Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 31
Chapter 31: A Thief in the Bedroom
The gossip echoing through the streets and alleys eventually reached the Xie residence, and the Old Madam was so furious she smashed two porcelain teacups.
Living as they did in the modest Xie family, even if the mistress of the house were to die of illness, it wouldn't normally become common knowledge. The real issue was that Yunchu's identity was far too extraordinary.
As the eldest legitimate daughter of the First-Rank General's Estate and a pearl that had once graced the capital, back then, countless people had practically worn out the threshold of the Yun family's gates hoping to propose marriage. Naturally, just as many people were now watching the inner courtyard of the Xie family.
"She has clearly recovered from her illness, so who on earth is spreading the rumor that she is on the deathbed?" the Old Madam said in a deep voice. "The servants in this residence are getting increasingly loose-lipped."
Last time, when Madam He poisoned Concubine Tao, no one knew who had leaked the news.
With these two incidents now linked and blown out of proportion, it made the inner household of the Xie family look utterly chaotic.
An ancient proverb said that if one could not manage a single household, how could one manage the entire realm? If a man could not even manage the women in his own inner courtyard, would the imperial court ever promote him?
After a moment of hesitation, Mammy Zhou spoke up, "Ever since the Madam fell ill, the Eldest Miss has been making the decisions on all major and minor matters in the estate, and things have indeed become somewhat disorderly."
"Could it be that our Xie family cannot function without the head mistress?" the Old Madam said coldly. "Mammy Zhou, go summon Ping'er here. I must personally oversee every major and minor detail of the birthday banquet; I will not give anyone a reason to gossip."
Mammy Zhou accepted the order and went to carry it out.
The weather had cleared up over the past few days, and the flowers in the Sheng Residence were in full bloom. Yunchu sat in the parlor reading a book.
Tingshuang came forward to report, "When the Eldest Miss first started managing the household alongside the Madam, she disciplined the older women and male servants. Those women refused to submit to the Eldest Miss; whenever she assigned a task, they would only do seventy percent of it, throwing the estate into a mess. However, this servant heard that the Old Madam intends to personally take charge of the birthday banquet."
Yunchu smiled slightly.
There were only three days left until the birthday banquet, and everything that needed to be prepared was already ready. Even if the Old Madam stepped in to oversee things, it wouldn't change a thing.
"Uncle Chen handed four or five of the Xie family's shops over to He Xu to manage," Tingshuang continued. "The supplies needed for the Eldest Miss's birthday banquet this time were all procured through He Xu. That He Xu is truly bold. This servant casually crunched the numbers and figured out that he pocketed at least four hundred silver taels."
Even Yunchu couldn't help clicking her tongue in astonishment. The Old Madam had only given three thousand silver taels to fund the birthday banquet, yet He Xu had swallowed four hundred of them alone. There were bound to be other servants engaging in corruption as well—one swallowing thirty or forty taels, another taking seventeen or eighteen. When tallied up, managing to actually spend two thousand taels on the banquet itself would be considered a decent outcome.
"He Xu took a good portion of the embezzled silver and gave it to that person in the small temple," Tingshuang said in a low voice. "Madam He has injuries on her body, so she has been much more restrained lately."
The smile on Yunchu's face deepened. "Then let her rest well for a few days."
In just a few more days, Madam He would no longer have such peaceful days.
Tingshuang already knew what Yunchu planned to do, and her brows were shrouded in worry. "Madam, must you truly do this?"
Yunchu pulled Tingshuang's hand into her own. "I've been married into the Xie family for five years. Do you think I have ever truly been happy?"
Tingshuang shook her head.
During the first month after marrying in, the Madam had been full of anticipation, but later she was treated coldly by the Master, and after that, her child died prematurely. From then on, the Madam never smiled from the bottom of her heart again.
Over the years, the Madam's life had passed day after day—seemingly calm, yet devoid of any hope.
During this recent period, she finally saw a different kind of brilliance in the Madam's eyes.
Yet she felt worried for the Madam.
She was afraid something might happen that would make the Madam's days even harder to endure.
"Tingshuang, you are the same age as me; it is time for you to marry," Yunchu looked at her gently. "If you have someone you fancy, just tell me. If you don't have anyone in mind, I will find an honest and dependable man for you..."
