Chapter - 4

Seeing the grandson she was so proud of, the matriarch's fierce expression immediately softened. She raised her hand and said, "Sit down and chat with me. We'll talk about those troublesome matters when your mother arrives."

Yu Pinyan smiled and sat across from the matriarch to make tea for her.

Half a quarter of an hour later, the Lin Clan arrived. She didn't have any hairpins on her head, only a white velvet flower on her temples. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had cried again.

The matriarch drank her tea and said without looking up, "Junjie has passed away for ten years. Who are you trying to impress by wearing mourning? You're bringing bad luck to the house! "The matriarch disliked this daughter-in-law of hers very much. When her son was alive, she didn't allow him to take concubines, causing the Marquis Household to wither away. After her son's death, she ran away from reality, leaving behind her son, daughter, and large family business. She only knew how to cry to the heavens.

Fortunately, she was still healthy and could handle the household chores. Fortunately, her grandson lived up to her expectations and supported the family. Otherwise, the Marquis Yongle would have long been carved up by those jackals and tigers. She wouldn't even have a place to cry!

When she thought of this, the matriarch's expression became even more disgusted. She slammed the teacup on the table.

The Lin Clan trembled and hurriedly bowed.

Yu Pinyan took out a handkerchief and wiped the hot tea that had accidentally splashed onto the back of his grandmother's hand. He smiled faintly, as if he didn't see his mother's pleading gaze. To him, on the day his father died, his mother also died at the same time. Now, his mother was only a spirit temporarily staying in the world of the living. Sooner or later, she would reunite with his father. Although these words were unpleasant to hear, he had heard his mother say them countless times since he was five years old. Slowly, he lost his expectations for her.

Her heart couldn't hold anyone other than her dead husband. Even that cold memorial tablet was more important than the flesh and blood she had given birth to after ten months of pregnancy. Oh, no, he couldn't say that now. His sister, who had led a wandering life, could still be compared to the memorial tablet.

Yu Pinyan's smile deepened, but his eyes darkened.

The old lady patted the back of her grandson's hand and said, "Let's sit down and talk."

Lin Clan members nodded with tears in their eyes. They sat down next to the old lady and asked, "Pinyan, have you found your sister?"

Xiang'er was carried back to the residence, covered in blood. Her legs were crippled just like that, but she did not even look at her, nor did she ask anything. If he was the one in trouble, how would she react? Could she shed a tear for him?

Thinking of this, Yu Pinyan suddenly felt bored. He picked up the teacup and played with it carefully. He said carelessly, "Back then, you only knew that their surname was Shen, they had a Lingnan accent, and they were businessmen. You didn't know anything else. The world is so big, I'm afraid I won't be able to find it in a short period of time. Mother, please wait patiently. Moreover, Little Sister's orchid birthmark is on her wrist. How can it be easily seen by outsiders? Finding it is even more difficult. "

"Then how long do we have to wait?" The Lin Clan was anxious and stared at their son. "I can wait, but your sister can't! She's the dignified daughter of the Marquis Family, but she was taken to a lowly businessman's house. I don't know what kind of miserable life she has been living. Pinyan, she's your blood-related sister. You should be more careful! "

Yu Pinyan raised his eyebrows and said calmly, "I know."

"Sure, sure. Hurry up and find her! That Shen family is all black-hearted and rotten. They gave birth to a jinx and secretly swapped her with our family. They caused your father's death and your sister's suffering. If I find them, I'll make them wish they were dead! "The Lin Clan said through gritted teeth." And that jinx, why did you bring her back? Hurry up and send her away! If she didn't have evil in her life and jinx you, you wouldn't have met the bandits! The sooner you send her away, the sooner our family can be at peace! "

A few years ago, the Lin Clan hired a traveling monk to tell Yu Xiang's fortune. That monk said that Yu Xiang would jinx his six relatives, kill seven people at the end of the year, and sit in a place of death. He was truly a jinx that was hard to come by in a hundred years. Wherever he entered, that family would have endless natural disasters. The Lin Clan believed this without a doubt. Ever since then, they avoided Yu Xiang and even used peach wood to make many demon-suppressing talismans, which they hung in Yu Xiang's room.

