Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 149
Chapter 149 - The Grand Wedding Day of Xie Ping
Chu Yi rode over on horseback.
Reaching the spot, he vaulted down from his saddle, and addressing Yun Silin, he said, "I have come specifically to see the General off. Fortunately, I am not late."
Yun Silin led Chu Yi slightly to the side. "The Prince has suppressed numerous bandit factions of late, earning the deep trust of the Emperor and the adoration of the common folk. Because of this, however, you have inevitably drawn the wariness of the Crown Prince. I wonder if Your Highness has noticed this yourself?"
Chu Yi replied, "If I were to conceal my brilliance and abandon military power merely out of fear of the Crown Prince's suspicion, it would mean failing His Majesty and failing the common people. What ought to be done by me, I shall still do."
Yun Silin nodded.
It was precisely because he appreciated this temperament of the Prince of Pingxi that he was willing to take him onto the battlefield to temper and hone his skills.
Among the several imperial princes who had grown up in the palace nowadays, the Crown Prince was born of the legitimate Empress, the Second Prince possessed exceptional talent and an illustrious reputation abroad, and the Third Prince—namely the Prince of Pingxi—practiced martial arts and held formidable renown in the hearts of the people... Within the imperial court, three distinct factions had already begun to take subtle shape.
If the Yun family wished to choose a wise master to support, they could only select from among these three.
The Prince of Pingxi perhaps...
However, he still needed to observe for at least two more years before making a final decision.
He spoke up, "With this trip of mine to Nanyue, I know not how long it will be before I can return. Should any untoward events occur within the Yun family, I must ask Your Highness to bestow your generous care upon them."
Chu Yi readily agreed.
Once these matters had been largely settled, Yun Silin bade farewell to the gathered company, leaped onto his horse, and headed southward.
Watching him vanish along the great highway, Chu Yi finally withdrew his gaze, and upon turning his head, he caught sight of Yun Chu's profile.
Ever since she departed from the hot spring estate that day, he had dispatched men to investigate the affairs of the Xie family's inner courtyard.
He knew that prying into the private inner domain of a woman without authorization was thoroughly improper... yet the seed that had sprouted in his heart had grown overnight into a towering tree, sprouting countless wildly spreading vines of madness. He could no longer control those secretive emotions; he needed to find an outlet.
He had always considered himself an upright and forthright man, unwilling to resort to sordid methods to attain what he desired.
However, when his subordinates brought him word of those trials within the Xie house, he found himself rejoicing that she had fared so poorly, as if that granted him a reason to do what he had never dared dream of before... But far outweighing that was his ache for her, an aching pity for the five years she had endured within the Xie household... Gradually, his determination solidified, and he no longer minded employing a few measures to secure her departure from the Xie family...
Aside from their wedding night, she and her husband had never shared the same bedchamber.
Her husband had successively taken four concubines, siring a veritable brood of illegitimate sons and daughters.
Her life in the Xie household had been anything but pleasant.
Just as Yun Ze was about to speak, he sensed that Chu Yi seemed to be staring fixedly at Yun Chu.
He glanced toward Chu Yi and, within those typically icy pupils, caught sight of a trace of emotion akin to heartache.
A jolt of alarm struck his chest, prompting him to feign a cough.
Yet Chu Yi acted as though he hadn't heard a thing, his gaze seemingly rooted to Yun Chu's person.
"Eldest Brother, have you caught a chill?" Yun Chu turned to ask with concern.
"My throat is merely a bit dry," Yun Ze replied with an air of nonchalance. "Let's go, let's return to the city."
Lady Lin and Yun Chu assisted the pregnant Liu Qianqian into the carriage, while Yun Ze and Chu Yi rode their horses ahead of the procession.
Yun Ze let out a heavy sigh.
Chu Yi inquired, "What troubles are weighing on Official Yun's mind? Could it be that you are worried for General Yun's safety?"
With Father leading three hundred personal guards, there's nothing to worry about, Yun Ze thought to himself, knowing that Chu'er had even meticulously jotted down every potential event, person, and hazard they might encounter along the road on sheets of paper. If his father still managed to run into trouble under those circumstances, it could only mean the Yun family's fate was destined to be thus.
Pausing for a moment, he said, "It concerns Chu'er. But these domestic matters are hardly worth troubling the Prince with."
Hearing this, Chu Yi immediately stated, "Your father and I are friends across generations, and you and I practically grew up together. As your friend, I am more than willing to lend an ear to your vexations and share your burdens."
Yun Ze's fingers tightened on his reins.
It seemed he hadn't been overthinking it after all; the Prince of Pingxi's feelings toward Chu'er were indeed...
