Xie Ping nodded through her tears.

Anshou Hall fell silent for a moment.

Although everyone knew Miss Ping’s future days wouldn’t be easy, no one had expected that before even crossing the threshold, she would be beaten like this by her future mother-in-law.

They say when hitting someone, don’t hit the face, yet Consort De had deliberately had people slap Miss Ping’s face, intending to tell the Xie family that the matter of the Xie family scheming against Prince An’jing wouldn’t just be let go.

“Nanny Zhou, bring the swelling-reducing ointment for Miss Ping.” The old matriarch sighed. “When you were scheming against Prince An’jing, you should have anticipated this scene today.”

Xie Jingyu’s voice was low. “Consort De putting her moves out in the open is better than using underhanded tactics in private. If you deserve it, you must endure it.”

Xie Shi’an raised his eyes. “No matter how Consort De deals with you, you are still the future Princess An’jing. This point cannot be changed by anyone.”

Xie Ping cried even harder.

Even her family couldn’t stand up for her—what should she do…

“Miss Ping.” Yun Chu spoke softly. “As long as our Xie family finds a legitimate reason to break off the engagement, Consort De will certainly agree gladly, and you won’t need to suffer these hardships anymore.”

“Break off the engagement?” Xie Ping raised her tearful, hazy eyes. “I—I don’t want to break it off.”

This was something she had schemed so hard to obtain. Having suffered so much yet not having enjoyed the glory a princess consort should have, how could she bear to give it back?

“Chu’er, what nonsense are you spouting?” The old matriarch said with a stern face. “Miss Ping and Prince An’jing’s marriage was bestowed by imperial edict from His Majesty. Breaking the engagement would be defying the imperial decree. Our Xie family cannot bear such a crime.”

Xie Jingyu nodded. “We cannot break the engagement.”

Yun Chu pulled Xie Ping over and said word by word, “Before the wedding, you still have a chance to change your mind. No matter which path you choose, Mother will support you. Remember, as long as Mother is here, you still have a way out.”

Xie Ping’s nose tingled and tears flowed again.

Everyone in the Xie family put the family’s honor and disgrace first. Only Mother truly and genuinely considered her as a daughter.

What great virtue had she accumulated in her previous life to be Mother’s daughter in this life?

Coming out of Anshou Hall, Xie Jingyu caught up with Yun Chu’s steps and couldn’t help asking, “Does Wife truly want to break off Miss Ping’s engagement?”

“Of course not.” Yun Chu spoke. “Miss Ping is currently bearing Consort De’s difficulties for the Xie family. If everyone in the Xie family thinks this is the torment she deserves and all treat her coldly, then after she marries into Prince An’jing’s manor in the future, will she still make plans for the Xie family?”

Xie Jingyu had a sudden realization. “Wife is still the clever one.”

Yun Chu’s face showed little expression as she lifted her feet to continue walking toward Sheng Residence.

Xie Jingyu followed her into Sheng Residence. He pressed his lips together and asked, “I just learned that last time Mother-in-law took you to see a divine physician. I wonder what the divine physician said?”

“The divine physician said I need to recuperate properly and prescribed several medicine formulas for me to take first.” Yun Chu glanced sideways. “The divine physician charges five thousand taels of silver for one diagnosis. Husband, who do you think should pay this silver?”

“The child you bear in the future will be a legitimate son of my Xie family. Naturally this money should be paid by the Xie family.” Xie Jingyu took up the conversation. “I’ll have someone send the consultation fee to Mother-in-law shortly.”

Five thousand taels of silver wasn’t a small sum to him, but fortunately, he was Prince An’jing’s future father-in-law—there were plenty of ways to obtain this silver.

He slowly walked closer to Yun Chu step by step, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Wife, I’ll stay at Sheng Residence tonight.”

Yun Chu only felt a wave of nausea.

She stepped back to avoid Xie Jingyu’s touch and walked to the side table. “The divine physician said both husband and wife need to recuperate their bodies. During the recuperation period, we cannot share a bed.”

She handed the medicine package on the table to Xie Jingyu.

Xie Jingyu felt his hand grow heavy. “I also need to drink medicine?”

Yun Chu nodded. “Of course. If Husband doesn’t wish to have more children, you don’t need to drink it.”

Having said this much, Xie Jingyu knew that if he refused to recuperate his body, his marital relationship with Yun Chu would truly reach its end.

Once their bodies were properly recuperated, he and Yun Chu should be able to have a child that truly belonged to them.

He looked deeply at Yun Chu, picked up the medicine, and returned to his own courtyard.

Tingshuang stood to the side, asking somewhat confused, “Madam, you are…”

She knew that Divine Physician Si hadn’t prescribed medicine for the master at all. Even the medicine formula Divine Physician Si prescribed for Madam had been torn up and thrown away by Madam.

She was very clear that Madam had no intention of recuperating her body at all, nor any thought of having another child with the master.

But why did she give the master so much medicine?

She really didn’t understand what Madam was trying to do.

Yun Chu’s face was expressionless. “The Xie family has enough children. This medicine can solve quite a few troubles.”

Currently the Xie family had five children—eldest daughter Xie Ping, second daughter Xie Xian, eldest son Xie Shi’an, second son Xie Shiwei, third son Xie Shiyun, and Concubine Tao’s belly still carried a fourth son… In the future, the Xie manor would have four or five more concubines, and each of those concubines would bear sons—there would be a fifth son, sixth son, seventh son…

Thinking of all the destructive things these children would do in the future, hatred welled up in Yun Chu’s heart.

Rather than waiting for those children to come harm her, it was better to solve the problem at its source.

As long as Xie Jingyu didn’t procreate, it would reduce countless troubles for her.

Tingshuang was shocked to the extreme.

She didn’t know how to describe her own feelings.

However, she soon had no mind to be shocked about this matter.

Because Yun Chu’s next words left her no time to attend to other things.

“Tingshuang, I had my mother look at a potential match for you.” Yun Chu spoke. “Tomorrow morning we’ll return to my family home. You can see if you’re satisfied.”

“Ma—Madam…” Tingshuang’s face went pale. “This servant won’t marry. I’ll stay by Madam’s side serving Madam for life…”

“If I made you never marry for life, never have children, someday you would resent me.” Yun Chu said gently. “Tingshuang, you and I are the same age. I’ve already been married five years—I cannot delay you any longer.”

Tingshuang bit her lower lip.

Madam had already privately fallen out with the Xie family. She didn’t dare think about what Madam’s future would be like.

If she left Madam’s side, where would Madam have any usable people?

Uncle Chen was always in the outer courtyard, Tingxue was too honest, Tingfeng was too impulsive—if Madam needed to handle some private matters in the future, who would do it for Madam?

But Tingshuang said nothing more. Tomorrow when they went to the Yun family and she met that person, she would just say she wasn’t satisfied.

In any case, no matter what, she would not leave Madam.

Later that evening, Tingxue came to report. “The master ordered a maid to brew that medicine, and he drank it all.”

Yun Chu nodded. “No need to watch anymore.”

Drinking that medicine once was enough.

She had people clean up the medicine dregs thoroughly. The medicine brewed afterward would be genuine medicine for recuperating a man’s body.

Early the next morning, Yun Chu took Tingshuang and Tingfeng to the Yun family.

All along the way, Tingshuang anxiously twisted her fingers. Tingfeng, on the other hand, looked carelessly out the carriage window. “Madam, look—there’s such a long line at the ice shop entrance.”

Yun Chu looked and saw four ice shops with different signs, their entrances all lined with servants sent by wealthy households to purchase ice.