Chapter 53: Xie Shi'an's Academy Examination
"Ting Feng, Ting Xue, take turns guarding Jiu'er. Do not leave her side for even a moment before I return to the residence."
"Ting Shuang, take my token and thoroughly investigate what exactly happened."
Yun Chu gave instructions methodically.
"Old Woman Qi, take some people to the Second Young Master's courtyard and have the Second Young Master tied up first. Wait for me to deal with him!"
Xie Shi'an, standing nearby, asked in astonishment, "Mother, what does this have to do with Shi Wei?"
Yun Chu said calmly, "It was a maid from his courtyard who tried to take her own life. Tell me, how could it have nothing to do with him? An Ge'er, you still have your exam to take. Don't delay, let's go."
He Shi forced a smile: "The Madam will make a fair judgment. Eldest Young Master, please focus on your exam with peace of mind."
Knowing this wasn't his concern, Xie Shi'an nodded and followed Yun Chu to the front courtyard, where he met up with Xie Jingyu.
The three of them boarded the carriage, which slowly made its way to the examination venue. This was the triennial academy examination, where many scholars arrived full of ambition to participate.
According to the dynasty's regulations, scholars studying under the capital's educational administration were exempt from the child candidate examination and could directly take the academy examination. Students of the Imperial College didn't even need to take the academy examination and could directly participate in the metropolitan examination.
Xie Shi'an alighted from the carriage and bowed with clasped hands: "Thank you, Father and Mother, for seeing me off. I'll go in now."
Xie Jingyu nodded, his eyes fixed on his son entering the examination venue.
Yun Chu's expression was neutral, showing no particular emotion.
Just then, a voice sounded beside her: "Madam Xie."
She turned and saw Marquis Xuanwu Qin Mingheng standing beside her in official robes. She quickly stepped back and paid her respects: "Greetings to the Marquis."
Hearing the voice, Xie Jingyu immediately approached and subtly positioned himself in front of Yun Chu: "This humble official pays respects to the Marquis."
Seeing this action, Qin Mingheng's expression immediately darkened. He smiled and said, "I'm serving as the supervising official for the western district in this academy examination. May I ask which district Young Master Xie is testing in?"
Xie Jingyu's fingers tightened—An Ge'er was indeed in the western district.
Ever since his engagement with Yun Chu was settled, he and Qin Mingheng had been at odds.
Fortunately, the Marquis Xuanwu household only held a title without real power. Otherwise, Qin Mingheng would certainly have suppressed him in various ways within official circles.
Xie Jingyu clasped his hands and said, "Since the Marquis needs to proctor the exam, this humble official won't delay your time any longer. Farewell."
He led Yun Chu toward the carriage.
Qin Mingheng closed his eyes and sniffed the air, detecting the same scent as on the handkerchief. He took a deep, satisfied breath.
Once in the carriage, Xie Jingyu's expression remained unpleasant.
Yun Chu wasn't concerned about what had happened between the two men. She spoke up: "Husband, since you're off duty today, do you have any other arrangements later?"
Xie Jingyu was surprised—this was the first time Yun Chu had asked about his schedule. Did she want him to accompany her for something?
His expression softened slightly: "Just handling some official business—nothing urgent. Why does my wife ask?"
"When we left this morning, the matron reported that a maid from Wei Ge'er's courtyard was making a scene about taking her own life," Yun Chu said slowly. "Last time I disciplined Wei Ge'er according to household rules, it displeased the Old Madam. I shouldn't take action again, so I wanted to ask my husband to intervene."
Xie Jingyu frowned: "If a maid is being difficult and talking about life and death, just sell her off. Why go to all this trouble?"
Hearing this, Yun Chu laughed directly: "Without proper investigation, we should just convict the maid?"Her smile inexplicably made Xie Jingyu feel a trace of mockery.
It mocked him for being unworthy of a scholar, mocked his poor management of the household, mocked him, mocked the Xie family—this smile contained far too much...
“Then please attend to your official duties, husband. Matters of the inner courtyard will no longer trouble you.”
As Yun Chu finished speaking, the carriage arrived at the Xie residence. She lifted the curtain and stepped out, not waiting for Xie Jingyu, and walked straight inside.
