Chapter 56: The Storm at Yunfu (Three)

  Yao Shizan was at a loss, afraid and leaned towards his sister. Yao Cunhui gently patted his head and back to comfort him, but in her heart she couldn't help but think: Today's matter, it's probably impossible to cover up!

  "Mother! Don't be in a hurry, listen to me!" Yunru's face turned bright red with anxiety, and she hastily stepped forward to grab Zhao's sleeve to stop her.

  Yun Lao Tai Jun was celebrating her birthday, and everything was being taken care of by the people from the main house. Zhao Da Fu Ren and Zhao Da Lao Ye, Min Shi, Yun Jin Zhong, and others were busy running around, directing everyone to do this and that. Even the couple from the second house, Qi Shi, took on a lot of responsibilities. However, previously, Zhao Shi had mistreated her concubine so badly that she miscarried, causing a huge commotion with San Lao Ye, making the whole household uneasy. Yun Lao Tai Jun was disgusted by this and intentionally kept the people from the third house out of the preparations for her birthday celebration. This made Zhao Shi, who had been harboring resentment, find an opportunity to vent her frustrations, and she let everything explode out all at once.

  "You stinky girl, you're also against me?! Zhao's face turned red with rage as Yunru dared to dissuade her in front of everyone. She opened her hand and cursed: "You were born from my own flesh and blood, yet you're also against me? You ungrateful thing! What has anyone ever done for you? Do you think they can make you a legitimate granddaughter? Don't dream about it, you ungrateful wolf!"

  Yunru felt both angry and ashamed, her face burning with shame and annoyance. Her heart had cooled by half. She stood there for a moment, then covered her face and burst into loud sobs, turning to run away.

  Yunfang saw that it was a chance to escape and anxiously called out "Fourth sister!", then hastily chased after her.

  All of a sudden everything was in disarray.

  "What's going on here?!" Just then, Yun Lao Taijun's maid, Lan Yanyan, exclaimed in surprise from the side. Yun Zhi and Yao Cunhui exchanged a glance and smiled wryly at each other.

  In front of Old Lady Yun, a whole houseful of people stood in a dense crowd, including the three sons and their wives from the main house, second house, and third house, as well as their grandchildren.

  Yao Cunhui and her two siblings hid in the back room behind the screen and did not come out.

  In the hall, only Lan's nurse and a few old ladies-in-waiting, including Zhenzhu and Hupo, were attending. They all held their breath and didn't dare to make a sound. Two other old nurses sat outside the corridor, guarding it. He's nurse knelt in the courtyard below, her head hung low.

  Yun Lao Tai Jun's face was gloomy, her face cold and silent for half a moment. She was angry in her heart, ordering everyone to stand up, with no exception even for the eldest son who had already become a grandfather.

  "Haha," Old Lady Yun suddenly laughed and said coldly, "It's really great, isn't it? People outside think you're so dignified and respectable! You just celebrated your 60th birthday, and even the prince came to pay his respects. Who knows how many people are jealous of that? But who would have thought that before the celebrations were even over, you'd all start causing trouble again! My children and grandchildren are all here, what good fortune!"

  The old lady's tone turned mournful, her eyes moistened, and she couldn't help but shed tears.

  "Mother, please calm down, it's the son who is unfilial! Causing mother to worry and be distressed is the son's fault! I beg of you, mother, to take care of your health!" Yun Dalao's heart ached, he choked back tears and knelt down, refusing to get up.

  He knelt down, and Mrs. Yundada and the others also hurriedly knelt down, hanging their heads without daring to make a sound.

  Yun Lao Tai Jun couldn't help but feel even more distressed, her nose making sniffing sounds as she choked back sobs. Zhen Zhu and Hu Po comforted her, one gently patting her back, the other carefully wiping away her tears with a silk handkerchief, softly calling out "Lao Tai Jun".

  The old lady took a deep breath, took the handkerchief from Amber's hand and wiped her eyes, holding back tears. She said calmly: "Don't say that, you're fine, you didn't do anything wrong! I've lived to this age, I'm not afraid of what others think or say about me being biased or not. Let them think and say whatever they want, I'll just follow my own heart when it comes to people and things! That's all I have to say today, did you hear me clearly?"

  Yun Dà Lǎo Yé was taken aback, hastily lowering his head and responding in a low voice with a "yes". Yun èr Lǎo Yé and Yun Sān Lǎo Yé stiffened their necks, wanting to exchange a glance but ultimately didn't dare, remaining motionless on their knees.

  "Get up and sit down!" Yun Lao Tai Jun said calmly: "Help your wife get up too, poor thing, she's been working hard for my birthday banquet for a long time, can't bear the hardship!"

  Yun Dalao only then realized that Yun Lao Taijun was talking to himself, and he hastily responded with a sound, gently got up, stretched out his hand and also helped Yun Dafuren get up.

  Madam Yun was about to ask him to make an effort to support her, but she leaned on his arm and got up lightly, smiling and saying: "To hold a birthday banquet for my mother is the glory and good fortune of a daughter-in-law, and it's also what a daughter-in-law should do. How can I bear Mother's words?"

  Yun Lao Tai Jun smiled slightly, gesturing for the two to sit down. Her eyes swept over them and she said: "You both get up now, don't kneel like that anymore. If you kneel a bit longer, you'll be blaming me for being biased again!"

  Yun Er Lao Ye and Yun San Lao Ye were just about to get up when they heard Old Lady Yun's words, their knees which had just left the ground bumped back down again. They hastily bowed their heads and said: "Your son dares not!"

