Union

Chapter 79 Yunying Can't Bear It
While Yunying was lost in thought, Second Master had already finished writing the document.

While he was organizing the documents, Yunying was still unconsciously grinding ink.

When Yunying came to her senses, she was speechless. "You didn't even tell me you were done writing. I used up half an inkstone of ink. Isn't that a waste?"

"How could it be a waste?" Second Master looked at her and said, "Are you misunderstanding something? Did I say that it was over once the document was written?"

"Or perhaps you have other things to attend to?"

"What do you think?"

Second Master indeed had other things to attend to.

He was writing a letter to his mentor, the retired Grand Secretary Tong.

Yunying didn't want to peek, but she was really curious, so she glanced at it twice.

Then it was discovered that the Second Master cared deeply for his mentor.

From the smallest details like how his teacher eats and drinks, sleeps, and is in good health, to the biggest questions like whether his teacher has been traveling or meeting friends lately, and what books his teacher has been reading, Second Master wanted to know everything.

Moreover, the words are sincere and earnest, and the care for his mentor is evident on the page, making it clear at a glance that Second Master's feelings for Master Tong are truly very deep.

Yunying hadn't read the letters Second Master wrote to the Duke and Duchess of Rongguo. But Yunying felt that Second Master could never give anyone else a deeper and more delicate affection or a more meticulous and thoughtful care than her mentor.

Yunying had never seen the Second Master so talkative before. This overly gentle Second Master shattered her usual impression of him.

As Yunying pondered these thoughts, she couldn't help but glance at the letter a few more times, and then she saw that the Second Master had already written to the end of the letter.

The second master said that his mentor was about to celebrate his seventieth birthday, and since he could not go to his mentor's side in person to wish him a happy birthday, he could only send some clothes and other things with regret.

Yunying was momentarily dazed. The clothes and shoes she had prepared for Lord Tong were still being made and would probably not be ready until the next day or the day after at the earliest.

"Yun Ying, what are you thinking about?"

Yunying snapped out of her daze. "Second Master, what did you just say? I was lost in thought and didn't hear you."

The Second Master looked at her with a very complicated expression. He took a deep breath and didn't ask her any more questions. He just asked her to bring over the sealing wax that was used to seal the letter.

Yunying quickly found some sealing wax, took the letter from Second Master, and sealed it tightly.

"What have you been busy with these days? Why haven't I seen you coming up here?" Second Master asked casually.

Yunying paused in her action of flattening the letter, then replied to the Second Master as if nothing had happened, "I haven't been busy with anything else, just some miscellaneous things. They're all quite trivial, nothing difficult to handle, just a bit time-consuming."

"If you really find it troublesome, just find two people to assist you. You don't need to do everything yourself. Just grasp the general direction and ensure that there are no major mistakes. You can leave the rest to your servants."

Yunying nodded, "Okay, when we get back I'll promote a maid to help me. Actually, it's only busy during the New Year period; there aren't usually this many things to do in the manor."

"Then bring the person up first. Once the maid is ready, hand over the tasks in the backyard to her, and you come to the front yard to assist me."

Upon hearing this, Yunying finally couldn't help but raise her head.

She pursed her lips and handed the sealed letter to the Second Master, asking, "Is there anything else you need me to do, Second Master? Once the seal is opened and the county magistrate and registrar are replaced, you'll have more people at your disposal. What else do you need me to do?"

Second Master said, "I want to remeasure the fields and barren mountains of Yungui County. You will be my assistant then."

Yunying was even more surprised. Why did they suddenly have to measure the fields again?

She could understand the idea of ​​measuring the barren mountains, since the Second Master had previously mentioned wanting to reclaim the land.

But the field measurement... Could it be that someone falsified the number of fields and concealed the harvest?

Second Master immediately understood that Yunying had already thought of that direction. He particularly admired her intelligence and immediately said, "That's exactly what you're thinking. This survey will be conducted throughout the county, but the focus will be on the land owned by the local gentry."

So that means these are the people who are underreporting taxes?

That makes sense.

After all, ordinary people are dirt poor, with only a few acres of land and no assets to their name; it would be difficult for them to falsify their land ownership. On the other hand, it's the local gentry with some power who, if they wanted to, could report 80 acres instead of 100, thus paying 20 acres less in taxes. If all the gentry in the county did this, the amount of tax evaded would be enormous.

Yunying knew that this matter was of great importance, so she naturally dared not refuse and hurriedly said, "I will have someone take care of the backyard later, and I will come over to help you."

The two then discussed other matters, and Yunying took her leave.

But when she wanted to leave, the Second Master didn't say he would let her go. He just watched her silently, which made Yun Ying's heart pound.

"Second Master, is there anything else you need to instruct me on?" Yunying asked tentatively.

"It's nothing," Second Master said.

"Yun Ying".

