News of the Pillar State General losing contact spread throughout the wards.

“Who would have thought that old man selling the copper coin was actually telling the truth—the Pillar State General really has gone missing!”

“I heard the current National Preceptor’s divination was the same, hinting that the Pillar State General is a traitor. Is that even possible?”

“Of course not! The Yun family has been loyal for generations, protecting home and country. How could they possibly betray our Great Jin!”

“…”

The news reached the military camp in the outskirts of the capital. This was where the Yun family army was stationed—three thousand elite troops personally trained by the Yun family who recognized only the Yun family members.

Upon hearing that the Pillar State General had lost contact, the Yun family army immediately caused a commotion. The deputy general submitted a petition requesting the court allow the Yun family army to go to the southern border to search for the Pillar State General’s whereabouts.

This request was naturally rejected.

Disregarding military law, the deputy general rode into the capital, went straight to the Imperial City, and knelt at the palace gates requesting an audience.

Originally, the Emperor had greatly trusted Yun Silin.

But the deputy general’s behavior and the Yun family army’s actions made the Emperor frown in displeasure.

Though they were the Yun family army, they were even more the army of Great Jin. No matter what happened, he, the Emperor, was their master.

Now, the priorities had been reversed.

“General Dingyuan, step forward!” the Emperor commanded coldly. “Starting today, the three thousand Yun family troops will be temporarily under your command!”

General Dingyuan was overjoyed.

Though it was only three thousand men, the Yun family army’s prowess in battle was famous both domestically and abroad, causing many small nations to retreat without fighting.

The Yun family army could fight one against ten at minimum. They excelled in strategy and formations—three thousand men could utterly defeat thirty thousand elite enemy troops.

With the Yun family in trouble, these three thousand Yun family troops would become his soldiers.

General Dingyuan said loudly, “This subject receives the decree!”

The news that the Yun family army had been taken over by General Dingyuan instantly spread throughout the entire capital.

Qiutong brought back the news, her face full of anxiety.

Yun Chu sat in a chair, blending fragrances. She smelled the scent—it was the aroma she wanted—and had the maid light it.

“Madam, how can you not be worried at all?” Qiutong, usually steady, was now so anxious she was beside herself. Having grown up mingling among the Yun family army and learned martial arts from them, she couldn’t remain detached. She said through gritted teeth, “Deputy General Yin was too rash. He shouldn’t have petitioned to go to the southern border. Now look what’s happened—the Yun family army has actually been taken over by outsiders!”

Of course Yun Chu wasn’t worried.

According to how events developed in her previous life, her father would return triumphantly after two years.

However, with her warnings, those two long years should be reduced to about six months…

The Yun family would experience a period of decline. Only when people are at their lowest can they see clearly whether those around them are human or demon.

Yun Chu stood up, preparing to return to the Yun family home.

Before she could leave Sheng Residence, she saw several people from the Xie family walking toward her courtyard.

Yuan Shi and Xie Shi’an led the way, with Tingyu and Concubine Jiang following behind.

“Chu’er, everyone on the streets is discussing matters concerning the Yun family. What exactly has happened?” Yuan Shi’s face was full of worry. “Has your father truly lost contact?”

Yun Chu lowered her eyelids and said nothing.

Yuan Shi slapped her thigh. “It’s over, it’s over! We originally had the Yun family as our backing. No matter what, outsiders wouldn’t dare look down too much on our Xie family. Now the Yun family is also going to fall. What shall we orphans and widows do…”

“Madam, what do you mean the Yun family is falling?” Concubine Jiang, who usually had little presence, spoke up. “The Yun family just has some temporary trouble. It will pass soon.”

She didn’t want anything to happen to the Yun family. She didn’t want the mistress to lose her support.

The mistress had given her the box of the old lady’s belongings, which she had carefully hidden away. It would be Xian’er’s confidence for life.

She was willing to trade ten years of her own life for the Yun family’s safety.

“Just a little trouble?” Tingyu raised her eyes. “People on the streets are all saying that General Yun colluded with the enemy and betrayed the nation, conspiring with the King of South Yue. Otherwise, why would His Majesty take away the Yun family army?”

Yun Chu looked at Xie Shi’an. “What is your opinion, An’er?”

“If the crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the nation is confirmed, then it’s the annihilation of the entire clan!” Xie Shi’an took a deep breath. “Before the situation reaches that point, Mother must make a decision early.”

A perfectly appropriate bewilderment appeared on Yun Chu’s face. “What decision?”

Xie Shi’an lowered his eyes. “Write a letter severing kinship and break ties with the Yun family. Then regardless of whether the Yun family is convicted, it won’t implicate Mother.”

After Mother completely severed ties with the Yun family, then Mother would live as a member of the Xie family and die as a ghost of the Xie family. All the property under Mother’s name would belong to him, the eldest son.

Yun Chu smiled.

Xie Shi’an truly had deep schemes.

She hadn’t yet torn off all pretenses with Xie Shi’an, yet he was already calculating like this.

If one day they changed from mother and son to enemies…

She didn’t dare imagine how this hungry wolf Xie Shi’an would tear a piece of flesh from her body…

Yun Chu suppressed her thoughts and spoke. “An’er, you’re afraid the Xie family will be implicated, aren’t you?”

“I’m worried about Mother.” Xie Shi’an looked into her eyes. “Maternal Grandfather and Maternal Grandmother have always doted on Mother. I’m sure they would understand Mother’s choice.”

Yuan Shi said softly, “The Xie family can’t withstand any more blows. Chu’er, please consider us.”

Tingyu spoke somewhat urgently. “Madam, colluding with the enemy and betraying the nation is a capital crime that implicates nine generations of kin. Although you are a married daughter, you might still be implicated. Only by severing ties with the Yun family can you preserve your life.”

She didn’t actually hope the mistress would live.

Rather, she hoped the mistress would have no relationship whatsoever with the Yun family.

Because as long as the mistress was still a member of the Yun family, even if the mistress died, the Yun family would have the right to reclaim the mistress’s dowry.

After severing kinship, as long as the mistress died, the dowry would become the Xie family’s possession, and Yun’er could get at least some of it.

Concubine Jiang looked at the people before her, her face showing disbelief. “The Xie family has received so many benefits from the Yun family. Now that the Yun family is in trouble, not only does the Xie family not think of ways to help them, they’re actually forcing the mistress to sever ties with her own blood relatives…”

Tingyu interrupted her. “The Xie family now has only the elderly and young. What solutions can we think of? Besides self-preservation, what else can we do?”

Concubine Jiang looked at Yuan Shi, who avoided her gaze.

In this moment, she suddenly realized that the people she lived with daily—whether it was the elder Yuan Shi, her peer Concubine Yu, or the younger generation An’er—were all heartless and ungrateful creatures.

How had she been family with such a group of people for so long…

“I understand your concerns.” Yun Chu shook her head.

She had been waiting for a good opportunity to bring out the divorce papers.

She had originally thought she would have to wait until the matter of her father’s troubles was completely confirmed before the Xie family would make their move.

She never expected that with the Yun family’s troubles just beginning to surface, these Xie family members couldn’t sit still.

“The Xie family truly cannot withstand any storms.” Yun Chu looked at each person. “I will leave the Xie family. Regardless of what happens to the Yun family or how great their crime, it will have nothing to do with the Xie family.”

Yuan Shi was stunned. “Chu’er, what do you mean by that?”