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Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 193

Chapter 193 - Choosing Miss Fang

"This is a pageboy I bought back for Wei'er," Yun Chu explained. "Wei'er has inconvenient legs and has suffered so much hardship. Having someone by his side to wait upon him gives me peace of mind."


Tingyu couldn't help chiming in, "The Xie family hasn't been able to afford monthly stipends for ages. Buying someone back now—isn't that just adding to our financial burden?"


"As for the Madam's silver, even the monthly allowances come directly from the Madam's personal funds; they have nothing to do with the Xie family," Tingfeng said with a cold snort. "What Madam chooses to do is not something that requires the opinion of a mere concubine like you, is it?"


"That is not what this concubine meant," Tingyu lowered her head in haste. "This concubine merely felt that compared to the Second Young Master, Kang'er is clearly the one who needs care more... I was simply feeling distressed for Kang'er."


"Yiniang only knows how to display distress with her mouth," Tingfeng retorted with unsparing sarcasm before turning to shout, "Duoxi, bring it in."


Right on cue, Duoxi led a newly calved mother goat into the courtyard, looking plump and brimming with rich milk.


Yun Chu looked toward Madam Yuan. "Kang'er is different from other children. No wet nurse was willing to take him in. After turning it over in my mind, I bought a mother goat. Having it raised right here in our own household feels much safer."


She was, after all, still soft-hearted.


In her past life, Xie Shikang was saved by her own hands. In this lifetime, if she chose to wash her hands of him and let him be, Tao Yiniang would abandon him just as readily, fleeing without a backward glance.


Asking her to pour her heart and soul into raising him like before was utterly impossible, but spending a few taels of silver to buy a mother goat could be considered her final shred of goodwill toward the Xie family.


"Chu'er, I knew you wouldn't just abandon this entire household," Madam Yuan said, moved to the verge of tears as her eyes reddened. "If you hadn't stepped in to protect us, Wei'er probably would have... With this mother goat here, Kang'er should be able to survive as well... To have you in the Xie family is truly a blessing..."


She still had some silver left in her possession and could naturally afford a mother goat herself. However, spending a few taels here and a few taels there would see her hundred taels vanish in less than half a month. Now that she had to stretch every coin, she made do wherever she could and skimped on everything possible. Never had she expected that Chu'er would spend her own private money to buy a mother goat specifically for Kang'er...


She gazed down at the child in her arms and murmured, "Kang'er, if you manage to survive and grow up, you must be thoroughly filial to your mother..."


Yun Chu smiled faintly.


In her previous life, she had personally kept Xie Shikang by her side, traveling south across vast distances, seeking out renowned physicians everywhere, and nursing him meticulously until he slowly grew into a relatively normal child.


The boy had always remained close to her until the Yun family met its downfall. Influenced by Tao Yiniang, Xie Shikang decisively chose to stand with the Xie family.


When she knelt and begged Xie Shi'an and Xie Jingyu, Xie Shikang had told her not to kneel there because it would cause visitors to the Xie family to look down upon them and harm the family's reputation.


When Tingxue brought her meals, Xie Shikang had declared that she was the daughter of a convicted criminal and unworthy of eating a single grain of rice from the Xie family.


At that time, Xie Shikang had forgotten that when he couldn't even keep milk down as an infant, it was this very mother who had personally fed him drop by drop into his mouth...


Not even her genuine devotion had been enough to make Xie Shikang filial.


Could a mere goat possibly buy her a filial son?


Yun Chu shook her head and walked out of the courtyard.


Madam Yuan instructed an elderly servant to lead the goat inside to milk it, build a fire to boil it, and carefully feed small portions to Xie Shikang...


Tingyu and Jiang Yiniang took their respective children and dispersed.


Xie Shi'an looked toward his blood-related brother. "Wei'er, let's treat everything that happened in the past as if it were a gust of wind blowing by. From this day forward, our two brothers shall work together with one mind, and we will surely find a way out of this predicament."


Xie Shiwei lowered his head. "Alright."


