31 Deep Sisterly Bonds VII

Madam Zhang was furious.

Zhang Qingyao was equally angry. Too many things had happened today; whether it was the fact that her children’s father had been taken away by the magistrate’s office or the exposure of her true parentage, both were major events that would affect the rest of her life.

She sobbed and accused, "How do you expect me to repay this? Do you think I wanted to owe you? When you agreed to raise me back then, did you ever ask if I was willing?"

Madam Zhang was so angry she laughed. "So, you wish you had stayed with your mother instead?" She counted on her fingers, "An unmarried girl getting pregnant—you surely wouldn't have been able to marry into a decent family like the one you're in now..."

"Shut up!" Master Zhang roared. Those matters were dishonorable, and it would be best if no one ever mentioned them again. He could tolerate others speaking of it, but he could not bear to hear his own wife bring it up.

Madam Zhang turned her head to look at him. "You don't want me to speak of it because you also find it shameful, don't you?"

Master Zhang glared at her, but Madam Zhang was unfazed and glared right back. As the couple stood in a standoff, Zhang Qingyao retreated. Yu Shanmeng stepped forward to mediate: "Father, Mother is in a bad mood. Just let her say a few words, and this will pass!"

Master Zhang gave a cold snort and turned his face away, clearly taking his son-in-law's words to heart.

However, Madam Zhang would not let it go. "This will not pass so easily. Qingxue and I came to the front because we heard you intended to host guests... I am Qingxue's mother, and this is my daughter's home; it is fine for me to stay here for a while. As for other guests, it’s not that they cannot stay, but for a woman with two children to be hosted by a male head of the household is simply improper." She turned her head toward Zhang Qingyao. "Why are you crying? I am talking about you. If you had any self-respect, you would stay away from another woman's husband. Or is it that you, just like your shameless mother, intend to seduce a married man?"

Zhang Qingyao trembled with rage and screamed, "I did not!"

Yu Shanmeng felt guilty and hurriedly explained, "I only take care of my sister-in-law out of respect for my wife. It is not what you think."

Madam Zhang ignored everyone else and stared only at Zhang Qingyao, her eyes full of mockery. "You say you haven't, yet you keep standing in the home of a man who has feelings for you. If that isn't seduction, what is?" She reached out and shoved Zhang Qingyao. "I originally didn't want to see you, but I came anyway. My purpose... was to make you get out! Get out!"

Such aggression was too much, not just for Master Zhang, but even for Yu Shanmeng. He stepped forward to separate them and hurriedly said, "Mother, you have misunderstood. I absolutely have no improper thoughts toward my sister-in-law."

Madam Zhang sneered, looking entirely unconvinced. "You keep her here out of simple pity? If you truly have no filthy intentions, then swear an oath!"

Yu Shanmeng raised his hand, but hesitated.

Madam Zhang laughed coldly. "Still saying you don't?"

"I truly don't!" Yu Shanmeng knew that once his hidden feelings were exposed, not only would he be mocked, but Zhang Qingyao would also be affected. He glanced at the weeping beauty and gritted his teeth. "If I have even the slightest profane thought toward my sister-in-law, may I die a horrible death!" He only wanted to protect her; that shouldn't count as profanity, right?

Having achieved her goal, Madam Zhang nodded with a smile. "Since you have said as much, I naturally believe you. Qingyao is a child I raised; even if she is disobedient, I cannot drive her to total ruin. Very well, stay the night, but tomorrow morning, her entire family must move out, and from now on, they are forbidden from staying at the Yu residence!"

Master Zhang looked disapproving. "This is not your house; do not overreach."

Madam Zhang replied bluntly, "I want to protect my daughter; what is wrong with that?" She waved her hand impatiently. "I cannot make sense of you, you blind man. You stay as well, and leave first thing tomorrow." She then pulled Chu Yunli aside. "Daughter, let us go back and continue drinking."

Master Zhang asked, "Then when will you return?"

Madam Zhang replied without looking back, "I intend to stay for a few days."

After returning to her courtyard, Chu Yunli went to sleep with Madam Zhang. Having drunk some wine, she slept quite soundly. When she woke, it was already broad daylight. After inquiring, she learned the guests were having breakfast in the front courtyard.

Madam Zhang had not yet recovered from her hangover, so Chu Yunli did not disturb her. She visited the three children before heading to the front courtyard.

After the long night, Zhang Qingyao looked haggard and pale, which only added to her frail, pitiful air. Master Zhang and Yu Shanmeng were filled with pity for her, speaking in soft, gentle tones. Yu Shanmeng kept pushing plates toward her: "This is sea fish; you used to like it..."

Before Yu Shanmeng could pull his hand back from the plate, he noticed movement at the doorway. He glanced over and saw his wife standing there. He was instantly embarrassed and withdrew his hand naturally. "Wife, come and have breakfast."

Chu Yunli nodded, sat down next to Yu Shanmeng, and asked, "Have you prepared the carriage?"

Yu Shanmeng looked blank. "What carriage?"

"My sister and her family said yesterday they were only staying for one night. If you don't prepare a carriage, do you expect them to walk?" Chu Yunli shook her head. "What am I to say about you? I just said you were attentive to my sister, yet you ignore things to this extent." She raised her voice, "Prepare the carriage."

Someone immediately agreed.

Zhang Qingyao had not slept well and had no appetite. Seeing her sister act this way, how could she not understand that she was being driven out? She had never been treated with such disdain since she was a child. Enraged, she threw down her bowl and chopsticks, stood up, and pulled her daughter along. "Mi-er, let's go."

The mother and her two children walked away quickly; anyone with eyes could see they were furious.

Chu Yunli gave a light huff. "What’s so special about them?" As if she didn't know how to be angry herself, she raised her voice, "I'm not afraid of your anger, because I am even angrier than you!"

