Xie Shi’an lowered his head and continued writing.

Xie Ping pressed her lips together.

This younger brother was only one year younger than her, but he was much more mature than her, and also much more cold-hearted.

He Shi was at least their biological mother. Now under the beatings she had nearly lost half her life, yet this younger brother hadn’t even frowned once.

But she also understood very clearly that if she defended a servant in front of Mother, Mother would certainly become suspicious.

She said nothing more and turned to return to her own courtyard.

Xie Shi’an gripped his writing brush and forced himself to finish the calligraphy piece. His black eyes became deep and unfathomable as he suddenly stood up and walked outside.

“Prepare a horse!”

The servant led the horse to the manor gate. He mounted it and rode directly toward the Yu residence.

Lord Yu was a third-rank official. Perhaps he was hosting a banquet—the manor gate was bustling with carriages and horses coming and going, very lively.

Xie Shi’an stopped under a large tree across from the Yu residence, waiting quietly.

Before long, the banquet finally ended.

He saw Xie Jingyu emerge from inside looking somewhat dejected and downcast. He hurried forward: “Father.”

Xie Jingyu collected his dispirited expression and asked with slight surprise: “Why did you come here?”

“Something happened at home.” Xie Shi’an said in a low voice. “Mother is interrogating He Shi, asking about the whereabouts of that pair of children who died at birth four years ago.”

Xie Jingyu’s expression changed.

He took a heavy breath: “What’s the situation now?”

“Grandmother went to persuade Mother. Mother said that if He Shi doesn’t confess, then she will ensure the Xie family never has peace.” Xie Shi’an raised his head. “Father, were those two children never properly buried at all, and because she fears Mother’s greater fury, that’s why He Shi doesn’t dare confess?”

Xie Jingyu looked at his son with a complex expression.

Even twelve-year-old An’ge could guess at this matter—Yun Chu had probably thought of it too.

If Yun Chu learned about those two children… she would probably divorce him without hesitation, and his official career would likely end there as well.

“While Mother is interrogating He Shi, she’s also waiting for Father to return home.” Xie Shi’an continued. “If Father appears before Mother in this state, even if Father doesn’t say a single word, Mother will be able to guess something. The Xie family will truly have domestic unrest.”

Xie Jingyu brought Xie Shi’an onto the carriage.

In the carriage were only the two of them, father and son. Outside were the rumbling sounds of the wheels and the continuous voices of passersby talking.

“Those two children—I instructed He Shi to throw them away…” Xie Jingyu closed his eyes. “They were never truly laid to rest in the earth.”

Xie Shi’an’s heart sank.

Just as he had guessed.

But he couldn’t understand—although those two children had died at birth, they still carried Father’s blood. Even if they couldn’t be buried in the Xie family ancestral shrine, they shouldn’t have just been thrown away like that…

But investigating the past was meaningless now. The key was how to handle the current situation.

“An’ge, I’ll return home now to deal with your mother. You use the fastest speed to visit the villages near the capital, walk around and investigate. The children who died young in the villages should all be buried in one place. Find a way to obtain two infant corpses…” Xie Jingyu’s hand pressed on Xie Shi’an’s shoulder. “Father knows this matter is somewhat difficult for you to handle, but right now, you’re the only person Father can trust.”

Xie Shi’an’s expression was complex: “Alright.”

He lifted the carriage curtain and got out, riding off at a gallop.

Xie Jingyu ordered the driver to return home.

As soon as they reached the Xie manor gate, the servant attending him came forward: “My lord, the old servants from the madam’s courtyard have come several times, saying that as soon as you return home, you should hurry to Sheng Residence.”

Xie Jingyu nodded to indicate he understood.

He didn’t even change his clothes and walked directly toward Sheng Residence.

All along the way, various thoughts ran through his mind.

He soon arrived at Yun Chu’s quarters. At a glance, he saw He Shi bound to the long bench in the courtyard.

Behind He Shi was a mass of blood—her clothes were beaten to shreds. It looked unbearably tragic.

But the two old servants guarding beside her hadn’t released He Shi. Instead, they splashed a bucket of water on He Shi’s face, and once He Shi woke up, they continued beating her with the boards.

“Stop, all of you.”

Xie Jingyu coldly uttered three words.

The two old servants hurriedly bowed in salute: “Greetings, my lord.”

Xie Jingyu’s expression was complex to the extreme.

In his impression, Yun Chu had always been a gentle and magnanimous virtuous helpmate. She was like the vast sky, able to accommodate all people and things.

In five years of marriage, he had never seen Yun Chu punish any servant.

This was the first time he had seen her fury.

This fury burned intensely, causing some unease to arise in his heart.

He stepped up onto the platform and walked to the door of Yun Chu’s bedchamber. He knocked gently on the door and said: “Madam?”

He heard footsteps, and then the room door was opened.

Before he could say anything.

Suddenly.

A gust of wind came.

Smack.

A resounding slap landed on his face.

Everyone in the courtyard was stunned. The surroundings fell silent—only the sound of wind could be heard.

Xie Jingyu’s face was full of disbelief.

He had actually been slapped by a woman.

He was probably the first husband in this dynasty to be slapped by his wife.

This was simply an unbearable humiliation!

Yun Chu’s palm was numb. Her eyes were red as blood, staring at Xie Jingyu as if spitting fire.

She spoke word by word: “I’ll only ask you once—where are the children buried?”

Xie Jingyu’s face burned with stinging pain.

He clenched his fists tightly before he could suppress that humiliating emotion.

He took a deep breath: “Madam, your emotions are too agitated. Let’s talk after you calm down.”

Yun Chu said coldly: “You are my husband, so naturally I cannot interrogate you the way I interrogated He Shi. But I can request that my grandfather intervene.”

Xie Jingyu pressed his lips tightly together.

In the past, Grandmother had told him that if he married a daughter from a noble family, he as the husband would be suppressed in every way.

But in five years of marriage, Yun Chu had never used the Yun family’s power to force him to compromise. He had always been grateful that Yun Chu respected him as her husband.

But now, Yun Chu had brought up Old General Yun.

She had no intention of continuing this marriage.

But he…

Lord Yu no longer favored him. The only thing he could rely on now was the Yun family.

He used all his strength to suppress all his emotions.

When he raised his head again, he had become humble and gentle in appearance: “In the matter of burying the children, I did indeed conceal things from Madam. This is something I cannot forgive myself for. This slap Madam gave me is what I should bear. I originally planned to bury the children beside the ancestral shrine at the Xie family’s old estate, but later I heard people say that children who died young buried near ancestral graves would affect the entire family’s fortune. At that time, I had just gained a foothold in the imperial court, and I was truly worried…”

Yun Chu’s patience reached its limit. She coldly interrupted him: “You only need to tell me—where exactly are the children buried!”

“Four years ago, I had someone find a place in a village on the outskirts of the capital to bury the children.” Xie Jingyu lowered his eyes to hide the emotions beneath them. “It’s late now, and it wouldn’t be convenient to rush over at this hour. First thing tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to see the children.”

Yun Chu’s lips were white as earth.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she uttered one word: “Get out.”

Then with a bang, she closed the door.

She leaned against the door and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.

She should be grateful, shouldn’t she? Grateful that Xie Jingyu hadn’t abandoned the children’s bodies, grateful that the children had a burial place…