Chapter 69: Xie Jingyu Is Unworthy
Yun Chu sat briefly in the side hall.
She saw a figure slowly approaching and stood up to bow. "Marquis."
Her peripheral glance behind revealed no sign of Xie Jingyu.
"Is Lady Xie waiting for Lord Xie?" Qin Mingheng settled into a chair. "Then I must apologize—Lord Xie actually left long ago."
Yun Chu frowned.
If Xie Jingyu had departed earlier, why had the marquis's servant brought her here?
She turned and noticed the maids and matrons who had been stationed at the entrance had now all withdrawn.
Qin Mingheng looked at Ting Shuang standing behind her. "Leave us."
Ting Shuang remained motionless.
Yun Chu spoke calmly, "It violates propriety for an unmarried man and a married woman to be alone together. This is my trusted maid. Please speak freely, Marquis."
Qin Mingheng lifted his gaze to her. "Xie Jingyu abandoned you alone in the marquis's residence, yet you still guard your virtue for your husband. Don't you find that laughable?"
"The Marquis meeting privately with a married woman also strikes me as amusing," Yun Chu raised her eyes. "Rumors claim Marquis Xuanwu is deeply devoted to his wife. Is that truly the case?"
A man who genuinely loved his wife would never deceive a married woman into coming here alone.
Even for matters of utmost importance, he should relay messages through maids or matrons, or seek an appropriate opportunity to speak in public.
If Luo Shi were to discover them here, Marquis Xuanwu might escape unscathed, but Yun Chu's reputation would be utterly ruined.
At this thought, Yun Chu turned to leave.
Her respectful attitude toward the marquis stemmed merely from her status as the wife of a fifth-rank official.
Her confidence to walk away came from being the legitimate eldest daughter of the Yun family.
In the past, she had always been reluctant to leverage her family's influence. Now she realized: as a member of the Yun family, why endure grievances when she had such backing?
She had taken only one step when Qin Mingheng's angry voice sounded behind her. "Stop."
Yun Chu paused briefly, then continued walking.
"Lady Xie, when you recently reburied your prematurely deceased children, were you absolutely certain those remains belonged to your own?"
Yun Chu pressed her lips tightly.
This man had precisely grasped her vulnerability.
She was certain Marquis Xuanwu must have been watching her for some time—but to what end?
She took a steadying breath, turned around, and met his gaze coldly. "Whatever the Marquis wishes to say, please speak plainly."
"The identity of Xie Jingyu's wife does not suit you. Someone as intelligent as you should wonder why he left alone." Qin Mingheng moved closer. "If he isn't afraid of being cuckolded after leaving you here, why should you fear being alone with me?"
Yun Chu stepped back, evading his proximity.
She found his rambling avoidance of the main point frustrating, yet every word struck at her core.
She almost understood, but upon closer reflection, the meaning remained elusive.
"Yun Chu."
Qin Mingheng addressed her directly by name.
Yun Chu's brow furrowed deeply. Disgust rose within her, and she retreated further.
She knew she should leave, yet her feet felt rooted. She sensed Marquis Xuanwu might know something about her—something crucial.
"Seek a divorce. Xie Jingyu is unworthy." Qin Mingheng braced one hand against the doorframe behind her, the other against the wall, trapping her within a confined space.Ting Shuang was so frightened she lost her voice, rushing over to shield Yun Chu.
Qin Mingheng reached out and pushed, sending Ting Shuang stumbling backward.
He leaned down, close to Yun Chu's ear: "If you seek divorce, I'll do the same immediately. I could marry you..."
Slap!
A sharp slap landed on Qin Mingheng's face.
This was the second time Yun Chu had struck someone.
She never expected she would actually slap Marquis Xuanwu's face.
"Marquis Xuanwu, please maintain your dignity!" Yun Chu knocked away his hand that was braced against the doorframe and stepped across the threshold. She stood sideways, her eyes flashing with icy light. "You truly should divorce—you're utterly unworthy of your wife."
Having said this, she turned and left. Ting Shuang hurried to support her, and mistress and maid ignored the livid Qin Mingheng, walking directly out of the marquis' residence.
The carriage they had arrived in was unexpectedly gone.
Yun Chu's face turned frosty with anger.
Instead of returning to the Xie residence, she went to the Ice Shop that was about to open.
Chen Defu had purchased a large compound—the front serving as the shopfront, the rear as storage. Managed by Chen Defu's distant nephew as shopkeeper, it was named Chen's Ice Shop.
Scheduled to open in mid-May, since only wealthy people could afford ice blocks, the price was set relatively high: two taels of silver per pound. When the peak summer heat arrived in July, this price would continue to rise.
She offered Chen Defu some suggestions of her own and adjusted the price increase strategy before leaving the ice shop.
At this time, it was still early, and Yun Chu had barely eaten lunch. She found a restaurant where she and Ting Shuang ate heartily as mistress and servant.
After the meal, they slowly drank some tea as dusk gradually deepened.
Yun Chu was in no hurry to return. She took Ting Shuang to stroll through the capital's night market.
As lanterns began to glow, numerous small vendors would push carts onto the streets selling various trinkets. Since her marriage, Yun Chu had never visited this market again.
She saw kite sellers and thought Yu Ge'er would surely enjoy flying kites—how nice it would be if they could fly kites together someday.
She spotted sugar figurine vendors and imagined Changsheng would love the sweets. She dearly loved seeing Changsheng's sweet smile.
She came upon clay figurine stalls and thought if both children were here, she must have three figurines made exactly resembling them...
Before she knew it, Yun Chu had bought a large pile of things.
When darkness fully descended, Yun Chu and Ting Shuang boarded the carriage arranged by Chen Defu and returned to the Xie residence.
No sooner had she stepped into Sheng Residence than Xie Jingyu arrived.
Yun Chu sat in her seat, watching him coldly: "Husband, why did you leave without waiting for me?"
Xie Jingyu scrutinized her from head to toe. She appeared exactly as she had when leaving in the morning, yet somehow different.
His gaze made Yun Chu's heart gradually grow cold.
So, for the sake of the Xie family, he could actually offer his living wife to another man.
If she hadn't sensed something amiss, she dared not imagine what would have happened after drinking that tea.
So, Xie Jingyu had been scheming against her from this early stage.
While the Yun family was still powerful, he actually dared entertain such wicked intentions toward her—where did he find the courage?
"Madam, why have you returned so late..."
Xie Jingyu asked slowly.
He wanted to know whether that incident had actually occurred.
He wanted even more to know whether she was aware of what he had done."Why I returned so late, why don't you ask yourself, husband?" Yun Chu stared at him. "The carriage took you back to the residence but didn't return to the marquis's estate to fetch me. I had to walk back, which naturally took some time."
Seeing she only showed slight emotional fluctuation, Xie Jingyu surmised she must have been drugged unconscious like on their wedding night, unaware of what had transpired.
Thus, she remained ignorant of his despicable actions.
He breathed a sigh of relief, full of remorse as he said, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have been so preoccupied with official duties that I neglected my wife."
"No need for such formalities between husband and wife." Yun Chu appeared completely unbothered by the matter, expressing concern as she asked, "Has Marquis Xuanwu accepted the Xie family's apology?"
Xie Jingyu nodded. "The Marquis said he won't pursue this matter further."
He had sacrificed his son and offered up his wife. If Qin Mingheng still refused to let it go, it would be going too far in bullying others.
Yun Chu smiled faintly.
Marquis Xuanwu had received a slap from her—this matter wouldn't be settled so easily.
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