The old madam was a Buddhist believer and was influenced by the monk. She didn't like this granddaughter of hers. However, she was born into a large family after all. She valued rules and couldn't bring herself to treat her granddaughter harshly. She only treated her granddaughter slightly better, but she didn't give her granddaughter any less than she deserved.

When she heard the Lin Clan's words, the old madam didn't say anything. She picked up the Buddhist prayer beads on the table and silently recited scriptures.

Yu Pinyan also picked up a string of Buddhist prayer beads and absent-mindedly played with them. He slowly said, "If it weren't for Xiang 'er blocking two knives for me, I would've been seriously injured, if not dead. Moreover, Xiang 'er has been in our family for ten years. Our Prefecture Yu has gradually walked out of its decline and flourished with each passing day. When has it ever suffered the slightest bit of disaster? If you ask me, Xiang 'er isn't a jinx. On the contrary, she's my lucky star. She treats me like her own older brother and risked her life to save me. I also treat her like my own younger sister and protect her well. Even if I find my younger sister in the future, I won't send her away. Mother, don't force me to be an ungrateful villain. "

When the Lin Clan heard this, their beautiful faces twisted. Just as they were about to retort, the old madam spoke up, "Yan 'er is right. One shouldn't forget one's roots. Yu Xiang saved Yan 'er, which is equivalent to saving the Marquis Household. We should take good care of her. Even if she can't find a husband in the future, we'll take care of her for the rest of her life. Marquis Yongle doesn't lack a pair of chopsticks to eat with. Moreover, it was your wet nurse's fault for carrying the wrong child. No wonder the Family Shen. They've also raised my daughter for ten years on behalf of Marquis Yongle. When the time comes, just give them some money to keep their mouths shut. Don't cause any more trouble. "

The old madam had accumulated a lot of power, so the Lin Clan didn't dare to refute her. They could only grit their teeth and nod.

Yu Pinyan put down the Buddhist prayer beads and said with a faint smile, "That's right. This son has something to trouble Mother with. Three days ago, Eldest Younger Sister eavesdropped on the conversation between Mother and Grandmother. She already knows about Xiang 'er's background and told the servants. Those servants have already locked up my son. Mother, please go and deal with them. Eldest Younger Sister also needs to be taught a lesson. "

The Lin Clan sneered indifferently, "So what if the servants know? She's a bastard child to begin with. Can't people talk about it? They took my daughter's place of honor, and now it's time to return it! Let them all go. Don't bother me with such trivial matters. "She got up to leave after she finished speaking.

The old madam couldn't take it anymore. She slammed the table and scolded, "Stupid woman. How could I have fallen in love with a stupid woman like you? I was really blind! If you want the news of your daughter wandering outside and not knowing whether she's alive or dead to spread throughout the capital, if you want the scandal of your daughter being raised by a lowly merchant family to be known by everyone, if you want people to ridicule your daughter for being a fallen phoenix or a pheasant that can't fly up the parasol tree and not be presentable, if you want her to be unable to find a good family in the future and be miserable for the rest of her life, then go back and hug your memorial tablet! Mama Ma, go and let them all go! "

The old woman in the green waistcoat nodded and walked out.

The Lin Clan finally realized the seriousness of the problem. They hurriedly stopped Mama Ma and apologized to the old madam, "Mother, I was wrong! I'll go and deal with them right now. I won't let any of this leak out! Don't worry."

The old madam closed her eyes and secretly prayed to Buddha. Only then did she suppress her anger and say, "The Marquis Household has two legitimate daughters. One of them has a weak body and was sent to an ancient temple to be fostered. She'll only be brought back when she reaches marriageable age. Both of them crawled out of your womb. They're not bastards. Remember that! "

The Lin Clan was unwilling, but for the sake of their daughter's reputation, they could only hold back their tears and nod. Seeing the old madam wave her hand, they immediately rushed out.

Father had been dead for ten years, but this was the first time her mother was managing the household affairs. It was the first time she was worried about someone other than her father. Her younger sister, who had led a wandering life, had become her spiritual sustenance. Then what about her? What was she? At most, she was only slightly better than Xiang'er.

