Chapter 185: He Lingying Appears in a Dream
"What strategies have you proposed for Gong Xi Prince?"
Yun Chu looked at him as she asked.
Xie Shi'an lowered his gaze: "While studying at the Imperial College, I accompanied Master Wang to pay respects to Gong Xi Prince. Under imperial orders, Gong Xi Prince has been gaining experience in the Ministry of Personnel. Over these years, he has implemented some measures, but they were merely average and never gained the Emperor's attention. So I suggested to Gong Xi Prince a plan to reform the imperial official system and address the issue of redundant personnel... This would not only mitigate officials forming cliques for personal gain but also reduce expenditures for the Ministry of Revenue..."
After listening, Yun Chu was inwardly shaken.
Xie Shi'an was not even thirteen years old, yet he could already perceive the court's situation so clearly and propose such immediately effective suggestions.
Whether this reform would truly be implemented and realized remained to be seen, but at least for now, it could earn Gong Xi Prince the Emperor's approval and distinguish him among the many princes. That was enough.
Gong Xi Prince had recognized Xie Shi'an's capabilities.
In the future, relying on Gong Xi Prince, Xie Shi'an would surely rise again.
Yun Chu was grateful she had kept one last card—Xie Shiwei...
"Mother, why did Father suddenly..." Xie Shi'an's eyes were filled with sorrow, "I didn't even get to see Father one last time, nor could I accompany him on his final journey..."
Yun Chu shook her head: "The Xie family has faced one misfortune after another. Your father couldn't bear such blows and sought solace in drink every day... It's my fault for not persuading him to stop... An Ge'er, you've just returned home, so don't dwell on this matter. Go back and rest properly. Later, I'll have someone bring you some food."
Xie Shi'an was indeed exhausted. He cupped his hands in salute, turned, and left Sheng Residence.
Dragging his heavy steps, he slowly made his way back to his own Pine Pavilion. Previously, his courtyard had two matrons, two page boys, and four maids. Now, only one page boy who had grown up with him remained.
Seeing him enter the courtyard, the lone page boy immediately came forward: "Young Master, you've finally returned. This humble one thought you..."
"San Jiu." Xie Shi'an called the page boy by name, "Since you've stayed to guard Pine Pavilion for me, from now on, we two are like brothers."
The page boy named San Jiu was deeply moved: "Young Master, you've suffered these past days. Allow this humble one to attend to your rest."
After washing up and changing into clean clothes, Xie Shi'an lay down on his bed, finally feeling truly alive again.
That dungeon—devoid of daylight, subjected to countless interrogations and torture daily—had left not a single patch of unblemished skin on his body. He had truly believed he would die.
Unexpectedly, in that darkness, a beam of light had reached him: Gong Xi Prince.
He had offered strategies to Gong Xi Prince, and in return, Gong Xi Prince had spared his life. The initial transaction was complete, but he wondered how he could truly become one of Gong Xi Prince's counselors...
As Xie Shi'an pondered this, he gradually drifted into sleep.
He didn't know how he ended up in a valley shrouded in a dark aura of death, where he saw a face—that of his birth mother, He Lingying.
His heart suddenly began to pound violently.
He had been the one to drive his mother to her death. After she died, he had never seen her in his dreams, and slowly, he had forgotten his sin.
Until now, seeing that face again, he realized he didn't dare to confront it.
No matter how calm and composed he appeared outwardly, only he knew in his heart how terrified he was to recall the details of that night.He turned and ran.
"An Ge'er..."
He heard a gentle call.
"An Ge'er, I'm your mother..." The voice grew closer. "No matter what mistakes you've made, in my heart, you'll always be the most outstanding child."
Xie Shi'an finally stopped and turned around, speaking with difficulty: "I'm sorry, Mother, I'm sorry, I was wrong, I was wrong..."
He had driven his mother to death, yet failed to secure his own future. He truly deserved to die!
"An Ge'er, you weren't wrong. You did it for the family. Mother understands everything..." He Lingying's expression suddenly changed. "Mother came tonight to tell you that the Xie family's downfall is all because of Yun Chu. You called her mother for so many years, yet she personally destroyed your future! You must never trust that woman, An Ge'er. Remember Mother's words, don't trust Yun Chu...!"
Xie Shi'an jolted awake.
It was just a dream, yet the scenes were so vivid, every word from his mother still echoing in his ears.
They say day thoughts become night dreams. Could this dream mean that deep down, he suspected his mother was involved in the Xie family's current state?
"Young Master, you're awake?"
The door to his bedroom opened, and he saw Duo Xi, the servant from Yun Chu's side, standing at the doorway.
"Young Master, Madam instructed me to bring some food and summoned a physician for you."
He stepped aside to let the physician enter.
After losing his right eye in prison, Xie Shi'an hadn't received any treatment. The wound festered and developed sores. The fever nearly took half his life, and after days of suffering, he finally pulled through, though the eye was permanently lost...
He thought he had become numb to pain.
But when the physician cleaned his eye, he still couldn't help but clench his fingers and bite down hard on his own arm.
After the physician left, Duo Xi bowed his head and said: "Madam says that as long as you're alive, there will always be a chance to rise again. She asks Young Master not to lose heart. These are the writing materials Madam prepared for you."
Xie Shi'an pressed his lips together. "Please convey my thanks to Mother on my behalf."
His mother had arranged for someone to counsel him, while he, deep inside, suspected her.
"An Ge'er."
Yuan Shi came over immediately after finishing her tasks.
Seeing Xie Shi'an had lost an eye, her eyes reddened, and she couldn't help covering her mouth to sob quietly.
"Grandmother, I'm fine." Xie Shi'an spoke. "I wanted to ask - what has Mother been busy with during my time in prison?"
Yuan Shi wiped her tears and sighed. "What else? Handling your father's funeral arrangements. When your father passed, the Xie residence was surrounded. We couldn't even go out to buy a coffin. It was your mother who went out late at night, pleading with everyone, before the officers withdrew and your father could receive a proper burial... Ah, what virtue had our Xie family accumulated to marry such a good daughter-in-law as Chu'er? Without Chu'er, the Xie family would have collapsed long ago..."
Xie Shi'an pressed his lips together without speaking.
"The Yun family elders have intervened, demanding a divorce from the Xie family. Your mother said that since she married into the Xie family, she would remain a Xie forever, never abandoning us." Yuan Shi spoke earnestly. "Your mother has no children and can never have her own. You must be filial to her, let her know that all her sincere efforts will be rewarded."
Xie Shi'an truly hadn't known about this matter.If the Xie family had become what it is today because of Mother, then since Mother had achieved her goal, why hadn't she left the Xie family?
This could only mean that the Xie family's current state had nothing to do with Mother.
Mother had given him her whole heart, yet he doubted her—he was truly an ungrateful wretch.
He looked at the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table and said softly, "Grandmother, I don't want to study anymore. I want to go into business."
His status destined him to be unable to pursue an official career.
No matter which path he took in the future, he would need money. The most urgent matter now was to earn it.
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