In the main hall, seated upon the high dais were General Yun and Madam Yun.
Yun Si Yu stood beside Madam Yun, one hand held by the latter, chatting and laughing with her in an intimate manner.
Xiao Jin and Yin Suo stood on either side at the innermost part of the hall, heads bowed in silence, yet their exchanged glances carried a hint of anticipation for the drama about to unfold.
As soon as Yun Mu Jing entered, the smile on Madam Yun’s face instantly vanished.
“You wretched girl, kneel at once!” General Yun erupted in fury, snatching a teacup from the table and hurling it violently at Yun Mu Jing’s right chest.
“Ugh…” Yun Mu Jing’s skin had always been delicately nurtured, making it especially tender.
The bruises left by Mo Han Zhao the previous day had not yet faded, and now, struck by the teacup, pain brought tears to her eyes instantly.
She felt certain her skin must have broken.
“Father…” Yun Mu Jing forced herself forward, enduring the pain as she spoke with grievance.
“You dare feel aggrieved?” General Yun sneered coldly. “Servants witnessed you meeting with an outsider in secret. Is this true?”
Hearing this, Yun Mu Jing’s delicate, beautiful face turned deathly pale. She bit her lower lip lightly with her pearly teeth, opening her mouth as if to speak, yet no words came out.
But in the eyes of General Yun and Madam Yun, her reaction was a sign of guilt, further confirming the truth of Xiao Jin’s earlier words.
Finally, Yun Mu Jing’s eyes reddened, and she fell to her knees with a thud before General Yun. “Your daughter is willing to kneel, but I am only ashamed before my parents, not in my heart!”
“This matter has nothing to do with anyone else. If Father and Mother wish to punish, punish me alone!”
Just as Mo Han Zhao arrived near the hall, he caught sight of this scene from a distance, his body trembling involuntarily.
She truly had not betrayed him. Indeed, he had misunderstood Yun Mu Jing.
Mo Han Zhao pursed his lips, hesitating for a moment. Regardless of whether he would be exposed, he intended to step in and save her.
“Your Highness!” Yu Ning appeared just in time, kneeling before Mo Han Zhao and urgently pleading, “The young mistress instructed that Your Highness must not intervene to help her. If outsiders were to learn of Your Highness’s connection to her, it might implicate you.”
Mo Han Zhao was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized something. A complex expression crossed his handsome face. “Before entering the hall, she spoke mysteriously with you about this?”
“Yes. The young mistress understands that Your Highness’s heart belongs only to the Second Young Lady,” Yu Ning said, her voice choked with emotion. “She also knows Your Highness has a compassionate heart and might step in to save her.”
“But she hopes even more for Your Highness and the Second Young Lady to remain well, and not let discord arise because of her.”
“I beg Your Highness, for the sake of the Second Young Lady and for the young mistress’s sincere concern for you, to restrain yourself no matter what happens. Endure this moment and do not act impulsively.”
Mo Han Zhao clenched his fists tightly, feeling as though something heavy were pressing on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.
Just moments ago, he had even wanted to strangle Yun Mu Jing. Yet now, in such a situation, all she thought of was his predicament.
What despicable things had he done! Mo Han Zhao felt his mind in turmoil. Suddenly, his fists relaxed as if drained of strength, and he lowered his gaze, saying, “I understand. I will stay here and watch. I will not go.”
“Thank you, Your Highness, for caring for my young mistress.”
Mo Han Zhao’s usually cold, dark eyes now held a rare trace of worry as he gazed toward the direction of the hall.
“Fine! Still no sign of repentance!” General Yun’s anger surged even higher upon hearing this. “Guards, bring the family discipline!”
“Father…” Yun Mu Jing pleaded.
However, General Yun was completely unmoved. He took the whip handed to him by a servant and lashed it down fiercely!
The next second, a searing pain shot through Yun Mu Jing’s back. She cried out in agony and collapsed to the ground.
“Ah…”
“I’ve said it before—you, this wayward daughter, have been wandering outside for so many years. Who knows what you’ve learned from those unsavory characters out there?” General Yun scolded harshly.
