Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 72
Chapter 72 - Agreeing to Take a Princess Consort
Before long, the two children finally quieted down, sitting in their respective seats to eat pastries.
Madam Yin accompanied Yunchu in drinking tea and began, "Yi'er handles affairs away from home year-round and rarely spends time with the two children. It would be good if there were a Princess Consort around, but unfortunately, Yi'er is as stubborn as a mule and refuses by any means to have a Princess Consort brought into the manor. It's just hard on the children, having no mother to cherish them."
How else could they have grabbed onto Madam Xie and called her mother?
"The Prince must have his own calculations." Yunchu knew that in her past life, the Prince of Pingxi had remained unmarried well into his thirties, and barring any accidents, this lifetime would likely be the same.
The children truly needed a mother, but no one could guarantee whether a future Princess Consort would genuinely cherish these two little ones.
The Prince of Pingxi must have taken this into consideration, which was why he kept delaying marriage.
While the two women were discussing this matter, Chu Yi and Lord Yin were also talking about it in the study.
"Yi'er, you are twenty-five this year; your marriage matters should be put on the agenda," Lord Yin said, taking a sip of tea. "A few days ago, your aunt entered the palace, and Concubine Yin provided a list, asking us to help select a few young ladies for you to review. Your aunt was afraid you'd be displeased and didn't dare handle it. It was fine for you to refuse before, but now, you've seen for yourself how badly Yu'er and Changsheng need a mother's companionship. Can it be that every time the children yearn for a mother, you make them see Madam Xie?"
Lord Yin shook his head. "Once or twice might be fine, and Madam Xie wouldn't say anything, but as time goes on, do you think Madam Xie might grow resentful? They are clearly children of the Pingxi Prince's Manor, so why should an unrelated person always be brought in to comfort them? Besides, General Yun is on good terms with you. If you frequently invite Madam Xie to the Yin family residence, and it's seen by meddlesome people, it might ruin Madam Xie's reputation, which in turn would affect your friendship with General Yun."
Chu Yi raised his head.
Outside the window was the pavilion, where Madam Yin and Yunchu were sitting and drinking tea while the two children squatted on the ground, playing with something unknown.
Whenever the children played for a moment, they would look up at Yunchu before going back to their own game.
Changsheng, who had been depressed day after day recently, showed no trace of being a child resistant to human communication at this moment; her eyes were shining, and a smile lingered at the corners of her mouth.
He could sense that Changsheng genuinely liked Madam Xie.
If Madam Xie were still unmarried...
At this thought, Chu Yi was startled. How could he have given rise to such a notion?
He spoke up, "I understand my uncle's good intentions. We shall proceed according to my mother's wishes."
Lord Yin was incredulous, and then overjoyed: "Wonderful, wonderful! Once your aunt selects suitable candidates, she will send the portraits for you to review."
Chu Yi drained the tea before him in a single gulp.
Seeing that it was about time, he finally stepped out of the study and walked over to the edge of the pavilion.
Seeing him emerge, Yunchu was suddenly startled to realize that it was already close to evening. Spending time with the children made time slip by far too quickly.
"Your Highness, this humble wife should take her leave." Just as Yunchu finished speaking, she felt her legs being grabbed. Looking down, she saw the two children gazing at her with tearful eyes.
She crouched down and stroked the heads of the two little ones. "Little heir, little princess, it's getting late. You should be heading back as well."
"No!" Chu Huongyu's nose felt sour. "Aunty Yun, I'm not going back, and you shouldn't go back either. We want to be together forever!"
Although Chu Changsheng could not speak, she wrapped her arms and legs around Yunchu, fully demonstrating her inner thoughts through her actions.
"Chu Huongyu, Chu Changsheng," Chu Yi said in a cold voice. "What did you promise me before inviting Madam Xie over?"
His voice was stern and sharp. The moment the two children heard him speak, they immediately let go of Yunchu and stood obediently to the side, their two pairs of dark, round eyes looking pitifully at Yunchu.
Yunchu forced herself to put on a smiling face. "Little heir, little princess, we'll see each other next time."
