Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 59
Chapter 59 - Buying the Manor at a Low Price
Yunchu had someone escort Madam Dou into the estate.
Madam Dou was a merchant's wife, and in this dynasty, merchants held the lowest possible social standing, making it nearly impossible for them to cross the threshold of an official's residence casually.
Upon entering the estate, Madam Dou kept her gaze lowered, not daring to look around at random. After passing through several successive doorways, she finally arrived at the floral parlor in the Sheng Residence.
"Greetings, Madam Xie."
Bending low in a deep, respectful bow, Madam Dou offered her greetings.
"Madam Dou needn't stand on ceremony, please take a seat. Tingsue, pour some tea."
After partaking of the tea, Madam Dou grew considerably more at ease. Smiling, she spoke up, "Coming here without delivering a formal visiting card first—I hope I haven't inconvenienced Madam Xie."
Yunchu said warmly, "On the previous occasion, I also entered your Dou family manor without seeking permission first, yet Madam Dou did not hold it against me, did she?"
Hearing this, Madam Dou concluded that this Madam Xie was remarkably amiable and exceedingly easy to get along with. She decided to cut straight to the chase: "Regarding the three thousand liang of silver Madam Xie mentioned last time, after discussing it with my husband, we feel it is not entirely out of the question."
Yunchu countered evenly, "Madam Dou must be aware that my son has just become the top scholar of the provincial courtyard examinations, and our Xie family is currently basking in soaring fortune. I truly fear that the manor might adversely affect our auspicious energy, and therefore..."
Madam Dou was filled with overwhelming regret.
On that day when Madam Xie had offered three thousand liang of silver, she ought to have accepted it on the spot. Although the sum wasn't particularly large, in a sense, it would have been a timely way to cut their losses; otherwise, having the property completely dead in their hands would only result in an even greater loss.
Even so, the fact that Madam Xie was willing to invite her over meant she undoubtedly still held an interest in acquiring the manor.
Probing cautiously, she suggested, "How about lowering it to two thousand liang of silver, then?"
Yunchu fell into a contemplative silence.
Instantly, Madam Dou grew fidgety and uneasy in her seat.
After a long pause, Yunchu finally spoke: "Conducting business is all about mutual willingness between both parties. Two thousand liang would clearly mean a heavy loss for the Dou family; if you were to regret it down the road, it would turn into an unfair imposition on my Xie part. Let us settle on three thousand. I shall have someone accompany you right now to the deeds office to finalize the paperwork. However, I must ask Madam Dou to keep this discreet."
Overjoyed, Madam Dou immediately agreed, and Yunchu instructed Chen Defu to handle the formalities alongside the Dou family representatives.
Once these matters were settled, Yunchu took along the Xie family's visiting cards and personally returned to the Yun family residence to invite her family members to attend the upcoming banquet.
"An'er's future prospects are truly boundless," Yun Ze remarked with a sigh of admiration. "Across the entire capital, you couldn't unearth a second child as brilliant as him."
Lady Lin chimed in, "When all is said and done, this child isn't of your own flesh and blood. Chuer has raised him for four years, yet he remains rather distant from our Yun family. While Xie Jingyu is a scoundrel, the fault doesn't lie with An'er. You ought to put more thought into this; the latter half of your life will ultimately depend upon An'er."
Yunchu tightened her grip on the handkerchief in her hand.
In her past life, her mother, eldest brother, and eldest sister-in-law had offered her precisely this counsel, urging her to pour her heart and soul into the Xie family children, pinning their hopes on the notion that the Xie children would provide for her in her old age and tend to her burial.
Yet the children she had raised by exhausting every ounce of her being had ultimately driven her and the entire Yun family toward utter destruction.
"The two prospective matches I previously selected for Ran-jieer—you chose the Dai family. This time, I have specifically invited Madam Dai and the young master of the Dai family to the Xie estate. At that time, Mother can converse with Madam Dai while I take Ran-jieer to meet the young master," Yunchu said with a smile. "Ultimately, it must meet with Ran-jieer's personal approval for this match to be considered truly settled."
Standing off to the side, Yun Ran's delicate face blushed a brilliant crimson.
Shifting the topic, Yunchu continued, "There is one more matter: a divine physician has recently arrived in the capital and is currently residing within the imperial palace to treat the Empress. I wonder if Mother might be able to help invite the physician out for half a day?"
A look of explosive joy lit up Lady Lin's face. "Chuer, you've finally come to your senses! As long as you are willing to undergo treatment, no matter how much effort it requires, Mother will help you invite the divine physician here."
She dreamed day and night of the prospect of Yunchu having a child of her own.
Yunchu offered no denial.
Letting her mother revel in this hope for the time being would spare her from constantly worrying and fretting over her affairs.
By the time she returned from the Yun residence to the Xie estate, the sky had already grown dark. Instead of returning directly to the Sheng Residence, Yunchu made a detour through the back kitchens to inspect the premises and confirm that all preparations were fully in order before finally retreating to her courtyard to partake in her evening meal.
Upon returning to her chamber and catching sight of the wood carving resting on the windowsill, Yunchu let out a soft sigh. She hadn't laid eyes on the little fellow in quite some time, and a strange, quiet sense of longing tugged at her heart.
And then there was that young princess who had gotten lost on that fateful night; she recalled Pingxi Prince calling out the name Changsheng—was it Chu Changsheng? It was a rather pleasant name.
