“Lord Yun, Madam Xie.”

Qin Mingheng greeted them one by one, his gaze sweeping over Yun Chu with its usual composure.

Yun Ze spoke up: “This subordinate will first escort my younger sister to her carriage. I trouble the Marquis to wait a moment.”

Qin Mingheng stepped back several paces: “No matter.”

Yun Chu nodded toward Qin Mingheng, then took Tingshuang’s hand and boarded the carriage. Yun Ze stood in place, watching the carriage depart into the distance.

Only after the carriage disappeared onto the main road did he withdraw his gaze and look toward Qin Mingheng: “Marquis, please.”

Qin Mingheng’s brow furrowed: “Lord Yun, I suddenly remember there’s an urgent matter I need to handle. Tomorrow at this time, let us discuss that matter again.”

Yun Ze cupped his hands, watching as Qin Mingheng boarded his carriage.

Only after the carriage left the Yun family’s grounds did Qin Mingheng take out a white handkerchief from his sleeve.

Earlier, when Yun Chu was boarding the carriage, this snow-white handkerchief had fallen to the ground. His peripheral vision had been following her the entire time, so he immediately went over, picked up the handkerchief, and hid it in his sleeve.

He lifted the handkerchief and sniffed it, a satisfied expression appearing on his face.

He thought of that night five years ago—she in her red wedding dress, wearing a red veil over her head, lying on his bed.

Just a little bit more, and he could have savored her beauty, could have held the beauty in his arms…

Thinking of that incident from five years ago, intense hatred surfaced on Qin Mingheng’s face, and the handkerchief in his hand was torn in half.

The carriage slowly stopped at the entrance of the Xie estate.

Yun Chu habitually felt around in her sleeve but didn’t touch the handkerchief: “Tingshuang, is the handkerchief with you?”

Tingshuang shook her head and busily searched everywhere but couldn’t find any trace of the handkerchief.

“Forget it, it’s just an ordinary handkerchief. If it’s lost, it’s lost.”

Yun Chu waved her hand dismissively.

A handkerchief without an embroidered name wasn’t a personal item, so it didn’t matter if someone picked it up.

Next, Yun Chu carefully screened eligible young talents, planning to select a good husband for her concubine-born younger sister Yun Ran.

Her grandfather and father had campaigned for years with distinguished military achievements, her paternal aunt was a favored consort in the palace, and the entire Yun family was one of the premier families in the capital. To avoid arousing the imperial family’s wariness, Yun family daughters could only marry down in status.

But marrying down didn’t mean marrying just anyone—there were still many considerations.

She was someone reborn from a previous life and understood clearly how many things would develop in the future, so she was the best person to select a good husband for her concubine-born sister.

Among the many young talents in the capital, after three to five days of work, Yun Chu finally selected two candidates. She wrote these two families on paper, folded it into an envelope, and had Tingshuang find a servant to send it to the Yun family.

Her word alone wasn’t enough—her mother still needed to inquire about these two families’ situations, and ultimately her concubine-born sister would need to agree as well.

After finishing this task, she continued practicing horse stance in the courtyard.

Besides the horse stance, Qiutong had also arranged some basic moves. Later on, the intensity would gradually increase. Yun Chu didn’t feel tired at all; on the contrary, the more she learned, the more energized she became. Perhaps because she was a military general’s daughter, she was naturally drawn to these things.

After martial practice and bathing, Tingshuang came in to report: “Madam, Concubine Tao and Concubine He request an audience.”

Yun Chu naturally knew why these two had come to Sheng Residence.

Ever since He Shi became a concubine, Concubine Tao had deliberately sought to make trouble for her. The more He Shi yielded, the more Concubine Tao targeted her.

Over these three to five days, He Shi had been targeted countless times. Unable to endure it any longer, she had brought the matter to Yun Chu.

