Wei Yun remained kneeling, his head bowed, not daring to lift it.
Chu Yu stood before the coffins, her hand resting on the pitch-black wood, silent.
Though Wei Yun hadn’t specified whose remains lay in each coffin, their placement followed ceremonial rules. Wei Zhong, as the Marquis of National Stability, naturally occupied the front row alone, while Wei Yun, as the heir, was positioned behind and to the left of Wei Zhong’s coffin.
From the distant streets came the muffled sounds of weeping. Chu Yu’s hand trembled slightly. Just as she was about to speak, a heart-wrenching cry pierced the air: "Sixth Brother!"
Wang Lan could no longer restrain herself. Lifting her skirts, she rushed down the steps toward the last row of coffins.
Still pregnant, she startled her maids, who hurried to support her. But Wang Lan moved swiftly, throwing herself onto a coffin and wailing with utter despair.
This outburst seemed to break an unspoken taboo. No longer holding back, the crowd erupted into sobs—some soft and choked, others loud and unrestrained. In an instant, the entire Wei Manor and the streets beyond were filled with the sound of weeping.
Jiang Chun had already wept—had already died inside, in a way. So now, she managed to remain composed. With reddened eyes, she approached Chu Yu and said hoarsely, "Young Madam, the Seventh Young Master is still kneeling."
Chu Yu snapped out of her daze and turned to help Wei Yun up. "Seventh Young Master, please rise."
But Wei Yun didn’t move. Chu Yu hesitated, then whispered, "Seventh Young Master?"
Wei Yun said nothing. His other knee touched the ground, shifting from a single-knee kneel to a full prostration.
Chu Yu froze as the young man bowed deeply before her.
"Sister-in-law," he rasped, "Xiao Qi failed his promise. I didn’t bring Eldest Brother back."
Before leaving, he had vowed that if Wei Jun lost even a single strand of hair, he would return with his own head. Yet here he stood, unharmed, while the coffins of his family lay before him.
His body trembled slightly, and at last, like the young man he was, he choked out, "Sister-in-law... I’m sorry..."
Before he could finish, he felt a hand rest atop his head.
Though slender, the hand was warm. Chu Yu’s gentle voice reached him: "It’s all right. I’m just glad Xiao Qi returned safely."
Wei Yun looked up in surprise, meeting the woman’s tear-filled gaze. Her eyes were strong yet tender, radiating a quiet strength that stood out starkly amid the surrounding wails.
As he watched her, she suddenly stood and smiled at him. "Rise now. After such a long journey, you must first pass through the Fire Basin."
With that, she called for attendants to bring the Fire Basin and helped Wei Yun to his feet.
But at that very moment, the sound of galloping horses approached. Wei Yun and Chu Yu looked up simultaneously to see a dozen officials from the Court of Judicial Review, clad in official robes, reining in their horses before Wei Manor.
Wei Yun clenched his fists. The crowd recoiled in shock—maids hurried to pull Wang Lan aside, and the other young madams who had been weeping over the coffins swiftly retreated.
The leader, a man no older than thirty, sat astride his horse, glaring coldly at Wei Yun as he raised an Imperial Decree. "By order of the Court of Judicial Review, the fugitive Wei Yun is to be apprehended!" With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Seize him!"
The moment the words left his lips, the officials surged forward.
Wei Qiu and the guards sprang into action, drawing their swords against the surrounding soldiers. "Cao Yan!" Wei Qiu roared. "What nonsense are you spouting?"As he spoke, Wei Qiu looked at the standing coffin, his sword hand trembling slightly: "Our Wei Manor is filled with loyal martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation. How can there be any reason to arrest the only remaining young master?! Don’t push us too far!"
Cao Yan was the youngest son of the Cao family. Years ago, the Caos had sent their eldest son to the battlefield under the Guardian Army, but he was executed for violating military discipline. Thus, when the Wei family fell into misfortune, Cao Yan, then at the Dali Temple, immediately took charge of arresting Wei Yun.
The enmity between the Cao and Wei families was well-known throughout the court. With Cao Yan present, everyone naturally assumed he was deliberately making things difficult.
Hearing Wei Qiu’s words, Cao Yan sneered coldly: "What are you? This is an Imperial Decree personally written by His Majesty! Your Wei family, greedy for glory, caused the deaths of seventy thousand elite troops of Great Chu in White Emperor Valley. Did you think the matter would vanish just because they died? Wei Yun," Cao Yan raised his voice, "if you know what’s good for you, don’t resist, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
Wei Yun remained silent, lifting his gaze to Chu Yu.