  Yun Lao Tai Jun just coldly smiled and lightly said: "Those who have the ability, go out and make a name for themselves. When they are enfeoffed as marquises or nobles, not only will they stand out from the crowd, but also shut my mouth. We were taught by the same teacher since childhood, which one of us was lazy in food, clothing, housing, maidservants and servants? If you still say I'm biased and dissatisfied with my fate, I, this old woman, admit it!"

  This remark was even more severe, and Yun Er Lao Ye and Yun San Lao Ye didn't dare to move at all. Each of them felt resentful in their hearts, but they couldn't find anything wrong with what Old Lady Yun had said.

  "Mother..." Cloud Big Master and his wife exchanged a glance, sitting somewhat uncomfortably.

  "Listen up, all of you!" Cloud Old Lady's eyes gleamed with a sharp gaze as she spoke bluntly: "My old age may have caught up with me, but my eyes are still clear and my mind is still sharp. Don't think I don't know anything! It's just that I didn't want to say it out loud because of the phrase 'family harmony brings prosperity.' But today is a good opportunity for me to speak clearly and make sure you all remember: as the old lady of the Cloud family, your birth mother, and your grandmother, I must put the interests of the Cloud family first! I don't care about birth order; those with ability won't be neglected, while those without will get what they deserve. We can't just let things slide for the sake of being kind and not offending anyone. I still have a few years left, but I didn't want to say these things. I thought it would be better to just enjoy my later years in peace, turning a blind eye to your misbehavior. But you've been causing too much trouble lately! If this continues, the Cloud family will eventually bring disaster upon itself. What face will I have left when I meet your ancestors in the afterlife? Do you still want the Cloud family's descendants to have a future?"

  The old lady couldn't help but feel sad again and shed two tears, unable to speak.

  Yun's elderly couple got up again as soon as they heard their mother mention their father, and listened respectfully with their hands hanging down.

  After a long time, the old lady finally let out a deep sigh and regained her composure. She instructed Cloud Senior to sit down and said: "Elder brother, you are warm and humble in nature, which is good. However, as the head of the household, you must show some authority and dignity. You should say what needs to be said and manage things accordingly, without being too considerate. The same goes for your wife; as the mistress of the house, she should take charge of everything. I know you are a fair person and won't harbor any personal biases. If anyone is dissatisfied, they can come to me and I will investigate the matter and handle it impartially. But if someone dares to make trouble or cause problems behind my back, don't blame me for not showing them any mercy! In front of outsiders, our Cloud family must present a united front; we rise and fall together. Do I need to explain this? If one person does something wrong, the entire Cloud family will suffer. Only when the Cloud family prospers can you prosper as well, and only then can your daughters who have married out hold their heads high in their husbands' families! Have you all understood?"

  "My son remembered, thanks to his mother's teachings!" Yun Dalao replied.

  Yun Er Lao Ye and Yun San Lao Ye also hastened to respond, while Qi Shi, Zhao Shi and the others all wore an air of respectful attention to instruction, not one of them daring to utter a single word.

  The old lady sighed secretly in her heart, what should be said has been said, what can be done has been done, as for the future, it is up to the children and grandchildren to create their own destiny!

  The eldest daughter-in-law was a woman of great tolerance and means, she wasn't worried at all, but the eldest son was too gentle, only remembering that he was the elder brother, should be friendly and respectful to his younger brothers, and was too lenient with the two younger sons who were not born of the same mother. This made it difficult for him to discipline them properly, which in turn led to their disrespect towards their elders, and even caused the wives of the two families to harbor ill intentions. The eldest daughter-in-law was caught in the middle, finding it hard to take sides, and couldn't let go of her concerns about him. A frost of three feet is not formed in a single day's cold, but hopefully he truly understood his own mistakes today, otherwise, if these two good-for-nothing sons were to cause trouble and bring shame to the Yun family in the future, it would be too late for regrets!

  "Get up!" Yun Lao Tai Jun waved her hand and let out a somewhat resigned sigh.

  Yun Er Lao Ye and Yun San Lao Ye then bowed their heads, respectfully replied with a "Thank you, Mother", carefully got up, and sat down on a chair beside them at the indication of Old Lady Yun.

  They stood up, and Yun Jinzhong, Minshi, Yunru and other grandchildren also stood up, standing behind their parents in accordance with the old rules.

  "Old Third's wife!" Cloud Old Lady suddenly called out and stopped Zhao Shi.

  Zhao didn't even have time to sit down before he heard the summons, and of course he didn't dare sit now. He hastily stepped forward two steps, bowed his head and smiled obsequiously: "What instructions does Mother have?"

  Yun Sanlao's body paused for a moment, and then he sat down by himself.

  "Speak up, what's going on today." Old Lady Yun's gaze was like lightning as she stared at her, and Zhao's heart immediately tightened up, as if she was about to be seen through.

  Zhao's mouth was agape and he couldn't utter a word, his mind racing with anxiety.

  Some things, venting in private is understandable, but bringing them up formally can be a bit like making a big deal out of nothing.

  Yun Jin and Yao Shi Zan were still young, the two kids might have been fighting one moment and then laughing and playing together the next, a fight was just a trivial matter not worth mentioning, it's ridiculous for adults to intervene; besides, Yao Shi Zan was a guest! Thinking back to Yun Ru's words and actions when she tried to stop them, Zhao felt even more uneasy, and she also knew He Po Po's character.