Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 88
Chapter 88 - Xie Jingyu Drinks Medicine
Xie Ping nodded amidst her tears.
The Hall of Longevity fell into a momentary silence.
Although they knew Ping'er's future days would not be easy, no one expected that before she had even crossed the threshold, she would be beaten like this by her future mother-in-law.
They say one should not hit the face when striking someone, but Imperial Noble Consort De deliberately had someone slap Ping'er's face to signal the Xie family that this matter of scheming against King Anjing would not simply be brushed aside.
"Mama Zhou, fetch the anti-swelling ointment for Ping'er," the old madam sighed. "When you were scheming against King Anjing, you should have anticipated today's scene."
Xie Jingyu's voice was low. "Since Imperial Noble Consort De has brought her tactics out into the open, it is still better than resorting to underhanded tricks in secret. Whatever comes, you must bear it."
Xie Shian lifted his gaze. "No matter how Imperial Noble Consort De treats you, you are the future Princess Consort of Anjing. That much is unalterable."
Xie Ping wept even more bitterly.
When even her own family could not stand up for her, what was she supposed to do...
"Ping'er," Yun Chu said softly, "As long as our Xie family finds a legitimate reason to call off the wedding, Imperial Noble Consort De will certainly agree with gladness, and you won't have to endure these sufferings anymore."
"Call off the wedding?" Xie Ping raised her tear-blurred eyes. "I—I do not want to call it off."
This was something she had schemed for with all her heart and soul, enduring so much misery without yet enjoying the glory a princess consort was due; how could she bear to return it?
"Chuchu, what kind of nonsense are you spouting?" The old madam said with a sinking face. "Ping'er and King Anjing's marriage was bestowed by an imperial decree from the Emperor. Calling it off would be equivalent to defying the decree, and our Xie family cannot afford such a grave crime."
Xie Jingyu nodded. "The wedding cannot be called off."
Yun Chu pulled Xie Ping close and enunciated every word clearly, "Before the wedding, you always have the opportunity to change your mind. Whichever path you choose, Mother will support you. Remember, as long as Mother is here, you still have a way out."
A sour lump formed in Xie Ping's throat, and her tears flowed anew.
Everyone else in the Xie family placed family honor and disgrace above all else, and only her mother genuinely and truly considered things for her as a daughter.
How much virtue had she accumulated in her past life to be granted the fortune of having her mother as her mother in this lifetime?
Emerging from the Hall of Longevity, Xie Jingyu caught up with Yun Chu's pace and could not help asking, "Did Madam truly wish to call off the wedding for Ping'er?"
"Of course not," Yun Chu replied. "Ping'er is currently enduring Imperial Noble Consort De's harassment on behalf of the Xie family. If everyone in the Xie family regards this as the suffering she deserves and treats her with cold indifference, will she still plot and scheme for the Xie family after she marries into King Anjing's manor?"
Xie Jingyu was suddenly enlightened. "As expected, my wife is wise."
Yun Chu wore little expression on her face as she lifted her step and continued walking toward the Sheng Residence.
Xie Jingyu followed her into the Sheng Residence, pursed his lips, and asked, "I only just learned that Mother recently took you to see the divine doctor. I wonder what the divine doctor had to say?"
"The divine doctor said I need proper recuperation and prescribed a few medicinal formulas for me to take first," Yun Chu turned her gaze sideways. "A single pulse diagnosis by the divine doctor costs five thousand taels of silver. My lord, who do you think should foot this bill?"
"The child you bear in the future will be the legitimate direct-line son of my Xie family; naturally, the Xie family should pay this expense," Xie Jingyu took up the conversation. "I will have someone deliver the consultation fee to Mother later."
Five thousand taels of silver was not a small sum for him, but fortunately, he was the future father-in-law of King Anjing, and he had plenty of methods to acquire such silver.
He slowly drew closer to Yun Chu step by step, resting his hand upon her shoulder. "Madam, I shall lodge here in the Sheng Residence tonight."
Yun Chu felt a wave of nausea.
