Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 73
Chapter 73 - Truly Stupid Beyond Measure
When the very last trace of the evening glow dissipated, Yunchu returned to the Xie residence.
The maidservants served dinner one dish after another. By the time the meal was finished, the sky had grown completely dark.
She went back to change into a short-sleeved training tunic and followed Tongtong into the courtyard to practice some basic martial forms. After half an hour of practice, she was drenched in sweat.
Tingsheng had an older female servant fetch hot water, preparing a hot bath for Yunchu, and then scattered some dried flower petals across the surface of the wooden tub.
Just as Yunchu was undressing, Tingfeng reported from outside the door, "Madam, Master and the Eldest Young Master have arrived."
Her brows knitted together slightly. What on earth were these two coming here for so late at night?
Yet, reflecting on the Prince of Pingxi's words, she could readily guess that it likely concerned the quota for the Imperial Academy.
Unflustered, she spoke unhurriedly, "Just tell them I am bathing. Whatever the matter is, we can discuss it tomorrow."
Tingfeng nodded and went back down.
Yunchu leaned back inside the bath barrel, casually picking up a book to read. When the water had grown nearly lukewarm, she finally stood up.
Tingshuan stood behind her, drying her hair. Once her hair was mostly dry, she draped an outer garment over her shoulders and lounged upon the couch to continue reading.
Her sleep quality was not particularly good nowadays; she could barely manage to fall asleep by the Hour of Hai (9:00 PM to 11:00 PM). Before sleeping, she would read various types of books she had never perused before.
"Madam, Master and the Eldest Young Master still haven't left," Tingfeng walked inside and said softly. "Does Madam wish to see them?"
Yunchu gave a cold, mocking laugh.
The moment trouble struck, they came running to find her, truly treating her like a straw to clutch at in a shipwreck.
A twenty-eight-year-old grown man, yet every time he encountered any problem, he ran to seek out his wife—from the very bottom of her heart, she despised Xie Jingyu.
Putting down her book and donning her outer robe, she rose and walked over to the adjacent side parlor. "Do Husband and An'er have some matter requiring attention so late at night?"
The moment she stepped inside, Xie Jingyu caught the faint, exclusive fragrance that belonged to her alone. Suppressing the romantic stirring within his heart, he began, "It is my fault for disturbing Madam's rest, but this matter is simply too important."
Xie Shi'an took over the conversation, saying, "Originally, I was eligible to enter the Imperial Academy for my studies, but because the Marquis of Xuanwu meddled and obstructed it, Father found out that the Libationer of the Imperial Academy has struck my name from the roster."
"Such a thing actually happened?" Yunchu's face displayed a well-calibrated measure of righteous indignation. "How could the Marquis of Xuanwu be so tyrannical and oppressive? Weiyi has already been ruined by his hands, how could he ruin An'er as well? Come to think of it, the Marquis's heir merely scraped a tiny patch of skin on his finger, yet he made our Xie family pay such an enormous price. Husband, submit a memorial to the Emperor! I refuse to believe His Majesty will simply ignore this!"
Xie Jingyu sighed. "His Majesty has recently favored a new palace maid; what mind does he have to care about such a matter?"
The reigning Emperor could not be considered entirely muddle-headed, but his greatest flaw was his fondness for feminine beauty. Whichever woman caught his eye, he would indulge in her favor for days and nights on end before stopping.
If he were to write about this trivial matter of the Xie family in a memorial, even if the Imperial Study presented his document before the Emperor, His Majesty likely wouldn't even deign to glance at it twice.
"Then what on earth should we do?" Yunchu wore an expression of acute anxiety. "An'er cannot simply be ruined like this."
"Father, Mother, please do not worry on my account," Xie Shi'an raised his head. "In past years, those top scholars and metropolitan graduates did not all come from the Imperial Academy. While a teacher's guidance is certainly important, I believe that an individual's personal diligence and hard work matter far more than a teacher. As long as I study diligently and apply myself earnestly, regardless of whether I am in the Imperial Academy or not, I will surely attain academic honors and make a name for myself."
Yunchu was filled to the brim with internal mockery.
If Xie Shi'an truly did not care about the Imperial Academy quota, he wouldn't be waiting here for her late into the night.
His words were clearly an instance of retreating in order to advance, attempting to make her, his legal stepmother, willingly pave the way for him.
She raised her eyes to look at Xie Shi'an. "An'er, it is rare for you to have such backbone. Just as you said, we won't go to that so-called Imperial Academy; we'll have your father find you a renowned mentor instead."
