Fourth-rank officials were a dime a dozen in the capital. The Hu Family, being the household of a fourth-rank official, was nothing outstanding in the capital.

In the rear courtyard of the four-courtyard mansion, Tingyu knelt on the ground while a matron stood before her, slapping her face.

After twenty slaps, Tingyu’s face swelled up, blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, presenting an extremely pitiful appearance.

Seeing Tingyu in such a state, the rage in Madam Hu’s heart had not diminished much.

All the concubines in this residence were her dowry maids. She had believed she had complete control over her husband, never imagining that last night she would catch this wretched woman rolling in bed with her husband.

She saw that her husband’s first reaction was to protect this wretched woman, and only secondly did he explain to her, his legitimate wife.

She knew this wretched woman had some skills—she had captured her husband’s heart.

If she made a scene, her husband would be pushed far away from her.

Therefore, she could only take the initiative and make this wretched woman a concubine.

When she learned the true identity of this wretched woman, she wanted nothing more than to strangle her husband.

A widowed concubine from the Xie Family—this kind of minor concubine from a fallen household—her husband had actually dared to get involved with her. If word got out, the Hu Family’s reputation would be completely ruined. This wretched woman even knew to use this matter to threaten and extort silver. She must die!

Fortunately, the indenture contract had been obtained. Whether to beat her to death or sell her off was just a matter of her word.

Madam Hu stood up: “Concubine Yu has acted presumptuously toward her superior and offended the mistress. Lock her in the woodshed.”

First torment her for a few days, then dispose of her cleanly.

Tingyu was thrown into the woodshed in a complete daze.

She lay on the ground for quite a while before slowly coming to her senses.

She couldn’t believe she had actually become a concubine of the Hu Family… Although the Hu Family was better than the current Xie Family, this was not what she wanted.

She had only wanted to extract some silver and then withdraw, then take care of Brother Yun properly. How had she ended up as a concubine of the Hu Family?

The look Madam Hu gave her was as if she wanted to devour her. She probably wouldn’t live long in the Hu residence.

Tingyu huddled in the woodshed, thinking carefully.

This matter naturally reached Yun Chu’s ears.

Yun Chu shook her head.

She had specifically had someone investigate the Hu Family. Madam Hu was famously known in the capital as a tigress. Master Hu had once bought back a concubine who was beaten to death by Madam Hu under some pretext.

Since then, Master Hu had not dared to take another concubine.

With Tingyu falling into Madam Hu’s hands, one could imagine what kind of life she would have.

Heaven’s sins can still be forgiven.

One’s own sins cannot be survived.

Yun Chu finished handling the day’s household affairs early, then read together with Changsheng.

She would read a line, and the little girl would read a line. After several days, they had nearly finished the Three Character Classic.

Although Changsheng’s speech wasn’t particularly smooth, she could intermittently recite the entire Three Character Classic, which was already great progress.

Before long, Yu’er returned from school. After playing with his sister for a while and having dinner, he returned to the adjacent courtyard to continue studying with his tutor.

Yun Chu was helpless. This little fellow was still angry about the morning martial arts practice incident—truly a child with a big temper.

When the tutor finished the lesson, Chu Hongyu looked up to see Yun Chu standing at the schoolroom door.

He deliberately turned his head away, refusing to look at Yun Chu.

“Yu’er, look what this is?”

Yun Chu placed a small clay jar on the desk.

The little fellow resisted his curiosity and didn’t look, folding his arms and giving a heavy snort.

Yun Chu opened the jar and said in an exaggerated tone: “What a big cricket! Oh well, Yu’er surely doesn’t like it. I’ll give it to Brother Jiang instead.”

“Who says I don’t like it!”

The little fellow immediately turned around and pulled the jar into his embrace. Looking at the cricket in the jar, his eyes immediately lit up as he began playing with it.

Yun Chu sat beside him and said gently: “Yu’er, Mother has thought it over. When you turn six, I’ll take you to practice martial arts together. How about that?”

“Mother, you must keep your word!”

