Yun Chu nodded and agreed to go to Qing’an Temple.

Xie Ping’s mood instantly improved, her mind filled entirely with thoughts of what clothes to wear tomorrow.

However, the matters that needed handling still had to be handled. She took the account ledger to the Old Madam’s Anshou Hall to request funds: “…This year’s ice prices are too high. Each month we’re spending at least an extra four to five hundred taels of silver. The funds in the accounts are completely insufficient. Mother’s intention is to ask whether we could approach Grandfather for more silver…”

The Old Madam glanced at the accounts, and all that spent silver made her heart ache.

Yet every item seemed indispensable—all had to be paid for.

Previously, with Chen Defu managing the Xie Family’s businesses, they could still earn five or six thousand taels annually. Later, when He Xu came to manage the shop, that scoundrel embezzled all the shop’s silver. The shop’s business was also affected. She’d heard that He Xu spent his days gambling, accumulated a mountain of gambling debts, had his manhood cut off, and was driven out of the capital.

Daring to owe gambling debts to gambling dens—he must have thought his life too long.

The Old Madam inwardly scorned He Xu before speaking: “Concubine Yu made a mistake—cancel the ice allocation for her courtyard. Concubine He has brought nothing but shame to the Xie Family—no need to send ice to her courtyard either. Since we’re canceling for those two, cancel for Concubine Jiang as well. Concubine Tao is still pregnant, so give her half a pound of ice daily.”

Xie Ping strongly agreed. This way, they could save nearly twenty taels of silver per day.

Although they’d economized somewhat, the Old Madam knew some expenses were absolutely necessary, so she still sent someone to the estate in the capital’s outskirts to obtain silver from the estate’s harvest from Xie Zhongcheng.

“Old Madam, why not let this concubine go?” He Shi had somehow entered from outside. “It so happens that Yun’er is in poor spirits. This concubine could take him to the estate to lift his mood.”

The Old Madam swept her a glance. Going to the estate to lift his mood? Clearly she wanted to go see Wei’er.

Wei’er had caused a catastrophic disaster, destroying the Xie Family’s foundation built over many years in one stroke. Jingyu had lost Lord Yu’s favor—who knew how difficult things would be in the future?

Whenever she thought of Wei’er, the Old Madam was filled with rage. She said coldly: “The round trip to the outskirts takes most of a day. Yun’er is young and can’t withstand such exhaustion. Since Jingyu and Chu’er have entrusted Yun’er to your care and teaching, put more effort into that. Stop constantly dwelling on things you shouldn’t be dwelling on.”

He Shi’s lips turned bitter.

That was her own biological son—how could she not dwell on him?

Wei’er had been at the estate for so many days now. She didn’t know if Wei’er was eating well, sleeping well, whether his leg injury had improved at all…

She just wanted to see him once, just once. Why wouldn’t the Old Madam grant even such a simple request?

She wanted to say more but was glared at by Xie Ping and could only swallow her words.

Leaving Anshou Hall, Xie Ping said coldly: “Wei’er nearly destroyed our entire Xie Family. By mentioning him before the Old Madam, you’re stabbing her in the heart. If you still want to remain in the Xie Family, don’t mention Wei’er again. Don’t worry—when the Old Madam sends someone to the estate this time, I’ll slip them some silver to have them check on how Wei’er is doing.”

He Shi knew this was all she could do and nodded helplessly in agreement.

“Also—” Xie Ping’s voice was very low. “I—I’m going with Mother to Qing’an Temple tomorrow.”

He Shi said: “Remember to pray for blessings of safety for An’er and Wei’er. All I hope for now is that you three remain safe and sound.”

“The Fourth Prince An’jing is staying at Qing’an Temple.” Xie Ping’s eyes shone with a strange light. “Aunt, what if—”

With one look at her eyes, He Shi knew what scheme she was hatching. She clapped a hand over her mouth and pulled her into a small grove: “Ping’er, don’t act recklessly—that’s the Fourth Prince!”

“Precisely because he’s the Fourth Prince is why I must do this.” Xie Ping bit out through clenched teeth. “Aunt, I need your help. Do you have that kind of medicine? Give it to me.”

He Shi’s eyes nearly bulged out: “You’ve gone mad, truly mad. You haven’t even had your coming-of-age ceremony yet. Do you know what the consequences of doing this would be?”

“The Fourth Prince has feelings for me too.” Xie Ping bit her lower lip. “That day at the Eldest Princess’s residence, he picked up my handkerchief for me and even placed flowers in my hair… If something substantial happens between us, he’ll definitely take responsibility. If he’s honorable, he’ll surely make me his secondary consort.”

“Unless you were Madam’s biological legitimate daughter, only then might you possibly become the Fourth Prince’s secondary consort.” He Shi mercilessly shattered her fantasy. “Moreover, why is the Fourth Prince staying at Qing’an Temple? Have you inquired about that?”

Xie Ping shook her head.

As long as the Fourth Prince was at Qing’an Temple, that was enough. She didn’t need to know the reason.

That was a place anyone could visit. This was her only chance to encounter the Fourth Prince.

No matter what, she had to make this happen.

Even if the Fourth Prince wasn’t an honorable man, at the very least she could enter Prince An’jing’s residence. If she couldn’t become a secondary consort, she could at least become a concubine.

“Aunt, stop trying to persuade me. I’ve already decided.” Xie Ping’s eyes were resolute. “Besides, didn’t you yourself use such methods to become a concubine? What right do you have to stop me? If you won’t help me, I’ll do it myself.”

He Shi grasped her hand: “Ping’er, I’m begging you as your mother—let’s not do such things, all right? Marry someone of similar standing and become the primary wife instead…”

“Aunt, do you know why An’er works so hard at his studies?” Xie Ping turned her gaze. “He wants to position himself highly, wants to have the ability to overturn the verdict on our maternal family. If I can enter Prince An’jing’s residence, that would be tremendous support for An’er. Very soon—very soon we could restore our maternal family’s reputation…”

He Shi’s grip on her hand slowly loosened.

She closed her eyes, remembering the splendor and prosperity of her childhood home…

How she too wished the entire clan could return to that former glory…

“Aunt, help me.” Xie Ping enunciated each word. “If I can clear Grandfather’s name, then I’ll be qualified to become Princess An’jing. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Fine!”

He Shi nodded emphatically.

She had few useful contacts at her disposal and could only seek out a young nun she’d had some dealings with previously, having the nun find a way to handle this matter.

The nun went directly to Shengju Residence and informed Yun Chu of everything.

Yun Chu smiled: “Do as she says.”

That He Shi would actually take the initiative to help Xie Ping do such a thing was somewhat beyond her expectations.

After the young nun withdrew, Yun Chu wrote a letter and handed it to Tingshuang: “Deliver this to the Ji residence immediately. Give it to Madam Ji.”

Madam Ji was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Minister of Justice, with the given name Du Ling. Born in the same year as her, the two had attended various banquets with their mothers since childhood and thus became acquainted.

Only later, after each married, Du Ling married into a noble family while she married down to a humble family. They attended different banquets and gradually lost contact.

But she knew that in her previous life, after the Yun Family was imprisoned, Du Ling’s father, Minister Du of the Ministry of Justice, had not subjected any member of the Yun Family to torture.

Everyone who had helped the Yun Family—she remembered them all. Every trace of kindness, she kept in her heart.

Reborn, besides protecting the Yun Family, she also wanted to do what she could within her power.

She hoped she could protect Du Ling’s only younger sister—the prospective Princess An’jing from her previous life…