Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 26: Early Death Brings Ill Omen

Yun Chu sat on the rattan chair in the courtyard.

She had already drunk four or five cups of cold tea in succession, yet still couldn't calm her emotions.

Whenever she thought about not knowing where her child was buried, her heart felt as if being sliced apart by knives.

In her previous life, she had never inquired about the child's matter. Until her death, the child had never truly rested in peace. She hated her past self to the core.

He Shi was dragged in through the gate.

The pain in Yun Chu's heart turned into hatred. Her eyes sharp as blades, she directed her gaze mercilessly toward He Shi.

He Shi couldn't help trembling all over.

The Yun Chu she had known had always been gentle and dignified. Even toward the lowest-ranking servants in the mansion, she had always been kind-faced.

Even when He Shi had framed her last time, the mistress had never shown such an expression.

Someone from behind—she didn't know which of the two matrons—kicked her, causing her knees to buckle and she knelt on the ground.

Yun Chu looked at her coldly: "Four years ago, the child in my womb died young. It was you, Mother He, who took the child back to our hometown for burial. I ask you, where was the child buried?"

He Shi's heart tightened. Why would the mistress suddenly ask about something from four years ago?

She lowered her eyes: "The master was busy with official matters and ordered this servant to make the trip in his stead. I brought the young master and young lady back to our ancestral home in Jizhou for burial. They were buried on the mountain behind the Xie family ancestral temple. Because no tombstones were erected, I can't specify the exact location."

"Bang!"

Yun Chu slammed her teacup heavily on the table.

Her expression icy: "It seems Mother He has no intention of telling me the truth. Guards."

At her command, two sturdy matrons from the courtyard brought forward a long bench, pressed He Shi onto it, and picked up two long wooden boards.

He Shi was terrified: "Mistress, this servant speaks only the truth..."

Yun Chu made a gesture.

The two matrons, receiving the order, began beating with the boards from left and right.

Being accustomed to heavy labor, these matrons possessed astonishing strength. After three or four strikes, He Shi's breath was already weakening.

"Mother He, I'll give you one more chance." Yun Chu spoke word by word, "As long as you tell me where the children are buried, I'll let you go."

The pain nearly made He Shi faint.

She knew very well that the mistress must have confirmed the children weren't buried in Jizhou, hence daring to interrogate her so openly.

Sticking to her original story was meaningless.

"Mistress, I... I truly don't know..." He Shi spoke with difficulty, "The master ordered me to bury the young master and young lady, but before I could depart for Jizhou, the master took the children's bodies away. I really know nothing..."

Yun Chu shook her head: "Continue."

The two matrons put all their strength into the beating. He Shi screamed incessantly from the pain.

Soon, she fainted dead away.

Yun Chu's face showed no emotion as she coldly ordered: "Splash her awake. Continue beating."

A basin of ice-cold water was splashed on He Shi's face. Before she could regain her senses, the boards fell upon her body again. The intense pain overwhelmed her.

Yun Chu dug her nails deeply into her palm.

She only wanted to know where her child was buried. Why had such a simple wish become an impossible luxury?

What exactly made He Shi afraid to reveal the children's whereabouts? What other hidden matters remained unknown to her...

Never before had Yun Chu hated herself so much.

Hated her own weakness, hated her foolishness in being deceived, hated her unworthiness as a mother...

Outside the courtyard, Xie Ping was burning with anxiety.

If this continued, He Shi would either die or be left half-dead.She didn't understand either—why was He Shi so secretive about the burial sites of two children who had died young?

She stamped her foot and turned to go to Anshou Hall.

Upon hearing that Yun Chu had caned He Shi, Old Madam showed no concern. But when she learned Yun Chu had acted out of anger over the children who died young, her expression turned somewhat uncomfortable.

Those two children were already dead—did it really matter where they were buried?

Old Madam leaned on her cane and headed toward Yusheng Residence. When she reached the entrance, she noticed that Yusheng Residence had somehow become Sheng Residence.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on such trivial matters.

"Chu'er!"

Old Madam quickly stepped inside.

"What wrong has He Shi committed to warrant such severe punishment?"

Yun Chu looked calmly at Old Madam: "If you know where the children are buried, I might consider letting her go."

"Children who stop breathing right after birth are considered ill omens. No matter which family it is, they're buried hastily somewhere to avoid affecting the family's luck," Old Madam said. "Even in the imperial family, if a prince or princess dies young, they're buried in some random place outside the city, let alone children from our humble fifth-rank official family?"

"You have many grandchildren and granddaughters, so naturally you wouldn't care about children who died young," Yun Chu's voice was icy cold. "But I only have these two children. For as long as I don't know where they're buried, I will not rest. If my children cannot rest in peace, then the Xie family will never know peace in this household!"

She stood up and walked into the inner chamber.

Old Madam Xie was so furious she nearly staggered backward: "She—what does she mean by this? How dare she be so disrespectful to me, her elder?"

"Old Madam, our mistress has always been filial and respectful to you since marrying into the Xie family. This offense is due to overwhelming grief," Ting Shuang said with her head lowered. "The fact that the young master and young lady's bodies weren't in Jizhou was personally verified by the mistress's brother who went to investigate there. If the Xie family cannot provide an explanation, the Yun family will come personally to demand answers."

Old Madam felt a tightness in her chest.

This was an outright threat.

She looked at He Shi, who was slumped on the long chair, and said coldly: "Quickly speak everything you know. Don't let this affect the marital alliance between our Xie and Yun families."

He Shi bit her parched lips hard.

If she told the truth, the relationship between the Yun and Xie families would truly be finished.

Her son An Ge'er still needed to rely on the Yun family connection to advance in court officialdom. No matter how much she loathed Yun Chu, she knew she couldn't let Yun Chu abandon the Xie family...

"Old Madam, Nurse He is almost at her limit," Xie Ping couldn't help speaking up. "Let's call a physician first."

"Miss, please don't let good intentions lead to trouble," Ting Shuang said coldly. "Without the mistress's permission, no one may take He Shi away."

Old Madam's face was dark.

Although she was the elder, if this granddaughter-in-law was determined to handle matters this way, there was truly little she could do about it.

The Yun family was like a great mountain standing behind the granddaughter-in-law.

Thinking of this, Old Madam turned around and walked straight out, leaning on her cane.

Xie Ping was extremely anxious inside, but didn't dare show it too obviously.

She simply couldn't understand why He Shi had to cause so much trouble. If she weren't born from He Shi's womb, she wouldn't bother with this matter at all.

But if even Old Madam couldn't control her mother, she as a junior had even less ability to intervene.

She could only ask Father to come.

Xie Ping hurried to Qingsong Pavilion to find Xie Shi'an.

Xie Shi'an was practicing calligraphy—he had already heard about what happened at Sheng Residence from the servant attending him.He said with a calm expression, "Do you know why Mother suddenly started caring about the child who died four years ago?"

Xie Ping shook her head.

"In the previous incident, we chose to believe a servant rather than her." Xie Shi'an looked at Xie Ping. "Perhaps Mother thinks that we, the non-biological children, are all ungrateful wolves that can't be tamed, which made her remember her own children who died young. At a time like this, if you still speak up for He Shi, Mother will likely be completely disappointed in you. In the future, she probably won't take you along when attending major family banquets anymore."