Yun Chu sat briefly in the side hall.

Then she saw a figure slowly walking over. She stood up to bow. “Marquis.”

With her peripheral vision, she glanced behind and didn’t see Xie Jingyu.

“Is Lady Xie waiting for Lord Xie?” Qin Mingheng sat down in a chair. “Then I must apologize—actually, Lord Xie left long ago.”

Yun Chu frowned.

Since Xie Jingyu had left early, why had the Marquis residence’s young servant still brought her here?

She turned her head and discovered that the maids and matrons who had been waiting at the side hall entrance earlier had all withdrawn at this moment.

Qin Mingheng looked at Tingshuang standing behind her. “You may leave first.”

Tingshuang stood without moving.

Yun Chu spoke lightly. “A lone man and woman together in a room violates propriety. This is this subject’s wife’s trusted maid. Whatever the Marquis has to say, please speak freely.”

Qin Mingheng raised his eyes to look at her. “Lord Xie left Lady Xie alone at the Marquis residence. Lady Xie still guards her virtue for her husband like jade—don’t you find that laughable?”

“The Marquis meeting alone with a married woman also makes this subject’s wife find it laughable.” Yun Chu raised her eyes. “The outside world all says Marquis Xuanwu’s deep affection for the Marchioness never wavers. Is that truly the case?”

A man who deeply loved his wife would never trick her, a married woman, into coming here alone.

Even if there was some matter of utmost importance, he should have had a maid or matron relay a message, or found an appropriate opportunity to talk in a public setting.

If Luo Shi saw the two of them here, Marquis Xuanwu might be able to escape unscathed, but her reputation as Yun Chu would be completely destroyed.

Thinking of this, Yun Chu turned to leave.

She maintained a respectful attitude toward Marquis Xuanwu because she was merely the family member of a fifth-rank official.

She had the confidence to turn and leave because she was the Yun family’s legitimate eldest daughter.

In the past, she had always been unwilling to rely on the Yun family’s influence. Thinking about it now, she was originally a Yun family person. With such backing available, why should she suffer unjust grievances?

She had just taken a step when Qin Mingheng’s angry voice came from behind. “Stop.”

Yun Chu’s steps paused, then continued walking outward.

“Lady Xie, some time ago you reburied your child who died young. Are you so certain that those two sets of bones were your children?”

Yun Chu pressed her lips tightly together.

The man behind her had actually precisely grasped her weakness.

She could be certain that Marquis Xuanwu must have been watching her for some time. What exactly was his intention?

She took a deep breath, turned around, raised her eyes and said coldly, “Whatever the Marquis wants to say, please speak plainly.”

“This identity of Lady Xie truly doesn’t match you. You’re so intelligent—why don’t you think about why Xie Jingyu left alone?” Qin Mingheng approached her. “He’s not even afraid of leaving you alone at the Marquis residence to make him a cuckold. Why are you afraid of being alone in a room with me?”

Yun Chu retreated a step, avoiding his approach.

She only felt this person was rambling all over the place, not saying anything to the point, yet every word was striking at her心神.

She seemed to understand, but thinking carefully, she couldn’t grasp it clearly.

“Yun Chu.”

Qin Mingheng called her by name directly.

Yun Chu’s brows furrowed tightly. She felt repulsed and retreated again.

Clearly she should leave, but she couldn’t step forward. She felt that Marquis Xuanwu seemed to know some things about her, some very important things.

“Divorce him. Xie Jingyu is unworthy.” Qin Mingheng braced one hand against the door frame behind Yun Chu and the other hand against the wall, trapping her in a small space.

Tingshuang was so frightened she lost her voice. She quickly moved to block herself behind Yun Chu.

Qin Mingheng reached out and pushed, directly pushing Tingshuang out.

He bent down, approaching Yun Chu’s ear. “If you divorce, I’ll also divorce immediately. I can marry you…”

“Slap!”

A resounding slap struck Qin Mingheng’s face.

This was the second time Yun Chu had slapped someone.

