Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 41
Chapter 41: Xie Jingyu Disappears
Front courtyard banquet hall
Accompanied by tea from the palace, smoothed over by Madam Yun, Lady Lin, and with Marquis Xuanwu presiding as the guest of honor, the guests present were still enjoying a relatively pleasant conversation.
Xie Jingyu was chatting with several colleagues about the current political situation at court when his personal attendant hurried over and whispered, "My lord, Mother He says she has something important to report."
Xie Jingyu frowned slightly. "Tell her to speak later."
The attendant nodded and walked out, returning shortly after to murmur, "My lord, Mother He says it must be right now. If it is inconvenient for you to leave the banquet, she can come inside to report."
Xie Jingyu raised his head.
He saw Mother He standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, looking ready to step inside at any moment.
His expression darkened. He stood up, walked over, and asked in a cold voice, "What on earth is so urgent?"
Mother He lowered her head and said, "My lord, everyone knows the birthday banquet was managed by the eldest young miss of the Xie family, yet such a massive blunder has occurred. If word gets out that the eldest miss of the Xie family lacks administrative competence, which household would ever be willing to ask for Pingjie's hand as their head matron in the future? Please think of a solution."
Xie Jingyu's expression was very unsightly.
Right now, the Xie family had lost both their face and their dignity. He had to consider the overall standing of the Xie family first before even beginning to think about his children's marriage prospects.
Besides, Pingjie was only thirteen years old. Discussing marriage was a matter for two years down the road; bringing it up now was far too hasty.
Seeing that Xie Jingyu remained silent, Mother He anxiously urged, "Before the birthday banquet ends, why not have Pingjie brew tea for everyone or showcase some talents to reverse some of the negative impressions..."
Xie Jingyu did not even know what to say anymore.
If this were a royal banquet, it would be entirely reasonable for noble young misses to dance and play music for the empress and imperial concubines.
However, most of the people present were officials of a lower rank than the Xie family. If Pingjie were to perform on the spot, it would truly humiliate the Xie family.
"Alright, I will handle this matter," Xie Jingyu said coldly. "Go back to whatever you are supposed to be doing and stop wandering around the front courtyard."
Having followed him for over a decade, how could Mother He not read what was on his mind? Her fingers tightened as she said, "My lord, Pingjie is our first child, and she will also be the first child of the Xie manor to enter into a marriage arrangement. If anything goes wrong with her marriage, it will make things very difficult for the younger brothers and sisters who follow."
Xie Jingyu's voice grew even colder. "What? Are you threatening me?"
Mother He hurriedly replied, "I didn't mean that, I..."
As the two of them were speaking, someone happened to walk past the nearby flower beds.
Xie Jingyu pulled Mother He aside into a corner.
Before long, the servants retrieved all the banquet dishes prepared by the restaurant, serving them one by one to the guests.
These were delicacies crafted by the master chefs of the finest restaurant in the capital; on ordinary days, one had to wait in line for at least half a month just to taste them. Being able to indulge their appetites right now left many people pleasantly surprised.
Old Madam Xie finally breathed a sigh of relief, raising her wine cup to thank Madam Yun, Lady Lin. She knew very well in her heart that had the Yun family not mediated, Drunken Immortal Restaurant would not have prepared meals for the Xie family on such short notice.
"Why is Jingyu not here?" Old Madam Xie looked toward the empty seat at the lower end. "Chuyu, do you know where Jingyu has gone?"
Yun Chu smiled and said, "Just now, Mother He said she had an important matter to report, so my husband went out. I imagine he will be back shortly."
A sudden, extremely ominous premonition welled up in Old Madam Xie's heart.
She looked at Mama Zhou standing beside her. "Go search for Jingyu and tell him to come back immediately to entertain the guests."
Mama Zhou acknowledged the order and left.
About a quarter of an hour later, Mama Zhou returned, keeping her voice suppressed as she said, "This servant searched everywhere and could not find my lord. I have no idea where he went."
Old Madam Xie took a deep breath.
That Mother He was nothing but a plague. To pull Jingyu away on such an important occasion—what matter could possibly be more important than the birthday banquet?
