Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 35: Mother's Secret

Sheng Residence was unusually quiet.

Yun Chu had been reviewing account books for a while when she realized the silence felt excessive.

Frowning, she asked, "How long has Yu Ge'er been out?"

Ting Shuang was startled. She had been so focused on assisting her mistress with tasks that she only now realized the Young Son had been taking an unusually long time to relieve himself.

Just then, Ting Xue rushed in sweating profusely: "Madam, the Young Son has disappeared! I've searched all around Sheng Residence but couldn't find him anywhere..."

Yun Chu's heart tightened. She stood up abruptly, then composed herself: "First check if A Mao is still in the front courtyard."

That child had arrived secretly - perhaps he had seized the opportunity to leave quietly too.

A Mao was temporarily staying in the front courtyard's side room as Ting Shuang's distant cousin. Ting Xue hurried to check and returned pale-faced: "A Mao is still here."

Meaning the Young Son hadn't left the Xie residence, but no one knew where he had gone.

"This is all my fault!" Ting Xue knelt down. "Please punish me, Madam."

Ting Shuang interjected: "This isn't the time for punishment. Try to remember carefully where exactly you lost the Young Son."

"When the Young Son went to the privy, I waited outside the door. After a long time without seeing him come out, I went in and found the window open. The Young Son must have climbed out through it." Ting Xue was nearly in tears. "The path outside the window leads to the Xie family's back garden. I searched quietly but didn't see any sign of the Young Son."

Yun Chu's heart sank. There was a small lake in the back garden - if the child had fallen in...

Just the thought of this possibility made her feel suffocated.

Steadying herself, she said: "Ting Shuang, find some excuse to send everyone away from the garden."

Ting Shuang accepted the order and left.

Yun Chu brought her dowry maids and matrons to the garden. The Xie family's backyard wasn't large, and the garden was even smaller - just an artificial lake and a rockery. The original flowers and plants had all been replaced with jujube trees, making the entire garden visible at a glance. However, the lake was thick with aquatic plants and water lilies, making it difficult to see clearly.

Ting Xue trembled uncontrollably.

If the Young Son had drowned in the lake, her worthless life could never compensate for it, and it would surely implicate her mistress...

She tied up her skirt, preparing to enter the water, when a voice suddenly came from behind.

"Sister Ting Xue, why are you going into the water? Are you catching fish?"

Yun Chu whirled around.

She saw Chu Hongyu, dressed in brocade clothing, climbing out from inside a large tree trunk. For some reason, the trunk was hollow - perfect for hiding a child, no wonder they couldn't find him no matter how hard they searched.

The anxiety and fear Yun Chu had felt moments before now transformed into anger.

Suppressing her rage, she said: "What were you doing hiding there? Do you know how long we've been looking for you? Do you know how worried we were?"

"I didn't let anyone see me. I only came out when I saw there was no one else in the garden." Chu Hongyu tugged at her sleeve. "Mother, please don't be angry. I know I was wrong. I'll never sneak out alone again..."

Yun Chu took his small hand and brought him back to Sheng Residence. She handed all matters over to Ting Shuang and personally sat with the child to read.

"You don't recognize this character? Or this one either?" Yun Chu's composure cracked. "You're four years old - hasn't your father started your education yet?"Chu Hongyu wore a woeful expression: "I... I've started elementary studies, but I can't understand what the teacher says, I just can't learn... Mother, if you teach me, I'm sure I can learn."

Yun Chu could clearly see that the boy had neglected his studies due to his playful nature.

However, he was only four years old. With no one at home to discipline and guide him, it was quite normal for him to be somewhat fond of play.

Yet if he became too playful, fell behind in his studies, lacked knowledge, and failed to understand reason, he would suffer greatly when he grew up.

"Yu Ge'er, why do we need to study? Because books contain many great truths. The more we read, the more principles we understand," Yun Chu said gently. "Before learning to read, we must first recognize characters. Recognizing characters isn't actually dull or boring. Look at this character 'Chu' - the 'Chu' in 'the beginning of human life,' and also the 'Chu' in my name. It's written like this..."

She held the little one's hand, guiding it stroke by stroke on the paper.

Chu Hongyu began to study earnestly.

Characters that had seemed so difficult before - after less than half an hour of teaching, he actually recognized them all and even learned how to write them.

"Mother, you're amazing!"

Yun Chu smiled: "It's because you're very clever yourself. Remember this feeling of recognizing characters, and follow this feeling in the future."

Chu Hongyu nodded vigorously.

Looking at Yun Chu's gentle smile, the little boy suddenly felt sad.

When he had hidden in that tree hollow, many Xie family servants had passed by the tree in groups, and he had overheard many secrets about his mother.

So his mother had previously given birth to two children, but both had died at birth, and his mother had been ill for a very long time because of it.

So his mother and that Xie... whatever his name was... had a very poor relationship. That man never stayed overnight with his mother, and the Xie residence servants all pitied his mother.

So the children who called his mother 'mother' weren't actually her children...

So his mother's life was very difficult...

Yet his mother smiled so gently, as if she had no worries at all.

"Madam, the servants outside have made inquiries around the city and heard that Prince Pingxi has succeeded in suppressing the bandits," Ting Feng entered and reported. "Last night, Prince Pingxi captured over a hundred bandits alive. Some fled upon hearing the news, and Prince Pingxi is pursuing them victoriously. He should return to the capital the day after tomorrow."

"Those bandits are too weak," Chu Hongyu frowned. "How come they couldn't put up any resistance and were captured so easily by my father!"

"Yu Ge'er, it's not that the bandits are weak, but that your father is too capable," Yun Chu looked at him. "Every day these bandits exist, countless common people's lives are threatened. Your father subdued the bandits in just one day - this is what the people desire."

Chu Hongyu nodded, somewhat understanding. He pressed his lips together: "Then I'll have to go back the day after tomorrow."

Yun Chu patted his head: "While your father is out suppressing bandits, you should focus on your studies. When your father returns, recite the Three Character Classic completely for him. Your father will definitely be very happy."

"Really?" A smile appeared on Chu Hongyu's face. "Will Father praise me?"

Yun Chu nodded: "He should."

The little one took his book and sat nearby, reading earnestly. When he encountered characters he didn't recognize, he would actively ask. When he didn't understand the meaning of certain phrases, he would ask for clarification before continuing to memorize.

Ting Shuang said softly: "The Young Son is so well-behaved. How is it that people outside all say the Young Son is unbearably mischievous?"Yun Chu said, "A child is like a blank sheet of paper—whatever adults write upon it becomes their nature. Prince Pingxi is a stern man, and with no Princess Consort at home to guide him, the Young Son has naturally become somewhat willful and rebellious."

For the rest of the day, Chu Hongyu diligently focused on memorizing texts.

That evening, Ting Xue had servants carry in a large screen embroidered with various forms of the character "Longevity."

"Ugh, these characters are so poorly written," Chu Hongyu remarked with a disdainful glance. "Who gave Mother this screen? They clearly put no heart into it."

Yun Chu chuckled. "This is a longevity gift I prepared for someone else."

The child kept calling her "Mother," and Yun Chu found herself unconsciously using the term too.