Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 184
Chapter 184 - Xie Shi'an Returns
Chu Yi brought the two children back to the Prince's estate.
The children were led away by the nannies, while he still had official business to attend to.
When reviewing those memorial memorials, he simply could not settle his mind. For some reason, Yun Chu's smile kept surfacing before his eyes.
It was not as though he had never seen her smile before, but this time, it was exceptionally profound.
Just like when he first saw her in his childhood, that smile she gave him had smoothed away all the trauma in his heart, unforgettable to this day...
He loved the way she looked at him, and he loved the way her eyes held only him. How he longed to touch her...
At this thought.
Chu Yi's brow furrowed.
A woman whose husband had died was called a widow. Even though society's doctrines regarding women were relatively relaxed in this dynasty, a widow remarrying would still be subject to public criticism.
Women among the common folk who remarried generally moved far away, distancing themselves from anyone they knew, which reduced the gossip.
As for women from illustrious, great clans remarrying... He recalled what he had seen and heard since childhood, and even remembered asking his aunt: in the sprawling capital, women from those major families, upon becoming widows, would observe mourning for their husbands for the rest of their lives... Even a woman who was merely betrothed would be required by her family to remain an un-wedded widow if her fiancé died.
Chastity in widowhood was a woman's chastity archway, as well as a family's reputation.
He wanted to take her as his wife.
Yet he feared she would suffer public censure.
Reflecting on this, Chu Yi's brow furrowed even deeper.
They hadn't even written the first stroke of their future together, so why was he already thinking about marriage?
Unable to look at the desk full of memorials any longer, he picked up his sword, walked out into the courtyard, and began practicing his swordsmanship.
"Your Highness!"
At that moment, Cheng Xu hurried over from outside.
Chu Yi's hand holding the sword did not stop; with a flick of his wrist, a sword flash neatly trimmed away all the excess leaves on the tree, after which he stopped and turned around. "What is it?"
"The Marquis of Xuanwu wishes to see Your Highness, saying he has important matters to report," Cheng Xu reported. "He claims it concerns the Young Heir and the Princess."
Chu Yi's expression darkened. "Knowing that I care about this matter, he is using it as a bargaining chip to make demands. Lock him away for a few more days, exhaust his spirit and energy, and then interrogate him properly."
Cheng Xu cupped his fists in salute. "Understood!"
Right now, the Marquis of Xuanwu was in the Prince's hands, and whether he lived or died depended entirely on a single word from the Prince. There was truly no need to rush.
Just as he was about to leave to carry out the task, he heard Chu Yi say, "Which officials in the court have affectionate and harmonious marriages? Send out invitations in my name and have them come to the Prince of Pingxi's estate tomorrow."
Cheng Xu stared in utter astonishment. "Your Highness, are you planning to..."
Chu Yi said coldly, "Naturally, to discuss the political situation at court."
Cheng Xu: "..."
Their Prince was simply stubborn to the core.
Clearly, he wanted to figure out how to bring a smile to a beauty's face, and was looking to learn the secrets from married ministers at court.
Alas, it was a pity that Madam Xie was a widow... Even if the Prince won Madam Xie's heart, the imperial family would never allow a widow to become the Princess of Pingxi...
Furthermore, Madam Xie was the eldest daughter of the Yun family, representing the Yun clan. Marrying a daughter of a military family would inevitably lead the Empress and the Crown Prince to suspect the Prince of harboring ambitions for the succession. To balance the political landscape, the Emperor would never allow a daughter of the Yun family to marry the Prince either...
Of all people the Prince could take a fancy to, why did it have to be a daughter of the Yun family?
This path was destined to be a difficult one to walk.
Deep into the night.
Yun Chu had yet to sleep.
The mere thought of her two children filled her with boundless energy, making it utterly impossible for her to sleep.
Her mind was filled with the faces of her children, her ears echoed with their laughter, and before her eyes was the scene of the three of them together as a family.
It was a scenario she wouldn't have dared to dream of.
The heavens had truly treated her with such immense generosity.
Just how much accumulated merit had she earned in her past life to exchange for this lifetime's family reunion?