If she had known earlier, she never would have agreed to Yun Chu's request to pardon certain staff members who had made mistakes... But it was too late for regrets now. The old matriarch spoke up, "Keep looking."
Yun Chu lowered her head and took a sip of tea, concealing the indifference in the depths of her eyes.
"Madam Xie."
A deep voice sounded beside her.
Yun Chu put down her teacup, raised her head, and revealed a standard welcoming smile. "Marquis, is there something you need?"
Though her smile did not reach her eyes, it was as bright and vibrant as spring blossoms, causing Qin Mingheng to lose his focus for a fraction of a second.
He took a sip of wine before regaining his composure and speaking naturally, "I heard that Madam Xie has reburied her two children who died prematurely. I once spent a period living in a temple, and I heard a great master say that the deceased who are reburied require a high monk to chant scriptures for forty-nine days so that their next lives may find peace. I happen to know a few masters here; does Madam Xie need me to make arrangements?"
The smile on Yun Chu's face grew a fraction more genuine.
Aside from her own family, this was the first person who cared about her deceased children.
She smiled and said, "My elder brother has already arranged all of these matters. Thank you, Marquis, for taking the trouble."
"Those two children also carry the bloodline of the Xie family, yet Lord Xie, the biological father of the children, has not given them a single thought at all. Can a person who doesn't even care about his own flesh and blood ever care about the person sleeping beside his pillow?" Qin Mingheng's voice dropped a few degrees. "Has Madam Xie never considered an exit strategy for herself?"
Yun Chu lifted her gaze, falling directly into Qin Mingheng's pitch-black eyes.
Within those eyes, she actually saw a genuine trace of worry.
Was Marquis Xuanwu truly considering her future?
Yet, this was her very first face-to-face conversation with Marquis Xuanwu. They shared no friendship whatsoever; they were practically strangers.
How could this person...
"Madam Xie pours her heart and soul into these children of the Xie manor, but will these children truly be filial to Madam Xie in return?" Qin Mingheng drank another cup of wine. "When some things must be severed, they should be severed decisively."
Yun Chu pressed her lips tightly together.
Even an outsider could see things so clearly, yet she had required a lifetime of painful lessons to finally see through the people around her.
She understood the subtext behind the Marquis's words—he wanted her to seek a divorce.
In this life, she would never seek a divorce, because a woman who divorced and returned to her maternal family would affect the fortune of her sisters back home.
It did not matter what happened to her; she would never again allow her own existence to plunge the entire Yun family into suffering.
When one could simply become a grieving widow, why on earth would anyone choose to get a divorce?
Yun Chu spoke up, "Thank you, Marquis, for your concern. My husband and I share a deep and devoted bond; as for what should be severed or not, this wife does not understand."
Qin Mingheng's expression darkened instantly.
A deep and devoted bond, what a wonderful phrase.
Even after Xie Jingyu had done such things, she was still this infatuated.
She was the radiant eldest miss of the Yun family, the foremost beauty renowned throughout the capital, yet she was being utterly ruined by the Xie family...
"Old Madam, I have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."
Without waiting for Old Madam Xie to speak, Qin Mingheng stood up and walked away directly.
That he had been able to attend the banquet was already the Xie family's good fortune; leaving early was also within reason, so the guests did not think anything of it.
Yun Chu, however, faintly sensed that Marquis Xuanwu seemed to have grown angry because of her words just now, which was why he had simply washed his hands of the matter and left.
Until the banquet ended, Xie Jingyu never appeared, and the old matriarch's expression grew increasingly dark.
Yet the old lady still forced a smile to entertain her guests. "The Xie family has hired a theatre troupe. Esteemed madams and young misses, please head to the inner courtyard; let us select our plays first."
Most of the male guests departed after the banquet concluded, while the female guests followed to the inner courtyard to watch the plays.
Yun Chu led everyone forward. The courtyard had been arranged with tea and pastries fully prepared, and the madams all began listening to the opera quietly.
After a few acts, things grew somewhat tedious, and one of the madams suggested taking a stroll around the gardens.