Chapter 244: Xie Shiyun Seeks His Mother
Yun Ze's expression was grim.
He would not give a second chance to anyone who dared harm a clan member.
Because where there's a first time, there will inevitably be a second. If evil goes unpunished the first time, it will certainly be repeated.
This time Yun Chu happened to foresee it, but what about next time?
"Fourth Uncle, this matter cannot be resolved with money," Yun Ze said slowly, his voice carrying undeniable resolve. "The Yun family is currently navigating troubled times and cannot afford any missteps."
Lin Shi stepped forward: "Our Yun family has always stood united, which is how we've weathered so many storms and remained standing in the capital for a hundred years. Tian Shi, for the sake of petty gains, you dared harm a clan member. If greater interests were placed before you in the future, I'm uncertain whether you would choose those benefits or betray the Yun family. I don't believe the Yun family can continue to tolerate you."
Fourth Aunt Yun, Tian Shi, widened her eyes in disbelief: "What does Sister-in-law mean by this? Are you trying to drive me out of the Yun family?"
Yun Siyuan spoke up: "Isn't this too extreme?"
"Too extreme?!" Third Aunt Yun sneered. "If she dares attack Aunt Guilan today, she'll dare attack you, her husband, tomorrow! Today she somehow obtained Lianqianyuan Grass, soon she might secretly acquire arsenic. By the time someone dies, it'll be too late for regrets!"
The Yun family members in the hall nodded in agreement.
They weren't concerned about Tian Shi harming Yun Siyuan, but worried they might inadvertently offend Tian Shi someday and suffer her covert attacks.
Tian Shi immediately denied: "Impossible! I would never do such things!"
Yun Ze looked at Yun Siyuan and said: "Fourth Uncle, you now have two choices. First, divorce your wife and remove Fourth Aunt from the Yun family registry."
"Forcing someone to divorce their wife deserves divine punishment!" Fourth Aunt Yun, Tian Shi, angrily exclaimed. "Fine, Yun Ze! How have I offended you that you'd force your Fourth Uncle to do such a thing!"
"The second choice," Yun Ze continued methodically, "is to report Tian Shi's attempted murder to the authorities. Let the government investigate this case and impose whatever punishment the law dictates."
Tian Shi was stunned.
Being divorced was unacceptable, but being handed over to the authorities was clearly more terrifying.
Yun Siyuan said gravely: "Is there really no third option? Yun Ze, must you be so absolute?"
"My elder brother is now the helm of the Yun family. Every decision he makes considers all Yun family members and the entire clan's welfare," Yun Chu spoke calmly. "It's not that my brother is being absolute, but that the wall of unity the Yun family has built cannot be destroyed by any single individual. Fourth Uncle, I hope you can understand this."
Yun Siyuan clenched his fists.
The Yun family had always been united. No matter what happened, they stood firmly together on the same front - this was the primary reason the Yun family had endured for a century.
Throughout all these years, only Tian Shi had emerged, actually poisoning a fellow clansmember.
Not only could the main lineage not tolerate this, but among the numerous branch families, no one pleaded for Tian Shi either.
Yun Siyuan looked at his wife: "Two paths. The choice is in your hands."
Tian Shi immediately became hysterical: "I've borne children for the Yun family, worked tirelessly with all my heart! Is this how the Yun family treats me? I won't choose! I refuse both options!""You're the one who did wrong, yet you still dare to argue?" Third Aunt Yun said with a face full of contempt. "Yun Ze, no need to waste words with her. From the moment she harbored malicious intentions, she ceased to be one of our Yun family. If she refuses to choose, so be it. Tomorrow morning, we'll have the authorities come to arrest her!"
Yun Ze spoke up: "As Third Aunt says."
Yun Chu said gently: "Aunt Guilan needs rest, everyone should disperse now."
She turned to Bi Langzhong: "Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Bi."
If not for her connection with Prince Pingxi, she wouldn't have been able to summon him so easily.
Bi Langzhong chuckled: "It was nothing, not worth mentioning."
This was the future Princess Consort of the Pacifying West, the person Chu Yi held dear in his heart. Naturally, he had to show respect by coming.
The next morning, when Yun Chu returned to the Yun residence for a meal, she heard from her elder brother that Yun Siyuan and Tian Shi had written a mutual separation agreement. Rather than divorcing her, he had chosen mutual separation.
Though the Yun family came from military backgrounds, most of them were broad-minded and tolerant. Even though his wife had committed such acts, Yun Siyuan hadn't been completely ruthless, giving Tian Shi due respect.
"I hope she reflects properly and doesn't cause any more trouble." Lin Shi shook her head and moved on from the matter.
She smiled and pinched the cheek of Chu Changsheng, who was nestled in Yun Chu's arms. "Sheng Jie'er, shall grandmother take you out for a stroll?"
The little girl blinked her big eyes, glanced at Yun Chu, and seeing Yun Chu nod with a smile, she tilted her head and slowly said: "Okay."
Naturally, Yun Chu accompanied them.
The three of them took a carriage and stopped in front of the largest jewelry shop on the street.
Lin Shi immediately had the latest hair ornaments brought out, purchasing three sets of gold and jade hair ornaments for Changsheng in one go: "Sheng Jie'er, these aren't suitable for you to wear yet. When you grow up, these will all be part of your dowry."
"Th-thank you, grandmother..." Chu Changsheng said obediently. "I like them very much."
Lin Shi exclaimed with admiration: "Sheng Jie'er's speech keeps improving. Think back three months ago, she couldn't even say 'mother.' Having a mother truly makes a difference."
Yun Chu proudly boasted: "Changsheng can even recite the Three Character Classic now. Come, recite one for grandmother."At the beginning of a person, their nature is inherently good.".."
Though her voice was soft, sometimes stumbling and pausing for long periods, she indeed managed to recite most of it.
Lin Shi was overjoyed: "Sheng Jie'er is truly amazing. Come, grandmother will buy you a few more outfits. Our Sheng Jie'er deserves to wear the most beautiful clothes in the world."
Yun Chu also thought she should go to the cloth shop to pick out some fabrics and embroidery threads. Last time, she had promised to embroider a sachet for Prince Pingxi—it was time to prepare for it.
The three of them walked along the bustling street toward the Yun family's own cloth shop.
Before they reached their destination, Lin Shi suddenly spoke: "Chu'er, look ahead. That child—isn't that Yun Ge'er?"
Yun Chu followed Lin Shi's pointing finger and saw a child walking down the street crying, with no adults around.
Though she had only been away from the Xie family for a short time and had just parted from the Xie family members, how could she not recognize that this child was Xie Shiyun?
"What's going on here?" Lin Shi said with some surprise. "How could the Xie family let such a young child out alone? Why is he crying like this? Where have the adults gone? What if the child gets lost?"As they were speaking, Xie Shiyun suddenly looked up in their direction and came running over.
Just then, a carriage happened to pass by on the road, nearly hitting him. Xie Shiyun quickly dodged, stumbled and fell, but immediately scrambled up from the ground and ran straight toward Yun Chu.
Lin Shi instinctively stepped in front of Yun Chu.
She truly feared that the Xie family might do something harmful to her daughter again.
"Mother!" Xie Shiyun stopped before them, wailing loudly, "Please help me find my Concubine! My Concubine is gone... Grandmother and eldest brother refuse to look for her. They say I'll never have a Concubine again... Wuwuwu, Mother, I beg you..."
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