Chapter 267: Xie Shi'an's Breakdown
"Xie Shi'an, leave. There's no need for you to come again."
Yun Chu closed her eyes, unwilling to say more.
Xie Shi'an felt as if his heart were being gripped by a large hand, making it hard to breathe.
It was also like a heavy stone that had been hanging over his heart had finally fallen—he and his mother had finally reached this point.
Although it was expected, it was still hard to accept.
"I admit I'm selfish..." he began with difficulty. "After Mother left the Xie family, I've always felt guilty, which is why I often came to see her. Even though we're no longer mother and son, a day as a mother means a lifetime as a mother. I've always wanted to honor her properly..."
"No need," Yun Chu interrupted coldly. "I'm going to the Yun family. Do as you please."
She descended the steps, the gate to the residence closed, and her carriage slowly disappeared at the end of the alley.
Xie Shi'an stared ahead with an unreadable expression, standing in place lost in thought for a long time before finally walking away.
He went to a shop on the main street that sold brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. This shop had been purchased with the silver Ting Yu gave him, and business had been decent since it opened.
However, as soon as he stepped through the door, an inkstone came flying at him.
He quickly dodged, and the inkstone shattered on the ground. Lifting his gaze, he saw the shop in complete disarray, with two shop assistants cowering in a corner, trembling. The Sixth Prince sat on a chair, his foot propped up on a stack of Xuan paper, looking utterly arrogant.
Xie Shi'an's heart sank.
Back when he studied at the Imperial Academy in the palace, the Sixth Prince had often led others in bullying him.
Now, even in his current state, was the Sixth Prince still not letting him go?
"One-eyed Xie, what are you looking at?" The Sixth Prince hurled another inkstone at him. "Do you believe I'll gouge out your other eye too?"
Xie Shi'an could have dodged this inkstone, but the Sixth Prince's lackey held his shoulders down. Fortunately, the inkstone was poorly aimed and only hit his shoulder. Thanks to his thick cotton clothing, it didn't hurt much, but the humiliation of being at someone's mercy filled Xie Shi'an with rage, and he pressed his lips tightly together.
"I've taken a liking to this shop," the Sixth Prince sneered. "Where's the deed?"
Xie Shi'an was incredulous, but he feigned submission. "Your Highness is a son of heaven—why seize this commoner's last means of survival? I beg Your Highness to show mercy..."
"Hahaha, did you all hear that? Xie Shi'an is actually begging!" The Sixth Prince laughed heartily. "If you're going to beg, you should do it properly. Kneel down and lick my shoes clean, and I'll let you off."
Xie Shi'an's face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Before he could react, the back of his head was forced down, and his entire face was pressed against the Sixth Prince's shoe.
He clung to his last shred of dignity, refusing to open his mouth even if it meant death.
"Doesn't Xie Shi'an look just like a dog?" The Sixth Prince slapped Xie Shi'an's head hard. "How about we put up a sign at the shop entrance that says, 'Xie Shi'an and dogs are not allowed'?"
"Hahaha, brilliant idea, Your Highness!"
"That's a great plan."
Mocking laughter exploded around him. Then, Xie Shi'an felt himself being hauled up, searched, and the deed taken from him before he was thrown out of the shop.
Standing on the street, he stared at the shop, despair overflowing from his eyes.He had schemed so much, and Ting Yu had lost her life for it. The shop he had worked so hard to obtain was just taken away like that.
He hated it.
He hated it to the extreme.
Why was he born as dust?
Why were some born as good-for-nothings yet into royalty?
Why was it so unfair?
Why?!
He walked back to the Xie residence in despair.
Upon arriving home, San Jiu rushed up to him: "Eldest Young Master, it's terrible! Second Young Master went to your bedroom—I don't know what he's planning to do..."
Xie Shi'an snapped back to reality and hurried to his courtyard.
He saw his bedroom door tightly shut, with chaotic crashing sounds coming from inside.
He kicked the door open and found Xie Shiwei rummaging through his room. The quilts and pillows from the bed had been tossed onto the floor.
"What are you doing?" Xie Shi'an demanded angrily.
Xie Shiwei looked completely unbothered: "I know your shop made some money. I'm your own brother—is it too much to ask for a little cash?"
Xie Shi'an slapped him across the face without hesitation: "This is stealing!"
Caught off guard by the slap, Xie Shiwei was furious: "What right do you have to hit me? It's because of you that Mother abandoned the Xie family! It's all your fault! Everything that's happened to our family is because of you!"
The only reason he was willing to return to the Xie family was because his mother was there.
But now she was gone—driven away by his own eldest brother. He was truly heartbroken...
"Fire! There's a fire!"
San Jiu screamed from outside.
The two arguing brothers froze for a moment before rushing out of the room.
They saw thick black smoke rising from the roof of their late father's courtyard, and the flames were visibly growing stronger.
"Put out the fire! Hurry!" Xie Shi'an shouted, losing his composure for the first time.
That was his father's study. The Xie family had been scholars since his great-grandfather's generation. The study contained books accumulated over generations, including many rare ancient texts.
As a scholar, he knew how precious these books were—whether passed down to future generations or sold in desperate times, they were invaluable treasures.
How could they be allowed to perish in flames?
He rushed to help put out the fire, but when he reached Xie Jingyu's study, he saw Xie Shiyun standing there with a strange smile on his face.
He also noticed that Xie Shiyun's palms were blackened, clearly from handling charcoal.
His face darkened immediately: "Did you start the fire?"
"Elder Brother, look how beautiful the flames are," Xie Shiyun's smile widened. "It would be even better if the entire Xie residence burned down."
"You're insane!"
Xie Shi'an grabbed Xie Shiyun by the throat.
"I—I am insane..." Xie Shiyun, not yet five years old, had an unnaturally mature look in his eyes. "You drove my Concubine to her death. I want the whole family to join my Concubine... Cough, cough..."
"An Ge'er, what are you doing!" Yuan Shi rushed over and rescued Xie Shiyun. "You nearly strangled Yun Ge'er! Have you gone mad?"
"Who's the one who's mad? Who?!"Xie Shi'an stared at the increasingly uncontrollable fire and screamed in despair." "I just wanted to help the Xie family stand tall again! I wanted to restore our family to its former glory! I wanted every member of the Xie family to live a life of privilege! Was I wrong? Tell me, where did I go wrong?!"
As he shouted, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
"An Ge'er, let's return to Jizhou. Let's go back!" Yuan Shi also began to cry. "It's too difficult here in the capital. Your grandmother can barely hold on any longer..."Xie Shi'an shook his head violently. "No, I won't go back. I'd rather die in the capital than leave!"
After saying this, he stumbled out in a rush.
Yuan Shi could only dry her tears and join San Jiu and Gan Lai in fighting the fire.
Fortunately, there was a lake outside the study that blocked the spread of the flames; otherwise, the entire Xie residence would have been reduced to ashes.
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