Chapter 125: The Dream Was Real
The next morning, Yun Chu went to the Yun residence to finalize Ting Shuang's marriage arrangement.
Yu Ke's mother was a trusted matron serving Lin Shi, while his father was the chief steward of the Yun family's outer courtyard. Both were Household Servants who had served the Yun family their entire lives. They had requested a special favor to have Yu Ke's Servitude status removed early, allowing him to train at the military camp outside the city.
"Let's set the wedding for half a month from now—it's an auspicious day," Mother Yu said with a beaming smile. "Our Yu family has bought a small house outside the city, spacious enough for the couple and any future children. It'll be convenient for Yu Ke to go to the military camp and for Ting Shuang to serve the young mistress."
Commoners didn't have as many complicated rituals and procedures for weddings as noble families. Once both parties agreed, the bride could enter the household at any time.
After settling the date, a weight seemed to lift from Yun Chu's heart.
She then headed to Yun Silin's study. Two guards were stationed at the door—one was her father's deputy general, and the other, whom she recognized, was often seen guarding Prince Pingxi.
"Young Mistress, the General and Prince Pingxi are discussing important matters. Please wait in the side hall for a moment."
Yun Chu nodded and entered the side hall to sit and drink tea.
She had only just sat down when the study door opened. Yun Silin escorted Chu Yi out, saying, "Your Highness's concerns are indeed valid. Who knows when this summer will end? So many have died from the heat. Thankfully, we still get occasional heavy rains, or the crops would have withered, and who knows how many riots would have broken out."
Chu Yi replied, "Once His Majesty's decree is issued, I will return to discuss further with the General."
Months of extreme heat had caused countless deaths, and many commoners outside the city had gathered to protest. Though less dangerous than bandits, they still spread panic.
The Emperor would surely issue an order for him to suppress the unrest. These were ordinary civilians—he couldn't approach them with the same tactics used against armed bandits. That was why he had come to seek advice from the Pillar of the Nation Great General.
As he prepared to leave, he glanced up and noticed a bright figure sitting in the adjacent side hall.
It seemed he didn't need to try hard to spot her presence.
"Right, right! I have a favor to ask you too," Yun Silin clapped his forehead. "My daughter has been learning martial arts lately, and I've been wanting to find her a suitable weapon. As a prince, you have many connections—could you handle this for me?"
Chu Yi asked, "Might I inquire what kind of weapon Miss Yun prefers?"
The address "Miss Yun" rolled off his tongue much more naturally than "Madam Xie.Yun Silin, being straightforward, saw nothing odd about the title and waved toward Yun Chu. "Chu'er, come here!"
Yun Chu set down her teacup, emerged from the side hall, descended the steps, and approached. "Greetings, Your Highness."
Yun Silin said bluntly, "Chu'er, I've asked His Highness to find you a weapon. Just tell him what you like."
Yun Chu was at a loss for words.
She had already troubled Prince Pingxi with business matters, and now her father was asking a prince to handle such a trivial task as finding a weapon...
"There's no need to trouble Your Highness," she declined. "As a beginner, any fine weapon would be wasted on me."Chu Yi spoke: "Five years ago, when I accompanied General Yun to the western frontier, it was General Yun who found the Fangtian Halberd for me. Now, I'm seeking a weapon for General Yun's daughter—consider it repaying this favor."
Afraid Yun Chu might refuse again, he cupped his hands in farewell and left.
"Father, how could you let His Highness do such a thing?" Yun Chu massaged her forehead. "Don't you know your daughter's capabilities? What use do I have for such a fine weapon?"
Yun Silin laughed heartily: "It's precisely because your skills are lacking that you need a powerful weapon for protection. Prince Pingxi and I share a life-and-death bond, so don't feel burdened."
Since he put it that way, Yun Chu set the matter aside.
She followed Yun Silin into the study, took a piece of paper from her sleeve, and handed it to him.
Yun Silin unfolded the paper, glanced at it, and his expression immediately changed: "Chu'er, are these all events that will occur in your dreams?"
Yun Chu nodded.
Yun Silin's face was filled with astonishment.
The paper contained matters concerning the Yun family—though the specific timings were somewhat vague, the causes, processes, and outcomes of each event were clearly detailed.
Generally, people's dreams are hazy. Most forget their dreams upon waking, and even if they remember, rarely with such clarity.
Initially, he hadn't believed in his daughter's dreams, but the content on this paper felt far too real.
Just then, a servant's voice came from outside the study: "General, the clan elders have arrived, saying they have urgent matters to discuss."
Yun Silin folded the paper: "Come, Chu'er, let's go hear what this is about."
In his heart, his daughter remained a member of the Yun family. Since the clan elders had come, it was natural to meet these elders.
As Yun Chu followed him to the main hall, she heard weeping before even entering.
A woman from a collateral branch was clutching her mother Lin Shi's hand, crying: "Qin'er has suffered so much. In the half year since her marriage, she's been beaten almost daily... one of her legs has been broken. If she stays with the Fang family any longer, she'll lose her life..."
Yun Chu and Yun Silin exchanged glances.
The first event written on her paper was precisely about Yun Qin from a collateral branch seeking divorce.
Yun Silin's heart was struck with extreme shock.
The Yun family had far too many collateral branches. That it was this specific person, seeking divorce, at this exact moment—everything matched perfectly.
This meant Chu'er's dream was real!
Everything in the dream would happen!
"Madam, I beg you to intervene—help Qin'er obtain a divorce and escape the Fang family!"
As soon as the woman spoke these words, the group of clan elders seated nearby immediately voiced opposition.
"In the Yun family's one to two hundred years in the capital, there has never been a divorce. If one woman divorces, all Yun women's marriages will be affected."
"Now that the General has returned to the capital and the Emperor personally welcomed him, even the palace princes show him respect. The Fang family should exercise some restraint."
"How about this: several elders and Madam will visit the Fang family together to pressure them. Such incidents surely won't recur."
"I agree with this approach."
"This is the way."
The clan elders unanimously approved this plan.
Among these elders, only one was male—the rest were elderly women, as Yun men tended to die early.
Yun Silin strode into the hall, and the room immediately fell silent.Lin Shi spoke up, "General, you must have heard just now—the Fang family actually dared to mistreat our Yun family’s married daughter. I plan to go to the Fang residence now with the clan elders. What do you think?"
Yun Silin snorted.
Chu’er had written clearly on the paper: after the Yun family pressured the Fang family, they did indeed quiet down for a while.
But after he left the capital, the Fang family grew bold again—they actually struck Yun Qin blind in one eye. For various reasons, however, she still couldn’t obtain a divorce. In the end, he found an excuse to send that scoundrel from the Fang family to handle affairs in the Western Frontier, where he remained for the rest of his life, never returning to the capital.
Breaking one leg wasn’t enough—now she had to lose an eye too? There’s no justice in that.
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