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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 168

Chapter 168 - Xie Xian's Dowry

Stepping into Sheng Residence, Lady Yuan experienced a momentary daze.


While the Xie family was a grand mansion teetering on the verge of collapse, Sheng Residence remained as peaceful and serene as ever, looking as though nothing had happened at all.


Maidservants and elderly maids moved to and fro, each attending diligently to their respective duties. Her daughter-in-law sat in the flower hall sipping tea, her face completely unreadable.


"Chu'er."


Lady Yuan entered the flower hall and let out a heavy sigh.


"Back then, the head of the He family took money he shouldn't have taken. Everyone in the capital knows the tragic fate that befell the entire He family; I need not elaborate further," Yun Chu spoke up. "Xie Jingyu's actions not only trampled upon his own conscience, but also showed complete disregard for the lives of so many members of the Xie family... After committing such deeds, is it even possible to expect the Yun family to plead on his behalf?"


Lady Yuan's hands turned ice-cold.


In the past, Chu'er had always addressed Jingyu as "Husband."


Yet now that disaster had struck Jingyu, she addressed her own husband by his full first and last name, without a shred of affection remaining.


"Jingyu did all this for the sake of the family's many mouths," Lady Yuan murmured feebly. "He did it to give you, his wife, dignity and honor, so you could live a life of luxury and fine clothes, to..."


Yun Chu set down her teacup. "I cannot interfere in this matter. Tingxue, see the Old Lady out."


Before Lady Yuan could voice the bellyful of words she had prepared, Tingxue politely ushered her out.


Standing at the entrance of Sheng Residence, gazing at Yun Chu's distant figure, Lady Yuan suddenly felt as though she no longer recognized this daughter-in-law.


Yun Chu could not have cared less.


She instructed Tingxue and Tingfeng to finish taking full inventory of everything in the storeroom, ensuring that every single item belonging to her was prepared to be taken away without exception.


The Old Lady's private storeroom was temporarily under her management. Yun Chu had never considered keeping those belongings for herself: first, because she looked down on them, and second, because the thought of them made her uncomfortable.


Yet if left to the Xie family, they would simply turn around and bribe the guards at the gate to curry favor...


Yun Chu paused briefly, then said, "Tingxue, go summon Concubine Jiang here."


Tingxue nodded and immediately went to fetch Concubine Jiang.


Ever since Xie Jingyu fell ill, Concubine Jiang and Tingyu had taken turns nursing him, exhausting themselves until they had grown noticeably thinner.


"Greetings to the Madam."


Concubine Jiang bowed with her head lowered.


"Sit." Yun Chu's demeanor was gentle, and she even had tea served for her.


Having just heard that the Old Lady had been given the cold shoulder, Concubine Jiang felt a sudden shiver of apprehension upon seeing the Madam treat her with such warmth and kindness.


"How has Sister Xian been doing lately?" Yun Chu asked.


"Aside from her studies, Sister Xian has been learning embroidery. However, since the Master fell ill, this concubine hasn't been able to accompany her as much, so I don't know how well she is progressing."


Yun Chu nodded. "Sister Xian is a good child. I have some items here; take them and keep them safe for her, and consider it a dowry prepared in advance by me."


Concubine Jiang was completely stunned.


When the Eldest Young Lady had married previously—and to a Prince, no less—the Madam had not contributed even a sliver of a dowry.


How old was her Sister Xian? It would be more than a decade before she would marry. Why was the Madam preparing a dowry so early...


Tingxue carried forward a casket. It was a very large casket, far bigger than an ordinary vanity box. When Tingxue lifted the lid and Concubine Jiang saw what lay inside, she froze once more.


Inside were pieces of jewelry with which she was intimately familiar: a gold and jade head ornament set gifted to the Old Lady by the Master upon his promotion, a set worn during the Old Lady's birthday celebration, along with various hairpins, hair clasps, earrings, pearl necklaces, bracelets... All of them were exquisite treasures accumulated by the Old Lady over the years. Even if not priceless, they were worth at least three to five thousand taels of silver—a colossal fortune that a mere concubine like her would never dare dream of possessing.


Yet the Madam was offering all of these to her Sister Xian.


