Chapter 230: The Yun Family's Account Book
Two guards escorted the Xie family's bookboy into the courtyard.
Though the bookboy was the same age as Xie Jingyu, his weathered face appeared much older, as if he were in his thirties or forties.
Yun Chu sat in her chair, gazing coldly at him. "Look up."
The bookboy trembled all over. When he raised his head and saw Yun Chu's face, he immediately collapsed to the ground in terror. "Madam, it has nothing to do with me... The master forced me to do those things. I had no choice but to obey... I beg you to spare me!"
Yun Chu watched him indifferently. "Why did you leave the Xie family?"
The bookboy stammered, "The... the master wanted to silence me. To save my life, I... I had no choice but to flee!"
"So you're claiming innocence too." Yun Chu smiled sarcastically. "Tell me in detail what happened that night."
She could already guess why the bookboy had fled. He must have threatened Xie Jingyu with what happened that night, prompting Xie Jingyu to attempt to kill him, forcing the bookboy to escape.
Neither master nor servant was any good.
The bookboy prostrated on the ground and said, "The master ordered me to buy drugs and put them in the wine, knocking out all the maids and elderly servants in the courtyard. I also drugged the nuptial wine. After you fell unconscious, the master and I carried you into Marquis Xuanwu's sedan chair..."
Chu Yi, lying on the couch, narrowed his eyes coldly.
His sharp gaze fell on the bookboy's hands. If looks could materialize, the bookboy's hands would have been severed already.
The bookboy shuddered and continued, "Marquis Xuanwu and a maid were responsible for receiving us at the Marquis's residence. There was no one else."
As he spoke, a gagged woman was thrown down beside the bookboy.
Yun Chu took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Do you two know each other?"
The two exchanged glances, studying each other for a long moment before nodding.
Since their stories matched, it meant they had found the right people.
Yun Chu turned to Chu Yi. "What does Your Highness think should be done?"
Chu Yi spoke in the coldest tone, uttering the cruelest words: "There's no need to keep this bookboy alive."
Yun Chu nodded. She had the same thought.
"Spare me, Madam! Spare me, Your Highness!" The bookboy was utterly terrified. "I'll keep this matter to myself and never tell anyone. I beg you to spare my life..."
The two guards gagged him and dragged him away.
The maid beside him witnessed everything, her face pale with fear as she curled into a trembling ball.
Though the maid looked disheveled, Yun Chu could still see some beauty in her.
This was the woman Marquis Xuanwu had prepared for Prince Pingxi.
An attempt to make this woman the mother of the two children.
For this purpose, the woman had hidden in a village over thirty li outside the capital's suburbs for five years.
"Keep her for now," Chu Yi's low, cold voice rang out. "Letting her die like this would be too easy on her."
Cheng Zongguan waved his hand, and two guards pulled the woman away. Her muffled pleas for mercy faded into the distance.
Yun Chu did not stay long. She rose and returned to her own courtyard.
No sooner had she left than Cheng Zongguan came to report that Yin Pin had arrived. He immediately ordered several pots of broad-leafed plants to be placed above the gate opening. The long, drooping leaves spread out, and a few pots of chrysanthemums were placed on the ground, completely blocking the gate.
Yin Pin walked into the courtyard with a worried expression and sat by Chu Yi's bedside.She forced herself to take a look at Chu Yi's wound, and tears immediately fell: "How dare you go bandit-suppressing alone with just Cheng Xu? If you had died in the bandits' den, how would your mother live... You're the only one I can rely on. Before making any decisions in the future, could you please think of your mother..."
Yin Pin cried as if her heart would break.
Chu Yi only felt a headache.
After crying her fill, Yin Pin finally stopped and rambled: "Fortunately, your injury wasn't in vain. This time you captured the bandit king alive, almost at the cost of your life. Your father now realizes how wrong he was to withdraw your elite bandit-suppression troops back then. See, he asked me to bring your treasured sword back to you."
This was the precious sword the Emperor had bestowed upon Chu Yi when he was fifteen. He had always cherished it, and now it had returned to his hands.
Yin Pin sighed: "Although you've been reckless, giving up your princely title and fief for a woman, your father still cares for you and couldn't bear to truly disown you as his son. I've discussed with your father, and we've agreed to let your beloved become a Side Princess Consort. For a peasant girl of unknown origins to be recorded in the imperial registry is already breaking our ancestors' rules. Yi'er, don't be willful anymore."
Chu Yi closed his eyes: "Please return, Mother."
"You... you're utterly unreasonable!" Yin Pin exploded again. "Since you refuse the olive branch offered, then forget it! Stay in this shabby courtyard for the rest of your life!"
She threw out a basket of angry words and stormed off in a huff.
As she left, she deliberately had her people barge into several courtyards, but failed to catch even a glimpse of the so-called beloved.
She couldn't help but feel exasperated. Her son was protecting that peasant girl far too well.
Yun Chu returned to her courtyard and was reviewing the Yun family's account books.
The Yun family's accumulated wealth over the years could truly be described as substantial. Although their income was considerable, the combined main and branch families had a large population. Just maintaining daily expenses wasn't a small amount, so the savings in the public accounts weren't particularly abundant.
For instance, the Yun family school taught children reading and writing, while the martial arts academy and the specialized Needlework Academy for women required funds for hiring teachers, along with expenses for writing materials, needlework supplies, and weapons - nearly ten thousand taels per year.
Another major expenditure was the maintenance of the ancestral temple, with continuous offerings and incense throughout the year, monthly clan gatherings... all such activities required money.
The widowed, orphaned, and solitary members of the clan were also supported by these funds.
The source of silver came from the businesses the Yun family had accumulated over the years. Previously managed by her mother, then passed to her elder sister-in-law, and now in her hands.
Yun Chu skimmed through the account books. The businesses weren't particularly thriving, but neither were they doing poorly. Continuing like this would fully sustain the daily expenses of their prominent family.
"Miss, Fourth Madame is here," Ting Xue entered and reported softly.
Yun Chu set down the account books: "Please invite Fourth Aunt in."
The Yun family's fourth aunt entered the flower hall with a beaming smile, her eyes scanning the account books: "Oh, Chu'er is reviewing accounts? With so many ledgers, you must be exhausted."
Yun Chu had tea served for her and smiled: "Not tired at all.""You must be exhausted." Fourth Aunt Yun's face was full of concern. "The Xie family comes from humble origins. All their affairs combined don't amount to even one-tenth of the Yun family's. Having grown accustomed to handling the Xie family's simple domestic matters, you must find it difficult to manage the Yun family's affairs. Your mother is busy, and your sister-in-law is pregnant, so you probably feel too embarrassed to ask them for help. That's why I specifically came to see if there's anything I can assist with."
Yun Chu replied, "But Fourth Aunt has her own matters to attend to. Wouldn't this be too much trouble?"
"No trouble at all, how could it be troublesome?" Fourth Aunt Yun sighed. "Now that the Yun family has encountered difficulties, many people are deliberately stepping on us. The Yun family's business will surely be affected. A young lady like you is too modest to handle certain matters properly, but as an older woman like me, those people wouldn't dare to cause trouble."
"What Fourth Aunt says makes sense." Yun Chu turned to Ting Xue. "Go inform the clan that any women around Fourth Aunt's age who have free time may come to me for work assignments."
Ting Xue accepted the order and left.
Fourth Aunt Yun's face turned ashen.
She had specifically come before everyone else could react precisely to gain the advantage.
If all those people were summoned, what benefits could she possibly reap?
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