Yu Pinyan raised her teacup to hide the cold smile on her lips.

-----

Yu Siyu was lying on a soft couch by the window. A young maidservant was applying medicine for her, glancing out the window from time to time.

It was the height of summer. The golden sun was so dazzling that it made people dizzy. Moreover, there was the sound of cicadas chirping louder and louder in the dense foliage. It made people feel particularly irritated.

Yu Siyu turned over and asked with her eyes closed, "Have Zhu Yun and the others returned?"

The young maidservant glanced out the window again and shook her head, "Replying to Eldest Miss, I haven't seen them yet." She was about to go out and wash her hands when she saw the madam leading a group of people in a grandiose manner. She couldn't help but rub her eyes.

The madam stayed in her room all day to remember Master Hou. Apart from The Old Lady's main courtyard, she almost never went anywhere else. Why would she come to the west wing today? Could it be that she saw wrongly?

The young maidservant rubbed her eyes again. Not only did the madam not disappear, but she was getting closer and closer. Her expression was so gloomy that water could drip from it. She didn't care about the ointment on her hands and hurriedly went to her mistress who was dozing off on the rocking couch, "Eldest Miss, quickly get up. The madam is here!"

Although the madam was beautiful and had a gentle temperament, she was actually a fierce person. She suppressed her husband and forbade him from taking concubines. When her husband died, she immediately sent the concubines far away to the countryside. She didn't even bother to find a decent reason. Although they didn't usually meet, Yu Siyu was very afraid of this madam. She hurriedly jumped off the couch, tidied her clothes, and knelt by the door to wait.

The head of the Lin Clan didn't ask her to get up. He directly sat on the main seat and ordered people to bring Fang mama, Zhu Yun, and the others forward. He said in a low voice, "These maidservants and older women have broken their tongues. The Prefecture Yu can't tolerate them. We'll make them mute and sell them. Do you have any objections?"

Their mouths were gagged and their hands and feet were bound. At this moment, they couldn't speak of their suffering. They could only stare at their mistress and frantically shake their heads.

Yu Siyu braced herself and begged for mercy, "May I ask Mother, what exactly did they break their tongues to make them mute? These maidservants and older women of mine are all first-rate honest people. They definitely wouldn't start rumors and cause trouble for no reason. Mother, please be clear about this. "

Start rumors and cause trouble? At the mention of this, the anger in the Lin Clan's heart that had just subsided began to burn fiercely again. If these people were allowed to spread this rumor, how would her daughter survive when she returned? How would she establish herself in the noble ladies' circle? How would she marry? Wouldn't her entire life be ruined?! This instigator actually had the nerve to ask this question!

Thinking of this, the head of the Lin Clan gnashed her teeth in hatred. She picked up the teacup next to her and fiercely smashed it on the ground. She sternly said, "First-rate honest people? First-rate honest people! You even dared to talk about the legitimate miss! Yu Siyu, let me tell you, you'd better forget everything you heard in the main courtyard that day. If I hear even the slightest rumor outside, even if you're of Prefecture Yu blood, you'll still be mute and sent to a farmstead! You're already twelve this year, right? If you want to marry into a rich and powerful family or a humble one, you'd better think carefully! "After she finished speaking, she waved at the two older women behind her.

The two older women took out several small bottles from their lapels. They unscrewed the corks and poured the brown liquid into the mouths of Zhu Yun and the others. They rolled on the ground in pain, but they couldn't make a sound with their mouths open. They could only make broken gasps, which looked extremely frightening.

Yu Siyu had never seen such a scene. She hugged her head and shrank into a corner, her body trembling incessantly.

They spat out blood and were on the verge of death. They were dragged out by the older women like dogs. Only then did the head of the Lin Clan feel satisfied and majestically left with a group of people.

Only a few maidservants in the courtyard were lucky enough to escape. Seeing that their mistress had left, they stood by the window and shrunk back to watch. However, they didn't dare to step into the blood-soaked room.

Yu Siyu sank into deep fear and was unable to extricate herself. She could only hug her head and continuously murmur, "Why? She's clearly a bastard. What did I say wrong …"