"Madam, this... this is..."


Yun Chu spoke calmly, "If you do not accept these, they will simply end up falling into the hands of those guards and jailers."


Concubine Jiang's hands trembled slightly. "Madam, may this concubine ask why?"


Yun Chu smiled faintly.


Why?


Because in her previous life, just before her death, only Sister Xian had wept bitterly as she embraced her, knocking over the bowl filled with deadly poison.


It was Sister Xian who had made her realize that the fault did not lie in her methods of guidance and discipline; rather, some people were rotten to the core from the very beginning, destined to become selfish, cold-blooded monsters no matter how they were raised.


"Do not let anyone else know about these things," Yun Chu said, looking at her. "Guard your own core integrity, and raise Sister Xian well."


Concubine Jiang's voice quivered slightly: "Is the Madam... is the Madam planning to leave the Xie family?"


Yun Chu did not reply.


Yet the answer was already blindingly clear.


Cradling the casket, Concubine Jiang left Sheng Residence. Returning to her own courtyard, she called Xie Xian over, opened the casket, and whispered gently: "This is the dowry the Madam prepared for you. No matter what happens to the Xie family in the future, and no matter what state your father falls into, with these items the Madam has given you, your life will never be too difficult."


Xie Xian understood only partially, saying, "Mother loves me dearly. I will remember this."


"This is the greatest secret between us mother and daughter. You must never tell a soul," Concubine Jiang said, embracing her daughter. "You must remember, no matter where your life leads you in the future, you must always keep the Madam's kindness in your heart. If you ever have the ability, and if the Madam ever happens to need help, you must spare no effort to assist her."


Xie Xian nodded vigorously.


Yun Chu sent Qiu Tong outside to gather intelligence.


Qiu Tong possessed martial arts skills, while those guarding the gates of the Xie Manor were merely minor soldiers; she slipped out of the estate with effortless ease. After circling the streets, she returned to report to Yun Chu.


"Madam, currently the streets and teahouses are all abuzz discussing the Xie family. They talk about how the Xie family wed the daughter of a convicted traitor, how the Eldest Young Master of the Xie family deceived the sovereign, and how Master Xie broke the law through corruption and bribery. Everyone is watching the Xie family's downfall as entertainment."


Yun Chu raised her eyes. "And how are they speaking of the Xie family's primary mistress?"


"They all say the primary mistress is pitiful, having been deceived so miserably by the Xie family," Qiu Tong answered, carefully choosing her words. "Everyone is speculating whether the Yun family will seize this opportunity to demand a divorce from the Xie family."


Tingfeng nodded in agreement. "Madam, let us get a divorce quickly! Staying in the Xie family is truly unlucky."


Tingxue chimed in as well: "The Xie family members are utterly wolfish and ungrateful, corrupt, lawless, and guilty of deceiving the sovereign. The Madam's divorce is what everyone desires and expects."


Yun Chu shook her head.


Right now, the common people pitied her.


However, if she truly sought a divorce at this exact juncture, the Xie family would instantly appear as the vulnerable, downtrodden party in the eyes of the populace, while the Yun family would be seen as kicking someone when they were down.


The opinions of the common folk were like grass atop a wall, bending whichever way the wind blew.


She said softly, "The time is not yet right."


Her private courtyard was still undergoing renovations, so waiting a little longer posed no harm.


Most importantly, she still intended to send Xie Jingyu off on his final journey...


Toward dusk, the servants brought up the evening meal. Even though the Xie family had deteriorated to such a bleak state, not a single item due to Yun Chu had been diminished.


After finishing her meal, she was attended to as she bathed. Draped in a light gauze robe, she reclined on the bed, reading a book.


Suddenly catching a faint sound, she instructed, "Qiu Tong, go outside and see what is happening."


She was concerned that the guards posted outside might take advantage of the dark night to sneak into the Xie Manor and commit sordid acts.


Just as Qiu Tong stepped out the door, Yun Chu heard a soft rustle at the window.


Rising instantly from the bed, she quickly draped an outer robe over her shoulders and pulled a short dagger from beneath her pillow.


Scarcely had she finished these swift movements when she saw a tall, imposing silhouette leap through the window frame…

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