"Bah!" Jin Yu spat a glob of phlegm directly onto Jin Rong's face. "I'll give you a month to vacate the position of Young Master. Otherwise, you can wait to collect your slut mother's corpse!"
After saying this, Jin Yu swaggered away. Jin Rong took out a handkerchief, wiped the phlegm from his face, then took off his shoes and waded into the water to search for the food box. The stream in March was still a bit chilly, but he didn't care. When his hand touched the food box that Jin Yu had kicked into the water, a joyful smile immediately appeared on his face.
"This is too much!" Ying Xue gnashed her teeth fiercely. "Miss, why did you stop me from going to beat him?"
"If you had run out, Young Master Jin would have been in a difficult position. Besides, if you beat the eldest son of the Jin family on his behalf, Jin Yu would only retaliate even more severely against Young Master Jin upon their return, making his situation even more precarious," Xiao Man said gently. "You're not one to meddle in other people's affairs. Why do you want to meddle today?"
"That Jin Yu is too overbearing, I can't stand it!" Ying Xue said indignantly. "Jin Rong, as the Young Master of the Jin family, seems noble and esteemed, yet he is bullied by everyone. They won't even let him eat. Don't you think he's too pitiful, Miss?"
"Everyone has their own fate. Being born into the Jin family is his fate," Xiao Man said slowly. "If you want to break free from obedience, you must rise up and resist yourself. Others can only help you for a while, not for a lifetime."
"Miss, you are too heartless. You weren't like this before. We were all picked up by you from the beggar's den. I know too well what it's like to be bullied... I..."
"Alright, silly girl," Xiao Man teased. "If you want to help him, it's not impossible. However, the prerequisite for helping him is that he cannot be put in an even more difficult situation. Otherwise, it won't be helping him, but harming him."
Ying Xue's eyes darted, and she immediately understood. After escorting Xiao Man back to the tent, she disappeared without a trace. Qiu Tong looked puzzled.
"Miss, where did Ying Xue go?"
"She's gone to right wrongs," Xiao Man replied, taking the handkerchief Qiu Tong handed her to wipe her face. "You should wash up and rest early too. We can return to the mansion tomorrow."
"I'm worried, I'd better stay and guard Miss."
After Qiu Tong helped Xiao Man wash and get into bed, she made a bed on the floor by the foot of the bed. Just as she was about to sleep, she saw Ying Xue sneak in, grinning brightly.
"Where did you go? Why are you back so late?"
Ying Xue glanced at the bed. Seeing that Xiao Man was asleep, she immediately lowered her voice and whispered something into Qiu Tong's ear. Qiu Tong's expression changed.
"You're so bold! Aren't you afraid of being recognized?"
"I'm wearing a mask and put a sack over his head. Even his own mother wouldn't recognize him. Don't worry," Ying Xue said, washing her face with the leftover water in the basin. She then made a bed on the floor with Qiu Tong and they slept, passing the night without incident.
Early in the morning, the eldest son of the Jin family was discovered by patrolling guards, unconscious outside, covered in injuries. His face was beaten into a pig's head. If he hadn't been wearing Jin family clothes, no one would have recognized him.
Jin Rong watched Jin Yu being carried back, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. Jin Yu was close to Prince Qi and held considerable sway in the Jin family; no one dared to trouble him. Who could have beaten him to this state?
As the Jin family was Prince Qi's maternal family, they held considerable influence in the capital. When Madam Jin saw her precious son beaten like this, she was both angry and vexed. She sent for imperial physicians and also sent for Prince Qi, asking him to avenge her son.
Jin Rong silently cowered in a corner, not stepping forward, but that didn't mean Madam Jin wouldn't notice him.
As Madam Jin wiped the bloodstains from her son's face and cried, her peripheral vision caught sight of Jin Rong. Her expression turned cold, and she gritted her teeth. Before the Young Master's examination, her son and she were the envy of everyone in the Jin family. After the Young Master's examination, they became the laughingstock of the Jin family, all because of this bastard!
"Why is your elder brother so badly injured?"
"Replying to Mother, your son does not know."
Madam Jin stood up, strode forward, and slapped Jin Rong across the face. "You don't know? As the Young Master of the Jin family, your own elder brother is ambushed and injured like this, and you know nothing? What qualifications do you have to be the Young Master of the Jin family?"
Jin Rong lowered his head, becoming even more silent. Previously, Madam Jin wouldn't even give him a proper glance. But ever since he became the Young Master, he had become Madam Jin's thorn in her side. Whenever Madam Jin found an opportunity, she would pick a fight. He avoided her whenever he could, but he couldn't escape Madam Jin deliberately picking fights.
Madam Jin's anger flared as she looked at Jin Rong's silent demeanor. She raised her hand to slap him a few more times, but just then, Prince Qi entered with the imperial physicians. Madam Jin quickly retracted her hand.
"Aunt, how is my cousin?" Nangong Yi strode quickly to the bedside and looked at the person lying on the bed, unconscious and unrecognizable. He couldn't help but frown. "Have they caught the culprit?"
"No, the servant boy who was with him was knocked unconscious. He didn't see who the attacker was at all."
"Now that there's an assassin at the hunting grounds, and Fourth Brother has been searching all night, I presume your cousin also encountered an assassin," Prince Qi comforted her. "Aunt, rest assured, with the imperial physicians here, your cousin will be fine."
"Fortunately, we have Your Highness. Otherwise, my son and I..." Madam Jin quickly wiped her eyes. "In the mansion, some shameless wretches, relying on unsavory means, have taken the position of Young Master. They think that by eliminating my son, the Jin family will belong to them. What a foolish dream."
"Aunt, don't worry, your cousin will be fine." Nangong Yi's gaze fell on Jin Rong, who was standing beside him. Jin Rong was indeed handsome and talented, but his identity was awkward. This time, he had unexpectedly become the Jin family's Young Master, and there were many in the Jin family who were not convinced by him. However, the result of the Young Master's examination could not be changed. Even though his uncle disliked this son, he still appointed him as the Young Master according to the rules.
"Imperial Physician, how is my son?"
"Madam Jin, please rest assured, Young Master Jin is not in mortal danger. The injuries on his face are superficial. His right arm is dislocated and can be put back in place. As for the fracture in his right leg, it requires rejoining the broken bone. After a few months of recuperation, he will recover completely."
"Damn it, who was so ruthless and vicious to treat my son like this?" Madam Jin began to weep again. Prince Qi, seeing this, couldn't help but offer more comfort before finding an excuse to leave.
As Nangong Yi left, he called Jin Rong outside. "Are your cousin's injuries your doing?"
Jin Rong shook his head. "Replying to Your Highness, they are not."
"It's best if they are not," Nangong Yi said coldly. "Since Uncle has appointed you as the Young Master, I hope you will live up to that title."
"Yes."
Nangong Yi turned and left. Jin Rong raised his head to look at Nangong Yi's retreating back, then withdrew his gaze and turned back to his own tent.