“Madam, this mother and son pair can no longer pose any threat to you. Why bother caring so much? Just treat them as tools, use them to make the master appreciate you more. That is the fundamental goal,” said Manager Kun.
“Alright, I understand. Then do as you suggest,” the Madam nodded in agreement.
…
After leaving the Yi Garden, Lin Guangde immediately instructed the Lin family’s chief steward to investigate the matter of Lin Yun.
Lin Guangde’s first suspicion was whether it was done by one of his enemies.
After all, the Lin family still had several rival forces and families in this city.
…
Time passed in a flash, and half a month went by.
In this half month, after recovering, Lin Yun was already able to move about normally. From the outside, Lin Yun looked just as before.
The only difference was that Lin Yun could no longer use his internal energy now, because the foundation and channels for circulating internal energy in his body had all been destroyed.
In the courtyard of Yi Garden.
Lin Yun picked up his treasured sword and began to wield it with some effort.
Lin Yun had only practised for a short while, but he was already drenched in sweat, finding it particularly strenuous.
After all, without being able to use internal energy, he could only rely on the body’s natural strength, and Lin Yun was still young, so his natural strength was limited. This sword was not light, and practising with it for long was incredibly tiring.
“Haha, this waste is practising swordsmanship again.”
A burst of giggling and laughter came from the entrance of Yi Garden.
Lin Yun looked up and saw Lin Wei and a group of children hiding at the distant entrance of Yi Garden, peeking at him.
“Brother Lin Wei, this fellow has spotted us,” said a young boy beside Lin Wei.
“So what if he has spotted us?” Lin Wei laughed.
Then Lin Wei looked up at Lin Yun in the distance and sneered, “Lin Yun, you have become a waste now. What is the point of practising swordsmanship? No matter how much you practise, it is useless. Without internal energy to support you, if I circulate my internal energy, I can easily defeat you with one move!”
“Haha.”
The other children around burst into laughter.
Such laughter sounded so piercing in Lin Yun’s ears.
Lin Yun clenched his fists tightly, feeling immense unwillingness in his heart!
Why? Why must heaven toy with him like this? He wanted to strive hard, yet he was not even given the chance to do so?
“What are you lot doing?”
A sharp scolding voice rang out, and Yan Shi hurried out.
“The lowly servant is here, let us go.”
Lin Wei led the group of children and quickly turned to run away.
Yan Shi quickly came to Lin Yun’s side.
“Yun’er, ignore them!”
Yan Shi took Lin Yun’s hand, wanting to comfort him.
She suddenly noticed that Lin Yun’s hand was already covered in blood.
It was from Lin Yun clenching his fist so tightly just now that his nails had pierced through the skin and flesh of his palm.
“Yun’er…”
Seeing the blood on Lin Yun’s hand, Yan Shi felt a sharp pain in her heart as well.
“Yun’er, did Mother not tell you? Do not practise swordsmanship anymore. You cannot use internal energy now, and practising swordsmanship is too strenuous,” Yan Shi hugged Lin Yun and comforted him softly.
Yan Shi knew that Lin Yun continuing to practise swordsmanship was just futile effort, only causing him needless hardship.
Lin Yun was already crippled, so naturally, she did not want him to suffer even the slightest bit more.
“Mother, your son… your son truly does not wish to give up,” Lin Yun said with his head lowered, his voice faint.
This sentence was so powerless.
A moment later, Lin Yun looked up and said, “Mother, after thinking it over, your son feels that the matter of my cultivation being crippled might be related to the Madam and Lin Wei.”
“The Madam?” Yan Shi was stunned.
“Your son has no enemies. Apart from that Madam and Lin Wei, who would want to deal with your son and you, Mother. Do you still remember, Mother? Nine days before your son met with this incident, Lin Wei once offered your son an apology tea. Perhaps it is related to that cup of tea,” Lin Yun said.
During this time, Lin Yun had been thinking every day about why this had suddenly happened to him.
Lin Yun was certain that what happened to him was definitely not an accident.
In other words, it might be man-made. So, who would want to cripple him?
Lin Yun recalled over and over, thought of many possibilities, and in the end, his suspicions fell here.
“Could it be… could it be…” A look of horror surged across Yan Shi’s face.
Yan Shi had not thought of this before.
But now, with Lin Yun putting it this way, she suddenly felt that it was very possible!
Yan Shi was also very clear in her heart that her son had performed outstandingly before, showing great promise and overshadowing Lin Wei. The Madam’s motive for doing this was completely plausible: to prevent Lin Yun from threatening her son’s position.
With the motive established, plus the apology tea being a channel for poisoning, at least all of this could add up.
