Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 163: Xie Ping Guards the Imperial Mausoleum

The dungeon was dark and damp.

Xie Ping had been imprisoned here for three full days. Even when rats scurried past her feet, she showed no reaction.

She kept wondering why she had ended up in such a situation... Ultimately, it was her own greed that brought her here. She had wanted to climb higher, to become Princess Consort, to stand at the pinnacle, never imagining the fall would be so painful.

She still remembered how, before her marriage was finalized, her mother had asked if she truly wished to marry into the princely household.

Her mother had said she would give her one more chance to choose, and no matter what she decided, her mother would always stand by her.

But now, why wasn't her mother here?

She longed to see her mother, to ask her what she should do...

Xie Ping hugged her knees, weeping silently.

Just then, she heard footsteps approaching from afar. She remained motionless, leaning against the wall.

Those imprisoned here were all heinous criminals. Every day, several were taken out to be executed publicly.

She didn't know when her turn would come.

"Clang!"

The sound of a lock opening echoed right beside her.

She looked up and saw two figures cloaked in black entering her cell.

The two removed their hoods.

Her eyes instantly lit up with joy: "Father! An Ge'er! You've finally come to see me!"

Xie Jingyu looked at her: "You've suffered greatly, haven't you?"

Tears immediately streamed down Xie Ping's face: "It's been unbearable, truly unbearable here. Father, please find a way to get me out. I can't stay in this wretched place any longer."

"Elder Sister, these are your favorite dishes and pastries." Xie Shi'an opened a food box and placed it on the ground. "We have half an hour to speak. Elder Sister, eat first."

Since being imprisoned, Xie Ping had only been given one bowl of porridge per day—moldy porridge at that—which was nearly impossible to swallow. She was utterly famished.

Forgetting all etiquette and upbringing, she grabbed the food and shoved it into her mouth, eating ravenously and gulping down water. Only when her stomach was filled did she finally feel somewhat relieved.

"Ping'er, the charges against Anjing Prince have been confirmed. As his Princess Consort, you cannot escape unscathed," Xie Jingyu began. "Once the funeral arrangements for Anjing Prince and Consort De are concluded, it will be your execution day."

Xie Ping sobbed, "Father, I don't want to die. I'm only thirteen. My life has barely begun..."

"I ask you only one question." Xie Jingyu's voice was hoarse to the extreme, his throat aching as he spoke, but he had to continue. "Do you wish to cling to a shameful existence or die with purpose?"

Xie Ping froze abruptly: "W-what does that mean?"

"Anjing Prince is dead. As the widow of a rebel, do you think you can live peacefully?" Xie Shi'an looked down at the rats in the corner. "Believe me, even if His Majesty spares your life, the remaining followers of Anjing Prince will not let you go. Consort De's family will make things difficult for you, and the scorn from the common folk will be enough to drown you. From then on, you would only live like a rat, surviving in the shadows, clinging to a miserable existence."

"So, you're saying I should die?" Tears still stained Xie Ping's face, but a faint smile touched her lips. "You are my closest family. Do you truly wish for me to die so soon?""Consort De's suicide not only avoided punishment, but the Emperor even preserved her title and arranged her burial in the imperial mausoleum according to her rank. Commoners praise Consort De for her great love and righteousness." Xie Jingyu looked at her. "Consort De serves as a model you should emulate."

Xie Ping pointed at the empty food containers on the floor: "I never had any choice, did I? You... had already poisoned the food?"

Xie Shi'an shook his head: "The Xie family killing you versus you taking your own life to prove your loyalty - the implications are entirely different."

"Ping'er, I still remember the day you were born, when numerous magpies flew to our home. Your first cries brought me the joy of fatherhood for the very first time." Xie Jingyu said softly. "Your first word was 'father.I held your hand as you learned to walk, I taught you to read 'The Beginning of Humanity'... You were my most beloved child, sharing the same blood as me. In this world, the one who loves you most is me... But, one cannot live solely for their children. The family is the foundation. The Xie family has struggled so hard to reach the capital - we cannot let it collapse... Ping'er, you're a good child. As your father, I know you will make the right choice."

Tears streamed down Xie Ping's face.

"Alright, it's getting late. We should take our leave now."

Xie Shi'an supported Xie Jingyu as they walked out of the prison cell, their footsteps fading into the distance.

Xie Ping covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.

She feared pain, she feared death, she was terrified beyond measure, yet she had no alternative...

With trembling hands, she reached for the hairpin on her head, only to remember it had been confiscated by the guards when she was imprisoned...

Her eyes fell upon the porridge bowl on the floor. She smashed it with a crash, picked up a shard, and pressed it against her neck. The moment it barely pierced her skin, the pain made her cry out loudly.

She repeatedly tried to mentally prepare herself.

Unaware, dawn arrived.

Footsteps approached her cell and stopped outside. The lock clicked open as two guards entered and dragged her to her feet.

"What are you doing?"

Xie Ping's voice trembled.

Were they taking her to the Meridian Gate for execution now?

She should have died bravely on her own terms, not suffer the misery of decapitation...

"Stay still!" a guard snapped coldly. "By the Emperor's decree, you are to guard Prince Anjing's tomb. You shall never set foot outside the imperial mausoleum for the rest of your life!"

Xie Ping struggled violently: "No, I won't go!"

After previous emperors' deaths, many palace consorts sent to guard imperial mausoleums had committed suicide rather than endure the humiliation.

The reasons for such disgrace were twofold: first, the harsh living conditions where even daily meals weren't guaranteed, requiring them to do everything themselves - these consorts were delicate flowers raised in luxury, how could they bear such hardship?

Second, since imperial mausoleums were perpetually under construction, the sites were populated entirely by men - either eunuchs or guards. Women guarding tombs without protection would naturally face abuse.

If even consorts guarding previous emperors' tombs met such fates, as the widow of a rebel, she would likely suffer even more inhuman treatment.

"You have no choice in the matter!"

The two guards dragged her out of the prison and shoved her into a carriage.

News of Xie Ping being sent to guard Prince Anjing's tomb quickly reached the Xie family.

Xie Jingyu smashed a cup in fury: "She truly couldn't bring herself to end it! I should have strangled her with a rope to spare the Xie family this shame... cough cough cough!""My lord, please calm your anger." Ting Yu quickly fed him the medicine, "You should focus on recovering your health first before attending to these matters..."

Xie Jingyu drank the medicine in one gulp.

His illness had nearly recovered, but when the Anjing Prince's residence encountered trouble, his emotions surged, causing a relapse. His body had become extremely weak.

He truly had no energy to worry about these matters anymore. After drinking the medicine, he lay down to rest.

Ting Yu covered him with the quilt and went anxiously to Sheng Residence to find Yun Chu.

"Madam, the master's illness seems to be getting worse..." Worry clouded her brow, "Would Madam consider inviting that old imperial physician Qin for another consultation?"

Yun Chu set down the account book and looked up, "Does Concubine Yu know how much silver it costs to invite the old imperial physician once?"

"No matter how much silver it costs, we must treat him." Ting Yu lowered her head, "Money can be earned again, but if we lose the person, we lose everything."

Yun Chu threw the account book over, "Take a careful look, Concubine Yu. How much silver remains in our Xie residence's public accounts?"

As the head maid of the general's household, Ting Yu was literate and could do calculations. When she saw the final balance, she was shocked—the Xie family's accounts held only slightly over a thousand taels of silver.

The monthly stipends for the entire residence alone amounted to several hundred taels, plus daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, and salt—monthly expenses reached at least a thousand taels. This meant the Xie family's silver could only sustain them for one more month.