Chapter 224: Childhood Regrets
"If Your Highness is going to the Southern border region to search for my father, then I have only three words for you: it's unnecessary." Yun Chu walked over. "Before heading south, my father consulted a fortune teller who predicted this journey would encounter some turbulence, but everything would ultimately conclude joyfully. There's no need for excessive worry. If Your Highness goes to the Southern border region at this time, I fear it might provoke various suspicions and schemes. My main concern is the potential impact on the two children."
Chu Yi glanced at Yun Chu.
Then he looked at Lin Shi.
He truly saw no trace of worry or anxiety in their eyes.
It seemed General Yun's disappearance wasn't considered a major matter.
At that moment, Yun Ze also approached: "My father is a brilliant military strategist who won't come to harm. Your Highness need not concern yourself."
He had previously misunderstood Chu Yi.
He had thought Chu Yi was cut from the same cloth as Xie Jingyu and Qin Mingheng.
Only now did he realize Chu Yi was also a victim.
He felt apologetic for the thoughts he had previously entertained.
"Your Highness, let's have some tea."
Yun Ze and Chu Yi walked to the front courtyard, where servants served tea. The two sat facing each other.
"Has Your Highness ever considered ascending to that highest position?"
Chu Yi took a sip of light tea.
A few days earlier, he might have shaken his head.
But after that moment—
That moment when his father ignored his protests and stamped the imperial seal on the marriage decree, he had indeed developed a craving for power.
The current ruler was his father, who wouldn't deal him a fatal blow.
But if it were his Crown Prince elder brother or Second Imperial Brother, what would become of him?
Chu Yi's expression turned cold and somber.
"The struggle for the throne among imperial princes is a deadly gamble. Our Yun family never intended to participate, but now, we have no choice." Yun Ze shook his head. "The Eighth Prince will eventually go to his fiefdom, thus avoiding these troubles. But you, Your Highness—I fear the Emperor won't allow you to take a fief as distant as Luochuan before he closes his eyes forever."
Chu Yi's eyes darkened: "So the Yun family has decided?"
"For Yu Ge'er and Changsheng, what choice does our Yun family have?" Yun Ze smiled. "As long as Your Highness can guarantee Yu Ge'er's position as heir, our Yun family will naturally step forward."
The implicit meaning was already clear.
Chu Yi naturally understood.
He raised his teacup: "I'll use tea instead of wine. Bottoms up."
Yun Ze clinked cups with him and drained his tea in one go.
A matter of immense importance was thus settled over teacups.
That evening, Chu Yi was summoned to the palace by imperial decree and naturally received a thorough dressing-down from the Emperor.
For the sake of a woman, he had abandoned his princely title and fiefdom, even moving out of his princely residence—it was utterly ridiculous.
How the Emperor would punish him, Yun Chu couldn't guess.
After all, for someone who had given up everything, no punishment seemed to matter much.
Moreover, Chu Yi was an imperial son the Emperor valued highly. No matter the punishment, nothing truly severe would happen.
Yun Chu didn't dwell on this matter.
Yu Ge'er still needed to attend the Imperial College.
Due to health reasons, Changsheng hadn't been assigned formal studies. Apart from painting, she knew nothing.
Yun Chu took out a copy of the Three Character Classic, first reading it to the child herself. After Changsheng became familiar with it, she slowly taught the child to read along, character by character.
"Men at their birth are naturally good." She was extremely patient. "This means every person is born kind..."
The little girl had limited stamina. While reading, she tilted her head and fell asleep.Yun Chu smiled gently as she placed the child on the couch and softly covered them with a blanket.
"Miss, Prince Pingxi is here."
Ting Xue entered quietly to report.
Yun Chu stood up and walked out, seeing Chu Yi standing on the other side of the gateway.
As she approached, she noticed a faint red handprint on the man's face - likely from being slapped by the Emperor.
Chu Yi shifted uncomfortably.
Why did it feel like he was always getting beaten - either with boards or slapped in the face?
It was really quite embarrassing.
Yun Chu gestured to Ting Xue.
Ting Xue quickly brought over a jar of ointment.
"Your Highness can apply this ointment," Yun Chu offered it to him. "The mark should become unnoticeable in about two days."
Chu Yi had actually already received ointment from Yin Pin, but that didn't stop him from accepting another jar: "Thank you, Miss Yun."
He carefully put away the ointment, then lightly clapped his hands.
Cheng Xu appeared from behind, holding a puppy in his arms. He walked through the gateway toward Yun Chu.
Just as he passed through, he suddenly realized his mistake and immediately retreated back to stand behind Chu Yi, clearing his throat: "By the Prince's command, no one from the Prince's residence may cross this boundary without Miss Yun's permission."
Yun Chu: "..."
No wonder this man had been standing on the other side of the gateway to speak with her.
How peculiar.
She stepped aside: "Your Highness, please."
Only then did Chu Yi nod and step through the gateway.
Though the sky was the same, the ground was the same, and his distance from Yun Chu remained unchanged, crossing this threshold somehow made everything feel different.
Yun Chu's gaze fell upon the puppy in Cheng Xu's arms.
Looking at this dog, it seemed somewhat familiar.
"Doesn't it look quite similar to the dog you saved when you were young?" Chu Yi spoke up. "That dog has returned to your side in a different form."
It was a small puppy, just a tiny ball of fluff curled up in Cheng Xu's arms.
Yun Chu reached out her hand. The puppy sniffed her fingers - perhaps because she had just fed Changsheng some snacks and retained some fragrance - and licked her fingers.
She naturally took the puppy into her arms: "Thank you, Your Highness."
The dog she had saved in her childhood had ultimately died before her eyes, leaving a small regret.
Now, even such a small regret had been remedied by someone.
Chu Yi looked steadily at her: "Miss Yun, why not give the puppy a name?"
"What should we call it?" Yun Chu stroked the puppy's head. "What does Your Highness think?"
At that moment, Chu Yi had an illusion - as if they were naming their own child.
"It has a patch of white fur here on its head. How about calling it Snow Wolf?" Chu Yi thought for a moment. "May it grow into a dog that can rival wolves."
"Then Snow Wolf it shall be." Yun Chu smiled gently. "Changsheng will surely love Snow Wolf."
Mentioning Changsheng, Chu Yi said: "Changsheng now receives acupuncture every half month. This afternoon, we need to go to the hot spring manor for the treatment."
Yun Chu's heart suddenly tightened.
But she knew this was a necessary process for Changsheng.
She nodded: "I'll take Changsheng there."
"I'll go with you," Chu Yi paused before adding, "Bi Langzhong says the treatment should be completed after about three more months of acupuncture. There's no need to worry."
After lunch concluded, Yun Chu and Chu Yi took the two children together to the hot spring manor in the outskirts of the capital.The carriage passed through the busiest streets of the capital. Chu Hongyu couldn't resist lifting the curtain to look outside: "Wow, it's so lively! I really want to get down and play. Mother, after my sister's acupuncture session on our way back, can we stroll around the streets?"
Yun Chu gently agreed: "Alright."
Her gaze swept across the carriage window and she suddenly froze.
She had actually spotted Ting Yu.
Since leaving the Xie family, aside from occasionally hearing from Gan Lai about Xie Shi'an's movements, she hadn't concerned herself with how the other members of the Xie family were faring.
She saw Ting Yu dressed in new clothes, wearing what appeared to be the same peach-red outfit she had worn back when she became Concubine Yu - likely the most expensive garment Ting Yu owned.
With the Xie family fallen into such dire straits, why would Ting Yu dress like this? Where could she be going?
Yun Chu kept this matter in mind, deciding to have Gan Lai investigate later.
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