Feng Xing acted as if he hadn't heard those words. Calmly, he said to Yun Yichu, "The second young master of the Yun Family has now returned. We shall take our leave." With that, he led his subordinates and left the Yun residence.
Chang Ming's gaze closely followed the man's figure until he completely disappeared.
"Yichu, be careful." Chun Lu helped him up, her heart aching, then tore off some white silk to wrap his wound.
Just as she was about to call for a servant to fetch a physician, Yun Yichu interrupted, "Aunt, I'm fine."
"First, see what's going on with Second Uncle."
Supporting himself on the coffin, he struggled to stand.
Step by step, he walked to the front of the corpse.
Afraid he would die young, Chang Ming stuffed another Huanshen Pill into his hand. "How unlucky to get stuck with a master who burns through his life like you."
After hearing this, Yun Yichu pinched his sleeve. "I've troubled you, Miss Chang Ming."
Lan Fang wiped away her tears and used her sleeve to clean Yun Hua's face.
"Just days ago, you said you would take me and the children to see the flowers in the suburbs."
"How can you cast us aside now and leave alone?"
Chun Lu's eyes reddened. Looking at the current situation and hearing Lan Fang's words, her heart ached terribly.
Taking a breath, she spoke from her heart, "Who exactly dealt such a ruthless blow, who wants to harm our Yun Family like this?"
Hearing these words, Lan Fang seemed to be stimulated by something. She turned back and glared fiercely at Chun Lu.
"Aside from your madman husband, who else could do such a thing?"
She stood up and pointed firmly at Chun Lu. "Father is dead. You and the eldest brother manage the accounts, manage the Yun Family."
"For that gold vein, you killed Hualang."
"You nearly killed Yichu just now too."
"Heavens! Why were such heartless and unscrupulous people born into the Yun Family?"
She cried heart-wrenchingly.
Chun Lu's heart was in extreme pain. Choking back sobs, she said, "Since Father advanced in years, he entrusted the Yun Family's accounts to Yun Rong and me."
"But we husband and wife have always conducted ourselves honestly. We have never once embezzled for ourselves."
"Much less have we ever thought of harming our siblings and seizing the family property."
Lan Fang stepped forward and shoved Chun Lu hard, completely forgetting how Chun Lu had just protected her.
"Stop lying to me! Just now, Yun Rong even said he was the head of the Yun Family!"
Chun Lu hurriedly explained, "He was drunk. What he said was all nonsense."
"Yichu is the one Father favored most."
Lan Fang wiped away her tears. "Fine. If that's the case, then bring out all the Yun Family's account books from these years."
"We'll all check them together."
"Let's see whether you harbor wolfish ambitions!"
Chun Lu closed her eyes and wept softly.
Yun Yichu patted her back, then went to persuade Lan Fang.
"Second Aunt, matters have reached this point. It's better to let Second Uncle be laid in the coffin first."
"He rarely stayed at home properly while alive. Now that he's returned,"
"he should also be allowed to lie down in peace, don't you think?"
Lan Fang shook off Yun Yichu. "From the moment I entered this family, the eldest brother has never thought highly of the second brother."
"Consequently, our whole family has been unwelcome in this residence."
"Now, Father has just passed, and even family members want to wipe us out."
"Truly, there's no way to live!"
Crying loudly, she ran back to her courtyard.
Her personal maidservant closely followed.
Chun Lu felt terrible in her heart. "All these years, for those accounts, the eldest brother and I calculated day and night."
"Afraid of getting even a single entry wrong."
"Yet now, it has instead become our fault."
Yun Yichu forced himself to stay composed to comfort her. "Aunt, heaven watches what people do."
"Eldest Uncle's hardships—I believe Grandfather's spirit in heaven sees them as well."
"Second Uncle has just passed away. Second Aunt is also overcome with grief, which is why she's like this."
Chun Lu tightly clutched her handkerchief. "I'm saying all this not to show off how much we have contributed to the Yun Family."
"Just that I feel somewhat aggrieved."
