Chapter 177: Ting Yu's Scheme
Yun Chu opened her eyes and woke up.
Dawn had just broken, with faint morning light streaming through the window.
As soon as she sat up, Ting Xue entered from outside to assist her with washing and dressing.
After freshening up and dressing neatly, she walked to the main hall where Ting Feng had already instructed the servants to prepare a lavish meal. Though there was no meat, everything else one could want was present.
Looking solely at the scene in Sheng Residence, no one would ever imagine that the Xie family had completely collapsed.
After finishing her meal, Yun Chu went to the mourning hall.
Her final duty in the Xie household was to see Xie Jingyu off on his last journey. Whatever appearance needed to be maintained, she would maintain it.
Arriving at the front courtyard, the few remaining family members had all gathered. The main gate of the Xie residence remained open, yet no visitors came to offer condolences, creating an extremely desolate atmosphere.
"Chu'er."
Yuan Shi, who hadn't slept all night, could barely speak, these two words coming out as breathy whispers.
Yun Chu stepped forward, lit three incense sticks for Xie Jingyu, then turned her head: "What is it?"
"Jingyu's funeral arrangements will be handled by me, Yu Yiniang, and Jiang Yiniang." Yuan Shi struggled to form words. "After the funeral, our entire family will need to move out. Where do you think we should relocate, and how should we support ourselves?"
Yun Chu replied: "The Xie family has become the biggest joke in the capital. Does Mother-in-law still wish to remain in the capital?"
Yuan Shi paused: "What do you mean?"
"Return to our ancestral home in Jizhou." Yun Chu said calmly. "Before the Xie family moved to the capital, all our farmland and properties were registered under the names of senior clan members. They won't be affected. Returning to Jizhou, we'll have the old residence and can live off the land—it's no worse than staying in the capital."
Hearing this, Yuan Shi felt like crying again.
Through three generations of effort, the Xie family had finally established itself in the capital. How many years had they been here? And now they had to return?
How glorious had their move to the capital been back then?
Now returning with so many fewer family members—how desolate would that be?
She didn't want to go back.
But she knew returning to Jizhou was the only viable path now.
"Madam." Ting Yu couldn't help speaking up.
She had discussed everything thoroughly with the mistress last night. How could the mistress be so easily swayed by Madam's words, forgetting all their previous discussions?
"If we return to Jizhou like this, does Madam truly believe those senior clan members would willingly return the properties registered under their names?" Ting Yu lowered her gaze. "This concubine believes returning to Jizhou should be our last resort. Unless absolutely necessary, we shouldn't take this path."
Yun Chu smiled: "Then what other path do you think remains?"
Only then did Ting Yu lift her head, meeting Yun Chu's gaze: "If Madam manages the household, then Madam has the responsibility to find shelter for the entire family. If Madam is unwilling, you should hand over the Xie family account books to the mistress to make arrangements."
The smile on Yun Chu's face deepened: "What Yu Yiniang actually wants is for me to surrender my dowry, isn't it?"
Having her true intentions exposed didn't anger Ting Yu in the slightest. Gathering her courage, she enunciated each word clearly: "Madam is the mistress of the Xie household, the legal mother of the children. Now that the master has passed, Madam should support the Xie family and is duty-bound to raise the children. But—based on this concubine's understanding of Madam since childhood, Madam doesn't intend to deal with the Xie family's mess anymore, am I right?"
Yun Chu smoothed her hair at the temple: "So?""So, if Madam wishes to withdraw unscathed, then hand over the dowry." Ting Yu knew she shouldn't speak like this, but since the mistress couldn't stand firm, she had to step forward. "If Madam refuses to part with the dowry, then please take charge of the Xie family and find shelter for the entire household, young and old."
Slap!
The moment her words fell.
Ting Feng, standing beside Yun Chu, raised her hand and slapped Ting Yu across the face.
Ting Yu was completely stunned, staring at Ting Feng in disbelief: "How dare you, a mere servant, strike me?"
"I struck you, so what?" Ting Feng's face was full of contempt and fury. "A lowly woman who climbed into the master's bed and betrayed her mistress dares to scheme for the dowry of the Yun family's legitimate eldest daughter? Who gave you the nerve! Our Madam is kind-hearted—in any other household, a wretch like you would have been beaten to death and sold off long ago! Now that the master's body has turned cold, you still try to put on airs as a Concubine in front of me? Dream on!"
As she spoke, she raised her hand again and delivered another slap.
Ting Yu, dizzy from the blows, flailed wildly, trying to strike back.
Yun Chu seized Ting Yu's wrist and shoved her away harshly. Ting Yu staggered and fell to the ground.
"Is Madam going to indulge her maid in bullying me?" Ting Yu lay on the ground, wailing loudly. "Madam sees that the Xie family has fallen and is about to leave, so she looks down on the Xies. Even a maid can bully me now—what future do I have? I might as well dash my brains out and end it all..."
Concubine Jiang hurriedly pulled her back.
With onlookers always gathered at the Xie residence's entrance, if Concubine Yu were to die in plain sight, Madam would be saddled with a wicked reputation.
Yun Chu stood tall, looking down imperiously. "Ting Yu, are you sure you want to make such a scene?"
Ting Yu sobbed pitifully.
She didn't want to make a scene or lose her dignity, but if she didn't, her Yun Ge'er would truly be finished.
All she wanted was to force Madam to choose.
Stay, and properly strategize for the Xie family.
Leave, and leave behind the dowry to resolve the Xie family's plight.
Whichever Madam chose, Yun Ge'er would benefit.
For Yun Ge'er, she would even sacrifice her life—what did a little face matter?
Seeing the crowd at the Xie mansion's gate growing larger, she cried with heartfelt tears: "The master's body is not yet cold! How can Madam just wash her hands of it all? I beg Madam, have pity on the children. They know nothing—what have they done wrong? Why must they suffer like this..."
Xie Shiyun knelt on the ground, crying out, "Mother, I've called you Mother for four years! I beg you, don't abandon me..."
The fragile woman and the innocent child, kneeling and weeping miserably, moved many bystanders to sighs of pity.
"So pitiful."
"The old and the young, a house full of weak women and children—what will become of them?"
"Madam Xie is still the head of the Xie family—how can she just ignore everything?"
"The Xie family can only rely on Madam Xie now. Otherwise, once these people step out that door, they'll either starve to death or be bullied to death."
"Exactly. They've done nothing wrong, yet they bear the suffering. So pitiful."
Amid the chorus of sighs.
A cold voice cut through: "So this is the true face of the Xie family. The Yun family has certainly been enlightened."
Ting Yu whipped her head around.
She saw—the Yun family had arrived!Madam Lin, the wife of the Yun family, walked at the forefront. On her right side, she supported an elderly woman from the Yun clan, while on her left followed the pregnant young mistress of the Yun family, Liu Qianqian. Behind them were Yun Ze, along with maids and guards of the Yun household, totaling nearly twenty people.
At the sight of this formation, Ting Yu’s heart sank.
On the first day after the master’s death, the Yun family had not sent anyone. She had assumed they would wait until after the master’s burial to make a move, which was why she had deliberately chosen this day to stir up trouble.
She knew that the mistress was soft-hearted and kind; by making a scene, she could always secure some benefits.
But she never expected that before she could achieve any outcome, the Yun family had arrived.
Her plan had fallen apart!
OpenNovel