The dungeon was dark and damp.

Xie Ping had been confined here for a full three days. Even with rats scurrying by her feet, she no longer had any reaction.

She kept thinking about why she had ended up in such circumstances… When it came down to it, she herself had been too greedy. She had wanted to climb higher, wanted to become a princess consort, wanted to stand at the highest point, but never imagined that the fall would hurt this much.

She still remembered that before the marriage was confirmed, her mother had asked her whether she truly wanted to marry into the prince’s manor.

Her mother had said she would give her one more chance to choose, and that no matter what she chose, her mother would forever stand by her side.

But now, why wasn’t her mother here?

She desperately wanted to see her mother, desperately wanted to ask her mother what she should do…

Xie Ping hugged her knees, crying silently.

At that moment, she heard footsteps approaching from the distance. She sat leaning against the wall with no reaction.

Those confined here were all heinous criminals. Every day, several people were dragged out to be publicly executed by beheading.

She didn’t know when her turn would come.

“Clang!”

The sound of the lock opening came right by her ear.

She lifted her head and saw two people wearing black cloaks enter her cell.

The two removed the hoods from their heads.

Her eyes immediately filled with delight: “Father! An’er! You’ve finally come to see me!”

Xie Jingyu looked at her: “You haven’t suffered too much, have you?”

Xie Ping’s tears instantly fell: “It’s been so hard, this place is terrible. Father, quickly think of a way to take me out. I don’t want to stay in this hellish place anymore.”

“Elder Sister, these are your favorite dishes and pastries.” Xie Shi’an opened the food box and set it on the ground. “We have half an hour to talk. Elder Sister, eat first.”

After Xie Ping had been brought here, she only received one bowl of congee each day, and it was moldy congee at that—completely inedible. She was already starving.

She couldn’t care about etiquette or propriety. She grabbed the food and stuffed it into her mouth, eating voraciously and gulping down water. After getting food in her stomach, she finally felt much better.

“Ping’er, Prince An’jing’s crimes have been confirmed. As his princess consort, you cannot possibly escape unscathed.” Xie Jingyu spoke. “After Prince An’jing’s and Consort De’s funeral arrangements are concluded, it will be the day of your execution.”

Xie Ping cried: “Father, I don’t want to die. I’m only thirteen years old. My life has barely begun…”

“I’ll only ask you one question.” Xie Jingyu’s throat was hoarse to the extreme. When he spoke, his throat hurt, but he had to say it. “Would you rather cling desperately to life, or do you want to die a meaningful death?”

Xie Ping suddenly froze: “What—what does that mean?”

“Prince An’jing is dead. As the widow of a traitor, do you think you can live well?” Xie Shi’an lowered his head to look at the rat in the corner. “Do you believe that even if His Majesty spares your life, Prince An’jing’s remaining followers won’t let you go, and Consort De’s natal family will also make things difficult for you? And then there’s the gossip in the neighborhoods—enough to drown you. From now on, you’ll only be able to live like a rat, in darkness, barely clinging to survival.”

“So what you’re saying is I should go die?” Xie Ping’s tears were still on her face, but a smile floated onto her lips. “You’re my closest kin, and this is how much you hope I’ll die soon?”

“Consort De took her own life, and not only was she not convicted, His Majesty even preserved her title and had her buried in the imperial mausoleum according to her rank. The neighborhoods are praising Consort De’s great love and righteousness.” Xie Jingyu looked at her. “Consort De is a model. You should follow her example.”

Xie Ping pointed at the empty dishes on the ground: “I have no choice at all. You… already poisoned the food, didn’t you?”

Xie Shi’an shook his head: “The Xie family killing you versus you voluntarily using death to demonstrate your resolve—the significance is different.”

“Ping’er, I still remember the day you were born. So many magpies flew to our home. When you cried your first cry, it let me experience the joy of fatherhood for the first time.” Xie Jingyu said softly. “The first word you spoke was ‘papa.’ I held your hand as you learned to walk. I taught you the Three Character Classic… You are my most beloved child, with the same blood flowing through you as me. In this world, the person who loves you most is me… But a person living in this world cannot only think of their own children. The family clan is fundamental. The Xie family worked so hard to reach the capital—we cannot collapse… Ping’er, you’re a good child. This father knows you will definitely make the most correct choice.”

