As the year drew to a close, matters grew hectic.

Yun Chu spent every day busy with various trivial affairs, and soon the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month arrived.

For many years now, the Yun family had attended the New Year’s Eve banquet in the palace on this day each year. Therefore, the Yun family’s reunion dinner was always scheduled for noon.

Yun Chu wore a cloak and trudged through the wind and snow to reach the Yun family’s gate.

Many clan members had already arrived, gathering in small groups of two or three in the hall, talking. The weather was cold, and Old General Yun claimed illness and did not attend.

Many tables were set up in the great hall. Men, women, and children each found their places to sit.

Although the Yun family had encountered troubles and the family head’s fate remained uncertain, the Emperor had not actually revoked the title of Pillar General. Therefore, everyone’s state of mind remained relatively calm.

“Our Yun family is blessed by our ancestors, and the family head will surely turn misfortune into good fortune,” said the eldest clan elder, raising his cup. “As long as we Yun family members unite as one, we will definitely overcome this low point. Come, let us drink together.”

Everyone raised their cups in celebration.

After everyone was seated, Yun Ze raised his eyes and looked toward Yun Run, who sat below him, speaking in a calm voice: “What has Cousin Run been busy with lately?”

Yun Run replied politely and courteously: “Nothing more than attending court each day.”

“I heard that Cousin Run has been quite close with Gongsun Ning, the eldest son of the Gongsun family, these past few days,” Yun Ze said with a half-smile. “Can you tell everyone what you’ve been discussing?”

Yun Run’s expression stiffened.

He had only met Gongsun Ning twice in great secrecy—how had Yun Ze learned of it?

He pressed his lips together and said: “Yun Ze, although you are the eldest legitimate son of the Yun family’s main branch, you don’t have the authority to track other Yun family members, do you?”

“There’s actually no need to track you,” Yun Ze’s expression gradually grew cold. “It’s Gongsun Ning who privately told others that the Yun family agreed to marry the eldest legitimate daughter of the main branch to him as his second wife. Wasn’t it Cousin Run who agreed to this?”

At these words, the faces of all the Yun family clan members in the hall changed.

At the last palace banquet, Gongsun Ning had failed in his attempt to molest Yun Chu, and the Emperor had therefore granted Yun Chu the fifth-rank title of Lady of Grace. Everyone in the entire capital knew about this incident.

Gongsun Ning was riding roughshod over the Yun family.

No member of the Yun family should have any further dealings with such a person.

Yet Yun Run had agreed to marry Yun Chu off to Gongsun Ning?

The Yun family members erupted.

“What gives you the qualifications to agree to such a thing?”

“Even Yun Ze wouldn’t have the authority to control Yun Chu’s marriage, would he?”

“What exactly were you trying to gain?”

Various accusations came at him from all sides. Yun Run suddenly stood up and explained: “I never did such a thing! I didn’t!”

Lin Shi’s face was full of ice: “Then tell us why you went to meet Gongsun Ning?”

“It was Gongsun Ning who sought me out,” Yun Run said with difficulty. “He said he had long admired Yun Chu and hoped I would persuade Aunt to marry Yun Chu to him, but I refused!”

“Why did he seek you out and not someone else?” Liu Qianqian said slowly. “Moreover, he sought out Cousin Run repeatedly. What made him think Cousin Run would agree to this matter?”

Yun Run fell silent.

It was because he had been secretly working to help other Yun family members restore their official positions. He wanted the clan to see his capabilities, wanted everyone to know that he was more outstanding than Yun Ze.

He had desires, so Gongsun Ning came to him to negotiate terms.

He knew very clearly that it was impossible for Yun Chu to marry into the Gongsun family, but he hadn’t refused outright. He deliberately strung Gongsun Ning along to use as leverage…

Who knew that after just two meetings, Yun Ze would find out?

And to question him directly in such a setting as the New Year’s Eve dinner, making him lose face.

