Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 241
Chapter 241 - Tingyu's Whereabouts
The women gathered in the hall gradually dispersed.
The lingering, unwilling look in Fourth Aunt Yun's eyes as she departed still floated before Yun Chu's mind.
She had merely tested the waters; now, it all depended on what choice Fourth Aunt Yun would make.
Just as she was pondering this, Tingfeng hurried over from the front yard: "Miss, Eldest Young Master is outside requesting an audience."
For a moment, Yun Chu did not react: "Jiang-ge'er?"
"It is the Eldest Young Master of the Xie family, Xie Shi'an," Tingfeng replied. "Will Miss see him?"
Yun Chu set down her accounting ledger: "Let him in."
Xie Shi'an was led into the courtyard.
Although he looked straight ahead as he walked, his side vision was constantly taking in the surroundings.
After leaving the Xie family, his mother had not returned to the Yun family estate. Instead, she resided in a three-entry courtyard compound like this one, roughly equal in size to the Xie household.
He was unable to cross through the decorated inner gate into the back courtyard. Inside the main reception hall of the first courtyard, he saw Yun Chu.
Naturally, Yun Chu would not allow Xie Shi'an to step into the back courtyard.
The inner courtyard was filled with traces of Yu'er and Changsheng's daily lives; as long as Xie Shi'an entered, he would bound to notice something.
She was not about to invite unnecessary trouble upon herself.
"I heard that Mother was conferred as a Yiren of the Fifth Rank, so I came specifically to offer my congratulations." Xie Shi'an presented a celebratory gift with both hands. "I bought a box of rouge; I beg Mother not to disdain it."
Yun Chu received the gift and said with a light smile, "You are quite well-informed."
"News regarding the imperial court is something even ordinary commoners in the streets hear whispers about," Xie Shi'an spoke up. "The Emperor bestowing rewards upon Mother means he still trusts the Yun family. Mother need not worry any longer."
On the surface, he appeared exceedingly filial.
In his heart, however, he was frustrated to the absolute limit.
He simply could not comprehend why, even after the letters alleging the Yun family's treason were presented before the Emperor, the Emperor would still spare the Yun family and even confer a titled noble rank upon his mother.
Was his trust in the Yun family truly that deep?
Was such trust something that not even hard evidence could destroy?
He came to realize that he had made a completely wrong decision.
And regretting it was already too late.
"Thank you for keeping the Yun family in your thoughts." Although Yun Chu's voice sounded gentle, it carried an unmistakable distance. "What have you been busy with lately?"
Xie Shi'an told the truth: "I am preparing to open a shop specializing in scholar's supplies, calligraphy, and paintings."
Yun Chu nodded: "That is a steady livelihood."
Having reached this point in the conversation, she offered no further remarks, and Xie Shi'an did not know what else to say either.
He had no choice but to say, "Then I shall take my leave first."
Yun Chu nodded slightly: "Tingxue, see Eldest Young Master Xie out."
The address "Eldest Young Master Xie" caused Xie Shi'an's footsteps to pause. That affectionate call of "An-ge'er" from the past would likely never be heard again.
He had made a special trip to pay his respects, yet his mother had not even invited him to stay for a meal.
He let out a bitter smile.
Could he blame his mother?
He had only himself to blame.
It was he who had forced his mother to sever ties with the Yun family, leading her to choose to leave the Xie household.
When his mother left, she gifted him a writing brush, hoping he would become an unyielding person of integrity.
He had also tried to be an upright person.
Yet he discovered that relying on his own uprightness yielded him absolutely nothing.
One day, he would stand at the same height as his mother and proudly tell her that even without relying on the Yun family, he could still secure a splendid future for himself.
Xie Shi'an walked all the way back to the Xie household from Yulin Lane, taking nearly an hour to reach his destination.
Ever since the Xie household no longer had carriages available, he realized that the capital was far larger than he had imagined; going anywhere on foot was immensely difficult.
Upon returning home, he asked his study page, "Has Aunt Tingyu returned?"
Sanjiu shook his head: "Should this servant go out and search for her?"
Xie Shi'an waved his hand.
He knew full well where Aunt Tingyu had gone.
Previously, she would return to the Xie household every day before dawn. Now it was already afternoon, so why had she still not returned?
Could something have gone wrong?
"An-ge'er, do you know where Aunt Tingyu went?" Lady Yuan walked over carrying Xie Shikang. "I heard from Yun-ge'er that Aunt Tingyu didn't come back the entire night."
