During the New Year these past few days, on the first day the two children entered the palace to pay New Year greetings, on the second day they went to the Yin family to pay respects, and for the following days they stayed together with Yun Chu.
Chu Yi had also postponed all matters to remain at home, saying he wanted to take their mother and children to the outskirts of the capital to tread through snow and admire plum blossoms.
Yun Chu hurriedly shook her head and refused. The main reason was that it was too cold—going out would be easy to get frostbitten. Staying at home reading books and chatting wasn’t bad at all.
“Then Chu’er, can you answer a few questions for me?”
“Crystal and jade stone—which do you prefer?”
“Water-cloud satin and sky-cloud brocade—which do you like?”
“And also…”
Yun Chu: “…”
She seemed to know what he was asking these questions for.
Answering wasn’t right.
Not answering also wasn’t right.
Chu Hongyu raised his little head: “Crystal looks good, jade stone also looks good—can’t I like both? Water-cloud satin is cool, sky-cloud brocade is warm—I like both too.”
The smile at the corner of Chu Yi’s lips deepened: “Good, like them all.”
It seemed he wasn’t even as perceptive as a child.
Just as they were chatting, Chengxu’s voice suddenly sounded from outside: “Prince, the military camp in the outskirts of the capital reports that the famous flower-picking thief from Jinzhou has appeared near the capital. The Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review has already taken people to apprehend him and has specially sent someone to request the Prince’s support.”
Chu Yi stood up: “Chu’er, I’ll go see what the situation is.”
Yun Chu nodded.
She had heard of this flower-picking thief. Every month he would violate a young woman who had not yet left her boudoir. Over a dozen young women in Jinzhou had been defiled, causing widespread panic.
Only by apprehending him quickly could people’s hearts be calmed.
Chu Yi leaned down and kissed Yun Chu on the forehead.
“Me too, me too!”
Chu Hongyu squeezed past Chu Yi and kissed Yun Chu on the cheek.
Chu Yi’s face darkened completely.
Fortunately, Yun Chu had already agreed to let this little brat live in his own separate courtyard. Once spring arrived, the farther he rolled away the better.
He gave his son a cold glare, lifted the curtain of the warm pavilion, and walked out.
Yun Chu thought that he was just a lustful madman—with Chu Yi’s abilities, it shouldn’t be too difficult a matter.
Who would have known that by evening, Steward Cheng came to relay a message: “Miss Yun, during the siege that flower-picking thief actually escaped. The Prince led troops in pursuit all the way to Pingliang Prefecture. He probably won’t return within three days.”
Yun Chu was somewhat worried: “How many troops did he take?”
“He took three hundred men—more than enough.” Steward Cheng said, “Consort Yin sent a nanny to pick up the two young masters to stay in the palace for a few days.”
The two children liked staying with Yun Chu, but similarly, they also liked entering the palace to stay with Consort Yin, their imperial grandmother, for a while. Yun Chu watched Steward Cheng carry the little ones to the other side.
The room suddenly became empty.
Yun Chu’s heart also seemed to empty along with it.
This night, Yun Chu was somewhat worried about Chu Yi and didn’t sleep well.
In the morning she naturally woke up, practiced her martial arts for a while, bathed and changed clothes, then made herself busy.
“Chu’er, how do you still have the mind to handle account books?” Madam Lin walked right in. “I’ve inquired—the Emperor will probably formally bestow the marriage on the eighth day. Prince Pingxi is not young anymore. The wedding date is estimated to be within half a year. The matter of embroidering the wedding dress needs to be put on the agenda.”
Yun Chu was stunned all at once.
She knew the wedding date would be soon, but only when the wedding dress was mentioned did she truly feel that she would indeed be getting married very soon.
“I’ve found eight embroiderers for you.” Madam Lin smiled and said, “Six will specially embroider your wedding dress and celebratory bedding. The rest will embroider clothes, shoes, and such for you. There are also the greeting gifts for the elders after you marry over—they’re all embroidered items. Have them embroider everything well, and at the end you just need to add two stitches on top. Half a year’s time is more than enough.”
