Yun Chu sat at the edge of the hot spring pool, keeping her company.

After enduring just two needles, the little girl couldn’t bear it anymore, her face turning deathly pale.

Unable to hold back any longer, Yun Chu stepped directly into the hot spring, gently drawing the child into her embrace and softly beginning to sing.

Needle after needle was inserted into the little girl’s thin shoulders, and even her head received needles. After half an hour of acupuncture, they were finally removed.

By this time, the child had completely exhausted her strength and had fallen unconscious in Yun Chu’s arms.

“Thank you for your efforts, Physician Bi.”

Yun Chu carried the little girl out of the hot spring pool.

Tingfeng and Tingxue immediately stepped forward—one brought a blanket to wrap around Yun Chu, the other took a blanket to wrap up the young county princess, and they quickly entered the inner chamber.

After washing the child from head to toe and changing her into clean, soft clothes, they gently placed her on the bed. The little girl’s breathing gradually steadied, and she slowly fell asleep.

Yun Chu had worked up a sweat and went to bathe and change her clothes as well.

When she finished and came out, she realized she hadn’t seen Yu’er, that little rascal, for quite a while.

Just as she was about to ask, she saw Ah Mao enter through the doorway carrying a porcelain jar: “Miss Yun, this is the butterfly the young lord caught to give to the county princess.”

Tingxue exclaimed in surprise: “It’s already winter, and there are still butterflies?”

“Indeed!” Ah Mao lifted the lid. “Perhaps the hot springs are so warm that butterflies have flown into this estate. There are many more butterflies over there. The young lord said he must catch the biggest butterfly to bring back for Miss Yun.”

As soon as the lid opened, the butterfly tried to fly out, and Ah Mao quickly closed it again.

Yun Chu stood up: “Where did he go to catch butterflies?”

Ah Mao set down the porcelain jar: “This subordinate will take Miss Yun there.”

Yun Chu followed Ah Mao outside.

They arrived at a courtyard filled with flowers and plants, and there were indeed many butterflies flitting about.

“Eh, the young lord was just here. Where did he go?”

Ah Mao searched the courtyard but couldn’t find him, anxiety rising on his young face.

Yun Chu calmly instructed: “Go find Steward Cheng and guard the exits first.”

As long as Yu’er was still on the estate, everything would be fine.

She just feared he might accidentally run outside and fall into the hands of bandits.

Yun Chu sent all the maidservants around her to search. She knew Yu’er was a sensible child who wouldn’t run around recklessly—he had probably just gotten lost.

“What is Miss Yun looking for?”

A person appeared before her—it was none other than Madam Zou, whom she had encountered earlier.

Yun Chu’s eyes narrowed slightly: “What does Madam Zou think I’m looking for?”

“Miss Yun is famous in the capital as a virtuous wife and loving mother. Even when going out to soak in hot springs, you bring children along. Now you’re alone—the child must have gone missing, right?” Madam Zou smiled broadly. “Does Miss Yun need us to help search?”

The group of noble ladies all laughed along.

Four or five of them often gathered together for social engagements—today one hosting a flower-viewing banquet, tomorrow another inviting them to hot springs. Their days were as bland as water.

Seeing someone they once looked up to now in such a disheveled state, they all felt a secret, dark satisfaction.

Yun Chu’s gaze instantly darkened, and she strode toward the courtyard.

“Stop!” Madam Zou said coldly. “I’ve reserved this courtyard for three days. Without my invitation, Miss Yun should find it inconvenient to enter.”

As her words fell, two maidservants at her side blocked Yun Chu’s path.

Qiutong stepped forward, grabbed one maidservant in each hand, lifted them up, and tossed them into the flower bushes by the roadside.

Madam Zou immediately shrieked: “Yun Chu, have you gone mad? You dare lay hands on my people—who gave you such audacity!”

Just then, Steward Cheng arrived hastily with his men.

Madam Zou immediately said: “Steward Cheng, I paid a hefty price to reserve this courtyard. Now someone wants to trespass—how does Steward Cheng plan to handle this?”

Steward Cheng’s face darkened to the extreme: “Madam Zou had better pray there’s nothing in this courtyard.”

With a single look from him, the guards behind him stepped forward and blocked all the maidservants and older servants of these ladies, clearing a path. Yun Chu led her people inside.

She immediately spotted a small porcelain jar in the flower bushes, identical to the one in Ah Mao’s hands.

Walking forward a few steps, she heard a child’s voice.

Her heart sank as she quickly headed toward the back of the courtyard. At the door of a small wooden house, she heard a child pounding on the door: “Let me out, open the door, let me out!”

Ah Mao rushed forward with the speed of an arrow and kicked the wooden door open. The large lock crashed to the ground along with the door.

Chu Hongyu quickly ran out of the house.

Following him out were seven or eight enormous black rats, larger than an adult’s hand, making one’s scalp crawl.

“Mother, so many rats—they scared me to death!”

The little fellow, covered in tears and snot, jumped into Yun Chu’s arms, clearly terrified.

Yun Chu gently patted his back, softly saying: “It’s alright now. Mother is here. Nothing will happen. Don’t be afraid…”

After the little one’s emotions had calmed down, she handed the child to Tingxue beside her: “Be good and go back to the courtyard to look after your sister. Mother will return shortly.”

Chu Hongyu nodded obediently.

Walking to the front of the courtyard, each of those ladies looked somewhat uncomfortable.

Madam Zou sneered coldly: “How would I know why this child was in my courtyard? He came uninvited, yet it’s become my fault.”

Another lady chimed in: “Miss Yun, regardless of anything else, you were once this child’s legitimate mother. You should discipline him properly.”

“Steward Cheng has been rather offensive to me today.” Madam Zou desperately tried to save face. “Although my Zou family is only third rank, we’re still respected by Prince Pingxi. You’re just a servant—how dare you humiliate me? However, considering this is your first offense, I’ll forgive you.”

She knew this estate was Prince Pingxi’s property and that this steward was someone Prince Pingxi trusted, so she only dared to make this harsh statement. As for reporting this incident, she would never dare…

Yun Chu smiled slightly: “Just now I had someone investigate. It was clearly your maidservant, Madam Zou, who used a colorful butterfly to lure the child into the courtyard. You call this coming uninvited?”

“If she lured him in and he actually entered, what does that say? A bastard son from the fallen Xie family—does he not see what he is!” Madam Zou smoothed her hair. “Truly no upbringing at all. Entering the courtyard was bad enough, but to actually hide in someone else’s room and not come out—who knows if he stole anything…”

Before her words fell, Qiutong threw a large lock onto the ground with a thunderous crash.

“Was the child trespassing, or was he deceived and locked up by you?” Yun Chu’s voice grew colder bit by bit. “Steward Cheng, remove everyone!”

Steward Cheng nodded: “Yes, Miss Yun!”

All the guards behind him stepped forward, approaching those ladies.

The ladies jumped in fright: “You—what are you doing?”

They thought these guards were going to arrest them.

Instead, they saw the guards seizing all the maidservants, older servants, and other attendants behind them and leading them out.

“Miss Yun, if anything happens, just call out and this old servant will come in immediately.”

Steward Cheng respectfully closed the courtyard gate.

Madam Zou was incredulous.

Prince Pingxi’s people—why would they listen so obediently to Yun Chu’s instructions?

If Yun Chu were still the eldest daughter of the General’s Mansion, that would be one thing, but the General’s Mansion had already fallen. By what right, by what right at all?

Before she could figure out the reason, she saw Yun Chu walking toward her.

Her heart filled with dread: “You—what do you want? Let’s talk this through properly…”