Chapter 3: Pitiful

◎Taking the Blame for the Emperor's Mishap◎

As she entered the courtyard, a maid dressed in pink hurried over from the entrance, greeting her with delight and speaking hastily, "Miss, Lady is in sorrow again. Please go and console her."

This maid was called Tea Fragrance and had served Yu Lian's birth mother.

Following the young maid, Yu Lian walked in and saw a beautiful lady seated at a small table. Her skin was extremely fair, and her features delicate. Upon seeing Yu Lian, her eyes reddened even more. She waved her hand, beckoning her daughter to sit beside her.

Yu Lian approached and sat down. Immediately, the woman took hold of her hand.

Her palm was warm and moist, likely from tears. Before speaking, she sniffled and said, "Lian'er, my child, why must you have such a miserable fate? We finally found a good match for you, and then this happens!

"We've waited for two years, and in just half a year, you would have entered your husband's family. Who could have foreseen that before stepping into prosperity, it would crumble on its own? My poor Lian'er, having such an ex-fiancé, who would dare to marry you in the future?"

The woman grew increasingly sorrowful as she spoke, tears streaming down her face once more. Yu Lian gently patted her back, fearing she might hyperventilate.

She continued, "My poor, foolish child, now with a tarnished reputation, it's like adding insult to injury. As your mother, my heart aches bitterly. I haven't had a good night's sleep these past few days. I can only lament my daughter's misfortune and bad luck. I wonder what the future holds for you!"

Hearing this, Yu Lian asked, "Mother..." It wasn't difficult for her to address her as such; the word effortlessly rolled off her tongue as if it were natural and expected. After a pause, she continued, "Are you referring to my supposed betrayal and kicking someone when they're down?"

The beautiful woman froze. She lifted her head, her reddened eyes glaring fiercely at her daughter before she slapped her daughter's wrist in frustration. "You still have the nerve to say that? Who told you to humiliate the East Yuan Marquis's heir in prison? The moment you came out of there, the whole capital was abuzz with the news that you called your fiancé a scoundrel and said he deserved his fate. You even said the emperor was wise to execute him sooner. Is that something a proper young lady should say? Something you should say?"

"Mother was utterly shocked and couldn't believe it when she heard these rumors. How could my daughter be so foolish and malicious? Your fiancé was just sentenced to death by His Majesty, and soon his head will roll. Even an ordinary person wouldn't speak ill of someone on their deathbed, let alone someone who was once your fiancé."

"Your actions have sparked discussions all over the city. People are calling you disloyal and heartless. With a reputation like that, what kind of future do you have left?"

"Over the past few days, the first and second branches of our family have been giving me resentful glances. They're worried about the impact on the reputation of all the young ladies in our household and have even gone to Grandmama to badmouth you, begging her to send you away from the manor."

"But where can I send you? You'll have to marry, but with your current tainted reputation and unique background, it's obvious you won't find a good match. High-ranking families won't even consider you as a concubine, and in a humble household, you'd likely still face endless gossip... Mother knows too well how difficult life is for women, and reputation is paramount. What hope do you have now?"

"Your father is just a lowly sixth-rank official, and even being the legitimate youngest son of a duke's household doesn't matter. The title has already been inherited by the first branch. Once Grandmama passes, they'll kick us out, and can you still call yourself a lady of the duke's household?"

The woman was genuinely heartbroken and despairing, feeling deep sorrow for her only legitimate daughter and her bleak prospects. Her eyes conveyed a sense of resignation. She had been so proud and delighted when Grandmama bypassed the other daughters of the first and second branches to secure this excellent marriage for her daughter. Now, her disappointment and sadness were overwhelming.

As a result, even her husband began to suffer setbacks.

Ever since the engagement with the East Yuan Marquis was arranged two years ago, even though her husband was just a low-ranking sixth-rank official, his superiors treated him kindly, and his colleagues went out of their way to support him. Even the prime minister had spoken to him a few times. When attending friends' gatherings, others looked up to him, knowing that his future son-in-law was the East Yuan Marquis's heir, a man of both letters and martial prowess, wielding real power and esteemed as the most promising among the capital's elite. There was no one more outstanding, and he was destined for great fortune.

One by one, they all began to curry favor with Father.

The situation had reversed.

Ever since the East Yuan Marquis and his family were thrown into prison, followed by the sentence of death for the heir, those people had quickly changed their attitudes. In less than half a month, Father had been coming straight home after his duties, not even lingering outside for a quarter of an hour.

He said that they all looked at him as if he carried a plague, giving him no respect at all, and hurriedly avoided him.

In the end, the title of their Duke's residence was no longer useful. It was a hollow honor without real power, a facade of splendor hiding inner decay.

At the thought of this, the woman cried even harder, feeling that among all the noble and official families in the world, theirs was the most pitiful.

Yu Lian patted her back gently and soothed, "Mother, don't cry. Take care of yourself. If you cry too much, Father will be heartbroken when he returns."

The woman had cried for so long that she couldn't stop right away, only sobbing and hiccupping. Yu Lian instructed the maid to bring more tea water. After drinking a bowl of warm water, she felt slightly better.

Once she had calmed down, Yu Lian spoke softly, "There's no rush about marriage. Everything will work out in the end. Mother, there's no need to worry too much."

