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墨書 Inktalez
Fu Lianyin coldly pondered how to start the conversation when she saw Yun Yang staring at Yun Kexin for a moment, then abruptly said, "Sister Xin, what happened to you?"
"Uh— I don't know," Yun Kexin still wore that silly expression, licking her lips. "I was playing a ghost-catching game with my cousin near the Rockery, and then just like Elder Sister Five said, a ghost really appeared, so we went to catch the ghost. Who would have thought—" Yun Kexin paused, looking at Dai Chun Ni with a face full of 'apology' mixed with innocence and confusion. "It was the Substitute Concubine, this..."
"Then why did you all mistakenly think the Substitute Concubine was a ghost?" Fu Lianyin slowly began, but a chilling smile tugged at the corners of her mouth—did they think their childish tricks could fool her? She feigned interest and asked, "Did Mother not think the Substitute Concubine looked anything like a ghost?"
She intended to lead them on slowly, step by step drawing out the children's words to reveal the "mastermind" behind them—it was definitely the idea of the First House and Second House! Fu Lianyin felt a deep anger in her heart.
Her cold gaze fixed firmly on Yun Kexin's face, waiting for her answer.
Yun Jie, Yun Yao, and Yun Yan felt tense in their hearts, sweating for Yun Kexin. Unexpectedly, she continued munching on her fingers while looking foolishly confused. "Oh, Elder Sister Five also said that earlier. We saw a shadow in the dark corridor without a head, just shoulders and limbs moving, so we thought it was a 'headless ghost'..." She then turned to Dai Chun Ni with a look of terror and said, "Substitute Concubine, you look so dark; in dim light, we can't see your face at all, so... it was a misunderstanding!"
"You, you blind!" Dai Chun Ni pointed angrily at Yun Kexin with her hand stained with bright red lipstick. "These are all excuses! Where am I dark?! Someone must have instigated you to do this! Who is it? Who?!"
Yun Yang glanced at Dai Chun Ni as if he had seen some monster and let out a disdainful snort. He shifted his gaze back and swept it over Maid Yu without mercy. "Yu, go get a mirror for the Substitute Concubine."
Dai Chun Ni was taken aback; before she could think about Yun Yang's words, a mirror blocked her view and reflected her face:
The dark skin tone could not be fully covered even with makeup; after being subjected to a "storm of sticks," it appeared even more fake and honest-looking. The makeup was unevenly distributed; some parts had fallen off completely revealing the darkness beneath;
Some stubborn thick patches were bright and colorful; at first glance, it resembled the painted faces of characters from an opera troupe or a clumsy mix of rough watercolor paintings and poorly done landscape ink paintings! Coupled with disheveled hair and falling hairpins, it looked crooked... more like a ghost than a human!
Dai Chun Ni's first reaction was to raise her hand to throw away the mirror. She bit her lip hard, clenched her hands in her sleeves, and suddenly covered her face while crying out, "My lord, we were once husband and wife; how can you publicly humiliate me like this? How can you bear to..." Her voice trailed off into muffled sobs in her palms.
"Is it me humiliating you, or are you humiliating yourself?!" Yun Yang's eyes suddenly brightened, and his voice deepened, "Substitute Concubine, it is important to have self-awareness. It's a waste that you have followed me for so long... Furthermore," he paused slightly and continued in a mocking tone, "some people are 'golden on the outside but rotten on the inside,' while you are 'the same inside and out,' with both your face and heart being dark!"
The Substitute Concubine felt increasingly ashamed, unable to show her face, and her cries grew louder.
Fu Lianyin's face was a mix of indifference, helplessness, and anger at the foolishness. Her lowered eyelids slowly lifted, casting a gloomy and cold gaze toward Dai Chun Ni, who was crying with her face covered. In her heart, she thought: Ignorant fool! To be played around by a group of children like this; with such little brains, you dare to compete with the First House and Second House!
"Enough, my lord. Let's put an end to this matter," Fu Lianyin turned to Yun Yang with a gentle and kind expression. "The Substitute Concubine has already learned her lesson since morning; let’s spare her. After all, she is one of us from the Third House. If this gets out, it would be your face that is lost."
Yun Yang took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Substitute Concubine, from today onwards, you are confined to your room." He then looked at the confused children in the room. "Nephews and nieces, you can all go back. Third Uncle does not wish to inquire further about today’s events, but next time there must be no more such nonsense."
"Yes, Third Uncle," Yun Jie bowed respectfully in front of Yun Yang. "Tonight we were reckless. I will apologize to Third Uncle and Third Aunt along with my siblings for the Substitute Concubine."
"Go back," Fu Lianyin replied indifferently—she was worried that if she held back any longer, she would not be able to stop herself from giving each of these children a slap.
After several children successively apologized to Third Uncle and Third Aunt before leaving, Yun Kexin was called over by Fu Lianyin. She stared at her for a long time without saying a word—
Suspicious glances swept across Yun Kexin's delicate and fair face: Is this child really foolish? Why does it always feel like something is off?
Every time there was any "movement" from the Second House, she could not be absent; why is that? Could it be that she knows about her own background and has developed resentment or even hatred toward the Third House?
But so far, she had only seen her targeting Dai Chun Ni while treating others from the Third House very well; why specifically target the Substitute Concubine?
Fu Lianyin recalled that night during the adoption ceremony when she had a "private talk" with Dai Chun Ni in the room... A sudden shock struck her: Could it be that Seventh Young Lady was pretending to sleep or wasn’t deeply asleep at all, allowing her to hear everything?
"Sister Xin, now that Cousins are not here, tell Mother the truth," Fu Lianyin said, despite the doubts and the panic of possible secrets being leaked swirling in her heart. On the surface, however, she appeared gentle and loving, calm and composed, coaxing softly, "Do you really think of the Substitute Concubine as a ghost? Or is there someone teaching you to do this?"
Yun Kexin truly did not want to face that expression—if Dai Chun Ni was "consistent inside and out," then Fu Lianyin certainly deserved Yun Yang's description of "beautiful on the outside, rotten on the inside."
She was indeed stunningly beautiful, with a smile like a flower, yet no one could imagine the venomous heart hidden beneath that lovely exterior.
Yun Kexin frowned, pouting her lips, her chin slowly resting on her chest, as if she had truly done something shameful and was being forced to confess, struggling intensely within...
Seeing this scene, Fu Lianyin raised an eyebrow at Yun Yang triumphantly, but he unexpectedly frowned slightly—wearing a face of "the child is not taught, the father worries."
"Father, Mother, I was wrong," Yun Kexin raised her head, her big watery eyes shimmering but without tears, sniffling pitifully. "I... I lied."
"Lied? How could you..." Fu Lianyin's feigned anger was so vivid that it seemed much more natural than Yun Yang's genuine surprise beside her. "It's okay, Kexin doesn't need to be afraid. Admitting your mistake makes you a good child. Mother and Father won't blame you, but you must tell the truth."
"Mm," Yun Kexin nodded heavily, hating herself for not being able to shed tears; wouldn't that be more convincing? "At first we really thought we saw a ghost, but later when we heard crying and shouting, I recognized the voice as the Substitute Concubine—" she paused for breath and said earnestly, "I originally wanted to call Cousin and the others to stop, but thinking about how the Substitute Concubine bullied Mother and Father made me furious. So I took it upon myself to teach the Substitute Concubine a harsh lesson for Mother and Father!"
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