Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 212
Chapter 212 - Giving Whenever He Pleased
Chu Yi picked up his stride and walked over from the other side.
Reaching Yun Chu, he suddenly raised his hand and extended the item in his grip toward her: "Just now, while passing by the pastry shop in the west of the city, I saw a crowd lining up to buy this sweet. Thinking Miss Yun might also like it, I bought a portion on the way over. Give it a taste."
Yun Chu took it and opened the wrapper to see the signature roll of glutinous rice with sweet bean paste—the famous "donkey rolling on the ground"—from that very pastry shop in the west of the city.
She indeed enjoyed eating this. Back when she was still an unmarried maiden in her family's inner chambers, she would frequently dispatch her maidservants to wait in line and purchase it for her.
Later, after she married, the distance to that pastry shop became rather far, and with the long queues, she gradually stopped eating it.
She took a bite; it was still the exact taste from her memories. Unable to hold back, she took a second bite.
Chu Yi let out a quiet breath of relief. Long ago, he had heard General Yun mention that Yun Chu loved eating this glutinous rice treat.
In the past, he lacked any pretext to gift her such treats.
Now, it seemed there was no longer any need for such reservations.
If he wanted to buy it, he bought it; if he wanted to give it, he gave it.
Seeing her eat with such delight brought him even greater happiness than if he had slain ten bandits.
"The prince's estate has hired a master chef from the Chuancheng region who prepares an exceptional antique hot pot," Chu Yi spoke up. "When Yu'er and Changsheng return from the palace on the day of the official move, how about I host a banquet and invite Miss Yun to share an antique hot pot?"
Yun Chu's eyes lit up. Chuancheng was the birthplace of the antique hot pot, far more authentic than any restaurant in the capital.
Who would have thought that the Prince of Pingxi was actually a connoisseur of fine food?
A smile broke across her face: "Then I shall humbly accept Your Highness's gracious offer."
Chu Yi was overjoyed in his heart.
An official from the Ministry of Works had told him that if most women in this world did not need to toil over household chores, they would truly begin to be themselves—buying jewelry, applying cosmetics, savoring fine food, and enjoying beautiful scenery... No woman disliked such pleasures.
A short while ago, the Western Regions had offered a rare century-old green crystal as tribute; he had to find a way to obtain it from his Royal Father...
He suppressed his inner thoughts.
Waiting until Yun Chu had nearly finished eating, he then spoke up, "That shelter on the outskirts of the city—is it Miss Yun's doing?"
Yun Chu nodded: "It is merely doing what little lies within my power for those homeless children."
Chu Yi drew out a stack of bank notes he had prepared long in advance from his sleeve: "Here are thirty thousand taels in bank notes. I must trouble Miss Yun to use it to do something for the children on my behalf."
From their very first meeting, he had known that beneath her exterior resided a tender, kindhearted soul.
Yu'er and Changsheng had endured endless hardship to live and grow to this day, leaving her filled with profound gratitude toward Heaven; thus, she was willing to save even more children for their sake.
He, too, felt deep gratitude toward Heaven—
For allowing the mistake and folly of that night five years ago to blossom into something beautiful.
"Then I shall thank Your Highness on behalf of the children first."
Yun Chu accepted the thirty thousand taels of silver.
She was accumulating virtue for the two children, and Chu Yi was likewise accumulating virtue for his son and daughter. Yu'er and Changsheng would surely remain safe, healthy, and happy forever.
The next morning, Yun Chu appeared on the street once more to raise awareness about the shelter's existence.
To prevent a recurrence of yesterday's incident, Yun Chu specifically brought along several extra guards from the Yun Manor.
Throughout the morning, at least four or five pregnant women came to inquire secretly whether they could send a child to the shelter if they gave birth to a daughter.
"So long as a child is unwelcome by their parents and family, they may be sent to the shelter. Should you regret it one day and the child wishes to return, you may take them back," Yun Chu smiled gently. "However, if the child is adopted by another family before you regret your choice, the shelter reserves the right to keep the child's whereabouts confidential."
Most of the women coming to inquire were impoverished folk who had already given birth to three or four daughters and simply could not afford to raise any more girls. Wanting to give birth to a son to carry on the husband's family line, they had no choice but to go through pregnancy after pregnancy...
Yun Chu did not look down on these women.
Because in her past life, she had been much the same—feeling deeply guilty for being unable to bear children, which was why she had accepted so many of Xie Jingyu's concubine-born sons and daughters.
Women in this world each had their own bit of suffering.
Just then, a middle-aged man approached leading a three- or four-year-old child. Looking at Yun Chu, he wept and said, "My wife died of a difficult labor, leaving behind only this child... I raised him to three years old, which is already the utmost fulfillment of my duty... Because of him, it's hard for me to find a second wife. I'm truly at my wit's end... Now, I entrust him to the shelter, hoping you will take good care of him."
The middle-aged man shed a river of tears, looking for all the world like a good father.
Yet with extreme haste, he thrust the child into the shed, wiped his face, turned around, and walked away.
Yun Chu let out a sigh.
Looking at the child whose face was filled with utter disbelief, she spoke up, "Your father will have a better life, and you will have a better future as well. There is no need to be sad."
She patted the child's head and instructed Tingxue, "Take the child to find Uncle Chen."
The shelter would be completed very soon; for now, settling the children at her manor outside the city served as a stable residence.
At this moment, a carriage suddenly drove past on the street.
She raised her head to look—it was imperial guards and eunuchs from the palace, appearing to be on their way to deliver an imperial decree, though she did not know to which household.
However, she found out very quickly, because the entire city was abuzz with discussion.
"Those people just now were going to the Fang residence to deliver an imperial decree—the Fang family of the second-rank Right Censor-in-Chief."
"The imperial decree states that the fourth Miss of the Fang family is to become a side consort to the Crown Prince."
"Don't tell me you people still don't know? A few days ago, Miss Fang tried to take her own life and was saved by imperial physicians. Do you know why she sought death?"
"How would common folk like us know about the affairs of wealthy households? Stop keeping us in suspense and out with it!"
"The Emperor previously issued a decree for the Prince of Pingxi and Miss Fang, but the Prince of Pingxi defied the decree and refused the marriage. Miss Fang then hanged herself! It's said the entire imperial palace was alarmed. If my uncle's nephew didn't serve on duty in the palace, I really wouldn't have known about this."
"So, the Emperor made Miss Fang a side consort to the Crown Prince to compensate the Fang family?"
"When all is said and done, a side consort is still inferior to the primary consort."
"That's where you're ignorant! Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, a side consort will surely be one of the four high-ranking consorts of the inner palace. Even a prince's primary consort will have to bow and pay respects to her in the future!"
"It seems the Fang family gained from this after all."
"..."
Yun Chu fell into deep thought.
In her past life, Miss Fang had not married the Crown Prince as a side consort at all.
Because of her rebirth, the trajectory of many events had changed; even matters that had absolutely nothing to do with her were no longer the same as in her previous life.
While Yun Chu was still watching the spectacle unfold, trouble quickly arrived at her own doorstep.
"I heard that during this morning's court session, letters showing the Pillar of State General colluding with the King of Nanyue were submitted!"
"Does this mean the Pillar of State General has truly committed treason and collaborated with the enemy?"
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The female kin of the Yun family are all in the capital—how could the General possibly commit treason?!"
"It must be a frame-up by petty villains!"
"..."
Yun Chu packed up her belongings and took her carriage back to the Yun residence.
Unsurprisingly, the moment she entered the gate, she felt a heavy, somber atmosphere. Members of the collateral branches of the Yun family had all arrived, every single one hanging their heads in despair as if attending a funeral.