Yun Qingqing took the ledger without surprise and flipped through it together with Madam Yun.
After just a few glances, Madam Yun’s face turned cold with rage:
“Who gave them the nerve! Do they truly think I’m dead?!”
“Someone! Gather everyone in the estate to the council hall at once. It’s time to settle the score with the second branch!”
West Courtyard.
“Second Madam, something terrible has happened! Madam Yun, she… she has woken up!”
“What?!” Madam Liu exclaimed in shock.
She had already been distressed that Madam Yun not only hadn’t died but had even stabilized, and now, less than two hours later, her Wooden Rigidity Syndrome was cured as well?
Before she could fully digest this shocking news, another group of people entered the courtyard—it was the attendants from the Regent’s Mansion.
Accompanying them was a servant under Yun Zhiping’s command, who rushed into the room and said:
“It’s terrible! The Regent’s Mansion has uncovered Second Master’s private accounts. Madam Yun is furious and has ordered everyone in the estate to gather for a meeting! The master and young miss have already gone. They’re only waiting for you.”
Madam Liu listened in stunned silence, unable to react for a long while.
The maid, He’er, was also frightened and cautiously asked:
“Madam, what… what should we do now?”
Madam Liu’s eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
He’er cried out in alarm, instructing the servants to quickly fetch a physician, and said:
“Madam has fainted. How can she attend the meeting? Just report the truth!”
The servant was also startled by Madam Liu’s collapse and agreed to leave.
But just then, Nanzheng stepped forward with the attendants from the Regent’s Mansion and said:
“Hold on. The one who gave the order is my lord’s mother-in-law. She specifically instructed that no one from the West Courtyard is to be absent. Since this woman has fainted, just drag her over.”
With a wave of his hand, he added: “Hurry up and drag her away!”
He’er and the servants were terrified, too afraid to intervene.
Lying on the ground, Madam Liu’s eyelids twitched. She groaned twice and slowly regained consciousness, holding her forehead with a pitiful expression:
“I was overwhelmed with anger just now. I apologize for the embarrassment. He’er, help me over to see what’s going on. I believe the master isn’t that kind of person. There must be some misunderstanding here!”
Nanzheng was unsurprised by her feigned faint and sneered:
“Second Madam, after you.”
Council Hall.
Second Madam was the last to arrive. Yun Zhiping and Yun Bai Lian both looked pale, while the old master sat in the head seat with a grim expression.
What made Madam Liu tremble the most was that seated in the high position to the old master’s right was none other than Madam Yan Jinghua! And that was the seat reserved for the head mistress of the household!
Seeing everyone assembled, Yan Jinghua slammed the table and roared angrily:
“Yun Zhiping! When the old master was alive, he treated your family generously. It has only been a few years since his passing, yet you took advantage of my illness as the head mistress to commit such deeds!”
“You set up dual account books, pretending incompetence to make the Yun Estate’s businesses incur losses year after year, while secretly pocketing all the profits!”
“You unjustly withheld the monthly allowances for me and my daughter, yet your own wife and daughter lived in luxury and extravagance! You even embezzled most of the old master’s expenses under false pretenses to subsidize your second branch!”
“Now, every single one of these deeds is clearly recorded in the account books from your study. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Yun Zhiping broke out in a cold sweat, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
With the people from the Regent’s Mansion watching him like hawks, he didn’t dare to act defiant even if he wanted to!
Lady Liu was also dumbfounded. She had thought that the First Madam had been bedridden in a coma for years and had even been cursed with the Soul-Stealing Curse. Even if she woke up one day, she wouldn’t have the energy to handle these matters and would need to rest and recuperate properly.
At that time, all she had to do was stir up trouble, and Yan Jinghua might become too exhausted to cope, or even faint from anger again. Then, there would be room for maneuver.
Who would have thought that she appeared full of vitality, showing no signs of weakness at all? Moreover, her temperament had become so imposing, even more difficult to deal with than before she contracted Wooden Rigidity Syndrome!
Before she could come up with a countermeasure, Yan Jinghua spoke coldly:
“Hah, I suppose you have no way to quibble! In that case…”
Just as she was halfway through her sentence, she was suddenly interrupted by an announcement from the doorway:
“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived! His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”
Everyone in the hall was startled. Why had the Empress and the Crown Prince come?
Yan Jinghua and Yun Qingqing exchanged glances, both finding it inexplicable and frowning. However, since the Empress and the Crown Prince had arrived, they had no choice but to welcome them. They helped Old Master Yun up and prepared to lead the Yun Estate’s household to greet them.
But before Old Master Yun could fully rise, the Empress and the Crown Prince had already strode in.
Her Majesty the Empress was beaming with joy and spoke kindly:
“Old Master Yun is advanced in years, there’s no need to welcome us. This consort and the Crown Prince have come to discuss a matter.”
The entire Yun Estate was astonished and thrilled by her courteous attitude.
Old Master Yun should have been overwhelmed by the honor, but after the events of the day—the Regent King personally coming to propose marriage, his eldest granddaughter impressing the old divine physician, and his eldest daughter-in-law returning from the brink of death—he was genuinely somewhat numb.
He appeared remarkably composed, bowing expressionlessly as he said:
“What instructions do Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness the Crown Prince have, gracing us with your presence?”
From the moment she entered, the Empress had been watching the State Preceptor’s expressions behind her. She saw him scan the hall before his gaze settled on one spot, stroking his beard and nodding.
She immediately followed his line of sight and saw a young woman standing gracefully, her appearance as fresh as a lotus emerging from water, secretly glancing at the Crown Prince and blushing.
In contrast, Yun Qingqing was so ugly it made one nauseous. How could such a trash-like woman possibly be the Heavenly Vision Fate capable of supporting the True Dragon?
After personally visiting and comparing them, the Empress’s last doubts were completely dispelled.
Yun Bai Lian was the Heavenly Phoenix, without a doubt!
As long as the Crown Prince married her, there would be no more need to worry about that useless Regent King!