When the last trace of sunset glow dispersed, Yun Chu returned to the Xie residence.

The maidservants brought out the dinner dishes one by one. When the meal ended, the sky had completely darkened.

She went back and changed into a short tunic, following Qiutong in practicing some basic martial forms in the courtyard. After half an hour, she was drenched in sweat.

Tingxue had the servants bring hot water to prepare Yun Chu’s bath, then scattered some dried flower petals into the tub.

Just as Yun Chu was undressing, Tingfeng came to report from outside the door: “Madam, the Master and eldest young master have arrived.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. What were these two doing coming here so late at night?

However, thinking of Prince Pingxi’s words, she could guess it was probably related to the Imperial Academy quota.

She spoke unhurriedly: “Tell them I’m bathing. Whatever matter it is can wait until tomorrow.”

Tingfeng nodded and left.

Yun Chu leaned against the bathtub, casually picking up a book to read. When the water had cooled considerably, she finally rose.

Tingshuang stood behind her, drying her hair. When her hair was mostly dry, she put on an outer robe and reclined on the daybed to continue reading.

Her sleep wasn’t very good these days—she could barely fall asleep before the hour of hai. Before sleeping, she would read various types of books she hadn’t read before.

“Madam, the Master and eldest young master still haven’t left.” Tingfeng entered and said softly. “Does Madam wish to see them?”

Yun Chu laughed coldly in mockery.

They only came looking for her when something happened, truly treating her as a life-saving straw.

A twenty-eight-year-old grown man who came running to his wife whenever something happened—she looked down on Xie Jingyu from the bottom of her heart.

Setting down her book and putting on an outer robe, she rose and walked to the side reception hall: “Does my husband and An’er have some matter coming so late?”

As soon as she entered, Xie Jingyu caught the fragrance unique to her. He suppressed the romantic feelings in his heart and spoke: “Disturbing Madam’s rest is my fault, but this matter is truly too important.”

Xie Shi’an took over: “Originally I could enter the Imperial Academy to study, but because Marquis Xuanwu interfered, Father learned that the Imperial Academy chancellor crossed my name off the list.”

“How can such a thing happen?” Yun Chu’s face showed perfectly measured indignation. “How can Marquis Xuanwu oppress people like this? Wei’er was already ruined by his hand—how can he ruin An’er too? Speaking of which, the Marquis Xuanwu’s heir only scraped a bit of skin on his finger, yet he makes our Xie family pay such a great price. Husband, you should write a memorial to submit. I refuse to believe His Majesty won’t handle this matter!”

Xie Jingyu sighed: “His Majesty has newly taken favor with a palace maid—where would he have the mind to care about this?”

The current emperor wasn’t exactly incompetent. His greatest flaw was his lasciviousness. Any woman who caught his eye, he had to dote on for several days and nights before he’d let up.

If he wrote about the Xie family’s minor matter in a memorial, even if the Imperial Study presented his memorial before the emperor, the emperor probably wouldn’t even glance at it twice.

“Then what should we do?” Yun Chu looked anxious. “An’er can’t just be ruined like this.”

“Father, Mother, don’t worry about me.” Xie Shi’an raised his head. “In previous years, those top scholars and successful candidates didn’t all come from the Imperial Academy. A teacher’s guidance is naturally important, but I believe personal diligent effort is more important than teachers. As long as I study well and work hard earnestly, whether I’m in the Imperial Academy or not, I will certainly pass the examinations and distinguish myself.”

Yun Chu was full of inner mockery.

If Xie Shi’an truly didn’t care about the Imperial Academy quota, he wouldn’t be waiting here for her so late at night.

By saying these words, he was clearly retreating to advance, wanting her, the legitimate mother, to willingly pave the way for him.

She raised her head to look at Xie Shi’an: “An’er, it’s rare you have such backbone. As you say, we won’t attend that Imperial Academy. Let your father find you a renowned teacher.”

