"Sister, if you're not afraid of His Highness, aren't you at least wary of Miss Wang? I'm currently doing her bidding. If I die before I've completed my task, once Miss Wang marries in, she's sure to get to the bottom of it. As the future mistress of the household and the Crown Prince's Consort, it should be quite easy for her to deal with an unfavored concubine!"
As her voice faded, the maids on either side of Lin Wanyu stopped in their tracks. They glanced at their mistress's expression, waiting for her orders.
Feng Yunyun was indeed intimidated by her words.
After a moment of thought, she gritted her teeth and commanded, "Let her go."
Then, rather grudgingly, she walked up to Lin Wanyu, reached out, and pushed her into a mud pit beside them. After cursing her a "seductress," she sauntered off with her maids.
It seemed that the servants had dumped all the water they used for cleaning the courtyard here earlier. Lin Wanyu landed hard in the mud pit, and most of her dress got wet.
Her cheek was throbbing painfully. Sitting in the mud pit, Lin Wanyu couldn't help but feel her eyes redden.
Even so, she managed to hold back her tears.
Ever since she entered the Drunken Flower House at the age of seven, she had told herself that no matter what happened in the future, she must never cry.
The more you cry, the more others will think you're easy to bully, and they'll just keep on bullying you.
She supported herself on the well curb and got up. Just as she returned to her room and was about to find a change of clothes, she heard the courtyard gate being pushed open again.
The events of earlier were still fresh in her mind.
Frightened, Lin Wanyu quickly looked for a place to hide.
Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and Si Chen walked in with an old woman.
The muddy footprints on the ground hadn't dried yet. Following them, Si Chen walked up to a cabinet. Seeing the muddy figure huddled there, he couldn't help but frown. "What happened to you, Miss Lin?"
He had served his Highness for many years and had never seen his Highness show such concern for a woman. Not only did he order clothes to be prepared, but he also arranged such a nearby residence for her.
That's why he had kindly reminded her earlier. Who would have thought that in such a short time, she would manage to get herself into such a mess.
When Lin Wanyu heard Si Chen's voice, she immediately let out a sigh of relief. She got up somewhat embarrassed and gave a faint smile. "Thank you for your concern, sir. I... just accidentally slipped and fell."
She didn't want to cause Lu Huaijin any extra trouble. It's better to have one less thing than one more. She'd just endure for a few days and then leave.
Si Chen glanced at her and couldn't help but frown.
Her originally delicate and charming face was now flushed on one side, as if swollen. Near her ear, a faint handprint was visible.
This was just a slip and fall?
Since Lin Wanyu didn't say anything, Si Chen didn't press the issue either. He responded with a grunt, walked back to the door, and instructed the old woman behind him to hand the medicine to Lin Wanyu before stepping out.
The old woman placed the wooden tray in her hand on the table, picked up the porcelain bowl on the tray, and offered it to Lin Wanyu. "Madam, please take your medicine."
Lin Wanyu looked down at the yellowish-brown medicine in front of her and was slightly stunned. For some reason, a sense of unease welled up in her heart.
"I wonder what kind of medicine this is?"
The old woman saw her expression and immediately understood. She replied truthfully, "It's contraceptive medicine."
Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyu silently let out a sigh of relief. There was a hint of bitterness in her gentle eyebrows and eyes.
She paused for a moment, then picked up the porcelain bowl and downed the medicine in one gulp.
Now that she was in the Prince's Mansion, even if it were poison, if the master told her to drink it, she had no reason not to.
After seeing off Si Chen and the old woman, Lin Wanyu closed the door, walked over to a chair, and sat down. She lay her head on the table, planning to take a little rest.
Now that her dress was dirty and there wasn't a clean one in the entire Flowing Flower Pavilion, she had to stay here for the time being to avoid dirtying the bed.
As night fell, Lin Wanyu was awakened by the cold. She propped herself up on the table and sat up. Every bone in her body seemed to be falling apart, and the pain made her suck in a breath of cold air.
Looking up, she saw a man in a brocade robe sitting in the shadows of the lamp on one side. Startled, she lost her balance and fell to the ground.
In an instant, she knelt down quickly, prostrated herself on the ground, and said tremulously, "This servant was失态. Please punish me, Your Highness."
Lu Huaijin looked down at her, his eyes flickering slightly. "Get up."
He hadn't originally planned to come, but Si Chen had reported to him that someone had caused a ruckus in the Flowing Flower Pavilion today.
Over the years, many concubines had been sent to him from various places. At first, he had taken the trouble to send them away, but later he found that no matter how many he sent away, there would always be new ones the next day.
Helplessly, he had arranged for all the concubines to live in one courtyard, thinking that they could leave if they wanted to and stay if they chose to. Anyway, he wouldn't see them.
Who would have thought that these people would become even bolder.
"Who hit you?"
Lu Huaijin tapped one hand on the rosewood table. His long fingertips curled slightly, gently rapping on the table one after another.
These people were already daring to interfere in his affairs. If they weren't properly taught a lesson, they'd be climbing onto the roof and tearing off the tiles in no time.
"Just tell me."
Lu Huaijin had practiced martial arts for years and held a high position. Naturally, there was an air of nobility and sternness about him.
Upon hearing his words, Lin Wanyu immediately understood what he meant.
She pursed her lips and hesitated for a long time, not knowing how to begin.
After waiting for a while and still not hearing her speak, Lu Huaijin finally looked up at her. Her originally porcelain-white face was still a bit swollen and red. With her head bowed, she looked so submissive and pitiful.
Since she didn't say anything, Lu Huaijin didn't ask any more questions.
One sat and the other stood. They were silent for a long time until Si Chen's voice came from outside.
"Your Highness, the people have been brought."
Lu Huaijin responded and picked up the cup on the table, playing with it in his hand.
The door was pushed open, and two women were thrown in.
Lin Wanyu looked down and immediately recognized them. They were the concubine and her maid who had come during the day and tried to throw her into the well.
Now Feng Yunyun was covered in wounds, as if she had been whipped. Many parts of her purple dress were torn, revealing hideous, blood-red wounds. It was extremely terrifying.
"Your Highness, please spare my life. I really didn't do anything. I just came to talk to my sister."
Only now did Feng Yunyun suddenly realize Lin Wanyu's position in Lu Huaijin's heart. Even though she had been whipped several times, she didn't dare to tell the truth. Otherwise, she would surely die.
After she finished speaking, she crawled on her knees in front of Lin Wanyu, grabbed the corner of her dress, and pleaded pitifully, "Sister, please tell His Highness that I really came to talk to you today."
Lin Wanyu could see her intention at a glance. But unfortunately, she was just a servant who had just entered the mansion and wasn't even considered a concubine. How could Lu Huaijin possibly listen to her?
Today, Lu Huaijin was punishing Feng Yunyun simply because he thought her behavior was too arrogant and wanted to make an example of her.
She had heard stories like this from the sisters in the Drunken Flower House countless times.
The dirty affairs in the mansions of the Yangzhou officials were no less than this.