Xie Jingyu pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh.
Over the past five years, the affairs of the inner courtyard had all been entrusted to Yun Chu. This was the first time she had spoken up about it, and no matter how busy he was, he had to make time to look into it.
He jumped down from the carriage and followed Yun Chu to the courtyard where Xie Shiwei lived.
Old Madam Xie, Yuan Shi, and several concubines were gathered in the courtyard. Ting Shuang stood at the door of a side room, her expression grim.
“Jingyu, you’ve finally returned!” The Old Madam, weakened from a recent illness, leaned on her maid’s arm as she stood up. “Look at the fine work your wife has done—she actually ordered Wei Ge’er to be tied up! I wanted to untie him, but she insisted it couldn’t be done until she returned. She may be the matriarch of the Xie family, but she’s not the emperor of heaven!”
The Old Madam was indeed furious.
Wei Ge’er had indeed been a bit mischievous in the past, but lately, he had been much more subdued. Why should he be punished just because a maid tried to take her own life?
After the mishap at the last birthday banquet, was Yun Chu convinced that the Xie family couldn’t function without her, and thus acting with increasing recklessness?
“This granddaughter-in-law dare not presume to be the emperor of heaven,” Yun Chu said as she walked over, giving a slight bow. “I pay my respects to the Old Madam. Today’s matter happened to coincide with An Ge’er’s academy examinations, so I had no time to inform you beforehand. Please sit, Old Madam, and let my husband handle this. Ting Shuang, explain what happened.”
Ting Shuang stepped forward, her head lowered. “Madam instructed me to investigate, so I questioned all the maids, elderly servants, and attendants serving the Second Young Master. It turns out that there isn’t a single maid in the Second Young Master’s courtyard who hasn’t been punished by him...”
He Shi, standing behind the Old Madam, couldn’t resist interrupting. “It’s only natural for a master to punish servants. What is there to say about that?”
Ting Shuang sighed and gave a meaningful glance to the maids.
All the maids rolled up their sleeves and pulled down their collars, revealing shocking scars.
Yun Chu pressed her lips together tightly.
In her previous life, three or four maids in Xie Shiwei’s courtyard had met untimely deaths. Later, he took seven or eight concubines, four of whom died in his bed.
In truth, maids had come to her to complain before, but every time she tried to investigate, He Shi—then still Nurse He—would take over the matter. With the Old Madam indulging and doting on him, and Xie Jingyu turning a blind eye, she, as a stepmother, found it difficult to press further...
Looking back, just from what she knew, at least ten or twenty women had died at Xie Shiwei’s hands.
“We beg Madam to uphold justice for us! Whether the Second Young Master is happy or unhappy, he takes it out on us. There isn’t a single spot on our bodies, except for our faces, that hasn’t been harmed.”
“The Second Young Master enjoys whipping people. My back is covered in whip marks. If I had made a mistake and been punished for it, that would be one thing, but I’ve always followed the rules and never made a mistake. Yet I’m beaten every day. I can’t go on living like this.”"The second young master made this servant stand with a flowerpot on my head all day. When I lost my balance, I was punished by being soaked in the water vat overnight."
Several maids serving Xie Shiwei poured out their grievances one after another.
He Shi said coldly, "It's because you maids haven't served the second young master diligently enough. Otherwise, why would he punish you? Besides, the second young master is only eight years old. Even if he were to whip you, how severe could it possibly be..."
"Shut your mouth!" Xie Jingyu roared angrily. "A mere Concubine, how dare you speak here? Get out!"
He Shi was momentarily stunned.
She was Wei Ge'er's mother—how could she not have the right to speak? What had she said wrong?
The veins on the back of Xie Jingyu's hands bulged.
Over the past few years, he had been in a phase of rapid promotion. Burdened with official duties, he left home before dawn and returned late at night. Even on occasional rest days, he had a pile of matters to attend to. He had indeed neglected the discipline of his children far too much. He had always thought that Wei Ge'er was merely uninterested in studying and lacked ambition, believing that having An Ge'er was sufficient. Never had he imagined that Wei Ge'er would do such things!
Finally, he understood why Yun Chu had asked him to handle this matter.
Because this was no longer something Yun Chu could manage.
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