Yun Chu looked at Yun Run.
Actually, this cousin did indeed have some strategic thinking. If she didn’t know the trajectory of events from her previous life, she would definitely support her cousin in taking action.
In her previous life, after the Yun family encountered trouble, eldest brother Yun Ze and Yun Run went everywhere together to smooth over relationships. They were quickly implicated and transferred away to other cities, and Yun Run became the main voice of that generation of the Yun family.
Immediately after that, eldest sister-in-law had a miscarriage.
The Yun family became even more chaotic.
A very long time later, her father returned to the capital with the head of the Southern Yue King. All the city’s people lined the streets to welcome him. The Emperor was greatly pleased, and countless rewards flowed like water into the Yun family.
The Yun family almost stood at its peak.
Naturally then, those who had previously made small moves just disappeared.
Her father didn’t pursue the matter either, and it just passed.
Now, living this life again, she naturally wanted to catch the person who had caused eldest sister-in-law’s miscarriage.
“Yun Chu.” Yun Run looked at Yun Chu and spoke. “I heard from Yun Yi that Prince Pingxi gave you the Yun family army’s command token. Is this true?”
Lin Shi’s brow furrowed.
After Yun Run entered, he had someone go request Chu’er to come discuss matters. She had thought these collateral branches valued Chu’er’s opinion.
Unexpectedly, it was for that command token.
“It is true.” Yun Chu replied. “Why does Cousin Yun Run ask about this?”
“From this, it’s clear your friendship with Prince Pingxi runs deep.” Yun Run continued. “Could you ask Prince Pingxi to step forward and restore Yun Yi and the other two to their original positions?”
The old general said coldly: “There’s no need for that.”
The Yun family didn’t need to ask favors from anyone.
Even more impossible was letting the Yun family’s legitimate eldest daughter go out and ask favors from people.
“I understand the old general’s concerns, but I cannot manage to control things through inaction.” Yun Run spoke. “I’ll go out first and try to smooth over some relationships.”
He nodded to Old General Yun, then turned and left the Yun residence.
Yun Yi and the others sighed and followed along.
“Chu’er, do you think there’s something wrong with Yun Run?” Yun Ze asked.
Yun Chu shook her head: “Can’t tell yet.”
The Yun family hadn’t yet reached its worst circumstances, and the evil in human nature hadn’t yet manifested. Speaking of these things now was still too early.
“Yun Ze, you should take this time to rest well. When your father returns to court with merit, you won’t have so much free time.” Old General Yun supported himself on a servant’s hand and rose with difficulty. “If Yun Run loves to stir things up, just let him stir things up.”
Yun Ze didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Grandfather, I think you’re the one who should rest well. From now on, when discussing matters, I’ll tell people not to go request your presence, old sir.”
In Chu’er’s dream, his wife would miscarry because of internal Yun family strife. If he really delegated power and didn’t manage anything, wouldn’t that make it easy for petty people to exploit gaps?
He already knew in advance what would happen in the future. If he still stepped into it, that would truly be failing as a husband and as a father!
Yun Chu stayed and had a meal with Lin Shi.
Only then did she continue to busy herself with her own matters.
She had Chen Defu increase the wages for building the shelter. It could probably be completed in about a month. During this time, she needed to widely publicize the shelter’s existence.
So that when people discovered abandoned children, they would know where to send them.
Some orphans who had lost their parents would also know to go find the shelter themselves.
Yun Chu had people draw up plans—a blueprint for the shelter’s future. Under blue sky and white clouds were orderly buildings with children running freely and healthily.
She set up a tent in the western part of the city, pasted that picture on the wall behind it, and personally sat in position at a table in front.
A crowd immediately gathered around the tent.
“They’re building a shelter outside the city?”
“It says above it’s specifically for sheltering and raising homeless children.”
“The weather’s getting colder and colder. Indeed, many children freeze to death on the streets. So pitiful. With a place like this, at least they won’t freeze to death.”
