Yu Changxuan wiped his face and was shocked to find his fingers stained red with rouge. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he hastily dropped to his knees. Yu Zhongquan trembled with rage, repeatedly shouting for the Family Law Enforcement Tools. Unable to wait, he snatched a duster from a nearby stand and began striking Changxuan fiercely. Madam Yu tried but failed to intervene as Changxuan endured several blows. Feigning pain with a theatrical "Aiyo!", he prompted Madam Yu to burst into tears. She clung to Yu Zhongquan, sobbing, "Please stop, Master! You're striking without restraint—if he's seriously injured, I won't live either!"
Yu Zhongquan fumed, "Indulgent mothers ruin sons! This worthless creature does nothing but indulge in pleasure and idleness, bringing nothing but disgrace to the Yu family. Better to beat him to death and be done with it!"
Seeing his unyielding fury, Madam Yu released him and wailed, "Then beat him to death! I've only ever had three sons—you sent Mingxuan and Yaoxuan, so young, to the battlefield where they both died. Now this last remaining heir is all I have left. I give up—just end him and sever the Yu family line, completing your household of martyrs!"
These words struck Yu Zhongquan's deepest wound. His resolve faltered, and he collapsed onto the sofa. Second Miss Jin Xuan had been standing outside the hall, not daring to enter, her own eyes reddened. Her husband Kuang Bingwen, once a senior staff officer in the Seventh War Zone, had died in battle in southern Yunnan two years earlier. As an orphan himself, Jin Xuan had returned to her maiden home with their son Kuang Zening, bearing her sorrows in solitude.
Hearing her mother's lament, Jin Xuan's heart ached, but she reminded herself not to aggravate the situation. Wiping away tears, she waited for the tension to ease before directing servants to help Changxuan out. Madam Yu followed, tearfully ordering the aide-de-camp downstairs to fetch a medic. After bustling about, Jin Xuan returned to find her father sitting alone in the hall. Yu Zhongquan looked up as she entered and asked, "How is your fifth brother?"
Jin Xuan replied, "No serious injuries—just some minor scrapes."
After a silent moment, Yu Zhongquan's paternal concern surfaced. He sighed deeply and said, "Fetch the Stasis-Resolving Balm from my study cabinet for him." Jin Xuan promptly agreed and retrieved the balm, delivering it to Changxuan's room while emphasizing it was from their father—making clear this round of discipline had ultimately proven futile.
Changxuan had actually sustained little more than a scratched forehead. Lying on the daybed, he watched Madam Yu weep nearby while his elder sister-in-law Jun Minru directed servants to bring medicine and water. Noticing Madam Yu's distress, Minru approached to comfort her: "Mother, please don't grieve. Thankfully Father still cares for Fifth Brother—these superficial wounds will heal with some ointment."Madam Yu nodded tearfully, "I've had such a hard life. I raised three sons with great effort, and now only this youngest one remains..." As she spoke, Minru's eyes also reddened. Jun Minru had been married into the Yu family for less than two months when Yu Mingxuan sacrificed his life in the defense of Sichuan.
At this thought, Madam Yu's heart ached. She nodded to Minru and sighed, "Our Yu family has failed you, I know this well." Minru replied, "We're all family here, there's no need to speak of failure. But seeing Fifth Master in this state—it's not just us who are heartbroken. Think of Dai Ti. You know how close she and Fifth Master have been since childhood. If she finds out, who knows how worried she'll be."
Madam Yu nodded again and murmured, "Indeed." Just then, hurried footsteps were heard outside as the sixth sister Qixuan rushed in. Seeing Yu Changxuan's condition and her mother and sister-in-law wiping tears with pained expressions, she declared loudly, "Mother, stop crying. Frankly, Fifth Brother deserves some discipline. Look at Xiao Beichen from the Xiao family—he's only a year or two older than Fifth Brother, yet he maneuvers through political circles with such skill. Now look at Fifth Brother—what has he become?"
Yu Changxuan had long been irritated by their meaningless chatter. He glared at Qixuan and snapped, "Can you leave? Just seeing you gives me a headache!"
Seeing Yu Changxuan's displeasure, Madam Yu immediately turned to her youngest daughter and chided mildly, "Qixuan, why must you always compare our modern family with those old-fashioned northern households? Be quiet now. Can't you hear your Fifth Brother has a headache? Hurry and leave."
Yu Changxuan closed his eyes impatiently, "I want to sleep. It's late, Mother, you should rest too." Seeing how weary he looked, Madam Yu decided not to disturb him further. She led Qixuan and Minru out, and upon exiting, instructed Zhu Ma, the housekeeper, "Take good care of Fifth Master. If he shows any discomfort, come find me immediately."
Zhu Ma quickly nodded in acknowledgment. Qixuan pouted beside her, "Favoritism." Madam Yu turned to her, "Can you say less? Don't bother your Fifth Brother these days unless necessary." Qixuan tossed her head, "Who cares about him? With Mother spoiling him like this, you'll ruin Fifth Brother sooner or later!" With that, she stormed downstairs in a huff.
Ye Pingjun watched her mother's health improve day by day, and since there was no need to stay in the hospital any longer—plus the daily expenses were high—she discussed with her mother the idea of taking medication home for recovery. They arranged with the doctor to be discharged the next day. The following day, she went to the hospital's accounting department to settle the bill, which came to nearly four hundred dollars. Ye Pingjun silently noted the amount. As she returned from accounting, she saw several Guards standing outside the ward, rifles on their backs, standing ramrod straight.
Gu Ruitong, standing by the corridor window, heard her footsteps and slowly turned. Spotting Ye Pingjun, he gave her a polite nod.The Hall of Prominence, situated before the West Gate, was typically bustling with activity, but this day it was unusually quiet. A full row of military police stood at its entrance, their imposing presence naturally awe-inspiring, while some attendants from the Yu Family Mansion stood outside the private room, their expressions silent and aloof.
