Under the Bamboo Parasol

Far away, at the end of the street madam Lin and Feng Yun were calmly walking away as if they had not appeared here in a flash. No one noticed that two people just appeared out of nowhere. This street was not as busy as the main streets, but they were still filled with quality merchandise.

Madam Lin chuckled lightly as she watched Feng Yun put the hairpin into her sleeves. "I didn't know that Yun'er could be giving, you are a little out of character."

"The old man needed the money, and besides did madam not smell the herbal medicine coming from him. It is quite costly." Feng Yun replied.

"Then why didn't you offer to treat his wife?"

"I didn't feel like it." Feng Yun said as she gave a shrug.

"There's the Yun'er I know." Madam Lin said as she knew the Feng Yun who did not like interfering with worldly affairs was back to normal.

They continued with their walk of the capital. When they got to a part of the city, where it was no longer as crowded, they continued on. The houses in this part were not as glamorous, the buildings were old, and the people were not dressed in brocade robes. With the way madam Lin and Feng Yun were dressed, they blended in just fine. The people of this part of town did not bother them, as they walked past the few stalls there were.

The got to a part of the city that was desolated, there was a very old manor, and the dried, withered leaves covering the ground signified that this place was not very well taken care of, even the family plaque had gone missing. The door to the manor was tied with a rusty iron chain, and there were posters on the door indicating that this manor of the Ye family was searched, and seized by the government.

Madam Lin was not surprised by the fall of the Ye clan, she had long known of this. Since twelve years ago when she got the report that the Ye clan was involved in a treason plot. She knew that some high ranking members of her family were executed, while some were exiled to the frontier. She no longer cared about them, for they did not allow her to live her life peacefully when she lived in the manor. She had been born to a concubine, and her mother had died during childbirth. Such a large clan had never placed much importance on a shu daughter, especially one without beauty. Her father was the prime minister of the empire, a very high position only beneath the emperor but stood above millions. In her years of living in the manor, she had never seen him more than ten times.

Madam Lin decided to look at the manor once more. She used one foot to lift off and flew into the manor. "Madam!" Feng Yun yelled as she followed behind madam Lin. They both landed soundlessly in the manor, not even disturbing the birds or insects.

The inside of the manor was not much better than the outside. Its ground was covered in old and withered leave, and dirt that had blown in. The rooms in the manor were covered in thick layers of dust. Anything that could be sold for money had long been taken away, even the tablecloths, and bedding had not been spared.

It once belonged to one of the most powerful men in the country, a clan that was once unshakable, now reduced to nothing more than a pile of rotting wood waiting to be demolished, and a heap of dust.

There was a time in its golden age when it had been carefully taken care of, the servants would be scolded for even leaving a speck of dust behind after a cleaning. But now, such notions were unthinkable, maybe even laughable.

Ah... this place did not bring back many joyful memories. It was now that she knew that this place was a lot larger than she thought it was.

Feng Yun followed madam Lin into a small courtyard, where she watched as madam Lin sit down on a dusty stone table, and fell into a daze with a blank expression. Feng Yun stood by and waited until madam Lin came out of her daze.

By the time Madam Lin was back to normal, the sun was already setting.

"Let's go home." Madam Lin said dejectedly.

"Mm."

They both made their way back to the mansion and through the back door and things went back to the way they were.