The matriarch suddenly recalled what Yun Chen had once said: if someone accused the Yun Family in a memorandum, the Emperor had stated that the fate of the Ministry of War Residence would befall the Yun Family next time.
The matriarch turned pale with fright and pointed at Mrs. Han, "Out, out, out..."
She didn’t want to see Mrs. Han, nor did she want to confront her.
It was too terrifying; this woman was too frightening. She wanted to ruin the Yun Family.
Mrs. Han snorted disdainfully, cursed under her breath, and led Yun Jinnian out of Cixin Academy.
Yun Jinnian clutched Mrs. Han’s hand tightly.
Grateful for her mother’s unhesitating protection.
Mrs. Han looked at Yun Jinnian and smiled, rubbing her head, "The kind are bullied, and the compliant are ridden. Only when you are strong will others not dare to bully you at will!"
Yun Jinnian nodded, "I’ll remember that!"
Mrs. Han left so arrogantly that the matriarch was shocked, and Xu Xinmo was also stunned.
In that instant, Xu Xinmo believed that if Mrs. Han had a sword, she would definitely stab her with holes.
She was definitely scared.
It was a while before the matriarch allowed Xu Xinmo to return to her own courtyard; she too had been badly frightened and needed to calm down.
Yun Jinnian first accompanied Mrs. Han back to Qiyue Academy. Mrs. Han asked Yun Jinnian, "Are you afraid?"
"Not at all, Mother is mighty!"
That slap on the table, truly something to admire.
"Mother didn’t want to do that," Mrs. Han said, followed by a sigh.
She also wanted to be a filial daughter-in-law, a dutiful wife, but the matriarch didn’t give her the chance.
Hearing this, Yun Jinnian felt a surge of sorrow for Mrs. Han.
She grabbed Mrs. Han’s hand.
But then someone came to say that Yun Qi had returned.
Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian had no intention of going out to greet him, yet they saw Yun Qi walking in slowly with a lady, carefully supporting her.
The lady was very beautiful, with a pitiable appearance that evoked sympathy at first sight, and her slightly bulging belly and the careful way she held her waist clearly indicated that she was pregnant.
Yun Jinnian was taken aback and turned to look at Mrs. Han.
Seeing that Mrs. Han remained composed, Yun Jinnian felt incredibly heartbroken.
She didn’t know Mrs. Han had long been accustomed to such situations, and that she herself had arranged for this woman to come.
Yun Qi was somewhat nervous, but he still insisted on supporting the woman by his side.
Yun Qi softly called out to her.
The whole man was somewhat flustered.
Mrs. Han smiled lightly, "You’re back, and who might this be?"
Yun Qi swallowed nervously, the woman by his side glanced at Yun Qi, then at Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian, before curtsying politely, "This maid, Lian Xin, pays her respects to the lady of the house, and to Miss!"
"A lovely appearance, and a fine name indeed!" Mrs. Han said, and then turned to walk inside.
Yun Qi watching hurriedly called out, "Shu Niang!"
After speaking up, Yun Qi regretted it a bit, but Lian Xin had risked her life to save him.
Mrs. Han looked back at Yun Qi, "Yes, what is it?"
"Let’s have some of Lian Xin’s tea before entering the house," Yun Qi said, and tightly grasped Lian Xin’s hand.
Signaling to her not to be afraid.
Mrs. Han looked on, indescribable feelings stirring in her heart, "All right, Bai Que, prepare the tea!"
Bai Que acknowledged and went to prepare the tea.
Mrs. Han took Yun Jinnian by the hand into the small hall and said to her, "Go study in the study room!"
"Yes!" Yun Jinnian nodded and entered the study room next to the small hall.
Though called a study room, it also had a heated brick bed (kang).
Yun Jinnian sat on the brick bed with a book in hand, but didn’t flip through it, instead she listened intently to the movements in the small hall.
Actually, there was not much activity in the small hall.
Mrs. Han had Lian Xin serve tea, drank it amiably, and asked Bai Que to bring a pair of bracelets to reward Lian Xin, "From now on, you will be called Auntie Lian, and you will share a courtyard with Auntie Rou!"