Chapter 365
Chapter 365 : Rules (2)Translated byきつねonJuly 29, 2022
Yuxi heard from Mama Qu that Huo Changqing was not at the residence but at the military camp. After thinking for a while, she had Xu Wu send someone to invite Huo Changqing back.
When Huo Changqing got the news, he felt strange. Yuxi should have asked Yun Qing to come back. What was the point of asking him instead? However, he knew that Yuxi was not a reckless person, so he went back to the Yun Mansion at once.
When Yuxi saw Huo Changqing, she told him about Mr Chen and her scruples. “Uncle Huo, please don’t blame me for being reckless.”
Huo Changqing looked at Yuxi and said, “Even if I blame you, you won’t think you’re at fault, am I right?” Looking at Yuxi’s appearance, it was clear that she did not think she had done anything wrong.
Yuxi also did not shy away from saying, “Yes. I also believe Uncle Huo. When you said that Mr Chen was wronged, he must be wronged. I also believe that Mr Chen must be talented and of good character. But it’s useless when I’m the only one who believes, while the people outside won’t.”
Huo Changqing very much disagreed with Yuxi’s words. “You want to be an upright person but still try to have a clear conscience. Why should you care what others think?” He felt that it was good to be an upright person with a clear conscience and honestly open.
Yuxi let out a bitter smile as she commented, “I now know why people in the capital say that He Rui is a murderous person.” Although Yun Qing always had a cold face and severe anti-social behaviour, he was definitely not as exaggerated as the rumours. But the real question was, why had Yun Qing’s reputation become so bad? Now she understood that it was not only because Yun Qing’s enemies were slandering him. Even he didn’t care about these rumours personally. So how could his reputation ever be good?
Huo Changqing stated, “What is true cannot become false, and what is false cannot become true. As long as you’ve been in contact with Yun Qing, you’ll know what kind of person he is.”
Yuxi was a bit helpless as she argued, “Uncle Huo, didn’t you also say that I was lucky enough to know what kind of person he was after having close contact with He Rui? But this only happened ‘after’ having close contact with him! Uncle Huo, don’t you remember? He Rui’s former fiancee, Chen Xue, was frightened to death because of rumours that he was addicted to killing. Uncle Huo, public opinion is powerful enough to even melt metal and destroy bones. If we underestimate the power of rumours, we will suffer a big loss when the time comes.” In her previous life, outsiders had evaluated Yun Qing not only as a murderous devil but also as cold-blooded, ruthless, arrogant, domineering, and considered everyone beneath his notice. However, because the murderous devil was the loudest, the others were all overshadowed.
Huo Changqing looked deeply at Yuxi and asked, “What do you actually want to say?” He wasn’t angry with her because he knew Yuxi was only thinking of Yun Qing.
Yuxi said, “Uncle Huo, we must be careful in this regard. As in the case of Mr Chen, it’s not that we can’t take Mr Chen in our care, but we can’t do it in the open. If one wants to be a merciful person, one should do it privately. Don’t think these kinds of things are small, but these small things will become a sharp weapon for others to attack us in the future.” She had no right to interfere with everything in the past, but not now. She couldn’t let Yun Qing carry such a reputation. Otherwise, their children’s marriage would be a problem in the future. It would be okay for their son, but if their daughter had a father with such a reputation, she would suffer a significant loss.
Huo Changqing was silent and couldn’t speak.
Yuxi continued, “Uncle Huo, to put it mildly, the reason He Rui can’t find a suitable staff is related to the rumours outside. Without someone to assist him, it will get even more difficult to take his revenge.” As soon as there were rumours that people around Yun Qing always end up killed, the Song family and Qin Zhao glared at him like a tiger eyeing its prey on the side, who would come to his side, unless they had a long life?
Huo Changqing looked at Yuxi and questioned her, “You’re not just running a temporary school to help those having a hard time, are you? You also want to gain fame through this matter.”
Yuxi smiled. “I genuinely and sincerely want to help them.” If she gained a good reputation from helping people, she would accept it without any shame. Simply put, it was mutually beneficial.
Huo Changqing smiled and said, “I think Duke Han must have regretted that you’re not born as a man.” Not to mention Duke Han even he regretted that Yuxi was not a man. Of course, it was fortunate for her to be a woman. Otherwise, Yun Qing would have lost a boost.
Yuxi was embarrassed. They were discussing something serious. How did it suddenly change to this topic?
Huo Changqing was a rather open-minded person. “What you say is not unreasonable. If you think what I do with Yun Qing is not right in the future, you can just point it out.”
Yuxi responded nonchalantly, “Uncle Huo, how can I know everything you guys are doing?” It was also because she was pregnant, and her brain was not as good as before. Otherwise, she would not have left the matter of hiring a teacher to Yun Qing without asking. If Yun Qing had acted properly and thoughtfully, he would not have to bear the reputation of being a murderous devil.
Huo Changqing laughed. “I’ll tell that kid Yun Qing to inform you.”
Yuxi was very satisfied with this response. When Yun Qing returned in the evening, Yuxi told him the whole story without waiting for him to ask. After telling him that, she complained, “You’re really the real deal. You even delivered a ready-made handle, as if you’re afraid that the Imperial Censor has nothing to do.” Yun Qing and Huo Chang Qing were serious martial artists. Both were very frank people. Where would they have the mind to think about these scheming things?
