Yun Ze’s expression was very dark.
He wouldn’t give a second chance to someone who dared to harm clan members.
Because where there was a first time, there would inevitably be a second. If the first evil deed went unpunished, there would certainly be a second time.
This time, Chu’er had fortunately anticipated it, but what about next time?
“Fourth Uncle, this matter cannot be resolved with silver.” Yun Ze enunciated each word, his voice carrying unquestionable determination. “The Yun Family is currently in troubled times and cannot afford a single mistake.”
Lin Shi stepped forward: “Our Yun Family has always been united as one, which is why we’ve weathered so many storms and stood firm in the capital for a hundred years. Tian Shi, for a bit of profit, you attacked a clan member. If even greater interests were placed before you in the future, I’m not certain whether you would choose profit or choose to betray the Yun Family. I don’t believe the Yun Family can continue to accommodate you.”
Fourth Aunt Yun, Tian Shi, opened her eyes wide in disbelief: “What does Sister-in-law mean by this? Are you trying to drive me out of the Yun Family?”
Yun Siyuan spoke: “Isn’t this too extreme?”
“Where is it extreme!” Third Aunt Yun sneered coldly. “Today she dares to harm Aunt Guilan, tomorrow she’ll dare to harm you, her husband. Today she somehow obtained creeping moneywort from who knows where—in a while she might secretly buy arsenic. When someone dies, it will be too late for regrets!”
The Yun Family members in the hall all nodded.
They weren’t worried about Tian Shi harming Yun Siyuan, but rather worried that one day they might inadvertently offend Tian Shi and be secretly attacked.
Tian Shi immediately denied it: “Impossible! I wouldn’t do such a thing!”
Yun Ze looked at Yun Siyuan: “Fourth Uncle now has two choices. First is to divorce your wife and remove Fourth Aunt from the Yun Family genealogy.”
“Forcing someone to divorce—may heaven strike you with lightning!” Fourth Aunt Yun, Tian Shi, said angrily. “How wonderful of you, Yun Ze! Where did I offend you that you would force your Fourth Uncle to do such a thing!”
“The second choice,” Yun Ze continued methodically, “Tian Shi attempted murder. Report it to the authorities and let the government investigate and determine the punishment accordingly.”
Tian Shi was shocked.
Being divorced was certainly unacceptable, but being sent to the authorities was obviously even more terrifying.
Yun Siyuan said in a deep voice: “Is there no third choice? Yun Ze, must you really be so ruthless?”
“My elder brother is now the head of the Yun Family. Every decision he makes is for the consideration of all Yun Family members, for the entire clan.” Yun Chu said gently. “It’s not that my elder brother is being ruthless, but rather that the wall of unity the Yun Family has built cannot be destroyed by a single person. Fourth Uncle, I hope you can understand.”
Yun Siyuan clenched his fists.
The Yun Family had always been united. No matter what happened, they firmly stood on the same line. This was the biggest reason the Yun Family had endured for a hundred years.
Over all these years, only Tian Shi had emerged to actually poison a fellow clan member.
Not only could the main branch not tolerate it, but among all the people from the collateral branches, not a single person pleaded for Tian Shi.
Yun Siyuan looked at his wife: “Two paths. The choice is in your hands.”
Tian Shi immediately went mad: “I bore children for the Yun Family, worked my heart out—is this how the Yun Family treats me? I won’t choose! I won’t choose either path!”
“You’re the one who did wrong, and you still think you’re in the right?” Third Aunt Yun looked contemptuous. “Yun Ze, stop wasting words with her. From the moment she harbored ill intentions, she was no longer part of our Yun Family. If she won’t choose, that’s fine—tomorrow morning, have the authorities come arrest her!”
Yun Ze spoke: “Just as Third Aunt said.”
Yun Chu said gently: “Aunt Guilan needs rest. Everyone should disperse.”
She looked at Physician Bi: “Thank you for your trouble, Physician Bi.”
If not for the connection with Prince Pingxi, she wouldn’t have been able to invite him so easily.
Physician Bi smiled cheerfully: “A small effort, not worth mentioning.”
This was the future Princess Consort of Pingxi, the person Chu Yi held at the tip of his heart. He naturally had to give face and make this trip.
The next morning, when Yun Chu returned to the Yun Family home for a meal, she heard from her elder brother that Yun Siyuan and Tian Shi had written a mutual divorce agreement. He hadn’t chosen to divorce her, but rather mutually separated.
The Yun Family, though of military origin, were actually mostly tolerant and magnanimous people. Even when his pillow partner had done such a thing, Yun Siyuan hadn’t been too ruthless and had given Tian Shi sufficient face.
“I hope she can properly reflect and stop causing trouble.” Lin Shi shook her head, putting this matter to rest.
She smiled and pinched the little face of Chu Changsheng, who was nestled in Yun Chu’s arms. “Sheng’er, would you like Grandmother to take you out for a walk?”
The little girl blinked her big eyes and looked at Yun Chu. Seeing Yun Chu smile and nod, she tilted her head and slowly said: “Yes.”
Naturally, Yun Chu accompanied them.
The three of them took a carriage and stopped at the entrance of the largest jewelry shop on the street.
Lin Shi immediately had someone bring out the newest hair ornaments and in one breath purchased three sets of gold and jade hair accessories for Changsheng: “Sheng’er, they’re not suitable for you to wear now, but when you grow up later, these will all be part of your dowry.”
“Th-thank you, Grandmother…” Chu Changsheng said obediently. “I really like them.”
Lin Shi’s face was full of amazement: “Sheng’er’s speech is getting better and better. Think about it—three months ago, she couldn’t even call out ‘Mother.’ A child with a mother is truly different.”
Yun Chu somewhat proudly showed off: “Changsheng can even recite the Three Character Classic now. Come, recite it for Grandmother.”
The little girl immediately sat up straight and began reciting, swaying her head: “At birth, humans are naturally good…”
Although her voice was very small and she sometimes stammered and paused for a long time, she had indeed memorized more than half of it.
Lin Shi was overjoyed: “Sheng’er is so capable! Come, Grandmother will go buy you a few more outfits. Our Sheng’er should wear the most beautiful clothes in the world.”
Yun Chu was also thinking she needed to go to the cloth shop to select some fabric and embroidery thread. Last time she had promised to embroider a sachet for Prince Pingxi—she should prepare for it now.
The three of them walked along the bustling street toward the Yun Family’s own cloth shop.
Before reaching the destination, Lin Shi suddenly spoke: “Chu’er, look ahead. That child—is that Brother Yun?”
Yun Chu looked in the direction Lin Shi was pointing and saw a child walking down the street while crying, with not a single adult beside him.
She had only left the Xie Family for a short time, and had just recently parted from the Xie Family members—how could she not recognize this child as Xie Shiyun?
“What’s going on?” Lin Shi said with some surprise. “How could the Xie Family let such a small child come out alone? Why is he crying like this? Where are the adults? What if the child gets lost?”
As she was speaking, Xie Shiyun suddenly looked up in their direction and then ran toward them.
A carriage happened to be passing on the road and nearly hit him. Xie Shiyun quickly dodged, took a tumble, immediately got up from the ground, and ran straight toward Yun Chu.
Lin Shi instinctively blocked Yun Chu.
She was truly afraid the Xie Family would do something bad to Chu’er again.
“Mother!” Xie Shiyun stopped before them, crying loudly. “Please, Mother, help me find my concubine mother back. My concubine mother is gone… Grandmother and Elder Brother are unwilling to look for her. They say I’ll never have a concubine mother again… Waaah, Mother, please…”