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

Chu Wanqing opened her eyes and glanced at him: "Zijuan is dead, how can we still find out?"

Yun Heting said confidently, "People leave their names behind, trees leave their shadows; as long as it's done, it can definitely be found out."

Chu Wanqing shook her head: "Forget it, there's no way to prove it now, who would admit it?"

Yun Heting breathed a sigh of relief: "That's true. What a pity..."

Unfortunately for Chu Wanqing, he could only feel fortunate.

He sat for a while, and seeing that Chu Wanqing had her eyes closed and showed no intention of speaking again, he stood up and said, "Madam, please rest well. I'll go and get back to work."

Chu Wanqing did not respond.

Yun Heting awkwardly retreated. After leaving Qingshui Garden, he glanced towards the west courtyard, clenched his fists, pondered for a moment, and said to the servant beside him, "Ping An, prepare the carriage. We're going to the General's Mansion."

Just when I was wondering what excuse I should use to pick up Yunlang, here it is! With things in such a mess at home, it's the perfect opportunity to bring Yunlang back to comfort his mother.

……

Yun Jin left Chu Wanqing's bedroom and led Chunxi towards the west courtyard.

The gate to the west courtyard was wide open. She stood at the entrance, looked at the plaque above the gate that read "Xue Zhai," and smiled silently. Liu Zhixue would never be able to enter this courtyard again.

She turned her gaze away and walked into the courtyard, where several maids and servants were bustling about, carrying and lifting things, working up a great deal of activity.

Bitao was directing things in the courtyard when she saw Yunjin arrive, and she quickly went to greet her.

"Miss, what brings you here? It's a mess in here, be careful not to bump into anything."

Yun Jin smiled and said gently, "Aunt, don't worry about me. I'm just looking around. Chunxi, go and help Aunt Bitao."

Chunxi responded and rolled up her sleeves to join the old women.

Yun Jin wandered around the courtyard alone.

The door to the main house was open, and the interior had been almost completely moved out.

She walked in, her gaze sweeping over the empty room.

The furnishings in the room were far more exquisite than she had imagined, with a sandalwood canopy bed, a carved wardrobe, and a dressing table.

It was so much better than the east wing where she lived in Qingshuiyuan.

Yun Jin walked to the bedside, squatted down, and examined it carefully.

Something seemed off about the gap between the bed frame and the wall. She reached out and touched it, her fingertips finding a slightly dented spot.

Hidden compartment.

With a gentle tap, the wooden board opened, revealing the empty compartments inside.

It's empty. It seems Liu Zhixue has already taken everything inside.

Yun Jin stood up and went to the study.

The study was even more elegant than the bedroom, with a landscape painting hanging on the wall, signed "Liu Zhixue".

The books on the bookshelf were neatly arranged, mostly collections of poetry and lyrics, and a few musical scores.

The brush and inkstone on the table had not yet been put away, and there was even some residual ink in the inkstone.

Yun Jin casually picked up a poetry collection, opened it, and found short poems written by Liu Zhixue herself. The handwriting was elegant and the writing skill was remarkable; she was indeed a talented woman.

She frowned.

Why would such a talented woman willingly become Yunheting's mistress?

With her talent and beauty, she could easily find a wealthy family to be her wife.

Why would you choose to submit to someone and do something so shady?

Yun Jin always felt that this matter was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

She stepped out of the study and saw Bitao directing the old women to move things, so she went up to her and asked, "Aunt Bitao, I have something to ask you."

Bitao stopped in her tracks: "Please speak, Miss Bitao."

"Does Ms. Liu have any relatives in the capital?" Yun Jin asked. "Does she usually never leave her residence?"

Bitao thought for a moment and said, "I haven't heard of any relatives. But she takes a day off every month, saying she'll go out to relax. At that time, we didn't suspect anything about her, so no one followed her and we don't know where she went."

She paused, then remembered something: "Oh right, when the eldest young lady goes out to attend flower viewing banquets and tea parties, she sometimes goes along. The eldest princess appreciates her very much and treats her as an honored guest."

Yun Jin's eyes flickered slightly.

The eldest princess?

It seems that this Liu Zhixue is much more complicated than she imagined.

As the two were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out at the courtyard gate.

"Who gave you permission to move that!"

Yunxiu's sharp voice rang out. She rushed in, lifting her skirt, and saw the mess in the courtyard. Her face immediately turned bright red.

The servants stopped what they were doing and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Bitao quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Miss, this is Madam's order to convert the west wing into a servants' quarters."

Yunxiu glared at her, her eyes red-rimmed: "Who gave you permission to touch it? Mr. Liu will come back! This courtyard cannot be touched!"

Bitao's expression remained unchanged, and her tone was still respectful: "Miss, please don't make things difficult for me. Why don't you ask Madam? If Madam says not to move, I will stop immediately."

Yunxiu bit her lip, glared at her, and turned to leave.

Before leaving, he shouted at the servants, "Don't move! I'm going to find my mother!"

The servants looked at each other in bewilderment, and stopped what they were doing.

Helpless, Bitao could only wave her hand and say, "Let's wait a bit."

Yun Jin shook her head. Without Liu Zhixue by her side, Yun Xiu's rationality was also gone.

Bitao looked at Yunjin: "Miss, why don't you go and take a look? I'm worried that the eldest young lady might speak recklessly..."

Yun Jin nodded: "Okay, I'll go take a look."

……

Yunxiu rushed into Qingshui Garden, her eyes red and her face full of grievance.

"Mother!"

Chu Wanqing was resting with her eyes closed when she heard the sound. She opened her eyes, looked at her, and didn't say anything.

Yunxiu rushed to her mother's side, grabbed her sleeve, and choked out, "Mother, you had everything moved from the west wing? That wing can't be touched, Mr. Liu will come back!"

Chu Wanqing withdrew her sleeve, her tone indifferent: "I've said it before, I won't let Liu Zhixue teach you anymore. She's already gone, what's the point of her coming back?"

Yunxiu said anxiously, "But...but she'll come back! She's only gone temporarily. Once you've calmed down, she'll definitely come back!"

Chu Wanqing looked at her, her gaze icy cold: "Yunxiu, you've defied me time and time again for an outsider. Why? Is Liu Zhixue, an outsider, more important to you than your own mother?"

Yunxiu was speechless, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I...I didn't mean to disobey you..." she bit her lip, "I just...I just love that courtyard..."

Chu Wanqing looked at her and suddenly smiled.

That smile was faint, yet it made Yunxiu feel inexplicably uneasy.

"You like that courtyard?" Chu Wanqing nodded. "Sure. Since you like it, you can move in there."

Yunxiu was overjoyed. She had only found an excuse to keep the courtyard, but she didn't expect her mother to agree.

Just as she was about to say, "My mother loves me the most," Chu Wanqing added:

"It's perfect timing to clear out your courtyard for Jin'er to live in."

Yunxiu's smile froze.

"What?!" She looked at Chu Wanqing in disbelief. "Mother, that's my courtyard! It's the best courtyard in the manor! How could they let a cousin like her live there?"

Chu Wanqing looked at her and said, word by word, "It doesn't have to be a cousin! I can adopt her as my daughter!"