After the children had eaten their fill, they played and romped about in the open courtyard.

Several little girls, four or five years old, gathered their courage and came over to talk with Chu Changsheng. The little girls pressed their lips together, somewhat afraid, and Tingxue guided the children to play together.

She stood in the early winter wind, her thoughts in disarray.

She had built the Ciguotang, feeling as though she had done a great act of charity and virtue. For her, this was a form of charity toward the poor.

She still ultimately placed herself in a higher position.

Yes, she was born as the eldest daughter of the Yun Family, and Changsheng was also born with a golden spoon in her mouth, as an imperial princess. Throughout their lives, it would be difficult for them to truly understand the struggles and hardships of those at the very bottom of society.

She could actually do more.

Yun Chu looked toward Yun Qin and said, “Cousin, let’s build a school on this empty lot—literature studies, martial studies, and also embroidery halls and cooking halls suitable for girls.”

Yun Qin nodded. “This will probably cost quite a bit of silver.”

“The books say that giving someone fish is not as good as teaching them to fish. Providing them with food, clothing, and shelter is not as good as letting each of them learn a skill,” Yun Chu said with a smile. “When they grow up and can stand on their own feet, that’s when we’ll have truly helped them.”

“Good, I’ll arrange it as soon as possible.” Yun Qin paused and continued, “I just took a look, and many children have fallen ill—either hurting here or itching there. I was thinking of hiring a physician to return here for regular consultations. What do you think?”

Yun Chu nodded with full approval. “We can have the physician open a medical school to teach the children to read medical texts and recognize medicinal herbs.”

As the two were talking, a helper came running over, covered in sweat. “Miss, many children have arrived over there. They all heard about Ciguotang and came seeking refuge.”

Yun Chu and Yun Qin stopped their conversation and walked out of Ciguotang. Rounding a corner, they saw at least thirty or more children on the main road ahead.

Besides the children, there were also four or five emaciated women. The women held babies about three or four months old in their arms, and the infants were crying loudly from hunger.

Those women spotted Yun Chu.

Dressed like a noble, she must surely be the person in charge here.

The women dropped to their knees with a thud before Yun Chu and Yun Qin, and the children also knelt on the ground.

“The children haven’t had milk for two days. They really can’t endure it anymore. We beg you two madams to take in the children and save their lives…”

Yun Chu quickly helped them up. “There’s no need to kneel. Everyone get up. Come with me inside. Ciguotang has wet nurses. The first priority is to let the children eat their fill.”

The woman hesitated. “This place only takes in children, right? Does that mean we’ll have to separate from our children?”

Yun Chu said gently, “Ciguotang does indeed only shelter children, but we’re currently short-handed and hiring workers. If you have patience with children and are willing to care for every child here with the same heart you’d use to care for your own children, you can work as helpers at Ciguotang.”

The women were overcome with gratitude. “Thank you, thank you…”

Yun Qin led the group inside.

Yun Chu saw Changsheng in the distance picking flowers with three or four little girls.

The wildflowers blooming in the cold wind of early winter had tenacious vitality. The girls picked a large bouquet of flowers and presented them to Yun Chu.

“Thank you all. I like them very much.”

Yun Chu patted each of the girls on the head.

Changsheng, who had originally looked relaxed, suddenly shrank her shoulders and buried herself in Yun Chu’s embrace.

The other girls also looked warily toward the roadside.

It turned out that a carriage had arrived by the roadside—wider and larger than ordinary carriages, clearly a noble’s carriage.

“Changsheng, don’t be afraid. It’s just a carriage.” Yun Chu picked up her daughter and held the hands of the other children with her other hand. “Come, let’s go inside.”

That carriage gradually slowed down.

The carriage curtain was lifted by a vigorous hand. Those fingers were slender, showing a sickly pallor.

“Master, there’s just over half an hour until we reach the capital.”

A servant knelt at his feet, reporting respectfully.

The man didn’t respond. He looked in Yun Chu’s direction, somewhat dazed.

Even though it was just a profile, he recognized her—that was Miss Yun from the Yun Family, Yun Chu.

That day in the palace, she had nearly become his medicinal catalyst.

She held a little girl in her arms, with four or five little girls following beside her, laughing and playing as they walked into an estate.

He made out the estate’s plaque: Ciguotang.

He asked softly, “What is this place?”

The servant didn’t know either and shook his head. “In response to master, when we left the capital before, this place didn’t seem to exist yet.”

Chu Rui was about to say something more when he suddenly began coughing violently.

The servant quickly stood up, pulled down the carriage curtain, gently patted his back, and then offered him a medicine bowl.

Chu Rui didn’t take it.

With such a sickly body, he should have died long ago.

Last time, he had finally made up his mind to die, but he was saved by Yun Chu.

That woman called Yun Chu resembled his elder sister—that face looked alike, and even her gentle way of speaking was identical.

His elder sister would surely hope he lived well.

So he lived on.

He requested that the emperor revoke Prince Zhuang’s title and fled the capital at all costs.

But—

The Empress Dowager sent a letter, and he was pulled back like a pitiful kite.

He couldn’t escape.

He could never escape for his entire life.

How pitiful.

He was truly a tragedy.

The carriage entered the capital all the way to the imperial city, where young eunuchs arrived carrying a sedan chair. The servant helped Chu Rui into the sedan chair, which was carried all the way to the imperial study.

Seeing Chu Rui return to the capital, the emperor wasn’t surprised.

The Empress Dowager threatened suicide daily. If Chu Rui had even a shred of conscience, he couldn’t possibly just leave and never return.

“Rui’er, your title and fief—I’ve kept them all for you,” the emperor said, twisting his fingers. “Since you’ve returned, I shall restore them to you.”

Chu Rui coughed violently. “Imperial Uncle, there’s no need. Rui’er’s fate is thin. I’m not worthy of the status of prince. Without the title, I live more freely.”

The emperor’s face showed more sincerity. “Then I respect your choice. The Empress Dowager has been waiting for you for some time. Go.”

Chu Rui cupped his hands in salute and walked out supporting himself on the servant’s hand. He took the sedan chair to the Empress Dowager’s Kangning Palace.

As soon as he walked in, he was met with a gust of wind, followed by a slap landing on his face.

He fell to the ground, caught off guard.

“This is the legitimate grandson that I raised by devoting everything, and you actually wanted to just walk away! What right do you have to escape!” The Empress Dowager was furious. “Your father died under mysterious circumstances back then, and the great empire fell into others’ hands. You are your father’s only bloodline. You should be the master of this empire. How could you just leave like that! Rui’er, if you dare to leave again, I will die right in front of you!”

Chu Rui lay collapsed on the ground, his lips overflowing with bitter laughter.

He had finally made up his mind to leave when the Empress Dowager sent a letter saying that if he didn’t return to the capital within seven days, she would kill herself.

He had no second choice.

How carefree he had been when leaving.

How painful it was when returning.

In the end, he had to face all of this.

“The Crown Prince is only four years older than you. Now he has children, and is about to take Miss Fang as a secondary consort. Your marriage cannot be delayed any longer.” The Empress Dowager said sternly, “I’ve chosen the eldest daughter of the Yu Family as your principal wife. You…”

Before she finished speaking.

Chu Rui suddenly drew the sword from a guard’s waist. “If Grandmother forces me to marry, then I will resist with this life of mine.”

“You!”

The Empress Dowager was furious.

Chu Rui smiled slightly. “This tactic—wasn’t it Grandmother who taught it to me?”

The Empress Dowager’s chest heaved violently.

She had taught him so much, yet why did he only remember to use his own life to threaten those closest to him?