Chapter 0171: That’s Her Foolishness

Chapter 0171: That's Her Foolishness

"I don't wish to speak much with you. Just that I want to repeat what I told your elder sister the other day. If you behave properly, you'll still be the esteemed Lady of the Qi family. You have your illegitimate children, daughters, and unborn grandchildren. But if you seek death again, causing the entire household to be lost, it's not unthinkable. I merely despise you and choose to ignore you. But do you think the queen hates you? Do you think the death of your son can offset the queen's loss of her brother, her unborn child, and perhaps even her ability to have more children? Will the Xie family not pursue your family relentlessly?"

Yunli turns to leave.

"Don't go, wait a moment," Jiang said, propping herself up.

Yun Li turned around, silently observing her.

"He'er couldn't have... couldn't have instructed Doctor Zhang to use items from plague patients on the Empress. He didn't do this. He just... wanted the Empress to be unable to bear children again. Doctor Zhang acted on his own initiative. Perhaps, someone else was manipulating behind the scenes..."

"What does it matter then? Even if he didn't do this particular deed, he did everything else leading up to it, resulting in the same outcome. Regarding Doctor Zhang, His Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation, which to date has not revealed anything else. There's only one explanation: Doctor Zhang wanted to drag everyone down with him. He was disillusioned because his son was irredeemably addicted to gambling."

He's a rotten person too.

Miserable in his own life, he wished to drag the whole world down with him.

What if the Empress had infected His Majesty with the plague?

His Majesty's sons are still young; if something happened to him now, wouldn't that lead to chaos throughout the realm?

Jiang Shi also understood, regardless of the situation's specifics, it was futile.

"Is Qingluan alright?" Jiang Shi's voice softened again.

"For now, she's fine, but if Great Aunt refuses to let go, that may change," Yun Li said with a smirk.

"Wicked woman. I know Qingluan is no match for you, but please spare her. She and you are both from the Qi family. Now, she's not your equal," Jiang Shi said.

Yun Li sighed deeply: "How do you not understand? From the beginning to the end, I've done nothing to her."

"Done nothing? How did you become a favored lady? How did she lose her title?" Jiang Shi gritted her teeth.

"Because she's foolish. Well, I haven't yet attended to my official duties, so I won't waste more words with you," Yun Li finished and truly left.

Jiang Shi did not call her back, having no more words to say.

No love lost between them.

First, she met with the second wife Wu, the third wife Li, and the fourth wife Lin.

Lin, the most agitated, grabbed Yunli's hand: "Is Li'er alright?"

Yunli withdrew her hand: "Thank you for your concern, mother, I am well."

After speaking, she turned around: "This time, Second Aunt has saved the Qi family, Yunli is grateful."

Wu hurriedly said: "Don't mention it, it was just luck. Truly a frightening thought afterward."

Thinking back, had the action been slower that day, the doctor's son would have been caught.

The Qi family might have faced the catastrophe of being executed and their property confiscated.

In the midst of the conversation, it was announced that the three masters had returned to the estate.

Yunli went to the main hall.

They exchanged formalities before finally returning to the fourth house's residence.

Qi Tongkang and his wife felt somewhat awkward.

Yun Li cut through the pretense, "I've come back to tell father that given the current state of affairs at home, father should not stand out. His Majesty still intends to use my uncle. If our family causes internal strife now, His Majesty will be displeased."

Qi Tongkang was momentarily stunned before he understood her meaning.

Indeed, he had thought that with the main house in such a state, it was time for the fourth house to step forward.

"Moreover, with my uncle standing in front, the Xie and Li families won't easily involve you in their troubles. Also, since the Qi family has wronged the Xie family, the Empress won't easily forgive me and Qi Jieyu. We won't have easy lives going forward. Father, don't think of standing out, or it might bring trouble upon us." Yun Li skipped the sentimental reasoning and went straight to the pragmatic concerns.

Hearing this, Qi Tongkang truly had nothing to say.

He had thought, with his daughter still standing strong and possibly having a prince in the future, wouldn't that be formidable?

The fourth branch has been suppressed for many years, and he has always been dissatisfied but powerless.

It was also for this reason that he insisted on Yun Li entering the palace back then.

But hearing Yun Li's words now, his heart calmed down.

Indeed, it was not the right time to stand out.

Just then, someone outside said, "Master, the seventh son is outside wanting to see the Qingmeiren, we couldn't stop him."

"Tell him to wait for me in the side hall," Yun Li said.

After speaking a few more words with her parents, she went to meet her younger brother.

The seventh son, Qi Xiaoming, is the legitimate son of the fourth branch, Yun Li's biological brother.

Since entering the palace, she had only seen him once when she returned home with the empress, but it was from a distance with many people around.

"Sister," Qi Xiaoming called out upon seeing Yun Li, then choked up.

Yun Li didn't speak, just looked at him, feeling somewhat sad.

"Sister, you're the first person in this world with a heart of stone," Qi Xiaoming cried, wiping his tears with a handkerchief: "I've known since I was young you were heartless, but I never imagined to this extent."

Yun Li sighed, "Alright, stop crying."

Qi Xiaoming took a deep breath: "Our parents pressured you, you were angry, upset, didn’t want to deal with them. I know all that, I was angry too, I made a fuss a few times. But I never pressured you, you've been gone for years, never inquiring about me. You're a consort, I miss you to death, can I send a letter? Can’t get through. And you, you act as if I don't exist?"

Before Yun Li could respond, Qi Xiaoming continued: "I understand you, I’ve known you since we were kids, you seem gentle. But there’s resentment in your heart. Like we're not your real family, once someone treats you slightly bad, you want nothing to do with us anymore. That's fine, it's your right to cut off those who treat you badly, but what about me? Did I treat you badly?"

The youth, four years younger than Yun Li, cried intensely.

Yun Li couldn’t say anything in the end; these years, she truly subconsciously ignored this brother.

She really was indifferent.

"Sister, are you doing well in the palace? Does the emperor treat you well? The palace is deep and vast like the sea; it must be hard for you, right?"

The phrase "the palace is deep and vast like the sea" was something Yun Li had once said to him.

"Stop crying. I'm fine. These years, I just didn't know how to talk to you. I never truly hated you." Yun Li reached out, touching his head.

But in reality, the young man was already as tall as her and would soon surpass her in height.

"Sister, you must take good care of yourself. You must. I'll work hard. I'm entering the examination field next year to earn scholarly honors. I won't rely on our family; I will make something of myself in the future. She, Qi Qingluan, takes pride in having such a brother. You have me, and you'll have a better brother who won't let you down."

Yun Li smiled and nodded again: "Okay."

Then Qi Xiaoming smiled.