On this day, Xia Zhaoyun was troubled by matters concerning the blue amber. By chance, he caught sight of Chang Yiyao, who was skipping past the door, holding a small bouquet of flowers in her hands. In that instant, an idea sparked in Xia Zhaoyun's mind. "Master always listens to Junior Sister. If she suggests going to Taiyuan, he might just agree."
With this thought in mind, Xia Zhaoyun quickly stepped outside and called out to her. Although he wasn't particularly fond of his little junior sister, being in need of her help, the usually prideful Xia Zhaoyun had no choice but to lower himself.
"Junior Sister, wait a moment."
Chang Yiyao looked at him with a puzzled expression, surprise evident on her face. "Fifth Senior Brother, what's the matter?"
Her large, bright eyes stared directly at him, full of a certain innocence that momentarily made Xia Zhaoyun forget his dislike for her. Stammering slightly, he asked, "How has your health been lately?"
Chang Yiyao let out a soft "Huh?" clearly confused by his question, and responded, "I haven't been sick recently."
In truth, Xia Zhaoyun couldn't think of anything else to say and resorted to bringing up the time he had kicked her. However, Chang Yiyao, being clever, quickly caught on and said, "You mean that incident? I've long since recovered. You don't need to feel guilty."
This remark irked Xia Zhaoyun, as he had never felt guilty in the first place. Compared to when she nearly pushed him off a cliff, merely kicking her seemed like a light punishment.
With a slight smile, Xia Zhaoyun replied, "I'm glad you're well. I've been too busy over the past month and haven't had the chance to apologize in person. It's my fault."
Chang Yiyao continued to look at him strangely, as if deep in thought. "Fifth Senior Brother, you've changed since you came back. You don't seem like yourself."
"I've always been like this. What's there to change? You, on the other hand, are just a child—why are you overthinking things?"
"Oh..." she murmured, before adding, "Perhaps I am. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way."
"Wait!" Xia Zhaoyun hastily called out, his voice betraying a hint of panic.
Chang Yiyao, startled, turned back. She was surprised by this unusual display of emotion from Xia Zhaoyun, who was usually so aloof and composed. His uncharacteristic behavior piqued her curiosity. "Fifth Senior Brother, is there something else?"
Xia Zhaoyun hesitated before asking, "Do you know about Uncle Xiao?"
Chang Yiyao's quick, intelligent eyes blinked as she nodded. "Of course. My father has told me about Aunt Xiao. Why do you suddenly bring her up?"
"Oh, it's nothing significant," Xia Zhaoyun replied. "It's just been a long time since I've seen her, and I miss her a little. In all my years at Yufeng Manor, I've never seen Uncle Xiao interact with us. Don't you think that's a bit odd?"
Chang Yiyao mused for a moment. "That does seem strange. I've never met Aunt Xiao either, nor do I know what she looks like."
Sensing her growing curiosity, Xia Zhaoyun continued smoothly, "Junior Sister, you're nine this year, aren't you? I imagine you've never been down the mountain?"
Pouting, Chang Yiyao said, "My father says it's dangerous down there and won't let me go."
"Master only said you couldn't go alone. He never said you couldn't go if someone went with you."
Chang Yiyao's face lit up with joy, but her expression quickly darkened as she sighed. "Even if I asked to go, my father wouldn't agree. He's too busy to take me."
A faint smile played across Xia Zhaoyun's lips as he quickly said, "But what if you told him you wanted to visit Uncle Xiao in Taiyuan? With that reason, I think Master would agree."
Chang Yiyao looked at him skeptically. "Are you sure my father would agree?"
"That," Xia Zhaoyun replied with a sly smile, "depends on how you ask him."
That evening, Chang Jingyun and Chang Yiyao were dining together in the Morning Breeze Courtyard. Seizing the moment, Chang Yiyao casually remarked, "Father, how long has it been since you last saw Aunt Xiao?"
Chang Jingyun replied, "It must have been about ten years. Why do you suddenly ask about her?"
Chang Yiyao responded, "It seems strange to me that Aunt Xiao, being of the same sect as you, hasn't been in contact with us all these years."
Pondering her words, Chang Jingyun found them reasonable and said, "Though we haven't met in person, we've exchanged letters over the years. But indeed, it has been far too long since we've visited her. We should have done so long ago."
Chang Yiyao's heart leapt with joy as her father fell into her trap. She quickly added, "Father, I'd love to meet Aunt Xiao. How about we go visit her together?"
