Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 2: The Xie Family's Sinner

Anshou Hall.

Xie Laotaitai sat in the host's seat, with Xie Shi'an—his cheeks swollen and red—seated below her, surrounded by a crowd of matrons and maids.

"Mother."

Xie Shi'an stood up and bowed to Yun Chu.

"An Ge'er is a good child who respects you as his mother in every way," Old Madam began reproaching. "How could you bear to slap such a good child? How could you bear to make him kneel in the ancestral hall... Look at his little face, swollen beyond recognition. The physician said it would take three days for the swelling to subside..."

"So Old Madam summoned me for this matter." A peculiar smile touched Yun Chu's lips. "An Ge'er, did you not tell Old Madam why I punished you?"

Xie Shi'an lowered his head. "Your son does not know."

Yun Chu's voice turned cold. "Kneeling in the ancestral hall was meant for you to reflect on your mistakes. If you haven't figured it out, then continue kneeling."

"Chu'er, you've always been generous and gentle. Why are you so harsh today?" Old Madam frowned. "What exactly did An Ge'er do?"

Yun Chu smiled.

Yes, she had been gentle toward the concubine-born children, generous toward the concubines, managing internal affairs while building external connections, supporting half of the Xie family's operations.

Yet all along, how had these people treated her?

Old Madam and Madame, along with Xie Jingyu, superficially respected her while actually using her to drain the Yun family completely.

Those concubine-born children called her "mother" to her face, yet never truly held her in their hearts as one.

As for the numerous concubines, including her own maidservant-turned-concubine Yu Yiniang, which of them hadn't secretly mocked her for being barren...

This so-called tolerance and generosity were both the Xie family's means of controlling her and her own self-oppression.

She spoke softly, "Ting Shuang, go to Pineshadow Pavilion and fetch the young master's recent calligraphy and paintings."

Ting Shuang accepted the order and left immediately.

Old Madam frowned. Since she was sent to retrieve calligraphy and paintings, it must be related to studies.

An Ge'er had been clever since childhood, excelling in his studies and receiving universal praise. She truly couldn't imagine what could have gone wrong in this regard.

Before long, Ting Shuang returned with the calligraphy and paintings.

Yun Chu flipped through them, extracted one piece of writing, and handed it to Xie Shi'an. "Read this aloud yourself."

Xie Shi'an's face had already changed. His lips pressed into a tight line as he slowly began, "To make a tree grow tall, one must strengthen its roots; to make a river flow far..."

Old Madam was no ignorant old woman. Her husband had been a Cultivated Talent, her son a Provincial Graduate, and her grandson Xie Jingyu was the Number One Scholar.

The old lady often prided herself on coming from a scholarly family and, having been influenced by such an environment for years, naturally recognized this as a memorial written by a minister to the Emperor centuries ago, intended to advise the ruler to remain vigilant in times of peace and accumulate virtue and righteousness.

She frowned. "What's wrong with this advisory essay?"

"Nothing is wrong with the essay itself," Yun Chu said coldly. "But at the end of the article, he wrote treasonous words."

Old Madam snatched the paper from his hands.

"...Sui Yang exploited profits, Heaven's Mandate proved hard to sustain; presenting medicine to Your Majesty, do not encroach upon bribes..." Reading this, Old Madam was greatly alarmed. "An Ge'er, why did you write this?"

Yun Chu sneered.

In Xie Shi'an's study, such phrases could be found everywhere, making it clear that he held significant grievances against the current Emperor.

Thus, the first thing he did after entering the cabinet was to scheme against the loyal Yun family and support a prince in storming the palace...

She had never understood how a twelve-year-old boy could develop such resentment toward the Emperor."An Ge'er, do you realize the consequences if such writings were seen by outsiders?" Yun Chu said sternly. "Since you're registered under my name, you are the legitimate eldest son of the Xie family. Your every word and action represents the Xie household!"

Suddenly, an imposing aura radiated from her. "You denounced the current emperor as licentious and unprincipled, easily trusting treacherous officials..."

