Chapter Forty-Nine: Turning Clouds and Rain
After their hasty farewell at Cuiwei Villa in Nanhang, Yun Yao never expected that her next meeting with Xing Yu would be under such circumstances.
Butler Xing left, leaving Yun Yao and Xing Yu staring at each other in bewilderment.
After a long while, Xing Yu finally managed a slight smile and said, "Yun Yao, long time no see... You still look so beautiful, it's like you haven't changed at all."
Given the awkward scene of their previous separation, in which Xing Yu even shed tears, he pretended to be relaxed when he saw Yun Yao again, as if nothing had happened.
But Yun Yao's words changed his expression.
Yun Yao looked intently at her old friend, sighed, and said softly, "Xing Yu, I brought you back here. Will you blame me?"
Xing Yu dropped his fake smile. He deflated like a punctured balloon, took a couple of steps, and plopped down opposite Yun Yao. He sighed, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, if I didn't come here, I'd just stay home and watch those incompetent old fogies fight amongst themselves. Yun Yao, let me tell you, the only truly capable and decent person in our Xing family is the one who just left—Butler Xing."
"Don't belittle yourself." Yun Yao frowned slightly upon hearing this. "Butler Xing is very good, but you are no less so."
Xing Yu's ears turned red. He glared at Yun Yao, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, "Why are you still like this? You're so good at sweet talk..."
He scrutinized Yun Yao, and as if finally noticing the loneliness and pain hidden in his eyes, he asked cautiously, "Yun Yao, how have you been these past few years? I couldn't find out about you from outside. My uncle would never tell anyone anything about this garden..."
Yun Yao listened to Xing Yu's rambling concern, but he couldn't find the words to reply. He really didn't know where to begin or how to express himself.
Seeing Yun Yao remain silent, Xing Yu tried to lighten the mood by saying, "Oh dear, I could guess without even asking. You managed to get Madam to bring me back from my mistakes, so she must really like you. I was worried that the young masters and ladies in this garden would make things difficult for you, but it seems they won't. Of course, with someone as well-behaved as you, how could they not like you?"
Hearing him say this, Yun Yao suddenly sneered. Recalling all his experiences, he asked self-deprecatingly, "Good boy?" His voice sounded like he was crying blood as he said, "I was too good boy, that's why I ended up like this."
Xing Yu was taken aback by Yun Yao's words. "What's wrong, Yun Yao? What happened?"
Yun Yao remained silent for a while, and under Xing Yu's worried gaze, he finally told someone for the first time about how his father had deceived and used him.
Xing Yu was already furious halfway through, but he had to endure it and listen to the rest. When Yun Yao finished speaking, Xing Yu jumped up like a cannonball, yelling, "I knew it! Your dad really is a complete scumbag! He acts all high and mighty when nothing's wrong, but when trouble comes, he'll do anything to protect himself! Yun Yao, listen to me, from now on, pretend your dad's dead. You don't have a father like that! Didn't he leave all his money to his illegitimate son? Let his illegitimate son take care of him in his old age and see him off when he dies. A perfect match!"
Listening to Xing Yu's tirade against his father, Yun Yao felt the pent-up emotions in his heart dissipate slightly. He chuckled and pulled Xing Yu back, who was getting increasingly agitated with his rant, and gently advised, "Alright, alright, Xing Yu, that's what I was thinking too. I'll just pretend I don't have this father."
In fact, when Yun Yao said that he ended up like this because he was obedient, he wasn't just referring to his father's situation. Yun Yao had reflected on his actions a thousand times every night. He had made mistakes in every step he took. He shouldn't have tried to save his father, shouldn't have agreed to be Qin Rao's lover, shouldn't have come to Madam's side, and shouldn't have been so obedient and compliant.
If he hadn't been "obedient," he wouldn't have been taken to the north by his wife; if he hadn't been "obedient," Muxi Garden wouldn't have become a golden cage imprisoning him.
But he couldn't tell Xing Yu what happened next, and he couldn't tell anyone else either.
He just didn't want to be "well-behaved" anymore; he had already paid the price for being well-behaved.
He was waiting for the right moment to make a desperate gamble, even if it meant being wiped out completely, rather than disappearing without a trace in this magnificent garden.
"Xing Yu, do you know why I asked you to come here?" Yun Yao looked at Xing Yu, her expression calm.
Xing Yu paused for a moment, then smiled: "Yun Yao, actually I guessed it when I came here. My uncle said that Madam asked me to be your attendant. Do you have some difficult things to do that you want me to handle? In this huge Muxi Garden, are you looking for someone like me whom you know well and can trust?"
