Chapter 24: Rising at Rooster's Crow
Yun Chu was reviewing her dowry list, planning to sell unnecessary items for silver.
While busy with this, Ting Feng entered and reported: "Madam, Concubine Tao discovered seven hundred eighty taels of silver at He Shi's place and asks how to handle it?"
Yun Chu replied casually: "Let Concubine Tao keep it herself."
To make Concubine Tao willingly serve as this blade, she naturally needed to offer some benefits - this would make the blade increasingly sharper.
Ting Feng continued: "Concubine Tao had He Shi beaten until she vomited blood. Should we summon a physician?"
"Just vomiting some blood won't kill her," Yun Chu's expression remained quite indifferent.
He Shi had three biological children - she wanted to see who would be the first to lose composure and send medicine to He Shi.
After pausing briefly, she added: "Concubine Tao suffered a fright at He Shi's place. Take some cordyceps from the storeroom and deliver them to Concubine Tao to nourish her health."
Receiving the tonics sent by Yun Chu, Concubine Tao's anxious heart finally settled.
She understood that the Madam also detested this He Shi, but the Madam was like the bright moon in the sky - such lowly filth as He Shi wasn't worthy of the Madam's personal intervention.
With the Madam's approval, what reservations need she have anymore?
Concubine Tao beckoned and whispered instructions to her maid.
That evening, the meal-delivering matron tossed a bowl of moldy rice before the entrance to He Shi's chamber.
"Stop!" He Shi called out to the matron. "Is this fit for human consumption? How dare you treat me this way?"
The matron spat contemptuously: "Well, still acting like the Steward by the master's side? Reduced to confinement in this broken temple, you're lower than the lowest scullery maid. Be grateful you're getting any food at all - what more do you want?"
He Shi could scarcely believe it - that vile woman Tao had taken all her savings, beaten her until she vomited blood, and now was withholding proper food.
Truly, a tiger fallen to the plains becomes prey for dogs!
"What's that look supposed to mean?" The matron kicked over the bowl of moldy rice. "Given face but refusing it! Since you disdain it, don't eat then. Nearly caused our young master's death, yet still expect full meals? More suffering awaits you!"
The matron departed cursing and grumbling.
He Shi felt her blood churning so violently she nearly fainted.
The next day at Chen hour, Old General Yun sent over a woman of agile build.
This woman named Qiutong appeared around twenty years old, dressed in black short jacket with a sword hanging at her waist.
"Greetings, Madam!"
Qiutong saluted with clasped fists, her demeanor crisp and capable.
As the daughter of a military family herself, Yun Chu recognized at first sight that this woman possessed considerable martial skill.
She declared: "Henceforth you shall be my martial arts instructor. Position yourself as teacher - we shall train exactly as required."
Qiutong acknowledged and approached to check Yun Chu's pulse, carefully examining her bones and muscles while shaking her head repeatedly: "The Madam actually has some foundation, but having remained inactive too long, your meridians have stiffened. The priority now is restoring your body's former flexibility..."
Yun Chu was immediately led into the courtyard.
Despite being a woman, Qiutong's hand strength matched her grandfather's - when clearing her acupoints and meridians, the pain nearly killed her.
After one shichen, Yun Chu lacked even the strength to stand.
Qiutong expressionlessly stated: "At rooster's crow tomorrow morning, I shall await the Madam in the courtyard."
Yun Chu's vision darkened.
Rooster's crow corresponds roughly to the Chou hour - meaning just past midnight.She felt as if she had just fallen asleep when Ting Shuang woke her: "Madam, it's time to get up. Qiutong is already waiting outside."
Yun Chu quickly climbed out of bed.
This path was one she had chosen herself, so she must forge ahead without hesitation.
Her grandfather had once said that skills truly mastered become one's own possessions.
The courtyard was lit with lanterns as Qiutong stood solemnly. She demonstrated a proper horse stance and instructed Yun Chu to hold it for fifteen minutes first, gradually increasing the duration over time.
Yun Chu had practiced horse stances as a child too, but she would slack off whenever her grandfather wasn't watching.
The laziness one indulges in during childhood becomes the hardship one must endure in adulthood.
"You all come join Madam in practice," Qiutong said to the maids standing nearby. "If real danger ever arises, you'll be able to assist Madam."
At this, Ting Shuang, Ting Xue, and Ting Feng immediately stepped forward, lining up to practice the horse stance.
When the fifteen minutes ended, the three maids—who had never practiced martial arts before—were drenched in sweat. Qiutong allowed them to rest temporarily.
Having some foundation, Yun Chu managed to hold the horse stance for over half an hour before her legs began to waver.
After nearly two hours of practice, she returned to bed and fell asleep immediately, waking only when dawn broke about two hours later.
Those coming to pay their respects arrived one by one.
"Mother, Old Madam's birthday is approaching," Xie Ping said, holding several lists. "I was thinking of making the celebration grand, inviting all the noble ladies of the capital to join the festivities. What do you think?"
Yun Chu looked over the lists she handed over: "Proposed guests include the Minister of Revenue's wife, the Grand Preceptor's wife... These are all first-rank noble ladies. Given the Xie family's status, we cannot extend such invitations."
Xie Ping replied, "Grandmother is on good terms with these ladies and watched you grow up. If you were to invite them, I believe they would surely grant you the favor..."
Concubine Tao chuckled: "The young miss is still too young to understand these social nuances."
Being laughed at by a concubine left Xie Ping deeply embarrassed.
Ting Yu spoke up: "If it were for Madam's birthday, we might attempt to invite these ladies. But for Old Madam, it would be somewhat inappropriate."
"Ping Jie'er, draft a new guest list," Yun Chu said, looking at her. "Also, the banquet menu you've proposed is identical to last year's. It should be revised—we ought to have some fresh elements, don't you think?"
Xie Ping felt somewhat discouraged.
Previously, no matter what she did, her mother would praise her efforts.
But ever since she secretly sent supplies to He Shi, her mother's attitude toward her seemed to have changed.
She lowered her head: "Yes, Mother. I will reconsider."
Yun Chu left the birthday preparations entirely to Xie Ping, offering only minor suggestions during daily greetings.
She devoted herself wholeheartedly to learning martial arts from Qiutong.
To her surprise, for three or four consecutive days, He Shi's three children—Xie Ping, Xie Shi'an, and Xie Shiwei—had not delivered medicine to the small temple.
Yun Chu smiled faintly.
These three ungrateful children were not only heartless toward her, their adoptive mother, but clearly lacked deep affection for He Shi, their birth mother as well.
He Shi was having a difficult time.
She had coughed up blood several times, her body growing more uncomfortable each day. With no proper meals to sustain her, she was rapidly wasting away.
She knew this couldn't continue—she had to find a way to save herself, or she might starve to death in the small temple without anyone knowing.After the temple's only young nun had fallen asleep, she slipped out under the cover of night, avoiding maids and servants along the way until she reached the outside of Xie Jingyu's study.
Xie Jingyu returned very late every day.
Just as she arrived at the study's entrance, she saw a tall figure approaching from the distance.
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