Yun Qing laughed. “This is a border city, not the capital. It is difficult for the Imperial Censor to know what happened here.” And it had been peaceful and stable for so many years.
Yuxi glared at Yun Qing. “It might not have been a problem for Qin Zhao to do this. But you can’t. The Song family is still glaring at you like a tiger eyeing its prey! Now, they aren’t holding back anymore since they want to strike a blow at you as soon as possible.” Having the Song family as his arch-enemy, with Qin Zhao pressing him from the top, how could he not be cautious and solemn in his act?
Yun Qing said, “You are pregnant now. So you shouldn’t pay too much attention to this matter. You should be at ease while nurturing the child. I will take care of these things.”
Yuxi silently criticised him in her heart; if I let you handle it, the result will probably be the same as in the previous life, where your terrible fame filled the street. However, for Yun Qing’s face, she did not dare to say anything. She just smiled and countered, “I’m not that fragile. I’m in excellent health. Besides, the physician and Mama Bai said that my child is well nourished.”
Xu Daniu spent three days finding all the impostors before handing the list to Yuxi. He reported, “Madam, if you didn’t request a check on the list, you wouldn’t have known. But once we check it, you’ll be shocked by the results. We have found more than 20 impostors from the list.” He originally thought there were only four to five at most, but it turned out to be more than twenty. When he discovered this, Xu Daniu had to wipe a little of his fake sweat.
Yuxi looked at the list. There were nineteen boys and four girls, and looking at this abnormal data, her brows furrowed. Five or six was expected, but more than twenty was not.
Mama Qu uttered, “Madam, I don’t think this is right.” This was too unusual. It was rational to replace only three or five but to change more than twenty students; was too exaggerated.
Yuxi’s face was cold as she said, “It is not right, but this is all we can do for now.” For the time being, she would have to eat this loss.
Xu Wu, who gloomily listened to this on one side, asked, “Madam, is this issue just going to be forgotten?”
When Xu Daniu heard this, he was so angry that he wished he could kill those people. Madam started this small school, albeit temporary but could help many people. This was a good thing, but some people did this instead. If he caught the one responsible for this, he would kill that person.
Yuxi nodded. “There is no hurry. If someone is really up to mischief, there must be a subsequent party. After finding that person, we will settle the new account with the old one together.” If her prediction were correct, their investigation would undoubtedly cause a storm this time.
As Yuxi had predicted, the moment this came out, there was a storm. The parents of the dismissed children did not dare to make a fuss, but the disqualified families came to the gate to plead for leniency. Since they couldn’t get into the Yun Mansion, they knelt outside the gate, crying and begging, creating such a loud noise. This situation invited onlookers to surround the mansion layer upon layer.
Zijin’s face was flushed with anger when she heard the news reported by Xu Wu. “They didn’t dare to say anything when their quota was replaced with other people that day, but now they want to force Madam.”
Yuxi laughed a little. She was not angry as she said, “They dare to come to make trouble because they think I will be soft-hearted. They believe I will take back what I said before after seeing their pitiful faces.” Unfortunately, these people had miscalculated. She would not be swayed.
Zijin asked, “But this won’t create a bigger problem, right?”
Yuxi ordered Xu Wu, “Please send someone to tell the General that I can take care of things here, so he should not return. Mama Qu, go and send the people outside away.” She was worried that Yun Qing would rush back after he heard the news. If Yun Qing became angry, it would be tough to handle this matter then.
Mama Qu asked, “What if I can’t persuade them to leave? Or, what if they don’t want to leave the gate?”
Yuxi smiled and said, “If being soft does not work, then you can tell those people that they will be sent to the yamen if they won’t leave.”
Xu Wu thought for a moment before suggesting, “Madam, I think Madam should write a letter to the General!” As far as he knew of the General, if the General knew about this, it was guaranteed that he would immediately rush back. [+]
Yuxi smiled and went into the study, while Mama Qu, on the other hand, went out to deal with the matter outside. Since there were guards following her, she was not afraid.
The people kneeling outside the gate of the Yun Mansion had a ray of hope in their hearts when they noticed someone was opening the gate. But they were very disappointed when they saw the person who came out from inside was an older woman.
Mama Qu introduced herself first, saying, “I am the stewardess of this mansion’s inner courtyard. If you have anything to say, it is the same just by telling me.”
A woman with a long face stood up from the crowd and called out while wiping her tears, “Dajie, can you please let us see Madam? We are also forced to do so. Please ask Madam to give us a chance!”
Mama Qu’s face did not have a superfluous expression when she said, “You have already been given a chance, but you don’t cherish it. Who else can you blame?”
The woman with the long face protested against the injustice. “We had no choice. If there had been a way, we wouldn’t have let them take the place of our own children.” This woman felt very aggrieved. She was threatened then and had no choice but to give in.
Mama Qu coldly snorted. “Madam heard that children often freeze to death here, so she thought of doing her part to help you and your children. You didn’t dare to speak out when your quota was taken from you, and now you’ve come to the General’s mansion to make trouble? What? Do you think you can bully Madam since she has a good temper? Let me tell you, you have made a mistake. The General’s mansion is not a place for you to behave wildly.” After saying that, she spoke to a guard beside her. “Immediately go to the county yamen and report that unruly people are gathering in front of the General’s gate.”
When these words were uttered, the women kneeling on the ground changed their expressions. If the yamen people came, they would all be locked up in jail.