Glory

"These poems and writings were all seized from his bedroom desk as solid evidence. We dare not conceal this matter and must report it to the Emperor. We request the gentlemen not to interfere, or they will be treated as accomplices."

"Of course, of course. Your investigation must have valid grounds, we would never question your authority. Please proceed." The scholars hastily replied. The judicial commissioner then ordered the bailiffs to collect the writings and escort Song Yifeng to the magistrate's office. Tired of hearing Song Yifeng protest his innocence, a bailiff stuffed a rag into his mouth.

Yu Shi had followed the commissioner's party and witnessed her son's arrest. Seeing him bound and marched to the magistrate's office, she wailed and lamented to the heavens.

Knowing the Emperor disliked implicating unrelated parties, and that Yu Shi clearly lacked the literacy to be involved in such literary crimes, the commissioner initially intended to leave her alone. But her disruptive behavior prompted him to order her arrest for joint interrogation.

Gagged and unable to speak, Song Yifeng could only shake his head frantically at his mother through muffled grunts.

Yu Shi finally regained her senses, realizing she could still seek help from her son's former teachers or even the Ye family if she remained free. At worst, she could at least deliver meals to her imprisoned son. But if jailed herself, all would be lost.

In the courtroom, she dared not make a scene. When Song Yifeng declared his mother innocent, she merely hung her head and wept silently, offering no defense.

Magistrate Qi Zhibei had no intention of persecuting the innocent and released Yu Shi. With irrefutable evidence against Song Yifeng, he was immediately imprisoned. Guizi was also jailed for failing to report the crime.

Regarding sentencing—whether to revoke Song Yifeng's Recommended Man status, impose penal servitude, or exile—the case documents had to be submitted to the capital. As a Recommended Man accused of literary crimes, only the Emperor could determine if he had committed lese-majesty.

Yu Shi wandered home from the magistrate's office in a daze, hoping to consult Cui Zijin about their next steps. Instead, she found the courtyard gate locked tight.

Onlookers were everywhere. Neighbors had followed the officials searching Song's residence, trailing them to the prefectural school, then to the magistrate's office, and now back again. Seeing no one home, they clustered around the landlord who stood among the crowd enthusiastically recounting events to those who had missed them.

Those who hadn't witnessed the events pressed for details, while eyewitnesses shared the full story. Upon learning Song Yifeng was imprisoned for writing rebellious poetry, the landlord blocked Yu Shi from entering, declaring: "I can't rent to you anymore. Move out immediately—don't drag me into this."

"We paid a month's rent. We haven't even lived here half a month. You can't evict us," Yu Shi insisted, pushing past to enter.

"I'll refund your month's rent if you leave now," the landlord persisted.

Ignoring him, Yu Shi drifted inside like a ghost only to find Cui Zijin's door wide open, the room appearing barren from a distance. Rushing over, she discovered only the landlord's wooden bed remained—all bedding, trunks, and Cui Zijin's personal belongings were gone.

Cui Mama's adjacent room stood equally empty.

Both chambers had been stripped clean, as if no one had ever lived there.Yu Shi's heart skipped a beat as she hurried back to her room. Seeing all the belongings still in place and seemingly untouched, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. But the tears she had held back all the way finally streamed down as she cursed under her breath, "That little slut."

How could she not understand? The moment Cui Zijin saw her son arrested by the yamen runners, she had taken her things and left.

Yu Shi slumped onto the edge of the bed, her mind blank and confused. She didn't know what to do or who to turn to for advice. After breaking off the engagement, they had no money, but with Cui Zijin and her maid added to the household, Yu Shi had sold the cook and Xiao Xiang—though in truth, Xiao Xiang was bought by Zhou Xiang's people. After purchasing her, he helped remove her slave status at the yamen, restoring her freedom.

Now Guizi had also been imprisoned.

The house was left with only her, utterly alone.

Back when the Song family had bullied and tormented her and her son, she had fled with him to Lin'an City, cutting off all contact with the Songs. Even when her son took the Licentiate exam and the Songs found out due to household registration issues, she quickly bought the house meant as compensation to the Ye family and moved, fearing that Song Yifeng's grandparents, uncles, and cousins would come to the city and cause trouble, damaging his reputation. When Song Yifeng passed the Licentiate and Recommended man exams, the Song family gained no benefits. Now that Song Yifeng was in trouble, expecting them to lend a hand was absolutely impossible.

As for the Ye family, there was no need to even consider it. Because of the broken engagement, the Ye family probably hated them bitterly. Hearing that Song Yifeng had been thrown into prison, they might even be clapping their hands in delight—how could they possibly offer money or help?

At this thought, Yu Shi covered her face and sobbed, "Wuwu..."

"Stop crying and pack your things to leave," the landlady said, waving three hundred coins in front of Yu Shi. "If you pack up and go out, I'll return these three hundred coins to you."

Someone, taking pity on Yu Shi, spoke up, "Madam Qian, why not give her a couple of days' grace? Let her leave in two days. Since the yamen released her, she likely isn't guilty. It should be fine for her to stay here a bit longer."

Madam Qian turned to the speaker, her gaze sharp. "If she gets desperate and hangs herself here, will you take responsibility?" The person immediately shrank back and fell silent.

But with Madam Qian's words, everyone understood. If Yu Shi were to hang herself in this house, Madam Qian wouldn't be able to rent it out anymore, and the loss would be significant. "If you leave right now, I'll return the three hundred coins to you—consider it half a month's free stay. If you don't leave, I won't refund the rent. After you've stayed the full month, I won't rent to you anymore, and you'll have to go then. Think it over carefully."

Yu Shi still shook her head.

She knew moving out was better than staying here.

But when they had moved, they brought all their furniture and household items. There were also her and her son's clothes, bedding, his writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and books. These were worth at least a hundred taels of silver.

She couldn't just bundle up and leave.

Besides, what if her son was released unharmed from prison? If she left, where would he find her?

Her voice hoarse, she said, "I'll stay another half month."

Madam Qian glared but had no choice. If she pushed too hard and Yu Shi took her own life, she would be the one blamed for it.

"Fine, I'll give you another half month. But remember, your son is still in jail waiting for you to bring him food. If you die, your son won't survive either."

Yu Shi nodded woodenly.

Only then did Madam Qian leave with the others.