetables, he asked about the specific situation on the day of the flood, how his parents were washed away, and why they were not rescued at that time.
The aunt answered in detail, and even shed tears when she talked about the emergency. "The land in our mansion was rented out to tenant farmers. The tenant farmers wanted to return the lease this year, so the master and his wife went to check on the situation on the land. I was in the mansion at the time, and when the flood came, I couldn't take care of myself. When the neighbors came to tell me, the water was half a person's height, the current was turbulent, and the water was full of stones and corpses. I couldn't get through at all..."
"I was thinking of sending someone to deliver a letter to you once the road was open, but I didn't expect you and Lord Xue to come back directly. It's good that way, now I have a backbone. Otherwise, as a woman, I would have been scared silly and foolishly followed the neighbors to arrange the funeral..." Aunt Chen said with tears in her eyes.
Yun Yang wiped his aunt's tears and comforted her with soft words, saying that he understood that the situation must have been urgent at that time. Now Xue Yu had come. Xue Yu was here on official business to provide disaster relief and he also worked in the Ministry of Justice. All the government offices and county magistrates listened to his orders. No matter whether his parents were alive or not, he would be able to find them.
The woman paused in her movements and looked at her quietly. She lowered her head, her black hair was as smooth as silk. She raised her face and smiled, her eyes sparkling, and her words were full of determination.
Why does this kid trust Xue Yu so much?
If we really find those two...
The aura around the woman changed and became cold.
The rice grains were fragrant and steaming, and Yun Yang devoured them with some simple side dishes made by Aunt Chen.
While eating, she listened to Aunt Chen chattering in her ear.
It seems that all elders are like this, they like to reminisce about the past.
Aunt Chen talked about Yunyang's childhood, but Yunyang was busy eating and responded perfunctorily.
After finishing her meal, she rubbed her bulging belly and thought to herself that it was better to be at home. She could eat more than 70% full and sit in a casual manner without worrying about others seeing her ugly appearance. She couldn't help but sigh, "It's so nice to eat the food from home, Auntie. Your cooking skills are still so good. You have spoiled my sister and me. Even the chef in the Xue Mansion can't compare to you."
After saying that, he suddenly realized something and quickly waved his hand to explain, "I don't mean to compare my aunt with the cook."
Aunt Chen smiled. She had finally grown up and become sensible. She knew to think twice before speaking.
But I also feel sad. Is this the day when every girl grows up? She can no longer indulge herself and has to abandon her true nature.
Yun Yang was a crybaby and picky eater when she was little. Madam had never cooked before, and the chef in the mansion had no idea about the delicate stomach of a child. So Madam studied the dishes herself, adjusted the taste many times, went into the kitchen during the day, and came out in the evening. Finally, she managed to regulate her stomach.
Later, Yun Yang recovered and had grown up and needed to learn the rules, so she didn't go there often. But Yun Yang always remembered her. When he saw her, his little figure would always open his arms for a hug.
When people face separation, they can't help but feel emotional and recall unforgettable things in the past.
But after reminiscing, it's time to end it.
The afternoon breeze had lost its coolness and brought with it a sleepy warmth. Yun Yang felt his head getting heavier. It would be fine to take a nap after lunch. Yun Yang naturally walked towards his aunt's bed and lay down on it with peace of mind.
The bed curtains are embroidered with elegant orchids, and aromatherapy balls are hung at both ends of the bed frame, with a rich and alluring scent.
The wind blew in through the hollow window lattices, the curtains fluttered and flew, and the corners of the gauze curtains gently brushed past, revealing a face with rosy cheeks.
Yun Yang curled up on the soft pillow with her eyes slightly closed, murmuring, "Auntie, come and sleep with me. I haven't told you about my time in the Xue Mansion yet. When mother comes back, I'll tell her again."
Aunt Chen smiled. It was clear that she hadn't put much powder in, but she had already knocked her down...
Among the subjects Yun Yang studied in Xue's residence, one was called the Art of Incense.
It is for women to make, smell and identify fragrances.
The scent lingering in the aunt's tent swirled around my nose. It was the aphrodisiac jasmine scent, or the rich smell of a newly replaced sachet.
Yun Yang's thoughts became increasingly confused, and he couldn't help but blurt out what was on his mind, saying, "Auntie, why waste your time in the Yun Mansion? If you've found someone reliable, why not leave now..."
The woman lowered her eyes and looked at the girl leaning softly in her arms.
Although she is a grown-up girl, her childhood sweetness and innocence can still be vaguely seen in her eyes and eyebrows. Her personality has not changed either. She is kind, sincere, and a little bit unconventional.
She knew that what Yun Yang said came from her heart and could not be faked.
But Yunyang was still young and didn’t know that she couldn’t walk at all.
If she divorced, where could she go as a single woman? Her family wouldn't take her in, and she didn't have the capital to support herself.
The woman's hand touched Yun Yang's soft cheek carefully, afraid of waking her up, and she waited quietly for the person she had an appointment with to come.
The softness faded away, and rationality returned. The woman thought secretly in her heart, could it be that she really saw something, otherwise why would she say such a thing?