He spoke in a slow, deliberate voice. "Five years ago, when my parents were selecting a match for Chu'er, they searched high and low before finally choosing Xie Jingyu, the top scholar of that year. Who could have ever foreseen... that this Xie Jingyu already had children before marriage. From the moment Chu'er married over, her days were spent either managing household affairs or raising offspring for the Xie family. The very thought of raising another person's children brings a sour ache to the heart..."
Chu Yi's gaze suddenly darkened.
He had a son and a daughter of his own. If Yun Chu were to become his wife, in the eyes of the Yun family, would she not also be raising another person's children...
Yun Ze cast a sideways glance at him.
The implication behind his words was abundantly clear.
Even if Chu'er were to obtain a separation, she would not easily wed again, let alone marry a man who already had children.
He hoped the Prince of Pingxi understood this tacit boundary.
Chu Yi's eyes darkened for only a fleeting instant before regaining their luster.
The mere fact that Yun Ze dared utter such words indicated that Yun Ze had likely seen straight through his intentions.
Yun Ze had not raised the point of Yun Chu being a wedded woman, but had instead brought up children... Did that not suggest the greatest obstacle standing between him and Yun Chu was the matter of children, rather than her status as a married woman?
If that was the case, did the Yun family likewise harbor intentions of securing a divorce for Yun Chu?
"For parents to raise children is the ultimate virtue under heaven; for children to honor parents is the ultimate filial piety. Your esteemed younger sister serves as the primary mistress of the Xie family, possessing a purity and benevolence of the highest order, yet the Xie children—" Chu Yi shook his head. "Is the Xie family truly worthy of such devotion from your sister, Official Yun? Some matters ought to be severed decisively when the time comes."
Yun Ze pressed his lips into a tight line.
It appeared the Prince of Pingxi hadn't taken his words to heart in the slightest.
"I heard that Official Yun has recently been restoring ancient classics and seems to have run into some difficulties," Chu Yi continued. "Is there any way in which this humble prince might be of assistance?"
Yun Ze's tone was cool. "Such trivial matters are not worth troubling Your Highness's mind."
With that, he kicked his horse's flanks and trotted ahead.
Chu Yi remained utterly unfazed by his attitude, riding his horse close beside the carriage all the way back to the Yun residence.
As Yun Chu dismounted, he stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "The Xie estate will be hosting a joyous wedding in a few days' time. I wonder if I might brazenly beg for an invitation card?"
Thinking of the two children, Yun Chu nodded and replied, "Very well, I shall have someone send one to the Prince's estate."
In the blink of an eye, the grand wedding day of the Prince of Anjing and the Xie family's eldest daughter arrived swiftly.
The entire Xie estate was adorned with celebratory lanterns and colorful silks, the servants beamed with radiant joy, and the main hall was bustling with incomparable liveliness. Even Xie Jingyu, who had been bedridden with illness, seemed miraculously recovered.
Clad in brand-new robes and looking spirited and upright, he stood at the entrance to welcome guests, bearing not the slightest trace of someone who had been ailing for over a month.
"Master Xie, Madam Xie, congratulations, congratulations!"
"This humble one has prepared a meager gift; I pray Master Xie will graciously accept it!"
"Master Xie, joyous occasions truly impart a buoyant spirit! We must share a few cups later on!"
A stream of court colleagues arrived at the threshold, each bearing congratulatory gifts and showering them with endless flattery, causing Xie Jingyu's complexion to grow increasingly radiant.
Before long, a carriage halted before the Xie estate's gates. Clad in black brocade robes, Chu Yi descended from the carriage first, and then tenderly lifted down two children from within.
The surrounding crowd of onlookers was struck utterly dumb with astonishment.
"It's the Prince of Pingxi!"
"When on earth did Master Xie manage to attach himself to the Prince of Pingxi?"
"Shouldn't the Prince of Pingxi be attending the wedding banquet at the Prince of Anjing's Estate? Why has he come to the Xie household instead? It seems their bond is extraordinary indeed."
"Perhaps it's out of regard for Madam Xie's face—after all, she is the legitimate eldest daughter of the Yun family."
Holding his daughter, Chu Yi walked straight up to Xie Jingyu and said, "Master Xie, congratulations."
Though somewhat startled, Xie Jingyu nonetheless welcomed them inside with a full face of smiles.
As the guest of highest status and rank among all present, the Prince of Pingxi did not linger at the entrance to greet further arrivals, but instead accompanied Chu Yi directly into the interior of the Xie estate.
Taking two steps inside, Chu Yi paused. "I must trouble Madam Xie to kindly assist in keeping an eye on these two children."
A warm smile bloomed on Yun Chu's face as she reached out to take the small hands of the two children.