Chapter 210: I'll Protect Mother
Yun Chu looked at Yun Run.
To be honest, this cousin did possess some strategic thinking. Had she not known the course of events from her previous life, she would certainly have supported his proposed actions.
In her past life, after the Yun family encountered trouble, her elder brother Yun Ze and Yun Run had worked together to pull strings everywhere. They were soon implicated and transferred to other cities, leaving Yun Run as the primary voice among the Yun family's younger generation.
Shortly after that, her sister-in-law suffered a miscarriage.
The Yun family descended into greater chaos.
Much later, her father returned to the capital with the head of the King of Southern Yue. The entire city's residents lined the streets to welcome him, the emperor was overjoyed, and countless rewards flowed into the Yun household like running water.
The Yun family nearly stood at the pinnacle of power.
Naturally, those who had been scheming against them simply vanished.
Her father didn't pursue the matter, and thus it was left in the past.
Now that she had been reborn, she was determined to uncover the person responsible for her sister-in-law's miscarriage.
"Yun Chu," Yun Run spoke up, looking at her, "I heard from Yun Yi that Prince Pingxi entrusted the Yun Family Army's Token to you. Is this true?"
Lin Shi frowned.
After Yun Run arrived, he had sent someone to summon Chu'er for discussions. She had thought it was because these branch family members valued Chu'er's opinion.
She never expected it was about that Token.
"That is correct," Yun Chu replied. "Why do you ask, Cousin Yun Run?"
"This shows you have a close relationship with Prince Pingxi," Yun Run continued. "Could you ask Prince Pingxi to intervene and have Yun Yi and the other two reinstated to their official positions?"
Old General Yun said coldly, "There's no need for that."
Their Yun family didn't need to beg anyone.
They certainly wouldn't have the legitimate eldest daughter of the Yun family go plead with others.
"I understand your concerns, Old General, but I cannot remain passive," Yun Run said. "I'll take the initiative first and try to pull some strings."
He nodded to Old General Yun and turned to leave the Yun residence.
Yun Yi and the others sighed and followed him out.
"Chu'er, do you think there's something wrong with Yun Run?" Yun Ze asked.
Yun Chu shook her head. "Nothing apparent for now."
The Yun family hadn't reached its worst situation yet, and the evil in human nature hadn't surfaced. It was too early to make judgments.
"Yun Ze," Old General Yun said, leaning on his servant's arm to stand with difficulty, "you should take this time to rest properly. When your father returns with achievements to court, you won't have so much leisure time. Let Yun Run do as he pleases if he wants to stir up trouble."
Yun Ze didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Grandfather, I think you're the one who should rest properly. From now on, I'll have them stop inviting you to these discussions."
In Chu'er's dream, his wife would miscarry due to internal conflicts within the Yun family. If he truly stepped back and did nothing, wouldn't that give villains opportunities to exploit?
Knowing what would happen in the future, if he still walked right into it, he would be unworthy as both a husband and a father!
Yun Chu stayed and had a meal with Lin Shi.
Then she continued with her own affairs.
She had Chen Defu increase wages to speed up construction of the shelter, which would be completed in about a month. She needed to publicize information about the shelter during this time.
So that when people found abandoned children, they would know where to send them.
And orphans who had lost their parents would know to find their way to the shelter.
Yun Chu had someone draw up blueprints—a vision of the shelter's future. Under blue skies and white clouds stood neat rows of houses, with children running freely and healthily.She set up a shed in the western part of the city, posting the notice on the wall behind her, and personally took charge, seated at a table.
A crowd quickly gathered around the shed.
"A shelter has been built outside the city?"
"It says here, specifically for taking in and raising homeless children."
"The weather is getting colder, and many children have been freezing to death on the streets. It's truly pitiful. With a place like this, at least they won't freeze to death."
"Exactly. Many families keep having four or five daughters in a row and secretly abandon or drown them. With a shelter, they can at least send the girls there, saving their lives—it's an act of virtue."
"..."
"The person sitting at the table seems to be the eldest daughter of the Yun family. I saw her once when there was a commotion at the Xie residence."
"Is this shelter built under the Yun family's name?"
"Right now, many officials at court are accusing the Yun family of treason. The Yun family must be trying to find a way to save themselves."
"Ah, the men of the Yun family fight enemies on the battlefield, while the women build Summer Retreat Courtyards and shelters. How could such a family possibly commit treason?"
"It must be slander by villains. I hope the Emperor investigates and clears this up soon!"
The vast majority of the common people did not believe the Yun family had committed treason.
But there were exceptions.
A man in his twenties stepped out from the crowd and shouted, "The Yun family is only doing this to win people over! Don't be fooled by them!"
As he spoke, he picked up an egg and threw it at Yun Chu.
As soon as he moved, seven or eight elderly women emerged from behind him, all carrying baskets, and skillfully hurled rotten vegetables at Yun Chu.
Qiutong narrowed her eyes and stepped in front of Yun Chu.
But hardly any rotten eggs or vegetables reached them, as the surrounding citizens intercepted them, spontaneously protecting Yun Chu.
"Mother, let me escort you away."
A voice sounded beside Yun Chu's ear.
Yun Chu looked over and saw Xie Shi'an, whom she hadn't seen in many days.
Since the divorce, she had gradually forgotten about the Xie family and its people. Seeing Xie Shi'an here, detached from her identity as Madam Xie, gave her a different feeling.
"Mother, be careful!"
Xie Shi'an raised his hand, shielding Yun Chu from the flying vegetables.
The group retreated to the side of the wall.
"The person who led the attack earlier wasn't an ordinary commoner," Xie Shi'an said, standing in front of Yun Chu with a furrowed brow. "If I'm not mistaken, he was likely sent by the Empress Dowager."
Yun Chu looked at him.
Xie Shi'an hadn't attended the Imperial College, hadn't participated in court affairs, and had distanced himself from officials. Yet, he could still see the court situation so clearly?
That man was indeed sent by the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager wanted to solidify the Yun family's guilt to protect the General of Chariots and Cavalry and maintain her maternal family's influence in the Southern border region.
In a way, the Yun family's troubles were actually a struggle between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
"You should stop calling me mother from now on," Yun Chu said softly. "If someone with ill intentions hears, it might affect the Xie family."
"Mother..."
Xie Shi'an's heart tightened.
"I'm sorry, Mother. I shouldn't have pressured you to cut ties with the Yun family."
Only after his mother left the Xie family did he truly realize that without the protection of a powerful clan, the Xie family was nothing.
Although the Yun family was not as influential as before, they still held high prestige in the hearts of the common people, as evidenced by the scene of the citizens protecting his mother earlier.The Xie family's expulsion of the Yun daughter had also offended the commoners on the streets. Even the lowest of commoners could now point at their noses and curse.
"What's the use of saying all this?" Yun Chu spoke up. "If the Xie family cannot afford to raise Kang Ge'er, you may send him to the shelter outside the city."
Xie Shi'an clenched his fists. "The elder brother is like a father. After our father's death, I became the father to my younger brothers. I will never allow them to become orphans in a shelter."
"An Ge'er, I knew I wasn't wrong about you. You're a good child." Yun Chu patted his shoulder. "My words remain the same: if you face any difficulties, come find me at the Yun residence. After all, we were once mother and son—I will help however I can."
Xie Shi'an pressed his lips together.
His emotions were complex.
He didn't wish for anything to happen to the Yun family, so that his mother could still be of help to him.
Yet, he also feared that the Yun family would remain safe and sound—for if that were the case, wouldn't his expulsion of his mother make him a laughingstock?
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