Yuan Shi walked into Sheng Residence and felt momentarily disoriented.

The Xie family was a collapsing edifice, yet Sheng Residence remained as peaceful as before, as if nothing had happened.

Maids and servants came and went, each performing their duties. Her daughter-in-law sat in the flower hall drinking tea, her face showing no emotion whatsoever.

“Chu’er.”

Yuan Shi entered the flower hall and sighed.

“Back then, the He family patriarch took silver he shouldn’t have taken. Everyone in the capital knows what became of the entire He family—I won’t say more,” Yun Chu said. “Xie Jingyu doing this was not only trampling on his own conscience, but also not valuing the lives of so many people in the Xie family… After doing such a thing, he still wants the Yun family to intercede for him. Is that even possible?”

Yuan Shi’s hands were ice cold.

In the past, Chu’er had called Jingyu “husband.”

But now that Jingyu was in trouble, she called her own husband by his full name, without the slightest affection.

“Jingyu did this for all these people in the family,” Yuan Shi stammered. “He did it to give you, his wife, dignity, to let you live a life of fine clothes and good food, to…”

Yun Chu picked up her teacup: “I cannot manage this matter. Tingxue, see the mistress out.”

Yuan Shi still had a belly full of words she hadn’t begun to say, but Tingxue already escorted her out.

She stood at the entrance of Sheng Residence, gazing at Yun Chu’s figure from afar, suddenly feeling as if she no longer recognized this daughter-in-law.

Yun Chu didn’t care at all.

She had Tingxue and Tingfeng thoroughly inventory everything in the storeroom. Everything that belonged to her, not a single item would be left behind.

The old lady’s storeroom was temporarily in her care. She had no intention of taking those things—first, she looked down on them, and second, they made her uncomfortable.

If she left them for the Xie family, the Xie family would immediately turn around and give them to the guards at the gate to establish connections…

Yun Chu paused and said: “Tingxue, go ask Concubine Jiang to come here.”

Tingxue nodded and immediately went to find Concubine Jiang.

Ever since Xie Jingyu fell ill, Concubine Jiang and Tingyu had taken turns attending to the sick there. She had become so exhausted that she’d lost a great deal of weight.

“Greetings, Madam.”

Concubine Jiang bowed with lowered head.

“Sit.” Yun Chu’s attitude was warm, and she even had tea brought.

Concubine Jiang had just heard that the mistress had been rebuffed here at the madam’s place. Seeing the madam being so pleasant to her, she felt somewhat uneasy.

“How has Xian’er been lately?” Yun Chu asked.

“When Xian’er isn’t studying, she’s learning embroidery. However, after the lord fell ill, this concubine has accompanied her less, so I don’t know how well Xian’er is learning.”

Yun Chu nodded: “Xian’er is a good child. I have some things here. Take them for Xian’er to keep—consider it a dowry I’m giving in advance.”

Concubine Jiang was completely stunned.

Previously, when the eldest young lady married—and married a prince at that—the madam hadn’t produced even the slightest bit of dowry.

Her Xian’er was still so young. It would be more than ten years before she married. Why was the madam preparing a dowry so early…

Tingxue presented a box—a very large box, much bigger than an ordinary dressing case. Tingxue lifted the lid, and when she saw what was inside, Concubine Jiang was stunned again.

Inside were all accessories she recognized—a complete set of gold and jade hair ornaments that the lord had given to the old lady after his promotion, a set the old lady wore on her birthday, and various hairpins, hair sticks, earrings, pearl chains, bracelets… all the good things the old lady had accumulated over the years. While not priceless, they were worth at least three to five thousand taels of silver—for a concubine like her, an enormous sum she wouldn’t dare dream of.

The madam was actually taking all of these out and giving them to her Xian’er.

“Madam, this—this…”

Yun Chu spoke: “If you don’t accept them, these things will fall into the hands of those guards and jailers.”

Concubine Jiang’s hands trembled slightly: “Madam, may this concubine ask why?”

Yun Chu smiled faintly.

Why?

Because in her previous life, just before her death, only Xian’er had cried while embracing her and knocked over the bowl containing poison.

It was Xian’er who made her understand that it wasn’t her method of discipline that was wrong—some people were rotten from the root. No matter how you taught them, they remained selfish, cold-blooded monsters.

“Don’t let others know about these things,” Yun Chu looked at her. “Guard your true heart and raise Xian’er well.”

Concubine Jiang’s voice trembled: “Madam—is Madam going to leave the Xie family?”

Yun Chu didn’t answer.

But the answer was already very obvious.

Concubine Jiang left Sheng Residence holding the box. Returning to her own courtyard, she called Xie Xian over, opened the box, and said softly: “This is the dowry the madam prepared for you. No matter what happens to the Xie family in the future, no matter what circumstances your father falls into, with these things the madam prepared for you, you won’t have too hard a life.”

Xie Xian seemed to understand yet not understand: “Mother cares for me very much. I’ll remember.”

“This is the biggest secret between us mother and daughter. Don’t tell anyone,” Concubine Jiang embraced her daughter. “You must remember, no matter where you go in the future, you must remember the madam’s kindness. If you have the ability, if the madam happens to need help, you must spare no effort.”

Xie Xian nodded vigorously.

Yun Chu had Qiutong go outside to gather some news.

Qiutong knew martial arts, and those guarding the Xie residence gate were all low-ranking soldiers. She left the Xie residence without any effort, walked around the streets, then returned to report to Yun Chu.

“Madam, right now on the streets and in the teahouses, everyone is discussing the Xie family’s affairs. They say the Xie family married a criminal’s descendant, that the Xie family’s eldest young master deceived the sovereign, that Lord Xie is corrupt and broke the law. Everyone is watching the Xie family’s drama unfold.”

Yun Chu raised her eyes: “Then how are they discussing the Xie family’s mistress?”

“They all say the Xie family’s mistress is pitiful, that she was deceived too badly by the Xie family,” Qiutong chose her words carefully. “Everyone is discussing whether the Yun family will use this opportunity to divorce the Xie family.”

Tingfeng nodded: “Madam, divorce quickly. Staying in the Xie family is truly unlucky.”

Tingxue also chimed in: “The Xie family members are heartless wolves, corrupt and lawless, deceiving the sovereign. If Madam divorces, it accords with the people’s will.”

Yun Chu shook her head.

Right now, the common people all said she was pitiful.

But if she truly divorced at this time, then in the common people’s eyes, the Xie family would become the disadvantaged party, while the Yun family would become the one kicking others when they’re down.

The common people’s views on a matter were like grass on a wall—when the wind blows, they change direction.

She spoke: “The time isn’t right yet.”

Her courtyard was still under renovation. Waiting a bit longer wouldn’t hurt.

Most importantly, she still had to send Xie Jingyu off on his final journey…

At dusk, servants brought up the meal. Even though the Xie family had declined to this extent, what was due to Yun Chu remained exactly the same.

After she finished her meal, she had someone attend to her bath. Wearing a gauze robe, she reclined on the bed reading.

She suddenly heard what sounded like some noise and said: “Qiutong, go outside and see what’s happening.”

She feared the guards outside might sneak into the Xie family under cover of darkness to do unspeakable things.

Qiutong had just left when Yun Chu heard the window make a sound.

She immediately rose from the bed, quickly draped her outer robe over her shoulders, and pulled out a short sword from under her pillow.

Having just completed this series of actions, she saw a tall figure leap in through the window…