She stepped back to evade Xie Jingyu's touch and walked over to the desk at the side. "The divine doctor said that both husband and wife must recuperate their bodies, and sharing a bed is strictly forbidden during the period of recuperation."
She handed the parcel of medicinal herbs from the desk directly into Xie Jingyu's hands.
Xie Jingyu felt a sudden heaviness in his hands. "I have to take medicine as well?"
Yun Chu nodded. "Of course. If my lord is unwilling to have more children, you may choose not to take it."
Things having reached this point, Xie Jingyu knew that if he refused to recuperate his body, his marital relationship with Yun Chu would truly come to an end.
Once his body was fully restored, he and Yun Chu should be able to have a child truly belonging to the two of them, right?
He gave Yun Chu a deep look, picked up the medicine, and returned to his own courtyard.
Tingshuang stood nearby and asked with some incomprehension, "Madam, what are you doing..."
She knew Divine Doctor Si had not prescribed any medicine for the master, and even the prescription Divine Doctor Si had given to her mistress had been torn to shreds and thrown away by her mistress.
She was acutely aware that her mistress had no intention of recuperating her body whatsoever, nor did she ever think of having another child with the master.
Yet why give the master so much medicine?
She truly did not understand what her mistress was trying to accomplish.
Yun Chu's face was devoid of expression. "There are already more than enough children in the Xie family. This medicine can solve a great deal of trouble."
At present, the Xie family had five children: Eldest Miss Xie Ping, Second Miss Xie Xian, Eldest Young Master Xie Shian, Second Young Master Xie Shiwei, and Third Young Master Xie Shiyun, while Concubine Tao still carried a fourth young master in her womb... In the future, the Xie residence would undoubtedly acquire four or five more concubines, and every single one of those concubines would give birth to sons, leading to a fifth, sixth, and seventh young master...
At the thought of the vile deeds those children would commit in the future, hatred welled up in Yun Chu's chest.
Rather than waiting for those children to come and wreak havoc upon her, she might as well resolve the problem right at the source.
As long as Xie Jingyu stopped siring children, countless troubles would be nipped in the bud for her.
Tingshuang was shocked to the absolute extreme.
She had no words to describe her current state of mind.
However, she quickly lost the capacity to remain shocked over this matter.
Because Yun Chu's next words left her with no spare attention for anything else.
"Tingshuang, I had my mother scout out a match for you," Yun Chu stated. "Tomorrow morning we will return to the Yun residence; you can see if you are satisfied with him."
"M-Madam..." Tingshuang's face turned pale. "This servant will not marry; I wish to stay by Madam's side and serve Madam for the rest of my life..."
"If I let you remain unmarried and childless for a lifetime, there will come a day when you will resent me," Yun Chu said softly. "Tingshuang, you and I are of the same age. I have already been married for five years; I cannot delay you any longer."
Tingshuang bit her lower lip.
Her mistress had already broken away from the Xie family in secret; what lay ahead for her mistress was something she dared not imagine.
If she left her mistress's side, where else could her mistress find anyone capable of being trusted with tasks?
Uncle Chen was always stationed in the outer courtyard, Tingxue was far too honest, and Tingfeng was far too impulsive. In the future, when her mistress needed to handle private matters in secret, who would execute them for her?
Yet Tingshuang said no more. When tomorrow arrived and she went to the Yun residence to see that man, she would simply declare she was unsatisfied.
In any case, come what may, she would never leave her mistress.
Later that evening, Tingxue came to report, "My lord ordered the maidservants to brew the medicine, and he drank every last drop of it."
Yun Chu nodded. "There is no need to keep watching him."
Drinking that medicine once was enough.
She had people properly dispose of the medicinal dregs, and any medicine brewed from that point onward would genuinely be the real concoction meant to recuperate a man's body.
Early the next morning, Yun Chu took Tingxue and Tingfeng with her to the Yun residence.
All along the way, Tingshuang nervously twisted her fingers, while Tingfeng carelessly gazed out of the carriage window and exclaimed, "Madam, look, there are such long lines outside the ice shop."
Yun Chu took a look and saw that outside four ice shops with different signboards, long queues of servants arranged by wealthy households were packed tight at every entrance.