At dusk, Concubine Jiang finally brought the child back to the Xie household.

Just as she pushed open the door and stepped inside, what met her eyes was Xie Shi’an’s face, his emotions impossible to read.

“Where has Concubine Jiang been?”

“I took Xian’er out for a walk.” Concubine Jiang answered. “We haven’t had our evening meal yet, so we’ll return to our courtyard to cook.”

She felt as if a wolf was staring at her from behind.

She carefully remembered Yun Chu’s words. She waited until the next day when Xie Shi’an went out on business, then immediately went to find Yuan Shi.

Yuan Shi was in the middle of feeding Xie Shikang. Though goat’s milk wasn’t as good as mother’s milk, it was much better than rice porridge, and Xie Shikang could at least eat some of it.

“Madam.” Concubine Jiang walked over and spoke. “I want to leave the Xie Family.”

“What did you say?” Yuan Shi suddenly stood up. “What did you just say! If you have the guts, say it again!”

These concubines, one after another, were going to rebel, weren’t they?

Concubine Tao had abandoned her child and disappeared. Concubine Yu had climbed into another man’s bed. Now, even Concubine Jiang, who had the best temperament, was actually proposing to leave.

Her son Jingyu had been dead for less than half a year, and these women were already changing their hearts. Was the Xie Family too lenient with them?

Concubine Jiang raised her head and spoke deliberately, word by word. “I could very well leave without a word like Concubine Tao did, or find another household like Concubine Yu. But I’m not that kind of person, so I’ve come to discuss this with you, Madam, hoping for a result that satisfies both of us.”

Yuan Shi’s chest heaved violently with anger.

She raised her hand, wanting nothing more than to slap Concubine Jiang across the face.

But she had never laid hands on anyone. Her raised hand simply couldn’t come down, so she slapped her own thigh instead. “What sins has our Xie Family committed to end up in such a state today? They’re all heartless people! The Xie Family has fallen, and one by one they leave, leaving behind us old ones and young ones. How are we supposed to get by…”

As she cried, Xie Shikang was also frightened into wailing loudly.

Concubine Jiang pressed her lips tightly together.

Making this decision had truly been very difficult for her. She wouldn’t allow herself to soften.

After Yuan Shi had cried enough, Concubine Jiang finally spoke. “If Madam is unwilling, then I can only find an opportunity to leave. Perhaps one day when Madam goes out and returns, Xian’er and I will be gone.”

Yuan Shi’s eyes widened. “You’re threatening me?”

Concubine Jiang pulled out from her sleeve the hundred taels of silver that Xie Shi’an hadn’t taken away. “This money, in exchange for my slave contract and Xian’er’s household registration documents.”

Yuan Shi’s teeth were chattering. “You’re a woman with a child. If you leave the Xie Family, how will you survive…”

“Thank you for your concern, Madam. I think that with hands and feet, I’ll always be able to survive.” Concubine Jiang smiled bitterly. “It’s better than staying in the Xie Family and dying without even knowing why.”

Yuan Shi fell silent.

She had heard from Wei’er about the transaction between Tingyu and An’er.

It could be said that An’er’s scheme had indirectly caused Tingyu’s death. A living, breathing person—just gone like that.

Concubine Jiang’s worries seemed to be within reason.

Yuan Shi took the hundred taels of silver, thought for a moment, then pulled out several taels of loose silver from her own sleeve and handed it over. “Consider this the last thing I as a grandmother can give Xian’er.”

She turned and went into the room, bringing out Concubine Jiang’s slave contract and Xie Xian’s household registration documents.

Concubine Jiang took the slave contract, her eyes becoming somewhat sore. Since childhood, she had been sold around because of this single piece of paper. Now she was finally free.

She clutched these two items tightly and, leading her daughter, knelt down. “Madam, once this humble one leaves, it will be difficult to meet again in the future. This humble one kowtows to you. Xian’er, kowtow to your grandmother!”

Mother and daughter kowtowed heavily three times before rising and returning to their own courtyard.

Their belongings had long been packed. What couldn’t be taken had all been exchanged for silver. Mother and daughter each carried a small bundle on their backs and left through the Xie Family’s back gate.

When Xie Shi’an returned that evening, he only then heard from Sanjiu about what had happened during the day.

His entire being was filled with disbelief. He kicked Sanjiu viciously. “Why didn’t you come find me the very moment this happened?”

Sanjiu was knocked to the ground and lay there saying, “This humble one only learned of it a shichen ago…”

“What use are you!”

Xie Shi’an forcefully suppressed his fury.

He currently lacked money and had been thinking about how to squeeze another sum from Concubine Jiang. But before he could come up with a plan, Concubine Jiang had actually left.

Someone who could produce a hundred taels of silver surely had at least five hundred taels on them, yet Grandmother had actually let her go.

He was so angry his head was swelling.

After his emotions calmed down, he bent down to help Sanjiu up. “I apologize. I lost control. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Sanjiu quickly shook his head. “No, no.”

Xie Shi’an waved his hand and went into his room alone to organize his thoughts.

Yun Chu helped Concubine Jiang purchase a small farmhouse courtyard on the outskirts of the capital. Concubine Jiang lived there with Xian’er and her adoptive son Xu Ti, no different from ordinary people.

The weather grew colder day by day.

When Yun Chu dressed and came out of her room, she discovered it had actually snowed.

The ground was already covered with a thin layer of snow. When her feet stepped down, they made crunching sounds.

She exhaled a breath of white air, picked up her short sword, and began practicing.

As she practiced, she suddenly felt a burning gaze fixed on her.

Looking back toward the gateway, a man stood tall and slender, his black robes covered with snow, making him appear even more austere and cold.

“Why is Your Highness up so early?”

It was only just past the yin hour—the time when people slept most soundly.

Chu Yi naturally walked over. “I haven’t practiced martial arts in a long time and have become rusty. Let’s exchange a few moves.”

He had heard that young Yu mention it and only then learned that Yun Chu actually got up this early every day to practice martial arts.

When he had first learned martial arts, he had also been this diligent, though these past years he had neglected it.

From now on, he should also rise this early and spar with her.

Yun Chu held her short sword while Chu Yi went barehanded. The two of them exchanged moves in the courtyard.

Withered yellow leaves and dancing snowflakes swept past their cheeks. The pitch-black night slowly receded, and the first ray of dawn fell into their eyes.

After several rounds of sparring with Chu Yi, Yun Chu had worked up a sweat and felt thoroughly invigorated.

She said sincerely, “Your Highness has excellent skills!”

Chu Yi commented seriously, “Your strength is still somewhat weak. Over the next few days, you should practice building strength with me. That way you’ll be able to subdue an enemy with one move.”

“I naturally have no problem with that, it’s just…” Yun Chu spoke. “I’ve heard that foreign envoys are about to arrive in the capital, and His Majesty intends to have Your Highness receive them. You should be quite busy over the next period.”

A smile couldn’t help but float across Chu Yi’s lips.

Yun Chu knew about this matter, which meant she was paying attention to him.

This realization put him in an excellent mood.

His voice was clear as he said, “Several princes will be receiving the foreign envoys together. I have no intention of competing, so there’s nothing to be busy about.”

Just as his words fell, Chengxu spoke from the gateway. “Your Highness, the foreign envoys have already reached the official road ten li outside the city. His Majesty has ordered that the several princes go quickly to receive them.”

Chu Yi: “…”

Yun Chu laughed. “Your Highness should go quickly and not delay the appointed time.”