“Isn’t that right? There are also many families who have four or five daughters in a row and secretly throw away or drown their daughters. With a shelter, at least they can send the girls there. Letting them live is at least accumulating virtue.”
“…”
“The person sitting at the table seems to be the Yun family’s eldest miss. I saw her before when watching the commotion at the Xie family gate.”
“Is this shelter being built in the Yun family’s name?”
“The Yun family is currently being accused by many in court of colluding with the enemy and treason. The Yun family is probably trying to save themselves.”
“Alas, the Yun family’s men kill enemies on the battlefield, the women either build summer retreats or build shelters. How could such a family possibly betray the country?”
“It must be slander by petty people. I hope the Emperor can investigate and clarify soon!”
The vast majority of common people didn’t believe the Yun family had betrayed the country.
But there were exceptions.
A man in his twenties stepped out from the crowd and loudly cursed: “The Yun family does these things just to win people’s hearts! Don’t be deceived by the Yun family!”
As he spoke, he picked up an egg and threw it at Yun Chu.
With his action, seven or eight old women surged out from behind him, all carrying baskets, very skillfully throwing rotten vegetable leaves at Yun Chu.
Qiutong’s eyes narrowed as she blocked in front of Yun Chu.
But almost no rotten eggs or leaves were thrown over, because the surrounding common people intercepted them all, spontaneously protecting Yun Chu.
“Mother, I’ll protect you and help you leave.”
A voice sounded beside Yun Chu’s ear.
Yun Chu looked and saw Xie Shi’an, whom she hadn’t seen in many days.
After the divorce, she had slowly and automatically forgotten about the Xie family’s matters and people. Seeing Xie Shi’an here, detached from her identity as Madam Xie, she had a different kind of feeling.
“Mother, be careful!”
Xie Shi’an raised his hand, blocking the vegetable leaves flying toward Yun Chu for her.
The group retreated to the wall.
“That person who just led the trouble is not a common person.” Xie Shi’an stood before Yun Chu, his brow furrowed. “If I haven’t guessed wrong, he should be the Empress Dowager’s person.”
Yun Chu looked at him.
Xie Shi’an hadn’t gone to the Imperial Academy, hadn’t attended court, stayed far from those official people, yet could still see through the court situation so clearly?
That man was indeed the Empress Dowager’s person.
The Empress Dowager wanted to make the Yun family’s crimes stick, so she could protect the Chariot-Riding General and preserve the forces in the southern frontier that belonged to her natal family.
The Yun family’s troubles, from a certain level, were actually a contest between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
“You shouldn’t call me mother anymore in the future.” Yun Chu’s voice was light. “If people with ulterior motives hear, it might affect the Xie family.”
“Mother…”
Xie Shi’an’s heart clenched.
“I’m sorry, Mother. I shouldn’t have forced you to sever ties with the Yun family.”
After Mother left the Xie family, only then did he truly feel that without the protection of a great family, the Xie family was nothing.
Although the Yun family now wasn’t what it used to be, in the hearts of common people, its prestige remained undiminished. From the scene just now of common people protecting Mother, one could see the signs.
The Xie family drove away the Yun family daughter and offended even the common people on the streets. Even those at the lowest level of ordinary citizens could point at their noses and curse them.
“Why bring this up again?” Yun Chu spoke. “If the Xie family cannot support Kang’er, you can send him to the shelter outside the city.”
Xie Shi’an clenched his fists: “An eldest brother is like a father. After Father died, I am the father to my younger brothers. I won’t allow them to become orphans and go to a shelter.”
“An’er, I truly didn’t misjudge you. You’re a good child.” Yun Chu patted his shoulder. “I’ll say it again—if you have any difficulties, come find me at the Yun family. Mother and son for one lifetime—I’ll help with whatever I can help with.”
Xie Shi’an pressed his lips together.
His emotions were very complex.
He didn’t hope the Yun family would encounter trouble, because then Mother could help him.
At the same time, he was even more afraid the Yun family would be safe and sound, because then driving Mother away would make him a laughingstock, wouldn’t it?