Chapter 101: A Pure Heart Cherishing Time (Part Two)

"Fatherly kindness and filial piety..." Chuxiu stood frozen in place, startled and bewildered by this sudden thought. Fortunately, Shen Yu and Yun Cheng did not notice anything amiss; seeing her standing at the doorway, both men rose to their feet.

"Mother," Yun Cheng greeted respectfully.

"You've come," Shen Yu added with a bright, refreshing smile.

Chuxiu collected her thoughts, stepped inside, and sat down opposite the uncle and nephew. She took out two handkerchiefs and handed them over. "Why not wipe away your sweat first? You wouldn't want it dripping into your tea."

Shen Yu laughed heartily and did not respond, while Yun Cheng replied with a smile, "Qianyun already wiped my face once, but my uncle and I were talking so animatedly that I broke into a sweat again."

Chuxiu looked at Yun Cheng with a smile and said, "Hurry back and bathe and change; you still have lessons with your tutor at the Qingxin Study this afternoon."

Yun Cheng nodded, popped the last bite of pastry into his mouth, stood up, and bowed to bid Shen Yu farewell.

"Run slowly!" Chuxiu watched his retreating figure and urged him gently.

Shen Yu followed her gaze toward the direction Yun Cheng had left, smiled, and then turned back. "With Qianyun following him, what are you worried about? Are you afraid he’ll trip?"

Ever since Yun Cheng had inherited the title of heir, Qianyun had personally requested to be transferred to serve him. Chuxiu understood Qianyun’s deep, unrequited love for Yun Ci and knew it must still be difficult for her to see Chuxiu, so she had consented. Looking at it now, Qianyun was indeed attentive to everything concerning Yun Cheng.

How could she not be? Yun Cheng was now the only remaining heir of Yun Ci.

A trace of melancholy flickered in Chuxiu’s eyes, but Shen Yu missed it, assuming she was simply exhausted. "Are you tired?"

"I'm fine," Chuxiu replied, rallying her spirits.

Shen Yu felt a pang of pity. "A woman should be focused on supporting her husband and raising her children; why did the Old Madam let you shoulder such a heavy burden? Now, she hides in the shadows playing the saint, pushing you to the forefront to be slandered and scolded by the members of the Yun clan."

Chuxiu only laughed indifferently. "It was my own idea; it is only right that I be the one to issue the red-seal decree."

Hearing this, Shen Yu was greatly surprised. "It was truly your idea?"

"Why? You don't believe me?" Chuxiu teased him, looking at him. "In your eyes, I suppose I am just a fragile woman!"

Indeed, that was not far from the truth. In his eyes, she was someone to be cherished and pitied; he had never imagined that she could not only manage the household affairs of the Yun estate without effort but also begin to oversee business matters outside!

Shen Yu examined Chuxiu closely, noting her slightly knitted brows, the faint dark shadows under her eyes, and a complexion paler than before. Though she remained a beauty of peerless charm, she looked like a sickly flower.

As he watched her, Shen Yu felt an even deeper sense of heartache, and his words turned into complaints against the Old Madam Xie. "What exactly did that old lady feed you to bewitch you like this?"

Chuxiu realized what Shen Yu meant. She lowered her head and laughed, finally sharing the joy with him: "The Old Madam told me to call her 'Mother'."

Shen Yu raised an eyebrow. "She is doing this to..." Before he could finish his sentence, his expression darkened. "She lets you call her 'Mother,' and in return, you work yourself to the bone for her? Even carrying the burden of infamy?"

Shen Yu let out a cold snort, his eyes filled with reproach. "There is no one better at manipulating people than Old Madam Xie. Hanchu, are you being too foolish?"

How could Chuxiu not know that the Old Madam was a master of manipulation? She feared there was only seven parts of sincerity mixed with three parts of utility, but for now, she was very satisfied. Chuxiu smiled at Shen Yu, signaling her willingness.

Seeing that the matter was settled and further words were useless, Shen Yu suddenly felt a surge of heat. He picked up the handkerchief Chuxiu had placed on the table, buried his face in it to wipe away the sweat, and said nothing more.

The twelve days each month when he taught Yun Cheng martial arts were the days Shen Yu looked forward to the most. It gave him a legitimate reason to come to the Yun estate, first to instruct Yun Cheng in riding and archery, and usually, it allowed him to see Chuxiu openly as well. On the rare occasions he didn't see her, he would deliberately find an excuse to talk with Yun Cheng, and by the time dinner arrived, he would be able to see her.

Then, Chuxiu would politely invite him to stay for a meal, and Yun Cheng would chime in to help, so he would naturally accept. The three of them would dine together, with no one else to disturb them except for the maids serving the dishes.

At such times, Shen Yu would have an illusion that they were a family—a family of three, calm, quiet, and harmonious.

"Do not talk while eating, do not talk while sleeping"—in truth, the three of them didn't speak much at the table. Occasionally, Yun Cheng would say something to him, and Chuxiu would just listen with a smile, rarely joining in. Yet, this was the very scene Shen Yu had longed for.

It wasn't a longing for a wife and children, but a longing to have her by his side—her alone. Of course, he regarded Yun Ci's child as his own; although Yun Cheng was adopted, it did not affect his affection for the boy. This affection stemmed from his deep friendship with Yun Ci.

But it could not be denied that because Yun Cheng’s mother was Chuxiu, Shen Yu was even more concerned for him. Sometimes, Shen Yu would even wonder if, should he ever lack the fate to be with Chuxiu and eventually marry and have children of his own, he would possess this same frame of mind and care for his own wife and children.

Perhaps not. Even with his own flesh and blood, it would not compare to his uncle-like affection for Yun Cheng. Because of Yun Ci, and because of Chuxiu.

