The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

Lan Ying followed her out, watched the scene, and sighed, "This old lady is probably going to cling to you now."

She thought for a moment and said, "Take her back and take good care of her. If anyone asks, just say... she's your wet nurse. I'll have someone inquire about her later, and once I find out, I'll send her home."

Yun Jin agreed and led the old lady into the carriage.

The carriage drove out of the General's Mansion and headed towards the Yun Mansion.

The old lady started to feel sleepy as soon as she got on the bus. Yun Jin took out a blanket and covered her with it, and she fell asleep in no time.

Yun Jin leaned against the carriage wall, her eyes closed, still thinking about Liu Zhixue.

Suddenly, Chai An's voice came from outside: "Hey, why are there so many beggars in the city?"

Yun Jin opened her eyes, lifted the carriage curtain, and sure enough, she saw some ragged people huddled together in twos and threes by the wall, shivering from the cold.

She frowned, understanding that because of the harsh winter, many families lacked food and clothing and could not survive, so they had no choice but to beg.

If this continues, I'm afraid some people will freeze to death.

If I can't see it, that's fine, but if I see it and don't help, I'll feel bad.

"Chunxi," she called, "go to the shop next door and buy a few baskets of hot buns to share with any beggars you see."

Chunxi responded, jumped out of the car, and ran into the steamed bun shop next door.

A little while later, she returned carrying several large oil paper packages and distributed them to the beggars on the roadside.

The beggars accepted the steamed buns; some knelt down and kowtowed, while others repeatedly expressed their gratitude. Chunxi waved her hand and ran back to the car.

The carriage stopped at the corner gate of Yunfu.

Yun Jin woke the old lady up. The old lady, still half-asleep, looked at Yun Jin and asked, "Are we home?"

"Yes, we're home." Yun Jin smiled and coaxed, "Can I call you Grandma?"

The old lady thought for a moment: "Does 'grandmother' mean 'maternal grandmother'?"

Yun Jin nodded seriously: "Yes, that's what Grandma meant. It's our family rule."

The old lady then nodded and got off the bus with her.

Yun Jin led her toward Qing Shui Yuan.

Chu Wanqing was sitting on the heated kang bed in the main room, holding several sheets of paper in her hand, and her expression was not good.

Seeing Yun Jin enter, she folded the paper in her hand, put it in her sleeve, and forced a smile: "You're back?"

Yun Jin stepped forward to pay her respects, pointed to the old lady behind her, and quietly explained the old lady's situation. After finishing, she asked, "Mother, do you know her?"

Chu Wanqing sized up the old lady for a while, then shook her head: "Never seen her before."

The old lady sat in the chair, her eyes fixed on Yunjin. Chunxi poured her water, and she drank it quietly.

Yun Jin coaxed the old lady and Chunxi back to Jinshu Pavilion.

The old lady, reluctantly tugging at Yun Jin's sleeve, her eyes reddening, asked, "You won't abandon me, will you?"

Yun Jin raised her hand and said earnestly, "I swear, I promise I won't abandon you. You go back to my courtyard with Chunxi to rest first, and I'll come back to keep you company later."

The old lady then let go of Chunxi's hand and followed her away, turning back every few steps.

After she walked away, Yun Jin sat down next to Chu Wanqing, looked at her, and said softly, "Mother, you don't look well. What happened?"

Chu Wanqing sighed, took out the few sheets of paper from her sleeve, and handed them to her: "Take a look."

Yun Jin took it and immediately recognized it as a statement. She read it from beginning to end, her hands trembling slightly.

The first one was from Granny Qian. She was Yun Lang's first wet nurse, brought back from outside by Yun Heting's mother. Ten years ago, after Liu Zhixue entered the mansion, she was bribed by Granny Qian, and Yun Heting also put pressure on her. Liu Zhixue kidnapped her son and threatened her, leaving her no choice but to agree. However, she couldn't bear it, so she reduced the dosage of medicine she gave Yun Lang each time.

The second one was from Granny Sun. She came to the manor in her second year, claiming to be a relative of Granny Qian, a refugee who had lost her husband and son. Chu Wanqing, being kind-hearted, took her in. But in reality, she had a husband and children; it was all arranged by Liu Zhixue. She was more ruthless than Granny Qian, taking the full dosage of medicine Liu Zhixue gave her.

After reading the statement, Yun Jin placed it on the table and remained silent for a long time.

"Weren't they sent away quite some time ago? How come we're only getting their statements now?" she asked.

Chu Wanqing said, "They originally refused to tell us, even if it meant death. They only told us later, afraid that if they did, something bad would happen to their family. They rarely went back home these past few years, and letters from their family were always delivered by others. I sent Chai Hu to their village, and that's when I learned that their family had died in a fire long ago. The people who delivered letters all these years weren't from their village either. They realized they had been deceived, and that's when they told the truth."

After Chu Wanqing finished speaking, her eyes reddened: "Jin'er, Lang'er is his own son. How could he be so heartless?"

Yun Jin pulled her into his arms, letting her lean on his shoulder, and gently patted her back without saying a word.

Chu Wanqing cried for a long time before gradually calming down.

Yun Jin released her and looked into her eyes: "Mother, if he weren't ruthless, why would he have switched me with Yun Xiu? He made his choice fifteen years ago, and fifteen years later, he will only be more ruthless."

Chu Wanqing wiped away her tears and gritted her teeth, saying, "You're right."

Yun Jin continued, "Mother, have you ever thought about why Yun Heting listens to Liu Zhixue so much? Is it just because she's beautiful? I'm afraid there's something else going on."

Chu Wanqing was taken aback: "You mean...?"

Yun Jin shook her head: "I'm not sure yet, it's just a guess." She paused, then recounted her conversation with Lan Ying that day, and concluded, "Mother, you should treat Yun Xiu better. Let her marry the Fifth Prince as she wishes."

Chu Wanqing's expression changed: "Be good to her? I wish I could..."

"Mother," Yun Jin interrupted her, her gaze calm yet firm, "It's easy to drive her out of the manor, it's easy to ignore her. But that's not enough to quell the hatred in our hearts. Let her marry the man she wants, let her think she has everything she desires, and then let her watch it all slip away from her grasp—that's the true punishment."

Chu Wanqing fell silent. She looked at Yun Jin, her eyes filled with heartache and complex emotions.

"Jin'er, when I think of the suffering you've endured, and the fact that she's that woman's child with that bastard Yun Heting, I don't want to see her for even a second longer."

Yun Jin held her hand, thought for a moment, and said softly, "Mother, I had a dream. I didn't want to tell you, afraid you wouldn't be able to accept it."

Chu Wanqing wiped away her tears, sat up straight, and looked at her: "Did this dream tell you something?"

Yun Jin lowered her eyes, her voice lower: "In my dream, Yun Xiu married the Fifth Prince. You persuaded your maternal grandparents to support the Fifth Prince and help him ascend to the throne. But in the blink of an eye, he beheaded your maternal grandparents and your family and displayed your heads in public. Yun Xiu became Empress, and Yun Heting married Liu Zhixue as his principal wife. Before you died, you learned that I had been switched at birth."

Chu Wanqing trembled all over, her face deathly pale: "And what about you?"