Yun Chu stayed awake almost until dawn, yet she did not feel tired in the least. After washing and finishing her meal, she summoned Chen Defu and instructed him, "Here is five thousand taels of silver. Take it to the Qing'an Temple and gild a layer of gold leaf on the Buddha statues. There is no need to leave my name."
Being able to be reborn back to her twentieth year.
Being able to find her two children.
These were all gifts bestowed upon her by the heavens.
"In addition—" She paused for a moment before continuing, "I want to establish a shelter, a place dedicated to taking in homeless children."
Her own children had been exceptionally fortunate to survive and grow up to this age.
Yet in this world, there were still countless children who were homeless.
Some were separated from their families, some had lost both parents and become orphans, some were abandoned due to illness, and others had fled from famines and wandered into the capital...
She wanted to help these pitiful children.
She also wanted to accumulate blessings for Yu'er and Changsheng, allowing her two children to grow up healthy and safe...
Chen Defu did not ask why. He simply replied, "How much silver does Madam plan to set aside for running this shelter?"
"Use as much as is needed," Yun Chu said calmly. "Purchase a plot of land with a lower price on the outskirts of the capital. I will personally draw the blueprints for the shelter. You arrange for trusted individuals to manage and run it."
Hearing this, Chen Defu knew that Madam was serious about undertaking this endeavor.
Buying land, building houses, recruiting staff to manage it, and finally taking in those homeless children—every single day going forward would consume vast amounts of silver.
Fortunately, Madam had earned a considerable fortune, otherwise she could never sustain such a massive undertaking.
At the same time, he could not help but think.
If the Xie family had treated Madam better, and Madam had taken the money donated to temples and used to build shelters to help the Xie family instead, the Xie family would never have driven themselves to the state they were in today...
The Xie family had brought this upon themselves.
He just wondered how much longer Madam planned to entangle herself with the Xie family.
Chen Defu went off to carry out the tasks.
Yun Chu took out the courtyard blueprints, intending to review them once more to see if there were any areas that needed improvement.
Just as she was looking over them, she suddenly heard Tingfeng's panicked voice: "Madam, Madam..."
Tingfeng used to be rather hot-headed and rash, but ever since Tingshuang was married off, she had gradually matured. It had been a long time since Yun Chu had seen her in such a panic.
She put down the blueprints. "What has happened?"
"E-Eldest Young Master..." Tingfeng caught her breath and said, "Eldest Young Master has returned!"
Yun Chu lifted her gaze in sheer disbelief. "What did you say?"
Before Tingfeng could reply, Yun Chu saw a figure drawing closer and closer at the courtyard entrance.
Even though he wore tattered clothes, even though he was in an utterly disheveled state, even though his entire face was covered in dirt and scars, and even though one of his eyes was completely gone, she could still see the unyielding backbone that belonged exclusively to Xie Shi'an.
She abruptly stood up.
"Mother."
Xie Shi'an walked in with difficult, halting steps, reached Yun Chu, and bowed in formal greeting.
As he drew closer, Yun Chu saw that his left eye no longer had an eyeball; it had become a pitch-black hollow socket, and his entire face was covered in whip lashes and branding marks.
Yun Chu could hardly believe that someone could actually survive and walk out of the death row prison alive, let alone return in broad daylight.
Yet upon a moment's reflection, it made sense. This was Xie Shi'an, the future high minister of power; how could he possibly die so easily...
A perfectly measured look of sorrow appeared on her face. "Shi'an, you have finally returned. I repeatedly arranged for people to make inquiries at the dungeon, but they refused to let me see you. How did you manage to break free?"
"I wrote a petition in blood and gave it to the Second Prince, Prince Gongxi, who happened to be visiting the death row. It was Prince Gongxi who saved me." Out of the corner of his eye, Xie Shi'an noticed a blueprint of a residence on the table, and he spoke, "Mother need not trouble herself with finding a residence for the Xie family. I offered my counsel to Prince Gongxi, and in return, Prince Gongxi has preserved this courtyard for the Xie family."
Yun Chu's mind and soul shook violently.
In her past life, Xie Shi'an had also served Prince Gongxi.
With so many things having changed in this lifetime, he had still managed to board Prince Gongxi's ship.
