He Shi was not a person who accepted her fate.
Back when the entire family reached its lowest point, hadn’t she also climbed back up, hadn’t she also returned to the capital?
Twenty years ago, her mother relied on her embroidery skills to support so many people in the family. She too could use this embroidery technique to establish herself in the Xie estate.
He Shi found a way to buy some silk thread and began embroidering handkerchiefs with extremely difficult techniques…
Yun Chu instructed her subordinates: “Buy some of He Shi’s handkerchiefs. Keep the ones with unique needlework—I have great use for them.”
Tingshuang nodded and arranged for people to buy the handkerchiefs.
He Shi hadn’t expected the handkerchiefs to sell so easily, so she pondered embroidering some more valuable large items, such as screens and the like.
On this day, Chen Defu hurriedly came in to report: “Madam, that He Xu owes ten thousand taels of silver in huge debts and has fled the capital. This old servant has already arranged for four people to follow him. What should be done next?”
The corners of Yun Chu’s lips curved in a cold smile: “Next, naturally we make it so he can never be a man again.”
Chen Defu hesitated: “But if we hand him over to that group of people, I’m afraid he’ll directly lose his life…”
“You arrange for a few people to handle it.” Yun Chu’s expression was cold as ice. “If you take the silver, you must pay the price. Isn’t this the gambling den’s rule?”
When lending money to He Xu, a collateral document was signed. Chopping off that thing complied with the current dynasty’s laws.
Although she was bent on revenge, she wouldn’t touch the law.
Her grandfather maintained the Yun family’s integrity and reputation until his death. She too wouldn’t bring shame to the Yun family.
The next afternoon, Chen Defu came again: “Madam, it’s done. We gave him medicine, and he managed to pull through. He’s continuing his journey—his destination is Jizhou.”
Yun Chu nodded: “Have you found out about the name He Lingying?”
Chen Defu shook his head: “There aren’t many people surnamed He in the capital, and no one is called by this name.”
“Then have people go to Jizhou to inquire further.” Yun Chu stood up, took a large box from the table, and handed it over. “Uncle Chen has worked hard handling matters for me during this time. This is some tea leaves—please accept them, Uncle Chen.”
Uncle Chen previously managed shops with single-minded focus. Although busy, he was psychologically relaxed.
Now, although it seemed there wasn’t much proper work to do, in reality, he needed to bear tremendous psychological pressure.
How could Chen Defu dare to accept? He hurriedly waved his hands.
He was a household-born servant of the Yun family. The Yun family had shown him kindness, so handling matters for Madam was only natural. How could there be any reason to accept valuable tea leaves?
“There are still many matters ahead that Uncle Chen must handle. If you don’t accept, how would I dare continue giving orders? I could only let you return to retirement.”
Hearing this, Uncle Chen could only accept the tea leaves.
Yun Chu then discussed with him matters regarding selling ice. Previously, Chen Defu had purchased ice blocks on a large scale under the guise of being a southern merchant, without exposing the Yun family. Next, similarly, a southern person would be arranged to open an ice merchant shop in the capital. By the end of the fifth month, it would officially open for business.
These matters were all handled by Chen Defu through his subordinates to avoid exposing their identities.
“Several of the estates in my dowry sold for good prices.” Yun Chu spoke. “This money combined is just enough to buy a large estate.”
Those several estates under her name—their income was declining year after year. Selling now could still fetch a good price; the further into the future, the less valuable they would become.
Chen Defu looked up: “This old servant knows of several large estates in the suburbs of the capital. The owners happen to be selling. How about this old servant goes to negotiate?”
Yun Chu shook her head: “I want the Wu family’s estate north of the city.”
Hearing this, Chen Defu couldn’t help but be greatly shocked.
Over twenty years ago, the Wu family was a newly rising prominent family in the capital. The family head was an official at court, and the family business was doing quite well. But later, the Wu family members contracted a strange illness—from elders to younger generation, not one was spared. To treat the illness, they sold countless family assets. Such a large family—it was gone just like that. In the end, only that estate outside the city remained.
That estate wasn’t very large. Mainly it included a mountain, a lake, and a small grove of trees—it had everything it should have. The last person of the Wu family sold the estate to the Zou family for twenty thousand taels of silver.
