Xie Jingyu wore his fifth-rank official robes. At a glance, one could tell he had just left court without even time to change clothes before rushing to Sheng Residence.
A trace of joy appeared in Tingyu’s eyes.
In the past when she lived in the madam’s courtyard, sometimes the lord would come to discuss official matters with the madam, and she could see the lord then.
But since moving to the small courtyard, she hadn’t seen the lord for a long time. She was truly afraid the lord would forget about her, this concubine.
She pushed Xie Shiyun forward: “Yun’ge, didn’t you mention your father last night? Hurry and pay your respects to your father.”
Xie Shiyun immediately went over and called out: “Greetings, Father.”
Xie Jingyu’s expression was indifferent as he nodded, then walked straight into the Sheng Residence courtyard, stepped up onto the platform, and went to the side hall of Yun Chu’s quarters.
Tingyu, who had been completely ignored from start to finish, clutched the handkerchief in her hand tightly.
She didn’t understand—the lord had been slapped by the madam, yet not only did he not blame the madam, he even eagerly came looking for her.
Just because the madam was the legitimate daughter of a great general, did that mean everyone had to coddle her?
“What are you still doing here?” Tingfeng walked toward her with cold mockery. “You don’t actually think that giving birth to a young master for the Xie family will make the lord look upon you with favor, do you? Ha, a maid who betrayed her mistress like you is destined to be despised for life…”
Tingyu pressed her lips tightly together, held the child’s hand firmly, and turned to leave.
Xie Jingyu sat in the side hall for a while before Yun Chu finally emerged from the bedchamber.
She wore plain white garments with no hairpins or ornaments in her hair and no makeup on her face. Her entire appearance was elegant to the extreme.
Precisely because there was no enhancement from makeup or clothing, her original features were even more apparent. At first glance, she was fresh and lovely; at a second glance, she seemed capable of toppling kingdoms.
An emotion he couldn’t suppress rose from his heart.
Yun Chu’s face showed no expression as she said coldly: “Let’s go.”
Xie Jingyu suppressed that inappropriate emotion and walked outside together with her.
At the manor gate stood a carriage, and behind the carriage was another cart. When she saw clearly what was placed on the cart, Yun Chu’s face finally showed some emotion.
“These are nanmu wood coffins I searched for through the night—they won’t decay for a thousand years.” Xie Jingyu spoke. “I’ve wronged the children. I’ll do everything I can to compensate them.”
Yun Chu lowered her eyelids, lifted her skirt, and mounted the carriage.
They traveled smoothly all the way outside the city. After about half a shichen or more, they finally arrived at the village Xie Jingyu had mentioned.
Tingshuang and Tingfeng supported Yun Chu on either side as she descended from the carriage.
Xie Jingyu looked at the mountain before them: “The children’s bodies are on the mountain. The mountain path is difficult to walk—Madam, be careful.”
He led the way in front. Yun Chu and the two maids followed behind, with four strong men behind them carrying the small nanmu coffins in pairs. The group slowly walked up the mountain.
It had been raining for many consecutive days, and the mountain path was muddy and difficult. After just a few steps, Yun Chu’s shoes were soaked through, and her plain white hem was completely stained with black mud.
But she didn’t care at all. She didn’t need the maids’ support either—she walked up step by step on her own.
After walking for nearly half a shichen, they finally reached a somewhat level area. Xie Jingyu stopped and said: “This is the place.”
Yun Chu looked around. There wasn’t even a small mound here, only the lush vegetation of spring and the blooming spring flowers. In one area, wildflowers had bloomed early—brilliant purples and reds, extraordinarily beautiful.
Her heart suddenly began to tremble.
Xie Jingyu spoke: “Madam, please step aside for a moment.”
Yun Chu shook her head: “Begin.”
Four large men came over with tools and carefully removed the wildflowers, then slowly began to dig.
As soon as they dug down, much groundwater flowed out.
Yun Chu thought of that dream—in the dream, the children said they were very cold. Was it because they had been soaked in water all these years…
Just thinking that the children couldn’t find peace even in death made her eyes sting, and tears flowed down uncontrollably.
Her appearance fell into Xie Jingyu’s eyes, making his heart clench.
He walked over and put his arm around Yun Chu’s shoulders, but Yun Chu avoided him.
He withdrew his hand and said: “Madam, my father has an estate that is an auspicious geomantic location. We can bury the children’s remains in a place with singing birds and fragrant flowers…”
“That won’t be necessary.”
A cold, heavy voice came.
Xie Jingyu turned his head to see Yun Ze leading a group of people up the mountain.
As soon as she saw Yun Ze, Yun Chu’s unsettled heart calmed down. Her throat felt somewhat choked: “Elder Brother.”
Yun Ze raised his hand and patted her shoulder gently, then looked at Xie Jingyu: “As someone of a different surname, I shouldn’t interfere in your Xie family matters, but Xie Jingyu, what you’ve done is truly too excessive. Four years ago, if you had no intention of properly burying the children, you could have told me, rather than casually finding some mountain to bury them. For these four years, the children have been buried here—who knows how much suffering they’ve endured, or whether their souls have found peace. If they cannot be reincarnated and reborn, it’s all thanks to you, their biological father!”
The usually gentle Yun Ze unleashed a torrent of rebuke that left Xie Jingyu truly unable to raise his head.
He was twenty-eight years old this year, several years older than Yun Ze, yet he was being scolded without being able to refute a single sentence.
“Of course, I can also understand you.” Yun Ze’s tone softened somewhat. “At that time, you were in the midst of promotion. How could you allow such a trivial matter to waste your time? Furthermore, you already had three children—not caring about the dead ones is also within reason.”
The gentler tone spoke words that stabbed straight into one’s lungs. Xie Jingyu struggled to part his lips: “Elder Brother, I…”
“Enough, no need to say more.” Yun Ze released his full presence. “The children your Xie family doesn’t treasure, the Yun family naturally feels heartache for. These two children will be buried in our Yun family ancestral land. We won’t trouble Lord Xie to concern himself.”
The dozen or so attendants he brought stepped forward and pushed aside the four men from the Xie family.
Xie Jingyu’s expression became extremely ugly, but no one present cared about his emotions.
The dozen or so guards from the Yun family very carefully dug away the mud. Before long, they could see the skeletal remains of two infants—so small, just the size of a palm.
Yun Chu’s tears flowed like a breached dam, completely beyond control.
Her knees went weak and her body slid downward.
“Chu’er, you are the children’s mother. If you kneel before them, it will shorten their lifespan even in reincarnation.” Yun Ze pulled her up. “Tingshuang, support your young miss properly.”
In his heart, Chu’er would forever be their Yun family’s pampered young miss.
Why should his younger sister, who should have lived a happy and beautiful life, have to suffer the pain of separation by death…
Yun Ze’s heart felt as if cut by knives.
Yun Chu cried until she could barely breathe.
She gripped Tingshuang’s hand and slowly moved forward, walking to the edge of that small pit.
She crouched down and personally picked up those tiny bones with her own hands, personally placed the children into the new coffins…
Her hands kept trembling, tears kept flowing, her legs kept going weak…
After personally burying the children in the cemetery beside the Yun family ancestral land, Yun Chu lost consciousness and knew nothing more.