“This whole matter is just a misunderstanding,” Third Aunt Yun stepped forward. “That wretch Gongsun Ning was just using our Yun Run to damage Yun Chu’s reputation, wanting to leave Yun Chu with no choice but to marry him. This matter is indeed Yun Run’s fault—he fell for Gongsun Ning’s scheme. What are you standing there for, Yun Run? Hurry up and apologize to your aunt and Yun Chu.”

Yun Run poured a cup of tea, walked forward, and handed it to Lin Shi: “First Aunt, I was wrong. I’ll never meet with Gongsun Ning again.”

Then he looked at Yun Chu. “As your cousin, I failed to consider your reputation. I’m sorry.”

Third Aunt Yun smiled and smoothed things over: “Run’er has apologized, so let’s consider this matter settled. Haha, everyone continue eating and drinking—don’t let this small matter spoil the mood.”

After speaking, she pulled Yun Run directly outside. The smile on her face completely disappeared. She rolled up her sleeves and began to strike him: “Just now there were so many people watching, so I gave you face. But you—such a grown man, nearly thirty years old—how could you do something so absurd!”

Yun Run covered his head and dodged.

“I know you want to climb upward, know you want to become the Yun family’s clan head. You can compete however you want among our own family members, but why did you drag outsiders into this? The Gongsun family is the Empress’s maternal family. Do you want the Empress’s faction to laugh at the Yun family? Although the Yun family has encountered some troubles now, we’ve stood in the capital for two hundred years—that’s fifty or sixty years longer than that Gongsun family. How could the Gongsun family be in a position to laugh at us?”

“Your mother is telling you—people need to fight for dignity while they’re alive, but they also can’t lose their integrity!”

Yun Run nodded repeatedly: “Mother, I understand, I understand now!”

He raised his head and saw Yun Chu and her brother Yun Ze standing under the corridor. He immediately straightened his body, afraid of being caught in his disheveled state.

“Hehe!” Third Aunt Yun laughed dryly. “There was a mosquito on him, so I was swatting it away.”

With that, she quickly pulled Yun Run inside, lowering her voice to say: “You should drink more with the clan elders, build relationships, and outshine Yun Ze…”

Yun Ze looked at Yun Chu: “Chu’er, what do you think?”

“Cousin Run actually just wanted to compete with you, Big Brother, so he made a foolish move,” Yun Chu said with a smile. “Third Aunt usually stirs up all kinds of trouble, so I really didn’t expect her to have such a sense of the bigger picture. With such a mother, the child shouldn’t turn out too badly—though you can never be certain.”

Yun Ze nodded.

He had recently been building up that intelligence network for Yun Chu, and therefore knew of Yun Run’s movements. He was very clear that Yun Run had not agreed to Gongsun Ning’s proposal.

Bringing it up today in this setting was to give Yun Run a warning, hoping Yun Run would stop in time and not go further down the wrong path.

After the Yun family’s noon banquet ended, Yun Chu returned to her own courtyard to change her clothes, then took a carriage to the palace to attend the New Year’s Eve banquet.

She was now a fifth-rank Lady of Grace. Removing the glory of the Yun family name, she was the lowest-ranking person among all those attending the palace banquet.

Just as she arrived at the palace gate, she ran into Du Ling.

“Chu Chu, you’ve become increasingly beautiful and captivating,” Du Ling praised. “Look at this complexion—fair with a rosy glow, just like a young maiden.”

Du Ying beside her nodded along: “Sister Yun has a feeling like a spring breeze caressing one’s face.”

Yun Chu: “…”

Having spent so much time with Chu Yi these past few days, why did she inexplicably feel somewhat guilty?

She coughed and said: “Lingling, didn’t you say that Xiaoying’s fiancé was ill? I sent a letter to Qingzhou and received a reply. Divine Physician Si has indeed gone traveling, but Xiaoying’s fiancé’s condition was recorded in Divine Physician Si’s case files. Divine Physician Si’s disciple will bring the case files to the capital, and we can have him take a look then.”

Divine Physician Si’s disciple was none other than Young Master Wu.

Young Master Wu had been ill for over twenty years and could be considered a case of prolonged illness making one knowledgeable about medicine. Combined with his own talent and Divine Physician Si’s personal guidance, in just half a year’s time, he had been completely transformed.