Chapter 166: Xie Jingyu Demoted
The He family, absent for over twenty years, instantly became the talk of the town in the capital.
"That fifth-rank official Xie from the Xie family had children with the eldest daughter of the Yun family before their marriage. I heard those children were born to the daughter of a disgraced official."
"You still don't know? The children of that disgraced official's daughter—one became Princess Anjing, and another entered the Imperial College. Truly remarkable."
"Prince Anjing married his princess less than a month before plotting rebellion. It's hard not to suspect the princess whispering in his ear."
"If the eldest young master Xie stays in the Imperial College much longer, won't all the students there be influenced to commit patricide or matricide?"
"A person like him is unworthy of being a son, unworthy of education, and unworthy of living."
"The Xie family harboring such evil spirits in their household is truly disgusting."
"Poor Lady Xie, kept in the dark and implicated... so pitiful..."
"..."
Crowds gathered outside the Xie residence, throwing rotten leaves, rotten eggs, and small stones...
The main gate of the Xie residence remained tightly shut.
Even the servants inside were gossiping.
Recently, the Xie family's funds had run dry, and their monthly stipends had been delayed by several days. Resentment had been brewing among them.
Now that disaster had struck the Xie family, aside from a few loyal servants, the rest huddled together, discussing previously unnoticed details.
"No wonder Concubine He was so close to the young masters and young lady..."
"No wonder the master treated Concubine He differently..."
"I always said Concubine He's death was suspicious..."
The concubines gathered, exchanging bewildered glances, unable to believe what they were hearing.
"I've long suspected Concubine He was the biological mother of the eldest young master, second young master, and eldest young lady..." Ting Yu spoke up, "But now that's irrelevant. What matters is that the eldest young master is the descendant of a disgraced official and committed matricide. I'm afraid..."
"What will become of our Xie family?" Jiang Yiniang asked, her face pale. "Will the master be implicated?"
Tao Yiniang, clutching her child, said bitterly, "He Shi is nothing but a scourge. Why did she seduce the master? Why did she ruin our Xie family..."
As mere concubines, the three had no say in family deliberations and could only wait anxiously outside the ancestral hall.
Xie Jingyu knelt inside the ancestral hall.
Xie Zhongcheng had ordered him to kneel before the ancestral tablets and confess everything from beginning to end.
Xie Jingyu, frail and weak, half-knelt and half-sat, his voice hoarse: "When I met her, I didn't know she was from the He family..."
"Then why did you continue the affair after learning her surname was He? Why bring her into the Xie family!" Xie Zhongcheng was furious, his head spinning. "Why hide such an important matter from me? Why was I kept in the dark... How did things come to this! Jingyu, Shi'an, speak! What should we do? What can we do?"
Xie Shi'an lay prostrate on the ground.
Usually clever, he could think of no solution now.
He didn't know what silver tongue could persuade the emperor to accept a disgraced official's descendant in the Imperial College.
"W-wife..." Xie Jingyu looked at Yun Chu, "You knew early on that He Shi was from the He family, yet you chose to stay with our Xie family. I know you must have a way to resolve this..."
All eyes turned to Yun Chu.Yun Chu stood coldly, her gaze sweeping over the ancestral tablets of the Xie family before she slowly shook her head. "This matter is beyond my ability to resolve."
Having said this, she turned and walked out of the ancestral hall.
"Chu'er, don't go..." Yuan Shi grabbed her sleeve. "You're the only sensible person left in the Xie family now. You can't abandon us. Please think of something to help An Ge'er through this crisis first..."
Yun Chu pulled her sleeve free and continued walking out without looking back.
"She's afraid of being implicated by our Xie family! Afraid the Yun family will face criticism too!" Xie Zhongcheng roared angrily. "That indifferent attitude of hers shows she's determined to seek divorce! Jingyu, I'm telling you - no matter what, don't grant her a divorce agreement! Not even a letter of repudiation! She shall remain bound to our Xie family's fate forever!"
Yun Chu, who had reached the courtyard, smiled faintly upon hearing these words.
The Xie family still couldn't see the reality of their situation even now...
The Xie family members debated in the ancestral hall throughout the night without reaching any conclusion.
The next morning, Xie Jingyu arranged for a carriage to immediately send Xie Shi'an back to their ancestral home in Jizhou to avoid the storm.
As long as the green hills remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood - the priority was to weather this crisis first.
However, just as the carriage was prepared, the main gate of the Xie residence was knocked upon.
Xie Jingyu's figure swayed unsteadily. "The court wouldn't act this quickly. We shouldn't frighten ourselves."He moved forward, his left leg already beyond his control, dragging it along with his right leg as he struggled to reach the main gate and ordered the servant to open it."
Facing them was a young eunuch holding an imperial edict.
"The Xie family shall receive the decree!"
Everyone hurriedly knelt in the courtyard.
"By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor decrees: Xie Shi'an, eldest son of the Xie family, concealed his identity as descendant of the He family to enter the Imperial College, committing the crime of deceiving the sovereign. He shall be imprisoned for further investigation!"
Two guards stepped forward, seized Xie Shi'an, placed a cangue around his neck, and began escorting him away.
"An Ge'er! No!"
Yuan Shi couldn't help but weep loudly, rising to chase after them.
"The imperial decree has not been fully read! Rising midway shows great disrespect to the Emperor!" the young eunuch coldly rebuked. "Xie Jingyu, Director of the Ministry of Revenue, took a daughter of the He family as Concubine and concealed this for over ten years, violating the laws of this dynasty... According to law, he shall be dismissed from office, demoted to commoner, fined thirty thousand taels of silver, and all Xie descendants shall be permanently barred from imperial examinations and official appointments! So ordered!"
The young eunuch closed the edict and said coldly, "If the thirty thousand taels of silver cannot be raised within one month, Lord Xie will need to repair city walls in the border regions to repay the debt through labor."
"Pfft!"
Xie Jingyu clutched his chest, spat out dark blood, and fainted directly.
"Yes, yes, we will definitely raise the silver!" Yuan Shi wept bitterly. "Esteemed eunuch, may we ask where our An Ge'er will be imprisoned? Can we visit him? Is there any room for reconsideration in this matter?"
"He committed the crime of deceiving the sovereign! That he wasn't sentenced to beheading shows the Emperor's mercy!" the young eunuch said with full contempt. "If you had known today's outcome, why did you act as you did?"
The decree-bearing party left, taking Xie Shi'an with them.
On the main street, many onlookers threw rotten vegetables and spoiled eggs at Xie Shi'an.
Xie Shi'an's face showed complete numbness.
He had thought that by forcing his birth mother to death, this secret would remain unknown, and he could advance in court without hindrance.
But he was wrong...
One wrong step led to countless others.
His life... was over.Yuan Shi covered her mouth, weeping uncontrollably. Even Xie Zhongcheng, a grown man, had red-rimmed eyes. Seeing Xie Jingyu lying on the courtyard ground, he snapped coldly: "What are you lot standing around for? Help him up immediately and fetch a physician!"
The servants exchanged glances, then unanimously turned and walked away without hesitation.
With the Xie family in such a state, why would they remain? Wait to have their monthly stipends withheld?
When one servant packed their belongings and left, the others followed suit. In the end, only one or two trusted aides remained by their masters' side.
Yet at Sheng Residence, everyone from the first-class maids to the lowliest cleaning women at the gate remained perfectly in place.
It became evident that the servants of Sheng Residence and those of the Xie Manor had always existed in separate worlds...
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