The north wind had blown all night.

When morning came, the courtyard was carpeted with a layer of withered yellow fallen leaves.

After sending Yu’er to the Imperial Academy, Yun Chu and Changsheng sat in the hall—one painting, the other drawing embroidery patterns.

Yun Chu was thinking about what kind of pattern would suit a man like Prince Pingxi, and it couldn’t be too complicated, otherwise she wouldn’t know how to embroider it. If she ended up making a nondescript sachet, it would be too embarrassing to give away.

“Tingxue, you should draw a few instead, and I’ll choose from them.”

After struggling for more than half a shichen, Yun Chu finally turned to Tingxue for help.

There’s nothing difficult in the world if you’re willing to give up.

Tingxue was skilled in needlework and immediately began drawing.

Yun Chu picked up a blank sheet of paper and began pondering how to construct an intelligence network.

At the beginning of her rebirth, she could rely on her foreknowledge to seek advantage and avoid harm, but many things were slowly changing, completely different from her previous life.

To push Ding Yiyuan to the heights of Imperial Preceptor and ensure he could maintain that position, she had to have her own sources of information.

She slowly contemplated, and the blank sheet of paper gradually filled with writing…

“Miss, Concubine Jiang and Miss Xie request an audience.”

Tingfeng came in from outside to report.

Yun Chu closed the paper and raised her head. “Let them in.”

She had already received news of what happened at the Xie household yesterday.

She had thought that given Tingyu’s temperament, she would at least cause some commotion at the Hu household. Who would have expected that she would actually escape for the sake of Xie Shiyun?

The laws of this dynasty stated very clearly that slaves and lowly concubines who had sold themselves and dared to flee privately could be executed by the principal wife.

Tingyu had died just like that at the hands of the Hu household people.

Yun Chu felt no great turmoil in her heart…

Before long, Concubine Jiang walked in from outside, leading Xie Xian by the hand.

Concubine Jiang bowed her head in greeting. “I pay my respects to Miss Yun.”

Xie Xian also lowered her head and said, “Greetings to Miss Yun.”

She remembered her concubine mother’s words—Mother had already left the Xie Family and was no longer allowed to be called Mother.

Yun Chu had the mother and daughter sit down. Tingxue brought tea and served them.

“This humble one has presumptuously disturbed you. Please forgive me, Miss Yun.” Concubine Jiang looked quite constrained. “This humble one came to ask Miss Yun to help with some advice.”

Yesterday when the Hu household people came to the door, the four servants had beaten Tingyu to death. She really couldn’t bear to watch, so she had taken out a hundred taels of silver, hoping to save the person.

That hundred taels of silver had come from selling some of the Old Madam’s valuable items—a whole box of jewelry that she had sold for a full thirteen hundred taels of silver. She had exchanged it all for banknotes and kept them hidden on her person the entire time.

She hadn’t slept all night. It was she and the madam together who had hastily buried Tingyu. She had originally wanted to come find Yun Chu at daybreak, but Xie Shi’an was at home, and she didn’t dare act rashly.

She had stubbornly waited for Xie Shi’an to leave before immediately bringing Xian’er over.

“Miss Yun, I—I want to take Xian’er and leave the Xie Family.” Concubine Jiang’s eyes held determination. “It’s just that I’m only a concubine, and Xian’er is only a girl. We mother and daughter have no way to establish our own household. I don’t know what to do.”

Yun Chu very much agreed with Concubine Jiang’s idea.

The Xie Family was a wolf’s den. Stay there long enough, and sooner or later she would be gnawed down to nothing but bones.

After thinking for a moment, she spoke. “You need a male offspring to establish your own household. As long as you have a son under your name, establishing yourself independently isn’t a difficult matter.”

After she left the Xie Family, her household registration had fallen back to her maternal family, but Concubine Jiang had no relatives, so she could only find a way to have a son.

Concubine Jiang looked distressed. “This matter isn’t difficult?”

She felt it was extremely difficult. Her husband was already dead; she couldn’t possibly give birth to another son.

She had also considered taking Yun’er or Kang’er along with her, but she knew clearly that Xie Shi’an would never agree.

There was no need to provoke that wolf.

As for her maternal family… she didn’t really have one. The only person she could turn to for help was her former mistress.

“The Compassionate Orphanage has many children without fathers or mothers. You can go with me to see if there’s a child who catches your eye.” Yun Chu paused before continuing. “Have the child fall under your name as an adoptive son.”

If she acknowledged him as her own child, the child would certainly develop fantasies and would compare himself at every turn with Xian’er, her biological daughter.

Over time, even a saint would develop ulterior motives.

She had suffered greatly from this in her previous life.

Concubine Jiang didn’t ask many questions and nodded. “Alright.”

Yun Chu set aside her current task and, bringing Concubine Jiang and her daughter, took a carriage directly to the Compassionate Orphanage.

Over these past days, more and more children had come to the Compassionate Orphanage. Before even entering, they could hear the children’s cheerful laughter.

Xie Xian was only a bit reserved in front of Yun Chu. Seeing so many children around her age, she immediately blended in and began playing with them.

Yun Chu led Concubine Jiang inside and took out a register to hand over. “These are all children without fathers or mothers who are in good health. Look through it, and if you see someone suitable, I’ll have the child come over for you to meet.”

Concubine Jiang looked through it once but couldn’t discern anything, so she let Yun Chu make the decision.

Yun Chu didn’t come here very often and didn’t know the children that well, so she had Tingxue invite Cousin Yun Qin over.

Yun Qin knew the temperaments of the children in the orphanage like the back of her hand.

“Although the Compassionate Orphanage is good in every way, each child actually hopes more to have a family of their own. Concubine Jiang’s willingness to come adopt a child—I thank you on behalf of those children.” Yun Qin spoke methodically. “For adoption, the age cannot be too old. Furthermore, since Concubine Jiang has a daughter at home, we should find a boy with a gentle temperament so that the two children won’t have conflicts.”

As she spoke, she pointed to one child’s name.

Before long, someone led the child inside.

Yun Chu remembered this child. Though he was only just over four years old, he was courteous and restrained in everything, and no matter what happened, his emotions remained very stable.

Having this child become Concubine Jiang’s adoptive son was indeed quite suitable.

Concubine Jiang also liked this child very much because he gave her a feeling that was completely different from those several at the Xie household.

Clear eyes, a pure temperament, yet at the same time, deep in his eyes was some constraint and fear. After all, he was an orphan who had wandered about, so he naturally maintained vigilance toward strangers around him.

“You’re called Xu Ti, correct?” Concubine Jiang spoke gently. “I wonder if you still remember your mother?”

The child shook his head. “Mother died in difficult childbirth.”

“Then would it be alright if I became your mother from now on?” Concubine Jiang held his hand. “I’m not asking you to accept me immediately. You can continue living at the Compassionate Orphanage. Whenever you’ve thought it through, that’s when I’ll take you home.”

Xu Ti pressed his lips together and spoke. “Are you adopting me because you want me to do something?”

“I need a male offspring to establish an independent household.” Concubine Jiang didn’t hide it from him. “After you become my adoptive son, I’ll support your education and ensure you no longer suffer from hunger and cold.”

The child thought for a while and continued asking. “What if I study for over ten years—will you still support me?”

“As long as you’re earnestly studying and earnestly pursuing learning, I’ll continue supporting you.” Concubine Jiang promised.