Even

"Yun Yi, you've arrived!"

Old Madam Lu wept bitterly and assured him, "Your sister's passing was pitiful. Don't worry, our Lu family will certainly not mistreat your sister's funeral; we will definitely give her a grand and dignified affair."

"It's not needed."

Lin Yunyi looked at her coldly and said resolutely, "She's my own sister, I'll take her home myself!"

He was utterly disgusted and couldn't help but say, "My Elder Sister is already dead, who are you trying to fool!"

That's too blunt.

Old Madam Lu was somewhat stunned. And what about his earlier statement about taking Lin Yunwan home? That wouldn't do!

She stopped crying and said coldly, "Young master, we're relatives. If you come to the funeral, the Lu family welcomes you. But if you come to cause trouble, a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup. Your sister is dead, but she's still a member of the Wuding Marquis Residence. You can't take her away!"

Lin Yunyi instructed the Matron who had come with him, "Carry the coffin!"

Old Madam Lu glared, "What right does the Lin Family have?!"

Lu Zhengliu forward to stop her, bowing his head and saying, "Grandmother, don't stop me. I've already written the Divorce Deed. Yun Wan... Yun Wan is no longer a woman of the Lu family."

"You!"

Old Madam Lu punched him, trembling with anger. "You won't even give Yun Wan a decent funeral! Do you know what people outside will say about you, what they will say about the Lu family!"

This is truly shameful!

Lu Zhengliu looked up, staring straight at Old Madam Lu, and said, "Grandmother, please let Yun Wan go..."

Old Madam Lu was stunned by his gaze.

Lu Zhengliu stopped arguing with her and instructed his family, "Go help close the coffin."

He stood beside the hastily found, flimsy coffin, looked at the person inside, and closed his eyes.

"Yun Wan..."

If he had known it would ruin her life in the Lu family, then what good would it have done even if he had written the Divorce Deed?

It's all his fault. He couldn't bear to part with her, yet he couldn't protect her.

Heaven gave him such a wonderful marriage, but he couldn't hold onto it.

Wei Shi came out and asked, "Then... whether the funeral will still be held or not?"

The mistress died, then divorced and went back to her parents' home—that's so strange!

She's only been in charge of the household for a short time and doesn't know how to handle this kind of situation.

As the coffin was carried away, Old Madam Lu angrily shouted, "Who are you going to hold a funeral for! Who are you going to have the guests come to pay their respects to?"

"For you?"

Wei Shi said, "Old Madam, why are you cursing your daughter-in-law...?"

She's in such good health, no one's harming her, she won't die. There's no need to hold a funeral for her now.

Old Madam Lu rolled her eyes at her and said, "Hurry up and clean all this up."

She pointed to the white lanterns and such in the Discussion Hall.

"It looks unlucky!"

Wei Shi replied, "Yes."

Together with Nanny Yuan, they took people and assigned maids to tidy up the funeral supplies in various places.

Old Madam Lu gave Lin Yunyi a cold look before returning to Hall of Longevity with Nanny Yan.

Lu Zhengliu said to Lin Yunyi, "I'll help you take stock of your sister's dowry."

Lin Yunyi glanced at Lu Chang'gong and gestured for him to come along.

Lin Yunwan's dowry wasn't particularly lavish, but after seven years of managing it well, and with the addition of some things she had bought for herself, plus the money she had previously given to the Marquis's Residence, the total amount was about the same as before she got married.

However, the list being prepared now is different from the dowry list when she first married into the family.

Ping Ye and Tao Ye presented the booklet together, saying, "Young Master Yi, the inventory is complete, everything is here."

Lin Yunyi trusted the two of them, and after reviewing their work, he had nothing more to say.

But... Lu Chang'gong refused to leave.

He tore off a small piece and handed it over, saying, "Chang Gong, you are my sister's Legitimate Son, and by rights these should be left to you. But now... I'm leaving these to you on behalf of my sister."

Lu Chang'gong doesn't want to.

