Chapter 5 Returning Home (Part 2)

Sure! Here's the translation of the paragraph:

Sure enough, early the next day, Yuli was walking back from the bamboo grove behind the temple when she ran into Zhixue, who had come to find her. Zhixue had a joyful expression on her face, her eyes brimming with liveliness.

"Yuli! Why are you still here? Yufu has sent someone to bring you back!"

Yu Li paused for a moment, but quickly regained his composure. After all, he had long anticipated this outcome. He smiled and said, "What's the rush? Eventually, what's meant to happen will happen."

"But don't you really yearn to go back? Why don't I see you happy?" Zhixue walked back with him and spoke at the same time.

Yuli's footsteps hesitated upon hearing this, then she chuckled softly and said nothing.

Do you long to go back? Yes, he longed to return to the Yu Mansion. However, it wasn't the affection and favor from the people at the Yu Mansion that he longed for. What he desired was revenge against those so-called family members who had deceived, lied to, and trampled upon him like worthless trash in his past life!

Once he goes back, perhaps what awaits him is an unalterable fate, or perhaps it will be a life completely different from his previous one... But if he doesn't even try, how can he bear it?

The worst outcome would simply be death, once again!

With this thought in mind, his gaze grew even more determined, and he made his way to the room where he lived without hesitation.

The two of them walked towards Yuli's bedroom, and saw a middle-aged man dressed in luxury standing at the door. Behind him was a servant, while on the side, the abbot Huiyun of Guangming Temple was speaking with the two of them. When they noticed Yuli's arrival, the three of them turned their gaze towards him.

I saw a young man wearing rough linen clothes. He was not tall, but his figure was upright. His appearance was excessively handsome, even to the point of being somewhat feminine and pretty. However, his temperament was not flamboyant or rough. On the contrary, he had a gentle and refined demeanor. His beautiful pair of clear eyes revealed a tranquil and indifferent temperament. His overall bearing seemed as if he did not grow up in a small countryside temple, but rather in a wealthy and noble household. However, his attire was truly shabby. Even the servants in a jade palace would not wear such clothes.

Yuli remained calm as the person scrutinized him, displaying no signs of panic or nervousness. He walked towards the three of them and as he approached, he first greeted Master Huiyun with a bow, saying, "Greetings, Master. And who is this person?"

He naturally knew who the person in front of him was - Feng An, the steward of the Jade Manor. Ordinary people would definitely mistake him for someone important by the way he dresses, but in reality, he is only the steward of the Jade Manor.

Master Huiyun introduced him, saying, "Yuli, this is the steward of Jade Mansion, Steward Feng."

Feng An should be forty-two years old this year. He has an ordinary appearance, except for a pair of eyes shining with a sharp light. He entered the Yu Mansion when Yu Li's grandfather, Yu Zhihui, was still alive. He is as slippery as an eel and now serves as the head of the Qin family in the Yu Mansion. He only obeys the commands of the Qin family. In his previous life, he often tripped up Yu Li.

He saw that Yuli was not someone who couldn't hold their own or was inexperienced in the world, so his attitude had already been extremely polite. With a smile, he greeted Yuli with a bow and said, "This old servant has seen Young Master San. Young Master San has grown up so quickly. The Madam has been mentioning you all this time!"

If the Yuli in the past life heard these words, she would surely be moved beyond words. However, the current Yuli, how could he not know why the Old Madam "kept mentioning" him? Therefore, he put on a joyful expression and said, "Really? I also miss my grandmother and my father very much. I'm sure they still remember me."

Feng An smiled upon hearing this and said, "I have come this time to escort Young Master back to the Yu Mansion. Madam, Master, and the lady have all given instructions for me to bring Young Master back safely, without any mishaps along the way. Otherwise, even if I were to lose my life, it still wouldn't be enough to compensate!"

Yuli listened attentively, her expression perfectly showing excitement and pleasant surprise. But how could she truly listen to his nonsense? She asked again, "Manager Feng, may I ask a question? How many days are we going back for this time?"

Feng An blushed when he heard this and awkwardly smiled, saying, "Young Master San, what are you talking about! Young Master San has always been a member of the Yu Mansion. There's no reason for him to stay for a few more days and come back. This time, when he returns to the Yu Mansion, he won't be coming back again."

"Oh!" Yuli's face brightened slightly, then her expression changed and she asked, "Why did grandmother and father suddenly want to bring me back?"

Feng An had already prepared his words early in the morning, so he immediately put on a pretense and sighed, saying, "Ah, blame that fortune-teller with his smooth tongue. The old lady never wanted to send the Third Young Master away. These past few years, the old lady would mention the Third Young Master every day, wondering how he's doing and what he looks like now... Lately, the old lady hasn't been feeling well and has been having dreams at night, dreaming that the Third Young Master is sick and calling her grandmother. She then says that she can't handle all of this and told the Master about it. The Master had already made up his mind about it, so he immediately discussed it with the Madam and sent an old servant to bring the Third Young Master back."

Upon hearing those words, Yuli feigned extreme gratitude on her face, but inside, she couldn't help but let out a series of cold laughter. "When I was considered unlucky, you all didn't hesitate to send me away. But now that I've turned into a lucky star, you eagerly bring me back. Is it possible that the bond of blood and kinship holds no value in your eyes?"

But it's also true, in the hearts of these people, besides the prospects of the Jade Mansion, their own glory and wealth, what else can they accommodate?

Feng An saw that Yu Li was swayed by his persuasion, and couldn't help but think to himself: after all, he's just a thirteen-year-old child; it's easy to deceive him with such flattery. He said to Yu Li, "Well then, Third Young Master, pack your things quickly. I'll go to the temple first to donate some money for incense, and I'll come to pick you up later." Then he had his servant behind him present a few sets of clothes, saying, "These clothes were ordered by Madam for you to change into. Change into them before you leave, Third Young Master."