Xing Yu spoke with great confidence, believing he had definitely guessed the answer. But to his surprise, Yun Yao shook her head.
Under Xing Yu's surprised gaze, Yun Yao said to him earnestly and solemnly, "Xing Yu, you already know what kind of person my father is. He has other families, and I'm afraid he won't take care of my mother's and my maternal grandparents' graves even after he gets out of prison. Xing Yu, I know you're a very sentimental person, and you loved my maternal grandmother when you were little. So I think, if one day I can't go back, I hope you can take care of my mother's and grandparents' graves for me... and visit them often..."
Xing Yu's eyes widened. He grabbed Yun Yao in shock and anxiety, asking, "Yun Yao, what are you saying? What do you mean you can't go back? You..."
Yun Yao pressed down on his hand and said calmly, "Xing Yu, I remember you told me that what you thought was the road to heaven and great wealth was actually an abyss, and one day you would fall and be shattered to pieces. You should also understand that I am currently in the 'abyss' and do not know when I will be swallowed by it."
"How could this be..." Xing Yu was incredulous, but when he thought of Yun Yao's current situation, he finally understood the meaning behind Yun Yao's words. In the center of this vortex, no matter how well-behaved and cautious you are, you may not be able to escape unscathed.
Xing Yu couldn't help but step forward and hug Yun Yao. "Yun Yao, no, don't do anything rash. If we persevere, we will win. There will always be hope."
While Yun Yao and Xing Yu were meeting, a secret family meeting was also taking place in the main courtyard's flower hall.
The lady sat comfortably in her rosewood chair, her gaze calmly fixed on the group of elder clan leaders below her. She tapped the armrests lightly with her slightly bent fingers, her voice revealing neither joy nor anger. "You mean, you want the eldest young master to return early?"
The group below shuddered and bowed even lower, but one of them still gritted his teeth and said, "Madam, we are doing this for the sake of the family and for your health. The young master's rank is about to be promoted, so why not take this opportunity..."
"An opportunity?" The lady sneered, and everyone below fell silent, not daring to make a sound.
The lady lowered her eyes, her cold gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd before she spoke slowly, "What opportunity? You're all in such a hurry? I'm not dead yet." Her words fell like thunder, the teacup whistling past the ears of those below before slamming against the wall with a "bang," shards of celadon scattering like raindrops, leaving dark stains on the carpet.
The air froze instantly!
A storm is brewing, and the air is thick with tension! Centered on this, another widespread tempest is about to sweep through. One group will be suppressed, another will be promoted; some will be inexplicably removed from the center of power and relegated to the margins, while new faces will suddenly rise to prominence and climb the ladder of success...
Everyone felt a pang of sympathy, yet they could only submit to this cruel rule.
But for the lady at the top, manipulating events was never the goal, but merely a means to make the world operate according to her rules.
Even though she is now very old, she can only decide when to let go and when to retire. On the one hand, she will not relax her support for the next generation, but she will slow down. On the other hand, those who are eager to make moves too early will be ruthlessly suppressed. She wants to teach those who think they can take shortcuts and dare to challenge her authority a profound lesson.
While the outside world was undergoing dramatic changes, Yun Yao's status by the lady's side was rapidly rising.
The elderly and frail lady was almost always by his side, and much important information was transferred from the compound's housekeeper to Yun Yao and Butler Xing for transmission. Yun Yao's status as his bedmate, his photographic memory from his time as an assistant, and Butler Xing's abilities made the lady feel more at ease.
One day, while the lady was reading an urgent document in her study, she casually asked Yun Yao, who was draping a coat over her shoulders, which person would be more suitable for certain important positions.
Yun Yao did not answer directly at the time. Instead, he noticed the Southern porcelain ornament that Cao Zhang had just sent from the South that his wife had placed beside her. He said softly, "Madam, I don't know anything about these things. However, after all, choosing someone is to share your burdens. Whoever you trust more is the most suitable."
The lady smiled, took Yun Yao's hand, squeezed it gently, and said softly, "Yun'er, you see things clearly. Some people rely on their age and status. They've been in high positions for half their lives and have been flattered for so long that they've forgotten who gave them these honors." As she finished speaking, the lady's tone gradually turned cold.
She looked at the letter of recommendation in her hand with a deep gaze, but when she turned to Yun Yao, her expression softened. "Yun'er, I have two candidates here. One is recommended by Chi'er's uncle, and the other is my student, Cao Zhang, whom you know. They are both people with some experience."
