Xie Jingyu waited in the outer side hall.

After sitting for quite a while, he finally saw Yun Chu emerge from the inner chamber.

He stood with hands clasped behind his back, speaking in a heavy tone: “The old madam and I have discussed it and decided to send Hui’er to the estate on the outskirts of the capital. What does Madam think?”

“That’s indeed a good place. Let him suffer some hardship—naturally he’ll become sensible.” Yun Chu raised her eyes. “When does husband plan to send Hui’er away?”

Xie Jingyu spoke one word at a time: “Now. Immediately.”

Yun Chu asked: “Won’t you wait until Hui’er’s illness has mostly recovered before he goes?”

“Marquis Xuanwu is currently in a rage. If the Xie family doesn’t provide an attitude at this time, Marquis Xuanwu will keep this matter in his heart forever.” Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together. “We’ll just have to trouble Hui’er a bit.”

Yun Chu sneered inwardly.

Xie Jingyu and Xie Shi’an—this father and son pair were truly cut from the same cloth, equally good at studying, equally selfish and unfeeling.

Actually, in her previous life, she had nothing to feel wronged about either. Xie Shi’an could even abandon his own younger brother—how much more so her, a principal mother with no blood relation?

“After Hui’er is sent away, the Xie residence must also visit to apologize.” Xie Jingyu looked at the woman opposite him. “Madam, please accompany me.”

Since they’d already decided to bow their heads to Marquis Xuanwu’s residence, they might as well bow completely. Whether Marquis Xuanwu shamed him, humiliated him, scolded him, or mocked him, he would endure it. In a few more years, after An’er achieved great things, the Xie family would eventually recover their lost face.

Yun Chu frowned slightly.

She had no desire to accompany Xie Jingyu to Marquis Xuanwu’s residence to endure others’ expressions.

While she and Xie Jingyu were talking, two fuzzy little heads popped out from behind the screen in the side hall.

“Changsheng, see that man? He’s Mother’s husband.” Chu Hongyu lowered his voice. “Tell me, what makes this man better than our Father Prince? Why didn’t Mother marry Father Prince but married him instead?”

Chu Changsheng’s innocent large eyes blinked, also expressing incomprehension.

“Pffft—”

A strange sound emerged from Chu Hongyu’s bottom.

Chu Changsheng wrinkled her delicate little nose, then immediately covered it in disgust.

“Pffft pffft—”

Two more sounds in succession.

Xie Jingyu was waiting for Yun Chu’s answer when he heard what seemed like movement behind the screen, along with a strange odor.

His brow furrowed: “It smells like spoiled food.”

He involuntarily walked toward the screen.

Yun Chu immediately spotted the shadows of two little ones swaying behind the screen.

Her head ached. It must be Yu’er disobeying and bringing Changsheng out from the inner chamber.

“Husband!”

Yun Chu called out to stop Xie Jingyu.

“Then tomorrow I’ll accompany husband to Marquis Xuanwu’s residence to apologize. Husband, remember to prepare apology gifts.”

Xie Jingyu stopped, his gaze falling on Yun Chu: “Thank you, Madam.”

Yun Chu only hoped he would leave quickly: “Doesn’t husband still need to send Hui’er to the estate? It’s getting late—any later and there won’t be time.”

Hearing this, Xie Jingyu finally left.

As soon as he was gone, Yun Chu quickly walked behind the screen. She’d originally intended to deliberately put on a stern face, but saw Chu Hongyu with his knees turned inward pressing against each other, one hand covering his little belly, the other hand covering his little bottom, constantly stomping his feet in place, his entire face flushed red.

She couldn’t help laughing: “Come, Mother will take you to the privy.”

At the same time, Xie Jingyu brought people to the courtyard where Xie Shiwei resided.

He surveyed the entire room. Ever since a month ago when Hui’er had committed an offense and been punished by family law, everything in this courtyard had been moved away by Yun Chu’s orders.

Yun Chu had said that when Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on someone, it must first make their will suffer. The living environment was already quite austere, yet Hui’er still showed not the slightest progress.

