Chapter 131: Ting Shuang Gets Married
Old Madam's body remained at the Xie residence for seven days before the funeral procession commenced.
During these seven days, Xie Zhongcheng led numerous people in searching for Xie Shiwei's whereabouts, yet not a single trace could be found.
Many commoners believed the Xie family had intentionally hidden him away, growing increasingly contemptuous of the household. Some troublemakers even went to the magistrate's office to report the case, accusing the second young master Xie Shiwei of brutally murdering Old Madam.
Government officials specially visited the Xie residence to investigate the incident.
Xie Jingyu, already ill, became so enraged upon hearing this news that he coughed up blood.
Yun Chu entered his room carrying medicine: "Old Madam died with grievances unresolved. Only when the authorities uncover the truth can she rest in peace. My husband shouldn't trouble himself with this matter - focus on recovering your health."
She handed the medicine to Concubine Jiang, who was attending to him at the bedside.
Concubine Jiang carefully helped Xie Jingyu drink the entire bowl of dark medicinal brew.
"My lady..." Xie Jingyu spoke, "Could you... in the Yun family's name... request an imperial physician to examine me?"
He felt an overwhelming sense of panic, as if his body was gradually slipping beyond his control.
"The physician I invited, Doctor Qiu, is the most renowned in the capital for treating such conditions - even the imperial physicians cannot compare." Yun Chu lightly adjusted his blanket. "Doctor Qiu says your excessive drinking, pent-up frustrations, and intense anger have caused this condition. As long as you take your medicine properly and gradually recuperate, you'll recover... There are still matters to handle after Old Madam's funeral, so I must attend to them."
Xie Jingyu reached out and grasped her sleeve: "My lady, I've only ever asked this one thing of you. I truly need an imperial physician."
Hearing this, Yun Chu smiled: "Are you certain this is the only thing you've ever asked of me?"
Her smile felt particularly piercing to Xie Jingyu, and his hand gradually released her sleeve.
"Concubine Jiang, take good care of the master."
Yun Chu left these words behind as she turned and walked out.
Concubine Jiang said softly: "Master may not know, but these past days with Old Madam's affairs, the mistress has barely slept day or night. Combined with the second young master's disappearance and the government officials visiting periodically, the mistress has been handling everything... This humble concubine wishes to share her burden, but lacks the capability. Serving you well is my way of easing her worries."
Xie Jingyu closed his eyes and said nothing more.
Yun Chu returned to her courtyard. She had just sat down, not yet having taken a sip of tea, when an old maid from the courtyard rushed in anxiously: "Mistress, the young mistress is causing trouble in Old Madam's courtyard."
Yun Chu frowned: "What trouble?"
"With Old Madam's passing, there remain many valuable items in the storage room. The young mistress demanded that Mama Zhou hand over the keys, but Mama Zhou refused. As the argument escalated, Concubine Yu and Concubine Tao joined in, creating quite a commotion."
Yun Chu laughed coldly.
Old Madam's body wasn't even cold yet, and the Xie family members were already squabbling over such trivial gains.
She said: "The madam is still here, and I, as the household manager, remain in position. What right do they have to compete? Ting Shuang, go there and take the storage keys to the madam. Let's see what she says."
Ting Shuang nodded and went to handle the matter, returning shortly with the keys to the Anshou Hall storage room, which she handed to Yun Chu: "The madam said that since you're currently managing the Xie household, Old Madam's belongings naturally should be under your care."
Yun Chu picked up the keys and toyed with them. She truly didn't care for Old Madam's meager possessions.She spoke: "Open my storeroom, I'll select a few items."
In the blink of an eye, Ting Shuang was getting married.
According to the Yun family's customs, when a personal maid married, the master preparing about a hundred taels of silver as dowry was considered quite generous.
Yun Chu prepared a five-hundred-tael silver note, along with a complete set of gold and jade openwork headdress, plus several bolts of high-quality fabric.
"Ma-Madam!" Ting Shuang's voice trembled with shock upon seeing these items, "This humble servant... this humble servant doesn't deserve these. Please take them back, Madam."
"You deserve them." Yun Chu placed the items on the table, "I've already sent someone to the authorities to remove your servitude status. From now on, you're a free woman."
Ting Shuang fell to her knees with a thud: "Madam, what virtue does this humble servant possess to deserve this..."
Yun Chu helped her up.
In her previous life, the Xie family's great fire had occurred around two years from now. Anyway, in this lifetime, she wouldn't experience that fire.
But that didn't mean she would forget how Ting Shuang had thrown herself over her without hesitation, blocking the falling beam for her.
"Tomorrow when you marry, I've given all the maids in Sheng Residence the day off to join the festivities at your new home," Yun Chu said with a smile. "Take one month's rest after your wedding before going to work at the hot spring manor. You'll be managing the manor as a steward then, and your wages won't be lacking."
Ting Shuang's throat choked with emotion, unable to utter a single word.
The next morning, the wedding matron invited by Yun Chu dressed Ting Shuang's hair and helped her into the wedding dress. The bridal sedan departed through the side gate of the Xie residence, where Yu Ke was waiting.
This was how servants' weddings were conducted - being able to leave through the side gate was already considered the master showing great face.
Yun Chu brought all the maids and matrons from Sheng Residence to attend the wedding banquet. However, as the mistress, she feared her presence would make people feel constrained, so she left after just one toast.
Ting Xue and Ting Feng stayed behind to join the festivities, while she and Qiu Tong returned.
On their way back, passing by a curio shop, she remembered that among the dowry items she had prepared for her half-sister Yun Ran, there seemed to be missing an exceptional hairpin.
She lifted her skirt and stepped down from the carriage, entering the curio shop. It had been so long since she had last visited a jewelry store that entering nearly dazzled her eyes.
The counter displayed numerous dazzling gold, silver, and jade pieces for customers to browse freely. Those interested in purchasing would be taken inside by the shopkeeper to see better quality items for selection.
"Madam, these are our newly arrived hairpins. Please take a look, do any catch your eye?"
Yun Chu was actually only twenty years old. Though married for five years, she still enjoyed these feminine pleasures in her heart.
It's just that over the years, too many matters had distracted her attention, and she had basically never purchased any jewelry or head ornaments. The hairpin she wore still came from the dowry items given by the Yun family five years ago when she married.
Seeing these ornaments immediately lifted her spirits.
With hundreds of thousands of taels in hand now, buying some things to make herself happy wasn't excessive, was it?
"This one, this one, and this one..."
Her finger pointed around the tray.
The shopkeeper beamed with delight - buying so many at once meant he had encountered a major customer.
"Except these three, wrap up all the rest," Yun Chu looked at the shopkeeper. "Do you have more? I'd like to see more."
The shopkeeper stood utterly dumbfounded.
The tray contained twenty small hairpins, and this madam actually wanted seventeen of them - and still wanted to see more.He quickly nodded, "Please wait a moment, madam. I'll bring out the new stock right away."
The shopkeeper promptly called his assistant to bring out all the newly arrived hair ornaments, hairpins, earrings, bracelets... and laid them out before Yun Chu.
She selected some for her mother and sister-in-law, and also bought one each for the maids in her courtyard.
Besides these, she also purchased two longevity locks.
One for Yu Ge'er and one for Changsheng, though she didn't know when she would see them again.
"Thank you, madam!"
Just as she was about to board the carriage, a pleasant female voice sounded behind her.
Turning around, she saw the wife of Marquis Xuanwu, Luo Shi.
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