Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 104
Chapter 104 - The Old Madam Vomits Blood
The Xie Old Madam bolted upright from her daybed.
More than twenty years ago, their Xie family was still nothing, and as a mere woman, she naturally paid no attention to cases happening within the imperial court.
However, she understood this clearly: Madam He was a descendant of the convicted criminal He family, and her eldest grandson, Jingyu, had actually taken a daughter of a convicted criminal as a concubine!
At that very moment, she finally understood why Madam He, who had once been so desperate to marry Jingyu back then, had suddenly stopped harboring thoughts of marrying into the family once Jingyu became an official!
She also understood why, no matter how many times she had offered to make Madam He a concubine, Madam He had remained utterly reluctant!
It was because that wretched woman knew her own identity, knew she would bring trouble to the Xie family, and knew she would ruin the future prospects of the children!
"Th-That was all from more than twenty years ago..." Xie Ping said with trembling lips. "The He family has already received their due retribution; over a hundred people across the three clans are practically all dead... The imperial court stopped pursuing the past faults of the He family ages ago, so even if others discover that Father took a daughter of the He family as a concubine, it won't amount to anything... Although I was born to Madam He, I recognize only the Mistress as my mother..."
Yun Chu sneered inwardly in her heart.
Xie Ping and Xie Shian truly deserved to be biological siblings; they shared the exact same brand of selfishness, terrified that their legitimate mother would abandon them upon learning the truth.
Suppressing her cold mockery, she spoke up, "Ping'er, you are still far too young. Just think about it: back then, so many members of the He family were beheaded, and a centuries-old aristocratic clan was wiped out just like that. Could the surviving members of the He family possibly harbor no resentment? Could the Emperor and the court possibly be unaware of the hatred burning in these people's hearts? As long as the surviving He family members stayed quietly where they belonged, the Emperor and the court naturally would not say anything, but—"
She paused for a brief moment before continuing, "An'er is about to enter the Imperial College, and you, Ping'er, are about to be married into the Peaceful and Quiet Prince's Manor. Both of you are descendants of a convicted criminal, yet you are coming into such close contact with members of the imperial family. Who can guarantee that the two of you won't unleash the resentment buried in your hearts onto the imperial family? Once your identities are brought to light, every single person in the Xie family, without exception, will be forced to pay the price!"
The Old Madam felt a sudden surge of fishy sweetness rush to the back of her throat.
Even Ping'er, a mere young girl, had known about Madam He's identity all along, yet she had been kept in the dark and deceived for so long!
If they really waited until An'er entered the Imperial College and until Ping'er became the Princess Consort of the Peaceful and Quiet Prince's Manor, their Xie family would undoubtedly be slapped with the crime of deceiving the sovereign!
The Imperial College could no longer be attended!
The Peaceful and Quiet Prince's Manor could no longer be married into!
"Puff!"
Unable to hold it in any longer, the Old Madam spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.
"Chu'er!"
The Old Madam reached out and seized Yun Chu's hand.
Yun Chu handed her ladyship a cup of tea. "Old Madam, please do not fly into a rage. Husband and An'er are currently trying to figure out a solution, and judging by their intentions, they plan to send Concubine He away to either the south or the north."
Xie Ping nodded like a pecking chick. "Yes, yes, yes, send her away—as far as possible! As long as outsiders never find out Madam He's true identity, everything will be fine."
"Old Madam, today's curse incident is proof enough that Concubine He also harbors resentment toward our Xie family. Perhaps she resents you, Old Madam, for refusing to let her enter the doors back then, or perhaps she resents me for occupying the position of legitimate wife," Yun Chu stated. "If the Xie family simply sends her away, the hatred in her heart will only grow deeper. If she pulls another stunt after that, it will no longer be something we can control."
The Old Madam's heart sank heavily. "Chu'er, what are you implying?"
Yun Chu remained silent and gave no response.
"Chu'er, I know it was Jingyu who wronged you, and it was the Xie family that let you down and deceived you. We will slowly make it up to you for all of this later!" A note of pleading laced the Old Madam's voice. "But the three children—An'er, Weiqi'er, and Ping'er—all sincerely acknowledge you as their mother. Can you bear to watch their futures be utterly ruined? You and Jingyu share one body as husband and wife, and you are a daughter-in-law of the Xie family. It has been truly not easy for our Xie family to reach where we are today; can you bear to watch Jingyu's official career grind to a permanent halt right here?"