"And why do you want to see Aunt Xiao?" Chang Jingyun asked.
"Aunt Xiao is family, and family should stay in touch, don't you think?"
Chang Jingyun burst into laughter, replying, "You're just a child, yet you speak like an adult. Very well, we'll go to Taiyuan together to visit your Aunt Xiao."
Overjoyed, Chang Yiyao clapped her hands and added, "But it would be a bit dull with just the two of us. Why don't we ask Fifth Senior Brother to come along?"
Chang Jingyun looked at her with some surprise. In his memory, the two of them had always been at odds. Could it be that they had reconciled? He couldn't think of any other reason, but if that was indeed the case, all the better.
"Alright, we'll bring Zhao Yun along. After all, he met your Aunt Xiao when he was young, so it's only right he comes with us."
October had brought a slight chill to the air. That day, Chang Jingyun, Xia Zhaoyun, and Chang Yiyao set off down the mountain, heading for Taiyuan. It took them a full month of leisurely sightseeing before they finally arrived.
Upon reaching the entrance of the Ye Estate, they were shocked by the sight before them. The grand doors were tightly sealed, covered with government seals, and spiderwebs clung to the beams, a clear sign of long-term abandonment. Chang Jingyun, confused, stopped a passerby to ask, "Excuse me, do you know what happened to the people of the Ye Estate? Have they met with some misfortune?"
The passerby replied, "The master of the Ye family failed in business about a year ago. They lost everything, and the estate was confiscated."
Chang Jingyun pressed further, "Do you happen to know where the Ye family is now?"
"I'm not sure," the passerby replied, "but the Ye family was utterly ruined, their servants and maids dismissed, and no one knows the whereabouts of the family."
Hearing this, Chang Jingyun was filled with mixed emotions. Xiao Qing had been his fellow disciple, yet he had no idea she had fallen into such dire straits. If not for Yiyao's reminder to visit Taiyuan, he might have never known what had become of the Ye family.
Xia Zhaoyun asked, "Master, now that we can't find Aunt Xiao, what should we do?"
Sighing, Chang Jingyun replied, "It's like searching for a needle in a haystack, but as long as they're still in Taiyuan, we'll find them eventually."
This outcome was also unexpected for Xia Zhaoyun, who was even more eager to find Xiao Qing, for only then could he uncover the whereabouts of the blue amber. With daylight still left, the three of them went from house to house asking for information, but to no avail. No one seemed to know where the Ye family had gone.
By dusk, they found shelter at the "West City Inn." During dinner, Xia Zhaoyun had a sudden idea and asked the innkeeper, "Do you know of the Ye Estate in the city?"
"Of course," the innkeeper replied. "The Ye family used to be incredibly wealthy, with guests coming and going daily. But now, the estate is sealed, and the place is deserted."
"Do you know where the Ye family went?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but there's a village on the outskirts called Yunling. You might want to check there. You might get lucky."
Chang Jingyun grew anxious and asked, "What kind of place is Yunling Village?"
"It's a slum," the innkeeper said before walking away with a tray.
Chang Jingyun said, "Even if there's only a slim chance, we must go look." He then placed a bit of food in the bowls of both Xia Zhaoyun and Chang Yiyao.
The next day, they followed the innkeeper's directions to Yunling Village. As soon as they arrived at the entrance, a desolate scene greeted them. The village was bleak and rundown. Spotting an elderly woman walking out, Chang Jingyun hurried over to ask, "Grandmother, is there a woman named Xiao living in this village?"
The old woman squinted at him and asked in return, "What did you say? I can't hear you."
Raising his voice, Chang Jingyun repeated, "Is there a woman named Xiao living here?"
The old woman thought for a moment before answering, "I don't know anyone by that name."
Disappointed but still polite, Chang Jingyun thanked her. Xia Zhaoyun then suggested, "Master, should we ask someone else?"
At that moment, a little girl, about ten years old, skipped toward them, holding a candied hawthorn stick. Xia Zhaoyun approached her and asked, "Little sister, do you know if there's a woman named Xiao living in this village?"
The girl took a bite of her candied hawthorn and replied, "My mother's surname is Xiao."
Both Chang Jingyun and Xia Zhaoyun's faces lit up with hope, sensing a breakthrough. Chang Jingyun looked at the girl and asked, "Is your mother's name Xiao Qing?"