Amidst the panic of the crowd, this woman had remained composed and unruffled. When he looked at her, she simply said, "Step over this Fire Basin to dispel the ill fortune, and you can enter the house."
"Eldest sister-in-law..."
His voice was hoarse, but Chu Yu grasped his wrist and led him across the Fire Basin.
Then she took the mugwort and gently patted it over his body.
Everyone fell silent, watching as Chu Yu acted as if nothing had happened—merely welcoming a wanderer home by sprinkling Mugwort Water over Wei Yun’s head, then taking a wine cup from the side and handing it to him.
"Though you did not return victorious, I prepared this Triumphal wine when you departed. Since you’ve returned, drink it now."
Chu Yu held the cup with both hands, her voice gentle.
Cao Yan frowned and shouted angrily, "Wei Yun!"
Wei Yun ignored him, his eyes fixed on the woman offering the wine.
He had thought that upon returning home, he would face devastation, the wails of his family, and the burden of supporting the Wei family alone.
But instead, he could still step over the Fire Basin to dispel misfortune, just as in the past—even drink a cup of Triumphal wine, as if his father and brothers were still here.
In his youth, his father and brothers had forbidden him from drinking. Now, if he did not drink this wine, no one else would.
He took the cup and downed it in one gulp.
Finally exasperated, Cao Yan roared, "Wei Yun, are you defying the Imperial Decree? Nan City Army, are you standing there to shelter the Wei family?!"
At Cao Yan’s words, the Nan City Army, who had remained silent until now, could no longer pretend to be uninvolved. Their leader took a deep breath, extended his hand, and respectfully gestured to Wei Yun, saying, "Seventh Young Master, please don’t make this difficult for us."
Wei Yun glanced at him, then at Chu Yu, and finally nodded.
He reached out and allowed them to place the shackles on him.
Despite the dozens of pounds of shackles weighing him down, he still stood tall and straight. Cao Yan had someone bring over the prisoner’s carriage and sneered at Wei Yun, "Seventh Young Master, shall we go?"
Wei Yun said nothing. He turned to look at the plaque of Wei Manor, his gaze settling on Chu Yu.
"The Wei family... I leave in your care, eldest sister-in-law."
"Don’t worry." Chu Yu nodded, her voice calm and firm. "As long as I’m here, the Wei family will be safe."
Wei Yun pressed his lips together but added, "Eldest sister-in-law, take care of yourself as well."As he spoke, his gaze swept over the several young madams standing nearby, and he raised his voice: "The dead cannot be brought back to life; it is the living who matter most. Sisters-in-law, please do not grieve too deeply. Our brothers in the afterlife would wish for you to take good care of yourselves."
Chu Yu had not informed Wei Yun of the family's internal conflicts, only mentioning the whereabouts of Liang Shi and Liu Xueyang. Wei Yun remained unaware of the discord among the women in the household and was still concerned that his sisters-in-law might be overwhelmed by grief over losing their husbands.
Upon hearing this, Third Madam Zhang Han turned her head away, covering her face with a handkerchief as she began to sob quietly.
Even Yao Jue couldn't help but redden her eyes.
However, both she and Xie Jiu came from prominent families and were already well aware of the Wei family's precarious situation. They dared not involve themselves further, especially since the Yao Family and the Wei Family were already at odds. Moreover, Yao Jue's bond with her husband was far less profound compared to the other young madams.
Yet, the sight of loyal souls laid to rest would stir pity in anyone with a shred of conscience.
Hearing Wei Yun's words, the steward looked uneasy, casting a glance at Chu Yu, fearing she might choose this moment to lodge a complaint. Instead, Chu Yu smiled and said to Wei Yun, "There's no need for you to worry. Take good care of yourself in prison. We are your elders and more resilient than you think."
Reassured, Wei Yun nodded and boarded the prison cart.
Cao Yan's expression had already darkened considerably. He urged the guards impatiently, "Take him to the heavenly prison!"
Wei Yun sat cross-legged in the cart. As he turned his back to the women of his family, the vulnerability and concern he had shown earlier vanished, replaced by an air of serene composure.
As the prison cart began to move slowly, he suddenly cried out, "The Wei family is wronged! My father and brothers are innocent!"
