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墨書 Inktalez
Yun Ran slowly raised her head, her hands dragging at her clothing, her lips moving but no words came out.
Yun Yang, however, stopped her just as she hesitated to speak: "Enough. I already have a clear understanding of this matter, and you need not say more." He seemed weary as he sighed, "Fifth Young Lady, starting tomorrow you are confined to your room. Without my permission, no one is allowed to let you go outside."
"Yes, Father. Daughter takes her leave." Yun Ran left with tears in her eyes—avoiding punishment but losing her freedom, which was more painful than anything else. This was the bitter fruit she had sown and had to swallow herself.
Afterward, Fu Yueze and Wang Ling took their son Fu Yihang and left the Duke's residence.
Yun Yang sought out Yun Kexin in the study of the Western Courtyard.
"Xin'er, if you have nothing else to do, go check on Third Uncle. He is old and has encountered such matters," Yun Yang said casually. "Truly a calamity has befallen him."
"Father, I saw you questioning Elder Sister Five in the Purple Twilight Courtyard just now," Yun Kexin said softly and obediently. "Do you already have an idea about this matter?"
"No, I just believe it wasn't the Substitute Concubine's doing," Yun Yang replied, resting his elbow on the table and rubbing his forehead. "Third Uncle definitely wasn't involved either."
"Then who could it be?" Yun Kexin asked, suppressing her curiosity. "Father, should we send someone to search the residence thoroughly?"
"I have thought about that too; it needs a detailed investigation," Yun Yang said. "But there's no need to check Third Uncle; it would be useless."
Yun Kexin felt a chill in her heart: there truly was another person involved, and this person was not unfamiliar to Third Uncle; otherwise, he wouldn't have said it would be useless to investigate.
After pondering for a moment, she asked, "What do you plan to do about the Substitute Concubine?"
"I intend to write a letter of dismissal for her; she cannot stay in the Duke's residence any longer to avoid future unrest in the inner courtyard," Yun Yang glanced at Yun Kexin, hesitating before continuing, "But your mother disagrees. It would affect the reputation of the Duke's Third House, so let Dai Chun Ni remain in the Third House under confinement."
Yun Kexin nearly laughed out loud: this meant she was essentially being sent to the cold palace? Fu Lianyin was quite ruthless!
She wasn't concerned about the reputation of the Third House; she was fundamentally worried that Dai Chun Ni would expose their disgraceful actions.
"Father, I want to go see the Substitute Concubine," Yun Kexin said suddenly, blinking her eyes.
"Why?" Yun Yang was taken aback; he did not expect Yun Kexin to make this request. "She treated you like that before..."
"Because I believe this matter has nothing to do with the Substitute Concubine," Yun Kexin said calmly, looking at Yun Yang. "Visiting her is not out of sudden kindness; I want to know some things."
The accounts that needed to be settled must be cleared.
"Then you can go," Yun Yang said wearily, waving his hand. "Remember to visit Third Uncle as well."
Yun Kexin nodded, suddenly recalling what her mother had mentioned last time, and asked, "Father, do you know this person, Tong Ye?"
"I know him; he is the Grand Scholar of the Hanlin Academy," Yun Yang replied, puzzled. "How does Kexin know about him?"
"I heard about him too," Yun Kexin smiled. "Father, I would like him to be my teacher. Is that possible?"
"Well..." Yun Yang pondered for a moment and said, "That's fine. After some time has passed, I will visit him on your behalf."
"Yes, thank you, Father." Yun Kexin smiled as she left.
Dai Chun Ni's residence was in a desolate courtyard in the northeast corner of the Western Courtyard, narrow and lacking sunlight, cold and damp.
When Yun Kexin arrived, Dai Chun Ni was sitting on a bench in the courtyard, staring blankly with hollow eyes at the falling petals, indifferent and detached.
"Substitute Concubine..." Yun Kexin called out softly.
Dai Chun Ni turned around, momentarily stunned; this was Seventh Sister's first visit to her place.
"Hey, it's Seventh Sister," Dai Chun Ni smiled, speaking like a lamb awaiting slaughter. "What brings you here? Are you here to watch the show, or are you delivering a 'concubine release letter' from Master?"
"Do you think there are still any jokes for you to see?" Yun Kexin retorted bluntly, then added sarcastically, "Originally, Father intended to write a release letter for you to leave, but Mother, considering your ties to Third House and the past sisterly friendship, persuaded Father..."
"Haha, hahaha," before Yun Kexin could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by a long string of piercing laughter from Dai Chun Ni. She slowly stood up and repeated Yun Kexin's words, "‘Considering I am from Third House’? ‘Thinking of sisterly friendship’? What a virtuous ‘sister’," her gaze turned sharp. "Why not say ‘when the rabbit dies, the hound is cooked,’ or ‘when the birds are gone, the bow is hidden’?!"
You’re not in a better position! Yun Kexin felt a surge of anger.
"I’m just conveying Father's exact words to you," Yun Kexin replied coldly. "I can't control anything else. After all, you are from Third House. At this critical moment, letting you go would damage the reputation of Duke's Residence, so they kept you in Third House, but under house arrest."
"This is going to be house arrest, huh," the Substitute Concubine said with a twitching smile at the corners of her eyes and mouth. "Sister really has good tactics; if you're going to do it beautifully, at least make it sound nice. Why not just say you're afraid I'll spill all her dirty secrets..."