In the blink of an eye, the sisters had fallen out. Master Zhang snapped out of his shock and hurried after them. Yu Shanmeng followed to see them off, returning a quarter of an hour later. With a stern face, he questioned Chu Yunli, who was eating breakfast: "If you don't change this temper of yours, you will offend all your relatives. Those are your own kin. Do you not want your reputation? Do you not need to face people in the future? Do you not need to arrange marriages for Xuelin and the others?"

Chu Yunli wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said unhurriedly, "I am not like this to everyone. Ultimately, the root cause is you. If you didn't have those filthy thoughts, I wouldn't be targeting her."

Yu Shanmeng, once again being pointedly accused by his wife, turned pale then red. "My relationship with your sister is innocent. Can you stop bringing this up?"

"Heh!" Chu Yunli crossed her arms and sneered. "Is it innocent just because you haven't rolled into bed? If I brought home some handsome young men to keep me company, served them fine food and drink, adorned their belts with pearls, and fretted over them as if their illnesses were my own... as long as I didn't let them climb into my bed, would that not be considered betraying you?"

Yu Shanmeng's face darkened. "You wouldn't dare. And 'several young men'? Do you not want your reputation?"

"Betrayal is betrayal; once it happens, it happens countless times. One or several makes no difference." Chu Yunli looked him up and down. "Longing for one person isn't any more noble than seeking out many. It is all betrayal! In my eyes, your kind is even more detestable. Even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass around its own hole—where are you grazing?"

Yu Shanmeng's face grew uglier. "I will not have anything with your sister. If you don't believe me, I can swear to the heavens. I only hope you stop targeting her. It looks terrible for sisters to be at odds like this; I am only worried for you."

"Keep your kindness; I don't need it." Chu Yunli smiled thinly. "Also, don't speak too soon. The salt merchant case is far-reaching; my brother-in-law will likely not be coming out. In the future, when she has no one by her side, you..."

Yu Shanmeng's heart skipped a beat. "Don't talk nonsense. I said I won't, so I absolutely won't!"

Regarding Gao Mingqiao being locked in prison, Yu Shanmeng and Master Zhang had both secretly made inquiries. Not to mention the money spent, there had been no good news. No one dared to guarantee Gao Mingqiao's safety; everyone said they had to wait for news from the capital to see if the Gao family could escape. Even the prefect was watching from the sidelines. Every official hoped for political achievements; having a major case under their jurisdiction—provided it wasn't due to their own lax management—was a good thing. For example, if the salt merchant case were solved, it would be a feather in the prefect's cap.

The prefect hoped the Gao family’s charges would be as heavy as possible; who would dare to guarantee their safety? To make money, one had to stay alive to spend it! People who used to have good relations with the Gao family kept their doors closed. The more this happened, the more those unaware of the truth dared not associate with the Zhang family. For a time, people in the city shook their heads whenever the Gao family was mentioned, believing they were finished.

Zhang Qingyao had shed many tears these days and had lost a circle in size; her clothes hung loosely, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Master Zhang urged her to eat, but she couldn't swallow a thing. Seeing the beauty wasting away, seemingly turning into a celestial being about to ascend to the heavens, Yu Shanmeng went to great lengths to bribe the guards to let them see Gao Mingqiao. Because the trial hadn't begun, the authorities were worried about collusion, hence the restrictions on visitors.

Money moves hearts. The sum Yu Shanmeng offered was hard to refuse, and the guard reluctantly agreed, provided the visit took place at night. He also warned Yu Shanmeng to be as low-key as possible, preferably on foot.

For a man and a woman to walk the roads at night—if seen, they would never clear their names even if they jumped into the Yellow River. But the opportunity was rare; if they missed this, who knew when they would meet again? Looking at Zhang Qingyao's state, if she couldn't see him, she might not hold on much longer.

After much thought, Yu Shanmeng came to find Chu Yunli. He tentatively explained the situation: "Will you accompany us, please?"

Chu Yunli raised an eyebrow. "It's not impossible..."

Yu Shanmeng caught her implication; she clearly had conditions. He frowned. "What do you want for you to agree?" He added, "I am doing this to put your mind at ease. With you there, even in the dark, nothing of the sort you imagine will happen between us."

Chu Yunli ignored the second half of his sentence and tossed a piece of paper. "Press your thumbprint on this, and I'll go!"

It was a contract. Yu Shanmeng had to guarantee that he would never have any relationship with Zhang Qingyao beyond being relatives, that he would not initiate a divorce from his wife, and that he would not harm his wife. If he violated any of these, he would have to hand over all his assets to his wife to be managed and eventually divided equally among their three children.

Yu Shanmeng read the words on the paper, his brows knitting tighter. "Is this necessary?"

"This is my only condition. If you don't want to, then forget it." Chu Yunli reached to take the paper back. "It's the middle of the night; it's much better to be in bed sleeping. They say if you haven't done anything wrong, you don't fear a knock at the door. If we go to the prison with you and get caught, we might even face imprisonment ourselves." Chu Yunli folded the paper. "Anyway, you have no other children; this vast family fortune will eventually belong to the three siblings, so why should I be the villain?"

To Yu Shanmeng, this sounded reasonable. He still had feelings he couldn't let go of, but he was middle-aged and unlikely to have more children. The fortune... after he was gone, it would indeed go to the three children. And he really didn't want to miss this chance for Zhang Qingyao and her husband to meet. He snatched the paper, spread it out, and pressed his thumbprint on it resolutely. Perhaps due to his hidden resentment, he smeared the ink pad all over his hand and pressed a bloody-looking palm print on the document.

"Is this sufficient?"

Chu Yunli smiled. It was more than sufficient!