Chapter 211: The Man of Action Chu Yi
Watching Yun Chu depart in the carriage.
Xie Shi'an walked back to the Xie residence on foot.
The two imposing stone lions that once stood guard at the Xie family's entrance had mysteriously disappeared.
The plaque hanging under the eaves was pockmarked with dents from thrown stones, leaving the characters for "Xie Residence" looking utterly disheveled.
"Young Master, you're back." San Jiu came forward to greet him. "Today, Gan Lai and I earned over sixty coins repairing walls for people. We bought several pounds of pork and stewed a large pot of red-braised pork."
There was indeed a large pot of red-braised pork, but after distributing portions to each courtyard, only a small bowl remained for Xie Shi'an.
He wasn't particularly driven by culinary desires, so after eating a few bites, he left the rest for San Jiu.
He stood up and headed toward the courtyard where Ting Yu resided.
Ting Yu and Xie Shiyun had just finished their evening meal and were washing dishes. As she scrubbed, she sighed repeatedly.
Even when she had served as the madam's maid, she had never washed a single bowl.
Life was becoming increasingly difficult.
"Big Brother, what brings you here?"
Hearing Xie Shiyun's voice, Ting Yu hurriedly finished washing the bowls and walked to the front courtyard.
Seeing Xie Shi'an with his eye covered, for some reason, Ting Yu felt an inexplicable sense of dread.
Even though this was just a child who had just turned thirteen, and blind in one eye, she couldn't understand why she was so afraid.
"Yun Ge'er, go play by yourself." Ting Yu sent the child away. "Young Master, what matter brings you here at this hour?"
"I wonder how Concubine Yu is progressing with gathering the silver?" Xie Shi'an got straight to the point. "I've taken a liking to a shop, but it requires over three thousand taels to purchase. If Concubine Yu can't gather the funds soon, this business venture will fall through, and I won't be able to repay Yun Ge'er's debts."
Ting Yu immediately responded, "I'm working on it, I'm working on it. Please don't rush..."
Xie Shi'an rubbed his fingers together. "Does Concubine Yu think selling a few handkerchiefs will raise thousands of taels? You can wait, but I cannot."
Ting Yu felt a terrifying pressure wash over her.
How could this person—a child who had just celebrated his thirteenth birthday—possess such imposing presence?
She twisted her handkerchief and said, "Then what do you expect a weak woman like me to do?"
"They say merchants are the wealthiest, but that's not true. Those in power—the officials—are the truly wealthy. A few thousand taels are but drops in the bucket to them." Xie Shi'an spoke calmly. "There's an official in the court notorious for being henpecked. Few know that he frequently engages with certain women in private... Ahem. A woman like Concubine Yu should catch his eye."
Ting Yu stared in disbelief. "You... you're asking me to sell... sell my body..."
"What else?" Xie Shi'an's expression remained utterly emotionless. "Does Concubine Yu have anything else of value to offer?"
He pulled a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to her. "You have only this one chance."
With that, he turned and left.
Ting Yu picked up the paper and glanced at it. It detailed the official's name and where he would be in three days...
She collapsed into a chair.
In the past, using her body to become a concubine had been her own choice.
But now...
She covered her face and wept.
After crying for a while, she suddenly lifted her head. She hadn't reached a dead end yet—she still had her parents and older brother.Ting Yu was a household servant of the Yun family. Her parents were capable stewards in the Yun residence, which was why she had been assigned since childhood to serve as the young mistress's personal maid.
However, after she had climbed into the master's bed back then, her mother had come to the Xie residence once and scolded her harshly, declaring that she no longer had a daughter like her. From that day on, she had severed all ties with her family.
Now that she was suffering so much, surely her parents wouldn't just abandon her, would they?
The Yun family treated their servants extremely generously, especially household servants like her family. She had heard that her parents had bought a large house outside for her brother.
Ting Yu asked Concubine Jiang to watch her child, tidied herself up, and headed to the Yun family. Arriving at the back gate of the Yun residence, she knocked on the side door. When she saw Li Shen, who had watched her grow up, she immediately greeted her: "Aunt Li, is my mother here?"
"Well, if it isn't Concubine Yu from the young master's household?" Li Shen sneered. "Didn't the Xie family want to draw a clear line with the Yun family? What brings you here, Concubine Yu?"
Most of the Yun family's servants were household servants, with generations having served the family, so they were naturally loyal to their masters and looked down on people like Ting Yu.
Ting Yu pretended not to notice the sarcasm. "Could you please call my mother for me, Aunt Li... Ah!!!"
Before she could finish her sentence, a basin of water was thrown in her face.
With a clatter, the basin was thrown to the ground. A woman stood at the doorway, hands on her hips, and shouted angrily, "Five years ago, I said I would act as if I never had a daughter like you. Don't appear before me again—consider it repaying me for raising you!"
Ting Yu wiped the water from her face and sobbed, "Mother, I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance!"
The woman didn't even glance at her and said to those around her, "I no longer have this daughter. If she comes again, just drive her away!"
With that, she turned and left.
Li Shen spat in disgust and slammed the side door shut.
Ting Yu slumped to the ground, powerless, and wept bitterly, hugging her knees.
The incident at the back gate of the Yun residence quickly spread and reached Ting Feng's ears. Ting Feng immediately went to inform Yun Chu.
Yun Chu shook her head.
She didn't need to lift a finger against Ting Yu. Ting Yu's nature was hard to change, and she would eventually be the death of herself.
After finishing the account books, Yun Chu stood up and walked to the wall on the east side. The door here had already been opened, with a standard-sized doorway. On both sides, mature vines and various flowers had been transplanted, their long, green broad leaves hanging down, adding much scenery to the door.
This doorway was located on the side of her courtyard. Walking through it led to the main courtyard of the neighboring residence.
Actually, it wasn't the main courtyard, as the main courtyard was usually not arranged against the wall. Prince Pingxi had ordered the main courtyard and this side courtyard to be connected, setting up his study here. This was where he conducted his affairs, and no one was allowed to enter without his permission. In other words, apart from a few personal attendants, no one else in the prince's residence would discover this door.
Just as Yun Chu reached the doorway, she heard voices from next door: "...Be careful with everything. Place His Highness's official documents here, just like in the prince's residence, arranged in this spot..."
Peering through the doorway, she saw Cheng Zongguan, the chief steward of the prince's residence, directing servants as they moved things.
She couldn't help but marvel at how much of a man of action Prince Pingxi was. He had moved in as soon as he said he would, bringing along the entire household of the prince's residence.For a moment, her emotions were rather complicated.
"Miss Yun."
Just as she was lost in thought, a tall figure appeared before her.
It was Chu Yi approaching.
He stopped on the other side of the arched doorway and asked, "May I pass through?"
Yun Chu stepped aside. "Your Highness, please."
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