Seeing the person who is walking in, Yun Qian Yu’s eyes shrink. It is actually him. That person is Xian Wang manor’s housekeeper, Yun Shan.
Yun Qian Yu turns to look at the quiet Gong Sang Mo. He gives her a warm smile and a look that allows her to calm down. Her long eyelashes flutters for a while; her heart jumping. Is her heart jumping at the realization that Gong Sang Mo has always been protecting her quietly? Yun Qian Yu gives him a nod before looking away.
Long Jin rubs his chin as he watches the two people’s interaction.
“Remember me, Yun Shi Hai?”
Yun Shi Hai points a Yun Shan as he trembles, “It is you! You are still alive?”
“Yes, I am. Sorry for disappointing you.” Yun Shan enters the hall before kneeling to greet Murong Cang. “Xian Wang manor’s housekeeper, Yun Shan, greets Your Majesty!”
“Rise!” Murong Cang waves his hand to let him rise.
“You traitor! You stole so many prescriptions from Yun Clan and you dares to proudly claim you are still alive?!” Yun Shi Hai immediately takes the opportunity to accuse the other party.
“You were the one who wanted to steal those prescriptions. Do you still have the cheek to face the ancestors of Yun Clan?” Yun Shan glares at him in disdain.
“Your Majesty, Yun Shan is a traitor of Yun Clan, he cannot serve as witness!” Yun Shi Hai anxiously look at Murong Cang.
Hua Man Xi skims over Yun Shi Hai with his eyes before playfully saying, “Are you really the master of Yun Clan? Yun Clan’s medicinal knowledge and Zi Yu Xin Jing are stolen; medicinal prescriptions are also stolen, this shizi does not see the quality of a leader in you.”
Yun Shi Hai’s turns blue before turning red; is Duke Rong’s first-born trying to imply that he has no capability?
Murong Cang looks at Yun Shi Hai coldly, clearly favoring Yun Shan, “We must listen from both sides. Speak, Yun Shan.”
Yun Shan bows, “Yes, Your Majesty.” After that, he turns around to look at Yun Shi Hai, saying, “Yun Shi Hai isn’t a member of Yun Clan; much less the eldest son of the primary wife.” What Yun Shan said brings great shock to the crowd.
Yun Clan is a famous clan in Jing Zhou that practice medicine; everyone in Nan Lou Kingdom has heard of them. But, in the past decade, Yun Clan has faced great decline; if they were glorious in the past, they have turned humble now.
Remembering Yun Clan’s subsequent decline in the past years, the crowd are even more interested to hear what Yun Shan has to say.
“That year, the head of clan was only five. The Old Madam and the Old Master went out to treat people as they wander around the kingdom. They picked up a dying six year old boy who was covered in sores. The Old Master and the Old Madam saved him. Upon realizing the boy was an orphan and after considering that the head of clan back then had no siblings, they decided to adopt the boy. The boy grew up and was treated like he was their own child by the Old Madam and the Old Master. 40 years ago, Yun Shi Hai plotted to rob the position of the head of clan after the death of his foster parents. Master, remembering their brotherly affection decided to step back and gave way. Who would have thought that he would actually poison Master’s wife? Even though Master managed to cure the poison, the Madam’s health had been bad ever since. In order to live in peace, Master took away Madam and left Yun Clan. But even then, Yun Shi Hai wasn’t satisfied. He searched everywhere for the medicinal secrets and Zi Yu Xin Jing. He even framed me of stealing prescription. He hit me because I was Master’s previous servant boy and wanted to dig out the prescriptions from me. He threw me out when I was half-dying. It was only my luck that the wandering late Xian Wang found me back then. After that, I started following him. After the late Xian Wang passed away, I became the housekeeper of Xian Wang’s manor to serve the old wangye and the little wangye.”
(TN: The Old Madam/Old Master = Yun Qian Yu’s great grandparents. Master/Madam = Yun Qian Yu’s grandparents.)
“You are lying!” Yun Shi Hai is so scared, he doesn’t know what to do. He is now regretting even stepping foot into the capital. The excitement he felt before is no longer here.
Yun Shan ignores Yun Shi Hai and kneels in front of Yun Qian Yu, “Yun Shan greets Little Miss.”
Yun Qian Yu knows that little children that helped Yun Clan with medicine were brought in since they were little. As long as the contract is still in Yun Clan’s hand, he is still Yun Clan’s people.
She walks towards Yun Shan and gently helps him up. “It has been 40 years. It is Yun Clan’s fortune to have the help of someone like you.” Yun Shan wipes his tears and excitedly looks at her. He was eager to introduce himself the last time she visited Xian Wang’s manor, but Xian Wang told him to hold it in since the right time hasn’t come.
Yun Qian Yu speaks to Feng Ran, “Is the person here?”
Feng Ran replies her, “Yes.”