"No matter how excellent a mentor is, they cannot compare to the Imperial Academy," Xie Jingyu said with a complex expression. "Madam, the Yun family is a first-rank general's household. Might you let An'er utilize the Yun family's quota to enter the Imperial Academy?"
Yunchu lowered her gaze and took a sip of tea.
Xie Jingyu had uttered the exact same words as in her previous life, except that in the past life, the request was for the Yun family to send the Third Young Master, Xie Shiyun, into the Imperial Academy.
In this lifetime, since misfortune befell Xie Shi'an, they were having the Yun family utilize this quota ten years ahead of schedule.
She still remembered that back when Xie Shi'an entered the palace to study as the top scorer of the examinations, she had taken the initiative to enter the palace to see her paternal aunt, Consort Yun, requesting that Xie Shi'an be made a study companion to the Eighth Prince.
Although both involved studying in the Imperial Academy, becoming an imperial prince's study companion meant enjoying an entirely different tier of resources.
Back then, she had racked her brains to plot and scheme for Xie Shi'an. Remembering it now, she wanted nothing more than to slap herself across the face—she had been truly stupid beyond measure.
"Madam, I know the Yun family does not wish to become entangled in imperial power struggles, which is why you haven't planned to send any children into the Imperial Academy to study," Xie Jingyu continued when he saw her remain silent. "If An'er were not cut out for scholarship, I would never make such an unreasonable request. But Madam, you have seen it yourself—An'er will only be more outstanding than I am. Once An'er achieves success in the future, won't he also become a major pillar of support for the Yun family?"
Yunchu raised her head. "Husband's words are entirely reasonable. However, I must still consult my eldest brother's opinion."
Because the Yun family's growing military achievements were beginning to overshadow the sovereign, they naturally would not send their children to the Imperial Academy to dabble in imperial politics; doing so would only hasten their own demise.
Yet why should something the Yun family rejected be handed over to the Xie family?
The next day, after returning from morning court, Xie Jingyu came straight to Sheng Residence, his every word urging Yunchu to return to the Yun family as soon as possible to finalize the matter.
Yunchu dragged her feet until the alternate day before returning to the Yun family.
Passing through the bustling marketplace, she noticed that a second shop selling ice had opened on the streets of the capital.
One had to admit that Chen Defu moved remarkably fast; the task she had entrusted to him just the day before yesterday had already been successfully executed today.
The price of ice at the new shop was two taels and two qian of silver per jin, considerably more expensive than the previous shop. Because of this, the business of the original shop instantly surged.
Many people on the street were chattering and discussing the matter.
"Such unscrupulous merchants! Isn't ice just water? They sell it for so much; how is that any different from outright robbery?"
"When is ice ever cheap? It's basically always around one tael of silver per jin. It's just that there's less ice this year, so the price climbed to over two taels."
"It has nothing to do with us common folk anyway; we couldn't afford one tael of silver either, so who cares whether it's expensive or not."
"..."
Tingfeng muttered under her breath, "Even if it were sold at cost, these commoners couldn't afford it anyway. What right do they have to curse them as unscrupulous merchants?"
Tingshuan sighed. "An ordinary commoner family barely saves three or four taels of silver in an entire year..."
A single block of ice for a wealthy household amounted to a commoner family's entire year of firewood, rice, oil, and salt.
Yunchu looked out the carriage window, lost in thought.
The bustling, jostling crowds were largely composed of the most ordinary grassroots commoners.
In her previous life, after calamity struck the Yun family, it was precisely these ordinary commoners who knelt before the imperial city gates, petitioning the Emperor to thoroughly reinvestigate the case concerning the Yun family.
Although the Emperor did not pay heed to the appeals of these commoners, she had nevertheless kept the commoners' kindness toward the Yun family firmly etched in her heart...
"Tingshuan, later on, tell Uncle Chen that once the scorching heat of the sixth month arrives, we should set up a cooling pavilion in the Yun family's name, providing blocks of ice for two hours every afternoon to create a refuge from the summer heat for the common people," Yunchu said in a measured voice. "Additionally, raise the price of ice by half a tael every half-month with no upper limit."
Whatever good deeds were done for the common people, they would remember them, and they would give back when the time of need arose.
She did not know whether the Yun family in this lifetime would face the events of her past life, but she would make full preparations to meet them, and would never let such a tragedy repeat itself.