Chapter 368: Chapter 230: Plotting Patricide
When Yun Cangxue saw that familiar piece of fabric, it was as if all her strength had been sucked out of her in an instant. She snatched the cloth, her hands trembling non-stop.
"It’s Yuyu’s clothes, these are Yuyu’s clothes. What have you done to our Yuyu?" Yun Cangxue was almost pleading.
"Nothing much, our people have been watching Young Master Tang the whole journey. Don’t worry, as long as Third Miss Yun cooperates, we will naturally keep our word. Three years later, we will return a healthy and chubby Young Master Tang back to you. If you’re lucky, Third Miss might even get to hold a healthy and chubby grandson," the person in red said in a deep voice.
Women, especially those selfish ones, once someone has something to hold over them, even if she is a tigress, she must obediently obey.
Yun Cangxue stifled her sobs, clutching at the cloth, "What exactly do you want?"
"It’s simple, one life for another. We’re here to cooperate with Third Miss. We know that your days at the Yun Residence are not easy. Our master has always admired such a heroine like Third Miss. He wants to lend a hand to you," said the person in red, and then took out a medicine bottle from their person and placed it in front of Yun Cangxue.
Yun Cangxue did not reach out to take the medicine bottle, glaring at it fearfully, as if it contained something that could consume her, "What does this medicine mean?"
"Third Miss doesn’t need to know what this medicine is. You just need to add a little bit of it to General Yun’s food every day," said the person in red in a kind voice, but what they were proposing was horrendously vile.
"What?! You want me to poison? To poison my own biological father?" Yun Cangxue stepped back in fright.
She never expected that this time, just as her second brother said, she was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, actually leading these demons into the General Mansion.
"Third Miss, you must realize that a son is far more important than an old man. In General Yun’s mind, the weight of you and Young Master Tang has probably long been surpassed by his own granddaughter. If you continue to hesitate, by the time that female Mage enters the Yun Residence, there will be no place for you and Young Master Tang," the person in red pushed the bottle of medicine forward again, "Moreover, this medicine is not intended to kill the Old General, otherwise the Medicine Emperor Pavilion would investigate, and you would not be able to escape responsibility. Rest assured, once this medicine enters the body, it won’t leave any trace."
Yun Cangxue struggled ceaselessly within her heart.
"Third Miss, if I remember correctly, it was because of your betrayal that the Eldest Young Master of the Yun Family and his wife had a fallout with Old General Yun and left the General Mansion in a rage, wasn’t it? If that young girl finds out the whole story, what do you think she’ll do to you and your son?" said the person in red, speaking up once more.
Yun Cangxue felt a chill throughout her body, unable to utter a word, never expecting that a third person would know of that year’s incident.
"Who the hell are you? How could you know these things? No third party should know about that year’s affairs except for my father and me," Yun Cangxue’s face drained of all color.
The Blood Hand Ditch is too terrifying; they have eyes everywhere, even the most secret of matters are known to them.
No, she must not let this secret get out.
Yun Cangxue unconsciously touched her neck, where marks from a past self-strangulation were healed by a high-quality ointment.
Yet that suffocating feeling of being unable to live yet not able to die was still present.
Every late night, Yun Cangxue would recall how she was pressured by Yun Sheng, with not a single person to help her as she walked step by step towards the Ancient Banyan Tree.
If that despicable girl knew the truth, she would definitely not let her go.
"Alright, I agree," Yun Cangxue stopped struggling and took the bottle of medicine.
"Third Miss Yun is indeed a smart person. Rest assured, Young Master Tang will be very safe in our hands. You just need to wait for General Yun to return to the Yun Residence, and add the medicine to his food daily," the person in red, having achieved their objective, left with a satisfied expression.
The door opened, and that person disappeared like a ghost.
The room was empty and echoing, and Yun Cangxue felt an unprecedented fatigue. She clutched the vial of medicine, murmuring to herself in a daze, "You can’t blame me, she forced me. If you hadn’t tried to take everything I have, how could I have done this?"
A few days passed, and Yun Bahe returned to the residence.
Everything in the residence was as before, and although the incident had greatly affected the reputation of the Yun Residence, it also purged a number of people lurking within.
There were noticeably fewer people in the residence, but correspondingly, it was much quieter.
Yun Bahe called for Yun Cangxue’s maid, "How is the Third Miss? Has she been causing a commotion in the past few days?"
Yun Cangxue’s maid replied respectfully, "Reporting to the master, the Third Miss was crying and refusing to eat in the past few days, but since the morning of the day before yesterday, she hasn’t made any more noise. She also asked where the master had gone, saying that as soon as the master returned, she must be informed immediately."
That child Cangxue, why can’t she let go?
Yun Bahe frowned involuntarily; the exile of Tang Yu was also to temper him in the harsh and cold lands of the west.
Although the west is desolate, it is where Yun Bahe had stationed several trustworthy generals he had nurtured in his early years. In those parts, those men, out of gratitude for the old favors from the Yun Residence, would certainly not make things difficult for Tang Yu.
Yun Bahe had just entered the main hall when he saw his daughter Yun Cangxue coming towards him, "Father, you’ve returned."
Yun Cangxue’s face bore a smile, seemingly having moved past the shadow of the earlier Tang Yu incident.
In her hands, she carried a bowl of chicken soup: "Daughter has made some chicken soup, which father loves to drink. Please, have a taste of your daughter’s cooking."
Seeing Yun Cangxue’s dramatically different demeanor, Yun Bahe was somewhat astonished. He knew his daughter’s temperament very well; Tang Yu was her beloved, and he had thought that she would at least make a fuss for a few months. Unexpectedly, just in a few days, she seemed to have returned to her former self.
"Father, why don’t you sit down? Are you still angry with Xuexue? These past few days, I’ve realized my mistakes. It was all my fault, my indulgence spoiled Yuyu, leading him to commit such outrageous acts and harm so many people," as Yun Cangxue spoke, she brought the bowl of soup to Yun Bahe’s hands.
Yun Bahe didn’t notice that Yun Cangxue’s fingers were trembling uncontrollably as she held the soup, and a flicker of panic flashed in her eyes.
"Xuexue, it’s good that you’ve come to understand. Actually, among you three siblings, you have always been my favorite. Yuyu’s incident is also a lesson learned. After three years, he will return. At that time, I will find him a position in the Military Department, so you can rest assured," said Yun Bahe, feeling relieved to see his daughter’s change of attitude, and looking at the chicken soup she brought to him, he felt a surge of comfort in his heart.
As Yun Cangxue listened to Yun Bahe, and saw him bring the chicken soup to his lips, her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but exclaim, "Father!"
Yun Bahe paused, then continued, "Also, this time around, you owe Yun Sheng quite a bit for her help. From now on, you’re not allowed to mistreat her again."
Yun Sheng... huh, it’s always Yun Sheng.