As soon as the Zou family took over, rumors of hauntings spread. The Zou family’s fortune was also affected, and they sold the estate cheaply overnight.
A merchant didn’t believe in such things and bought the estate. Similarly, just after taking over the estate, that merchant sought a broker, wanting to sell the estate cheaply as quickly as possible.
However, people in the market wanting to buy estates had all heard of this strange matter. Who would dare take it over? So that estate ended up stuck in that merchant’s hands and hasn’t been sold to this day.
“Counting it up, that estate has been abandoned for over twenty years.” Chen Defu said with regret. “The land there is fertile and grows crops well. The harvest every year was extremely good. I don’t know how rumors of hauntings started spreading. A perfectly good estate was ruined like this. Madam, you should look at other estates instead. There are many better choices.”
Yun Chu thought of her previous life. Around when she was thirty years old, the Wu family’s estate suddenly caught fire. The overgrown wild grass burned away completely, and only then did people discover that this estate actually hid a huge hot spring. This hot spring was ultimately acquired by a palace consort, and every year it earned a fortune.
As for the previous haunting incidents, they had long been forgotten in the river of time.
Since she had the advantage of foresight, she wouldn’t let that estate sit empty for so many more years.
She stood up: “Let’s go. We’ll take a walk around the estate.”
Chen Defu was greatly alarmed: “Madam, are you really going to buy that estate? Please reconsider!”
“Back then, the Zou family spent twenty thousand taels of silver to buy the estate. When they sold it cheaply to the merchant, they probably only sold it for around fifteen thousand. Tell me, how much silver can I buy it for?” Yun Chu smiled. “Price isn’t the issue. Let’s first go see what this haunting business is all about.”
Although she was someone reborn, she still didn’t believe in such things. In her view, it was very likely man-made.
Chen Defu’s brow was tightly furrowed: “Madam, it’s getting late. How about tomorrow this old servant finds a few Taoist priests before we go?”
“Only at nighttime will ghosts come out.” Yun Chu stood up and walked outside. “However, we really should bring more people. Bring all the sturdy servants and older servants from the estate.”
Not just Chen Defu—Tingshuang was also scared silly.
She knew Madam had been quite bold lately, but she hadn’t expected it to be to this extent.
In all of the capital, there wasn’t a single family that dared take over that haunted estate, fearing their family fortune would be affected. Yet Madam deliberately did the opposite.
However, Madam originally stood in opposition to the Xie family, so doing this seemed understandable too?
Tingshuang went out and gathered all the sturdy older servants, saying they were going to one of Madam’s dowry estates to bring back some leftover items. She didn’t dare say they were going to the haunted estate, afraid no one would dare go.
As the sun set in the west, Yun Chu led people out of the city.
Hearing about this matter, the Old Madam simply couldn’t believe it: “I’m sick to this extent, and she won’t even come look once. Yet at this time she’s leaving the city?”
Nanny Zhou lowered her head: “This morning Madam had someone send ginseng. That counts as showing her regard.”
The Old Madam also knew Yun Chu had done everything she should. Previously she quite liked this granddaughter-in-law, but now she found her disagreeable in every way.
She drank her medicine and leaned against the bed: “This means she’s sold all her estates?”
Nanny Zhou said: “Perhaps Madam lacks silver.”
“Ha, earlier she took over twenty thousand taels of silver from me. In the whole family, she’s the richest, yet she’s still selling estates. Ordinary women won’t touch their dowries unless absolutely necessary.” The Old Madam narrowed her eyes. “What does she suddenly need so much silver for?”
“This servant speculates…” Nanny Zhou lowered her voice. “The divine physician treating the Empress has already entered the capital. I guess Madam is raising money to treat her own illness. What woman doesn’t want a child of her own?”
That divine physician—the Old Madam had also heard of him. Because his medical skills were so brilliant, there were far too many people seeking his treatment, so he raised his consultation fee to an astronomical price. It was said five thousand taels of silver was needed just to agree to take a pulse. After treating one illness from start to finish, tens of thousands of taels of silver would disappear in the blink of an eye…
For Yun Chu to do this seemed understandable too. In any case, if the illness was cured and she gave birth to a child, it would still be a Xie family descendant. Just let her do as she pleased.