Time passed in a blink.
Another day went by.
It was a day of clear skies and gentle breezes, with blue skies and white clouds.
The capital had been bustling with excitement for the past two days.
In casual conversation, people were either discussing the love story between the Regent and Yun Yueyin, or how Yun Changfeng had been framed and then freed, or that Yun Shu had changed, no longer foolish, and was now exceptionally beautiful, the kind of beauty that would evoke envy and jealousy in any woman.
Many had already forgotten about the recent incident involving the Li family and three other families, as well as Yan Qi.
Upon learning of Yun Yueyin's return, Yan Qi patiently waited for a day. Then, early this morning, after a hurried breakfast, she went to see Yun Yueyin.
She wanted Yun Yueyin to help her seek revenge!
She couldn't let Yun Shu get away with it so easily!
She had initially thought Yun Shu was already imprisoned and posed no threat.
But unexpectedly, Yun Shu had emerged from prison unharmed!
This was something she could not tolerate!
Even now, she dared not go out and face people.
Rushing to the Yun residence, she wailed at Yun Yueyin, "Yueyin, you must help me! Yun Shu has wronged me terribly! She's different now. Before, she would let us do as we pleased with her, but now she's ruined my reputation and I can't show my face. My parents are still blaming me, thinking I shouldn't have stepped forward on the hunting day. I have so much suffering that I can't even express!"
Yun Yueyin looked at the much thinner Yan Qi and scanned her face. As before, her appearance still couldn't compare to her own. She smiled and said, "Don't worry. It's true that our plan on the hunting day wasn't well-executed, but now it's different. I'm back."
Seeing the radiant and beautiful Yun Yueyin, Yan Qi's admiration grew even more.
What was Yun Shu, relying on a bit of looks, to think she could command respect in the capital?
A pipe dream!
"Yueyin, I knew it! In the capital, no woman can compare to you! Yun Shu is nothing compared to you!" Yan Qi quickly said.
These flattering words made Yun Yueyin smile slightly, "Indeed, she is nothing."
A woman who had already given birth to three children, whose face she had ruined, and whom she had thrown off a cliff – what was she?
Just a defeated opponent.
Not worth her spending too much thought on.
...
After lunch.
A piece of news suddenly spread through the capital.
News that shocked many.
It was about Yun Shu!
No one knew who spread the rumor, but it claimed that Yun Shu's disappearance for the past five years was due to her disfigurement five years ago!
She had become hideously ugly.
Thus, she had been afraid to show her face.
The reason she was appearing in public now was because she was wearing a human skin mask, which restored her former appearance.
She looked as if she had never been disfigured.
As soon as this news broke, women began to denounce Yun Shu as hypocritical, deceitful, and self-deceiving.
The men, however, remained somewhat skeptical.
The news soon reached Yi Zixing.
Yi Zixing frowned, "Who is slandering Miss Yun?"
He didn't believe it at all.
Someone also conveyed this news to Zhan Tianye.
Upon hearing the news, Zhan Tianye showed no expression.
Qiu Lu dismissed the messenger and remained silent, not daring to say anything.
It was clear now that His Highness truly disliked Miss Yun.
He didn't want to know or hear any news about Miss Yun.
Meanwhile.
At the General's residence.
Yu Le angrily approached Yun Shu.
Yun Shu was leisurely cracking melon seeds and reading a book.
She looked up at Yu Le.
"What has made you so angry?"
Hearing Yun Shu ask, Yu Le's eyes welled up, "Miss, I just returned from outside and heard everyone outside talking about you! They were saying the most terrible things! It makes me so angry!"
Yun Shu smiled, "Their mouths are their own. Let them say what they will; it doesn't harm your young mistress one bit. Don't mind them."
"I understand that, but I truly can't stand it! They are talking nonsense, saying that Miss disappeared for five years because she was disfigured and didn't want to be seen, so she hid away. Now she's using a disguise, wearing a human skin mask! Those people also said Miss is deceiving herself. I tried to reason with them, saying it's all rumors and Miss is not disguised, but they didn't believe me!"
"It's too detestable! I'm really so angry!" Yu Le took several deep breaths in her anger.
It seemed she had already argued with people outside for a long time.
To make the usually composed Yu Le so angry, it was evident how outrageous the rumors outside were and how gleeful those discussing the matter were.
This was human nature!
Yun Shu's gaze shifted slightly. She picked up the tea by her side and took a small sip. "Do you think I'm wearing a disguise?"
She touched her face.
She recalled the scene when she woke up a few years ago.
When she realized she had indeed transmigrated and had directly jumped in status to become a mother, none of that mattered. Especially when she saw her face in the mirror, a horrifying sight, that she truly began to hate.
Fortunately, she knew medicine.
Yu Le's eyes widened. "How is that possible! How could Miss be disguised! Even if others were disguised, they wouldn't have Miss's beauty! Therefore, Miss is not disguised at all. I don't know who is jealous of Miss, spreading such rumors. Isn't this trying to ruin Miss's reputation?"
Recently, the people in the capital had finally come to know of Miss's exceptional musical talent and breathtaking beauty. Now, someone was saying Miss was disfigured!
It was infuriating!
Yun Shu smiled and nodded, "Indeed, they are trying to ruin my reputation."
Such a move could only come from Yun Yueyin.
Only Yun Yueyin knew how severely her face had been injured back then.
Tsk, tsk.
She would find an opportunity to let Yun Yueyin taste what it was like to have her face ruined.
"I don't know who it is, their heart is so malicious!" Yu Le frowned deeply.
Miss was so kind; she truly couldn't bear to see anyone slander her.
At this moment, Yun Changfeng also hurried in.
His face was filled with anxiety.
A general, who could instill fear in his enemies on the battlefield, looked completely lacking in his usual imposing presence at this moment due to his anxiety and worry.
"Shu'er, are the rumors outside true?"
Where there's smoke, there's fire.
He only knew that Shu'er's five-year disappearance must have had a reason.
"Father, look at my face. Are there any signs of disguise? If I were wearing a human skin mask, could I rub it like this?" Yun Shu moved her face.
She also couldn't stand the constant dissimulation.
It was too uncomfortable.
The experienced Yun Changfeng calmed down.
Concern had clouded his judgment.
He had actually believed the rumors outside.
"That's good. Father thought the rumors outside were true. It's good that they're not," Yun Changfeng breathed a sigh of relief.
Yun Shu's smile was bright, "Of course, they're not true."
Just then.
The gatekeeper suddenly ran over.
"Master, Miss, someone has arrived from the palace, saying the Emperor is gravely ill and left a message to see Miss before he fainted! Someone from the palace has arrived and is waiting outside."