When Yu Shu got home, she didn't go to Zhao Hui's room to greet her. Instead, she went back to her room to change her clothes so that Zhao Hui wouldn't be worried if she smelled the alcohol on her.
Yu Xiaoxiu was doing his homework in his room. When he heard the noise next door, he put down his pen and went out to Yu Shu's room.
"Sister, you're back."
"Yeah. Come in." Yu Shu fastened her belt and came out in her soft shoes to open the door for Yu Xiaoxiu.
Yu Xiaoxiu knew that Yu Shu went to the Supreme Court to listen to the trial today. When he entered the room, he asked her anxiously, "How was it? Did the trial finish? What was the verdict?"
Yu Shu closed the door and pulled him to the wall. She whispered to him, "The Ji family's Old Master committed suicide to escape punishment."
"Ah?" Yu Xiaoxiu was stunned. He didn't think that the high and mighty Old Master of the Ji family would die just like that.
"Don't tell Godfather and Godmother about this." Yu Shu patted his shoulder. "I'll find a way to get Mother out of the Ji mansion as soon as possible."
After reminding Yu Xiaoxiu, Yu Shu didn't care what he thought. She pushed him back to his room to read. She went to Zhao Hui's room and sat for a while before going back to her room to rest.
It was a quiet night. The next morning, after the family ate breakfast, Yu Shu went out with Yu Xiaoxiu, who was going to school.
"Sister, where are you going?" Yu Xiaoxiu didn't believe that Yu Shu was like what she said to Zhao Hui at the dinner table. She was going to look at Feng Shui for someone.
Yu Shu said, "I'm going to the Ji family to ask around and see how Mother is doing there."
When Yu Xiaoxiu heard this, he hurriedly said, "Then I'll go with you."
Yu Shu patted his head and said, "Where are you going? Focus on your lessons."
Yu Xiaoxiu said anxiously, "How can you go alone? They must be mad at you right now! If they see you, they'll definitely arrest you. "
Yu Shu thought that the Ji family wasn't just annoyed with her. They probably wanted to skin her alive and break her bones.
"It's okay. No matter how angry they are with me, they won't dare to do anything to me. Go to the Academy obediently. I'll talk to you when you come back in the afternoon. "
Yu Shu is afraid that Yu Xiaoxiu will not listen to her and secretly follow her. Thus, she sent him to the Hundred Rivers Library and watched him enter, turning his head back twice with every step, before leaving.
Yu Shu didn't turn in any other direction, and walked straight to the Right Magistrate's Manor.
Half an hour later. Yu Shu came to the street in front of the Ji Mansion and saw the white cloth hanging in front of the gate from a distance. When he got closer, he saw that the tall door was lit with a white lamp, and the plaque on the door was draped with a layer of black muslin. The corners were not even. The decorations were a little hasty.
Unlike the previous days when the door was locked, both doors were open. It was probably because Ji Huaishan died outside, and the door couldn't be closed for the first seven days, in case the soul couldn't come back and wandered outside.
There were only two servants in mourning clothes guarding the door. There were no visitors. Maybe the news of Ji Huaishan's death hadn't spread. Or maybe his relatives and friends were afraid to visit.
Yu Shu paused for a moment outside the door, and then walked forward. When she reached the door, she was stopped by the servants.
"This … Miss is?"
Yu Shu wore a full set of Hu clothes, long trousers and short boots. She didn't wear any hairpin or jewelry, and only used a plain silver buckle to tie up her hair. The servants of the Ji Mansion almost mistook her for a man.
Yu Shu lived in the Ji family a while ago, but there were many servants in the Right Magistrate's Mansion. Not all of them had seen her. Today, the two guards didn't know who she was.
In order to enter the door, Yu Shu acted according to the situation. She immediately put on a worried face and said, "I am your Fourth Miss' classmate in the Taishi Library. I heard that there was an accident in her family, so I came to visit. I don't know what happened. Why did you hang up a funeral? Which one passed away?"
The two servants didn't know that she was talking nonsense. They just thought that she was Ji Xingxuan's friend, so they told her with a sad face, "Our Great Master passed away."
"Ah, this …" Yu Shu pretended to be surprised and speechless, "Then, then what about your Miss?"
Yu Shu saw Liu Hao take Ji Xingxuan away yesterday. She didn't know if he sent her back.
The servant said, "Miss is kneeling in the mourning hall. I will take you there. Miss, this way please."
Yu Shu didn't plan to go to the mourning hall of Ji Huaishan, so she hesitated and said, "This … Thank you, Little Brother. My mother is sick. It's not convenient for me to mourn. Can you help me ask your Miss to let me see her alone?"
