The He family, which had disappeared for over twenty years, instantly became the talk of the town in the capital’s streets and alleys.

“That fifth-rank Lord Xie from the Xie family had children with someone before his marriage to the Yun family’s eldest daughter. I heard those children were born to a criminal’s daughter.”

“You don’t know yet? The children born to that criminal’s daughter—one became the Princess Consort of Prince An’jing, and another entered the Imperial Academy. Truly remarkable.”

“Prince An’jing murdered and rebelled less than a month after marrying his princess consort. It’s hard not to suspect that this princess consort whispered in his ear.”

“If Young Master Xie stays in the Imperial Academy any longer, won’t all the students there be influenced to commit patricide and matricide?”

“Someone like him doesn’t deserve to be a son, doesn’t deserve to study, and doesn’t deserve to live.”

“The Xie family harboring such a houseful of evil spirits is truly disgusting.”

“Poor Lady Xie, kept in the dark and implicated. So pitiful…”

“…”

Countless people gathered at the Xie residence’s gates, throwing rotten leaves, stinking eggs, and small stones…

The main gate of the Xie residence remained tightly shut.

The servants inside the residence were also gossiping.

During this period, the Xie family’s funds had run dry, and their monthly wages had been delayed by several days. Each of them had long been dissatisfied with the Xie family.

Now that the Xie family was in trouble, aside from a few loyal servants, the other servants gathered together to discuss details they hadn’t noticed before.

“No wonder Concubine He was so close to those young masters and young ladies…”

“No wonder the lord treated Concubine He differently…”

“I said all along that Concubine He’s death was suspicious…”

Several concubines gathered together, looking at each other, completely unable to believe what they were hearing.

“I’ve long suspected that Concubine He was the biological mother of the eldest young master, second young master, and eldest young lady…” Tingyu spoke up. “But now this matter is no longer important. What’s important is that the eldest young master is a criminal’s descendant and committed matricide. I’m afraid…”

“Then what will happen to our Xie family?” Concubine Jiang’s face was pale. “Will the lord be implicated?”

Concubine Tao held the child in her arms and said resentfully, “He Shi was truly a disaster. Why did she seduce the lord? Why did she harm our Xie family…”

The three of them were merely concubines without the qualifications to participate in discussions, and could only wait anxiously outside the ancestral hall.

Xie Jingyu was kneeling in the ancestral hall.

It was Xie Zhongcheng who made him kneel before the ancestors’ memorial tablets and tell the whole story from beginning to end.

Xie Jingyu’s body was very weak, half-kneeling and half-sitting limply, his voice hoarse to the extreme: “When I first met her, I didn’t know she was from the He family…”

“Then after you found out her surname was He, why did you still entangle yourself with her? Why did you bring her into the Xie family!” Xie Zhongcheng was so angry his head was spinning. “Why did you hide such a huge matter from me? Why didn’t I know anything… How did things come to this! Jingyu, Shi’an, you two say something. What should we do? What exactly should we do!”

Xie Shi’an prostrated himself on the ground.

He had always been clever, but now he couldn’t think of a solution either.

He didn’t know what kind of silver tongue could persuade the emperor to accept him, a criminal’s descendant, into the Imperial Academy.

“Ma-Madam…” Xie Jingyu looked toward Yun Chu. “You also knew long ago that He Shi was from the He family, yet you were still willing to stay in my Xie family. I know you must have a way to resolve this matter…”

Everyone’s eyes fell on Yun Chu.

Yun Chu stood coolly, her gaze sweeping over those ancestral tablets of the Xie family, slowly shaking her head: “This matter, I cannot resolve.”

Having said this, she turned and walked out of the ancestral hall.

“Chu’er, don’t go…” Yuan Shi grabbed her. “Right now, you’re the only sensible person in our Xie family. You can’t ignore this. Chu’er, quickly think of a solution. First help An’er get through this crisis…”

Yun Chu pulled her sleeve free and stepped forward, continuing to walk out.

“She’s afraid of being dragged down by our Xie family, afraid the Yun family will also be condemned by others!” Xie Zhongcheng said angrily. “She acts so indifferent, she’s definitely determined to divorce. Jingyu, I’m telling you, no matter what, don’t give her a divorce letter! A notice of repudiation won’t work either! Let her be bound to our Xie family’s ship for life!”

Yun Chu, who had walked outside, heard this and smiled slightly.

The Xie family, even now, still couldn’t see the situation clearly…

The Xie family members talked in the ancestral hall all night but didn’t reach 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 mountains remain, there’s no fear of lacking firewood. First avoid this crisis.

However, just as the carriage was prepared, someone knocked on the Xie residence’s main gate.

Xie Jingyu’s form swayed: “The court won’t take action this quickly. Don’t frighten yourself.”

He took a step forward, his left leg having long lost control. His right leg dragged his left leg as he walked with difficulty to the main gate and had a young servant open the door.

Before him stood a young eunuch holding an imperial edict.

“Xie family members, receive the edict!”

A group of people quickly knelt in the courtyard.

“By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Xie family’s eldest son, Xie Shi’an, concealed his identity as a He family descendant to study at the Imperial Academy, which constitutes the crime of deceiving the sovereign. He shall be imprisoned for further trial!”

Two guards behind stepped forward, seized Xie Shi’an, placed shackles on his head, and escorted him out.

“An’er! No!”

Yuan Shi couldn’t help but cry out loudly, standing up to chase after him.

“The edict has not been fully read. Rising midway shows great disrespect to the emperor!” the young eunuch said coldly. “Ministry of Finance Vice Minister Xie Jingyu took a woman from the He family as a concubine and concealed this for over ten years without reporting it, violating this dynasty’s laws… According to law, his official position is revoked, he is demoted to commoner status, fined thirty thousand taels of silver, and the Xie family’s descendants are prohibited from taking the imperial examinations or entering officialdom for life! By imperial decree!”

The young eunuch closed the edict and said coldly, “If the thirty thousand taels of silver cannot be gathered within one month, Lord Xie will need to repair city walls at the border to work off the debt.”

“Pff!”

Xie Jingyu clutched his chest, spat out a mouthful of black blood, and fainted directly.

“Yes, yes, yes, we’ll definitely gather the silver!” Yuan Shi said crying. “Esteemed eunuch, may I ask where our An’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’s face was full of mockery. “Knowing what would come, why do it in the first place?”

The people who announced the edict left, taking Xie Shi’an with them.

Many onlookers on the street threw rotten vegetables and stinking eggs at Xie Shi’an.

Xie Shi’an’s face was numb.

He had thought that by forcing his biological mother to death, this secret would remain unknown, and he could enter the court without concerns.

But he was wrong…

One wrong step leads to more wrong steps.

His life was over…

Yuan Shi covered her mouth crying inconsolably. Xie Zhongcheng, a grown man, also reddened his eyes. Seeing Xie Jingyu lying on the courtyard ground, he shouted coldly, “What are you all standing around for? Quickly help him up and fetch a physician!”

The group of servants exchanged glances with each other and unanimously turned to leave.

The Xie family had come to this—why should they stay here? To wait and have their monthly wages withheld?

One servant packed up and left, and the other servants followed suit. In the end, only one or two trusted aides beside the masters remained.

There was also Sheng Residence, where everyone from the first-rank maids to the rough servants at the door remained, neat and orderly.

Clearly, the servants of Sheng Residence and the servants of the Xie residence seemed to have always existed in two different worlds…