Xie Ping’s face was already streaming with tears.

“Alright, it’s getting late. We’ll leave first.”

Xie Shi’an helped Xie Jingyu up, and they walked out of the prison cell. The sound of their footsteps grew more and more distant.

Xie Ping covered her lips, sobbing uncontrollably.

She was afraid of pain, afraid of death—she was terrified. But she had no second choice…

Her hands trembling, she reached to her head for a hairpin, but suddenly remembered that her hairpin had been taken by the jailers on the day she was imprisoned…

She looked at the congee bowl on the ground, smashed it with a bang, picked up a shard, and pressed it against her own neck. The moment she pressed down just a little, the pain made her cry out.

She gave herself psychological preparation over and over again.

Before she knew it, dawn had broken.

Footsteps came from the doorway, stopping in front of her cell. The lock was opened, and two jailers came in and hauled her up.

“What are you doing?”

Xie Ping’s voice was shaking.

Were they going to drag her to the Meridian Gate for beheading now?

She should die bravely, not have her head separated from her body, dying so miserably…

“Be honest!” the jailer said coldly. “His Majesty has issued an order to send you to guard Prince An’jing’s tomb. You are never to step foot outside the imperial mausoleum for the rest of your life!”

Xie Ping suddenly struggled violently: “No—I don’t want to!”

After previous emperors died, many palace consorts were sent to guard the imperial mausoleums, and unable to bear the humiliation, they all committed suicide.

Why humiliation? First, because life was harsh—three meals a day weren’t guaranteed, and everything had to be done by oneself. Those imperial consorts were all pampered noblewomen raised on silver—how could they endure such hardship?

Second, because the imperial mausoleums were constantly under construction, and everyone there was male—either eunuchs or guards. The women guarding the tombs had no one to protect them, so they would naturally suffer violations.

Even those palace consorts who guarded tombs for previous emperors met such fates—as the widow of a traitor, she would likely suffer even more inhumane treatment.

“You don’t get a choice!”

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

The news that Xie Ping would guard the imperial mausoleum for Prince An’jing quickly spread back to the Xie family.

Xie Jingyu was so angry he smashed a cup: “She really couldn’t bear to kill herself. I should have just strangled her with a rope to save the Xie family from this disgrace… Cough, cough, cough!”

“Master, calm down.” Tingyu hastily gave him medicine. “You should first take care of your health before concerning yourself with these matters…”

Xie Jingyu drank the medicine in one gulp.

His illness had originally recovered quite well, but when Prince An’jing’s household fell into trouble, his vital energies surged in agitation, causing his condition to relapse. His body was severely weakened.

He truly didn’t have the mental energy to worry about these matters anymore. After drinking the medicine, he lay down to sleep.

Tingyu covered him with the quilt, then went worriedly to Sheng Residence to find Yun Chu.

“Madam, Master’s illness seems to be getting worse…” Her brow was furrowed with worry. “Why don’t you invite that Old Imperial Physician Qin to examine him again?”

Yun Chu set down the account book and looked up: “Does Aunt Yu know how much silver it costs to invite the old imperial physician once?”

“No matter how much silver it costs, he must be treated.” Tingyu lowered her head. “When money is gone, we can earn more. When a person is gone, there’s nothing left.”

Yun Chu tossed the account book over: “Aunt Yu, look carefully. How much silver is left in the Xie household’s public accounts?”

Tingyu had been a senior maid in the general’s household, so she naturally could read and calculate. When she looked at the final figure, she was completely shocked—the Xie family’s accounts only had just over one thousand taels of silver left.

The entire household’s monthly allowances alone amounted to several hundred taels of silver. Adding in firewood, rice, oil, and salt, they spent at least one thousand taels per month. In other words, the Xie family’s silver could only last another month.