"Silence him!" Cao Yan's face twisted in anger as he lashed out with his whip. "Shut up!"
Seeing the whip raised, Jiang Chun instinctively grabbed it. Feeling the resistance, Cao Yan turned and, upon recognizing Jiang Chun, narrowed his eyes. "Second Madam?"
"Good, very good," he sneered, his gaze sweeping over the assembled women of the Wei family. "Your Wei Manor is doing splendidly! Where is your First Madam?!"
No one answered. Cao Yan raised his voice, "Is there no one in charge of the Wei family now? Or is the current head of the Wei family someone too cowardly to even show their face?!"
"The First Madam is away visiting relatives. For now, the Wei household is under my temporary management."
Chu Yu stepped forward, her hands folded gracefully in front of her as she bowed slightly. "Second Madam has just suffered the loss of her husband and is momentarily distraught. I beg your forgiveness, sir."
Cao Yan's eyes lingered on Chu Yu, scrutinizing her for a moment before he said slowly, "The eldest daughter of the Chu family? You've just married in and haven't even met your husband yet, have you?"
At these words, the expressions of everyone present darkened. Even Xie Jiu, standing to the side, felt the sting of this blatant humiliation.
Yet Chu Yu's expression remained unchanged, as if this were merely an ordinary question. Calmly, she replied, "That is correct."
Cao Yan studied Chu Yu, then chuckled as if recalling something. "I've heard that the eldest young miss is exceptionally bright and always knows which way the wind blows. Do you realize, young miss, that the Wei family is now convicted of crimes?" He lifted his head, eyeing the white funeral flowers adorning the Wei family's ancestral hall, and clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk. To grant them such dignity—isn't that inappropriate?"
"You—" Yao Jue could no longer contain herself and burst out, but Xie Jiu swiftly pulled her back, whispering urgently, "Have you forgotten what your father and brothers told you? Hold back. Soon, you and I will have nothing more to do with the Wei Manor!"
Yao Jue pressed her lips together and turned away, unwilling to watch any longer.She wanted to leave, yet for some reason, with Chu Yu standing there, her feet refused to move.
Her gaze lingered on Chu Yu, watching as the latter calmly countered Cao Yan: "Has Wei Manor been officially convicted yet?"
Cao Yan's expression shifted slightly as Chu Yu continued, "Since the case is still under investigation and they are not yet convicted criminals, having dedicated their lives to defending our nation on the battlefield, don't they deserve a dignified burial?"
"Is the young mistress truly unable to comprehend my words, or is she feigning ignorance?"
Cao Yan spoke through gritted teeth, suddenly stepping closer to her and lowering his voice: "The Wei family has no male heirs left—only a fourteen-year-old boy. Does Miss Chu truly intend to remain a widow for Wei Jun?!"
Chu Yu lifted her head, meeting Cao Yan's gaze with composure. Seeing her wavering expression, he pressed on: "You must be aware of my grievances with the Wei family. Given my close ties with your father, if you grant me this small courtesy, I won’t make things difficult for you."
Hearing this, Chu Yu let out a soft sigh and slightly lowered her head.
"Since you and my father are close, I ask that you grant me this favor—allow my father-in-law and brothers-in-law to be buried in peace."
Cao Yan sneered, straightening up and waving his hand toward the coffins behind him. "Smash them!"
Wei Qiu drew his sword in fury. "How dare you!"
"A mere servant of convicted traitors dares to draw his sword?!" Cao Yan glared at Wei Qiu and ordered his men, "Seize this insolent slave!"
"Lord Cao!"
Chu Yu raised her voice, stepping forward to stand between the coffins and Wei Qiu. She fixed her gaze on Cao Yan. "Must you push this matter to the extreme?"
"And what if I do? What can you possibly do about it?"
"Lord Cao, if word of your actions today reaches the Emperor's ears, what then?"
At this, Cao Yan burst into laughter. "Do you truly believe the Emperor would still care about the Wei family now?"
"Then test that theory." Chu Yu remained before the coffins, her eyes locked onto him. "Today, as long as I stand here, if you wish to touch my father-in-law and brothers-in-law's coffins, you'll have to step over my corpse."
Her hands tucked into her sleeves, her expression serene, she added, "This humble widow dares not raise a hand against you, Lord Cao. Whether you choose to kill or punish me, I submit to your will."
"It all depends," Chu Yu's gaze lingered on Cao Yan, "on how much value you place on Chu Yu's life."
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