“Your mother and I originally thought we could take the time to teach you proper manners and gradually set you straight,” General Yun continued, his anger growing with each word. “Who would have thought you’d be so stubborn and unrepentant?”
“Meeting a man in secret, and you still have the audacity to defend him! If you don’t tell me today who that shameless man you’re involved with is, don’t think you’ll get off easy!”
“Sooner or later, I’ll kill him and put an end to your foolish thoughts!”
Yun Mu Jing was in so much pain that a fine layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead, yet she still clenched her lips tightly, refusing to speak.
This so-called father of hers was truly ruthless!
Her body was already delicate, and after yesterday’s ordeal, she hadn’t yet recovered. Now, with this family discipline, her vision was growing dark, one shadow after another.
“Fine! Still playing tough, are you?” General Yun, enraged, lashed out with another whip. “Why can’t you be more like Yu’er and give your mother and me some peace of mind?”
Yun Mu Jing clenched her sleeves, feigning stubbornness, but inwardly sneered. She had been wandering outside since childhood, and her parents not only failed to care for her but even used Yun Si Yu to pressure her.
In their hearts, Yun Si Yu was probably their real daughter.
Seeing that Yun Mu Jing seemed on the verge of collapse, Yun Si Yu began to grow restless.
She couldn’t let Yun Mu Jing be beaten too badly—what if Prince Yu found her undesirable and rejected her?
Thinking this, Yun Si Yu quickly approached General Yun and earnestly advised, “Father, please stop. What’s done is done. Even if you beat Eldest Sister to death, it won’t change anything.”
“After all, Eldest Sister is your own flesh and blood. Please spare her!”
With Yun Si Yu’s intervention, General Yun’s expression softened slightly. He cast a cold glance at Yun Mu Jing before turning to Yun Si Yu with a gentle tone. “You’re the sensible one.”
“Since Jing’er returned, she’s taken your place, yet you don’t resent her and even plead for her.”
A bitter ache welled up in Yun Mu Jing’s throat. She was the true daughter of the Yun family, yet her father said… she had taken Yun Si Yu’s place.
“But when I look at this wayward daughter, she’s truly obstinate. Meeting a man in secret, and even bringing him into the estate!” General Yun scoffed. “Who knows where that man touched her after spending so much time with her yesterday!”
“Exactly! You may not care about your reputation, Jing’er, but our Yu’er still needs hers!” Madam Yun added, equally furious. “Yu’er and the Crown Prince are deeply in love, and she is destined to marry him in the future!”
“If your reputation is tarnished, it will surely affect the royal family’s impression of our household. If anything goes wrong with Yu’er’s marriage because of this, I…” At this point, Madam Yun was overwhelmed with distress.
“What will become of my Yu’er!”
Heaven knows how much she regretted letting Yun Mu Jing into this household when she woke up in the morning and heard the entire mansion buzzing with rumors of Yun Mu Jing secretly meeting an outsider!
Yun Si Yu had initially been pleading for Yun Mu Jing, but upon hearing that it might affect her own marriage prospects, she deliberately reddened her eyes and added fuel to the fire, saying, “Father, Mother, the Crown Prince and I are truly in love. In this lifetime, I will only marry His Highness!”
“If it’s not His Highness, then… then I’ll never marry at all!”
“What nonsense are you talking!” Madam Yun scolded Yun Si Yu with a glare.
“Mother…”
“Enough. Marrying the Crown Prince brings honor to our General’s Mansion. We won’t let anyone or anything affect your engagement with His Highness.” With that, Madam Yun kicked General Yun twice and said coldly,
“You’re the general. Hurry up and think of a solution for our precious Yu’er. We absolutely cannot let Jing’er’s disgraceful behavior ruin Yu’er’s future!”
Seeing General Yun looking utterly overwhelmed, Yun Si Yu curled her lips into a triumphant smile and seized the opportunity to say, “If we can find a reliable match for my sister and marry her off quickly, this matter will be much easier to handle.”
“After all, if her husband’s family doesn’t mind, what can outsiders possibly say?”