“No matter how good a renowned teacher is, it won’t compare to the Imperial Academy.” Xie Jingyu’s expression was complex. “Madam, the Yun family is a first-rank general’s residence. Could An’er borrow the Yun family’s quota to enter the Imperial Academy?”

Yun Chu lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea.

Xie Jingyu had said the exact same words as in her previous life, except that in the previous life, he had requested the Yun family send third young master Xie Shiyun to the Imperial Academy.

In this life, with Xie Shi’an having encountered trouble, he was having the Yun family use this quota ten years early.

She still remembered that year when Xie Shi’an entered the palace to study with the status of top scholar, she had proactively gone to the palace to see her own aunt, Consort Yun, requesting that Xie Shi’an become the Eighth Prince’s study companion.

Although both studied at the Imperial Academy, if one became a prince’s study companion, the resources enjoyed would be completely different.

Back then, she had racked her brains scheming for Xie Shi’an. Now, recalling it, she wanted to slap herself to death. She had been truly utterly foolish.

“Madam, I know the Yun family doesn’t wish to be drawn into imperial power struggles, so they haven’t planned to send any children to study at the Imperial Academy.” Seeing her remain silent, Xie Jingyu continued. “If An’er weren’t suited for studying, I would never make such an excessive request. But Madam, you’ve also seen that An’er will only be even more outstanding than me. In the future, when An’er achieves success, won’t that also be a great asset to the Yun family?”

Yun Chu raised her head: “What my husband says is extremely reasonable, but I still need to ask my elder brother’s opinion.”

The Yun family’s achievements were gradually overshadowing the master, so naturally they wouldn’t send children to the Imperial Academy to be tainted by imperial power—otherwise they’d only die faster.

But why should the Xie family get what the Yun family didn’t want?

The next day, after Xie Jingyu returned from court, he came to Sheng Residence, his words inside and out all urging Yun Chu to go to the Yun family soon to settle this matter.

Yun Chu dragged it out until the following day before returning to the Yun family.

Passing through the marketplace, she saw a second shop selling ice had opened on the capital’s streets.

She had to admit, Chen Defu moved fast. What she had ordered just the day before yesterday was already done today.

The new ice shop’s price was two taels and two qian of silver per catty, even more expensive than the previous shop. This way, the original shop’s business immediately picked up.

Many people on the street were discussing it.

“Truly unscrupulous merchants. Ice is just water—to sell it so expensively, what’s the difference from robbery?”

“Isn’t it expensive every year? Basically it’s always one tael of silver per catty. It’s just that there’s less ice this year, so the price went up to over two taels of silver.”

“Anyway, it has nothing to do with us common folk. We can’t afford even one tael of silver—who cares if it’s expensive or not?”

“…”

Tingfeng muttered: “Even if they sold it at cost, these common people couldn’t afford it. What right do they have to curse about unscrupulous merchants?”

Tingshuang sighed: “Common people only save three or four taels of silver in a year…”

One block of ice for wealthy families was a year’s worth of firewood, rice, oil, and salt for common people.

Yun Chu looked thoughtfully out the carriage window.

The bustling crowds were mostly the most ordinary lower-class common people.

In her previous life, after the Yun family encountered trouble, it was precisely these common people who knelt before the Imperial City, requesting the emperor to thoroughly reinvestigate the Yun family matter.

Although the emperor didn’t take these common people’s petition to heart, she still remembered the common people’s kindness to the Yun family…

“Tingshuang, later tell Chen Bo that after entering the scorching sixth month, in the Yun family’s name, set up a cooling pavilion. Every afternoon for two hours, place ice blocks to create a heat-relief place for the common people.” Yun Chu spoke gently. “Additionally, raise the ice price once every half month, with no upper limit.”

As long as they did things for the common people, they would remember and would reciprocate when needed.

She didn’t know if the Yun family in this life would face what happened in the previous life, but she would make full preparations to respond, absolutely never letting tragedy happen again.