Yu Ange’s gaze turned cold. Old Madame Yu’s words not only sowed discord between her and her father but also accused her father of being unfilial in front of Shang Qingyan and several attendants.
Dayin ruled the land with filial piety. In her past life, her father had been branded with the stigma of unfilial conduct because of Old Madame Yu’s calculated remarks.
Yu Ange said, “Ah, it was all because of that time my sister had a high fever. It frightened my father so much. He knew there were many children in the household, and although Grandmother meant well in caring for them, oversights were inevitable. That’s why he had no choice but to take us away. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been willing to leave the prosperity and luxury of Shengjing. But even though my father couldn’t return due to his imperial duties, he still worried about you. That’s why he sent me back to attend to you during your illness.”
It was ironic. Her father had left her and her brother in Shengjing precisely because he feared the harsh conditions at the border and didn’t want them to suffer.
But her father never expected that Old Madame Yu, with her pious words and venomous heart, could be so cruel as to harm even young children.
That time, when her fever wouldn’t break, all the physicians in Yu Fu were summoned to Shouchuntang by Old Madame Yu under the pretext of her own headache. Her brother wanted to leave the estate to find a doctor for her, but the servants stopped him, claiming it was too dangerous to go out at night.
Truly, heaven and earth offered no refuge.
Although she survived that night, she forgot some things.
When her father received the letter at the border, he could no longer hold back. He rode day and night back to the capital, forcefully took her and her brother away, and it was said he even had a fierce argument with Old Madame Yu in the ancestral hall.
Beside her, Xiang Yi recalled the night she married into Yu Fu. Second Master Yu lifted her bridal veil, called her ugly, and then went off to frolic in his concubine’s quarters.
It was Yu Ting, the eldest brother, who angrily dragged Second Master Yu back, forced him to apologize to her, and ultimately made him stay in her room, saving her face.
Xiang Yi felt inclined to say a few good words on Yu Ting’s behalf: “Yes, Elder Brother is filial. Even though he’s stationed at the border and can’t return, doesn’t he send gifts home every year to show his devotion?”
Old Madame Yu rebuked lightly, “Who gave you the right to speak here?”
Xiang Yi fell silent at once. She held little status in the household and could only lower her head in apology.
Yu Ange’s expression turned cold. Her second aunt was gentle-natured and the only elder in the household who genuinely cared for her and her brother.
But her temperament was too soft. In her past life, when Second Uncle, in his pursuit of advancement, wanted to marry Yu Wanyun off as a replacement wife to a prince in his forties, Second Aunt strongly opposed it but to no avail. She was even placed under house arrest.
In the end, Yu Wanyun married in tears and, not long after, was tormented to death by that prince. When Second Aunt found out, she went mad but was powerless to seek justice for her daughter. She eventually hanged herself.
Yu Ange said, “I wonder how Second Uncle and Third Uncle fulfill their duties as sons, allowing Grandmother to remain bedridden for so long. No matter how busy they are with official matters, they shouldn’t neglect you.”
Old Madame Yu’s expression stiffened. With a simple sentence, Yu Ange had shifted the label of unfilial conduct onto Second Uncle and Third Uncle. After all, while the eldest branch was far away at the border and unable to help, the second and third branches were right here in Yu Fu.
Old Madame Yu said, “Your Second Uncle and Third Uncle are both filial. It’s just that my health is failing.”
Shang Qingyan coughed twice and seized the moment to ask, “I’ve met the two Madames Yu, but the two Masters Yu haven’t made an appearance.”
No one in Yu Fu had expected that Nanchuanwang would not only bring Yu Ange back but also enter Yu Fu along with her.
Old Madame Yu quickly said, “They will be back soon! They must have been delayed by official duties. This old woman has already sent someone to call them back to pay their respects to Your Highness.”
At that moment, Third Master Yu Qing, who was outside, received the news and hurried back, naturally seeing Wei Shuimei being punished.
Wei Shuimei had been slapped countless times. Her once pretty face was swollen like fermented dough, her cheeks bruised purple, with blood trickling from the corners of her mouth and nose.
The eunuchs struck with ruthless force. After so many blows to the face, it was certain to be disfigured.
Wei Shuimei had been beaten into a daze, but upon seeing Yu Qing, she regained a flicker of consciousness, tears glistening in her eyes as if she had found a lifeline. However, with a handkerchief stuffed in her mouth, she could only whimper and sob.
On his way back, Yu Qing had heard the full story of Wei Shuimei’s punishment. Though furious at her foolishness, he could not simply stand by. He immediately rushed over, bowing and scraping to Pan De, saying, “This foolish woman is ignorant. I beg Eunuch Pan to spare her life!”
Pan De looked at Yu Qing with a hollow smile. “Third Master Yu, it is not that I am heartless, but your wife has offended Her Majesty the Empress. If the punishment is too light, I will have a hard time explaining it to Her Majesty.”
Though Pan De was a eunuch, he served by the Emperor’s side. Yu Qing could only flatter him, not afford to offend him. Despite his reluctance, he pulled a gold ingot from his sleeve and slipped it into Pan De’s hand. Then, he turned to a servant and said, “Go and fetch that painting by Hanzhou Sanren from the treasury and deliver it to Eunuch Pan’s residence!”
Paintings by Hanzhou Sanren were priceless and highly sought after by scholars and connoisseurs. Yu Qing felt a pang of regret, but the matter was neither too serious nor too trivial—it all depended on the word of Pan De and his fellow eunuchs. Thus, he had no choice but to make this sacrifice.
Only then did Pan De’s smile become more genuine. “Oh, Master Yu, what is this for?”
Yu Qing wore a troubled expression. “Eunuch Pan, as you know, I am a vulgar man. I happened to acquire a calligraphy and painting by Hanzhou Sanren but cannot tell if it is genuine. I must trouble you to examine it for me when you return to your residence.”
Pan De tucked the gold into his sleeve. “Very well, I do have some expertise in calligraphy and painting.”
As he spoke, the eunuch beating Wei Shuimei finally stopped.
Freed from restraint, Wei Shuimei collapsed to the ground, her face smeared with tears and blood. Even after the handkerchief was removed from her mouth, she could not speak, writhing and squirming on the ground like a maggot.
Despite this, Yu Qing still had to express his profuse gratitude to Pan De. “Thank you, Eunuch, for your mercy!”
Pan De raised a hand. “Master Yu must keep your wife in check. Some words, once spoken, become a source of calamity. I can only help you this far.”
Yu Qing’s face paled. Just then, Second Master Yu Ying also hurried back. After bidding farewell to Pan De, Yu Qing followed his elder brother to pay respects to Nanchuanwang.
Yu Qing was a clever man. As soon as he entered, he first performed a deep bow to Shang Qingyan. “My foolish wife is dull-witted. This time, she spoke carelessly. Thank you, Your Highness, for pointing it out and administering a small punishment to teach her a lesson.”
Shang Qingyan took a leisurely sip of tea. “It was not my intention to punish her, but Her Majesty the Empress’s dignity and majesty cannot be lightly offended.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Qing immediately kowtowed. “My wife certainly did not mean that…”
Shang Qingyan feigned a cough to interrupt Yu Qing. “Enough. Her Majesty the Empress is magnanimous and will surely not hold it against Third Madam Yu.”
The implication was to firmly pin the remark about “a mere vice-minister’s concubine-born daughter” on Her Majesty the Empress.
Yu Ange listened to their verbal sparring from the side, silently marveling at Shang Qingyan’s deep cunning.
Even the simplest of sentences could be used by him as a stepping stone.