The two servants didn't think too much about it. It was rare for a guest to visit. They didn't dare to neglect her. They nodded and took Yu Shu in.
Ji Huaishan died yesterday. The Ji Mansion was in a mess. The affairs of the family were not strict. There was no order for the time being. Therefore, the guards didn't know the rules. They didn't know how to accept the invitation when they saw a guest. They didn't ask for the guest's name before letting her in.
Yu Shu smoothly entered the Ji Mansion. On the way, she saw the servants in the mansion were in a hurry. They were holding things for the memorial in their hands and looked flustered.
The servant of the Ji Mansion took her to a tea room on the west side. He remembered to ask for her name, "Miss, please wait here. I will go and inform them. May I know your surname?"
"My surname is Zhou."
Yu Shu made up a surname. She watched the servant leave, leaving her alone. Yu Shu turned around and left the tea room. She looked for the way and avoided the servants. She walked to the backyard.
The Ji family must have gone to the front yard to keep vigil. There was no one in the backyard. Yu Shu didn't get recognized along the way. She found her way to the small courtyard where Aunt Cui lived. This was the only advantage of living in the Ji family. At least she knew the way to the mansion.
The door of the courtyard was unlatched. Yu Shu gently pushed the door and it opened. She looked in through the gap of the door. Seeing no one, she walked in.
The women living in this small courtyard were the concubines of the third master of the Ji family, Ji Hyotani. Aunt Cui's room was in the corner. Yu Shu followed the corridor to the door. She saw the door was not closed. It was slightly open. She didn't knock on the door and went in.
There was no one in the outer hall. The room was cold and deserted. Yu Shu didn't say anything. She quietly walked to the door of Aunt Cui's bedroom. She gently pushed the door open. As soon as she went in, she walked around the screen and saw a figure curled up on the bed with her back facing the door.
Yu Shu thought it was Aunt Cui. She was bewildered. She wanted to ask why she was lying here and sleeping at this time. She hadn't been tied up and thrown into the woodshed?
Who would have thought that when he went up to take a look, he would see that the person sleeping soundly on the bed was none other than Concubine Cui's maidservant, Xiang Sui. He did not know where Concubine Cui went.
"Sui 'er, Sui' er, wake up." Yu Shu directly patted the maidservant's shoulder and woke her up.
The maidservant was in a daze. When she heard someone calling her, she quivered and rolled up from the bed. She squinted her eyes and saw that the person who came was Yu Shu. She was so shocked that her mouth opened wide. She stuttered, "Gu, Gu, Miss."
Yu Shu asked her: "Why are you sleeping here? Where's my mother, where is she?"
At the mention of Aunt Cui, Xiang Sui suddenly woke up. Her mouth flattened and tears fell down. She told Yu Shu while crying, "Yesterday, yesterday afternoon, Third Master came. He slapped Aunt twice when he entered the door and scolded Miss and Aunt. He said that Miss is a scourge … Great Master is dead. Sob, sob, sob. Third Master ordered people to tie Aunt up and lock her in the woodshed … This servant is very scared and doesn't dare to leave the room. I've been starving since yesterday. I don't even have water to drink. Sob …"
Yu Shu frowned and thought for a moment. She lowered her head and saw that the maidservant was still wiping her tears. She reached out and pinched her shoulder. She asked in a low voice, "Don't cry. Let me ask you, do you know where my mother is locked up?"
Xiang Sui nodded and stuttered, "I, I know. It's in the woodshed behind the main kitchen."
Yu Shu nodded. She touched her chin and pondered for a moment. Then, she sat next to Xiang Sui and asked her seriously, "Sui 'er, let me tell you. Ji family's Great Master committed a crime and committed suicide by biting his tongue in the court. The Right Magistrate's Mansion is going to be gone soon. It won't be long before all of you have to move out. Third Master has always hated me. What he did to my mother is a light punishment. If you're lucky, you'll find a good family. If you're unlucky, you'll be sold to a brothel. Don't even think about climbing out of the fire pit in this life. I have a way to save you now. It's up to you whether you listen to me or not. "
Xiang Sui shivered when she heard her words halfway. She was so scared that her face turned pale. When she heard that there was a way to save her, she hurriedly grabbed her sleeve and begged, "Miss, please save this servant."
Yu Shu's eyes flashed. She held her hand and comforted her softly, "Don't be afraid. Listen to me. Whatever I tell you to do, you'll do it. I guarantee that you'll be saved. Later on, you'll still be able to serve my mother. You'll live and eat well with me. It'll be much more comfortable than staying here. "
After listening to Yu Shu's coaxing and scaring, Xiang Sui nodded her head again and again. She was very obedient. How could she not listen to her?
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