I really can't keep her.
Soon, the door was pushed open, and the man came over with two nimble maids. They bent down and picked up Yun Yang who was sleeping on the bed.
The girl was so drowsy that she completely lost the ability to move, but the moment she was taken away, she suddenly hooked the woman's little finger.
The hands, which have been toiled for months, are not decorated with rouge, and the fingers are still stained with frost, forming a sharp contrast with the delicate white hands of the girl.
Yun Yang's voice was sweet and innocent, and she was talking in her sleep like a spoiled child, "Auntie, I'll take you to visit the capital someday."
The woman was startled.
The man pulled the girl's hand away and said coldly, "Don't be soft-hearted anymore."
*
The continuous drizzle seemed to wash away the dirt on the earth.
Xue Yu was working in Baizhou as a public official. In addition to flood prevention and disaster relief, he was also busy with the murder case of the newly-appointed Jinshi, and he was unable to get away for the time being.
The newly-minted scholar was indeed the illegitimate son of the Baizhou County Magistrate. He grew up with his poor mother and harbored resentment towards his father. On the eve of leaving Baizhou to go to Beijing for the imperial examination, he opened the door of his mansion to bandits, allowing the thieves to break into his house, which led to the tragedy.
The woman who went to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor was his childhood sweetheart and fiancée. Once she passed the imperial examination, she became the woman she loved like Chen Shimei.
The woman was so angry that she went to Beijing with great difficulty to sue the ungrateful man.
Although the case had made progress, Xue Yu did not feel happy. Standing on the river dam built by Baizhou, looking at the water level that did not recede, he felt worried and anxious.
He was not a person who was easily swayed by emotions. He thought calmly. He was already in the center of the flood. His colleagues in the Ministry of Works were very experienced in dealing with river engineering. The tragic situation had been brought under control. The fear and despair in the eyes of the people gradually turned into calm. It only took time to wash away the trauma of losing their loved ones. Therefore, the flood was not within the scope of his worries.
That... is the trace of the two elders of the Yun family.
Three days have passed and the person has not been found. The situation is very critical.
The concubine of the Yun family is also abnormal.
But in the final analysis, this kind of case is actually not worth mentioning compared to the major cases that he handled.
Why am I so confused?
He wanted to go back to Youzhou, but when he saw the turbid waves had not yet receded, the corpses had not yet been collected, and there were so many children crying for their lost parents and relatives, he could not move a step.
Moreover, the flood in Youzhou was not as severe as that in Baizhou.
That's all.
She's just a concubine. Even if she's in league with a man, she can't cause any trouble. Wait a few days, and when the flooding in Baizhou stabilizes, it won't be too late to go back and deal with them.
Let’s talk about Yunyang.
For the past three days, Yun Yang has been in dire straits.
When he woke up drowsily, he found his hands and feet were tied, and he was in a simple carriage with a big and strong servant woman in the carriage.
The struggle was in vain, his hands and feet were weak, and even speaking was difficult.
They passed through countless cities. When they were leaving the city for inspection, the old woman held her in her arms and told the officials that she was a seriously ill daughter. No one suspected her along the way.
Yun Yang knew that he had been drugged, and his heart sank. He was filled with shock, suspicion and despair, and could not believe that his aunt would do this.
As she thought about it, tears welled up in her eyes. The old woman saw this and felt a little pity for her. "Don't blame me. It was your family that wanted to sell you out."
The light in Yun Yang's eyes dimmed, and she just shed tears silently, waiting for the effect of the drug to wear off.
"Aunt..." Yun Yang exhaled slightly and finally spoke, her tone mournful, "Who bought me?"
"You'll know when you get there." The old woman kept her mouth shut.
This girl's family is also cruel and determined to sell her to a distant place.
Yun Yang saw that he couldn't get anything out of him, so he stopped asking and leaned against the wall of the carriage with his eyes closed, trying to gather his strength.
But at night it rained heavily. The old woman and the coachman went to the inn. Staying in the inn required money, but in order to maximize their profits, the two of them tried to save as much as possible and left Yun Yang in the carriage.
His hands and feet were tied, and he could not move at all. He had only a thin blanket to cover himself. The heavy rain poured in through the carriage window, soaking the blanket. It was so cold and wet that he felt even colder when he covered himself with it. The next day, the sky cleared up, and when the old woman came out of the inn, Yun Yang had already developed a high fever.
Feeling cold all over, weak and powerless, with a dry and sore throat, Yun Yang was afraid that he would die here and he had lost the patience to slowly mediate.
Her face was pale, covered in the cold rain, and even her lips had lost their color. She said hatefully, "How dare you! You, you are selling your good deeds for the sake of cheapness. You are breaking the law, don't you know?"
The old woman snorted coldly and told the coachman to hurry on.
"You, you send me to the capital. My brother-in-law is the prince's tutor. He will give you any amount of money you want." Yun Yang said slowly.
Seeing her pale face and flushed cheeks, the old woman reached out and touched her forehead, frowning and said, "This stubbornness is really hard to deal with. The medicine is insufficient. You should give her some more medicine when you get to the buyer."
The carriage galloped away again.
