Jiang Chun wept bitterly for a long time before gradually falling asleep in Chu Yu's arms. Once she had drifted off, Chu Yu finally felt at ease.
What she feared most wasn’t such intense weeping, but rather the kind of sorrow and pain that remained buried deep in the heart—unspoken, unexplained, left to fester in solitude until despair and agony consumed a person alive.
Now that the tears had been shed, it was better.
Chu Yu had servants attend to Jiang Chun as she slept, then straightened up and stepped outside. Wanyue approached, reporting on the movements of the young madams from each of the young masters’ quarters, as well as the Third Madam of the Wang Clan. Afterward, she added, "A letter from the Seventh Young Master has arrived. They’ve reached Pingcheng now."
Hearing this, Chu Yu immediately asked for Wei Yun’s letter to be brought to her.
This time, the letter was noticeably calmer than the last. It said little, merely mentioning their arrival and the situation there.
As Chu Yu read it, she couldn’t help but recall how Wei Yun’s past letters had always been lengthy—filled with descriptions of the scenery, local customs, and every little detail imaginable.
This letter, however, was so brief that she might have believed it was written by Wei Jun.
A dull ache settled in her heart. Growth was always a bittersweet process, but to mature so swiftly under such cruel circumstances was nothing short of tragic.
She summarized the situation at the manor and, after some thought, added a line:
I’ve heard the landscapes beyond Hua Jing are breathtaking. If you encounter any interesting sights or stories on your journey home, do share a few.
Once finished, she sent the letter out.
Though Wei Manor was under siege, the reason remained unclear. Given the Wei family’s deep-rooted prestige among the military, the guards didn’t make things too difficult. Even the occasional exchange of carrier pigeons was overlooked.
After sending the letter, Chu Yu finally had a moment to rest. She lay in bed, gazing at the bright moon, and after a long while, let out a sigh before slowly closing her eyes.
The next morning, Chu Yu resumed preparations for the ancestral hall. Though purchases now required supervision from the soldiers outside, they didn’t interfere much, so materials weren’t an issue. However, the young madams of each household had secluded themselves in their rooms, as if afraid of being associated with the Wei family, ready to leave at any moment. With only Chu Yu handling everything, manpower was stretched thin.
There were plenty of servants, but certain tasks required a master’s oversight to be done meticulously.
After a busy morning, Chu Yu heard footsteps approaching. She looked up to see Jiang Chun standing at the door.
Dressed in plain mourning attire, her hair tied back with a simple ribbon and her face free of makeup, she appeared elegant and composed. Chu Yu was taken aback before asking, "Second Young Madam, you’re still recovering. Shouldn’t you be resting? What brings you here?"
Jiang Chun smiled, none of yesterday’s distress visible on her face.
"I’m much better now. I heard you were busy and came to see if I could help. Didn’t you ask me before if I could assist in arranging the funerals for Father and the young masters?"
Chu Yu hadn’t expected Jiang Chun to recover so quickly. Hesitating, she finally said, "You… have you come to terms with it?"
"I was foolish yesterday, but thanks to your guidance, I’ve realized—Lingchun is still here. As a mother, I must be strong."
Jiang Chun sighed and bowed to Chu Yu. "I haven’t yet thanked you for saving my life."
"You honor me too much, Second Young Madam."Chu Yu quickly steadied her: "We are sisters of the same family, why stand on ceremony?"
Jiang Chun rose with her support and hesitated briefly before saying, "Then from now on, I shall call the young mistress A Yu. If you don’t mind, you may address me as Second Sister."
"How could I mind when we share hardships together?"
Chu Yu smiled warmly. "If Second Sister is willing to help me, nothing could be better."
As they walked inside, Chu Yu explained the household affairs in detail to Jiang Chun.
Wei Shu was Liang Shi’s eldest son. Before Chu Yu’s arrival, Jiang Chun, as the second young mistress, had also assisted Liang Shi with domestic matters. Once she took over, she proved even more efficient than Chu Yu.
Observing Jiang Chun’s work, Chu Yu couldn’t help but say after some thought, "I had Liang Shi arrested and sent to the authorities..."
"As you should." Jiang Chun’s voice was calm as she reviewed the account books, speaking slowly. "All these years, Liang Shi had been preparing to abscond with the family’s wealth should the Wei Manor fall into trouble. She has a lover outside. The young mistress taking preemptive action is for the best."
Hearing this, Chu Yu was stunned.
No wonder in her past life, Liang Shi—merely a concubine—had managed to vanish without a trace after taking all of the Wei family’s wealth. It turned out she hadn’t acted alone.
"If Second Sister knew, why didn’t you inform Madam directly?"
Chu Yu steadied her thoughts and asked first. Jiang Chun smiled faintly. "Some things are better seen than spoken. After all, she is my mother-in-law."
At this point, Chu Yu understood immediately.
Jiang Chun was astute enough to have long noticed Liang Shi’s schemes. But since Liang Shi was Wei Shu’s mother, Jiang Chun had kept silent to avoid an awkward confrontation.
Now that Wei Shu was dead, she no longer needed to hold back. Had Jiang Chun not taken her own life upon hearing the news in the past life, with her capabilities, the Wei family might have fared much better.
