Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 115
Chapter 115 - Looking Far Too Much Alike
"What family could she possibly have?"
Qin Mingheng lowered his head, his expression filled with a gloomy malevolence.
"She was a lowly slave girl bought by the Qin family, with neither father nor mother. Your Highness need not dwell on her."
With those words, he cupped his fists, took a few steps backward, turned around, and walked toward Yun Ze, following him right through the main gates of the Yun residence.
Chu Yi pressed his thin lips tightly together.
Five years ago, he had accompanied the Grand General Pillar of the State back to the capital to report on his duties, which happened to coincide with the day the Grand General's eldest daughter, Yun Chu, was married off.
General Yun had been in high spirits, pulling him along to drink cup after cup of daughter-red wine. He ended up consuming a great deal, only for a concubine-born daughter of a third-rank official to take advantage of his momentarily relaxed guard and slip that kind of drug into his drink.
That concubine-born daughter had dragged him into a guest room within the Yun estate, only to have her unruly hand severed on the spot by his own blade.
Leaving the Yun residence, the effects of the drug flared up, growing increasingly intense until he eventually lost consciousness... When he awoke, his subordinates informed him that he had collapsed by the back door of the Marquis of Xuanwu's estate. Having no other choice, his subordinates had carried him inside and found a clean maidservant to help him purge the drug's effects...
He was not an irresponsible man, so he instructed his subordinates to bring that maidservant back to the Prince's Estate, intending to bestow upon her the position of secondary consort.
However, the Marquis of Xuanwu claimed that the girl could not bear the humiliation, had fled the estate, and vanished without a trace.
It wasn't until about seven months later, while on the road back to the capital, that he spotted two infants lying in the snow.
The two children were no larger than the palm of his hand, their entire bodies bruised and purplish as though even their breathing had ceased. Placing a hand over their chests, he could feel only the faintest trace of a heartbeat, and he immediately dispatched people to summon imperial physicians to treat them.
While tending to the infants, the wet nurse who had served him since childhood muttered that the boy looked identical to him when he was little, even down to a mole on the sole of his foot...
He had ordered a basin of clean water brought forth and performed a blood test to verify their parentage.
Sure enough, these two children were his own flesh and blood!
He immediately sought out the Marquis of Xuanwu, only to learn that after that fateful night, the woman had fallen pregnant. Because they were twins, it had resulted in premature and difficult labor, with hemorrhaging that wouldn't stop, causing her to fade away like a withered flower.
The two children had been born two months early, barely knowing how to breathe, let alone how to drink milk...
Looking back now, he had no idea how he had managed to raise both children up to this age, yet they still weren't entirely healthy. Yu Ge'er was willful and mischievous, while Changsheng was frail, sickly, and unable to speak...
"Father?"
Chu Hongyu poked his head out from the carriage and called out.
Pulling his thoughts back from the memories, Chu Yi boarded the carriage.
Perhaps because he had just recalled what the children looked like right after birth, followed by the harrowing scene of the previous night, a sense of lingering fear welled up within him. He spoke up: "Yu Ge'er, you being kidnapped by bandits was entirely my fault as your father. I offer you my apologies here."
Chu Hongyu raised his bright, sparkling eyes: "I am the little prince of the Prince of Pingxi's estate. Everything I eat, use, and live in comes from Father. Having enjoyed these benefits, I naturally ought to bear the dangers that come with this identity. So Father, there's no need to apologize."
Chu Yi stroked his head.
Though the boy was mischievous, he understood all the important principles he needed to know, which was already a great comfort.
By the third day, Yun Chu's condition had improved significantly.
Although her injured area still ached slightly, at least she was no longer in a constant state of grogginess.
The female members of the Yun family were all gathered in her room, accompanying her and chatting to help pass the time: her mother Lady Lin, her eldest sister-in-law Liu Qianqian, and her younger half-sister Yun Ran.
Yun Chu's father, Yun Silin, only had a single concubine, and that concubine had only given birth to a single daughter. Thus, their generation consisted of only three siblings: Yun Ze, Yun Chu, and Yun Ran.
Yun Ze and Liu Qianqian had known each other since youth, and as a devoted couple without concubines or mistresses, they had only given birth to a single legitimate son, Jiang'er, over the past few years.
