Chapter 88: Xie Jingyu Takes Medicine
Xie Ping nodded through her tears.
For a moment, Ansheng Hall fell into silence.
Though everyone knew Ping Jie'er's future days wouldn't be easy, no one expected she would be beaten so severely by her future mother-in-law even before the wedding.
It's said that when hitting someone, you shouldn't strike their face. Yet Consort De deliberately had someone slap Ping Jie'er across the face, clearly intending to show the Xie family that the matter of their scheming against Anjing Prince wouldn't be let go so easily.
"Nanny Zhou, bring the swelling-reducing ointment for Ping Jie'er." Old Madam sighed. "When you were scheming against Anjing Prince, you should have anticipated this day would come."
Xie Jingyu's voice was low: "It's better that Consort De plays her cards openly rather than using underhanded tricks in secret. What must be endured must be endured."
Xie Shi'an looked up: "No matter how Consort De treats you, you are still the future Princess Anjing. This cannot be changed by anyone."
Xie Ping cried even harder.
Even her family couldn't stand up for her... what should she do...
"Ping Jie'er." Yun Chu spoke softly. "If our Xie family finds a legitimate reason to call off the engagement, Consort De would surely agree happily. Then you wouldn't need to suffer like this anymore."
"Call off the engagement?" Xie Ping raised her tear-filled eyes. "I... I don't want to call it off."
This was something she had schemed so hard to obtain. Having endured so much suffering without yet enjoying the glory that should belong to a Princess Consort, how could she bear to give it back?
"Chu'er, what nonsense are you talking." Old Madam said with a stern face. "Ping Jie'er and Anjing Prince were matched by the Emperor's decree. Calling off the engagement would mean defying the imperial order - our Xie family cannot bear such a crime."
Xie Jingyu nodded: "The engagement cannot be called off."
Yun Chu pulled Xie Ping closer and said word by word: "Before the wedding, you still have the chance to change your mind. No matter which path you choose, your mother will support you. Remember, as long as your mother is here, you still have a way out."
Xie Ping's nose stung and tears streamed down her face again.
Everyone in the Xie family put the family's honor and disgrace first. Only her mother was genuinely considering her, her daughter.
What great virtue had she accumulated in her previous life to deserve becoming her mother's daughter in this life?
After leaving Ansheng Hall, Xie Jingyu caught up with Yun Chu's steps and couldn't help asking: "Does my wife truly want to call off Ping Jie'er's engagement?"
"Of course not." Yun Chu replied. "Ping Jie'er is currently enduring Consort De's harassment for the Xie family's sake. If everyone in the Xie family thinks this is suffering she deserves to endure, and treats her coldly one after another, then after she marries into Anjing Prince's household, would she still scheme for the Xie family?"
Xie Jingyu suddenly understood: "My wife is truly wise."
Yun Chu showed little expression on her face as she continued walking toward Sheng Residence.
Xie Jingyu followed her into Sheng Residence. He pressed his lips together and asked: "I only just learned that last time your mother took you to see the divine physician. I wonder what the divine physician said?"
"The divine physician said I need to recuperate properly and prescribed several formulas for me to take first." Yun Chu glanced sideways. "The divine physician charges five thousand taels for one consultation. Husband, who do you think should pay this silver?"
"The child you'll bear in the future will be the legitimate heir of our Xie family, so naturally the Xie family should pay this money." Xie Jingyu responded. "I'll have someone deliver the consultation fee to your mother later."
Five thousand taels was no small amount for him, but fortunately, as Anjing Prince's future father-in-law, he had plenty of ways to obtain this silver.
He slowly approached Yun Chu step by step and placed his hand on her shoulder: "Wife, let me stay at Sheng Residence tonight."Yun Chu felt a wave of nausea.
She stepped back to avoid Xie Jingyu’s touch and walked over to the nearby table. "The Divine Doctor said both husband and wife must regulate their health. During this period, they must not share a bed."
She handed the packet of medicine on the table to Xie Jingyu.
Xie Jingyu felt the weight in his hand: "I have to take medicine too?"
Yun Chu nodded: "Of course. If you don’t wish to have more children, you don’t have to take it."
Having heard this much, Xie Jingyu knew that if he refused to regulate his health, his marital relationship with Yun Chu would truly come to an end.
Once their bodies were properly regulated, he and Yun Chu should be able to have a child truly their own, right?
He gave Yun Chu a deep look, picked up the medicine, and returned to his own courtyard.
Ting Shuang, standing nearby, asked in confusion, "Madam, why are you…"
She knew that Divine Doctor Si had not prescribed any medicine for the master. In fact, the prescription he had given to the madam had been torn up and discarded by her.
She was well aware that the madam had no intention of regulating her health, nor did she plan to have another child with the master.
So why had she given the master so much medicine?
She truly couldn’t understand what the madam was trying to do.
Yun Chu’s expression remained impassive. "The Xie family already has enough children. This medicine can solve quite a few problems."
Currently, the Xie family had five children: Eldest Miss Xie Ping, Second Miss Xie Xian, Eldest Young Master Xie Shi’an, Second Young Master Xie Shiwei, and Third Young Master Xie Shiyun. Concubine Tao was also pregnant with a fourth young master… In the future, the Xie residence would have four or five more concubines, each of whom would bear sons, leading to a fifth, sixth, and seventh young master…
Thinking of the troubles these children would cause in the future, Yun Chu’s heart swelled with resentment.
Rather than waiting for these children to bring disaster upon her, it was better to solve the problem at its source.
As long as Xie Jingyu could not father more children, it would save her countless troubles.
Ting Shuang was utterly shocked.
She didn’t know how to describe her feelings.
However, she soon had no time to dwell on this matter.
Because Yun Chu’s next words left her no room to think of anything else.
"Ting Shuang, I’ve asked my mother to find a match for you," Yun Chu said. "We’ll return to my maiden home tomorrow morning. See if you’re satisfied."
"Ma-Madam…" Ting Shuang’s face turned pale. "This servant does not wish to marry. I want to stay by your side and serve you for the rest of my life…"
"If I made you remain unmarried and childless for life, one day you would resent me," Yun Chu said gently. "Ting Shuang, we are the same age. I have been married for five years already. I cannot delay you any longer."
Ting Shuang bit her lower lip.
The madam had already privately severed ties with the Xie family. She dared not imagine what would become of the madam in the future.
If she left the madam’s side, who would the madam have to rely on?
Chen Bo was always in the outer courtyard, Ting Xue was too naive, and Ting Feng was too impulsive. If the madam needed to handle private matters in the future, who would carry them out for her?
But Ting Shuang said nothing more. Tomorrow, when they went to the Yun residence and she met the man, she would simply say she wasn’t satisfied.
No matter what, she would not leave the madam.
Later, Ting Xue came to report: "The master ordered a maid to brew the medicine, and he drank all of it."
Yun Chu nodded. "No need to keep an eye on it anymore."
One dose of that medicine was enough.
She had someone dispose of the medicine dregs cleanly. The subsequent doses would be genuine medicine to regulate a man’s health.Early the next morning, Yun Chu brought Ting Shuang and Ting Feng to the Yun residence.
Along the way, Ting Shuang anxiously twisted her fingers while Ting Feng casually gazed out the carriage window and remarked, "Madam, look—there's a long queue outside the Ice Shop."
Yun Chu glanced over and saw that all four Ice Shops with different signboards had their entrances crowded with servants sent by wealthy families to purchase ice.
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