"Madam!" Tingshuang was so frightened she dropped to her knees. "This servant will not marry. This servant wants to stay by your side and serve you for the rest of her life."
Yunchu pulled her up.
Regardless of whether Tingshuang married or not, she could no longer keep Tingshuang in the Xie residence.
Reborn into this life, no one knew if the tragedy would repeat itself. She was terrified that Tingshuang might once again perish in that monstrous fire within the Xie estate...
The sky gradually darkened, and the maidservant brought in the evening meal.
Although Yunchu was not currently managing affairs, she was still the legitimate mistress of the house. Whether it was Xie Ping or the gossiping matrons below, none of them dared to skimp on her food.
Just as she was eating, a commotion suddenly broke out in the front courtyard. Tingfeng ran in from outside to report, "Madam, this is bad! A thief suddenly appeared near the small southeast side gate, and all the servants and matrons in the estate have gone to catch them."
Yunchu frowned.
She had managed the household for four or five years, and every single gate of the Xie estate was heavily guarded; an absurdity like this had never happened before.
She instructed, "Keep the doors of the Sheng Residence tightly shut, and nobody is to wander outside for any reason."
The night had completely fallen, and because of the thief incident in the front courtyard, a sense of unease rippled through the household.
Fortunately, Qiutong was stationed at the Sheng Residence. The maidservants in the courtyard had all witnessed her exceptional martial arts skills. With Qiutong standing firmly at the entrance, everyone felt significantly more at ease.
After a long wait, word came from the front courtyard that no thief had been found and none of the other courtyards showed any abnormalities. The whole affair was dismissed as a false alarm. Even so, Yunchu did not let down her guard; she ordered the servants to patrol the courtyard in groups of three, led by Qiutong, throughout the entire night.
After bathing, Yunchu walked into her inner chamber and sat down before the vanity table.
Tingsue meticulously removed her hair ornaments, combed her hair straight, and only then respectfully withdrew, quietly closing the door behind her.
Yunchu sat on the edge of the bed, kicked off her shoes, and lay down. Pulling the quilt from the side, just as she was about to cover herself, she abruptly sensed that something was amiss.
Holding her breath, she caught the sound of faint breathing that did not belong to her.
In that instant, her heart leaped straight to her throat.
She cautiously sat up, reached out to feel beneath her pillow, and pulled out a short dagger.
This was a coming-of-age gift from her grandfather, engraved with her name and exquisitely sharp. Gripping the hilt in one hand, her other hand fiercely whipped the quilt back.
At the exact moment she swung the blade downward, her hand froze completely.
"Why is it you?"
Beneath the quilt lay nothing other than a child sculpted of jade and powder.
It was precisely the young Heir Apparent of the Prince of Pingxi's Estate.
"You woman! How dare you point a knife at me? If you scratch even a single hair on my body, my father won't let you off!"
Yunchu twitched the corner of her lips.
She put the dagger away and said, "If your father knew you sneaked into someone else's bedroom in the middle of the night, he probably wouldn't let you off either."
Chu Hongyu let out a huff.
"If I hadn't heard that you were on the verge of dying from illness, I wouldn't have come at all. Truly, my kindness is met with a donkey's liver and lungs."
The little fellow crossed his arms over his chest and turned his back, letting Yunchu see only one furiously puffed-up cheek.
Yunchu's heart instantly melted.
So this child had heard she was sick and had taken such a massive risk just to sneak into the Xie residence.
Counting it up, they didn't have a particularly deep friendship. For this child to care about her to this extent was truly her good fortune.
Perhaps it was because of that dream she had a few days ago, where her biological son's face had transformed into the young heir's face, making Yunchu feel an innate sense of closeness toward the boy.
She couldn't help extending a finger and poking the child's cheek.
Usually, Chu Hongyu detested anyone pinching his cheeks; even the Emperor Grandfather would make him deeply uncomfortable if he tried.
Yet right now, he felt not a shred of repulsion; in fact, he even found himself wishing this woman would poke him one more time.
Yunchu understood the principle of knowing when to stop. She poked him once, withdrew her hand, and said, "My illness has already healed. As you can see, I'm completely fine. I'll have someone send you back to the Prince's Estate."
The little fellow's eyes widened in shock.
He had only just arrived, and this woman was already trying to chase him away? She was utterly heartless.
Just as he was about to speak, the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the door.