She hadn’t expected she would actually strike Marquis Xuanwu’s face.

“Marquis Xuanwu, please conduct yourself properly!” Yun Chu knocked aside his hand bracing the door frame and stepped out over the threshold. She turned her body sideways, her eyes flashing with icy light. “You truly should divorce. You’re completely unworthy of your wife.”

Having said this, she turned and left. Tingshuang quickly supported her. The master and servant ignored the iron-faced Qin Mingheng and walked directly outside the Marquis residence.

The carriage they had arrived in was actually gone.

Yun Chu’s face turned cold to the extreme.

She didn’t return to the Xie residence but went to the ice shop that was about to open.

Chen Defu had purchased a large compound—the front for the shop, the back as a warehouse. Chen Defu’s distant nephew would serve as manager. It would be called Chen Family Ice Shop.

It was selected to open in mid-May. Because those who could afford to buy ice blocks were wealthy people, the ice price was set relatively high—two taels of silver per pound. When they entered the height of summer in July, this price would continue to rise.

She gave Chen Defu some of her own suggestions and adjusted the price increases before leaving the ice shop.

At this time, it was still early, and Yun Chu had eaten almost nothing for lunch. She found a restaurant, and the master and servant pair ate to their hearts’ content.

After dining, they slowly drank some tea. The evening colors gradually descended.

Yun Chu was in no hurry to return. She took Tingshuang to stroll the capital’s night market.

When the lanterns were first lit, many small vendors would push carts to the streets to sell various trinkets. Since marrying, Yun Chu had never come to browse again.

She saw someone selling kites and thought Brother Yu would definitely like flying kites. If there was a chance to fly kites together in the future, that would be wonderful.

She saw someone selling sugar figurines and thought Changsheng would definitely like eating sweets. She really liked seeing Changsheng smile sweetly.

She saw someone selling clay figurines and thought if the two children were also here, she must make three clay figures that looked exactly like them…

Before she knew it, Yun Chu had bought a whole pile of things.

When the sky had completely darkened, Yun Chu and Tingshuang got into the carriage Chen Defu had arranged and returned to the Xie family.

Her front foot had just entered Sheng Residence’s door when Xie Jingyu arrived on her heels.

Yun Chu sat in her seat, looking at him coldly. “Why didn’t Husband wait for me before leaving together?”

Xie Jingyu examined her from the strands of her hair to the soles of her feet. She seemed exactly the same as when she left this morning, yet seemed somehow different.

His gaze made Yun Chu’s heart grow colder bit by bit.

So for the sake of the Xie family, he could actually hand her, a living person, over to another man with both hands.

If she hadn’t sensed something was wrong, what would have happened after drinking that mouthful of tea—she simply didn’t dare imagine.

So Xie Jingyu had started scheming against her from this time.

When the Yun family was still prosperous, he actually dared to have such twisted designs on her. Where did he get such audacity?

“Why did Madam return so late…”

Xie Jingyu slowly asked.

He wanted to know whether that matter had actually happened.

He wanted to know even more whether she knew he had done such a thing.

“Why did I return so late—why doesn’t Husband ask yourself?” Yun Chu stared at him. “The carriage sent you back to the residence but didn’t return to the Marquis residence to fetch me. I walked back, so naturally it took some time.”

Seeing she only showed slight emotional fluctuation, Xie Jingyu guessed that she must have been drugged unconscious like on their wedding night and didn’t know what had happened.

So she didn’t know of his baseness.

He breathed a sigh of relief, full of apology. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have been busy with official duties and neglected Madam.”

“You and I as husband and wife need not speak of such things.” Yun Chu acted as if she didn’t care about this matter at all, asking with concern, “Has Marquis Xuanwu accepted the Xie family’s apology?”

Xie Jingyu nodded. “The Marquis said he would no longer pursue this matter.”

He had abandoned his son and offered up his wife. If Qin Mingheng still pursued the matter relentlessly, that would be going too far.

Yun Chu smiled faintly.

Marquis Xuanwu had received a slap from her. This matter wouldn’t be settled so easily.