Chapter 71: Bound by a Marriage Contract

Since the day the Grand Madam visited, Chu Xiu seemed to revert to her former self—silent, withdrawn, obedient, and wan. She applied her medicine and drank her decoctions punctually each day, never causing a fuss, nor did she shed tears of sorrow.

Shen Yu watched her, feeling both relieved and vaguely uneasy, as though she had lost her radiance and soul, leaving behind only an empty shell, a specter lingering in the world.

Time passed swiftly, and soon the seven-day mourning period for Yun Ci was coming to an end. In these days, the collateral branches of the Yun clan in Nanxi, as well as the noble families and court officials, hurried overnight to pay respects to the Marquis of Li Xin, taken from the world in his prime. The Prince Mu, residing in Fangzhou, also came in the name of the Nanxi royal family to offer his condolences; meanwhile, the collateral branches in Beixi were still on their way to Yanlan City.

It was the critical moment in the battle for Beixi’s throne. The rebel ministers were advancing northwards, having conquered three out of four provinces, and were now marching toward the imperial city, Li Du. Thus, with Yun Ci’s death, the former emperor of Beixi was preoccupied, and none of the royal kin could spare time to mourn. On the contrary, the rebel ministers, seeing victory over Beixi within reach, sent their adopted son, Chen Lang, to Yanlan City to pay respects to Yun Ci, claiming that Chen Wang and Chen Xuan were both tied to the battlefield and could not leave. Their intentions to win favor were obvious.

The simultaneous deaths of the Marquis of Li Xin and his wife in one night was truly extraordinary. To preserve the family’s reputation, the Grand Madam claimed externally that Xia Yanran, pregnant at the time, drowned—two lives lost in one tragedy; Yun Ci, grief-stricken for his beloved wife, succumbed to his longstanding illness.

Outsiders knew Yun Ci was frail and plagued by old ailments; many had heard of his deep childhood bond with Xia Yanran. Thus, the Grand Madam’s narrative fooled some, but for shrewd minds like Prince Mu, it clearly did not suffice, though she could think of no better story.

Fortunately, the Yun clan held great status, and Xie Miaodan herself commanded respect. Though some doubted the “truth,” outwardly they mourned, offering condolences.

Yet, apart from the grand funeral, a pressing matter remained—the selection of a successor for the marquisate. Yun Ci left no heirs, an indisputable fact, but the title of Marquis of Li Xin must be inherited, especially at this pivotal moment of southern and northern strife and Beixi’s internal chaos. The Yun clan’s presence was delicate, a final chess piece balancing both sides.

At this moment, neither the ruling emperor of Nanxi nor the soon-to-be emperor of Beixi desired the Yun clan’s collapse. Thus, before Yun Ci’s seven days of mourning were complete, those collateral branches who arrived first, driven by their respective factions, began to voice their concerns and even urged the Grand Madam to promptly designate a successor.

Within the Yun clan, three factions emerged:

The succession faction, advocating for Yun Ci’s siblings to inherit the title by order of seniority—thus favoring Yun Qi and Yun Xian;

The merit faction, seeking a virtuous and capable descendant within the clan to assume the marquisate;

The heir faction, supporting the direct line, proposing to select a child from a collateral branch to be adopted as Yun Ci’s heir, inheriting as a legitimate descendant.

The Grand Madam watched as family members, even as Yun Ci’s body was not yet cold and his seven days not yet over, schemed for the marquisate, and her heart grew cold. She had only one recourse—to feign utter grief.

Having managed clan affairs for over a decade, Lady Xie, devastated by her son’s death, withdrew from external affairs in her sorrow, forcing the others to restrain themselves. She observed their maneuverings in secret, her mind gradually settling on a decision.

What surprised her, however, was the unusual calm of the second and third branches regarding the succession; aside from Yun Qi quietly meeting with a few elders, the Yun household remained tranquil.

“Tonight at midnight marks the seventh day of the marquis’ passing. You must instruct the entire household to sleep clothed, and no one is to wander the grounds. Even if sleep eludes them, they must not leave their rooms,” the Grand Madam ordered the steward, Yun Zhong, in the prayer hall. Her voice, though filled with grief, sounded remarkably calm. Only the trusted Nurse Chi knew she was pretending.

