The night was deep and the moonlight was scarce.
In the pitch darkness, had the gatekeeper not heard a commotion outside the gate, no one would have discovered people sitting before it.
The gatekeeper gently pushed open the door.
Holding a lantern, he shone it towards the front of the gate.
He saw several people.
At first, he didn't recognize them and asked in shock, "Who are you? Why are you sitting outside the General's mansion?"
Where did these beggars come from?
Beggars had passed by the General's mansion before, but none had ever been so audacious as to sit before their gate.
"You don't even recognize me?"
A weak male voice, yet laced with intense anger.
The gatekeeper hadn't recognized them!
And with that look, he had mistaken them for beggars? How detestable!
These damned, lowly servants!
Hearing this, the gatekeeper didn't react at first. Soon, he came to his senses, looked at Yun Dezhi before him in astonishment, then raised his lantern and shone it on the others!
The Old Madam!
And Yang Shi and the others!
Weren't they in prison?
How were they released?
And even if released, why come to the General's mansion again?
Didn't the Prince explicitly state before that the General's mansion had nothing to do with them anymore? They had tried various methods to return, but failed several times. Why would they come again at this late hour?
Old Madam Yun was utterly exhausted, leaning wearily against a nearby gatepost, no longer concerned with her status. Days of imprisonment had stripped away her disdain and arrogance. She said weakly to the gatekeeper, "Go tell Changfeng to come out, tell him to hurry out and see his mother. If he doesn't come out soon, he'll never see me again!"
During these days in prison, her regrets had only deepened!
Compared to her elder son, the second son was clearly more filial!
What had blinded her for all these years?
"Hurry! Go quickly!" Yun Dezhi urged impatiently.
Yang Shi raised her head and looked at the grand plaque above: General's Mansion.
She regretted it to the bone.
If she hadn't instigated Yun Dezhi to leave the General's mansion then, they wouldn't be in this predicament now!
Fortunately, someone had helped them! They must return to the General's mansion, and all this glory and wealth must be taken back from Yun Changfeng. They absolutely couldn't let Yun Shu be so smug, wanting to marry Prince Ye and rely on her son for status?
Not in her wildest dreams!
She absolutely could not let Yun Shu be happier than Yue Yin!
All of this should have belonged to Yue Yin!
Seeing this, the gatekeeper said nothing more. He quickly turned around, closed the door, and ran inside to report to the General first.
Then, he hurried to report to Yun Shu.
Yun Shu raised an eyebrow upon hearing that Old Madam Yun and the others had been released.
Released?
Why would they release them at night?
Her gaze flickered. She stood up from the bathing tub, dried herself, and put on her clothes.
A'cha stood behind the screen, voicing her doubts, "What time is it already? Miss, your maid feels that when things are unusual, there must be a trick."
Hearing this, Yun Shu smiled and nodded, "A'cha is indeed thoughtful and increasingly intelligent!"
From just the gatekeeper's report, A'cha could deduce that something was amiss. It had to be said that A'cha's mind was becoming increasingly astute.
This meant that the day A'cha would take revenge was drawing nearer.
Yun Shu finished dressing and, without haste, also towel-dried her hair.
Only after it was half-dry did she walk out.
When she reached the gate, Yun Changfeng was already outside.
From outside came Yun Dezhi's loud accusations, along with Old Madam Yun's mournful cries.
One wave after another.
Interspersed with Yang Shi's pleas for forgiveness.
"Regardless, I am your elder brother! By blood, I am your elder brother. You must admit this. You can erase me from the family tree, but you cannot change the fact that by blood, you are my younger brother! Yun Changfeng, we are now destitute and cast out. Do you truly intend to disregard kinship and keep us outside?! We were bullied in prison, and you did nothing. You are the Great General. If you had said one word, we would not have been tormented so cruelly in prison! Do you know that these past few days we haven't had enough to eat, nor a moment of peaceful sleep?!"
Yun Dezhi roared furiously.
He thought Yun Changfeng was inhumane!
And utterly disrespectful to him as an elder brother!
He raised his hand, about to strike Yun Changfeng. He wanted to beat Yun Changfeng to his senses, to make Yun Changfeng remember that he was the elder brother, to respect him, and to give him everything good in the General's mansion!
Yun Changfeng watched Yun Dezhi's madness with cold eyes.
Old Madam Yun was almost enraged to the point of fainting, trembling as she pointed at Yun Dezhi, "You scoundrel! You are truly a scoundrel! Do you know what you're saying?!"
Yang Shi, afraid of ruining everything, frantically grabbed Yun Dezhi, "Master, are you trying to die?!"
The words "trying to die" jolted Yun Dezhi.
No matter how much of a scoundrel Yun Dezhi was, or how bold he was, he deflated now.
He realized belatedly, gritting his teeth, and staring at Yun Changfeng, "Quick, quickly let us in. Yun Changfeng, you are my second brother, you must listen to me, your elder brother! I was wrong in the past, and from now on, I, as your elder brother, will never make a mistake again. It's late now, we've just come out of prison, let us quickly go in to wash up and rest!"
Old Madam Yun, with tears streaming down her face, said pitifully, "Changfeng, your mother was foolish before. You have always been filial to me and always listened to me. I, your mother, was wrong! During my time in prison, I've thought about what I've done over the years, and I cannot forgive myself! But, Changfeng, I am your mother after all, I gave birth to you and raised you. Let me return to the General's mansion to atone slowly."
"Mother is old, and after staying in prison for so long, her health has been damaged. She has been coughing these past two days, sometimes coughing up blood. I heard that Shu'er knows medicine, please let Shu'er examine Mother! Let us all live together harmoniously from now on, okay?" Yang Shi pleaded with hopeful eyes.
Such humble words were utterly impossible for Yang Shi to utter before.
But now, to achieve her goals, she could abandon all semblance of dignity.
Yun Changfeng looked at them expressionlessly.
The night wind was particularly cold.
And the night was too dark.
The wind made the two lanterns at the gate sway back and forth, their dim red light also flickering.
For a moment, Yun Changfeng felt a sense of bewilderment.
"Changfeng? Mother is really so cold," Old Madam Yun said, wiping away tears, complaining of the cold.
Inside the gate, Yun Shu listened to their words from outside.
Her suspicions grew even stronger.
"Who let you out?" Yun Changfeng's first sentence, which made their faces suddenly change, was spoken.