"What dirty secrets? What nonsense are you talking about?" Yun Kexin pretended not to understand and frowned, luring her in deeper. "Don't slander my Mother..."
"Slander?!" Dai Chun Ni fell right into the trap and turned around sharply to repeat it with a sharp tone. "Do I need to slander her? It's already done; why be afraid! Fifth Young Lady, let me tell you about Third Madam—"
"What about me?!" A dark voice laced with mockery sounded from behind Yun Kexin.
Fu Lianyin! Quick on her feet! Yun Kexin knew she wouldn’t hear what she wanted anymore.
"Mother, why are you here?"
"Kexin, I heard that Master came here," Fu Lianyin said with a furrowed brow and a worried expression. "I rushed over because the incident yesterday has disturbed the Substitute Concubine. We need to be careful."
"When did this ‘wolf’ become so kind as to protect the ‘sheep’?" Dai Chun Ni snorted with laughter, looking at Fu Lianyin, no longer showing her previous fear but instead exuding a lazy confidence as if she saw through everything. She circled around Fu Lianyin, mocking, "My dear sister, are you worried about what I might do to Seventh Young Lady? Don't worry; how could I be foolish enough to say something I shouldn't? That would be seeking my own death! I still want to live a few more days; thank you for your kindness in not rushing me out."
Fu Lianyin thought with a cold smile: You know your place! However, her smile didn't stay on her face for long before it stiffened again. She heard Dai Chun Ni say:
"Since my sister is so 'loyal and righteous,' I naturally cannot be 'ungrateful.' Let me give you a few words of advice," Dai Chun Ni laughed more recklessly than ever before, "Don't do too many bad things, or else your fate today will be your own reflection."
Dai Chun Ni's calmness, devoid of emotion, felt like the most venomous curse. Fu Lianyin gasped in shock, feeling a chill run through her body. Yet she forced a cold smile in response: "Substitute Concubine, people often say, 'When a bird is about to die, its cry is mournful; when a person is about to die, their words are kind.' How can you be worse than a bird?"
But Dai Chun Ni suddenly burst into sharp laughter: "I'm not dead yet, sister. I'm waiting to see your ending, haha, hahaha..."
Fu Lianyin was so angry that her tongue trembled, her face turning pale. She turned to Yun Kexin and said, "Kexin, let's go."
Yun Kexin followed Fu Lianyin as they left. On the way, Yun Kexin mentioned wanting to see Third Uncle, as it was Father's instruction. The cunning Fu Lianyin, upon hearing this, smiled and offered to accompany her, but it was merely to "eavesdrop." Yun Kexin knew this all too well and chose not to point it out. Thus, the two of them took a detour to the North Courtyard, where Yun Jinxiu lived. It was strange that the courtyard was so quiet; there wasn't even a servant around. Fu Lianyin and Yun Kexin entered on their own and saw Yun Jinxiu tending to flowers and weeding from afar.
"Third Uncle, Third Uncle, I and Seventh Young Lady are here to see you..." Fu Lianyin said with a smile.
Yun Jinxiu turned around, momentarily surprised: "What brings you two here?"
"Third Uncle, Father asked me to come see you," Yun Kexin replied as she took the water jug from Yun Jinxiu. "Let me handle this; you should take a break."
"Third Uncle, why is there not a single servant in your courtyard? Did those dog servants refuse to take care of you?" Fu Lianyin raised an eyebrow and angrily said, "Just wait until I get back; I'll deal with them."
"It's not that; I sent them away myself," Yun Jinxiu glanced at Fu Lianyin and Yun Kexin. "I'm old now; I want some peace and quiet."
"Third Uncle, what’s wrong?" Fu Lianyin asked cautiously.
She understood the principle of "the tiger's old power still lingers."
"Nothing much," Yun Jinxiu replied indifferently. "If you have business, go ahead; if not, just leave. This old bone of mine can still move."
"I... I heard that you, Master, are not going to court anymore?" Fu Lianyin hesitated for a moment before asking.
"Does it make a difference whether I go to court now or not?" Yun Jinxiu picked up Yun Kexin's water bottle again, watering the flowers while self-deprecatingly saying, "I’m afraid everyone is just wishing for my death!"
Fu Lianyin didn't know what to say, so she gave Yun Kexin a look, signaling her to speak and not remain so rudely silent.
"Third Uncle, why do you say that?" Yun Kexin asked out of desperation.
Yun Jinxiu glanced at the six-year-old girl in front of him, remained silent for a long time, and then mockingly said, "You women just don’t understand."
Again with that tone! Yun Kexin recalled that in her previous life, Yun Jinxiu had angrily accused Second House Master of being "weak," and Second Madam of being "useless." He even opposed her mother managing the household in front of their grandfather, insisting that it would be better for him to take charge instead, as he was actually eyeing the accounts.
"Third Uncle, Kexin is indeed a girl, but there are some things she does understand," Yun Kexin couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and injustice recalling how her mother had suffered under Yun Jinxiu's bullying in her past life. She retorted calmly, "What is most clear is that there is indeed retribution for good and evil in this world..."
"You... shut up!" Yun Jinxiu did not expect Yun Kexin to come back with such a statement. Hit where it hurt, he was so furious that he blew his beard and glared at her, unable to respond. He could only throw down the water bottle and angrily said, "Get out!"
"Take care, Third Uncle. Kexin takes her leave." Both Yun Kexin and Fu Lianyin left without greeting him, their faces as cold as water, leaving without fear.
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