"I plan to go into business later and earn some silver before making further plans," Xie Shi'an said. "You should first focus on learning how to tally numbers and keep accounts..."


While the two brothers were talking, Tingxue, acting in her capacity as the chief maid to the mistress of the house, was busy instructing the Xie estate's only two pageboys.


"Sanjiu, just teach Ganlai how you usually serve the Eldest Young Master," Tingxue said, looking at the two youths before her. "The Xie household is not what it used to be. Many tasks now require both of you to handle them, which is indeed quite tiring. From now on, your monthly stipends will be distributed directly by the Madam—half a tael of silver per month."


"No, no, no," Sanjiu waved his hands hastily. "The Eldest Young Master and I grew up together. I serve the Eldest Young Master of my own free will, and I am already deeply grateful that the Xie family is willing to keep me here. I don't need any monthly stipend..."


Putting on the air of a senior chief maid, Tingxue replied, "Having a stipend ensures you can work with greater dedication. The two of you must serve your respective young masters diligently. If either of the young masters gets busy with something, you must report it to the Madam in a timely manner so she isn't left completely in the dark."


Sanjiu and Ganlai quickly nodded in assent.


After settling Ganlai in, Tingxue returned to report to Yun Chu.


Yun Chu simply nodded without saying anything further.


As long as Xie Shi'an walked the straight and narrow, Ganlai would forever remain a humble servant. Otherwise...


Later in the evening, she boarded her carriage and headed toward the Prince's estate to pick up the two children.


She had expected to encounter the father and his two sons just like the day before.


Instead, only the two little ones came running out.


"Father was summoned into the palace by the Grand Empress Dowager," Chu Hongyu announced as he clung to Yun Chu. "Without Father tagging along, I feel so much happier."


Father always liked to lecture him about how men and women must maintain a proper distance, which made him too timid to sit on Mother's lap.


Now, he could do whatever he pleased and even shower Mother with kisses.


Yun Chu embraced one child with each arm. "Since your father isn't here, you can spend a bit more time with Mother..."


To be honest, with the Prince of Pingxi tagging along, she also felt rather ill at ease, constantly feeling as though a burning, intense gaze was fixed upon her.


While the mother and her two children headed toward the small courtyard, Chu Yi had already arrived at Imperial Concubine Yin's palace.


Imperial Concubine Yin lived alone in the Changqiu Palace. She was considered a veteran presence by the Emperor's side, and having given birth to both a princess and an imperial prince, she commanded considerable standing within the palace even though her youth and beauty had faded.


"Yi'er, sit," Imperial Concubine Yin said with a radiant smile. "I specially had the imperial kitchen prepare many of your favorite dishes. Have a taste and see if they suit your palate."


Chu Yi picked up his chopsticks, sampled a few bites lightly, and looked up. "Why was Imperial Concubine Mother in such a rush to summon me into the palace?"


He had originally intended to refuse entry into the palace, but the older matron sent to relay the message had insisted that his mother had a matter of utmost importance to discuss with him.


Seeing Imperial Concubine Yin urging him to eat, he knew instantly that there was no genuinely important matter at all.


He stood up, preparing to take his leave.


"What's the rush to leave? How long has it been since you shared a meal with your mother?" Imperial Concubine Yin called him back. "Sit down. There is a matter I need to align with you on."


Chu Yi halted his steps, though he did not sit back down.


"A few days ago, Madam Fang brought Miss Fang's birth characters into the palace, and I had the Grand Astrologer match them," Imperial Concubine Yin said, her face beaming. "The Grand Astrologer said that you and Miss Fang are a match made in heaven..."


Before she could finish, Chu Yi interrupted her, "What Miss Fang? What match made in heaven? When did this happen?"


Imperial Concubine Yin stared at him. "There's no need to ask so many questions. Right now, you are coming with me to see your Imperial Father and ask him to issue an imperial decree bestowing a marriage between you and Miss Fang..."


If not for that incident during the previous hunting expedition, the marriage between Yi'er and the Fang family's young lady would have been finalized long ago and wouldn't have dragged on until today.

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