Chu Yi brought the two children back to the Prince's estate.
The children were led away by the nannies, while he still had official business to attend to.
When reviewing those memorial memorials, he simply could not settle his mind. For some reason, Yun Chu's smile kept surfacing before his eyes.
It was not as though he had never seen her smile before, but this time, it was exceptionally profound.
Just like when he first saw her in his childhood, that smile she gave him had smoothed away all the trauma in his heart, unforgettable to this day...
He loved the way she looked at him, and he loved the way her eyes held only him. How he longed to touch her...
At this thought.
Chu Yi's brow furrowed.
A woman whose husband had died was called a widow. Even though society's doctrines regarding women were relatively relaxed in this dynasty, a widow remarrying would still be subject to public criticism.
Women among the common folk who remarried generally moved far away, distancing themselves from anyone they knew, which reduced the gossip.
As for women from illustrious, great clans remarrying... He recalled what he had seen and heard since childhood, and even remembered asking his aunt: in the sprawling capital, women from those major families, upon becoming widows, would observe mourning for their husbands for the rest of their lives... Even a woman who was merely betrothed would be required by her family to remain an un-wedded widow if her fiancé died.
Chastity in widowhood was a woman's chastity archway, as well as a family's reputation.
He wanted to take her as his wife.
Yet he feared she would suffer public censure.
Reflecting on this, Chu Yi's brow furrowed even deeper.
They hadn't even written the first stroke of their future together, so why was he already thinking about marriage?
Unable to look at the desk full of memorials any longer, he picked up his sword, walked out into the courtyard, and began practicing his swordsmanship.
"Your Highness!"
At that moment, Cheng Xu hurried over from outside.
Chu Yi's hand holding the sword did not stop; with a flick of his wrist, a sword flash neatly trimmed away all the excess leaves on the tree, after which he stopped and turned around. "What is it?"
"The Marquis of Xuanwu wishes to see Your Highness, saying he has important matters to report," Cheng Xu reported. "He claims it concerns the Young Heir and the Princess."
Chu Yi's expression darkened. "Knowing that I care about this matter, he is using it as a bargaining chip to make demands. Lock him away for a few more days, exhaust his spirit and energy, and then interrogate him properly."
Cheng Xu cupped his fists in salute. "Understood!"
Right now, the Marquis of Xuanwu was in the Prince's hands, and whether he lived or died depended entirely on a single word from the Prince. There was truly no need to rush.
Just as he was about to leave to carry out the task, he heard Chu Yi say, "Which officials in the court have affectionate and harmonious marriages? Send out invitations in my name and have them come to the Prince of Pingxi's estate tomorrow."
Cheng Xu stared in utter astonishment. "Your Highness, are you planning to..."
Chu Yi said coldly, "Naturally, to discuss the political situation at court."
Cheng Xu: "..."
Their Prince was simply stubborn to the core.
Clearly, he wanted to figure out how to bring a smile to a beauty's face, and was looking to learn the secrets from married ministers at court.
Alas, it was a pity that Madam Xie was a widow... Even if the Prince won Madam Xie's heart, the imperial family would never allow a widow to become the Princess of Pingxi...
Furthermore, Madam Xie was the eldest daughter of the Yun family, representing the Yun clan. Marrying a daughter of a military family would inevitably lead the Empress and the Crown Prince to suspect the Prince of harboring ambitions for the succession. To balance the political landscape, the Emperor would never allow a daughter of the Yun family to marry the Prince either...
Of all people the Prince could take a fancy to, why did it have to be a daughter of the Yun family?
This path was destined to be a difficult one to walk.
Deep into the night.
Yun Chu had yet to sleep.
The mere thought of her two children filled her with boundless energy, making it utterly impossible for her to sleep.
Her mind was filled with the faces of her children, her ears echoed with their laughter, and before her eyes was the scene of the three of them together as a family.
It was a scenario she wouldn't have dared to dream of.
The heavens had truly treated her with such immense generosity.
Just how much accumulated merit had she earned in her past life to exchange for this lifetime's family reunion?
