Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 145
Chapter 145 - I'm Sorry, Yun Chu
"Master Xie's condition of absolute infertility is caused by the influence of medication..." The old imperial physician's expression was grave. "May I ask what medicine Master Xie has been taking recently?"
Concubine Jiang hurriedly brought over the medicinal brew from the past few days.
The old imperial physician smelled it, tasted a drop, and shook his head. "This is indeed medicine to treat Master Xie's condition, but is there anything else?"
Xie Jingyu suddenly recalled that before he fell ill, he had constantly been taking medication meant to regulate his constitution, which was said to be a miraculous remedy to help him and his wife successfully conceive a legitimate eldest son.
He looked toward Yun Chu with a gaze tinged with disbelief.
For some reason, a voice in his heart told him that this matter was inextricably linked to Yun Chu.
"Why is Husband looking at me like that?" Yun Chu's eyes were clear and serene. "It seems Husband suspects his wedded wife. The medicine for regulating the constitution should still have some left. Someone, go fetch it and let the imperial physician inspect it."
The young manservant outside the door immediately brought over the unconsumed packages of medicine.
The old imperial physician sniffed them carefully, rubbed some between his fingertips, and continued to shake his head. "This is medicine to regulate a man's physique, and the prescription is exceptionally brilliant. Taking it for three months will definitely guarantee the birth of a son."
Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together. "Madam, it was my misunderstanding just now..."
"There is no need to explain." Yun Chu's voice was flat. "I must trouble the imperial physician to take another close look—where exactly does the problem lie?"
The old imperial physician nodded and carefully felt Xie Jingyu's pulse once more. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the potted plant resting on the windowsill, and he hurried over to inspect it.
At the start of the Shen hour, Xie Shian returned from school.
No sooner had he stepped through the front gates than he was summoned away by a manservant from Xie Jingyu's courtyard.
Assuming his father wished to question him about his studies, he walked in, only to find the servants all keeping their heads lowered in a rather oppressive atmosphere.
His heart sank; it seemed his father's illness had worsened once again.
Xie Shian stepped up to the entrance and, seeing that Yun Chu was also present in the inner chamber, offered a bow. "Father, Mother."
"Kneel!"
Xie Jingyu barked out a harsh command, using virtually all the strength he had left.
Seeing that Xie Shian stood unmoving, he picked up the teacup by his bedside and hurled it straight at him. "I told you to kneel! Didn't you hear me?!"
Xie Shian had no idea what had happened.
Yet with his father in such a furious rage, he dared not ask any further and straightened his spine to drop to his knees.
A pair of eyes blazed with a fury as if spitting fire; Xie Jingyu would never have dreamed in his wildest nightmares that the eldest son he had painstakingly cultivated would actually poison him with medicine.
Considering how much high hope he had pinned on this son, his heartbreak, sorrow, pain, and fury at this moment were all the more intense!
Unable to help himself, he crawled out of bed, grabbed the potted plant from the windowsill, and smashed it right in front of Xie Shian.
Soil mixed with ceramic shards burst apart before Xie Shian, and his complexion abruptly shifted.
"Speak, why did you do this?"
Xie Jingyu steadied himself against the table, panting heavily.
That old imperial physician had stated just moments ago that because of this potted plant, he would never be able to father children again for the rest of his life.
Furthermore, due to the medicinal properties exuded by this plant, his illness had grown increasingly severe by the day...
Had the existence of this potted plant not been uncovered in time, he would have died a sudden and violent death within a month...
"Father, is there something wrong with this flower?" Xie Shian feigned composure. "A peasant woman sold it to me, claiming it could calm the mind and soothe the spirit, which is why I bought it back and placed it in Father's bedchamber."
Yun Chu spoke in a slow, even tone. "An-ge'er, do you truly not know what kind of flower this is?"
Xie Shian didn't dare meet her gaze at all. Lowering his head, he replied, "Your son truly does not know. I beg Father and Mother to explain."
"An-ge'er, you have disappointed me too greatly." Yun Chu shook her head. "You have always been clever, widely read in books, and deliberate in your actions before doing anything. Do you really think your father and I would believe you brought a potted plant here to place for no reason at all?"
