Su Yinyin always felt that her mother was a little off today, but she didn't think much of it and nodded in agreement.
Dou Ying quickly had someone send a message to Su Siyuan in Su Yinyin's name.
They agreed to meet an hour later.
However, Su Siyuan had no good feelings towards his cousin and had no intention of attending the meeting.
The servant who ran the errand returned to report that Su Siyuan refused the invitation and was scolded, so he had to go back and report again.
Back and forth, it dragged on until around the hour of Shen (3-5 PM) when Su Siyuan finally arrived at the Cang Gui Pavilion.
Inside a private room at Cang Gui Pavilion.
Su Yinyin had been waiting all day. Seeing Su Siyuan's late arrival, she didn't have a good expression, but since she had something to ask of him, she had to soften her stance.
"Third Brother, you're finally here. Yinyin has been waiting for you for a long time. Come, have a cup of tea to warm yourself up."
Su Siyuan stood at the door with his arms crossed, not going inside. "I won't drink it. What if you put something in it?"
Mother said that boys outside needed to protect themselves.
Su Yinyin's face immediately turned unpleasant.
What was he saying? This tea was the finest tea brought by her mother. How could it be drugged?
When her mother went out earlier, she had poured her a cup, and she had already finished it.
"Third Brother, you do tell jokes." Su Yinyin smiled somewhat forcedly. "If you don't want to drink it, that's fine. Actually, I asked you to come today to talk about my second brother."
"Don't tell me you want me to convince Momo, and then have Momo convince Mother and Father to save your second brother?" Su Siyuan lowered his crossed arms.
"Are you guys crazy, or am I crazy?"
Su Xingzhe committed murder, and on top of that, dereliction of duty. Neither of these charges was light.
Normally, people would have avoided such a situation if they could. The people in the General's Mansion weren't fools; they wouldn't rush into such an unjust matter.
Su Yinyin continued to persuade, "Third Brother, don't say that yet. Can we discuss it further?"
When Mother left, she had repeatedly instructed her to persuade him.
"If I had known it was for this, I wouldn't have come." Su Siyuan turned to leave.
Seeing this, Su Yinyin immediately became anxious and rushed forward to stop him. "Third Brother, wait a moment!"
She blocked Su Siyuan's path, preventing him from leaving.
"Move aside." Su Siyuan instinctively pushed her shoulder.
Su Yinyin then fell to the ground.
With a 'bang'.
The sound startled Su Siyuan. He quickly stepped back two paces, his eyes wide. "What are you doing? Trying to extort me?"
He had only pushed her shoulder; he hadn't done anything else.
Su Yinyin remained motionless.
Su Siyuan started to panic and quickly pushed her a couple of times. "Hey, wake up, Su Yinyin? Su Yinyin!"
His hands trembled as he reached under Su Yinyin's nose. She was still breathing, but she was genuinely unconscious, not faking it.
"This is bad! Come..."
Before he could finish the word 'man', a dark shadow fell behind him.
A man struck him with a palm strike, and Su Siyuan fainted to the ground, losing consciousness.
Dou Ying ran over from the other side and instructed the man, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry and carry him to the bed."
The man obeyed.
Dou Ying picked up Su Yinyin, her eyes full of heartache. "Yinyin, you must not blame your mother. Your mother is doing this for your brother; there's no other way."
"Besides, haven't you always wanted to be the legitimate daughter of the General's Mansion? As long as today passes, your mother guarantees you can enter the General's Mansion, and even be superior to Su Yunmo."
The man said, "Madam, it's done."
"Undress Su Siyuan." Dou Ying ordered while also carrying Su Yinyin to the bed and personally undressing her.
The man withdrew first.
After finishing, Dou Ying also withdrew, closed the room door, and took out a silver tael from her sleeve, throwing it over.
"Remember, you saw nothing of what happened today. If you dare to say a single word, I will take your life."
The man bit the silver tael and repeatedly said yes.
Dou Ying glanced at the door, hardened her heart, and walked away.
Su Siyuan lay on the bed next to Su Yinyin, completely unaware of anything.
They slept for an entire night, unknown to anyone.
By the next morning, the General's Mansion was in chaos.
The rules of the mansion were strict. Coming home late after playing outside every day would result in scolding, let alone not returning for a whole night.
Su Qingtian sat in the main hall and threw a tantrum, ordering the servants attending Su Siyuan to be beaten ten times each.
His two elder brothers stood by, praying for their third brother.
"Go find him! If that little brat isn't brought back today, no one is going back to the mansion!" Su Qingtian slammed the table.
Su Yunmo, nestled in Zhou Wanyou's arms, swallowed.
This was the first time she had seen her father so angry. When third brother returned, his backside would surely be beaten black and blue.
A servant rushed in from outside and reported, "General, someone said they saw the Third Young Master heading to the Cang Gui Tower yesterday afternoon, and he hasn't come out since entering."
"Good, good! His courage has really grown!" Su Qingtian slammed his fist on the table again.
Even the tea in the cup splashed out.
Zhou Wanyou, who usually advised him, remained silent this time, clearly genuinely angry.
The servant asked, "Does the subordinate need to send people to bring the Third Young Master back?"
"I'll go myself! I want to see what's so fun outside that makes him not come home all night!" Su Qingtian strode out.
Su Yunmo's worry shifted from Su Siyuan's backside to his life.
Clearly, Su Siqi thought the same.
He moved closer and lowered his voice, "Momo, go with Father to bring Third Brother back."
Su Yunmo hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Zhou Wanyou.
Zhou Wanyou's tense face finally softened a little, and she patted her little head. "Go."
"Okay, Mother, don't worry. Momo will watch Father." The little dumpling jumped off the ground and ran out.
Su Qingtian had no intention of taking a carriage. As soon as he left the mansion, he headed straight for the Cang Gui Pavilion.
Although Su Yunmo's legs were short, she was quick enough. Before he left the mansion gate, she stopped him. "Father, Momo wants to go with you too."
"No, you go back to your mother." Su Qingtian was already impatient and wanted to take off his shoe to spank her, but his daughter's presence made it difficult for him to act.
The little dumpling ignored his refusal, climbed up his leg while hugging it. "Father, just take Momo with you. Momo will definitely be good and won't cause trouble."
Su Qingtian, unable to do anything about her, picked her up with one arm and took her along.
The father and daughter arrived at the Cang Gui Pavilion and inquired about the situation, learning which courtyard Su Siyuan was in.
But when they reached the courtyard, they couldn't get in at all.
There were people everywhere in the courtyard, and the main house was even more crowded.
The door to the main house was slightly ajar, and several people were peeking inside through the gap.
Everyone was whispering about something.
Su Yunmo frowned, a bad premonition stirring in her heart.
"Get out of my way, all of you!" Su Qingtian put down the little dumpling in his arms, took off his shoe, and grabbed it to head inside.
Seeing his demeanor, everyone parted to make way.
Su Qingtian strode over, kicked the door open, and barged in. "Su Siyuan, you little brat, I'll..."
His words stopped, and his body froze.