Chapter 030
Chapter 30: The Yun Family, Each Beautiful in Their Own Way
By noon they had reached Le Yang County, sixty li from the city gates, and would be home by nightfall. From early morning, Duke Ning’s manor had bustled without pause, servants running to and from to welcome Seventh Lord and the heir apparent back from their long journey.
“Madam, wait at home and rest. I will take the children to the city gate to greet Old Seventh and Chen’er,” Yun Zheng said.
“All right,” Madam Yun replied. When her husband and children left, she changed into fresh robes, called Little Tao to dress her hair and touch her face with light powder, then, cradling the sleeping Yun Wan Ning, went to the front hall.
[Hmm? Where am I? Why am I here? Where is Mother?]
Waking in an unfamiliar room, Yun Wan Ning twisted anxiously to search. Since being reborn as a baby, she clung to her mother and disliked strange places.
Madam Yun lifted her at once, kissing her cheek with a smile as gentle as water: “Little Fourth is awake. Mother is right here.”
“Ah,” the milk bun cooed. [Mother, where is this? Why did we come?]
Though she knew Mother could not hear, she still asked in her heart. To her surprise, Madam Yun’s next words answered her perfectly.
“Little Fourth noticed we changed places. My clever one,” she praised softly. “Yes, this is the front hall. Your Seventh Uncle and Big Brother will arrive soon. They have not met you. Mother brought you to greet them.”
[Wow, Mother is amazing. She always knows what I am thinking. Is it because I am simple as a child, or because after three children she reads minds with ease?]
Yun Wan Ning stared blankly, once more stunned by Mother’s uncanny accuracy.
Madam Yun: “…”
[Wait, Mother said Seventh Uncle and Big Brother are coming home today. No wonder she brought me here. Seventh Uncle was raised by Mother, but he is grown now. It is not proper for him to enter her private rooms.]
Madam Yun: “…”
Whenever the little milk bun was awake, her thoughts fluttered like sparrows, jumping from strange terms to unheard formulas. Though Madam Yun did not understand most of them, she memorized every word and carefully copied them down. These might matter to Little Fourth one day. It would be a long time before a child could write, and forgetting was easy. Better to keep notes for her.
Soon Yun Wan Ning discovered a pattern. Whenever she let her mind wander, Mother quietly began to write.
It seemed Mother liked writing very much.
A commotion rose outside. Madam Yun set down her brush and looked toward the doorway.
“That must be Old Seventh and Chen’er.”
Wheel ruts and steady steps drew near. Madam Yun went out and saw the group coming in.
Yun Wan Ye pushed a wheelchair in front, Yun Wan Yao by his side. Behind them walked two tall men with the same iron blood bearing.
“Mother, your son has returned,” one voice called.
“Eldest Sister in Law,” said another.
“Good, it is good you are home, very good,” Madam Yun answered, her gaze fixed on the graceful youth in the chair. Her eyes went red and hot.
Seeing Mother near tears, Yun Wan Yao stepped in quickly and said with a smile, “Mother, Seventh Uncle and Big Brother have traveled all day and must be hungry. Let us go in and eat first. We can talk after.”
Crying during confinement harmed the eyes. Madam Yun caught herself, nodded, and moved aside: “Yes, yes, come in. Look at me, blocking the door.”
They had barely crossed the threshold when a sweet, milky voice sounded clearly in every heart:
[Oh. Seventh Uncle and Big Brother are back. Even if I cannot speak, I must greet them or it would be rude. Hello, Seventh Uncle. Hello, Big Brother.]
She waved her tiny arm energetically, greeting whether anyone saw or not.
Yun Zhan: “?”
Yun Wan Chen: “?”
Could a newborn speak? No. She had just said she could not. Then where did this voice come from?
The twins showed nothing on their faces, sitting calm as mountain pines. Yun Zheng and the others could not yet tell whether they had heard.
“Mother, where is Little Sister,” Yun Wan Chen asked softly. “Seventh Uncle and I have not seen her. Please bring her.”
“Of course.” Madam Yun came over with the child. Yun Wan Chen took her carefully.
Their gazes met.
At once Yun Wan Ning’s heart flooded with admiration. She stared at the crimson beauty mark at the corner of his eye.
[Ah. Is this truly Haojing’s First Young Master, whose brush pacifies the realm and whose sword steadies kingdoms. The graceful youth in splendid robes who, once he met Ming Yue, was captivated forever.]
[Readers mocked the author for flowery exaggeration, but I think it fits Big Brother perfectly. Spot on.]
[It is a pity. No matter how beautifully he was written, he was only a foil for the male lead, a tool in the heroine’s love, destined to die in the end.]
She sighed, sadness tightening her tiny chest.
Yun Zheng and Madam Yun had long swallowed these bitter fates, yet the twins had not known their elder brother would die as well. Ice traced their spines.
On reflection, it was not hard to accept. Father, Mother, Little Sister, Seventh Uncle, even Yun Wan Yao were all doomed in that story. How could Big Brother be spared. Understandable, yet unbearable.
In that instant, Yun Zhan and Yun Wan Chen knew they too could hear Little Fourth’s voice. Astonishment rippled under the surface, but they revealed nothing.