It was an old Nanxi custom: on the seventh day after a person’s death, their soul would return home. If, upon return, they saw their family awake, it would cause lingering attachment and hinder their reincarnation.

Therefore, the Grand Madam commanded that tonight, at midnight, everyone in the household must sleep clothed and remain indoors.

The steward accepted and hurried to relay the orders. Just as he left, Shen Yu rushed in, saying, “Han Chu is missing!”

The Grand Madam’s hand, grasping her prayer beads, paused. Rising from her mat, she replied, “If she’s gone, what does it matter to my Yun household?”

Shen Yu grew anxious, unable to argue, only saying, “She went missing in this house—how could it be unrelated?”

The Grand Madam sneered, “How absurd! She has nothing to do with the Yun household now. I allowed her to recuperate here only because the one who injured her was Qian Yun. Now that she’s gone, is it our duty to find her?”

“Grand Madam!” Shen Yu pleaded, “She was well these past days. She said once Yun Ci’s seven days were over, she would leave with me…”

“You think I abducted her?” The Grand Madam’s cold gaze swept over him.

Shen Yu was momentarily speechless. “That’s not my meaning—I only ask if you could have the staff search for her.”

The Grand Madam seemed amused. “Today is Yun Ci’s seventh day; the whole household must avoid the halls. How could I send anyone to search? Besides, she indirectly caused Yun Ci’s death. I will never send anyone after her.”

“Grand Madam!” Shen Yu was truly desperate. “If nothing else, for Yun Ci’s sake, you cannot stand by! Besides… you brought the marriage contract yourself!”

Marriage contract? The Grand Madam’s eyes narrowed. “That contract may be Yun Ci’s keepsake, bearing their names and fingerprints, but without a witness’s signature, it is not valid.”

“Why must you press so hard!” Shen Yu could bear it no longer. Stepping forward, he asked angrily, “Yun Ci risked everything to save Han Chu’s life—how can you let his sacrifice go to waste, leaving her without peace?”

“How can I bear it? Ha!” The Grand Madam’s voice was both bitter and fierce. “How can I bear it? I wish she would die this instant, to accompany Yun Ci in death!” At that moment, the anger she had suppressed before others for days finally erupted under Shen Yu’s prodding.

“Grand Madam!” Shen Yu could barely believe it. His handsome face grew grave, his brows furrowed with worry. Looking at his friend’s mother—the revered Lady Xie of the Yun clan—he suddenly knelt, imploring, “Please, spare Han Chu. Allow her… a way to live.”

The Grand Madam was taken aback by his gesture, so she ceased her cold laughter and gazed at him, sighing, “A man’s knees are worth gold. For someone as proud as you, to kneel for a woman?”

“You are Yun Ci’s mother, matriarch of the Yun clan, and my elder. To kneel before you is only right… Besides, for Han Chu, I am willing.” Shen Yu was nearly at his breaking point, fists clenched within his sleeves, one step from bowing his head in supplication.

Willing… The Grand Madam was moved. Chu Xiu was fortunate, after all; with Yun Ci gone, she still had Shen Yu’s devotion. Now, even the proud Young Marquis Shen was willing to offend her for Chu Xiu’s sake.

“In the end, you still think I’m hiding her,” Lady Xie sighed, helpless. “She is a frail woman, wounded in the shoulder, penniless—she likely couldn’t even leave the Yun estate…”

Having said this, the Grand Madam looked at Shen Yu again, revealing her thoughts, “If you agree to one condition, I will order a search. Whether she is alive or dead, I promise you an answer.”

“What condition?” Shen Yu, sensing hope, raised his head from his kneeling position, eyes shining with undisguised eagerness.

That gaze unsettled the Grand Madam, as if she saw her son Yun Ci reborn.

They say that when two people spend enough time together, they unconsciously grow alike. She had always dismissed this as nonsense, but now, looking at her son’s friend—the one entrusted with her son’s last wishes—she found it true.

Yes! Surely her son in heaven was guiding her, approving her choice!

At this thought, she withheld nothing, stating her plan plainly: “On Yun Ci’s marriage contract, the witness’s name remains blank. I want you to stand as witness for Yun Ci and Chu Xiu, so that this contract may take effect!”