Union

Chapter 35 A Chance Encounter with Second Master
Yunying told Mujin and Qiuning that she wanted to use the carriage to travel around the county town and see the local customs and traditions.

Mu Jin and Qiu Ning weren't interested in any of that. They readily agreed to Yun Ying's invitation and arranged to have lunch at the two-story restaurant next door. The three of them would then return to the mansion together.

After the matter was settled, Yunying took Sui'er and got into the carriage.

The horse-drawn carriage traveled out of the main street of the county town.

After walking only a short distance, Yunying gained a clearer understanding of the dilapidated state of the county town.

This is the main street of the county town, the most prosperous street in Yungui County, yet there are still mud-brick houses on both sides of this street. If the main street is like this, the situation in the more remote areas is even worse.

Everywhere you look, people build thatched huts, each family living in a single room, with branches forming a simple fence around the house. Through the fence, you can see broken earthenware pots, bowls, chopsticks, and stoves in front of the thatched huts.

Women and children, dressed in barely any clothing, were busy at the stove. They were barefoot, their hands and faces were dirty, and they exuded a sense of decadence and numbness.

They were emaciated, their patched clothes hanging loosely, like skeletons supporting a large head that swayed back and forth, a sight that was horrifying to behold.

Yunying clutched her pounding heart, and it took her a long time to calm down.

The horse-drawn carriage traveled across the fields, where the grains were sprouting and growing. Many people with sorrowful faces and thin appearances were busy in the fields.

The rice seedlings were emerald green, swaying gently in the breeze. The sunlight cast countless golden rays, making the ears of grain appear even fuller, and even the deeply wrinkled faces of the people seemed to hold a glimmer of hope and anticipation.

The carriage traveled for a while longer before turning around from another direction around the county town and entering it again.

The road was really difficult to travel, bumpy and full of potholes. People sitting in the carriage were shaken so badly that their buttocks felt like they were about to be smashed into pieces.

Yunying endured to her limit, and she and Sui'er got off the carriage again and walked forward.

Yunying and Sui'er said, "It's a county town, after all. Why isn't the main road paved with bluestone slabs?"

Sui'er was a native of Yun Gui County. Her family sold her because they were so poor they couldn't afford to eat. Later, she entered the county government and was assigned by Aunt Ding to serve Yun Ying. As for the little maid who had come with Yun Ying from the capital, she had long since redeemed herself with the money promised by the Duke's mansion and left.

Returning to the present, upon hearing Yunying's question, Sui'er explained, "I heard that ten years ago, the entire county of Yungui was paved with bluestone slabs. At that time, the Shang family was very prosperous, building bridges and paving roads, distributing porridge and medicine, and doing many good deeds for the people. The bluestone slabs were laid by the Shang family, but later the Shang family committed a crime, and the people, in their anger, smashed the bluestone slabs, lifted them up, and threw them into the riverbed."

Yunying was dumbfounded. Could things really be done this way?
Regardless of what heinous crime the Shang family committed, the bluestone slab was innocent.

When bluestone slabs pave the road, aren't the people the most convenient?
Or perhaps the people of Yungui County have a peculiar preference for walking on muddy paths covered in rain and snow, rather than on clean, wide roads?

The people of Yungui County are indeed "simple and honest".

Just as she was thinking about these things, Sui'er suddenly tugged at Yunying's sleeve, "After passing that willow tree, we'll reach the Shang family's residence."

"The Shang family?"

Sui'er nodded, "Almost the entire Shang family is dead, and their property has been confiscated by the government. This house is also registered with the county government and, according to custom, should be sold for money. But this house is haunted. Many people say that in the middle of the night, they can hear cries of injustice coming from this place, and even white ghostly figures floating around in the air..."

Haunted houses are considered extremely unlucky, so ordinary people wouldn't dare buy them. Even if there were some tough-as-nails who didn't believe in such superstitions, seeing the exorbitant prices quoted by the government, they would realize that buying elsewhere was much more cost-effective.

Therefore, more than ten years have passed and this house is still standing.

Upon hearing this, Yunying said, "Since it's a haunted house and there's no scenery in front, why don't we go around..." "What are you doing here?"

Before she could finish speaking, Yunying heard a familiar voice beside her. Before she could even think about who the voice belonged to, she saw Sui'er looking like she had seen a ghost and quickly curtsied, "Greetings, Second Master."

Second Master?

Shouldn't Second Master be busy with official business right now? Why has he come to this secluded corner?
Yunying turned her head to look and saw that the person in front of her was indeed Second Master.

However, the Second Master in front of her was not dressed in the same comfortable and carefree manner that Yunying had seen before.

He was dressed in a dark blue silk robe with a floral pattern of rising step by step, a gold crown and a jade belt, with his black hair flowing down his shoulders. A large red purse with white cranes spreading their wings and a white jade pendant that looked very valuable hung at his waist. In his hand, he also held an elegant black folding fan sprinkled with gold. On his feet, he wore a pair of black brocade cowhide boots with red soles and white uppers.

He truly had the air of a noble young master.

He was handsome, and undeniably good-looking, but the way this young nobleman acted and dressed at the moment made him seem rather dissolute and frivolous.

Yunying stared intently, feeling that the color scheme was hurting her eyes.

It's only because Second Master has such good looks that he can pull off such a dazzling color combination. If someone else wore this outfit, it would definitely be a disaster.

Second Master had no idea that Yunying was secretly criticizing him, but judging from the way she was trying to suppress the smirk on her face, he was certain that the maid was up to no good.

Second Master's gaze sharpened immediately.

However, there were important matters to attend to at the moment, and the Second Master had no time to concern himself with anything else. Yunying happened to be there, so she decided to go with him.

Second Master: "Get into the carriage, come with me to take care of some business."

Yunying was about to politely decline when she realized that as a weak woman, what help could she possibly give the Second Master? It would be good enough if she didn't cause any trouble.

But as soon as she waved her hand, the Second Master used a little force to easily get her into the carriage.

Seeing Yunying enter the carriage, Sui'er quickly climbed up as well, sitting on the carriage shaft to keep Mo Xue, who was in disguise, company.

The carriage started again, but this time it stopped after only a short while.

After Yunying followed the Second Master out of the car, she saw a large, dilapidated house in front of her.

Although the house was covered in cobwebs, with cracked exterior walls, peeling paint, and moss, Yunying guessed from the tall gatehouse and the faintly visible character "Shang" on the dilapidated plaque next to the decaying gate that they must have stopped at the entrance of the Shang family's house.

It's quite a coincidence; Sui'er was just talking to her about the Shang family. She wonders what Second Master brought her here for.

Just as Yunying was about to ask a question, she saw the Second Master suddenly wrap his arms around her waist.

Yunying stiffened, and just as she was about to struggle, she suddenly felt the Second Master increase the strength in his hand. His large palm even squeezed her, as if warning her to "behave."

(End of this chapter)