Yunying hummed in agreement and waited quietly for the Second Master's instructions. Her face remained calm, but in reality, her heart was pounding and her whole body was tense.

"Have you been avoiding me all this time?" A rock suddenly fell from the sky and landed with a splash in the deep sea. The commotion seemed small, but in the unnoticed depths of the ocean, it stirred up a raging torrent.

The Second Master stared intently at Yun Ying, his deep black pupils unfathomable, making it impossible to discern his true emotions. He seemed to be asking casually, but that one question left Yun Ying breathless.

"No, no. Why would you think that, Second Master? Why would I avoid you? It's just that I've been too busy with miscellaneous matters lately, and you've been discussing important matters with the scholar all day, so I haven't come to bother you..."

Yunying spoke more and more fluently, her expression growing increasingly calm, as if it were truly the case. It was entirely the Second Master's overthinking that made him believe she was avoiding him. But why would she be avoiding the Second Master? The whole thing was laughable.

Yunying chuckled softly, but the smile quickly froze on her face.

Because the Second Master had a cold face.

Because the Second Master just watched her clumsy performance quietly.

He said nothing, yet he saw through everything. He simply indulged her, not wanting to expose her, put her in a difficult position, or embarrass her.

Yunying's performance came to an abrupt end.

She stopped speaking, only lowered her hand, her eyes staring blankly and vacantly at the handkerchief in her hand.

She herself didn't know what she was thinking.

But Yunying knew that at this moment, she felt both embarrassed and heartbroken.

She was previously mistaken for his wife, and she didn't explain herself several times. Was it because she didn't have time, felt it was unnecessary, or was she secretly pleased about something? Only she knows the answer.

It was precisely because she knew all too well that she felt ashamed and pathetic.

While pursuing the freedom she desired, shouting for self-redemption and self-respect, she also enjoyed his indulgence and favoritism, secretly rejoicing in his special treatment of her.

She's someone who wants to have her cake and eat it too—that's exactly what she's talking about, isn't it?

The day Yunying realized her true nature, her heart shattered. Even now, when the Second Master brought it up again, she was still not mentally prepared; her face turned panicked once more, and her lips turned deathly pale.

The second master's sharp gaze was fixed on her face.

He didn't know what was wrong with her.

I wonder what she was thinking at that moment, that made her look so pale.

But the Second Master saw all of her embarrassment, awkwardness, and her avoidance of him like the plague.

And he was such a perceptive person.

The second master immediately said, "The problem lies with me, doesn't it?"

Yunying turned her head away, mustered her courage, and said in a hoarse voice, "It has nothing to do with you, it's my problem."

“Second Master,” Yunying raised her head, pursed her lips, and looked at him.

Her eyes seemed to be moist, and her throat seemed to be choked with sobs, but she tried her best to hold them back and only put on a cold expression. "Second Master, I have made up my mind to redeem myself and leave the manor."

The second master hesitated for a moment and then nodded. "You told me about this a long time ago."

"Have I ever told you that I only ever want to be someone's legal wife, not a concubine or a mistress?"

Better to be a poor man's wife than a nobleman's concubine. The concubines and maids of noblemen are, frankly, still servants, still servants. They have to serve their masters diligently, living in constant fear that their masters might sell them off at the slightest displeasure.

Since she wanted to redeem herself, it meant she couldn't bear having her life and fortune in someone else's hands, or having her joys and sorrows controlled by others.

Moreover, the Second Master still has a first wife.

Despite his strained relationship with the second wife, and despite the fact that she was sent to him by the second wife even after becoming a concubine, the status of a concubine could not make her a third party in their marital relationship.

But just getting involved with a third party made Yunying feel suffocated and filled her with fear and unease.

But if you think about her past actions, how is she any different from a third party who interferes in someone else's marriage?

There are still some differences, namely that the second madam knew of her existence and gladly allowed her to serve the second master.

But the second wife was happy, while she was not.

Wasn't she constantly thinking about escaping the whole way south?
After she arrived at the county government office, wasn't she still thinking about redeeming herself?
But look at her previous actions, how did they have anything to do with redemption? She's sinking even deeper into this quagmire.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Second Master watched Yunying silently without making a sound.

Yunying clenched her handkerchief, avoiding looking at the Second Master's expression. She continued, "I should be overjoyed by your kindness. But, you can call me ungrateful or ignorant if you will. From now on, I only ask that you treat me as an ordinary maid or steward in this household. If all else fails, if you really... can't swallow this insult, you can punish me by making me do laundry or throw me out of the household. I cannot accept your kindness, and... I don't want it anymore."

As soon as Yunying finished speaking, she knelt down and kowtowed to the Second Master, then got up and started to walk out.

She was in a daze and didn't even know what she was saying.

But she thought, since Second Master is so intelligent and her refusal was so obvious, he must understand what she meant, right?
(End of this chapter)