Yu Li glanced at him and said, "Thank you, Yu Li understands."

Seeing Feng An and Master Huiyun leave, Yuli finally took the clothes from the servant's hand and went into the room with Zhixue.

Zhi Xue closed the door and said to Yu Li, "Yu Li, take a look, someone really came to pick you up, and they even brought you new clothes!" As she spoke, her eyes looked at those new clothes, revealing a look of envy. "What a great fabric, I've never even seen it before! Hurry up and change, as the saying goes, 'Buddha needs golden attire, and humans need fashionable clothes'. Once you put them on, you'll definitely look even better!"

In her past life, Yuli had seen many talented individuals after marrying Xiaojinyan. She didn't pay much attention to such people and simply said, "This is just a tactic to win people's hearts... Alright, go change your attire first, put on a headdress, and remember to use a different title when we arrive at the Yu Residence."

"Spare me the trouble. I'll go first. You better hurry up and tidy yourself!" Zhixue said, smiling, and left.

Yu Li glanced at the three sets of luxurious clothes on the table, smiled faintly, but had no intention of changing into them. Qin Shi wanted to make up for her past mistakes, thinking that Yu Li would gladly put on these clothes and make Granny think that she hadn't been harsh on him. Qin Shi had been sending money all along, but he didn't comply with her wishes. Not only did he refuse to wear these three garments, he even intended to dress in a particularly shabby manner.

The clothes I'm wearing now are made of extremely poor quality fabric. They have been patched up countless times, making it obvious that they belong to a child from a poor and low-class family. He specifically picked out this outfit to wear this morning.

He quickly packed up his luggage, not putting in much effort. The reason was simple. Firstly, he had known in advance that Yufu would come to pick him up today, so he had already prepared himself. Secondly, it was because he didn't have much personal belongings to begin with.

He knew that everyday items like clothes had little use, as he would surely have better ones in the Jade Mansion. Therefore, he barely brought any with him, only carrying a few relatively valuable or meaningful belongings. The best of them was the collection of over fifty volumes of Buddhist scriptures he had transcribed earlier. This item would come in handy later on.

Once he was ready, he stepped out of the door. The little servant who was waiting for him outside noticed that he hadn't changed into new clothes, and looked visibly puzzled. He asked, "Why?"

"Why hasn't Young Master San changed into his new clothes? Madam specifically prepared them for you."

Yu Li smiled, her pretty little face seemed innocent as she spoke, "But my mother has never seen me before, how would she know my figure?"

The servant quickly said, "Second Young Master is about the same age as you. Madam told the tailor to make the clothes according to his measurements, so there may be some differences. But this can also be considered as Madam's kind intentions."

Upon hearing this, Yu Li's lips curled up with a hint of irony. "Second Young Master" referred to Yu Hai, the son of the second wife in the Yu residence, Madam Li's second son, Yu Zhangqu's son. Yu Hai was the same age as Yu Li, but he had a slightly round figure and his clothes were generally unsuitable for boys of his age... Look at this, what is Qin Shi aiming for? She not only wants Madam Li to know that she hasn't mistreated herself, but also wants to make Yu Zhangqu and Madam Li look down on him.

He still maintained a smile on his face, with even a hint of joy and shyness: "I am naturally aware of Mother's kindness, but that outfit looks particularly good. I have never seen such fine fabric before, so I am reluctant to wear it..."

Seeing him like this, the servant's face showed no indication, but there was a hint of disdain in his heart. He was the capable apprentice of Steward Feng An and had been with Feng An for a long time. What kind of good things hadn't he seen? He thought to himself, the clothes my young master usually wears are ten times better than this. This Third Young Master really hasn't seen much of the world. He must have grown up in a small rural temple and is not accustomed to high society.

Yuli saw the disdain in the eyes of the servant, but he didn't think much of it. He handed his luggage to the servant and went to bid farewell to his caring master Hui Kong and the abbot, Hui Yun. Although Hui Kong was reluctant to let Zhi Xue go, he truly loved him and believed that his worldly affairs were not yet finished. He also didn't want him to waste his life in a small countryside temple. So, he decided to let him follow Yuli and instructed Yuli to take good care of him. If things didn't work out, he could send him back to Guangming Temple.

Yu Li naturally agreed one by one and thought in her heart, "On this trip, not only do I have to find a new way of living for myself, but I also have to find a way out for Zhi Xue!"

Feng An came out to meet Yu Li and noticed that he hadn't changed into new clothes. Naturally, he inquired about the reason. Yu Li then used the same excuse as before to respond to him. Feng An's reaction was somewhat similar to that of the servant earlier, but he hid his disdain even better.

Everything was prepared, and Yuli and Zhixue, who disguised herself as his attendant, were about to board the carriage and head to the Yufu mansion in Kyoto.

Abbot Huiyun, Master Huikong, and others came out to see them off. Yuli bid them a heartfelt farewell before boarding the carriage. Zhixue didn't ponder over what kind of encounter she would have on this trip, nor did she anticipate what her future destiny would be like. Therefore, she did not have a deep sense of sadness or parting. Instead, she eagerly got on the carriage.

Feng An and another servant were in the slightly smaller carriage in front. Their carriage took the lead, followed by Yu Li and Zhi Xue's carriage.

The carriage rattled away, and Yuli lifted the curtain. She took one last look at the Guangming Temple and the vast world around her. Without any attachment, she let go of the curtain, a faint smile touching the corner of her lips, her eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light—

Yufu, I'm finally coming back.