Yun Qian Yu faces Murong Cang before saying, “Grandfather, the First Elder of Yun Valley has come.”
“Invite him in!” Murong Cang waves his hand.
An old man with white hair and clothes walk in; he looks like an immortal that cultivates far away from the mortal world. Yun Shi Hai seems so inferior when compared to him.
“The First Elder of Yun Valley greets the emperor of Nan Lou Kingdom!” The First Elder did not kneels, he only greets Murong Cang with a bowed-fist. The owner of Yun Valley and the First Elder are not required to kneel in front of the emperors of any kingdoms.
“The First Elder is too polite!” Murong Cang nods.
“Greeting Master of the Valley.” The First Elder actually kneels as he pays respect to Yun Qian Yu; obviously to show respect.
There isn’t a single change in Murong Cang’s face. Yun Valley’s rules are strict, everyone knows that.
“It has been hard on the First Elder.” Yun Qian Yu speaks.
“This is the thing that Master wants!” The First Elder takes out a thick book; it is clear that the book is old.
“Read it for everyone to hear, Feng Ran!” Feng Ran steps forward to receive the book before reading each word out loud. The book is the family registry of Yun Clan, one that was written on by their ancestors. The year in which Yun Shi Hai was taken in and written on the registry are all recorded in details.
The more Yun Shi Hai listens, the more panicked-stricken he becomes. He knows that everything that is happening today is due to his own deeds; now, he isn’t even sure if his three sons are going to live.
After Feng Ran finish reading, Yun Qian Yu speaks with a solemn face, “I, Yun Qian Yu, the thirtieth Head of Yun Clan, hereby takes out Yun Shi Hai’s name from the family registry. He is forbidden using the surname ‘Yun’. The clan’s official manor will now be retrieved back and will from now on act as a free school for the poor.”
Yun Qian Yu takes a piece of paper from the First Elder and opens it in front of Yun Shi Hai. “This is the deed of the ancestral home. Grandfather took into consideration of your brotherly love and allowed you to stay there; he had no intention to harm you. If you whole-heartedly practice the teaching of Yun Clan’s ancestors, even if Yun Clan may not be as reputable as in the past, they will still be famous in Jing Zhou. But since your heart is rotten, doesn’t know how to advance or retreat, you can get out of Yun Clan.” After saying that, she sends the land lease back to the First Elder. Feng Ran too, returns the family registry to him.
“Who told them to pretend to be the good guys? They treated me like I was their own son, but they refused to share the medicinal secrets and Zi Yu Xin Jing with me. They wanted me to become their son’s little servant for the rest of my life!” Seeing how the situation can no longer be mended, Yun Shi Hai broke down.
Yun Qian Yu frowns; so it is like that. “You thought my great grandfather wasn’t sincere towards you?” Yun Qian Yu’s calm heart cannot help from getting upset.
She proceed to concentrate her inner power; purple mist surrounding her entire body. The mist gets thicker and thicker, and Yun Qian Yu waves her arm, causing the mist to form a shape mid-air. It forms the shape of nine lotus flowers, each flower having nine petals. Only the last flower have three petals.
“This is Zi Yu Xin Jing. It has no entity and is consist of nine levels in total. Only the direct descendant of Yun Clan possess the pulse to practice it. Medicinal knowledge and Zi Yu Xing Jing are complementary. Progressing one level in Zi Yu Xin Jing will increase your medicinal prowess. You are not the descendant of Yun Clan, so you cannot practice Zi Yu Xin Jing. Even so, you can learn medicine. The only reason you failed is because you are not capable enough; your heart is also impure.” With a wave of Yun Qian Yu’s hand, the mystical purple mist disappears. The beautiful lotuses also disappear.
“No way! Impossible!” Yun Shi Hai mumbles to himself as he tries to touch the purple mist.
His three sons are shocked by the truth. They didn’t expect that they are not Yun Clan’s bloodline; they also didn’t know their father is such an ungrateful person. They lower their heads in shame. If there is a hole somewhere, they want to bury themselves in it.
“Since you cannot practice Zi Yu Xin Jing, my great grandfather wasted his effort and let you bathed in a tub full of medicines in hope to improve your physical potential and dig out your central energy. If he hadn’t done that, do you think you will have an internal power as strong as you have right now? Do you think you are a martial arts genius? Your sons all possess normal inner power.”
Yun Qian Yu’s words are hammering on Yun Shi Hai’s heart. Turns out, he was wrong. His foster parents wasted their good wills on him and yet he went around and do this to them.
“Ah!” Yun Shi Hai bellows as he exhausts all of his inner power. His strength is not something that normal people can endure.
Martial art practitioners inside the hall are still lucky; they can use their own inner power to shield themselves, but literary officials and the womenfolk have a hard time because of him. Even Yu Jian has turned pale; sweats covering his forehead.
serene: Chapter 41 is dedicated to Teresa!
