Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 22
Chapter 22: It's Not My Fault
The Prince of Pingxi's gaze landed upon Yun Chu.
She was dressed in the attire of a married woman, her long black hair coiled high and secured with a gold and jade hairpin, while her light purple robe was embroidered all over with camellias.
He was reminded of many years ago, before she was married, when they had met once.
He had gone to the Yun residence to pay his respects to Old General Yun, and she happened to be delivering tea to the old general.
At that time, she wore a pale yellow maiden's dress, looking lively, bright, and charming—almost like a completely different person compared to who she was now.
"I also think she's wonderful." Chu Hongyu blinked his large, round eyes. "Imperial Great-Aunt, wouldn't it be great if you let her be my mother consort?"
The Grand Princess burst out laughing. "He truly is just a child, speaking nothing but childish nonsense. Chu-jie'er, don't hold it against him."
Yun Chu lowered her head and said, "To receive such praise from the little young master is a profound honor for this humble subject's wife."
When she was still young, she had often accompanied Lady Lin to the Grand Princess's estate, and the Grand Princess had always called her Chu-jie'er just as before.
Yet now she was married and the wife of a fifth-rank official, so naturally, she could no longer speak with the Grand Princess as casually as she once had.
The banquet soon came to an end.
After Lady Lin and the Grand Princess bade each other farewell, the group made their way out.
Before they even stepped out of the Grand Princess's estate, near the second gate, she heard the crying of a child. Following the sound, she saw two figures—one tall, one short—standing in a pavilion not far away.
The Prince of Pingxi stared coldly at the child before him, while the child wailed miserably and retreated in terror.
"I only brought you to the Grand Princess's estate because you promised to be well-behaved." The Prince of Pingxi's voice was exceptionally cold. "It's one thing to tear down roofs at home, but to actually come here and throw a tantrum—who gave you the audacity?"
The little fellow sobbed between gasps. "Father, I admit I was wrong. Imperial Great-Aunt already forgave me, and I won't ever dare do it again..."
The Prince of Pingxi's expression grew gloomy to the extreme.
Those few koi fish were worth a small fortune. Transported all the way to the capital at the cost of tens of thousands of taels of silver, barely two had survived, only to die at this brat's hands.
If he wasn't strictly disciplined, there was no telling what kind of catastrophic disaster he might cause in the future.
He grabbed the child by the collar and hoisted him up.
"Let me go! Let go of me!" Chu Hongyu thrashed his legs wildly and cried out, "Imperial Great-Aunt said this wasn't my fault! Wuwuwu, you're the one who's wrong! Who told you not to find me a mother consort..."
The Prince of Pingxi's face grew even darker.
Busy with official duties year-round, he had indeed neglected the child's discipline; it was truly his fault.
Without a word of explanation, he hoisted the little fellow up and strode outward.
The child's cries grew louder and louder.
A sudden pang pierced Yun Chu's heart, and before she even realized it, her legs had already carried her forward in the direction of the Prince of Pingxi.
"Chu'er!" Lady Lin grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"
Yun Chu snapped back to her senses, pressed her lips together, and said, "I was the one who persuaded the little young master to go apologize, and I even told him that as long as he admitted his mistake and reformed, everything would be fine..."
Lady Lin spoke up, "Then do you think you were wrong to persuade the little young master to apologize?"
Yun Chu shook her head.
Lady Lin continued, "Then was the Prince of Pingxi wrong to discipline his own child?"
Yun Chu continued to shake her head.
"That settles it." Lady Lin patted her hand. "It is entirely natural and righteous for a father to discipline his son. Why are you rushing over there now? Do you think the Prince of Pingxi would listen to you? He would only think you are meddling in other people's business. Besides, look up."
Only then did Yun Chu notice that many madams and young ladies had stopped along this path.
She understood at once: the Prince of Pingxi was disciplining his child without regard for the occasion precisely to thoroughly extinguish any notion these people might harbor of marrying their daughters to him as a princess consort.
The Prince of Pingxi hoisted the child and quickly vanished from the Grand Princess's estate.
Many aristocratic matrons began to whisper among themselves.
"I've long heard that this little young master is unruly and mischievous, but today I've truly witnessed it."
"Wasn't it said that the little young master's biological mother has a lowly background and the imperial family looks down upon the child? How is it that I saw the Grand Princess doting on him so dearly?"