Yun Chu thought of five years ago. When she first married, her mother had also managed things for her like this.
She couldn’t help but nestle into Madam Lin’s embrace: “Mother, you’re so good to me…”
“Silly child, I carried you in my womb for ten months and gave birth to you. If I’m not good to you, who should I be good to? It’s the same principle as you being good to Brother Yu and Changsheng.” Madam Lin scraped her nose. “Although this is your second marriage, you should have everything you ought to have—not a single thing less. Mother will prepare it all for you.”
These past few days, she had been inquiring everywhere about the detailed processes for second weddings in the capital.
Men marrying second wives were a dime a dozen, but women marrying a second husband were extremely rare, especially in great families—it could almost be said there were none.
Women from smaller families who remarried also married to other places, far from gossip and slander.
It could be said she hadn’t been able to find out anything.
She could only figure it out herself.
Madam Lin had the eight embroiderers come in to first discuss with Yun Chu what style of wedding dress she wanted, specific details, and such.
After discussing for a little over half an hour, Yun Chu couldn’t sit still anymore. The main issue was that she really didn’t understand these things. She stood up: “I’ll leave these matters for Mother to arrange. I’m fine with anything. I made plans with Duling to meet shortly, so I’m going out first.”
Without waiting for Madam Lin’s response, she lifted the curtain and went out.
“This child…”
Madam Lin shook her head.
Yun Chu did indeed have business meeting with Duling and hadn’t lied.
Young Master Wu was arriving in the capital this morning and would stay in a separate courtyard. With her serving as intermediary, she would have Young Master Wu treat Du Ying’s fiancé’s illness.
Today was the sixth day of the first month, still during the Spring Festival period. The streets were very lively. The carriage passed through an alley and stopped at the entrance of the separate courtyard.
This was lodging the Du family had specially arranged—an elegant courtyard with servants to attend to needs, enough to show sincerity.
Yun Chu had just gotten down from the carriage when she saw a familiar figure.
“Is that… Princess Qinghua?” Qiutong also recognized her and said in a low voice, “What is the Princess doing here?”
Hearing the commotion, Princess Qinghua turned her head. She saw Yun Chu: “Why would you come here?”
“Paying respects to the Princess.” Yun Chu curtsied. “This court lady came to see someone.”
Princess Qinghua asked in return: “To see Wu Yun, Doctor Wu?”
Yun Chu didn’t hide it and nodded.
“Although your Yun family has declined, it must be said you still have some capabilities.” Princess Qinghua smiled. “However, Doctor Si’s final disciple has the exact same foul temper as Doctor Si—he won’t see anyone. This princess advises you not to waste your time.”
After she learned that Doctor Si’s disciple had come to the capital, she came rushing over without stopping to seek an audience.
This past year, she hadn’t been sleeping well and was rapidly aging. She wanted to seek a divine medicine that could keep a woman eternally young.
But this Doctor Wu refused to see her.
She commanded with her status as princess, yet Doctor Wu still wouldn’t appear—exactly the same as Doctor Si.
She still remembered that when she was young, the Emperor Father had used an imperial edict to force Doctor Si to remain in the capital as an imperial physician. Doctor Si directly defied the edict and ran away, disappearing without a trace just like that.
Later, the Empress searched everywhere for people and wrote letter after letter to Doctor Si to persuade and reconcile. Only then did Doctor Si finally agree to return to the capital once every three years to examine pulses and treat illnesses for members of the imperial family.
Because of this concern, she didn’t dare forcibly break in.
Seeing that Yun Chu still wasn’t leaving, Princess Qinghua said: “This princess happens to have a few words to say to you. Let’s walk together.”
Regarding this woman’s marriage with Yi’er, she still couldn’t accept it even now…
Yun Chu said indifferently: “This court lady has urgent business that requires seeing Doctor Wu. After this matter is completed, I’ll chat idly with the Princess.”
She knew too well what this Princess wanted to say to her—nothing more than mocking her for being unworthy of Chu Yi. Although she didn’t care about these words, that didn’t mean she was willing to listen to them.
After she finished speaking, she stepped up the stairs.