The woman glared with her beautiful eyes, "Then tell me, why did you act foolishly and go to the prison to mock him the other day?" At such a time, most people would want to vanish entirely, staying hidden within their residence and keeping quiet. Yet, she had gone to add insult to injury. What good did that do?

Yu Lian lowered her gaze, remaining silent for several seconds as she weighed all the possibilities in her mind. Only then did she articulate her thoughts, "If I hadn't done this, His Majesty would hold a grudge against him from their past. Even if his head were severed, he might still seek revenge on our family in the future. I don't wish to implicate my parents, brother, or the entire household. Thus, I had to do this to show the new emperor that I am determined to sever ties with him."

She let out a bitter laugh, "I can only hope that His Majesty will see my ruthlessness and decide to spare us all."

The woman was stunned. She never expected such a reason from her daughter!

Staring at her daughter in disbelief, she realized that although her appearance remained the same, her daughter had matured. She hadn't changed; she had grown up.

In the end, she was still her flesh and blood, caring deeply for her parents. Amidst the turmoil involving her fiancé, instead of prioritizing her own future, her first concern was the safety of her parents and the entire household.

So full of love and loyalty, she was far from the heartless, ungrateful girl portrayed by outsiders. Her filial piety made her an exceptional young lady!

Embracing her daughter tightly, she wept anew, this time with even greater sorrow. "My child, my precious darling, so considerate and obedient, what am I to do...?"

Buried in her mother's chest, Yu Lian's lips quivered slightly.

At that moment, sounds from outside caught their attention, followed by a male voice asking, "Why are you crying so much?"

Lady Yu Lian lifted her gaze towards the entrance, where her husband had just returned from his official duties. Still holding onto her daughter tightly, she said, "My lord, come and see how much our daughter has sacrificed for the safety and well-being of our family. She humiliated the East Yuan Marquis's heir in prison, tarnishing her own reputation. That's why news of the incident spread so quickly throughout the capital after she was released. Lian'er, did you have someone spread the word?"

Making a big fuss might help the story reach the ears of His Majesty.

Yu Lian lowered her head, effectively acknowledging the assumption, taking the blame on behalf of the emperor.

She suspected that it was likely the emperor's intention all along. How could an ordinary young lady like the original host gain access to the Execution Grounds, where only the most heinous criminals were held? And how could news leak so effortlessly from within? There must have been someone with power pulling the strings.

With this in mind, it became clear that he held a deep grudge against the East Yuan Marquis's heir, desiring to strip him of his reputation both in life and death, inflicting endless humiliation and unrest.

Her father, known outside as Wei Duke's third son or Yu Sanlang, appeared to be in his early thirties, in the prime of his life. However, two deep creases between his brows betrayed his constant worry, revealing his dissatisfaction despite being the legitimate youngest son of a duke's household.

He spoke with a somber tone, "What has happened here?" Addressing his wife, he continued, "Stop weeping all day. Your sobs can be heard outside, and it wouldn't do for your mother to hear them."

Lady Yu Lian wiped away her tears and replied, "Our daughter has made such a great sacrifice, yet you remain indifferent, only scolding her at the first opportunity."

Yu Sanlang removed his cloak before sitting down to sip his tea. "The deed is done, and dwelling on it won't change anything. We should focus on finding a solution to mitigate the damage."

"Tell me, my lord, how do we rectify this situation?"

Lately, with the Imperial Examination approaching, scholars from all regions have gathered in the capital. I'm considering finding an outstanding and virtuous scholar of humble origins for Lian'er. In the future, I don't seek wealth and luxury for her, only a life free of worries."

Only when he sat down to speak did Yu Lian realize that her father, though stern and reserved, was not stingy with his words and indeed cared for his child.

However, he adhered to the traditional masculine mindset, not encouraging tears or melodrama. His approach to speaking and acting was practical and straightforward.

Yu Lian's mother paused, still feeling that Lian'er was being wronged. A lady from an esteemed Marquis House was to be matched with a penniless scholar, let alone hoping for someone among the top ranks like the Zongjia (first place), Shangjia (second place), or Tanjia (third place). She dared not even dream of such prospects, as those candidates were either already married with concubines or were young talents sought after by the elite.

She feared that her husband might settle for a Tongji (a degree equivalent to a bachelor's), someone less noticeable.

She even thought that her father might consider those who failed the examination, for those who passed the Jinshi (degree equivalent to a master's) exam would likely enter the bureaucratic world and, fearing to offend the emperor, might not dare to marry into their family.

Yu Sanlang said, "To be able to preserve one's life and live without worries is a blessing. Don't be too greedy."

Then, he looked at Yu Lian, "In the coming days, stay at home and keep your mother company."

Yu Lian nodded.

She understood that, for her well-being or the sake of the Marquis House, this father of hers might not allow her to remain in the residence for long.

Sitting there for half a day, she had already made up her mind. Since she was already here, she would put aside other considerations and first think about how to survive. If her father truly found a suitable marriage, as long as the prospective spouse didn't have concubines or chambers, and their character was commendable, she wouldn't be picky about their social status. She could simply regard it as a partnership for living.

For now, she needed to overcome this immediate challenge. What she wanted to do in the future was a matter for another day.

Seemingly pleased with her obedience, Yu Sanlang gave her a few more instructions before donning his cloak to leave. Before departing, he took out a lucky pouch, explaining that he had encountered someone from her grandmother's side at the entrance earlier and had forgotten to take away the protective amulet meant for her younger brother.