At this moment, Yun Yao picked up the Southern porcelain ornament beside his wife. He touched the delicate texture of the porcelain and felt its warmth, and said with a smile, "Madam, this Southern porcelain ornament is such a thoughtful design. I heard that it has a mechanism for holding warm water and heating inside, so even in winter, it will feel comfortable to touch."
Upon hearing this, the lady smiled slowly, "Cao Zhang is indeed a thoughtful child..."
A few days after this incident, Yun Yao received a thank-you letter from Cao Zhang. The letter only mentioned in a roundabout way that the lady had promoted him to an important position, and also subtly expressed her gratitude and desire to repay Yun Yao.
Yun Yao put down the letter, but let out a long sigh. There are no secrets in this world, especially when you are close to power, it feels like you are being watched and spied on every moment.
From the moment Madam put him in charge of affairs alongside Steward Xing, Yun Yao had been walking on thin ice. He tried his best to avoid touching that dangerous net, but his status meant he could only hover on the edge of a certain line.
When Xing Yu brought over the tea and asked him why he was sighing, Yun Yao said, "I'm really afraid that I'll implicate you in this situation. I should have known better than to let you in."
Xing Yu placed the tea in front of Yun Yao and said with a smile, "You're just too worried. You should be feeling proud, but you're already thinking about the potential crises that might come your way. You just like to do the opposite of what others think."
He glanced around to make sure no one was there, then leaned close to Yun Yao and whispered, "You're just too soft-hearted and have too many worries. Otherwise, I think you could also become a 'favored minister wielding absolute power'..."
Yun Yao glanced at him speechlessly, "I'd be crazy to have such thoughts. Who do you take Madam for? What do you take this place for?"
"Well, it's not impossible. You're the only one by Madam's side. If you didn't keep to yourself, there would be plenty of people eyeing you."
Seeing Yun Yao's noncommittal expression, Xing Yu sighed and said dejectedly, "Alright, luckily I'm also a bit of a rogue and don't mind you being such an honest little fool, otherwise we would have to put on an eighty-episode drama of palace intrigue."
Yun Yao was even more speechless at him. "Stop talking nonsense. Seriously, if you want to leave, just tell me. Butler Xing and I can still make arrangements."
"I'm not leaving." Xing Yu scoffed. "This is the best part of the show. It would be so boring to go back."
Yun Yao couldn't do anything about Xing Yu's amusing attitude, so she could only let him be.
At this moment, Xing Yu rolled his eyes and started gossiping with Yun Yao: "Yun Yao, have you heard recently that the second young master in the garden is being pressured by his parents to get married to the daughter of a certain big shot?"
Yun Yao was dealing with a new message from Butler Xing at the moment, and said without looking up, "I've been very busy lately and haven't heard any gossip. Besides, that second young master hasn't been to Muxi Garden for a long time, and I'm not familiar with him. Xing Yu, you shouldn't gossip about other people's affairs either, so as not to cause trouble."
"Hey, let's have a private chat. The main thing is that when I first came to the garden, I heard people talking about it. And they all said that the young masters and young ladies are all very nice to you. Wasn't the second young master quite attentive to you before?"
Yun Yao frowned. "That's not true. We're not from the same world as those young masters and ladies. We should just keep our distance."
Xing Yu raised an eyebrow and nodded, saying, "It's good that you're so clear-headed. I was going to remind you anyway that the rumors about that second young master aren't very good; he's quite the womanizer."
"One year, he acquired a globally limited edition luxury RV of a certain brand and claimed he would use it for a month-long road trip. At the time, a pretty and innocent female student from a good family was pursuing him, and he readily agreed, even bringing her along on the RV. The two spent almost half a month together, but then, whether he got bored or for some other reason, the girl got her period, and he kicked her off the RV and broke up with her. It was the girl's first relationship, and she was played like that. Her parents certainly wouldn't let it go, and they made a scene, but in the end, they couldn't win against their parents, and the matter was left unresolved."
Xing Yu vividly recounted the gossip from back then to Yun Yao. Seeing the look of disgust on Yun Yao's face, he then said seriously, "Most of these young masters from aristocratic families are like this. They play around and are irresponsible, indiscriminate in their desires, and have no moral bottom line. You really should stay away from them. No matter how attentive they are to you, don't take it seriously."
Just as Xing Yu finished speaking, hurried footsteps came from outside the door.
Butler Xing and two attendants appeared at the door. Butler Xing's eyes were filled with an unusual panic. He said anxiously to Yun Yao, "Yun Yao, Madam just fell. The medical team has already gone there. Please come quickly!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