Yun Chu let out a soft sigh. Because the Yun family had few members and simple relationships devoid of backstabbing political maneuvers, her mother had grown increasingly innocent with age, always viewing matters purely on the surface. That was why, in her past life, both her own marriage and Yun Ran's had run into catastrophic problems...
"You child, what are you sighing for?" Lady Lin said with a smile. "Today happens to mark three full months, so let's share some good news."
Suppressing her thoughts, Yun Chu cooperated fully and asked, "What good news?"
"Your eldest sister-in-law here is carrying a child," Lady Lin said, her face beaming with smiles. "She's expected to give birth around next spring."
"Congratulations, Big Brother and Sister-in-law!" Yun Ran chimed in happily. "Jiang'er is finally going to have a younger brother or sister."
Yun Chu's fingers abruptly stiffened.
No wonder she hadn't remembered her sister-in-law's pregnancy—it was because this pregnancy had never been kept in the first place.
While their branch of the Yun family had simple relationships, as a century-old noble clan, they had countless extended branches. The child in her sister-in-law's belly had fallen victim to someone from a collateral branch... Only, back then she hadn't been in the capital at all, and she remained quite unclear about the specific details of what had transpired.
"Chu'er..."
Keenly sensing Yun Chu's expression, Liu Qianqian discreetly tugged at Lady Lin's garment.
Chu'er struggled to conceive, whereas she had unexpectedly fallen pregnant. Fearing that it might make Chu'er feel uncomfortable, she had deliberately kept it under wraps.
She hadn't expected her mother-in-law to blurting it out to Chu'er so casually.
Though Chu'er would find out sooner or later, she had hoped to keep it concealed for as long as possible...
"Congratulations, Sister-in-law!" Yun Chu forced a smile, reached out, and gently touched Liu Qianqian's belly. "This child will definitely be born safely and smoothly."
Shifting the topic, Liu Qianqian said, "Chu'er, that idea you mentioned last time about opening a shop in the summer resort courtyard was simply brilliant. The shop has only been open for half a month, yet it has already turned a profit of four to five hundred taels of silver, and that's without putting much effort into it."
Yun Chu had heard from Chen Defu that a small sundry shop had been opened in the summer resort courtyard, selling items commonly used by ordinary folk, such as pots, pans, table salt, and ironware. The purpose of opening the shop wasn't to generate massive profits, so the prices were kept reasonable, matching the standard market rates. However, because everyday commoners flocked there to escape the heat every afternoon, the steady stream of foot traffic meant that with so many people gathered, a handful would inevitably pull out copper coins to buy things—after all, since they needed to buy them anyway, why not purchase them right there?
Lady Lin chimed in: "Your sister-in-law means to expand the shop further. Since it's profitable, we should manage it properly."
Yun Chu nodded: "Since the common folk are supporting our business, we should simply stock more of the goods they actually need."
The women discussed several details, all of which Liu Qianqian jotted down to instruct the servants to carry out.
"Chu'er, stay a while longer here at the Yun residence," Lady Lin urged. "In a few days, the Dai family will be sending over the betrothal gifts. You can watch the lively festivities before heading back."
At the mere mention of the Dai family, Yun Ran's face turned beet red, and she didn't know where to place her hands comfortably.
Yun Chu naturally agreed.
Just as they were conversing, a maid reported from the doorway: "Madam, the Prince of Pingxi has arrived. Eldest Young Master is currently entertaining him with tea, and the little prince and little princess have come to see the eldest miss."
Lady Lin had grown quite fond of Chu Hongyu upon meeting him yesterday, so she immediately said, "Quickly bring the little prince and little princess over."
The two children immediately popped out from behind the maid.
"Yun夫人, Auntie Yun, Auntie Liu, I brought my younger sister here!"
Holding Chu Changsheng's hand, Chu Hongyu hopped and skipped into the room.
He had previously asked A-Mao what his mother's mother was called, and A-Mao had replied that she was called a maternal grandmother. Fearing that addressing her as maternal grandmother might displease Lady Lin, he settled for calling her Madam Yun.
"The little prince is such a good boy." Lady Lin pulled both children over, her gaze landing on Chu Changsheng's face. "Heaven have mercy, the little princess is far too thin; she's practically all skin and bones..."
As she spoke, she suddenly paused mid-sentence.
If the little princess had just a bit more flesh on her face, she would look precisely like Yun Chu did during her early childhood—they looked far too much alike!