Her voice turned chillingly cold. "The physician said I am afflicted with infertility—could I also suspect that it has something to do with you?"
Xie Shian snapped his head up. "No, Mother, I have done no such thing!"
"If you did this, I could even understand." Yun Chu flashed a bitter smile. "You were afraid that once your father and I had a legitimate son, we would neglect and distance you, which is why you resorted to such behavior... But understanding is one thing, and accepting and forgiving it is quite another. An-ge'er, I will never be able to have a child of my own in this lifetime... Are you satisfied now?"
With that, she pressed her lips into a tight line and walked out of the room.
Xie Shian had a belly full of words to explain.
Before he could even rise to his feet, a heavy blow struck his chest—it was Xie Jingyu kicking him squarely in the heart with all his remaining strength.
"How could I have ever given birth to a rebellious wretch like you!" Xie Jingyu collapsed back onto the bed. "Get out! Get out of my sight!"
He had always taken pride in Xie Shian, firmly believing this son would become the future pillar of the Xie family and bring about a complete transformation for their household.
Yet the ruthless methods displayed by this son sent a chill straight down his spine.
On second thought, however, how could someone who could drive his own biological mother to her death without the slightest hesitation ever tolerate the appearance of a true legitimate heir in the Xie family to snatch away everything?
This son of his possessed a cold and callous disposition, being utterly detached and selfish. Such a person would certainly have no trouble climbing to high positions...
Ultimately, the Xie family still had to rely on An-ge'er.
Xie Jingyu closed his eyes.
The only person he had wronged was Yun Chu...
He already had numerous children, whereas Yun Chu would never be able to become a mother.
Xie Shian clutched his chest as he stumbled out of the room.
Glancing at the manservant waiting by the entrance, he lowered his voice and asked, "Has anyone else been to Father's courtyard?"
The manservant lowered his head and answered, "A little over an hour ago, the Madam brought an old imperial physician here to pulse-diagnose the Master."
Xie Shian lowered his brows and lashes.
He had consulted medical texts, which stated that the flower needed to be displayed in a room for at least a month before its medicinal effects would manifest.
Yet it hadn't even been ten days since he brought it here; how could the imperial physician have diagnosed that his father's body was already affected by this plant?
He vaguely felt something was amiss with this entire affair, though he couldn't pinpoint where the oddity lay.
He strode away toward Shengju.
Tingsue kept watch at the entrance. "The Madam is resting; Eldest Young Master, please return."
Xie Shian spoke up, "Then I shall come again tomorrow morning to offer my apologies to Mother."
Yun Chu sat inside her room, utterly unconcerned with the affairs of the Xie household.
She was currently sketching designs, having drafted three pendant styles: one for Yu-ge'er, one for Changsheng, and one reserved for herself.
However, the raw piece of jade gifted by the Prince of Pingxi was simply too large. Even after crafting the three pendants, at least two-thirds of the stone remained.
After pondering for a moment, she sketched out some jewelry designs suited for a young girl, planning to make a complete set of hair accessories that the little girl would surely adore.
As for the remaining scraps, they could be polished into small individual beads and paired with tassels woven by her own hands, which could be hung from Yu-ge'er's fan or ceremonial sword.
Yun Chu spent two days finalizing the drafts before taking the blueprints to a craftsman.
No sooner had she reached the main street than she heard many people discussing the affairs of Imperial Son-in-law Liu.
"Have you heard? Imperial Son-in-law Liu has been beheaded!"
"That fellow from the Liu family was personally chosen by the Grand Princess herself and enjoyed her deep favor. How could he possibly end up beheaded?"
"A cousin's nephew of mine serves in the palace, and he said Imperial Son-in-law Liu committed a breach of protocol in front of the throne and showed great disrespect to the Emperor. In a fit of rage, the Emperor personally severed Imperial Son-in-law Liu's head!"
"Didn't you see all those bailiffs walking by just now? Word is that all the members of the Liu family have been arrested!"
"Even if Imperial Son-in-law Liu committed a breach of decorum before the emperor, it shouldn't have anything to do with the rest of the Liu family, right?"
"In matters of the imperial court, how could ordinary folks like us understand so much..."