The girl stared at him in surprise and asked, "You know my mother?"
Chang Jingyun replied, "Not only do I know your parents, I know you as well."
The little girl, bewildered, asked, "But I've never seen you. How do you know me?"
Feigning contemplation, Chang Jingyun guessed, "Let me see... you're Ye Lingjun, aren't you?"
"How do you know my name?"
"Because I'm your mother's family."
The girl, still incredulous, questioned, "But why has my mother never mentioned you?"
"That's because you're still young, and she hasn't told you yet. If you don't believe me, take me to see your mother, and you'll know."
The girl thought for a moment before replying, "Alright."
Led by Ye Lingjun, the three of them arrived at Xiao Qing's home. Though the house was simple, it was neat and well-kept. Lingjun dashed inside and shouted joyfully, "Mother, we have family visiting!"
From inside the house, a voice responded, "We're penniless, who could possibly be visiting us?"
Ye Lingjun continued, "Mother, it's true! He even knows my name."
Xiao Qing replied, "Oh? Is that so?"
With that, Xiao Qing stepped out of the house, and upon seeing Chang Jingyun standing at the gate, she was both surprised and overjoyed, tears welling up in her eyes. Seeing her like this, Chang Jingyun hurried forward to comfort her, saying, "Junior Sister, you've suffered greatly."
Xiao Qing, overwhelmed with emotion, said, "Senior Brother, it's been ten long years since we last met. How have you been?"
At the mention of this, Chang Jingyun was suddenly reminded of the late Huacai Yi, a wave of sorrow flooding his heart. Yet, noticing the cloud of worry on Xiao Qing's face, he suppressed his grief and said, "I've been well, but I'm saddened to learn of the misfortune that has befallen the Ye family. Why didn't you tell me, Junior Sister?"
Sighing, Xiao Qing replied, "Since I'm married, how could I burden you with my troubles? It's simply my fate."
Chang Jingyun responded, "We grew up together as fellow disciples—why be so distant now? No matter what happens, Yufeng Manor will always be your home."
Xiao Qing smiled and said, "You're right, Senior Brother. It's foolish of me to think otherwise. Don't stand there—come in and sit."
Chang Jingyun entered the house with Xia Zhaoyun and Chang Yiyao, and Xiao Qing poured tea for everyone. As Xia Zhaoyun took the cup with both hands, he said, "Thank you, Aunt Xiao." Xiao Qing looked at him in amazement and remarked, "I can hardly believe how much Zhaoyun has grown."
At this, Chang Yiyao pouted and said, "Aunt Xiao, I've grown up too!"
Xiao Qing glanced at her and said to Chang Jingyun, "This must be Yiyao. She's grown so much! She's the same age as Lingjun, isn't she?"
Chang Jingyun replied, "She's a year younger than Lingjun." Looking at Xiao Qing, now worn by hardship, he felt a pang of sorrow. Then, suddenly recalling Ye Mian, he asked, "Why don't I see your husband?"
"My husband has gone to do business in another region, so it's just Lingjun and me at home," Xiao Qing replied.
"I see," Chang Jingyun said, casting another glance around the sparse and worn household. A thought came to him, and he immediately suggested, "The living conditions here seem difficult. Would you consider returning to Yufeng Manor with me?"
Xiao Qing smiled gently and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, Senior Brother, but I've grown accustomed to this life. I'm fine."
"I understand your concerns, but with your husband away on business, it could be a long time before he returns. Why not come to Yufeng Manor for a while? When your husband comes back, you can always return here."
Xiao Qing hesitated and glanced at Lingjun. Sensing her thoughts, Chang Jingyun added, "Lingjun is still so young, and she was born to a life of wealth. Surely you don't want her to endure such hardship."
After some reflection, Xiao Qing agreed, "You're right, Senior Brother. I cannot let Lingjun suffer with me. Could I trouble you to take her to Yufeng Manor for a while? Once our situation improves, I'll come and bring her back. What do you think?"
"Of course," Chang Jingyun replied. "But why don't you come with us as well?"
Xiao Qing shook her head and said, "I am bound to my husband by marriage, and I must wait for him here. We vowed to face the trials of life together."
Seeing that her mind was made up, Chang Jingyun did not press further. "Since you've made your decision, I'll say no more. In a few days, I'll take Lingjun back with me to Yufeng Manor."
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Brother," Xiao Qing said.