Yun Chu stayed awake almost until dawn, yet she did not feel tired in the least. After washing and finishing her meal, she summoned Chen Defu and instructed him, "Here is five thousand taels of silver. Take it to the Qing'an Temple and gild a layer of gold leaf on the Buddha statues. There is no need to leave my name."
Being able to be reborn back to her twentieth year.
Being able to find her two children.
These were all gifts bestowed upon her by the heavens.
"In addition—" She paused for a moment before continuing, "I want to establish a shelter, a place dedicated to taking in homeless children."
Her own children had been exceptionally fortunate to survive and grow up to this age.
Yet in this world, there were still countless children who were homeless.
Some were separated from their families, some had lost both parents and become orphans, some were abandoned due to illness, and others had fled from famines and wandered into the capital...
She wanted to help these pitiful children.
She also wanted to accumulate blessings for Yu'er and Changsheng, allowing her two children to grow up healthy and safe...
Chen Defu did not ask why. He simply replied, "How much silver does Madam plan to set aside for running this shelter?"
"Use as much as is needed," Yun Chu said calmly. "Purchase a plot of land with a lower price on the outskirts of the capital. I will personally draw the blueprints for the shelter. You arrange for trusted individuals to manage and run it."
Hearing this, Chen Defu knew that Madam was serious about undertaking this endeavor.
Buying land, building houses, recruiting staff to manage it, and finally taking in those homeless children—every single day going forward would consume vast amounts of silver.
Fortunately, Madam had earned a considerable fortune, otherwise she could never sustain such a massive undertaking.
At the same time, he could not help but think.
If the Xie family had treated Madam better, and Madam had taken the money donated to temples and used to build shelters to help the Xie family instead, the Xie family would never have driven themselves to the state they were in today...
The Xie family had brought this upon themselves.
He just wondered how much longer Madam planned to entangle herself with the Xie family.
Chen Defu went off to carry out the tasks.
Yun Chu took out the courtyard blueprints, intending to review them once more to see if there were any areas that needed improvement.
Just as she was looking over them, she suddenly heard Tingfeng's panicked voice: "Madam, Madam..."
Tingfeng used to be rather hot-headed and rash, but ever since Tingshuang was married off, she had gradually matured. It had been a long time since Yun Chu had seen her in such a panic.
She put down the blueprints. "What has happened?"
"E-Eldest Young Master..." Tingfeng caught her breath and said, "Eldest Young Master has returned!"
Yun Chu lifted her gaze in sheer disbelief. "What did you say?"
Before Tingfeng could reply, Yun Chu saw a figure drawing closer and closer at the courtyard entrance.
Even though he wore tattered clothes, even though he was in an utterly disheveled state, even though his entire face was covered in dirt and scars, and even though one of his eyes was completely gone, she could still see the unyielding backbone that belonged exclusively to Xie Shi'an.
She abruptly stood up.
"Mother."
Xie Shi'an walked in with difficult, halting steps, reached Yun Chu, and bowed in formal greeting.
As he drew closer, Yun Chu saw that his left eye no longer had an eyeball; it had become a pitch-black hollow socket, and his entire face was covered in whip lashes and branding marks.
Yun Chu could hardly believe that someone could actually survive and walk out of the death row prison alive, let alone return in broad daylight.
Yet upon a moment's reflection, it made sense. This was Xie Shi'an, the future high minister of power; how could he possibly die so easily...
A perfectly measured look of sorrow appeared on her face. "Shi'an, you have finally returned. I repeatedly arranged for people to make inquiries at the dungeon, but they refused to let me see you. How did you manage to break free?"
"I wrote a petition in blood and gave it to the Second Prince, Prince Gongxi, who happened to be visiting the death row. It was Prince Gongxi who saved me." Out of the corner of his eye, Xie Shi'an noticed a blueprint of a residence on the table, and he spoke, "Mother need not trouble herself with finding a residence for the Xie family. I offered my counsel to Prince Gongxi, and in return, Prince Gongxi has preserved this courtyard for the Xie family."
Yun Chu's mind and soul shook violently.
In her past life, Xie Shi'an had also served Prince Gongxi.
With so many things having changed in this lifetime, he had still managed to board Prince Gongxi's ship.