"A mere maid?" Su Yunmo sneered. "Lin Yuning is also a mere maid."
"Yes, so she's no different from you," Lin Chenxi retorted, the chains on his ankle clanking.
From this angle, Su Yunmo saw him silhouetted against the light, casting a dark shadow.
She suddenly recalled her return.
He was the one who sent the invitation when she witnessed the exorcism at the Marquis's mansion.
On the day the academy caught fire, she had planned to have a meal with him.
When Lin Yuning went mad, it was also he who told her that he knew 'Lin Niange'.
She hadn't thought much of it before, but now, it all seemed too coincidental.
"You even used your own sister?" Su Yunmo clenched her fists tightly, finding it utterly unbelievable.
As a child, she had been drawn to him caring for Lin Yuning. Now, he was telling her it was all a lie?
Lin Chenxi scoffed dismissively, "So what if I used her? I've been a good brother to you both for so many years. We're even."
Su Yunmo took a deep breath, looking at his face. She thought of how many times she had worried herself sick over his leg, and felt utterly disgusted!
"Even? You deceived me first, then used me, and when you could use me no longer, you used my death as a stepping stone to your power. Is that even?"
The Lin Niange of the past was truly a joke!
She extended her hand towards Lin Chenxi and clenched it fiercely in mid-air.
Lin Chenxi let out a scream, his knee cracking with a sharp sound, and blood immediately gushed out.
"My leg, my leg! Ahhh!"
Su Yunmo withdrew her hand, looking at him coldly, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
"I healed your leg, and now I'm taking it back. From this day forward, we are quits!"
Coming to this prison today was a mistake!
She turned and walked towards the exit.
Lin Chenxi screamed, a flicker of terror and panic in his eyes. "No! Come back, save me! I was wrong, big brother was wrong! I can't die, I can't die!"
He had finally become the legitimate son, finally able to marry into the Marquis of Jiang's family, with a brighter future awaiting him.
His leg couldn't be crippled! It had been healed with such difficulty, and he wanted to get out, to make a name for himself!
Su Yunmo's figure had already disappeared.
Lin Chenxi wailed, "Do you think we, siblings, are the only ones who want to kill you? How can my sister and I fully control such a large Marquis's mansion!"
"We just wanted to use your death for more profit! We are not the masterminds! Save your big brother! Niange! Niange!!"
Su Yunmo did not stop, walking directly out of the prison.
Behind her, Lin Chenxi's screams and pleas still echoed from the cell.
Qianxue had a carriage waiting outside and stepped forward to greet her upon seeing her emerge. "Little Miss, Master is waiting at the mansion. Please go over."
Su Yunmo forcefully suppressed the metallic taste rising in her throat and exhaled, "Let's go."
Su Yunmo got into the carriage, and it headed towards the Prince Yu's mansion. Zi Yuan's carriage followed behind.
Upon arriving at the mansion gates, Su Yunmo went straight to the study.
Ye Jingyu was handling official business. Seeing her barge in, his expression turned displeased. "Is this place a teahouse?"
Su Yunmo jumped onto a chair and stood on it, staring at him without speaking.
Ye Jingyu's eyes flickered, and he put down his brush. "Crippling his legs still isn't enough to vent your anger?"
Su Yunmo said in a deep voice, "When did you know?"
She stared at Ye Jingyu, her face no longer showing the usual pretense of obedience, nor her mischievous and cunning expression.
Ye Jingyu's fingers stiffened, and he intended to gloss over it. "The Ministry of Justice sent word to me. It's not a big deal. Someone will handle today's affairs for you."
Su Yunmo frowned and said word by word, "When did you know I was Lin Niange!"
Her smooth entry into the Ministry of Justice today wasn't Zi Yuan's doing. He had instructed Qianxue in advance, otherwise, Qianxue wouldn't have been there to meet her so punctually.
Ye Jingyu looked at her for a moment, then finally sighed. "I knew when you were at the academy."
In fact, he had been suspicious ever since he investigated her life in the side courtyard.
Given her personality and abilities, if she were truly the child from the side courtyard, she would never have allowed herself to be bullied.
Therefore, when Qianxue obtained the accurate answer through the investigation of the glazed lock, he wasn't surprised.
With such a style of doing things, it was unlikely there was another woman in the capital like her.
"So? What are your plans?" Su Yunmo gave a sarcastic smile.
"Prince Yu is currently powerful in court, and Consort Liang's illness has improved. Even if this pawn is missing from the chessboard, it won't make much difference."
"How do you plan to have me killed next?"
Ye Jingyu's eyes darkened. He pulled her across the table and pressed her onto his lap, his large hands gripping her wrists.
"Little one, I am different from Ye Jingcheng. I am not as blind as he is, missing out on a gem."
Su Yunmo narrowed her eyes dangerously, about to sneer in disbelief.
He continued, "If you want to use someone, you need to be smarter. What's the use of a bristling rabbit like you? You wouldn't even be enough to gnaw on if roasted."
Su Yunmo's eyelids twitched. Her anger was instantly extinguished. She kicked him. "Hmph, go find someone worth using!"
She, the dignified Blood Master, the only young lady of the General's mansion, was not even considered worth his use?
Arrogant fool!
Ye Jingyu grabbed the corner of her clothes and tossed her onto a soft couch. "This morning, almost at the same time you left the mansion, Ye Jingcheng went to the palace to request an imperial decree. Their wedding date has been set."
Turning to serious matters, Su Yunmo calmed down, crossing her arms and sitting cross-legged. "So soon?"
She felt it was a bit rushed.
Perhaps Ye Jingcheng had been having a difficult time lately and wanted to quickly form an alliance to avoid further complications.
Ying Xiao entered from outside, his expression unusual. "Master, Lin Chenxi has been killed!"
Both of them were startled and exchanged glances.
Ying Xiao: "The killer wasn't caught. Miss Su had only just left the prison when he was killed. The assailant was swift and decisive."
"I understand. You send people to handle it and ensure no anomalies are discovered," Ye Jingyu said, his eyes dark and thoughtful.
Ying Xiao bowed and retreated.
Su Yunmo furrowed her brows. "It goes without saying that Ye Jingcheng did it. But why? Lin Chenxi is no longer useful to him."
Whether he lived or died should be irrelevant.
Ye Jingyu twirled his fingers, a faint gleam in his eyes. "Perhaps Lin Chenxi's death can bring him more benefits."
Ye Jingyu didn't say what those benefits were, and Su Yunmo didn't ask.
But one thing was certain: Lin Chenxi must have held some secret.
Otherwise, Ye Jingcheng wouldn't have silenced him, and Ye Jingyu might also know this secret.
However, Su Yunmo knew that with his temperament, if he didn't want to say, her asking would be in vain.
Since she couldn't find out, she wouldn't ask.
Su Yunmo bid him farewell and returned to the General's mansion.
As soon as she stepped through the main gate, she heard a scream from the inner courtyard.
Steward Liu came from the inner courtyard. "Miss, do you want to go to your room, or take another path? The General is busy."
"Father, I was wrong, don't hit me... Ouch!"
A miserable plea could be heard.
Su Yunmo was all too familiar with this voice.
"Mmm, I can hear it. He is indeed quite busy."