The sky darkened.

Xie Jingyu slowly regained consciousness. He used his right hand to support himself to get up, but discovered that his right hand was limp and couldn’t exert much strength either.

He moved his legs—of his four limbs, only his right leg could still exert force.

A tremendous sense of panic enveloped him.

But he knew that now was not the time to lie down and recuperate.

“Help me up.”

He ordered Concubine Jiang, who was keeping watch by the bed.

“My lord, the physician just said you need to rest quietly,” Concubine Jiang advised. “First drink this bowl of medicine.”

Xie Jingyu let her feed him the medicine.

After drinking the bowl of medicine, he insisted: “Help me up.”

Concubine Jiang had no choice but to help him rise.

He walked to the doorway and saw that there wasn’t a single servant in the courtyard, and fallen leaves covered the ground with no one to sweep them.

“The servants have all left…” Concubine Jiang said with lowered head. “Madam negotiated with them, exchanging their final month’s wages for their contracts of servitude.”

Xie Jingyu’s expression was very unpleasant.

A servant’s monthly wage was only five or six hundred wen, while a contract of servitude was worth at least two taels of silver. How could Yun Chu just let them go…

But he had no mind to fuss over these trivial details.

The two major problems before him now were: first, how to get An’er out, and second, how to restore himself to his official position.

“Help me go to Sheng Residence.”

Xie Jingyu spoke.

But Concubine Jiang’s face showed some difficulty: “When this concubine went to pay respects this morning, Madam said she wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t see anyone.”

Xie Jingyu suddenly exploded: “Can her discomfort compare to mine! I—I’m in this state! Still worrying about the Xie family! What right does she have to close her door and ignore matters!”

Concubine Jiang lowered her head and didn’t respond.

She was thinking, if she were the madam, facing the Xie family’s current situation, what would she do?

Would she do her utmost to solve the troubles for the Xie family?

Or would she fear being implicated and divorce the lord?

“Jingyu, I just went out to make inquiries,” Xie Zhongcheng walked in from the doorway. “Shi’an has been locked in the death row where condemned criminals are held. The emperor wants his life. He didn’t commit any heinous crime—why must he pay such a great price with his life…”

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shi couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.

Xie Jingyu’s head spun in waves. If not for Concubine Jiang supporting him, he would have collapsed to the ground long ago.

“Now, we can only ask the Yun family to intervene,” Xie Zhongcheng decided to sacrifice his pride. “Although General Yun isn’t in the capital, the Yun family still has some say in the court. As long as Yun Ze is willing to intervene, although Shi’an can’t escape punishment, he can definitely avoid the death penalty.”

Xie Jingyu’s lips were tightly pressed together, the skin peeling, his entire person looking sickly.

He had already seen the Yun family’s attitude from Yun Chu.

If the Xie family went begging, they would definitely be refused without courtesy.

Why invite such humiliation.

He slowly said: “Don’t ask the Yun family. Go ask Prince Pingxi.”

Xie Zhongcheng was extremely astonished: “When did you develop a relationship with Prince Pingxi?”

Xie Jingyu didn’t answer, because he really had no strength to speak.

The matter of him taking a woman from the He family as a concubine—the prince had known long ago but hadn’t reported it to have the Xie family punished. He had even arranged a lucrative position for him.

The prince valued his abilities as the top scholar and thus pulled him onto Prince Pingxi’s ship. He was a person of the Prince Pingxi residence.

The prince definitely wouldn’t just watch as the Xie family met with disaster.

“Prepare the carriage. Go to Prince Pingxi’s residence.”

Xie Jingyu uttered these words with difficulty.

Xie Zhongcheng nodded and had the only remaining young servant prepare the carriage, then helped Xie Jingyu board.

Concubine Jiang and Yuan Shi hurried to open the main gate of the Xie residence. The carriage slowly drove out from the main gate, but just as they reached the entrance, a team of soldiers suddenly surrounded the Xie family’s main gate.

