Chapter 12: Have Her Come Personally
The capital city was bustling with activity in the morning.
Xie Jingyu and Xie Shi'an sat in the carriage, the father and son looking as if they were cast from the same mold, their temperaments nearly identical.
Passing through the busiest streets, the carriage entered the most prestigious district of the capital, where only high-ranking officials and nobles resided—the lowest among them being officials of the second rank.
"Once we enter the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor, be sure to speak and act with caution," Xie Jingyu reminded. "The manor has strict rules. Given your young age, refrain from speaking unless necessary."
Xie Shi'an nodded. "I understand, Father."
As the two approached the manor's entrance, Xie Jingyu was about to step onto the stairs when the guards stationed on either side of the gate barked sharply, "Who are you? State your business. Do you have an invitation?"
Xie Jingyu clasped his hands respectfully. "I am Xie Jingyu, a director in the Ministry of Revenue. The day before yesterday, my humble wife offended your Young Son. I have come specifically to apologize and make amends."
"So, you don’t have an invitation?" The guard looked down at him, chin raised. "Wait here at the gate. I’ll go inside and inquire."
Xie Jingyu’s expression darkened.
He was, after all, a fifth-rank official appointed by the court. Yet this guard clearly looked down on him, making him wait at the entrance. How could they treat him with such disrespect?
"So this is what they mean by 'a third-rank official at the prime minister’s gate,'" Xie Shi'an murmured softly. "My great-grandfather was a Cultivated Talent, my grandfather a provincial scholar, and my father passed the imperial examinations to become the Number One Scholar. In just over five years, he rose to become a fifth-rank court official. In my generation, I will surely elevate the Xie family to become new nobility. But when that time comes, I will not allow the Xie family’s servants to look down on anyone."
Xie Jingyu’s face softened with gratification. "My efforts in nurturing you have not been in vain."
Just then, footsteps approached. The two stopped talking and assumed a posture of respectful waiting.
A small, pink-and-white bundle emerged from the manor’s entrance—the four-year-old Young Son of the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor.
As soon as he spotted the two waiting at the gate, the anticipation on his delicate little face turned to anger.
"Greetings, Young Son." Xie Jingyu lifted the cage in his hand and presented it with both hands. "This is an exceedingly rare iron-headed, green-backed fighting cricket. It is fierce-tempered and extremely aggressive. Please take a look."
The little one stomped down the steps, snatched the cage, and then hurled it violently to the ground.
"This cricket is hideous! I don’t like it!" The Young Son’s face was flushed with anger as he pointed at Xie Jingyu’s nose. "Go back and tell that woman to come to the manor herself!"
What kind of fine cricket hadn’t he seen before? All he wanted was the cricket delivered by that woman in person.
The moment he recalled the woman he had seen at the teahouse that day, his eyes suddenly reddened. For some reason, he just wanted to see her.
The more aggrieved he felt, the angrier he became. He raised his voice, "Tell her if she doesn’t come, I’ll go find her!"
"Who are you going to find?"
A cold voice suddenly cut through the air.
Immediately after, a Ferghana horse halted at the manor’s entrance, and a man in purple-black court robes dismounted.
Xie Jingyu turned around, bowing deeply at the waist. "This humble official pays respects to Your Highness! May Your Highness be well!"
This was the first time he had been so close to Prince Pingxi.
It was a prime opportunity to get acquainted with the prince.
However.
Prince Pingxi did not even glance at him. He strode forward and lifted the little bundle with one hand.
His voice was exceptionally deep. "Who did you say you were going to find just now?"
"Father…" The little one shrank his neck timidly. "I—I wasn’t going to find anyone. You must have misheard, Father."The man sneered coldly and tossed him into the arms of a nearby servant: "If he takes one step outside the prince's manor, none of you attendants shall ever enter these gates again."
With that, he turned to Xie Jingyu: "A child's thoughtless words—Minister Xie shouldn't take them too seriously. Do not come again."
Just as Xie Jingyu was about to speak, Prince Pingxi had already strode back into the manor.
The two guards at the gate closed the manor doors behind him.
Xie Jingyu's face was filled with disappointment.
Such a perfect opportunity, and he had failed to seize it.
Xie Shi'an spoke up: "Perhaps we could let Mother..."
Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together: "Unnecessary."
As a grown man, if he couldn't handle such a small matter and had to rely on his wife to intervene, it would be utterly shameful.
However, Yun Chu was no fool who knew nothing of what transpired.
The coachman who had driven Xie Jingyu and Xie Shi'an to the prince's manor was from the Yun family she had brought into the household, and he recounted everything that had happened at the manor's entrance in complete detail.
"Our lady personally going to the prince's manor?" Ting Shuang exclaimed in surprise. "The prince's manor has no Princess Consort—for our lady to visit would be highly improper. How could the Young Son make such a request?"
The coachman lowered his head and said, "Prince Pingxi severely scolded the Young Son and forbade anyone from the Xie residence from visiting again."
Ting Xue breathed a sigh of relief: "It seems this matter is finally over. Prince Pingxi is indeed reasonable—he knew the Young Son was at fault and didn't make things difficult for our lady."
Yun Chu nodded.
Prince Pingxi had always been a reasonable man. In her past life, when the Yun family was imprisoned, only Prince Pingxi had been willing to campaign on their behalf...
As they were speaking, Ting Yu entered from the doorway: "My lady, I've specially prepared some soup for you. Please drink it while it's hot."
Yun Chu's voice was indifferent: "I've already had soup. Take it away."
Ting Yu's lips moved wordlessly for a moment before she stammered anxiously: "My lady, have I done something wrong? Or has Yun Ge'er broken some rule somewhere?"
These past few days, the lady had severely punished the eldest and second young masters. She feared Yun Ge'er might have also committed some offense that displeased the lady, leading to their expulsion from the Jade Residence.
When they lived in the Jade Residence, she served the lady closely and held considerable face within the Xie household.
Since moving out, not only had their food, clothing, and provisions deteriorated, but even the senior maids and matrons dared to look down on her...
That was why she had gathered the courage to come and ask the lady what exactly was going on.
Yun Chu looked at her and said: "Since giving birth to Yun Ge'er, you haven't attended to the master anymore. After careful consideration, I believe it's better for you to have a separate residence where the master can stay more conveniently."
Ting Yu bit her lower lip.
Yun Chu picked up the account books and began reviewing them. Knowing the lady was about to become busy, Ting Yu could only lower her head and withdraw.
Just as she stepped outside the courtyard, she heard a scornful laugh.
"Well, if it isn't our Concubine Yu?" Ting Feng sneered. "Concubine Jiang and Concubine Tao both stay quietly in their own courtyards, but you always insist on hovering around the lady. Don't think just because you grew up serving the lady that you're different from the other concubines. From the day you betrayed the lady and climbed into the master's bed, she stopped caring about you. The only reason she tolerates you now is because of the third young master. You should be grateful you bore a good son..."
Ting Yu struggled to explain: "That night I truly didn't mean to... The master had too much to drink...""Spare me the details of such bedroom matters, I'm an unmarried maiden," Ting Feng curled her lips. "As a mere maid, I don't deserve explanations from a Concubine like you. Farewell, Yu Yiniang, I won't see you out."
Ting Yu bit her lip in humiliation and turned to leave Sheng Residence.
Yun Chu sat on the couch in a daze.
Ting Shuang was already twenty this year, and even the youngest Ting Feng had turned sixteen. It was time to find suitable husbands for them.
In her previous life, after Ting Shuang died, Ting Feng and Ting Xue had sworn to remain unmarried for life. This lifetime, she couldn't let these girls follow her into lonely destitution again.
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