When she entered the private room, Gu Ruitong closed the door behind her. The sound of it shutting made her heart tighten instantly. In the center of the room stood a large table laden with an array of delicacies, with Yu Changxuan seated at the head. He had just returned from the Parade Ground, still wearing his boots with spurs and military trousers, though he had removed his jacket and was only in a white shirt. Looking up and seeing Ye Pingjun standing there, he smiled and said, "Why are you standing there? Come, take a seat."
Ye Pingjun remained motionless. Seeing her reluctance, Yu Changxuan chuckled and said, "Very well, then I shall personally invite you to the table." With that, he stood up and walked toward her. Ye Pingjun immediately took a few steps forward and silently sat down at the table. Watching her settle, Yu Changxuan smiled, picked up an empty bowl nearby, and attentively served her a bowl of soup, placing it before her. "This ham and bamboo shoot soup is quite delicious. Try it," he said.
He then sat down beside her, his eyes dark as obsidian. He noticed she was wearing a lotus-root-colored dress with a small stand-up collar, exquisitely embroidered with carved patterns, accentuating her fair and graceful neck. He couldn't help but think how perfect that beautiful neck would be adorned with a string of pearls.
Gazing at her, he smiled gently and said, "I heard your mother is being discharged from the hospital, so I came specifically to fetch you both."
Ye Pingjun replied, "I dare not trouble Fifth Master. My mother is waiting for me downstairs. Once I've finished speaking with you, I'll return home with her."
Yu Changxuan smiled and said, "Don't go back to that crowded tenement of yours. That's no place for people to live. I've specially arranged a new place for you and your mother—a clean, small courtyard house. Do you like it? I'll also find a few people to attend to you and your mother."
Ye Pingjun responded calmly, "I dare not accept that either. I'm still thinking of how to repay you for the hospital expenses."
Yu Changxuan glanced at her features, a smug smile spreading across his handsome face. "Speaking of repayment is too distant, Miss Ye. You're a clever person, so why pretend to be oblivious? Surely you understand my feelings for you?"
Ye Pingjun lifted her clear, bright eyes to meet Yu Changxuan's gaze and replied distinctly, "Fifth Master, my boyfriend Jiang Xueting will be returning to the country soon."
Yu Changxuan merely smiled without a word, then picked up a bottle of foreign liquor and poured himself a glass. After taking a sip, Ye Pingjun said, "Fifth Master, if there's nothing else, I must return—" Before she could finish, Yu Changxuan set down his glass, raised his hand, and sniffed it lightly, remarking calmly, "How unfortunate. There's still a trace of bloodscent that won't wash away."
He then turned to Ye Pingjun and said softly, "I just fired a shot at the Parade Ground. It was a fine Thousand-Li Horse, and I quite liked it, but if it cannot be tamed, what use is keeping it?"Ye Pingjun looked into his dark eyes, his handsome face still wore a calm expression. She merely said, "Everything in this world follows its own destined path. If it is fated not to be yours, even if you take its life, it will never belong to you! In the end, all efforts will be in vain, amounting to nothing but emptiness."
Yu Changxuan let out a light laugh, "There's some truth in your words. Had I heard this earlier, perhaps that horse might still be alive. Unfortunately, I happen to be an unreasonable person, born with a natural tendency to disregard others' advice."
Ye Pingjun then lowered her head and took out a handful of cash from her pocket, placing it on the table along with several silver coins. "You paid for my mother's medical expenses. Here's some money—I'll return this portion first. Allow me to slowly find a way to repay the rest; I will clear the debt eventually." She turned to look outside and added, "My mother is waiting for me downstairs. I should go now, or she'll worry." As she made to stand up, Yu Changxuan set his wine glass down on the table with a light thud and said calmly, "Sit."
Though his words were neither loud nor harsh, they carried an undeniable force. Ye Pingjun glanced at Yu Changxuan and noticed his unpleasant expression. She smiled faintly and said, "I suddenly recall something Fifth Master once told me." Seeing her smile, Yu Changxuan also broke into a light laugh and whispered, "Is that so? Then I'm truly glad that you remember my words so well."
Pingjun continued with a smile, "Fifth Master's words were very wise. At the time, I was foolishly trying to catch two butterflies. Fifth Master said, 'Those are clearly a pair like Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. Why must you catch them and shatter their dream of flying side by side?' Reflecting on it now, it was truly a wake-up call."
The smile on Yu Changxuan's face vanished silently. He simply stared at her, his gaze piercing and cold. "You remember it all too clearly!"
His intense stare made Pingjun's heart tremble. For a moment, she felt so tense that her fingers tightened involuntarily, yet she forced herself to continue, "Fifth Master, girls from humble families like mine only aspire to support our husbands, raise our children, and lead honest, respectable lives as virtuous wives and mothers. We ask for nothing more. I beg you to be merciful and let me go!"
He fixed his gaze on her. Her face remained remarkably calm, though she slightly lowered her head. Loose strands of dark hair framed her snow-white cheek, and her jawline curved softly. Her tender lips glistened with a delicate rosy hue. Suddenly, his throat felt tight, as if parched with thirst. Instinctively, he grabbed his wine glass and took a large gulp before saying in a deep voice, "What is so good about that Jiang fellow?!"
Pingjun replied clearly, "He can give me an honorable status."
Even without looking up, she could feel his burning gaze. She had said enough and dared not continue. Rising to leave, her legs felt weak, and her heart raced wildly. The short distance from the table to the door seemed impossibly long, but she finally made it.
OpenNovel