Yun Chu rose to her feet, lowering her gaze as she said, "I will watch how you all handle the Xie family before I decide whether or not I shall remain a daughter-in-law of the Xie family in the future."
With those words, she turned around and walked out of the Hall of Longevity and Peace.
The Old Madam's mind roared with a chaotic din.
Did Chu'er's words mean that she wanted to draw a clear line and cut ties with the Xie family? Was she planning to seek a divorce?
Heavens, having Madam He, the descendant of a convicted criminal, within the Xie family was already a devastating blow; if Yun Chu were to leave as well, the Xie family would truly never be able to pull themselves back up again.
"Ping'er, help me up!"
Struggling with all her might, the Old Madam pushed herself up from the daybed, supported on her left and right by Nanny Zhou and Xie Ping.
The Old Madam had already coughed up blood when the Gu poison doll was first discovered, and after vomiting a massive mouthful just now, her body was already struggling to hold on.
Yet the old matriarch knew that even if she could not hold on, she had to drag herself up; otherwise, it would be the Xie family's turn to collapse entirely.
Before long, they arrived at Xie Jingyu's courtyard. While the servants were all busy with their respective tasks, the atmosphere inside the study was stiflingly heavy.
After the Old Madam entered, Nanny Zhou closed the study doors and kept watch herself at the foot of the steps, forbidding any servants from approaching.
"Grandmother, why have you come?"
Xie Jingyu hurriedly supported the Old Madam into a chair, placing a soft cushion behind her back.
"I already know about Madam He's situation," the Old Madam stated bluntly. "Jingyu, you and An'er have been discussing this for so long—what is your final decision on how to deal with her?"
Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together.
Xie Shian clenched his fists.
Although father and son had spent a long time alone together, they had not actually discussed much of anything because there was simply no way out.
Keeping Madam He in the Xie estate was utterly impossible.
As for sending Madam He away, would that truly ensure absolute foolproof safety?
With people currently keeping tabs on the Xie family, the moment Madam He departed the Xie estate, she might very well fall straight into the clutches of those with ulterior motives. By that time, it would be too late to save the situation.
"I have a method."
The moment the Old Madam spoke, every single gaze in the room locked onto the old matriarch.
"If Madam He is dead, then dead men tell no tales," the Old Madam said, pronouncing each word distinctly. "It all depends on whether you have the heart to do it."
Xie Ping's head spun dizzyingly. "No..."
Although she despised Madam He as her biological mother, she had never once wished for Madam He to die.
Xie Jingyu braced his hands against the surface of his desk, his face a mask of shock. How could his grandmother utter such a cruel sentence with such an air of casual lightness?
He and Madam He had met in their youth, knowing and loving each other deeply, and had given birth to three children. Though their affection was no longer as deep as it once was, he would never allow Madam He to die.
A dead silence blanketed the study.
Amidst that stillness, Xie Shian spoke up: "If Father wishes to walk further along his official career, if Eldest Sister wishes to securely sit as the Princess Consort of the Peaceful and Quiet Prince's Manor, if I wish to enter the Imperial College to study, and if the Xie family wishes to rise as a new noble house of the imperial court, then... Madam He must die."
Xie Ping's face turned pale as paper.
She could not fathom how An'er could utter such a heartless remark. The Old Madam shared no blood ties with Madam He, so sending Madam He to her death was perhaps expected, but half of Madam He's blood flowed through An'er's veins! How could he possibly condemn his own birth mother to death?!
Shouldn't he be trying to persuade the Old Madam to change her mind instead?!
Xie Jingyu closed his eyes. "Then... let it be as Grandmother says."
The Old Madam struggled to her feet. "An'er, you are truly the one who understands the bigger picture and weighs the overall situation. Therefore, this matter shall be handed over to you to carry out, with Ping'er assisting. You are Madam He's own children; for your sakes, she will surely be willing to go to her death of her own accord."
Xie Ping nearly collapsed entirely on the spot.