Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 36
Chapter 36: Remitting the Grounding
The standing screen before her eyes had been crafted by Yunchu commissioning the embroiderer with the poorest craftsmanship she could find, and it had been completed in just a single day.
This was the birthday gift she intended to present to Old Madam Xie, and the total cost was less than two taels of silver.
Over the past four or five years, for every single one of the Old Madam's birthdays, she had racked her brains to send lavish gifts. In the first year, she had sent a coral potted plant worth eight hundred taels of silver; in the second year, she had personally participated in crafting an entire set of emerald-inlaid gold-threaded hair ornaments; in the third year... In short, every birthday gift consumed both time and money, and looking back now, she truly felt it was a waste of her own worth.
Just look at this screen. Though a bit ugly, as long as she claimed she embroidered it herself, no one would dare say a word—they might even praise her for her filial piety.
Yunchu had someone pack the screen away, and the maidservants brought in the evening meal course by course.
She had ordered a table of light, refreshing dishes that children loved, as well as a plate of steamed fish. Personally picking out the fish bones for Chu Hongyu, she placed the morsels into his bowl.
Standing on a chair to give himself some height, Chu Hongyu stretched out his little arm and ladled a bowl of chicken soup for Yunchu.
After dinner, the little fellow picked up his book to resume reading. The Three Character Classic, which he had previously struggled to read smoothly, could now be haltingly recited for more than half its length.
Yunchu instructed Tingshuang to accompany and supervise the child closely while she herself stood up and headed toward the small temple of the Xie estate.
Only a young nun and Madam He lived inside this temple. Fearing that Madam He might emerge and stir up more trouble again, Xie Jingyu had assigned two matrons to stand guard at the entrance.
Seeing Yunchu approach, the two matrons hurriedly bowed in greeting. "Greetings, Madam."
Yunchu said indifferently, "Has that Madam He been behaving herself and remaining honest these past few days?"
One of the matrons replied, "She spends the entire day lying on her stomach in the room to nurse her injuries. No matter what food or dishes are sent in, she eats it all clean before handing the bowls back out. She's been quite well-behaved."
Yunchu nodded, stepped inside, and Tingfeng walked ahead to push open Madam He's door.
Madam He was lying prone, busily embroidering something. Seeing Yunchu arrive, her expression shifted slightly before she obediently lowered her gaze, climbed down from the bed, and bowed to offer her respects.
Tingfeng picked up the embroidered piece and handed it to Yunchu.
Yunchu glanced at it and smiled. "While grounded here to reflect, Mother He actually managed to think of embroidering a birthday gift for the Old Madam. Having this kind of thoughtfulness is truly rare."
Lowering her eyes, Madam He murmured, "This headband will be finished in another half day, this servant begs the Madam to show mercy and find someone to deliver it to the Old Madam on my behalf?"
"Since this is a birthday gift you embroidered yourself, naturally it is most appropriate for you to deliver it yourself," Yunchu's voice was very gentle. "It is the Old Madam's birthday, and it is a rare occasion of joy, so I will remit your grounding for this single day. But remember, do not stir up any trouble."
Madam He found it hard to believe.
She had gone to great lengths to frame the Madam for poisoning Concubine Tao, which was how she ended up grounded, yet the Madam was voluntarily remitting her confinement for a day?
Daring not to rejoice too early, she had a lingering sense that some malicious trap was waiting for her.
Dropping those words, Yunchu turned around and walked out.
When she returned to the Sheng Residence, Chu Hongyu had already fallen asleep, clutching a book tightly against his chest while muttering under his breath. If one listened closely, he was actually still reciting the Three Character Classic.
Chuckling softly, she pulled the book away, stripped off the child's outer garments, tucked him under the quilt, and lay down beside him to sleep as well.
She slept soundly throughout the night, and when she woke up in the morning, the sun was already shining brightly.
Turning her head, she found that the little fellow beside her was gone, leaving a sudden, empty void in her chest.
Tingshuang smiled and said, "The Little Heir woke up very early. He said today is his last day staying at the Xie residence, and he wants to prepare a gift for you, Madam."