The collapse of a towering edifice may stem from a single faulty joint, yet it is built upon countless beams.
Chu Yu gazed at Jiang Chun, momentarily lost in thought. Jiang Chun tapped the abacus, then looked up and asked, "Lingchun has gone to Lanling with Madam. He should be safe, right?"
Wei Lingchun was Jiang Chun’s child, the eldest among the five young masters.
Knowing her concern, Chu Yu reassured her, "Don’t worry. They left in three separate groups, traveling discreetly. I’ve assigned them all the manor’s elite guards. Besides, the Wei family is only under siege, not convicted. They should be safe outside."
Jiang Chun already knew this, but Chu Yu’s words eased her mind further.
With Jiang Chun’s help, Chu Yu handled affairs much faster. Along the way, Wei Yun wrote letters to Chu Yu regularly. Though he tried to describe his journey, his heart wasn’t in it, making the letters dry and perfunctory, devoid of their usual charm.
Each day, Chu Yu read the letters carefully, folded them neatly, and placed them in her bedside drawer. Then she took some colored clay and molded figures of Wei Jun and Wei Yun from memory.
Of the seven Wei brothers, Chu Yu only remembered the faces of these two. The others she had barely met, hearing only their voices on her wedding day.
By the time the clay figures were finished, it was almost time for Wei Yun to return to the capital.On the eve of Wei Yun's return to the capital, additional guards were stationed at the gates of Wei Manor, and the atmosphere grew noticeably tense. Jiang Chun entered from outside, visibly agitated as she said, "A Yu, with all these preparations, surely they wouldn't dare to arrest Xiao Qi right at the entrance, would they? What exactly happened on the battlefield..."
Jiang Chun rambled on, her face filled with worry.
Chu Yu calmly instructed the household to hang white mourning banners while sending word for all the young madams of the manor to gather at the front courtyard at dawn the next day to await Wei Yun's return. Only after completing these arrangements did she turn to Jiang Chun and say, "No matter what, tomorrow we must welcome Father and Brother back with dignity."
Chu Yu's composed demeanor steadied Jiang Chun somewhat.
She nodded solemnly. "If they dare to humiliate Xiao Qi before my husband's spirit, I won't let them off easily!"
Chu Yu found this amusing but smiled and nodded in agreement. "Alright, we won't let them off."
That night, Chu Yu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Wei Yun had already reached the outskirts of the city but needed to regroup before entering. Just as Chu Yu wanted Wei Yun to see Wei Manor at its best, Wei Yun likely wished for his family not to witness him in too disheveled a state.
At daybreak the next morning, Chu Yu rose early.
She had her hair styled into a married woman's hairstyle, adorned with white flowers, then changed into a pure white long dress with a white brocade outer robe with wide sleeves, appearing dignified and elegant.
Her light makeup made her look more spirited, and with pearl earrings in place, it was clear that despite the mourning attire, she did not appear haggard or disheveled.
Once ready, she went to the courtyard to take a headcount.
However, only a few were present—those from Jiang Chun's and the sixth young madam Wang Lan's quarters.
Chu Yu clasped her hands in her sleeves, her expression stern. "Where are the others?"
"The other young madams claim to be unwell," the steward reported dutifully. "I went to invite them, but none were willing to come."
The steward's words made it clear—they "claimed" to be unwell and were "unwilling" to attend.
Chu Yu understood their intentions—they wanted to signal to outsiders their reluctance to be associated with Wei Manor.
Her gaze fell on the steward who had gone to summon them. "Are they so ill they can't get out of bed?"
The steward was momentarily confused before Chu Yu raised her voice sharply. "Mingyue, Wanyue—go to each of their quarters and inform those who haven't come that unless they're truly bedridden, they are to get here immediately! If they refuse, break their legs so they won't need to come at all!"
The steward looked shocked, and everyone present paled.
Break their legs...?
Yet Wanyue and Changyue showed no hesitation, immediately leading servants to carry out the order.
Jiang Chun, somewhat embarrassed, stepped forward. "A Yu, this is—"
"Today, I fight for Wei Manor's dignity," Chu Yu said coldly, addressing the crowd rather than Jiang Chun. "Whoever refuses to show face today shouldn't expect any in return!"
After a brief wait, Yao Jue's furious voice rang out from a distance.
"Chu Yu! Who gave you the right to threaten to break my legs?!"
Chu Yu turned to see Yao Jue and three other young madams rushing over in a fluster.Yao Jue raised her whip, about to lash out, when Chu Yu spoke up: "What, don't you want the letter of divorce anymore?"
At these words, Yao Jue's hand froze mid-air.
Chu Yu stood smiling as her gaze swept over the three young madams: "Let me make myself clear today. If you behave properly now, I'll ask Wei Yun for those divorce letters later, and you'll be completely free from the Wei family. But if you insist on making trouble today," Chu Yu suddenly roared, "then go ahead! I'll stake my life on this fight. Let's see if you can afford to keep up with me when I'm betting my life!"
Silence fell over everyone at this outburst.
Just then, a guard's voice came from outside:
"Young Madam, the Seventh Young Master has returned!"
OpenNovel