Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 99: Who Is More Vicious

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

Tao Yiniang's courtyard was in complete chaos. Maidservants kept carrying hot water inside and bringing out basins of blood-red water.

From inside the room came Tao Yiniang's piercing cries of pain. The midwife instructed her how to push, but she simply couldn't deliver the baby...

Yun Chu stood in the courtyard, her expression grim.

After He Shi's previous scheme against Tao Yiniang, she had thought the child in Tao Yiniang's womb was fortunate enough to survive and would be carried to full term.

Unexpectedly, the second scheme came so quickly. Moreover, in her previous life, the Fourth Young Master of the Xie family was also born on this very day, also at daybreak.

Even though the current situation was vastly different from her previous life, were certain events destined to happen regardless?

Suppressing her emotions, she looked at He Shi standing before her with bowed head, and Xie Shiyun being held by He Shi's hand. Coldly, she said, "Concubine He, explain clearly what exactly happened!"

"Replying to Madam, Yun Ge'er has been ill these past few days and hasn't been sleeping well, so I've been letting him sleep with me. Who would have thought that at the first quarter of the Yin hour, he suddenly became restless and insisted on going to find Yu Yiniang," He Shi said with her head lowered. "It wasn't even dawn yet, how could I feel at ease letting a child go out alone? I tried to coax him to sleep a little longer, but he bit me..."

As she spoke, she showed Yun Chu the bite mark on her arm and continued, "After biting me, he ran out. I followed closely behind him. Perhaps because it was still dark, Yun Ge'er couldn't distinguish directions and actually ran into Tao Yiniang's courtyard. At that time, the servants were changing shifts, and there was no one at the courtyard entrance. Yun Ge'er charged straight inside. When I followed him in, I saw Tao Yiniang had fallen from the steps of the room onto the ground, while Yun Ge'er stood there as if frightened out of his wits..."

"Madam, it's all my fault. I failed to take good care of Yun Ge'er, causing Tao Yiniang to go into premature labor!"

He Shi wore a look of self-blame.

At that moment, Xie Jingyu and Ting Yu also arrived.

Ting Yu rushed to Xie Shiyun's side in one swift movement, squatting down to embrace her son: "Yun Ge'er, quickly tell Madam and the Master that you didn't push Tao Yiniang. Say it now."

Xie Shiyun stood frozen in place, unable to utter a single word.

"Since you won't speak, I can only assume it was you," Xie Jingyu's expression was dark. "Only three years old, and already daring to do such things?"

Ting Yu quickly shielded Xie Shiyun: "Master, Yun Ge'er has always been timid. When I was raising him, he wouldn't even dare to step on an ant. How could he become like this after going to Concubine He's courtyard? I don't believe Yun Ge'er would do such a thing. I beg you to investigate this thoroughly and clear Yun Ge'er's name!"

Just as Xie Jingyu was about to speak,

They heard the midwife's voice from inside the room: "He's born, he's born! He's delivered! It's a young master!"

Xie Jingyu felt relief in his heart, but then frowned: "Why don't I hear the baby crying?"

His mind seemed to recall the scene when Yun Chu had given birth - also premature labor, also basins of blood water being carried out, also the baby not crying after being born...

Yun Chu showed little emotion on her face.

Sure enough, exactly like her previous life. After a short while, the baby's cries were heard, though they were somewhat weak."Amitabha, as long as the child is safe!" The Old Madam and Yuan Shi had also arrived, their faces filled with joy. "It's a boy, our Xie family has another son, how wonderful."

Yun Chu shook her head.

This child was born frail—by six months old, he still couldn't lift his head, and by two or three years old, he hadn't learned to speak. Dull and slow-witted, he eventually became utterly despised by the Old Madam...

After a moment of happiness, the Old Madam looked down and saw Xie Shiyun standing there, immediately flaring up in anger. "Jingyu, Yun Ge'er is far too bold! If Tao Yiniang weren't so robust, it would have been two lives lost. Tell me, how should this be handled?"

Xie Jingyu clenched his fingers and looked at Yun Chu. "Madam, what do you think?"

Yun Chu spoke calmly, "Why not wait until Tao Yiniang has caught her breath, and let me ask her first what exactly happened?"

Just then, the Midwife came out carrying the child—a fair, clean boy, eyes closed and nestled in his swaddling clothes.

Xie Jingyu glanced at him before looking away, while Yuan Shi held him lovingly in her arms for a long moment before handing him over to the wet nurse.

Yun Chu did not hold the child. Instead, she stepped into the lying-in room to check on Tao Yiniang.

"Yu Yiniang, question Yun Ge'er properly about what happened!" Xie Jingyu said coldly. "He Yiniang, come with me!"

He Shi pressed her lips together, bowed her head, and followed Xie Jingyu to a side chamber.

As soon as they entered, Xie Jingyu's expression darkened. "He Lingying, tell me, was it you?"

Hearing her birth name, He Shi was momentarily dazed. The memories of their meeting, understanding, and love felt as distant as a past life.

"Yulang, it wasn't me," she said pleadingly. "An Ge'er is already grown and accomplished. I have no reason to do such a thing..."

"If not you, then who?" Xie Jingyu's eyes blazed with anger. "A month ago, your scheme failed, so you devised another—this time even using Yun Ge'er, a child! If I didn't know you so well, I'd never have suspected you. This plan of yours was meant to harm the unborn child and make me send Yun Ge'er away in a rage, so no one in the Xie residence could threaten An Ge'er's position, wasn't it?"

He had almost believed He Shi's words, thinking Yun Ge'er had truly pushed Tao Yiniang.

But upon reflection, Yun Ge'er was only three years old, still ill, and it was early morning, barely light. No matter how unruly a child might be, he wouldn't run around at such an hour.

It must have been something He Shi said to Yun Ge'er.

"I never imagined you could be so cunning!" Xie Jingyu narrowed his eyes. "Four years ago, when Yun Chu fell and went into premature labor—was that your doing too? I truly misjudged you!"

Back then, after Yun Chu became pregnant, he had brought He Shi into the Xie family as a steward in his courtyard.

Only after Yun Chu's child died young and she lost the ability to bear children did he seize the opportunity to bring his three outside children into the household.

At the time, it had all seemed too smooth, but looking back now, that smoothness felt terrifying.

Though he had despised the two children in Yun Chu's womb who weren't of Xie blood, he had never considered scheming to cause a premature birth or death...

Seeing the change in He Shi's expression was like a thunderbolt striking him.

He had never told He Shi those two children weren't his. How dare she move against the mistress of the house...

If she could act against Yun Chu, then her repeated attempts against Tao Yiniang suddenly made sense..."My lord, why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I'm vicious?" He Shi laughed. "You overestimate me. With so many loyal maidservants around the madam, how could I possibly have the opportunity? Instead, it's you—four years ago, you threw away two children who were still breathing at birth. How are you any better than me?"

Xie Jingyu's heart skipped a beat violently.

"A child not yet born doesn't count as a life. No matter what I did, I never took anyone's life," He Shi said, enunciating each word clearly. "But those two children still carried the blood of the Xie family, and you just abandoned them in the freezing snow... I know you did this to make the madam focus entirely on raising An Ge'er and the others. I know you did it for An Ge'er's sake. That's why I've kept this secret buried deep in my heart all along—even when the madam tortured me for information, I never breathed a word of it..."