“I beg Madam to uphold justice for this concubine.” He Shi lowered her head. “Concubine Tao has truly gone too far. She spent money to bribe all the maids and older servants in this concubine’s courtyard…”

Concubine Tao spoke unhurriedly: “Madam may not know, but everyone in the Xie estate knows that Concubine He transformed from a servant into a mistress. Everyone gossips about Concubine He behind her back. This concubine and Concubine He both serve the master, so we’re like sisters. How could I tolerate such things happening? So I spent some silver to make those maids and older servants shut their mouths. I did this for Concubine He’s benefit. How can Concubine He complain about me to Madam?”

He Shi was so angry her chest hurt.

Since she moved into Bihe Garden, she hadn’t had a moment’s peace. Either dead fish from the pond were hidden in her bedding, or the candles in her room were all broken, or there were problems with her food… She paid close attention and discovered that the two maids and two older servants attending her had all taken Concubine Tao’s silver and deliberately created these troubles.

She remembered Xie Jingyu’s instructions—she couldn’t cause more trouble, so she gritted her teeth and endured.

Until this morning, the attending maid actually stole her jewelry box. There was no money inside—it contained Ping’er’s, An’er’s, and Wei’er’s infant hair and baby teeth. She had always kept it with her, but now the maid had made it disappear. She truly had no other recourse, which was why she came to ask Madam to uphold justice.

“Madam…” He Shi took a deep breath. “This concubine won’t mention anything else, but only asks that Concubine Tao return that box.”

Hearing this, Concubine Tao became upset and cried loudly: “Madam, this concubine wholeheartedly thinks of Concubine He, yet she accuses me of stealing her box. Ever since I became pregnant, the master has given me countless pieces of jewelry. Who would covet her box? Madam, this concubine truly didn’t steal anything. I beg Madam to uphold justice for me!”

Yun Chu took Concubine Tao’s hand and said gently: “Stop crying, be careful not to disturb the pregnancy.”

Concubine Tao sobbed and secretly gave the maid beside her a look.

That maid immediately ran out.

Soon after, the young maid serving He Shi ran in: “Madam, Concubine He’s box was found under the bed. Concubine He must have hidden it herself and forgotten where.”

Concubine Tao cried even more pitifully: “What a Concubine He! She harmed the child in my belly, and I repaid evil with kindness, yet she’s still not satisfied. She deliberately staged this act to frame me for theft. Madam, this concubine is truly wronged…”

The corners of Yun Chu’s lips twitched.

This Concubine Tao’s acting was truly too clumsy. Only because she was willing to cooperate in the performance—if it were any other household mistress, Concubine Tao’s behavior would have earned punishment long ago.

She gently patted Concubine Tao’s hand and looked toward He Shi, saying coldly: “Concubine He, you previously plotted to harm the child in Concubine Tao’s belly. The entire Xie family didn’t hold it against you and even let you become a mistress, yet you show no remorse and target Concubine Tao again. If Concubine Tao’s pregnancy is disturbed and the child is born prematurely, what should your punishment be?”

He Shi felt truly wronged to death. She hurried to defend herself: “Madam, this concubine…”

“Enough, no need to say more.” Yun Chu cut off her words. “For the next three months, your monthly allowance will go directly to Concubine Tao, as compensation to calm the nerves of the unborn Fourth Young Master.”

He Shi couldn’t believe it.

A concubine’s monthly allowance was two taels of silver. This was now her only income. If it all went to Concubine Tao, what would she use?

But meeting Yun Chu’s indisputable gaze, she knew that no matter how she defended herself, it would be meaningless, because Madam clearly favored Concubine Tao.

Leaving Sheng Residence, He Shi somewhat helplessly hugged her own shoulders.

Unless absolutely necessary, she wouldn’t seek help from her three children.

Xie Jingyu had slapped her and was clearly impatient with her—she wouldn’t invite snubs.

Her older brother He Xu had been beaten by the Old Madam a few days ago and thrown out—he was also an unreliable scoundrel.

Then she remembered—there was still money in He Xu’s hands, a full two thousand taels of silver. With money, she didn’t believe those maids and older servants would still side with Concubine Tao.

Thinking of this, He Shi hurriedly walked toward the estate’s exit.