Her relationship with the two children was now out in the open; seeing them in the future should be somewhat easier.
Hardening her heart, she turned around and walked outward.
Chu Yi escorted her out, and Madam Yin quickly followed behind to prevent any impropriety if seen by others.
Arriving at the manor gates, Yunchu turned around and bowed in farewell once more.
"Thank you for being willing to come, Madam Xie," Chu Yi said. "On the roster of Imperial Academy students this autumn, the name of Madam Xie's eldest son will be included."
Yunchu understood immediately upon hearing this.
Once Xie Xie'an won top honors in the examination, he would naturally become a student of the Imperial Academy. However, because the Xie family had offended the Marquis of Xuanwu, with the Marquis pulling strings behind the scenes, that quota had naturally vanished.
Yet now that she had appeased the Prince of Pingxi's two children, out of gratitude, the Prince was willing to intervene and return that quota to the Xie family.
Yunchu lowered her head. "This humble wife was willing to come because she is fond of the little heir and the little princess, not to use the two children to gain anything. Your Highness's actions insult this humble wife's sincere affection for the children. I must ask Your Highness to take back your command."
Chu Yi frowned. "This is something that rightfully belongs to your Xie family in the first place."
"To attain it is fortune; to lose it is fate. In this world, there is nothing that inherently belongs to anyone," Yunchu replied calmly. "If Your Highness truly wishes to thank this humble wife, then please pay more mind to the little heir and the little princess. This humble wife takes her leave."
With that, she turned and boarded the carriage.
In the evening sunset, the Xie family carriage slowly vanished into the alleyway.
"Madam Xie truly is a gentle and magnanimous person," Madam Yin could not help remarking. "Yi'er, you ought to marry a wife like this."
Chu Yi shook his head. "Aunt, please do not say such things anymore."
Lest it soil Madam Xie's reputation.
He walked into the courtyard and beckoned to the two children: "Come over, we're heading back."
Chu Huongyu walked toward him with reluctance, only realizing after a couple of steps that his younger sister wasn't following. He looked back and saw his sister lowering her head, continuously playing with her own hands. Her two hands were twisting around like a blooming flower—this was her favorite motion to play with, one she could sometimes do for an entire day, which was quite terrifying.
He walked over and shouted loudly, "Changsheng! It's time to go home!"
Hearing the voice, the little girl lifted her head woodenly, her pitch-black eyes turning sluggishly before she finally took her older brother's hand and walked toward Chu Yi.
A sharp pain pierced Chu Yi's heart.
Just a moment ago, Changsheng had been a lively little girl.
The moment Madam Xie left, she reverted to her previous state—always blank and vacant, as though she could not hear sounds from the outside world and reacted to nothing at all.
Chu Yi squatted down. "Changsheng, Father will carry you."
The little girl tightly held Chu Huongyu's hand, refusing even to glance at him.
He sighed. "The cat that Father promised to let you raise has just been delivered to the prince's manor. You'll see it as soon as we get back."
Only then did a trace of fluctuation ripple through Chu Changsheng's gaze as she stretched out her two little arms toward Chu Yi.
He picked up the tiny girl.
In her world, there had previously been only her brother and the cat; now, Madam Xie had been added.
He spoke, "Changsheng, Yu'er, Father has decided to find a Princess Consort for you both. You can choose together with Father."
"Let Auntie Yun be our mother!" Chu Huongyu said happily. "Both Changsheng and I like Auntie Yun, and Father, you'll definitely like her too."
Chu Yi's expression was serene. "She is already married. Pick someone else."
"Can't she marry again?" Chu Huongyu asked eagerly. "I really, really like her."
Chu Yi did not speak further.
He thought of his fifteenth year when he accompanied General Yun on a campaign, and she had stood atop the city walls to bid them farewell. At that time, she was only ten years old.
Five years later, he returned in triumph with General Yun. The moment they arrived in the capital, he followed General Yun back to the Yun residence and drank the wine of her wedding banquet.
Just like that, she had married another.
Many things were too late to dwell upon, nor was there any way to think of them.