Yun Yichu rubbed her back.
Since childhood, she had treated him as her own son.
He also deeply understood her difficulties.
Chun Lu held Yun Yichu's hand. "Your grandfather has just passed. The Yun Family is gradually falling into chaos."
"Yichu, you must grow up quickly. When the time is right, you must step forward."
"Don't let down your grandfather's cultivation of you."
Yun Yichu nodded, indicating he understood.
Chun Lu stuffed a key into his hand. "This is the key to the storeroom. For anything that needs doing, anyplace lacking silver, just go and withdraw it."
"I'll speak to your Eldest Uncle."
Yun Yichu looked at the key, stunned for a moment, then thought of something. "Eldest Uncle's side?"
Chun Lu kindly stroked his head. "Leave it to me. I'll speak to your Eldest Uncle."
Yun Yichu was still somewhat hesitant. "But Eldest Uncle has a violent temper. I'm afraid..."
"Aunt, you'd better take this key back."
"Over the years, I've still managed to save up a bit of money here and there."
"Aside from what was spent on Grandfather's funeral, the rest should be enough to buy a coffin for Second Uncle."
Chun Lu shook her head and stuffed the key into his chest.
"Our family was originally getting along fine."
"This thing invited disaster. Now, only by keeping it with you can people feel at ease."
"As for your Eldest Uncle, if he wants to hit me, let him."
"It's not like it's only happened once or twice."
"I got used to it long ago."
After speaking, Chun Lu took two deep breaths, pushed Yun Yichu away, turned, and left.
Yun Ruosheng looked at the bleeding wound on his grandson's head and at his second son lying on the ground.
He was overcome with grief. "I shouldn't have given the power to manage the household to the eldest back then."
"But what else could I have done?"
These words caused Chang Ming to glance sideways at him. "So you're saying there are hidden circumstances?"
Yun Ruosheng nodded with shame. "In my life, I fathered three sons."
"The eldest son, Yun Rong, grew up by my side, from poverty to prosperity."
"But he didn't love studying, had no official career, and could only go into business."
"The second son was born to my second wife. He was spoiled since childhood."
"At some point, he became involved with a brothel woman and was unwilling to return home day after day. He rarely concerned himself with proper matters."
"The third son was also born to my second wife."
"He did love studying, but he was too obsessed with an official career."
"He had no heart for family matters."
Chang Ming more or less understood his meaning.
"Choosing the best from a bad lot. It truly was hard on you."
She raised her eyes and gazed at Yun Ruosheng. "However, since it was so hard to choose, why not use the one already at hand?"
Chang Ming was alluding to Yun Yichu.
Yun Ruosheng sighed lightly. "Although I have cultivated him for many years, after all, he has not yet established a family. How can one establish a career?"
Chang Ming sneered and directly slapped him back into the Soul-Summoning Umbrella with one blow.
"Pedantic."
Yun Yichu slowly walked over. He looked much better—the Huanshen Pill seemed to have taken effect.
Because Chang Ming had just used a barrier to separate them.
Therefore, he hadn't detected the conversation between Yun Ruosheng and Chang Ming.
"Today, I've made myself a laughingstock before you."
Chang Ming waved her hand. "It's fine. The myriad states of the mortal world—just consider it idle chatter."
After hearing this, Yun Yichu still felt ashamed. "This young man has been unwell, and Second Uncle has just passed away."
"The matter of burning the copper coins must be postponed."
"I'm afraid I must trouble you to wait a few more days in the residence."
Chang Ming laughed lightly. "I haven't come down the mountain for many years. Just consider this a trip for amusement."
"Young Master, don't feel guilty."
These words struck Yun Yichu's heart, causing his face to flush red.
Chang Ming took the opportunity to say she was tired and wanted to return to rest.
As she left, she casually placed an orchid leaf by Yun Hua's side.
One leaf to know the sea of wisdom. From within Yun Hua's lingering consciousness, Chang Ming perceived that he had seen the six copper coins before his death.