Xie Shiwei popped out from out of nowhere: "Grandmother probably doesn't know yet, but Aunt Tingyu hasn't just been gone for this one night. For the past several days, she's been heading out as soon as it gets dark and returning right before daybreak..."
"Shiwei!" Xie Shi'an cut Xie Shiwei off. "Mind your words."
Xie Shiwei said with cold eyes, "Eldest Brother, every day after Aunt Tingyu returns to the manor, she goes straight to your Qingsong Pavilion. Care to explain what you two were doing?"
Xie Shi'an's expression darkened instantly: "Are you spying on me?"
"Does anyone even need to spy on you on purpose? There are only a few people left in the Xie household." Xie Shiwei's gaze turned somewhat sinister. "What are you two plotting?"
"What are you two brothers arguing about?" Lady Yuan was somewhat confused. "The priority right now is to hurry up and search for Aunt Tingyu! Yun-ge'er is her lifeblood; she wouldn't stay away for so long without a good reason. Something must have happened!"
As the few of them stood chatting in the front courtyard of the Xie household, a knock sounded at the door.
Sanjiu, the study page standing behind Xie Shi'an, hurried over to open the door.
An older maidservant stood at the doorway: "May I ask if this is the Xie household?"
As the current head of the household, Xie Shi'an stepped forward: "This is indeed the Xie household. May I ask who you are and what business brings you here?"
"I am the personal servant attending to Madam Hu of the Hu family," the older maidservant said coldly. "Your household has an Aunt Tingyu, does it not?"
Xie Shi'an's heart sank instantly to the very bottom.
Others did not know where Tingyu went at night, but he was crystal clear. It was he who had given Tingyu a slip of paper, instructing her to deliver herself to their doorstep.
That Lord Hu was a womanizer who nevertheless feared his wife. Thus, Xie Shi'an had Tingyu find a way to climb into Lord Hu's bed, using the affair as leverage to blackmail Lord Hu for money.
Every night, Tingyu went to the Hu residence to serve Lord Hu in secret, while Lord Hu provided Tingyu with large sums of cash. This transaction had continued for many days, allowing him to acquire a considerable amount of silver...
Yet today, Madam Hu's maidservant had come knocking on their door.
He knew the matter had been exposed.
He had not expected it to be discovered so quickly; he was still short of the money needed to buy the shop... Tingyu had been far too careless.
Lady Yuan had already greeted the woman: "Yes, yes, Aunt Tingyu belongs to our household. May I ask what happened to her? Did something go wrong?"
"Heh heh!" The maidservant sneered cold laughter. "Your household's Aunt Tingyu is truly blessed; our master took a liking to her, and she served tea to our madam this morning. From now on, she is a concubine of our Hu family. May I ask where Aunt Tingyu's deed of indenture is?"
The maidservant pulled a banknote out from her sleeve—a bill for one hundred taels of silver.
To the Xie household of the past, this tiny amount might have been worth nothing, but now, the Xie family wished they could split every single copper coin in two. One hundred taels was a truly substantial sum.
Lady Yuan's eyes widened: "What? What nonsense are you talking about? Aunt Tingyu is a member of our Xie family, how could she possibly become a concubine in your Hu family..."
However, before she could finish her sentence, Xie Shiwei rushed over, snatched the hundred-tael banknote, and declared, "Aunt Tingyu's deed of indenture is right inside Grandmother's chest. I will go fetch it for you right now."
Lady Yuan was completely unable to figure out the situation before Tingyu's deed of indenture was handed over to the maidservant.
"Now that you've taken the money, keep your mouths shut. Otherwise, the Hu family won't be finished with you." Not bothering to say anything more, the maidservant turned around and departed.
Lady Yuan pulled on Xie Shi'an, asking non-stop: "An-ge'er, what on earth is going on? You definitely know the reason, tell me quickly..."
Xie Shi'an felt his head spinning from being shaken.
He pressed his lips together tightly.
Madam Hu was by no means a generous, magnanimous matriarch; otherwise, Lord Hu would not have cheated in secret.
For a far from generous Madam Hu to drink Tingyu's tea, take Tingyu in as a concubine, and even spend a hundred taels of silver to purchase her deed of indenture—what did that signify?
Tingyu was likely...
Xie Shi'an shook his head to banish that sliver of pity from his mind, his gaze landing squarely on the banknote in Xie Shiwei's hand.