Xie Shi'an's face turned grim. "I didn't—"

"This isn't something you can deny with a simple 'I didn't'!" Yun Chu's expression grew even more severe. "The evidence is right here in black and white. If someone reports this, at best your father will be demoted, at worst the entire Xie family will be convicted and imprisoned. Whether the consequence is light or severe, you cannot bear it! Three generations of Xie ancestors devoted themselves to scholarship, finally achieving official positions in your father's generation. And these few lines of yours could wash away generations of effort—you would become the sinner of the entire Xie family!"

She snatched the paper and threw it directly at Xie Shi'an's face.

Xie Laotaitai sat frozen in her chair as if struck by lightning. She truly hadn't realized the consequences could be this severe. No wonder her usually gentle granddaughter-in-law had flown into such a rage—An Ge'er had indeed committed a grave mistake.

Yun Chu lowered her eyelids.

While the matter sounded serious, in truth, even if it escalated, the worst punishment would likely be a few months' salary deduction. Moreover, her husband Xie Jingyu was clever enough to have numerous ways to smooth over such matters.

Having been reborn, she needed to carefully plan every move.

She said softly, "Since An Ge'er was recognized as part of the family lineage, I've raised him with utmost care. In four years, this is the first time I've lost my temper, and it immediately brought us before Old Madam. It seems as though I, as a mother, cannot even discipline my own child... Or perhaps, even though An Ge'er is registered under my name, I don't have the right to strict discipline? If that's the case, then I dare not keep this son."

Whereas moments ago she had been furious, now she appeared sorrowful, as if genuinely hurt.

Old Madam immediately grew anxious. "Chu'er, I didn't mean to blame you."

If Yun Chu rejected An Ge'er, he would remain a mere illegitimate son—looked down upon everywhere, with limited prospects even in official circles. Although his name was already in the family registry and couldn't be removed simply because Yun Chu said so, only with Yun Chu's genuine acceptance would the Yun family accept him as well. The Yun family held first-rank general status—something their fifth-rank Xie family couldn't compare to...

Old Madam turned. "An Ge'er, what are you standing there foolishly for?"

Xie Shi'an approached. "The texts say strict mothers raise accomplished scholars, while indulgent mothers spoil their sons. A mother's strict discipline shows her hopes for her son's great future. I failed to recognize my mother's devoted efforts—I was wrong. I shall continue kneeling in the ancestral hall."

Yun Chu's lips curved slightly.

Xie Shi'an had been unwilling to accept her punishment from the start, hence his appeal to Old Madam. Only when confronted with irrefutable evidence had he bowed his head, choosing the most advantageous path for himself. This child resembled Xie Jingyu—deep-minded and strategic, talented in studies. No wonder he would later achieve the rare distinction of topping three imperial examinations and enter the cabinet at a young age.

She spoke calmly, "Perhaps An Ge'er shouldn't kneel anymore. Old Madam will feel distressed."

Old Madam did indeed feel distressed. After all, since the founding of the Xie residence, there had never been precedent for kneeling in the ancestral hall. But a mother disciplining her son was only natural—if she, as the great-grandmother, interfered, wouldn't that be disheartening? The old lady could only say against her true feelings, "He should kneel if that's what's required.""Since Old Madam has spoken." Yun Chu sighed. "The spring chill is heavy, so no need to kneel for too long - two days should suffice."

Old Madam's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

Even two hours of kneeling would be too much in her opinion, yet two whole days? This could cost someone their life!

But Xie Shi'an had already accepted the punishment: "Understood. I shall come pay respects to Mother again after two days."

Yun Chu's eyes were unfathomably deep.

Just two days...

Before her death, she had knelt for over two months, begging in vain for the Xie family to submit a memorial pleading for the Yun family - only to receive a cup of poisoned wine instead...

As they left Anshou Hall, Ting Shuang spoke worriedly: "By punishing the young master like this, Madam might drive him further away."

Yun Chu smiled.

Xie Shi'an had never been of one mind with her to begin with - how could they grow apart?

Her wholehearted devotion in her previous life had only earned her schemes and betrayal - why bother offering sincerity again?