C1 Engagement

Finally, on the day they arrived at Chang'an City, the willow leaves floating on the river bank stuck onto her shoulders. It reminded her of the place where she had lived for most of her life, where the river bank was also planted with willows that were about the same height, but were not as thick and sturdy as here. Perhaps Chang'an City was originally a blessed land with many people, even the willow trees grew better than other places, and the willow catkins that fell under the wind also seemed to have more spirituality.

It was now the beginning of April, and the time for catkins to fly had come. It had been more than a month since she left her homeland.

With one hand on the scabbard at her waist and the other holding a bright yellow cloth that had been rolled into a tube, she pushed open the door of the house she had just passed through. The subordinates behind her immediately filed in, searching for something. She only had time to take a glance before being carried away by the brown horse that had been carrying her for several hours.

After that, he took his horse and wandered around the city for half a day. This was the first time he went on a long journey, so he looked for an inn to stay for lunch at before asking the waiter where the Yin Residence was. However, just as she was about to leave the inn after lunch and head towards the Yin Residence, she suddenly saw a dashing red horse gallop past her. She was so frightened that she quickly took two steps back, but tripped over something behind her and fell to the ground.

"Are you injured?" Before she could finish her sentence, a bony hand was stretched out towards her.

"No problem." She followed the direction of the hand that was in front of her, and looked at the handsome figure whose sunlight had dyed her in a layer of light, causing her to be stunned for a moment. The handsome youth smiled at her in a somewhat regretful and apologetic manner, which made it even more embarrassing for her to hold the hand.

When she was in Shu County, she had followed her teacher's teachings about the differences between men and women. She had never been so close to a man of similar age. In the face of such a situation, she could not help but be at a loss.

The young man did not know why, but he frowned and retracted his hand. He took out a jade pendant from his waist and placed it on her hand. I still have urgent matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave first. " Then, without waiting for her to speak, he jumped on his horse and left in a hurry.

When the dust from the bay horse settled back on the bluestone floor, she came to her senses. She did not pay any attention to the surrounding discussions that were triggered by the earlier riot. She only vaguely understood that the people around her were talking about a certain general.

The door to the Yin Residence was closed tight. She took a deep breath and rolled off the horse. She wiped her face a few times with her right hand, clutching her sleeve, and tightened the dusty bundle over her right shoulder before knocking on the door.

The person who opened the door was an old man with a white beard who appeared to be in his sixties or seventies.

She slightly bowed her head and bowed: "I came here on behalf of my late father to seek you out for marriage, I'll have to trouble your uncle to pass on the message."

The old man sized her up from top to bottom several times. "May I ask who Young Master is …"

"Shu Yun clan."

The white moustached old man was stunned. Something seemed to flash across his eyes that were so clear that they did not seem to match his age. He nodded to her before closing the door and entering. After a long while, the door was once again opened by the person inside. Uncle White Beard gestured for the servant following behind him to lead her to the hall.

Sitting opposite the door were two well-dressed women. The older woman sat on the right, her brow creased with worry. The younger one on the left held a teacup, sipped his hot tea with a serious expression, and continued to look at her without a word.

"I heard from Butler Yang that you're the child from the Yun Family. Come closer and let me have a good look." The older woman beckoned.

She didn't know why, but even though the elder in front of her tried his best to show her intimacy, she felt that something was off. However, she still respectfully bowed her head and replied, "Yes."

"What's your name?" She took a close look at her face, which was still relatively clean. The fake smile that was originally tight at the corner of her mouth seemed to have calmed down quite a bit.

"Yun Shu." Ever since she had entered the Yin Residence, she had felt like she was living under someone else's roof. Her answer had been gentler than usual, so the two elders sitting on the door hadn't been able to hear her clearly.

The older woman turned her head and glanced at the woman sitting to her left. "Master, that child from little sister's family is indeed called by that name." Finished speaking, he turned to look at Yun Shu, "I am your first aunt, and this is the second wife that your uncle has married. Unfortunately, you didn't come at the right time. Ever since your uncle passed away from illness half a month ago, my son has been in a trance all day. I'm afraid that the marriage between you two will have to be postponed for some time. " At this point, the worry on Yin Lin's face deepened.

"Cousin Ze will return safely. Aunt, please be at ease." She had never been good at comforting people, so her words were naturally dry as well. When others heard her words, they felt an inexplicable lack of sincerity.

Yin Lin glanced at her, then called the white-bearded old uncle who had brought her in just now, "Butler Yang, take Miss Yun to the west wing to rest first."

Following the old butler, he turned a corner and three rooms in the west wing appeared before him. The room's door closest to the main house was suddenly opened by someone. A young girl in her early teens stuck her head out from behind the door, and was startled the moment she saw Yun Shu. She turned around and whispered to the maidservant half head taller than her: "Why is it a man, isn't it my future sister-in-law who has come?"

"Miss …" The maidservant raised her head and glanced at Yun Shu, and immediately, she did not know how to reply. Judging from her travel worn face, the plain and unadorned long black hair, and the dark blue, round-collared robe that was biased towards males, she truly did not seem like a woman.

Yun Shu only wanted to obey her father's last wishes to come to Chang An City to be married off, but she did not know how embarrassed she looked right now. Seeing the girl in a light green dress wearing a goose-yellow blouse behind the door, he turned his head to look at him. He could only smile and ask, "Are you Cousin Yingrong?"

Before Yin Rong could answer, the old butler spoke up, "Yes, it's my young miss. Lady Yun, you can stay in the room next to hers from now on. Please take a rest. I'll get a servant to come and clean up."

"Thank you, Butler Yang." However, not long after the old housekeeper left, Mrs. Yan and Zhang hurriedly came over. A few men were berating them from not too far away.

Yin Rong still hadn't recovered from her shock before Lady Yan pushed her back into the room and closed the door, "Attendant, watch the young miss and don't let her out."

Just as Madame Yin Zhang finished speaking, the Yun Shu who was originally standing outside was pulled into a room by her side. She hurriedly closed the door before turning to look at Yun Shu. "Miss Yun, please save the Yin Family's young and old."

"Huh?" She wasn't sure what the situation was.

"Today, the Emperor suddenly issued an order for us to forcefully recruit soldiers, saying that we are going to fight with the Great Liang Country in the northwest. The able-bodied adult men of the entire Yan Kingdom have to go, when the officials came in, older sister had already explained the family's situation to them, but she didn't expect that those officials would be so unreasonable, not caring whether Young Master Ze is missing or not, forcing us to hand over a grown man, if we can't hand him over, then we have to …" As he said this, tears welled up in his reddened eyes.

"So what?"

Madame Yin Zhang sniffed, "All the Yin family members will be taken to jail." His reddened eyes stared unblinkingly at her, as if he wanted an answer from her face.

Initially, she did not have a good impression of this second aunt who rarely spoke. According to her personality in the past, she would not care if such a person asked for her help, but the current situation was related to the entire Yin family …

"Second aunt, please get up first." She held Lady Yin's two arms and helped her up from the ground, "Even if Second Aunt asked Yun Shu for help, she was still a woman. How could she save the Yin family?"

Mrs. Yan Zhang shook her head confidently, "When Miss Yun came in dressed like this, neither sister nor I could tell that Miss Yun is our daughter's house. "If we were to tell the officials that Miss Yun was the younger son of me and the deceased Old Master, those people might believe us as well."

Yun Shu looked up and met her gaze, her brows slightly knitted: "Second aunt, if this matter is exposed, the Yin family might face a calamity that will not only be a prison, are they really going to do that?"