Chu Hongyu made a pinky promise with Yun Chu, and his anger immediately dissipated.

After coaxing both children to sleep, Tingxue quietly entered the inner chamber and said softly: “Miss, Aunt Guilan has suddenly fallen ill. She says she won’t be able to go to the tea shop and cloth shop tomorrow.”

Aunt Guilan was Yun Qin’s biological mother. This morning, she had taken over the tea shop and cloth shop from Fourth Aunt Yun’s hands.

The day hadn’t even finished, and she had fallen ill?

Could there be such a coincidence?

Yun Chu pressed her lips together. She had only tested the waters lightly, and Fourth Aunt had already taken the bait.

It seemed that in her previous life, Sister-in-law’s miscarriage was most likely related to Fourth Aunt.

She said: “Go there yourself and see whether Aunt Guilan’s condition is serious. Regardless of the situation, publicly announce that Aunt Guilan has only caught a slight chill and it’s nothing serious.”

“Yes.”

Tingxue received the order and went to handle it.

Yun Qin’s family lived in the western part of the city in a very small two-courtyard compound. Aside from bearing the surname Yun, they didn’t look any different from ordinary common people.

Aunt Guilan’s husband was the manager of one of the Yun Family’s estates in the outskirts. Aunt Guilan normally stayed home to support her husband and educate her children. When she heard Yun Chu was short-handed, she immediately went to help.

Back when her daughter was able to divorce, it was all thanks to the main family’s support. Otherwise, her Qin’er might still be suffering at her husband’s family.

So as long as Yun Chu needed her, she would be the first to step forward.

But just after taking over a pile of affairs, she had fallen so ill she couldn’t get up.

Seeing Tingxue from Yun Chu’s side arrive, she forced herself to sit up: “I have failed the eldest miss. It’s really my body that’s useless…”

Tingxue moved closer and whispered a few words in her ear.

Aunt Guilan’s eyes filled with disbelief.

This matter seemed to somewhat exceed her understanding.

News of Aunt Guilan’s illness reached Fourth Aunt Yun’s ears.

She gave a cold laugh: “Her constitution is quite robust. It seems I still used too little.”

She would absolutely not hand over the cloth shop and tea shop.

If Guilan dared to take over, then she must bear the consequences.

With Guilan ill, Yun Chu would naturally come back to beg her to manage these two large establishments.

Unless Yun Chu looked at the accounts herself, but Yun Chu was so lazy and obviously had no real capability, so she could only come begging.

Earlier, when handing things over to Guilan, she had put something in the tea. Now, it seemed she needed to make a trip to Guilan’s home.

Early the next morning, Fourth Aunt Yun went to Aunt Guilan’s home.

Aunt Guilan was sitting in the flower hall with her ailing body, looking at account books—the cloth shop accounts, to be precise.

Fourth Aunt Yun sneered coldly.

Having gained a bit of power, she couldn’t bear to let it go.

She stepped forward with a smile: “Aunt Guilan, if you’re ill, rest well. Don’t wear yourself out.”

Aunt Guilan coughed and said: “The eldest miss instructed me to organize the cloth shop’s itemized accounts. I cannot delay.”

“Have some tea first.” Fourth Aunt Yun picked up a cup of tea, blocked it with her hand for a moment, then handed it over. “If your body breaks down, you’ll have nothing left.”

Aunt Guilan took the cup.

Looking at that tea that showed no signs of anything unusual, she truly couldn’t believe there would be something in it.

“Drink it. What are you spacing out for?”

Fourth Aunt Yun’s face was full of smiles.

The more she smiled, the more Aunt Guilan knew there was definitely a problem.

It was just the management rights of the tea shop and cloth shop, just looking at account books. The accounts weren’t even kept in her own hands. She didn’t understand why Fourth Aunt Yun would make such a vicious move against her for such a small thing…

“Fourth Aunt has come too?”

Yun Chu’s voice suddenly rang out from behind.

Fourth Aunt Yun’s entire body froze.