Drifting off to sleep amidst a swirl of stray thoughts, Yunchu was gently roused by Tingshuang while the sky was still shrouded in the dim light of dawn.
She donned a slightly more formal skirt and blouse, styled her hair into a cloud bun pinned with a pure gold pearl-tasseled hairpin, and applied a light, delicate touch of powder to her face.
No sooner had she finished dressing than Xie Ping arrived as the very first person to offer morning greetings, following Yunchu's prior instruction for her to rise early. Because the banquet had been organized on rather short notice, minor oversights were bound to exist, and only by rising early could every single potential hazard be addressed and resolved one by one.
Following closely behind Yunchu, Xie Ping watched as her stepmother walked into the culinary workshop, summoned every single matron and servant, personally inquired into all operational details, and even tasted the ingredients herself to verify their freshness...
A profound sense of shame washed over Xie Ping.
When she had been put in charge of the Old Madam's birthday banquet previously, she had never once rolled up her sleeves to handle such matters personally, instead leaving everything to the subordinate maids and matrons with a mere wave of her hand.
No wonder Mother managed this household with ever-increasing flawlessness; there were simply far too many lessons she still needed to learn.
After taking a full tour of the courtyards, Yunchu found that daylight had broken completely. The members of the Xie family began rising one after another and heading toward the front courtyard—with the sole exception of Xie Shiwei, whose figure was nowhere to be seen.
A dark frown crossed Xie Jingyu's brow. "It appears I struck far too lightly last time."
"Husband, today is a most auspicious day; do not let your anger flare," Yunchu interposed gently. "I shall go wake Wei'er up."
Walking over to Xie Shiwei's courtyard, she spotted Jiuer standing right outside the bedroom doors and instructed, "Go inside and rouse the Second Young Master."
With eyes cast downward in submissive obedience, Jiuer replied, "The Second Young Master drank quite a bit of wine last night; when he woke up half an hour ago, he complained of a splitting headache. At this hour, I'm afraid..."
Yunchu cast a sharp glance at Jiuer. "Is this what you call taking your revenge?"
A rigid stiffness overtook Jiuer's features. How on earth did Madam know that she had deliberately coaxed the Second Young Master into drinking heavily?
Her objective had been to cause the Second Young Master to miss the Eldest Young Master's banquet, provoking the Master's wrath and subjecting Xie Shiwei to another brutal thrashing.
"If your actions cause neither pain nor irritation, you might as well not bother doing them at all." Yunchu shook her head. "There will be numerous dignitaries and high-ranking officials visiting the Xie estate today. As the legitimate son of the Xie family, he must make an appearance to welcome the guests. Regardless of what methods you employ, you must ensure the Second Young Master is wide awake within a quarter of an hour."
Hurring inside, Jiuer immediately set about waking him.
Not long after, Xie Shiwei emerged dressed in brand-new garments, though lingering signs of last night's intoxication left his complexion looking somewhat puffy and fatigued.
In a calm, cool voice, Yunchu addressed him: "You are only eight years old, yet you are already indulging in heavy drinking and drunken stupors. If your father were to discover this, he would undoubtedly force you to kneel in the ancestral hall. Today is your eldest brother's celebration banquet, so we shall let this matter slide. Pull yourself together and put your best foot forward to welcome the guests. Many esteemed officials will be bringing their own young masters along; by then, you will need to accompany them in conversation and leisure. Bear this in mind: those individuals possess lofty statuses, so be careful not to commit any offenses."
The center of Jiuer's brows twitched slightly as she stood off to the side.
It seemed she was finally beginning to grasp the true meaning behind Madam's words...
Accompanied by Xie Shiwei, Yunchu proceeded to the front courtyard.
The Old Madam and Lady Yuan were waiting in the inner courtyards for the arrival of the female guests.
Meanwhile, Xie Zhongcheng took charge of receiving the male guests in the front courtyard.
Standing side by side with Xie Jingyu at the grand front gates of the Xie estate, Yunchu and her husband offered a respectful and courteous welcome to the arriving visitors.
The very first arrivals were Lord Yuan, Madam Yuan, and the young master of the Yuan family—a family of three stepping down from their carriage in neat succession.
"Heartiest congratulations to Lord Yuan," the official said as he approached, cupping his hands in a salute. "Today I have specifically brought my unworthy son along to attend the banquet, hoping he can learn a thing or two from Young Master Xie. We don't dare dream of him capturing any top rankings; if he can simply manage to pass the examinations and become a certified scholar, it will mean the ancestors of our humble Yuan family are shining down upon us from above."
While holding the status of a certified scholar didn't carry the weight of a monumental title, acquiring it marked the crucial first step into officialdom, rendering it an achievement of immense significance.
Making an inviting gesture, Xie Jingyu said, "Lord Yuan, please come inside. Shi'an, escort Lord Yuan and the young master inside."
Yunchu instructed Xie Ping to lead Madam Yuan inside as well.
Once the three members of the Yuan family had passed through the gates, Xie Jingyu lowered his voice to instruct the servant boy beside him: "Keep a close watch on this family of three. If there are any suspicious movements whatsoever, report back to me immediately."
It was the Yuan family who had made their move last time, bringing absolute humiliation upon the Xie household. This time, should the Yuan family dare to pull any stunts again, he would show them absolutely no mercy.