A few days ago when Hui’er mistreated a maid, he should have sent Hui’er far away. At the very least, he should have confined him to the ancestral hall for several months. That way today’s disaster wouldn’t have occurred.

But it was too late to speak of this now.

Xie Jingyu’s expression was heavy. He walked into the inner chamber and looked at Xie Shiwei lying on the bed, face devoid of color, speaking one word at a time: “Shiwei, you have disappointed this father too greatly. I gave you chance after chance, yet you showed no remorse whatsoever, making mistake after mistake. Today, I’m having you sent to the estate on the capital’s outskirts for a long stay. You’ll recuperate there properly, and at the same time, you must reflect deeply. I hope when we father and son meet next, I can look at you with new eyes.”

Xie Shiwei was still suffering from the pain of his broken leg. Seeing Xie Jingyu arrive, he thought Father had come to see him out of concern.

But he never imagined he would hear such words—Father was actually going to send him to live at the estate!

He looked toward Xie Shi’an standing behind Xie Jingyu and cried out: “Elder Brother, quickly plead with Father for me! Tell Father I’ve reformed, truly reformed… This incident was just an accident. The heir of Marquis Xuanwu wanted to snatch my things first, and he pushed me first…”

“Enough!” Xie Jingyu said angrily. “Things have reached this point, yet you’re still shirking responsibility, still don’t know where you went wrong!”

Xie Shi’an sighed: “Shiwei, Marquis Xuanwu said that even severing all four of your limbs would hardly dispel the hatred in his heart. Sending you to the estate is to preserve your life—Father has no choice. You must understand Father’s painstaking efforts.”

Xie Shiwei’s face turned white with fright.

His leg was already broken, yet Marquis Xuanwu still wasn’t satisfied—he actually wanted to sever all four of his limbs…

If he lived at the estate on the capital’s outskirts, wouldn’t it be even easier for Marquis Xuanwu to take his life?

“Father, I was wrong…” Xie Shiwei rolled down from the bed. “I truly know I was wrong. Please, Father, give me one more chance…”

Lady He cried: “My lord, Hui’er is still young—he can still be disciplined…”

“Father, I will definitely reform!” Xie Shiwei cried until he couldn’t catch his breath. “As long as Father doesn’t send me away, I’ll do anything.”

He was only an eight-year-old child! With one leg already broken, sending him far away—this was giving him no way out at all…

“Someone come!” Xie Jingyu said coldly. “Take Second Young Master to the carriage.”

Two servants walked in from outside, supporting Xie Shiwei from left and right, carrying him outside together.

A carriage stood in the courtyard. Xie Zhongcheng sat inside the carriage and sighed: “Hui’er, from now on stay obediently at the estate with Grandfather. The estate isn’t bad at all. Slowly change your temperament—your father will naturally bring you back to the capital.”

“No—no!” Xie Shiwei struggled violently. When his leg touched the ground, the pain made him scream heart-rendingly. “I don’t want to go to the estate! Father, give me one more chance! Mother, Mother save me…”

He completely lost control, looking in Lady He’s direction, opening his mouth to call for Mother.

Xie Jingyu’s eyes darkened. The two servants dared not delay any longer. They lifted Xie Shiwei and threw him onto the carriage. Seeing him struggle violently, they took out rope to bind him and stuffed a cloth in his mouth.

Lady He’s tears fell like a torrent.

She hadn’t yet accepted the reality that Hui’er had lost a leg, yet now had to endure the pain of mother and son being separated. Her heart felt as if it had been split open—she cried until she nearly fainted.

Several concubines stood not far from the courtyard entrance, all showing puzzled expressions.

Concubine Tao was first to speak: “Don’t you all find it strange that Concubine He seems a bit too concerned about the young masters? Last time when the eldest young master passed the scholar examination, she was happier than anyone. This time with the second young master being sent away, she’s in more pain than anyone. Is it because she loves the lord so deeply that she also loves the young masters by extension?”

Tingyu and Concubine Jiang said nothing, only tightened their grip on their children’s hands, quietly warning them not to cause trouble…