He said, "My mother left me more than enough."

Lu Zhengliu also said, "Yun Yi, take them all back. My Lu family doesn't need them."

Lin Yunyi didn't speak to him. Seeing that Lu Chang'gong insisted he didn't want it and just left it on the table, he stood up and said, "You can keep it for now. Whether you want it or not, you can decide for yourself after you come of age."

"You're still young, but as your maternal uncle, I can't be unfair."

Since he had said that, Lu Zhengliu couldn't very well refuse.

After Lin Yunwan's dowry was moved out of the manor, there weren't many things left that were related to her... He was willing to keep some of her old belongings.

"Chang Gong, I'm taking your mother home now."

Lin Yunyi left the Drooping Silk Hall, and the servants helped carry out all of Lin Yunwan's dowry items.

The screen, small table, cushions, and chests— the Courtyard was suddenly empty.

Lian Ping Ye and Tao Ye were leaving. They bid farewell to Lu Chang'gong, saying, "Eldest Young Master, we will take our leave."

I was also very reluctant to part with it.

Lu Chang'gong looked at them and bowed deeply. "Take care, sisters."

The two maids left in tears.

Lin Yunyi was also leaving. Before he left, he said to Lu Zhengliu, "If you really regret it, it'll be better to wait for Chang Gong."

He looked at Lu Chang'gong's handsome face and said, "When my sister was alive, he was the one she loved the most."

Lu Zhengliu nodded silently.

How could he not know how much Yun Wan loved Chang Gong?

"I'll take my maternal uncle."

Lu Chang'gong followed Lin Yunyi out. When they arrived at the Front Courtyard gate, Lin Yunyi wanted to speak several times, but he held back everything.

Now that his sister has gone this far, it wouldn't be good for him to add anything unnecessary.

Lin Yunyi whispered in Lu Chang'gong's ear, "Chang Gong, take care of yourself."

He did everything he could for Chang Gong. But forcing a cow to drink water is useless, and Chang Gong didn't want to leave, so he couldn't take him with him.

"Maternal uncle, take care."

Lu Chang'gong knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily to the coffin and Lin Yunyi.

The Lin Family left one by one, but he remained kneeling, the white hemp rope on his arm still attached.

"Chang Gong, rise."

Lu Zhengliu over and bent down to support his shoulder.

When Lu Chang'gong stood up, his knees ached.

The two returned to the inner courtyard together and saw an old figure leaning against the wall to stand up. It was Qiao Da kowtowing!

He knelt for as long as Lu Chang'gong had knelt.

Lu Chang'gong gazed at Qiao Da for a long time before stepping into the inner courtyard.

His wound needed a dressing change, Qianru changed it for him. Looking at the portrait of Sage Confucius on the wall, he instructed Qianru, "Take it down."

Qianru very clever and immediately asked, "Eldest Young Master, what would you like to change it to?"

Lu Chang'gong said calmly, "Change it to Mother's."

Once his hand is healed, he wants to paint a portrait of his mother.

He was overjoyed that his mother had run away, but he was also afraid... afraid that his mother would forget him, and that he would forget his mother.

Qianru a moment, then lowered her eyes and said, "Yes."

Lu Zhengliu went to Hall of Longevity.

Old Madam Lu was still chanting Buddhist scriptures, reciting one phrase after another, looking very kind.

She said, "It's better that they're divorced, so that Chang Gong and Qing won't have to observe mourning and their studies won't be delayed."

Lu Zhengliu ignored her words.

Old Madam Lu frowned. She wasn't wrong! Did he actually resent her? How did she manage to bring them together back then? And what was he doing all that time?

Lu Zhengliu asked calmly, "Grandmother, what do you intend to do with Ge Bao'er?"

The Jade Pendant is missing, and Ge Bao'er has done something like this; the Wuding Marquis Residence cannot simply ignore this.

Old Madam Lu asked coldly, "What do you think?"

Lu Zhengliu's expression was extremely cold.