Chapter 295: Retrieving the Red Jade Pendant
Yun Chu lowered her gaze to Changsheng's waist.
She had crafted three pendants from the red jade Chu Yi first gifted her—one for herself and one for each of her two children, all worn at the waist.
Now, the red jade pendant belonging to Changsheng was missing.
She looked toward the Crown Prince's second daughter, who was hiding behind the Crown Princess, too afraid to show her face.
Extending her hand, Yun Chu suppressed her anger and said, "Return it."
"I didn't take it," the Crown Prince's second daughter peeked out halfway. "She can't even speak clearly and is already learning to falsely accuse others!"
The Crown Princess said indifferently, "The Eastern Palace has everything. Lan'er is not a child with shallow desires. The item must have been dropped somewhere. Have someone search carefully for it."
Yun Chu raised her head and called out toward the distance, "Yu Ge'er, come help Changsheng look for her red jade pendant."
Chu Hongyu had just finished his meal and was looking for Yun Chu when he heard her call. He rushed over, only to realize the atmosphere was tense and his sister's eyes were red, clearly from recent tears. He quickly asked, "Changsheng, what happened?"
Chu Changsheng sobbed, "Brother, my red jade... pendant was... snatched by her..."
"I did not!" the Crown Prince's second daughter shrieked. "Since I was little, I've had everything I wanted. I wouldn't even glance at your thing!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Hongyu darted over like a rabbit.
Though younger, he was a boy and moved unexpectedly, directly pouncing on the Crown Prince's second daughter, pinning her down and straddling her.
The Crown Princess was startled. By the time she reacted, Chu Hongyu had already pulled a red jade pendant from the girl's palm. In the twilight, the pendant caught the candlelight, shimmering brilliantly and looking exceptionally beautiful.
Chu Hongyu declared loudly, "You took it and still deny it? Thief! Liar!"
The Crown Princess was stunned.
Her daughter had been pinned beneath a bratty boy—if this got out, it would be a scandal!
Was a mere pendant worth all this?
She reached out to push Chu Hongyu away.
But a hand swiftly scooped the little one up first.
Yun Chu stepped back. "It's just children squabbling. Fortunately, the pendant has been found. Let's all retire early."
She returned the Crown Princess's earlier words to her, unchanged.
The Crown Princess's face darkened.
"Waaah..." the Crown Prince's second daughter wailed. "Mother, my head hit the ground! It hurts, it really hurts!"
The Crown Princess glared coldly at Yun Chu.
But Yun Chu met her gaze with equally cool eyes.
She knew that if she pursued Chu Hongyu's breach of etiquette in bullying Lan'er, Yun Chu would undoubtedly press the matter of Lan'er stealing the pendant.
A breach of etiquette would, at most, earn a scolding from the Emperor.
But stealing a valuable item—a thieving act—would severely damage Lan'er's reputation if it escalated.
The Crown Princess took a deep breath. "Lan'er, this is ultimately your fault. Apologize to Changsheng."
"No, I won't..." the Crown Prince's second daughter cried. "Chu Hongyu dared to hit me! I'll tell Grandfather and have him punish him severely!"
The Crown Princess pressed down coldly on her daughter's shoulder. "I said, apologize."
The girl's cries were stifled by fear, and she stammered, "S-sorry..."
Only then did Yun Chu speak. "Yu Ge'er, you should apologize too."Chu Hongyu said cheerfully, "Sister Lan'er, I was wrong earlier. I'll treat you to candy another day."
The Crown Princess pursed her lips and looked at her eldest daughter: "You're already ten years old, yet you let your younger sister do such things right under your nose. You should apologize too."
The Crown Prince's eldest daughter lowered her head and said, "Changsheng, I'm sorry..."
"Third sister-in-law, I failed to teach my daughter properly," the Crown Princess said to Yun Chu. "Another day, I'll host and invite you for tea."
Yun Chu smiled lightly and said, "Children being mischievous is common. Please don't take it to heart, Crown Princess."
After exchanging some pleasantries, they parted ways.
Yun Chu took her two children to find Yin Fei.
On the way, she learned what had happened: Changsheng had picked up some pretty stones and tried to give them to her older sisters, but the Crown Prince's second daughter, Chu Lan, looked down on them. Instead, she took a liking to the red jade pendant hanging from Changsheng's waist. When Changsheng refused to give it to her, Chu Lan snatched it away, and the situation quickly escalated.
"Oh, my dear, what happened? Why are you crying like this?"
Yin Fei looked up and saw Chu Changsheng with eyes as red as a rabbit's. She immediately took the child into her arms.
Chu Hongyu climbed onto Yin Fei's lap and recounted the entire incident in detail.
Yin Fei's heart sank.
For some reason, she glanced guiltily at Yun Chu.
She had promised to stay with Changsheng so Yun Chu could go eat, but as soon as Yun Chu left, she was called away by another consort and ended up chatting here. In the midst of conversation, she completely forgot about Changsheng. Who would have thought such a thing would happen?
"Mother Consort," Yun Chu said calmly. "Changsheng is different from other children. She needs someone with her. If you don't have time next time, please remember to send someone to let me know."
Yin Fei replied awkwardly, "I'm Yu Ge'er and Changsheng's own grandmother. Do you think I don't know what's important? Today was just an accident."
Yun Chu nodded. "I know."
She didn't blame Yin Fei. Changsheng's upbringing had been filled with Yin Fei's affection, and she knew Yin Fei genuinely adored her granddaughter.
Today was truly just an accident.
"It's getting late. I'll take the children back to rest now."
Yun Chu picked up her daughter, took her son's hand, and turned to leave.
Yin Fei watched Yun Chu's retreating figure, wondering why she, the biological grandmother, felt somewhat inadequate in front of Yun Chu, the stepmother.
It was almost as if Yun Chu were the children's birth mother.
The imperial mausoleum was vast, and members of the royal family were each assigned a small courtyard. As Yun Chu led the children back to rest, she faintly overheard some discussions.
"I heard the Princess Consort of the Pacifying West confronted the Crown Princess over those two children."She hasn't been married into the royal family for long." How could she have developed such deep affection for the children? She's probably just putting on a show for outsiders."
"Does she think acting like this will make her a good mother? Children who aren't her own will never truly bond with her."
"She was previously the matriarch of the Xie family and raised so many children for them, yet in the end, she was still cast out by the Xies. Hasn't she learned her lesson?"
"But does she have a choice? I heard she can't bear children. Besides this, she has no other path."She'll surely be driven out of the royal palace someday too..."
Yun Chu stopped in her tracks.
She lifted her head and looked toward the group of gossiping noblewomen.Her gaze swept over them, and the noblewomen immediately fell silent, averting their eyes as if admiring the night sky.
Yun Chu then turned her gaze to the Gong Xi Princess Consort standing nearby.
When she had argued with the Crown Princess, the only witness present was the Gong Xi Princess Consort. It seemed the Gong Xi Princess Consort had treated the incident as gossip material.
She offered the Gong Xi Princess Consort a faint smile.
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