At the sight of the soldiers, Xie Zhongcheng was so frightened his heart pounded. Their Xie family truly couldn’t withstand any more storms.

He hurriedly got down from the carriage and bowed respectfully: “May I ask why you’ve all come to the Xie residence?”

The leading official said sternly and loudly: “Where is Xie Jingyu!”

Xie Jingyu sat inside the carriage. Hearing this, his heart felt as if it was being gripped by a large hand. An ominous premonition descended from the crown of his head. His entire body stiffened as he sat in place.

The official had already seen him and said coldly: “An official has now reported to the Court of Judicial Review that Ministry of Finance Vice Minister Xie Jingyu used his official position for personal gain to embezzle silver from the Ministry of Finance treasury…”

Xie Jingyu’s throat filled with a fishy sweetness.

A mouthful of blood surged up from his throat and he spat it onto the carriage.

“…The emperor is furious and has ordered the court to thoroughly investigate the Ministry of Finance… During the investigation period, Xie Jingyu must not step outside the Xie residence. Once the evidence and witnesses are complete, punishment will be immediately delivered!”

As the official’s voice fell, the guards behind him immediately stationed themselves at all the doors of the Xie residence.

Xie Jingyu was seized by two guards and thrown into the Xie family compound.

With a bang, the main gate of the Xie residence was shut.

“Too much! This is truly too much!” Xie Zhongcheng cursed angrily. “Someone saw our Xie family in trouble and deliberately reported Jingyu for embezzlement! Those who kick others when they’re down—may they die horrible deaths!”

Yuan Shi could only think positively: “The innocent will clear themselves. As long as Jingyu hasn’t done such things, there won’t be any problems. Being confined at home is a good chance to recuperate.”

Xie Jingyu’s complexion was extremely ugly.

Xie Zhongcheng tentatively said: “Jingyu, tell your father you haven’t embezzled silver from the Ministry of Finance…”

But he received no answer.

Xie Zhongcheng’s heart sank bit by bit, sinking into an bottomless dark abyss.

He suddenly laughed loudly: “Hahaha, our Xie family finally made it to the capital with such difficulty, finally gained a foothold in the court with such difficulty, finally reached this point today with such difficulty… it’s over, all over… Xie Jingyu, you are our Xie family’s greatest criminal! I failed in teaching my son. I’m also a criminal. What face do I have to meet the Xie family’s ancestors…”

Xie Jingyu kept spitting up blood, his lips completely covered in blood.

He hadn’t embezzled, he hadn’t!

The Ministry of Finance’s account books had problems to begin with!

That silver that appeared out of nowhere—why shouldn’t he take it?

He wasn’t wrong!

He is not a criminal!

He is not!!

“Jingyu, Jingyu…” Yuan Shi panicked. “Concubine Jiang, quickly help me support Jingyu inside to lie down. Someone come, quickly brew medicine, hurry!”

“No, I don’t need to lie down, cough cough cough cough…” Xie Jingyu said weakly. “Go—go to Sheng Residence, find Yun Chu, go find—find Yun Chu!”

Yuan Shi was both angry and anxious: “You’re in this state—just lie down properly. I’ll go find Yun Chu. I’ll go beg her…”

Without allowing further discussion, Xie Jingyu was carried into the room.

Only after Yuan Shi watched him drink his medicine and fall asleep did she head toward Sheng Residence.

Yun Chu sat drinking tea, many matters flashing through her mind like passing scenes.

From her rebirth until now, less than half a year had passed, and the Xie family that had been so prosperous in her previous life had gradually collapsed like this.

With the Xie family fallen, as the Xie family’s mistress, she would naturally be affected.

As someone gradually rotting away, she had no reputation to speak of, but she must consider the reputations of the other young women of the Yun family.

She already had the most suitable timing for divorce in mind.

Just as she was thinking, Tingfeng came to report: “Madam, the mistress has arrived.”