Following Tingshuang quietly, Yunchu slipped over to the side parlor and spotted the little fellow holding a chunk of wood in one hand and a short dagger in the other, carving away at it.
His expression was utterly serious, as though he were undertaking some monumental, earth-shattering task.
Yunchu fell into contemplation as well. What sort of gift should she prepare for this child in return?
"Madam, the concubines have all arrived to pay their morning greetings."
Leaving Tingshuang behind in the side parlor to keep an eye on the child, Yunchu walked out to the front.
Concubine Jiang, Concubine Tao, Concubine Yu, along with several young masters and misses, were all present.
"The Madam's complexion looks quite good; it seems you have fully recovered," Concubine Jiang said with a smile. "Just in time to attend the Old Madam's birthday banquet."
"Speaking of the banquet, I wanted to ask Ping'er," Yunchu brought up. "Are all the necessary preparations for tomorrow completed? If there are any matters you are uncertain about, we can discuss them now."
Xie Ping replied, "The Old Madam has been personally keeping an eye on the banquet's progress, and everything is fully prepared. Mother need not trouble herself over these trivial matters."
The Old Madam had promised that the moment the birthday banquet concluded, all household management rights currently in the Madam's hands would be transferred entirely to her. Until the time of her marriage, everything in the Xie estate would be managed by her. For an unmarried young lady to be able to successfully run a household in an orderly fashion would be a massive advantage when discussing marriage prospects...
Yunchu did not press further about the banquet, instead inquiring one by one into the recent circumstances of the concubines and children.
Concubine Tao's belly was growing heavier by the day, meaning she would likely give birth right around the height of summer heat.
Concubine Jiang had started Miss Xian on learning characters and reading books, officially beginning her foundational education.
Concubine Yu—Tingyu—refused to fall behind either, sending Shiyun to the estate's small academy to study under the resident tutor.
Xie Shiywei had been much more well-behaved after suffering family disciplinary punishments last time, sitting quietly on the side without uttering a peep during the greetings.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the group dispersed.
Stepping out of the Sheng Residence, Xie Shiyun tugged on Tingyu's sleeve and whispered, "Yiniang, Mother doesn't like me anymore. Is it because she has other children now?"
Tingyu shook her head. The Madam hadn't just grown much colder toward Shiyun; she was treating the Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master the exact same way, and had even slapped the Master across the face...
To be honest, even though she had served by the Madam's side since childhood and knew the Madam's habits like the back of her hand, she still couldn't fathom what the Madam was actually planning to do.
"Yiniang, I saw another child in Mother's courtyard," Xie Shiyun said in a low voice. "Yesterday when I came to play near Mother's courtyard, I heard a child's voice speaking inside—it was a boy's voice. I waited for a very, very long time before I saw a boy about my age walk out of the side parlor... It must be because of this child that Mother doesn't like me anymore!"
Hearing words like this, which clearly weren't fabricated out of thin air, Tingyu wore a look of profound shock. "You really saw him?"
Xie Shiyun nodded vigorously.
Tingyu's hand tightened sharply.
There was a high probability that this child was someone from a collateral branch of the Yun family. Could it be that because the Madam had no children of her own, she wanted to adopt an heir from the Yun family?
If the Madam truly raised a child with her own bloodline by her side, then her Shiyun would never be able to win back the Madam's favor.
Did the Old Madam know about this? Did Madam Yuan know? Did the Master know?
Tomorrow was the Old Madam's birthday banquet—was the Madam planning to reveal this child's existence right at the birthday celebration?
A whirlwind of thoughts spun through Tingyu's mind, yet she dared not take any rash action, because she had no way of knowing what the Madam's ultimate goal was...
Just as Yunchu walked back into the side parlor, the little fellow hurriedly hid the object in his hands behind his back. "Mommy, don't look at me yet. I'll give you a surprise later."
"Alright then, Mommy will just wait and see." She walked over to sit by the window, her own hands getting busy as well.
She was also preparing a parting gift for the child.
This was the final day. The mere thought that tomorrow the little fellow would leave the Xie residence stirred an unexpected, faint pang of reluctance deep within her heart.