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Chapter 7: Purging Unsavory Elements

The Lin family’s majestic front doors made clear their position as one of the most prestigious families of the Li kingdom. As soon as Yun Ruoyan entered, her two cousins happily rushed out the house to greet her and ran around her feet. “Sister, sister! It’s been so long since you were last over to see us!”

Perhaps Yun Ruoyan’s mind was playing tricks on her, but she felt that their calls of “Sister” were far more pleasant than those of her siblings in the Yun family.

As they led the way, Yun Ruoyan entered Lin Zainan’s study and pill-refining chambers. Her grandfather seemed particularly pleased to have received a surprise visit from his granddaughter, and quickly waved her over to the side to have a seat.

After speaking a few pleasantries, Yun Ruoyan went straight to the point, showing him the silver bracelet on her wrist. Lin Zainan recognized the bracelet immediately: it was part of the dowry that he had prepared for Yun Ruoyan’s mother, who had later passed it onto her daughter.

The only difference was a few spots of black amidst the delicate engraving.

“There’s poison in your body?” Lin Zainan’s gaze landed on Yun Ruoyan’s birthmark.

Yun Ruoyan inwardly admired her grandfather’s eyesight. “Grandfather, I suspect that someone in the Yun family has been feeding me a slow-acting poison.”

Lin Zainan was somewhat amazed by his granddaughter’s insight and bold claim. He sat there for a moment, clutching his white beard as he thought things through. “Ruoyan, if you can bear some pain, I can help you figure out what poison this is.”

Yun Ruoyan hurriedly replied, “Of course, I can definitely bear a little pain!”

Lin Zainan looked at her gratifyingly before instructing the Lin sisters to get his equipment for blood-letting. “Ruoyan, do you still remember what you were like in the past?”

Yun Ruoyan looked at her grandfather, the greatest pillmaster on the continent, and her thoughts returned to the past. She’d been tested and identified with a rare talent for pillmaking, but for some reason, her talent had kept on diminishing until she couldn’t even become a third-rank blademaster.

This third stage of cultivation was still considered foundational; on the Chenyuan continent, even the least talented cultivator could reach this stage by grit and determination alone!

Not only that, while Yun Ruoyan’s talent dissipated, her birthmark grew larger and larger... It wouldn’t be amiss to conclude that there might be some relationship between Yun Ruoyan’s poisoning and the appearance of the birthmark.

“Grandfather, do you think this poison might be affecting my ability to cultivate?” Yun Ruoyan hazarded a bold guess.

Lin Zainan nodded, his heart heavy. “It’s very likely. Let me study this poison for a few days; hopefully, I’ll be able to come up with a cure.”

Yun Ruoyan thought deeply for a moment. “Have you heard of a similar poison before?”

“No, never. It’s precisely because I haven’t that I worry all the more for you. It’s been a long time since I’ve retired, and perhaps there’ve been rising stars in the field in the meantime.”

Yun Ruoyan nodded. “My deepest gratitude for your help, grandfather. I still have things to take care of at home, so I’ll be leaving now.”

“Be safe.” Lin Zainan didn’t keep her long, watching her as she bowed and departed. During this visit, Yun Ruoyan appeared far more mature than before. Although he felt somewhat mystified by her sudden growth, it was overshadowed by his delight. Only when she was far into the distance did he get up and close the front doors.

When Yun Ruoyan walked back to her own cottage, she commanded Peony to gather all her servants. Her hurry to return was because she knew that, given that what she had consumed was a slow-acting poison, someone around her had to be the one administering it.

Clearly, this meant that she had to purge the servants that couldn’t be trusted.

Peony and Xi Lan were both trustworthy. Peony had always shielded her, or she wouldn’t have been such an eyesore to Madam An; and although Xi Lan was prone to occasional bouts of pickpocketing, that was something that had happened after she had married into the Pei household. As someone without any say in the household, she could only count on Xi Lan’s theft to keep themselves afloat.

All her servants—merely four or five people—had been gathered in the courtyard. Yun Ruoyan sipped her tea slowly, unhurriedly observing their behavior.

At the beginning, they were sloppily and inattentively whispering in one another’s ear. There were even those who had gotten tired of kneeling and wanted to ask about what was going on, but they retreated after being subjected to Xi Lan’s cold stare.

After sufficient time had passed, even the unruly servants of Yun Ruoyan’s residence began to have a guilty conscience. They raised their head toward Yun Ruoyan, who was still slowly savoring her tea, treating them as though they weren’t there.

These servants had, for the first time, felt a wisp of authority from this ugly girl.

In the end, Yun Ruoyan finally spoke up. “I like peace and quiet. Given how small this cottage is, I don’t need so many servants, so those of you who would like to leave can claim three taels of silver from Peony and eke out a living outside the household.”

“Three taels!” Someone let out an astonished whisper from amidst the crowd.

Yun Ruoyan glanced toward the servant who had spoken, and the man quickly lowered his head. No one responded even after a pregnant pause.

“This cottage also isn’t comparable to those of the other misses and madams, and I’m sure you haven’t had such a good time here. I’m not well-liked by my father, but I have no plans of changing my current accommodations. Don’t keep me waiting; if you want to leave, go claim money from Peony. It’s enough money to get you a storefront and a means of living. I’m offering this opportunity once and only once: if you miss out, you’re on your own.”

As soon as she’d finished, a timid voice piped up, “Miss, I-I’ll claim the money.”

Yun Ruoyan smiled and motioned for Xi Lan to give her the money.

Xi Lan stared at the shining white taels of silver, almost unwilling to let it out of her grasp.

And soon after the first servant had left with the money, the others quickly followed. It wasn’t long before the only servant left was a young girl, about sixteen or seventeen years of age, her gaze flashing.

Yun Ruoyan could tell that she was tempted. “Don’t you want the money?”

“Miss, Ling Lan is willing to serve you for life. I won’t betray you and leave!” The girl buried her head as she bowed.

Yun Ruoyan only laughed coldly. She glanced over at Peony and Xi Lan; Xi Lan still seemed to be distraught from the loss of so much silver, but Peony’s forehead was tightly scrunched. She was certainly quite clever---even without Yun Ruoyan saying anything, Peony had already understood her meaning.

Three taels of silver wasn’t a small amount. As a weak and ugly girl, Yun Ruoyan knew that she didn’t have any reason to command loyalty from her servants. To have chosen to stay, even under such circumstances, meant that Ling Lan must have had some other reason...and that reason could only be that she was receiving far more profit than three taels of silver from whomever she was working for.

“Insolence!” Yun Ruoyan threw a teacup against the floor.

Ling Lan’s body trembled as she finally realized that something was amiss.

“To poison even your own mistress, Ling Lan, you really have some nerve!” Yun Ruoyan revealed the truth of the matter, one word at a time. Peony and Xi Lan wore identical expressions of shock as they finally understood the reason for this whole affair.