Chapter 179: Knowing You Would Come
The Yun family had departed.
Yun Chu remained before the spirit hall, her face as calm as still water.
Yuan Shi hung her head in shame.
Despite things having reached this point, this daughter-in-law was still willing to stay with the Xie family, unwavering in her devotion... And what had she done? She had actually conspired with a concubine to covet her daughter-in-law's dowry.
"Madam..." Ting Yu clutched the hem of her clothes, speaking with her head lowered, "This concubine was too afraid, afraid that Madam would leave the Xie family, afraid that Yun Ge'er would have no one to rely on. Madam, this concubine knows she was wrong..."
She truly hadn't expected that even with the Yun family intervening, Madam hadn't taken the opportunity to seek a divorce.
Instead, she chose to remain with the Xie family.
But if Madam stayed, she would undoubtedly take charge of the household. Madam's intention was to return to Jizhou.
Having grown accustomed to the prosperity of the capital, how could she accept Yun Ge'er growing up in that dilapidated place back in their hometown of Jizhou...
Many thoughts swirled in her mind, but she didn't dare voice them anymore.
"This is all because of your instigation!" Yuan Shi coldly glared at Ting Yu. "Although our Xie family has fallen to this state, we won't allow a mere concubine to bully the mistress. Kneel down for me, kneel right here before Jingyu's spirit hall!"
Knowing today's events were entirely her fault, Ting Yu obediently knelt on the prayer cushion.
Yun Chu's expression remained indifferent.
She had long seen through Ting Yu - an extremely selfish person, how could such a person ever be content with simplicity?
As for Yuan Shi, having struggled from Jizhou to finally reach the capital, being forced to return to Jizhou must have left her extremely unwilling deep down.
With these two feeling discontent, trouble was bound to arise.
She sent Duo Xi to the prison to inquire about Xie Shi'an's situation.
This person was the most formidable existence in the entire Xie family that she feared. In her previous life, the downfall of the Yun family had been entirely orchestrated by Xie Shi'an's hands.
Although Xie Shi'an had been thrown into the dungeon, she still felt somewhat uneasy.
Duo Xi soon returned with news: "The jailers said the Ministry of Justice prepared a confession for the young master, but he refuses to sign it. He's tortured daily for a confession - his face is covered with branding iron marks, and they say one of his eyes has been blinded... At this rate, the young master will either be tortured to death or forced to confess and be sentenced to execution..."
Yun Chu waved Duo Xi away.
She stepped forward and lit three sticks of incense for Xie Jingyu.
She spoke softly: "Did you hear that? Your most proud eldest son Xie Shi'an probably won't survive..."
Xie Jingyu was dead, Xie Shi'an would soon follow, and the Xie family could no longer cause any more trouble.
Yun Chu pressed her lips together.
There was no sense of triumph after achieving vengeance, only an indescribable feeling of desolation.
People she had lived with for so many years in her previous life, entanglements spanning two lifetimes - gone just like that, like a gust of wind that swept everything away...
It felt as if she had suddenly lost some purpose, becoming somewhat adrift.
But this confusion lasted only a moment. She knew that besides the Xie family, there were many, many more important matters.
Xie Jingyu's body remained at the Xie residence for seven days. During this time, aside from the Yun family coming to discuss divorce, no one else came to offer condolences, though many came to watch the spectacle.
After the seven-day vigil ended, the formal funeral procession commenced.
Previously, when Xie Laotaitai passed away, the Xie family had purchased a burial plot. Xie Jingyu was buried beside the Old Madam.The coffin was lowered into the ground, slowly covered with yellow earth, and gradually buried. Concubine Jiang and Ting Yu supported Yuan Shi, the three women embracing each other as they wept bitterly.
Only after they had cried their fill did they return to the residence.
As soon as they arrived at the estate gate, Yun Chu noticed Cheng Xu waiting by the side entrance of the Xie family. Seeing her alight from the carriage, he stepped forward respectfully and said, "Madam Xie, regarding the case of the former Marquis Xuanwu, our prince has some questions for you."
Yun Chu nodded and followed Cheng Xu to the Court of Judicial Review.
Upon entering the Court of Judicial Review and proceeding to the dungeon, the light grew dim and the air turned damp. Reaching the end, she saw Chu Yi dressed in black robes.
She addressed him, "Your Highness."
Chu Yi glanced at the plain white flower in her hair and said, "Qin Mingheng is inside."
After taking charge of Qin Mingheng's case, he had intended to summon her here immediately.
But—
The next day, he learned that the Yun family had marched in full force to the Xie residence to demand a divorce, only to be refused by Yun Chu.
She declared she would never abandon the Xie family.
Yet, she had hired a tofu seller to impersonate an imperial physician to treat Xie Jingyu.
After Xie Jingyu's death, she stubbornly remained with the Xie family.
He could not comprehend what thoughts lay in this woman's heart.
Did she hold affection for Xie Jingyu?
If so, why did she not seek a genuine imperial physician from the palace?
If not, why did she stand by the Xie family through thick and thin?
Unable to unravel these questions, Chu Yi decided to set them aside for now. He kicked open the cell door and led Yun Chu inside.
The space within was vast. Qin Minghung's hands were shackled and suspended from a wall, surrounded by eighteen instruments of torture. A branding iron glowed red-hot over flames, yet the cell remained cold and damp.
Hearing movement, Qin Mingheng slowly opened his eyes.
His face was covered in wounds, and the mere act of opening them sent a sharp pain through him, causing him to suck in a cold breath. But when he saw the woman standing before him, he broke into a grin. "Yun Chu, I knew you would come."
His escape during exile was a capital offense—even the lowest-ranking guard could run him through with a blade.
Yet he had lived these extra days. He knew the Yun family had the power to prolong his life.
What he hadn't expected was Yun Chu enlisting Prince Pingxi's involvement.
Prince Pingxi... Heh heh heh, Prince Pingxi!
Qin Mingheng laughed aloud.
"Yun Chu, before you ask your questions, have the man beside you leave."
Before Yun Chu could speak, Chu Yi said, "I'll wait outside. Call if you need anything."
Yun Chu bowed slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Chu Yi gave her a firm look, then exited, closing the cell door behind him.
"I heard Xie Jingyu is dead?" Qin Mingheng's lips curled into a sinister smile. "I overheard two jailers gossiping—said he drank himself to death. Is that true?"
Yun Chu's lips curved. "Of course not. The two of you conspired to ruin my virtue and kill my child. Neither of you will escape unscathed."Although he had long guessed the truth, Qin Mingheng's eyes still showed disbelief: "So Xie Jingyu really died by your hand. You murdered your own husband, yet managed to escape unscathed, making the entire capital praise you for your loyalty and righteousness. How could you possess such profound cunning and calculation... The generations-long legacy of my Marquis Xuanwu has been extinguished just like that, and this was also your doing... Back when I first met you, you were so innocent, pure and beautiful like the whitest cloud in the sky. Why, why have you become like this? I don't recognize you anymore... How could I have fallen in love with such a scheming, sinister woman!"
Yun Chu smiled.
It was Xie Jingyu and Qin Mingheng who had conspired to ruin her.
And now he actually had the nerve to question why she had changed.
If she remained as naive as before, she would only meet the same fate as in her previous life.
She spoke coldly: "Qin Mingheng, you didn't finish what you were saying that night."
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