Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 157
Chapter 157 - Consort Yin's Probe
On Yanshan Mountain, fine steeds galloped across the terrain.
The Emperor, accompanied by the Empress, the imperial princes, the noble families, and the young scions of various estates, commenced the first round of the grand hunt.
A number of noble daughters and high-ranking madams who took an interest in hunting also spurred their horses on for a wild dash, leaving behind at the encampment only a few imperial consorts and ladies like Yun Chu, who preferred a more leisurely pace.
Yun Chu sat beneath the shade of a tree, watching from a distance as the two children enjoyed pastries under the attentive care of the palace maidservants.
At that moment, an elderly matron walked over toward her.
"Lady Xie, Consort Yin invites you over for tea."
Yun Chu's fingers paused mid-motion.
Having roughly guessed why Consort Yin wished to speak with her—she had partnered with the Prince of Pingxi to open the hot spring manor, so it was only natural for Consort Yin to inquire about it—she felt no great surprise.
She followed the matron over to the vicinity of the imperial tents.
Under the swift and bustling labor of several hundred palace maidservants and eunuchs, dozens of grand tents had already been erected. With a setup of this scale, calling it a temporary imperial palace would be no exaggeration.
The older imperial consorts had not gone hunting, choosing instead to rest within their respective tents.
Upon stepping into Consort Yin's tent, Yun Chu saw her engaged in conversation with a young maiden of about sixteen or seventeen years of age.
The young lady possessed delicate, clear-cut features and a charmingly round face that instantly won people over. Whatever the topic of conversation was, it caused a deep, rosy flush to bloom across the girl's cheeks.
"Miss Fang, come here," Consort Yin said with a smile as she removed a jade bracelet from her own wrist. "This is a greeting gift from me. Keep it safe."
The young Miss Fang appeared somewhat flustered, not daring to accept it.
Consort Yin personally stepped forward and slipped it onto her wrist.
Last time, she had attempted to select the Tan family's young lady for Third Older Brother, but unfortunately, that plan had been derailed by that little scamp Yu'er.
This time, before the Emperor could issue a formal decree of marriage, she would never again allow any cloistered maiden of good family to cross paths with the two children...
After expressing her gratitude, Miss Fang respectfully withdrew from the tent.
Yun Chu stepped forward, offered a formal bow, and said, "This subject's wife pays her respects to Consort Yin."
"Lady Xie, please be seated," Consort Yin said with a smile. "I suppose this can be considered the first time Lady Xie and I are officially meeting."
Yun Chu took a seat, occupying only the front third of the chair, and lowered her gaze as she replied, "Indeed."
"I heard from Third Older Brother that the Chuyun Zhi Shang Hot Spring Manor is registered under Lady Xie's name," Consort Yin took a sip of tea and remarked offhandedly. "I had someone look into it, and it turns out Lady Xie acquired that manor from a merchant for just a few thousand taels of silver. How about this—I will offer twenty thousand taels of silver, and Lady Xie can transfer the ownership of the manor to Third Older Brother's name."
Yun Chu was taken aback; she truly hadn't expected Consort Yin to attempt to buy out her manor.
That she had taken the initiative to approach the Prince of Pingxi as a collaborative partner did not mean she was restricted to having only a single partner.
After a brief moment of surprise, she smiled and said, "Thanks to the gracious invitation of Her Majesty the Empress, this subject's wife was fortunate enough to come to Yanshan for the hunt. I have been wondering what sort of token of gratitude I should prepare for the Empress—I wonder if Consort Yin might offer a word of guidance?"
A moment prior, Consort Yin had worn the composed expression of one who held absolute control over the situation, but upon hearing Yun Chu's words, she nearly dropped the teacup right out of her hand.
She understood the hidden implication behind the Xie Madam's words completely: if Consort Yin insisted on forcefully purchasing the manor, then the woman standing before her would have no qualms about aligning herself with the Empress and the Crown Prince.
Should matters truly reach that stage, whatever shred of cordial relations existed between Third Older Brother and the Yun family would instantly evaporate.
"Her Majesty the Empress is fond of fragrances," Consort Yin seamlessly pivoted the conversation to a new topic, flowing with the current. "I've heard that Lady Xie's mother, Madam Yun, excels in the art of blending incense, and her orchid scent is particularly pleasing to the Empress."
Yun Chu smiled and said, "Many thanks to Your Ladyship for the pointers."
Just as the two of them were conversing, the tent curtain was lifted, and before even seeing who had arrived, a clear voice rang out: "Imperial Grandmother!"
