Luo Yinfeng left the study and headed out of the imperial palace, only to be stopped by a woman midway.
The woman was dressed in a light blue long gown, with a fox fur cloak draped over her shoulders. She was plump and graceful, with a captivating smile and glance.
This was Ye Jingkun’s birth mother, now conferred the title of Noble Lady.
Chu Xingyun stood before Luo Yinfeng, waved her hand to dismiss the maids following her, and then bowed to Luo Yinfeng, "Brother."
Luo Yinfeng narrowed his eyes and looked at her coldly, "Noble Lady Luo, you've called the wrong person. I cannot bear such a title."
Chu Xingyun chuckled softly, her voice gentle, "Although I am an illegitimate daughter and have had no status in the Luo family all these years, I believe I am still entitled to call you brother."
Luo Yinfeng’s gaze deepened, and he remained silent.
Chu Xingyun continued, "Moreover, I have received your help before. If it weren't for your assistance, how could I have achieved my current position as Noble Lady?"
Back then, she had entered the palace as a maidservant for the Empress, thinking her life would be spent in vain.
But after a banquet, he had found her and told her that to become someone of importance in the harem, she had to win over His Majesty.
It was under his guidance that she slowly approached His Majesty, eventually breaking free from Fengqi Palace entirely.
Over the years, His Majesty's feelings for the Empress had been lukewarm. Due to the matter of Consort Liang, he had grown to increasingly dislike the Empress.
Perhaps it was because she, too, had been bullied by the Empress when she was a palace maid.
The more her experiences resembled Consort Liang's, the more His Majesty disliked the Empress and the more he favored her.
Now, the Empress had been deposed, and Consort Liang was foolish and useless. In this harem, apart from Qin Bin, she was the one most favored by His Majesty.
Qin Pin's son, Ye Jingguang, was naturally inclined towards pleasure, but her Kun'er was different.
"Let's be straightforward. In this palace, no one understands your revenge and ambitions better than I do. Now that Ye Jingcheng has no chance of inheriting the throne, do you intend to stop here?"
Chu Xingyun cut to the chase, "Brother, don't forget, even though I followed my mother's surname, I am still a child of the Luo family. Kun'er also carries the blood of the Luo family."
Luo Yinfeng pondered for a moment, his tone deepening, "Does Noble Lady intend to continue speaking with this general here?"
Chu Xingyun curved her lips. Seeing his words, she knew he was willing to cooperate with her. She stepped aside and made a 'please' gesture.
Luo Yinfeng then strode towards the imperial harem.
Chu Xingyun lagged behind, watching his retreating back, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.
She had known all along that he would agree. After all, it was better to keep things within the family. Instead of continuing to support Ye Jingcheng, whose succession was difficult, it was better to support Kun'er, who was closer.
After all, with Ye Jingcheng gone, Kun'er was the eldest son. Moreover, Kun'er's influence in the court was already catching up to Ye Jingyu.
Luo Yinfeng went to Chu Xingyun's 'Qingyun Palace,' and the two of them discussed for a long time.
When Luo Yinfeng emerged again, his somber expression had eased considerably, as if he and Chu Xingyun had reached a mutual understanding.
Meanwhile, Ye Jingcheng was completely flustered when he received the imperial decree to strip him of his princely title.
He immediately sent someone to the Luo mansion to request an audience with Luo Yinfeng, but Luo Yinfeng had entered the palace and could not be seen.
Ye Jingcheng sent people to request his presence repeatedly. Finally, upon learning that Luo Yinfeng had returned to his residence, he personally went to the Luo mansion to seek an audience.
However, Luo Yinfeng did not see him, instead using words to politely refuse him.
Ye Jingcheng was not foolish. Seeing this, he knew that Luo Yinfeng was completely abandoning his side and choosing to support someone else.
He returned to his mansion and flew into a rage, smashing most of his belongings. He had completely lost the dignified demeanor of Prince Lian in the imperial court.
A few days later, it was the New Year.
The people of the capital were joyfully celebrating the New Year, gradually forgetting about these matters. The turmoil subsided, and few people mentioned it again.
The General's mansion was also very lively at this time.
Although Su Qingtian was not celebrating the New Year in the capital this year, Zhou Wanyou still had the mansion decorated with lanterns and festoons, making it lively.
On New Year's Eve, the entire family, along with Ah Cai and the others, gathered together to stay up late and play.
Zhou Wanyou gave each of them a red envelope, celebrating their growth by another year, and also urged them to be obedient in the coming year, not to play as they did last year.
Su Siyuan had made many friends at the martial arts school and his skills had improved considerably. To add to the festive mood, he performed a set of boxing.
Su Siqi also showcased his achievements for the year, telling everyone how much money he had earned. It was then that everyone learned he had opened a tavern in the capital, and its business was booming.
Su Siqi, as a disciple of the academy's dean, would naturally inherit the academy in the future. However, he also had his own ambitions and was secretly preparing to take the imperial examinations next year.
When it was Su Yunmo's turn, the little dumpling realized that she had just been busy all year and seemed to have nothing worth showing off.
So, she performed a trick of eating an apple in three bites, making everyone laugh heartily.
In the middle of the night, after everyone had played enough, they were all going to bed.
Su Yunmo returned to her courtyard when the steward came to tell her that someone was looking for her outside.
Normally, there shouldn't be any guests at this hour, and Luoluo and the others were curious about who it could be.
Su Yunmo, however, had already guessed who it was.
She took Linlang to the front gate of the mansion.
Across the street stood a woman. She was dressed very thinly, and in the extreme cold, her figure swayed in the night breeze as if she might fall over at any moment.
Su Yunmo stood on the steps and did not go down, raising her voice, "If Princess Lian is here to visit, why don't you come into the mansion?"
Lin Yuning slowly raised her head. The moment her face was revealed, even Linlang was startled.
Her complexion was deathly pale, her hair sparse, and her lips devoid of any color.
Her slender fingers were like skin and bone, and her upper body was hunched, like a dying old woman.
"Miss Su is joking. Do I still have the right to be a guest at your mansion?"
Her tone carried a hint of mockery, but her voice was extremely weak, like the last gasp of a dying person.
Su Yunmo narrowed her eyes, truly surprised that in just a few days, Lin Yuning had become so inhuman.
She walked over from across the street, instinctively lifting her foot to step onto the stairs, but then stopped and pulled her leg back, "Actually, I have nothing else to do, I just came to see you."
Su Yunmo frowned, "See me?"
Lin Yuning looked her up and down, staring at the little dumpling for a moment, then reached out to smooth the stray hairs by her forehead.
"To see if you are doing well now. It seems you are doing well, which shows that 'death' is not entirely bad."
Su Yunmo noticed the purplish-blue bruises on her wrist when her sleeve slipped down as she raised her hand, marks of being beaten.
Linlang knew what had happened at the Marquis's mansion before. Hearing Lin Yuning's words, her expression immediately turned cold, "Good people will be rewarded after death, but for those who have committed many evils, that is not necessarily the case."