Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 101: The Xie Family's Curse

After the morning greetings concluded, Yun Chu headed to Concubine Tao's courtyard.

Concubine Tao was young, and even though she had given birth prematurely, it hadn't affected her health much. She was already able to sit up and hold her child herself.

When she saw Yun Chu enter the room, she immediately handed the child to the wet nurse and said with a sorrowful expression, "Madam, you must stand up for me. I only fell because Third Young Master pushed me, causing the child to be born prematurely. Look, Madam, the child is so small—who knows if it will survive? It's all Third Young Master's fault! But the master actually called it an accident and didn't punish Third Young Master. How can I swallow this injustice..."

Yun Chu walked over and glanced at the child sleeping in the swaddling clothes.

This child, born a month premature, was already so tiny. Her own children had been born nearly two months premature—they must have been even smaller...

This child had struggled to survive, only to grow up dull-witted... If her own children had miraculously survived, she wondered what their circumstances would have been...

Just thinking about this made Yun Chu's nose sting with unshed tears.

She suppressed her emotions, sat down in the chair by the bed, and said, "Concubine Tao, do you truly believe a child of just over three years old, not even four, could be so malicious as to intentionally push you to cause premature birth?"

Concubine Tao keenly sensed the deeper meaning in these words and hurriedly asked, "I'm foolish, Madam. Please speak more plainly."

Yun Chu shook her head. "Someone tried to harm you once without success, so naturally they would try a second time. Yun Ge'er was merely used as a tool. The master recognized this, which is why he won't punish Yun Ge'er. And since that person is the master's beloved, of course he must protect her."

Concubine Tao's eyes widened in shock.

A month ago, she had been schemed against by Concubine He and nearly miscarried... So this time, it was also He Shi's doing?

If that wretched woman He Shi remained in the Xie family, her prematurely born son probably wouldn't live to adulthood!

"With the master protecting her, there's nothing I can do." Yun Chu stood up. "Rest well and take good care of your son. Just avoid her in the future."

After saying this, she left the room.

Concubine Tao's face darkened like stormy waters.

She couldn't understand why the master was so devoted to that old woman He Shi. Even when his own flesh and blood nearly died, he still protected that wretched woman!

She was even more puzzled—if He Shi was paving the way for her future children, shouldn't her primary target be the eldest young master, who had already earned the title of Cultivated Talent?

Wait, last time she and Concubine Jiang had mentioned that the eldest young miss resembled He Shi, and since the eldest young master and eldest young miss were born of the same mother... Could it be that the eldest young master was actually He Shi's son?

But if the master had such an old child before marriage, how could the Yun family have failed to uncover it?

Regardless of the truth, He Shi could not remain in the Xie family. Otherwise, she would face a third scheme...

Concubine Tao pressed her lips together and said to the maid attending her, "Go ask Concubine Yu to come here. Tell her I want to ask about raising a child."

Yun Chu returned to Sheng Residence.

Entering her room, she saw Ting Feng carefully cleaning the thunder god vine they had gathered and laying it out to dry on the windowsill.

This was a special gift she had prepared for Xie Jingyu.

Let this poison slowly erode Xie Jingyu's internal organs, let him gradually watch as he loses control of his body, let him witness the downfall of the Xie family, and send him straight to hell.She truly wished she could stab Xie Jingyu to death... A man who wouldn't even spare his own flesh and blood deserved to suffer eternal damnation!

"Madam." Ting Shuang entered quietly and whispered, "I've investigated everyone in the mansion. The night before you buried the young master and young lady, the eldest young master went to the village near that mountain. That same night, a couple moved away in haste. Upon inquiry, it was discovered that this couple had given birth to twins four years ago, but they were premature and died, buried on that very mountain..."

Yun Chu laughed.

Heaven truly favored Xie Jingyu—he actually managed to find twins born around the same time as her children. She had been completely fooled.

Even after being reborn, she was still being deceived. She deserved it.

Xie Jingyu and Xie Shi'an were equally hypocritical. No matter how she questioned them, they wouldn't reveal a single word.

The breakthrough lay with He Shi.

Originally, she had planned to wait until Xie Shi'an entered the Imperial College before exposing He Shi's identity, which would surely stir up a storm.

But she couldn't wait until autumn.

In the afternoon, while Yun Chu was reviewing the Ice Shop's accounts in the courtyard, Ting Yu came in and said, "Madam, Concubine Tao's son was born prematurely and is weak. Regardless, this matter is somewhat related to Yun Ge'er. This humble one wishes to seek a protective talisman for the Fourth Young Master, as an apology on behalf of Yun Ge'er. I also plan to seek one for Old Madam. May I have your permission?"

Yun Chu knew exactly what she was scheming and nodded, assigning her a coachman.

After the birthday banquet incident, Old Madam's health had not been as robust as before. She was often coughing and had been taking medicine to recuperate, but there was no improvement.

After finishing her medicine, Old Madam frowned and said, "Has Jingyu really decided not to pursue the matter of Concubine Tao's premature birth?"

Mama Zhou nodded. "The Third Young Master is still young. He probably wouldn't do such a thing. It must have been an accident."

Old Madam shook her head.

Wei Ge'er was only eight years old, yet he was capable of such a demonic act as inserting hundreds of needles into a maid's body. She feared that Yun Ge'er might also harbor a devil within him.

Their Xie family had been a lineage of scholars for generations—how could they have raised two scoundrels in a row?

Fortunately, An Ge'er was a good one. Otherwise, this vast Xie Manor would have no one to uphold its reputation.

As they were speaking, a servant announced that Yu Yiniang had arrived.

"Greetings, Old Madam." Ting Yu bowed. "This humble one went to Qing'an Temple this afternoon and sought protective talismans for the Fourth Young Master and Old Madam."

Seeing that the talismans she presented were indeed from Qing'an Temple, Old Madam's expression softened. "You are thoughtful."

Although she disliked this Yu Yiniang, who had betrayed her mistress and climbed into the master's bed, her sincerity in seeking protective talismans for her was still better than that of Yun Chu, her granddaughter-in-law.

"Old Madam, the temple's master said something to this humble one." Ting Yu lowered her head. "The master said that the misfortune of the Fourth Young Master is only the beginning..."

"What do you mean?" Old Madam slammed her teacdown heavily. "Explain yourself clearly!"

Ting Yu, as if frightened, hurriedly said, "The master said that our Xie family has been cursed by one of our own. The young masters will face misfortunes one after another... If the cursed object is not removed, the Xie family may be left without heirs..."

"How dare you!" Old Madam threw the teacup directly at Ting Yu. "This is utter nonsense!"

Ting Yu shrank her shoulders and said, "Old Madam, it's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't. Think about it—the Second Young Master broke his leg, the Fourth Young Master was born prematurely, and now Yun Ge'er is ill. What if the Eldest Young Master also..."

Old Madam felt a chill run down her spine.Recently, the Xie family had indeed experienced far too many incidents. Aside from Ping Jie'er securing a good marriage, everything else had been nothing but trouble.

Could they truly be cursed?

"Old Madam, let us invite a master to examine our Xie residence. If nothing is found, we merely lose some silver. But if something is detected, it could save the entire Xie family!" Ting Yu pleaded urgently. "Old Madam, for the sake of the young masters and the Xie family, this matter cannot be delayed!"