Chu Yi stepped forward, walking over from the other side.

He approached Yun Chu and suddenly raised his hand, presenting what he held before her. “Earlier, I passed by the pastry shop on the west side of the city and saw many people queuing to buy these treats. Thinking that Miss Yun might also enjoy them, I bought a portion along the way. Please try some.”

Yun Chu accepted it. Opening the package, she saw it was the most distinctive specialty from that western district pastry shop—donkey rolling.

She truly did enjoy eating this. In the past, when she was still an unmarried young lady at home, she would frequently send her maids to queue and buy some back for her.

Later, after marrying, the pastry shop was really quite far away, and the queues were especially long. Gradually, she stopped eating it.

She took a bite. It was still the taste from her memory. Unable to resist, she took a second bite.

Chu Yi breathed a sigh of relief. This was something General Yun had mentioned long ago, saying that Yun Chu enjoyed eating donkey rolling.

In the past, he hadn’t had any excuse to give such treats.

Now, it seemed there weren’t so many concerns.

He wanted to buy it, so he bought it. He wanted to give it, so he gave it.

Seeing her eat happily made him more joyful than killing ten bandits.

“The Prince’s residence has hired a master chef from Sichuan City who makes absolutely exquisite hot pot.” Chu Yi spoke, “When Yu’er and Changsheng return from the palace, on the day we officially move, I’ll host and invite Miss Yun for a hot pot meal. What do you say?”

Yun Chu’s eyes brightened. Sichuan City was the birthplace of hot pot, far more authentic than those restaurants in the capital.

She truly hadn’t expected that Prince Pingxi would be a gourmet enthusiast.

She smiled. “Then I shall respectfully accept rather than decline.”

Chu Yi’s heart filled with great joy.

The Ministry of Works Vice Minister had told him that the vast majority of women in the world, if they didn’t need to manage household affairs, would truly begin to be themselves—buying jewelry, adding cosmetics, eating delicious food, viewing beautiful scenery… There wasn’t a single woman who didn’t enjoy these things.

Recently, the Western Regions had paid tribute with a green crystal that was rare even in a hundred years. He needed to find a way to obtain it from his imperial father…

He suppressed these thoughts.

After Yun Chu had eaten her fill, only then did he speak. “That shelter on the city outskirts—was it established by Miss Yun?”

Yun Chu nodded. “Just doing what little I can for those homeless children.”

Chu Yi took out banknotes he had prepared long ago from his sleeve. “Here are thirty thousand taels in banknotes. I trouble Miss Yun to do something for the children on my behalf.”

From their first meeting, he had known that dwelling within her was a soft-hearted and kind soul.

Yu’er and Changsheng had endured countless hardships to survive this long. She felt gratitude toward Heaven, and therefore, she was willing to save more children for this reason.

He too felt gratitude toward Heaven.

For allowing that night of mistakes and absurdity five years ago to continue into something beautiful.

“Then I shall first thank Your Highness on behalf of the children.”

Yun Chu accepted the thirty thousand taels of silver.

She accumulated merit for her two children, and Chu Yi accumulated merit for his son and daughter. Yu’er and Changsheng would surely remain forever safe, healthy, and joyful.

The next morning, Yun Chu appeared on the street as usual, so that more people would know of the shelter’s existence.

To prevent yesterday’s incident from happening again, Yun Chu deliberately brought several more guards from the Yun residence.

Throughout the morning, at least four or five pregnant women came to quietly inquire whether, if they gave birth to daughters, they could send them to the shelter.

“As long as they are children not accepted by their parents or family, they can all be sent to the shelter. If someday you regret it and the child is willing to return, you can also take them back.” Yun Chu smiled gently. “But if before you regret it, the child is taken in by someone else, the shelter has the right to keep the child’s whereabouts confidential.”

These women who came to inquire were mostly poor, having already given birth to three or four daughters. They really couldn’t afford to raise more girls. They wanted to bear sons to continue their husband’s family line, so they could only keep giving birth, one child after another…

Yun Chu didn’t look down on these women.

Because in her past life, she too had been like this. Unable to bear children, feeling guilty in her heart, she had accepted so many of Xie Jingyu’s illegitimate sons and daughters.

Women in this world each had their own suffering.

At this moment, a middle-aged man led a three or four-year-old child over. Looking at Yun Chu with tears, he said, “My wife died in childbirth, leaving only this child… I raised him to age three—I’ve done my utmost duty… Because of him, even finding a second wife is difficult for me. I truly have no other choice… Now, I’m entrusting him to the shelter. I hope you’ll take good care of him.”

The middle-aged man’s tears flowed like rivers. He looked quite like a good father.

Yet his actions were extremely swift—he threw the child into the shelter tent, wiped his face, turned, and left.

Yun Chu sighed.

She looked at the disbelieving child and spoke. “Your father will have a better life, and you will have a better future. Don’t be sad.”

She patted the child’s head and instructed Tingxue, “Take the child to find Uncle Chen.”

The shelter would soon be completed. For now, the children were temporarily settled at her estate outside the city, which was at least a stable dwelling.

At this moment, a carriage suddenly passed through the street.

She looked up and saw palace guards and eunuchs. By their appearance, they were going to announce an imperial edict, though it wasn’t clear to which family.

However, she soon found out, because the entire city was discussing it.

“Those people just went to the Fang Family to announce an edict—that Fang Family of the Right Vice Censor of the Censorate, a second-rank official.”

“The imperial edict said to make the Fourth Miss of the Fang Family a secondary consort to the Crown Prince.”

“Don’t tell me you still don’t know—a few days ago, Miss Fang tried to take her own life. The imperial physician saved her. Do you know why she tried to die?”

“We common folk, how would we know about affairs of great households? Stop keeping us in suspense and speak quickly.”

“Previously, His Majesty issued an edict for Prince Pingxi and Miss Fang. Prince Pingxi defied the decree and refused the marriage. Miss Fang then hanged herself. They say it alarmed the entire palace. If not for my uncle’s nephew serving in the palace, I truly wouldn’t know about this matter.”

“So, His Majesty is compensating the Fang Family by making Miss Fang a secondary consort to the Crown Prince?”

“A secondary consort ultimately still isn’t as good as a principal consort.”

“You don’t understand—when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the secondary consort will surely be one of the four consorts of the harem. Even princess consorts will have to bow to this secondary consort.”

“Looks like the Fang Family profited from this.”

“…”

Yun Chu pondered slightly.

In her past life, Miss Fang had never married the Crown Prince as a secondary consort.

Because of her rebirth, many things had changed course. Even matters completely unrelated to her were now different from the previous life.

Yun Chu was still watching the excitement when the excitement soon arrived at her own doorstep.

“I heard that at this morning’s court session, letters showing collusion between the Pillar of State General and the Southern Yue King were presented.”

“Does this mean the Pillar of State General truly committed treason by colluding with the enemy?”

“Impossible, absolutely impossible! The Yun Family’s women are all in the capital. How could the General possibly rebel?”

“It’s slander by villains!”

“…”

Yun Chu gathered her things and rode her carriage back to the Yun residence.

As expected, upon entering, she immediately sensed the oppressive atmosphere. People from the Yun Family’s branch families had all arrived, each one hanging their heads dejectedly, as though attending a funeral.