Immediately afterward, Chu Hongyu hurtled into the tent like a tiny cannonball, crashing straight into Consort Yin's arms.
"Aiya, my little darling!" Consort Yin gazed down at the child in her arms with a face full of doting affection. "I've had a little pony prepared especially for you—would you like to try going out for a hunt?"
Chu Hongyu's eyes lit up instantly. "Truly? Can I really?"
Consort Yin nodded. "You may go, but Changsheng cannot; we mustn't shake her delicate constitution."
Even without Consort Yin spelling it out, Chu Hongyu knew better than to take his younger sister horseback riding.
The little fellow's eyes rolled around before falling upon Yun Chu. "Lady Xie is the legitimate eldest daughter of the Yun family, and since General Yun is so majestic and awe-inspiring when slaughtering enemies on the battlefield, I imagine Lady Xie must be equally formidable. How about a friendly competition between Lady Xie and myself?"
Yun Chu: "..."
This little rascal really had a knack for putting on an act.
The comforting part was that the little scamp knew enough to maintain a facade in public to cover up their overly intimate relationship.
She stood up. "Since the young Prince has issued a challenge, how could I refuse? Lead the way."
Puffing out his tiny chest, Chu Hongyu strutted out with an air of great swagger. Yun Chu bowed to take her leave of Consort Yin before stepping out of the tent.
The smile on Consort Yin's face gradually faded away.
Upon emerging outside, Chu Hongyu caught sight of the small white pony brought over by the guards and was ecstatic, hurriedly letting the attendants assist him onto its back.
His father was a man of martial prowess, and he himself had taken a liking to these things from a young age, able to sit astride a horse by the age of three. Now, at over four years old, his horsemanship was already remarkably proficient.
He instructed the guards nearby, "None of you are to follow me. Lady Xie, I'll take the lead."
Yun Chu hadn't originally planned on hunting and hadn't brought any horses of her own, so she had no choice but to borrow one from elsewhere. Swinging herself gracefully into the saddle, she spurred the mount forward to catch up with the little pony ahead.
Chu Hongyu rode faster and faster, though the pony beneath him was far too small; no matter how hard it tried, it remained relatively slow, and within moments Yun Chu had pulled up alongside him, closely trailed by a contingent of guards.
He fumed with mock anger, "I told you all not to follow me—stay back!"
Yun Chu spoke up, "With me here, the young Prince will come to no harm. Fall back a bit; there's no need to crowd us."
The guards exchanged glances before slowing their pace, dropping far back into the distance.
Certain that the guards were far enough away to hear nothing, the little fellow let out a sweet, affectionate cry: "Mother!"
Yun Chu deliberately put on a stern face. "You are not permitted to call me that."
"When there's no one else around, I'm going to call you that anyway," Chu Hongyu said with a cheeky grin. "My goal is to bag two foxes and make two neck wraps—one for Mother and one for Changsheng."
Hearing this, Yun Chu couldn't help but chuckle.
The little brat had only just learned how to ride; complex and demanding techniques like mounted archery were completely beyond him, yet he was already running his mouth with tall tales.
She replied, "I've no need for a neck wrap. Look over there—so many flowers! Let's go pick some blossoms; we can weave a flower wreath for Changsheng."
The two of them dismounted and walked hand in hand toward a vast sea of blooms.
These were nameless wildflowers—red, purple, white, and blue, all intermingled in a riot of colors.
The little fellow busied himself picking flowers with boundless delight, while Yun Chu concentrated on weaving the flower garland. Suddenly, the sound of voices drifted over from nearby.
"Eldest Young Master Xie, you're just riding around on your horse without shooting a single arrow—don't tell me you don't know how to shoot. Hahaha!"
The Sixth Prince sat high atop a majestic steed, looking down at Xie Shi'an trailing behind him with a face full of derisive mockery.
With him taking the lead, a flock of good-for-nothing young nobles chimed in with their own jeers.
"For someone so brilliant at studying, how can the Eldest Young Master Xie not even know how to shoot an arrow? Truly pathetic."
"Tsk tsk, if you don't know how to shoot, what on earth are you doing at the hunting grounds? Bringing shame to your own name."
"If you don't know how to hunt, get off your horse and clear out—get down, get down!"
Back when they were studying together at the Imperial Academy, these individuals still exercised restraint out of fear of the scholarly instructors and tutors. Here, however, with no outsiders around to police them, everyone abandoned all pretense and circled around Xie Shi'an, mocking him relentlessly without stop.