Chapter 27: Slapping Xie Jingyu
Xie Shi'an lowered his head and continued writing.
Xie Ping pursed her lips.
This younger brother was only one year her junior, yet he was much more mature than her, and much colder.
After all, He Shi was their biological mother. Now she had nearly lost half her life under the rod, yet this brother hadn't even furrowed his brow.
But she also understood clearly that if she defended a servant in front of their mother, their mother would surely become suspicious.
She said nothing more and turned back to her own courtyard.
Xie Shi'an gripped the brush, barely managing to finish writing a piece of calligraphy. His dark eyes grew profound, and he suddenly stood up and walked out.
"Prepare my horse!"
A servant boy led the horse to the estate entrance. He mounted it and rode straight toward the Yu residence.
Lord Yu was a third-rank official, perhaps hosting a banquet. Carriages and horses came and went at the estate entrance, creating a lively scene.
Xie Shi'an stopped under a large tree opposite the Yu residence, quietly waiting.
Not long after, the banquet finally ended.
He saw Xie Jingyu walking out looking somewhat dejected. He hurried forward to meet him: "Father."
Xie Jingyu collected his dispirited expression, slightly surprised: "Why have you come?"
"Something has happened at home." Xie Shi'an said quietly. "Mother is interrogating He Shi, asking about the whereabouts of the pair of children who died young four years ago."
Xie Jingyu's eyes changed.
He took a deep breath and said: "What's the current situation?"
"Old Madam went to persuade Mother. Mother said that if He Shi doesn't confess, she will make sure the Xie family never knows peace again." Xie Shi'an looked up. "Father, is it that those two children were never properly buried? Is He Shi afraid to confess because she's worried Mother will become even more furious?"
Xie Jingyu looked at his son with a complicated expression.
Even twelve-year-old An Ge'er could guess this much - Yun Chu had probably figured it out too.
If Yun Chu were to learn about those two children... she would likely divorce him without hesitation, and his official career would probably come to an end.
"While Mother is interrogating He Shi, she's also waiting for Father to return home." Xie Shi'an continued. "If Father appears before Mother in this state, even if you don't say a single word, Mother will be able to guess something. The Xie family will truly know no peace."
Xie Jingyu brought Xie Shi'an into the carriage.
Only the father and son were inside the carriage. Outside were the rumbling sounds of wheels and the continuous chatter of passersby.
"Those two children... I ordered He Shi to discard them..." Xie Jingyu closed his eyes. "They were never truly laid to rest."
Xie Shi'an's heart sank.
As he had guessed.
But he couldn't understand - although those two children had died young, they still carried their father's blood. Even if they couldn't be buried in the Xie family ancestral shrine, they shouldn't have been simply discarded like that...
But dwelling on the past was meaningless now. The key was how to handle the current situation.
"An Ge'er, I'll return home now to deal with your mother. You go as quickly as possible to visit villages near the capital. Children who die young in villages are usually buried together somewhere. Find a way to obtain two infant corpses..." Xie Jingyu's hand pressed on Xie Shi'an's shoulder. "I know this matter is difficult for you, but right now, you're the only one I can trust."
Xie Shi'an's expression was complicated: "Alright."
He lifted the carriage curtain and got off, then rode away swiftly on his horse.
Xie Jingyu ordered the coachman to return home.Upon arriving at the Xie residence entrance, the servant attending him hurried forward: "My lord, the matron from the madam's courtyard has come several times, saying you must go to Sheng Residence immediately upon your return."
Xie Jingyu nodded in acknowledgment.
Without even changing his clothes, he headed directly toward Sheng Residence.
Various thoughts swirled in his mind along the way.
He soon reached Yun Chu's quarters, where his eyes immediately fell upon He Shi tied to a long bench in the courtyard.
He Shi's back was a bloody mess, her clothes torn to shreds, presenting a pitiful sight.
Yet the two matrons guarding her showed no mercy, splashing a bucket of water on He Shi's face and resuming the beating with boards once she regained consciousness.
"Stop at once."
Xie Jingyu uttered three cold words.
The two matrons immediately bowed in greeting: "We pay our respects to the lord."
Xie Jingyu's expression grew exceedingly complex.
In his memory, Yun Chu had always been a gentle and magnanimous virtuous wife, capable of tolerating all people and matters like the vast sky.
Throughout their five years of marriage, he had never witnessed Yun Chu punish any servant.
This was the first time he had seen her rage.
This blazing fury stirred faint unease within his heart.
He ascended the steps and approached the door to Yun Chu's bedchamber, knocking gently as he spoke: "My lady?"
He heard footsteps, followed by the door swinging open.
Before he could say anything.
Suddenly.
A gust of wind swept past.
A sharp crack echoed.
A resounding slap struck his face.
Everyone in the courtyard stood stunned, the surroundings falling silent except for the whistling wind.
Xie Jingyu's face was filled with utter disbelief.
He had actually been slapped by a woman.
He was likely the first husband in the entire dynasty to be struck by his wife.
This was truly a profound humiliation!
Yun Chu's palm tingled with numbness, her eyes blazing crimson as she fixed a fiery gaze upon Xie Jingyu.
She enunciated each word deliberately: "I'll ask you only once—where is our child buried?"
Xie Jingyu's face burned with stinging pain.
He clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the humiliated emotions.
Taking a deep breath, he said: "My lady, you're too agitated. Let's discuss this after you've calmed down."
Yun Chu replied coldly: "You are my husband, so naturally I cannot interrogate you as I did He Shi. But I can request my grandfather's intervention."
Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together.
His grandmother had once warned him that marrying a high-born daughter would mean being constantly overshadowed as a husband.
Yet throughout their five years of marriage, Yun Chu had never used the Yun family's influence to force his compliance, and he had always appreciated her respect for him as her husband.
But now, Yun Chu had invoked Old General Yun.
She clearly had no intention of continuing this marriage.
But he...
With Lord Yu no longer favoring him, the Yun family was now his sole remaining support.
Summoning all his strength, he suppressed every turbulent emotion.
Raising his head again, he adopted a humble and gentle demeanor: "Regarding our child's burial, I did conceal the truth from you—this is something I cannot forgive myself for. The slap you gave me was deserved. I originally intended to bury our child near the ancestral hall of the Xie family estate, but later heard that burying a prematurely deceased child near the ancestral graves would affect the entire family's luck. I had just established my footing at court then, and I was genuinely concerned..."
Yun Chu's patience reached its limit as she coldly interrupted him: "Just tell me—where is our child actually buried?""Four years ago, I had someone find a place in a village on the outskirts of the capital to bury the child," Xie Jingyu lowered his gaze, concealing the emotions in his eyes. "It's late now, and it's inconvenient to rush over. I'll take you to see the child first thing tomorrow morning."
Yun Chu's lips were as pale as clay.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she uttered a single word: "Get out."
Then, with a loud bang, she slammed the door shut.
Leaning against the door, she slowly slid down and sat on the floor.
Shouldn't she be grateful? Grateful that Xie Jingyu hadn't abandoned the child's body, grateful that the children had a place to rest...
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