Yun Yang struggled to stand up shakily and repeated, "Send me to Shangjing, to the Xue Mansion in Shangjing. My brother-in-law is... Xue Yu."
The old woman didn't even look at her, she lowered her eyes and sneered: "You are still thinking about the Xue Mansion? That's a nice thought. Your brother-in-law saw that your parents were gone and has already written a letter of divorce to divorce your sister. He will not care about you anymore."
Then he leaned forward and pretended to be mysterious, "Do you want to know who your aunt sold you to? She found a good family for you. They're rich, but their son is stupid, so they want to find a daughter from a scholarly family to avoid having another stupid child."
Yun Yang's face turned even paler, and he was stunned for a moment.
What does it mean to divorce your sister? What does it mean that both parents are not around?
"What did you say?" Her eyes were hollow, and her blood seemed to have frozen. She murmured, "What divorce letter?"
The old woman saw that the words really worked, and the concubine's wild man said that if she made a fuss, he would say the same thing to her.
The old woman happily followed Yunbai's instructions and said, "Your parents are gone, who can the Xue family turn to for gratitude? Don't you know who your sister is worthy of? Divorce your sister so that you can marry someone new. Must you find someone who is a daughter of wealth and beauty?"
"Don't even ask me to send you back to the Xue Mansion. Since I've accepted this job, there's no turning back. If I send you back, wouldn't that mean I'm being arrested? Don't blame me either. It's your aunt and the others who gave you too much. And your idiot husband's family also gave too much."
Yun Yang sat there in a daze, her entire body akin to being tortured to pieces. Her already dizzy head, already swollen from the fever, felt even more groggy. A thread of chill seeped into her bones, a mixture of heat and cold. After a moment of tinnitus, she relaxed, then grasped the old woman's arm in a trembling voice, "Are you serious? Are you serious?"
The old woman looked arrogant and asked, "Look where you are now?"
Yun Yang suddenly burst into tears, nearly choking. Her hands and feet were tied, unable to move, so she could only kneel on the ground. "I beg you, please send me back! You can't let Xue Yu divorce my sister. I have to go, I have to find Xue Yu and ask for justice!"
How could you divorce your sister like this?
Yun Yang had endured too much at once, and at this moment there was only one thought in her mind: No, I can't let my sister become an abandoned woman without any reason!
Xue Yu couldn't do this... He promised her that he would help her find her parents, and promised that he would remain a virgin and wait for his sister to come back!
The old woman kicked her to the ground and said slowly, "Don't waste your energy."
Yun Yang was wearing a cloth robe, with disheveled hair, a sickly flush on his face, his chest heaving violently, his whole body shaking like a sieve, tears falling non-stop, he looked extremely pitiful.
She was terribly anxious, so anxious that she couldn't think rationally. Instinctively, she half-knelt on the ground and stumbled a few steps towards the old woman. She pulled at her sleeve with both hands and begged humbly, "Please, please let me go, or send me to Shangjing. The Xue family is kind and will never do such a thing... If you send me to Shangjing, I will give you double what the person who bought me promised you!"
The old woman squinted at her and sneered, "How much money can be more important than my life? Your parents are dead, your sister is missing, and you're the only one left. You're in the way, don't you understand? Without me, you'd be sent away sooner or later!"
After saying that, he suddenly realized that there was no need to waste words with her, and kicked Yun Yang in the chest with a cold face.
The girl's face was filled with tears, her anger and despair intertwined. She clenched her teeth, and a flash of determination flashed across her brows. She gathered all her strength and, taking advantage of the old woman's unpreparedness, jumped out of the carriage.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: Thank you for subscribing, the next chapter will be v~
I’d like to recommend the next really good sister literature “Hibiscus Cries in the Dew and Orchid Smiles”!
The hero is the son of the heroine's father's concubine. He is a dark, self-deprecating and pitiful little guy.
The plump and charming heroine is a talented woman that everyone in Beijing wants to marry! In fact, the heroine has no real ambitions. She is a very vulgar person who likes handsome men and admires the third place winner. She doesn't even notice the admiration of her non-blood-related brother.
The hero later rose to power on his own and became a ruthless and powerful official. His sister also married a good husband of equal status. The hero secretly observed the heroine's every move, including but not limited to giving the heroine's husband a drug that would make him infertile. The heroine didn't know what was going on and even went to the temple to worship.
As a result, the heroine suddenly died one day. The hero found out that she was murdered by her ambitious husband. The ambitious man who had been planning every step of the way did not make any plans and directly killed her husband's family to avenge his sister! As a result, his career was ruined and he was sentenced to exile and died on the way.
Then both of them were reborn. This time the elder sister wanted to repay her brother, so she took him by her side and raised him well. The younger brother pretended to be stupid and used all kinds of screen to charm the heroine. The sour and taboo tug-of-war between them was particularly intense. The heroine finally transformed her brother, who seemed honest and insignificant in her previous life, into a peerless gentleman. She realized that she had developed some different feelings for her brother. In order to stop him from being confused, the heroine hurriedly arranged a marriage for herself. Who knew that her brother couldn't help himself this time...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com