"The Grand Princess dotes on the Prince of Pingxi, and out of love for the house, she naturally dotes on the little young master as well. Otherwise, why would she constantly fret over finding a princess consort for the Prince of Pingxi?"
"What a pity. Since the Prince of Pingxi already has such a large son, no noble daughter will be willing to marry into that household."
"It would be one thing if this son wasn't the heir, but occupying the position of heir makes the status of any legitimate son born to a future princess consort rather awkward, doesn't it?"
"..."
Departing from the Grand Princess's estate, Yun Chu's mood remained unsettled.
For some reason, she kept worrying about that child.
"Mother," Xie Ping suddenly spoke, interrupting Yun Chu's deep thoughts. "Just now, I saw the Grand Princess chatting amiably with Madam Li. Was the Grand Princess intending to have Madam Li's eldest legitimate daughter marry the Prince of Pingxi as his princess consort?"
Yun Chu calmly replied, "Why are you suddenly concerned with the affairs of the imperial family?"
Xie Ping felt a twinge of guilt, forced a smile, and said, "I was just a bit curious as to what kind of background a woman must possess to be worthy of serving as a princess consort."
"So far, only two imperial princes have taken principal wives. The Crown Princess is the eldest legitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor, and the Second Prince's wife is the second daughter of the Grand Academician." Yun Chu looked at her and said, "At the very least, a legitimate daughter from a second-rank official household is worthy of the status of a princess consort, or failing that, a third-rank household."
Xie Ping's fingers clenched tightly.
It had taken her father five full years just to be promoted to a fifth-rank official, and climbing higher became increasingly difficult. Who knew how many years she would have to wait before reaching the third rank...
She lowered her head, terrified that the disappointment in her eyes would be noticed by Yun Chu.
The carriage soon stopped at the entrance of the Xie residence. The moment they crossed the threshold, Mother Zhou invited the two of them into the Hall of Longevity.
The Hall of Longevity was bustling with activity; not only was Xie Shian there, but Xie Jingyu was present as well, clearly waiting for their return.
Old Madam Xie asked with a smile, "Chu'er, how was the Grand Princess's flower-viewing banquet? Which noble guests were in attendance?"
"The Third Prince, the Prince of Pingxi, and the Fourth Prince, the Prince of Anjing, also arrived." Yun Chu saw the eagerness in the eyes of the Xie family members. "The noble matrons in attendance were all family members of first-, second-, and third-rank officials. I was the only exception."
"You are the daughter of a first-rank general's estate; you naturally ought to attend such occasions." The Old Madam smiled. "Did Chu'er speak with Madam Li?"
Xie Jingyu also looked toward her.
Yun Chu twitched the corner of her lips. Madam Li's husband was Xie Jingyu's immediate superior. With performance reviews imminent, if Xie Jingyu wanted to climb a step higher, he had to clear the hurdle presented by Official Li.
If Official Li granted his approval, Xie Jingyu could transition from a standard fifth-rank to a senior fifth-rank.
There was no intrinsic difference between a senior fifth-rank and a standard fifth-rank, but whenever promotion opportunities arose, selection would prioritize officials of the senior fifth-rank.
In the mere five years since Xie Jingyu placed as the top scholar, he had risen from the seventh rank to the fifth rank. Aside from the matrimonial ties with the Yun family, the biggest reason was his own skill in managing connections...
In the past, no matter what banquet she attended, she would always help him cultivate these relationships.
Madam Li was the family member of a third-rank official and could not break into the circle of first-rank noble matrons at all, remaining on the outer fringes. Normally, she would have taken the initiative to pull Madam Li into the circle.
Yet at this banquet hosted by the Grand Princess, she had merely glanced at Madam Li from afar.
Unable to enter the circle of first-rank high-society matrons, Madam Li would undoubtedly grow furious and whisper complaints into her husband's ear, making sure Xie Jingyu could forget about ever being promoted to senior fifth-rank.
A smile surfaced on Yun Chu's face. "I did exchange a few words with Madam Li."
Xie Jingyu stood up, cupped his hands in salute, and said, "Many thanks, Madam."
"What is there to thank? We are all family." The Old Madam was radiant with delight. "Once Jingyu becomes a fourth-rank official, our Xie family will truly hold our heads high."
The smile on Yun Chu's face grew even brighter.
That day would probably never come.