Chu Yi didn’t have that much patience.

He gave Chengxu a look. Chengxu grabbed a bucket of water and poured it over the woman.

Water on a late autumn, early winter night was bone-chillingly cold. Men could still endure it, but delicate, pampered women simply couldn’t withstand it.

The woman let out a shriek. Just as she was about to speak, the second bucket of water was already raised above her head.

“What exactly do you want…” The woman cried. “I’ll tell, I’ll tell you everything.”

Chengxu said coldly: “Before you stands His Highness, the current Third Imperial Prince, Prince Pingxi. Whatever he asks, you must confess honestly!”

The woman prostrated herself on the ground, trembling as she said: “This commoner kowtows to Your Highness. This commoner will certainly speak without reservation!”

“Five years ago, on the twentieth of May, where were you that day!”

“Please allow this commoner to think…” The woman pondered for quite a while before saying, “That day, this commoner carried a basket of eggs to Marquis Xuanwu’s residence to sell, but the accountant who handled payment wasn’t there, so the household servants invited this commoner to wait inside the marquis’s residence…”

Before she finished speaking, Chengxu seized her wrist.

He spread open her five fingers: “If you’re a farm woman who handles farm work all day, why don’t you have a single callus? I see you think your life is too long, speaking nothing but lies!”

As he spoke, he drew his long blade, pressed the woman’s hand to the ground, and swung down to strike.

The woman’s eyes widened in terror, her whole body jumping in fright: “I’ll tell, I’ll tell everything… I’m a bonded servant of the Qin family at Marquis Xuanwu’s residence. Five years ago, I was sent by the marquis to a mountain village to pose as a farm woman. The marquis told me to wait quietly, saying that if Prince Pingxi ever came looking, it would be my chance to change my fate…”

“This Prince only asks you.” Chu Yi spoke. “That night five years ago, the events that occurred at Marquis Xuanwu’s residence—are you aware of them?”

The woman’s gaze became evasive.

“Splash!”

A bucket of ice water poured over her head.

She understood clearly that Prince Pingxi was interrogating her like a criminal because he had already investigated the entire matter.

No matter what else she said, she couldn’t possibly gain even the slightest bit of sympathy.

Better to confess honestly.

Perhaps there might still be a thread of hope for survival.

“I know! I know!” The woman’s teeth chattered. “I was the marquis’s personal maidservant. Many things, I handled for the marquis… That night, it was I who bathed Madam Xie, who helped Madam Xie change clothes… But please, Your Highness, investigate clearly—our marquis truly did nothing, didn’t even touch Madam Xie once…”

Chu Yi’s eyes were cold as ice: “Besides you, who else was involved in this matter?”

“There was also a servant from the Xie family!” The woman said repeatedly. “Should have been a book boy at Xie Jingyu’s side.”

A murderous look appeared in Chu Yi’s eyes: “Take her away and lock her up.”

Two guards came in from outside, gagged the woman’s mouth, and dragged her out.

“Xie Jingyu didn’t have a book boy at his side.” Chengxu sneered coldly. “It seems that person was either silenced by Xie Jingyu, or fled early out of fear of being silenced.”

“Find him. Dig three feet into the ground if you must, but find that person.”

Chu Yi’s cold, tense face was tightly drawn, killing intent spreading bit by bit.

Chengxu immediately made this matter his top priority.

He paused, then boldly asked: “Your Highness went to see Miss Yun late at night. I wonder what Miss Yun’s response was?”

As an imperial prince, although Chu Yi had many brothers and sisters, they weren’t particularly close. Chengxu had grown up with him from childhood, so he would speak some words from the heart.

He said: “I offered to take responsibility for that night. She refused.”

“Your Highness, how could you…” Chengxu was deeply pained. “Your Highness’s willingness to take responsibility for that night certainly shows you’re an honorable gentleman, but in Miss Yun’s view, Your Highness is only marrying her out of obligation. Miss Yun was married before and knows well the difficulties of being a wife. Her refusal is within reason.”

