Chapter 261: The Yun Family's New Year's Eve Feast
As the year drew to a close, affairs grew increasingly hectic.
Yun Chu busied herself daily with various trivial matters, and soon it was the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month.
For many years, the Yun family had attended the imperial New Year's Eve banquet on this day, so their family reunion feast was always held at noon.
Clad in a cloak, Yun Chu trudged through wind and snow to the entrance of the Yun residence.
Many clan members had already arrived, gathered in small groups chatting in the hall. Due to the cold weather, Old General Yun had claimed illness and did not attend.
The great hall was filled with numerous tables where men, women, and children found their seats.
Although the Yun family had encountered troubles and the family head's fate remained unknown, the Emperor had not formally revoked the title of Pillar of the Nation Great General. Thus, everyone maintained relatively calm composure.
"Our Yun family enjoys ancestral protection—the family head will surely overcome this disaster," declared the eldest clan elder, raising his cup. "So long as we Yuns remain united, we will certainly surmount this low point." Come, let us drink together."
All raised their glasses in celebration.
After everyone was seated, Yun Ze lifted his gaze to Yun Run sitting below him and asked mildly, "What has Cousin Run been occupied with lately?"
Yun Run replied with cultured courtesy, "Merely attending daily court sessions."
"I heard Cousin Run has been rather close with Gongsun Ning, the eldest son of the Gongsun family, these past few days," Yun Ze said with a faint, ambiguous smile. "Could you share what you've been discussing?"
Yun Run's face stiffened.
He had only met Gongsun Ning twice, both times discreetly—how had Yun Ze learned of it?
Pursing his lips, he retorted, "Yun Ze, though you are the legitimate eldest son of the main branch, that doesn't grant you the right to surveil other Yun family members, does it?"
"There's no need to surveil you," Yun Ze's expression gradually cooled. "Gongsun Ning privately told others that the Yun family agreed to marry the legitimate eldest daughter of the main branch to him as a second wife. Was it not you, Cousin Run, who promised him this?"
At these words, the faces of all Yun clansmen in the hall changed.
During the previous palace banquet, Gongsun Ning had attempted to harass Yun Chu but failed, leading the Emperor to confer upon her the title of Fifth Rank Worthy Person—a matter known throughout the capital.
Gongsun Ning had trampled upon the Yun family's dignity with his misconduct.
No Yun family member should have any further dealings with such a person.
Yet Yun Run had actually promised Gongsun Ning that Yun Chu would marry him?
The Yun family erupted in outrage.
"What right do you have to agree to this?"
"Even Yun Ze has no authority to decide Yun Chu's marriage."
"What exactly are you scheming to gain?"
Amid the barrage of accusations, Yun Run sprang to his feet, protesting, "I did no such thing! I didn't!"
Lin Shi's face was icy. "Then explain why you met with Gongsun Ning."
"Gongsun Ning sought me out," Yun Run struggled to say. "He claimed he has long admired Yun Chu and hoped I would persuade Aunt to marry her to him, but I refused!"
"Why approach you and not someone else?" Liu Qianqian interjected calmly. "And to seek you out repeatedly—what made him believe you would agree to this?"
Yun Run fell silent.
It was because he had been covertly maneuvering to restore official positions for other Yun family members. He wanted the clan to witness his capabilities, to prove to everyone that he surpassed Yun Ze.
He had desires, so Gongsun Ning came to him with an exchange.
He knew perfectly well that Yun Chu could not marry into the Gongsun family, yet he had not explicitly refused. Instead, he deliberately strung Gongsun along to gain leverage...
Who could have known that after just two meetings, Yun Ze would uncover it?During the family reunion dinner, she had directly confronted him, leaving him with no way to save face.
"This matter is all a misunderstanding," Third Aunt Yun stepped forward. "That Gongsun Ning fellow was just using our Yun Run to tarnish Yun Chu's reputation, hoping to leave her with no choice but to marry him. It's true that Yun Run was at fault—he fell into Gongsun Ning's trap. Yun Run, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to your aunt and Yun Chu."
Yun Run poured a cup of tea, approached, and handed it to Lin Shi. "Aunt, I was wrong. I will never see Gongsun Ning again."
Then he turned to Yun Chu. "I failed to consider your reputation as your cousin. I'm sorry."
Third Aunt Yun smiled to smooth things over. "Since Run'er has apologized, let's consider this matter settled. Haha, everyone, please continue eating and drinking. Don't let such a small matter spoil the mood."
After speaking, she dragged Yun Run directly outside. The smile vanished from her face as she rolled up her sleeves and started hitting him. "I saved your face in front of so many people earlier! Look at you—a grown man nearly thirty years old—how could you do something so absurd!"
Yun Run covered his head and dodged the blows.
"I know you want to climb higher. I know you want to become the head of the Yun family. It's fine to compete within the family, but why drag outsiders into it? The Gongsun family is the Empress's maternal family! Do you want the Empress's faction to laugh at the Yun family? Although the Yun family has faced some troubles recently, we've stood in the capital for two hundred years—fifty or sixty years longer than that Gongsun family! How could we let them mock us?"
"Listen to me, child: one must strive for dignity in life, but never lose one's integrity!"
Yun Run nodded repeatedly. "Mother, I understand! I understand!"
When he looked up and saw Yun Chu and Yun Ze standing under the corridor, he immediately straightened up, afraid they would witness his embarrassment.
"Hahaha!" Third Aunt Yun forced a dry laugh. "There were mosquitoes on him. I was just swatting them away."
She quickly pulled Yun Run back inside, lowering her voice. "Go drink more with the clan elders and build connections. You need to outshine Yun Ze..."
Yun Ze turned to Yun Chu. "Chu'er, what do you think?"
"Cousin Run simply made a foolish move because he wanted to compete with you, brother," Yun Chu said with a smile. "Third Aunt usually stirs up trouble all the time, so I never expected her to have such broad perspective. With a mother like that, her child probably won't stray too far off course—though one can never be sure."
Yun Ze nodded.
Recently, while building Yun Chu's intelligence network, he had learned of Yun Run's activities. He knew very well that Yun Run had not agreed to Gongsun Ning's scheme.
Bringing it up today was meant as a warning to Yun Run, hoping he would stop before going too far down the wrong path.
After the Yun family's luncheon, Yun Chu returned to her courtyard to change clothes, then took a carriage to the palace for the New Year's Eve banquet.
As a Fifth Rank Consort, stripped of the Yun family's prestige, she held the lowest rank among all attendees at the palace banquet.
Just as she arrived at the palace gates, she encountered Du Ling.
"Chuchu, you've grown even more captivatingly beautiful," Du Ling praised. "Look at your complexion—rosy and fair, like a young maiden."
Du Ying, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "Sister Yun has a spring breeze-like freshness about her."
Yun Chu: "..."These past few days, I've often been staying with Chu Yi, and somehow I feel a bit guilty—what's going on?
She coughed lightly and said, "Ling Ling, didn't you say Xiao Ying's fiancé is ill? I wrote to Qingzhou and received a reply. Divine Doctor Si has indeed gone traveling, but Xiao Ying's fiancé's condition was recorded in his medical records. Divine Doctor Si's disciple will bring the records to the capital, and we can have him take a look then."
Divine Doctor Si's disciple is none other than Young Master Wu.
Young Master Wu has been ill for over twenty years, which can be considered as "long illness makes a doctor." Combined with his natural talent and Divine Doctor Si's personal guidance, he has undergone a remarkable transformation in just half a year.
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