As he thought, Shen Yu grew more silent. In truth, most of the time, he was silent in front of Chuxiu as well—at the dining table, or when the two were alone, he had nothing left to say.

What needed to be said had been said a thousand times over. He only feared that if he said it a few more times, Chuxiu would feel repulsed and try to escape. It was better not to speak; at least as long as they sat face-to-face and he could look at her, he felt satisfied.

Because of the earlier topic of Old Madam Xie being "adept at manipulation," Shen Yu felt he had ruined the atmosphere again. He opened his mouth to apologize, but when he raised his eyes and saw Chuxiu’s absentminded expression, his frustration grew, and he blurted out, "What are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" Chuxiu snapped back to reality and smiled. "Nothing, seeing you silent, I just drifted off myself."

Shen Yu sighed and extended his right hand. "Give me your hand; let me take your pulse."

Chuxiu hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not refuse, extending her hand. As Shen Yu touched the skin of her slightly cool wrist, his heart fluttered strangely. He steadied his mind to diagnose her, and a moment later, he retracted his hand. "You are just too overworked. Have the kitchen prepare some nourishing medicinal meals for you. You must not be sleeping well at night; you've lost weight."

"Is that so? I don't feel it," Chuxiu replied with a forced smile.

As they were talking, Zhuying suddenly brought in a brocade box and reported, "Madam, the head of the house in Fengzhou, Beixi, has sent you a few boxes of rouge and powder. They say that since the Emperor Chen is purging Fengzhou, the Xianghua Studio has already fallen into decline, which is why they sent these to you."

In October of this year, the leader of the Northern Xixi rebel army, Chen Wang, officially ascended to the throne in the imperial city of Lidu, changing the name of the state to "Xuan," known as "Northern Xuan."

This also meant the division between the North and South had intensified. Northern Xuan officially occupied half of the Nine Provinces, and the state of Northern Xixi perished, becoming a mere footnote in history books.

Fengzhou of Northern Xixi had long been famous for its rouge, and the "Xianghua Studio" in Yan City was a tribute product of Northern Xixi, supplied exclusively to the royal family. Now that Emperor Chen had ascended the throne, he naturally wanted to take aim at these so-called royal merchants of Northern Xixi.

"In that case, these boxes of rouge and powder are truly rare treasures!" Chuxiu took the brocade box from Zhuying’s hand and opened it. A faint fragrance immediately wafted out. Chuxiu looked at the various rouges and powders in the box and picked one out to examine. "What is this? I haven't seen it before."

Shen Yu glanced at it and replied, "There is a flower called the 'Hundred-Night Charm.' It blooms for a hundred days a year, and only at night, and it emits a faint glow. This is its luminous pollen."

"Luminous pollen... what is it used for?" Chuxiu asked again.

"It has no real use; it's just very beautiful when sprinkled on a dress, and it has no scent," Shen Yu replied with a smile. "The head of the house in Fengzhou is quite thoughtful. Luminous pollen is worth its weight in gold and isn't commonly seen on the market. Especially now that the Xianghua Studio has declined, it will likely be a rare treasure from now on."

Chuxiu held the exquisitely crafted pollen box and looked at Shen Yu with a smile. "The young marquis is quite knowledgeable about a lady's belongings!"

It was meant as a joke, but Shen Yu’s expression turned somewhat awkward. He had been a frequent visitor to brothels in the past and had used such rare trifles to deceive the hearts of many women. If one were to talk about rouge and powder, silks and satins, or even jewelry, he was indeed very experienced.

Hearing Chuxiu’s teasing now, Shen Yu wanted to bite off his own tongue. He knew she meant no harm, but... he actually hoped she would be a little displeased, as it would at least mean she cared and was jealous. However, he was disappointed; she was merely teasing, and nothing more.

Chuxiu continued to stare intently at the luminous pollen in her hand, as if she had taken an interest in it. Shen Yu, however, felt his spirits dampen. Just as he was about to start another conversation, he saw Zhuying hurry in again, her expression grave. Seeing that Shen Yu was present, she did not hold back and reported truthfully, "Madam, Young Marquis, the Second Master... he has passed away."

Passed away! What did that mean...

Chuxiu and Shen Yu stood up in unison. "What happened?"

Zhuying’s expression was solemn. "After his punishment, the Second Master recovered for two months, but then he spent his days drinking and listening to music outside; even the Second Concubine couldn't control him. It was said that because Ruoyan’s belly was growing larger, they were preparing for her to officially enter the family in the first lunar month. But somehow, the Second Master didn't return all night last night, and this morning, when the Second Concubine sent people to look for him, they discovered that the Second Master had been... beaten to death."

"Beaten to death?" Chuxiu found it hard to believe. "He is the Second Young Master of the Yun estate; who would dare beat him to death?"

Zhuying shook her head. "I heard that the Second Master was reveling outside when someone discovered he had been castrated. The Second Master couldn't bear the humiliation and got into a fight in a fit of rage... As for who exactly beat him to death, they are still investigating."

With a "clatter," the brocade box in Chuxiu’s hand fell, and the luminous pollen scattered across the floor, some of it splashing onto the hem of her skirt. Yet she seemed unaware, sighing with a mix of tears and laughter, "Heaven has eyes, evil brings its own retribution—he is finally dead!"

Chuxiu became quite agitated as she spoke, adding, "He is finally dead! Marquis... your spirit in heaven can truly rest in peace now..."

Seeing that Chuxiu was emotionally unstable, Shen Yu quickly stepped forward, took hold of her arm, and urged her to calm down. "Don't be so agitated, steady your heart first..."

Before he could finish, Danxin also ran in hurriedly. "Madam! Word has come from Jinlu Hall—Ruoyan has gone mad." She paused and then added, "This time, it is real madness."