Chu Yi nodded. Indeed, that was so.

He shouldn’t have said those words.

He humbly sought advice: “Then what do you think I should have said?”

Chengxu scratched the back of his head.

He was also a bachelor who had never been in close contact with women. How would he know these things?

But since the prince had deigned to ask, he had to come up with a decent suggestion no matter what.

“Your Highness could start with the two young masters.” Chengxu spoke volubly. “They say a mother and child are connected at heart. Even when Miss Yun didn’t know about that night, she was utterly devoted to the two young masters. Now that mother and children are reunited, Miss Yun must be eager to stay with the children day and night. If Your Highness proposes marriage in the children’s name, I think Miss Yun will immediately nod in agreement.”

Chu Yi frowned.

Was that really so?

He always felt something wasn’t quite right.

Chu Yi didn’t sleep all night.

But he was still full of energy. He sat in the children’s courtyard for a little over half a shichen, and the two children woke up.

Nanny Zheng was still dressing Chu Changsheng when Chu Hongyu had already dressed and come out, accompanied by a book boy, preparing to go study at the Imperial Academy.

“There’s no need to go to school today.” Chu Yi spoke. “Your father will take you somewhere.”

Chu Hongyu shook his head: “Master Wang said my foundation is too poor and told me to arrive half a shichen early for study.”

“That’s fine too.” Chu Yi said. “Then I’ll take Changsheng to Yulin Alley.”

Yulin Alley was where the courtyard Yun Chu currently lived was located.

Upon hearing these three words, how could Chu Hongyu remain calm? He said joyfully: “Don’t we only go there every evening? Why are we going so early in the morning?”

“Your imperial grandmother’s birthday is approaching. She’ll be staying in the palace for a few days then, so it will be difficult to go to Yulin Alley.” Chu Yi spoke. “Therefore, these next few days, you two siblings will stay there and don’t need to return to the princely residence.”

“Father? Are you really my father?” Chu Hongyu happily climbed onto Chu Yi’s leg. “When did Father become so good to us? I’m truly so happy!”

After the children were tidied up, they also packed some change of clothes and commonly used items, bringing only the guard Amao, then headed toward Yulin Alley.

Yun Chu had nothing particular to do and had slept in a bit later before getting up.

She had just finished washing up and walked out of her room when she saw the two children running toward her and throwing themselves into her arms.

Tingxue said: “Your Highness brought the Young Lord and Young Princess half a shichen ago. Afraid of disturbing Miss’s rest, he didn’t have this servant announce them.”

“Mother!”

“Mother!”

The two children whispered the most intimate form of address in her ear.

Yun Chu’s smile was infinitely gentle. Looking at the son and daughter before her, she said: “From today onward, even in front of your father, you can call me this.”

Chu Hongyu turned to look at the man behind him.

Chu Yi nodded.

“Wow, that’s wonderful!” Chu Hongyu jumped three feet high. “Father is truly the best father in the world! I declare that Father has become my fourth favorite person!”

Chu Yi was very satisfied.

This little rascal used to always say his most hated person was him. Now he had finally become a liked person. Although only ranked fourth, it was still satisfying.

Yun Chu asked: “Then who are the first, second, and third?”

“Now don’t get angry when I tell you, Mother.” Chu Hongyu said, rubbing his chin. “My sister and I grew up together, so my first favorite person is my sister, the second is Mother…”

Yun Chu touched his head: “Silly child, of course Mother won’t be angry. That you and Changsheng put each other first is something your father and I are both happy to see.”

Chu Hongyu breathed a sigh of relief and continued: “My third favorite is Imperial Grandmother. Imperial Grandmother’s birthday is coming soon, and I need to prepare a birthday gift for her.”

Yun Chu knew that “Imperial Grandmother” referred to Imperial Consort Yin, while “Imperial Grand Empress” would be the Empress.

For the little one to rank her third showed that Imperial Consort Yin usually paid close attention to the two children. She would remember in her heart those who were good to the children.