Yun Wan Chen steadied himself and smiled gently: “Little sister, I am your big brother. It is our first meeting, and I brought no gift. Please forgive me. I will make it up to you soon.”
Yun Wan Ning blinked hard and tried to smile. A string of milk bubbles slipped out instead. After so many embarrassments, this was nothing.
[It is all right, Big Brother. I will not blame you. If you must give me something, make it as vulgar as possible. Gold or silver. Those are my favorite tacky things.]
Lord and Lady Yun: “…”
This little miser’s love for wealth was beyond cure.
The twins could not help it. Yun Wan Yao covered her mouth and giggled.
Yun Wan Chen glanced at his twin and understood at once.
[So Yao’er hears too. Then Father, Mother, and Ye’er as well. As for Seventh Uncle and outsiders… still unsure.]
He made a quiet note. His gift for Little Fourth must be extravagant.
“Let me hold my little niece,” Yun Zhan said.
Transferred into another embrace, Yun Wan Ning peered up at a new face. He wore deep blue, sword brows and clear eyes, coldly handsome as a deity.
After so many exquisite faces, praise had worn out her tongue.
[So this is Seventh Uncle, the one who will raise me for six whole years.]
[Oh my, the Yun family truly are each beautiful in their own way. Everyone is stunning. As the number one villain in this world, Seventh Uncle is unmatched in looks and talent.]
[Thank you in advance, Seventh Uncle, for raising me.]
“…”
Number one villain. Kindness in raising her.
Without the key, even two brilliant minds like Yun Zhan and Yun Wan Chen could not fit those pieces. The other four understood at once.
After they had all taken turns holding the baby, the family sat to eat.
They ate quietly, bowls and chopsticks sounding soft in the hall.
When the meal was done, Madam Yun looked sorrowfully at Yun Wan Chen’s legs and asked gently, “Chen’er, what did the divine doctor say. Your legs, are they still…”
Yun Wan Chen shook his head with a light sigh: “I did not dare tell you before, Mother, for fear of upsetting your pregnancy, but Seventh Uncle and I never met the divine doctor.”
The man wandered and seldom returned home. They had waited months in Jingzhou and never saw him once.
“How could this be,” Madam Yun murmured, dazed with disappointment.
They had rushed to Jingzhou the moment they heard of a peerless physician. Three months out and back, yet no glimpse. What now.
Heaviness filled the room. Yun Wan Ning sighed again.
[Do not waste time on that so called divine doctor. The author only mentioned him in passing. Maybe he does not exist at all.]
[Since Big Brother came back empty handed, Father and Seventh Uncle will spend everything searching and still never find him. Big Brother’s legs will not heal.]
Spirits sank again.
Was there truly no hope.
Madam Yun’s eyes burned. All gazes fell on Chen’er’s legs.
Just then Little Fourth’s voice turned brisk.
[It is a pity I am too young and cannot talk. Otherwise I would check Big Brother myself. I am the Medicine King’s heir. How can I be worse than a name dropped divine doctor.]
[Big Brother, come hold me again. I will take your pulse.]
“Waaah,” Yun Wan Ning suddenly wailed, lifting her hands toward Yun Wan Chen.
Earlier, she had been dazzled by his face and forgot her own skills. Now she had to fix it.
Madam Yun’s eyes brightened. How could she forget. Little Fourth had said she was the Medicine King’s successor. Perhaps she truly could help.
“Wu wu,” the milk bun cried, arms straining for Yun Wan Chen.
[Mother, you always understand me. I am being so clear. You know I want Big Brother to hold me, right.]
Madam Yun: “…”
Very well. She had called herself a mouthpiece before. It was time to play the part.
Madam Yun placed Little Fourth carefully into Yun Wan Chen’s arms: “Chen’er, she seems to want you. Hold her again.”
[Yes, yes. Mother really gets me.]
Yun Wan Chen: “…”
He held the baby with care. The instant she settled, she stopped crying and stared at him with bright eyes as one tiny hand crept to his wrist.
Was this peanut distracting him with her gaze so he would not notice.
Yun Wan Chen paused, then smiled without thinking.
The baby jolted like a struck drum.
[Wait. Big Brother, do not smile at me like that.]
[Do you not know your own charm. Smile at others, not me. I cannot bear it. Stop smiling.]
Yun Wan Chen: “…”
His smile froze and faded back to cool snow.
She was right. Who could withstand Haojing’s first young master when he smiled. Yun Wan Yao pressed her lips to stifle laughter.
[Ah, no. Holding me like this presses your arm. The pulse is muddy.]
[How do I tell him to hold me with one hand and offer the other.]
She squirmed, but a baby’s body did not obey. Growing anxious, she gripped his fingers with all her might and tugged.
Yun Wan Chen understood at once. He shifted, cradling her with one arm and laying the other hand within reach.
Long, slender fingers looked vast beside her tiny ones.
She set both palms on his wrist and praised him on instinct:
[So clever, Big Brother. No wonder you are Haojing’s First Young Master. You knew I wanted your hand.]
Her brows knit suddenly. Everyone held their breath.
[Wait. Your legs are not the true injury. The root lies at your lower back.]