thedancenovel Chapter 532 - 268: When Did You Become Like This (3)
Chapter 532 - 268: When Did You Become Like This (3)
"As for you saying he’s guilty, then I really must reason this out properly with you—"
"He earned his title through military merit, his功勋 are unparalleled; he is the most outstanding, fierce, battle-hardened of the Military Generals of Da Wu Country, destined to have his name recorded in history. As for right and wrong, merits and faults, later generations will naturally judge for themselves~"
"Even if he is guilty, that is for His Majesty the Holy Emperor to decide. Since when has it been your turn, a mere merchant’s wife, to stick your beak in?"
"What right do you have to say such things?"
"For the sake of someone who nearly got you killed, you talk like this about the elder brother who dotes on you and raised you. Heh, Yun Chuchu, I truly think your brain is broken."
Yun Chuchu parted her lips, as if trying very hard to explain something, yet not a sound came out.
Looking at the woman before her, face pale and lips trembling, Lady Yun was both furious and heartsore. Scenes from the past surfaced one by one in her mind, and her eyes reddened.
"That Shang Family is truly poisonous. It’s only been eight short years—how have they turned my Chuchu into this?"
When she had just married into the Yun Family, Yun Chuchu was not yet five, with two little horn braids, carved from pink jade, soft and milky, pretty like a porcelain doll, tugging at her hand and calling her "sister‑in‑law" in a muffled baby voice.
Yun Chuchu liked her very much and relied on her as well, always wanting to sleep with her, clinging to her no matter what she was doing.
When her father was exiled, she thus became the daughter of a criminal official, chased all the way to the city gate by her fiancé’s Lin Family to have the engagement annulled.
When she first returned to Haojing, people would often use this to mock her.
Whenever that happened, Yun Chuchu would step out and stand in front of her with her small body, glaring angrily at the madams and young ladies who spoke ill of her.
She said, "So what if my sister‑in‑law is the daughter of a criminal official? She’s not the one who did wrong. She’s the most beautiful woman under heaven—"
"Even if she is the daughter of a criminal official, she’s still a hundred, ten thousand times better than you. You ugly hags are clearly just jealous of her looks, that’s why you badmouth her."
"The Lin Family breaking off the engagement only proves they’re blind. But we should also thank them for it, otherwise my big brother wouldn’t have had the chance to marry such a good sister‑in‑law."
She also said, "I’ll remember you all. When Big Brother returns in triumph, I’ll definitely tell him that you vile women bullied Sister‑in‑law while he was away from the Capital, and have Big Brother teach you a vicious lesson."
Whenever someone had friction or disputes with her, Yun Chuchu would unwaveringly stand on her side.
Once, she was framed by a noble girl who admired Yun Zheng. In order to save her, Yun Chuchu accidentally fell into the lake and nearly drowned.
She was racked with guilt, but when Yun Chuchu woke, the first thing she did wasn’t to complain of discomfort, but to comfort her.
She said, "Sister‑in‑law, don’t cry. Chuchu doesn’t feel bad at all, really."
She also said, "It’s so wonderful that Sister‑in‑law is fine. As long as Sister‑in‑law is safe, Chuchu is willing to do anything."
Back then she swore that she would love Yun Chuchu even more from then on. Even if she had a daughter in the future, she must not let that child surpass Yun Chuchu in her heart.
After that came more than ten years of mutual support and companionship.
Yun Chuchu helped her manage the household, helped her take care of those three siblings. To her, Yun Chuchu was a younger sister‑in‑law, a sister, and also a daughter—family bound by blood, inseparable and dear.
Until she met Shang Yu, and everything changed.
The obedient, well‑behaved, cute and considerate little girl she used to be, who knew what kind of bewitching soup she’d been fed—overnight she grew a full body of rebellious bones.
Nothing they said could get through to her. She insisted on casting aside everything for love and running off to Nanzhou Prefecture.
Who knew that when they met again, she would have turned into someone who could no longer distinguish right from wrong.
"Sister‑in‑law, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those hurtful things to you, and I shouldn’t have spoken about Big Brother that way. I just suddenly heard the news and got anxious, so those words slipped out without thinking..."
Those words made guilt surge uncontrollably in Yun Chuchu’s heart. She lowered her head and sobbed out her apology.
Her elder brother and sister‑in‑law truly loved her, yet she had said such things. She really was inhuman.
"Forget it."
What use is an apology?
Words once spoken are like water thrown out. Lady Yun didn’t want to hear meaningless things. She gathered up all her emotions, her expression turning calm and distant.
"Since I’ve brought this up with you today, I’ll tell you everything about Nanzhou Prefecture. At present, aside from the Shang Family, the Prefect and his group have all been thrown into prison as well."
"The Governor has been reinstated and is now doing his utmost to gather evidence. Once the evidence is sufficient, there will be a public interrogation and judgment."
"There’s no escaping immediate execution by beheading. The Shang Family has no chance to turn things around. As for that wretched girl, I also plan to send someone to escort her to the prison of Nanzhou Prefecture, so she can be reunited with her family."
"As for you, Chuchu, just stay in the residence and focus on recuperating. Do not interfere in the Shang Family’s affairs."