Many people gathered outside the Xie family’s main gate to observe and discuss.

But not a single person entered. Not one person apart from the Xie family came before the spirit hall to light three sticks of incense for Xie Jingyu.

A lively and bustling main gate.

A cold and desolate spirit hall.

Yuan Shi cried until she fainted several times.

Xie Shiyun was four years old, Xie Xian was three—still at ages where they understood nothing, only knowing to cry along. Not to mention Xie Shikang, who was only a few months old.

The three concubines knelt on prayer cushions, silently shedding tears.

Besides grief and sorrow, they felt more bewildered and at a loss. They had depended on Xie Jingyu. Now that the man was dead, what would they do for the rest of their lives?

They couldn’t help but raise their heads to look at Yun Chu standing to the side.

Now, the only person they could rely on was Madam.

Yun Chu wore plain white clothing with white flowers on her head. Her entire person was plain to the extreme. There wasn’t much expression on her face—she was very calm.

The first day after Xie Jingyu’s death passed amid everyone’s sobbing.

Xie Zhongcheng harbored resentment in his heart.

His legitimate son-in-law had died, yet the Yun family hadn’t sent anyone to offer condolences!

If the Yun family didn’t come to keep up appearances, which neighbors or usual friends would dare come to see Jingyu off on his final journey?

Speaking of it, it was all the Yun family’s fault, Yun Chu’s fault.

If Yun Chu requested the Yun family to come, would they ignore it?

Xie Zhongcheng’s gaze toward Yun Chu carried thick annoyance, but he didn’t dare say anything.

The sky gradually darkened. Just as Xie Zhongcheng was about to tell Yun Chu to keep the night vigil, he suddenly heard the sound of galloping hooves from the main gate.

His heart leaped with joy—the Yun family must have sent someone.

He rose to go greet them, only to see that the person on that tall horse was precisely the soldier who had previously issued the decree sealing the Xie family.

The soldier sat on his horse, took out a scroll, and said coldly: “Xie family, receive the decree!”

Xie Zhongcheng’s legs trembled and he collapsed to the ground.

Following that, Yun Chu walked out. Several concubines supported Yuan Shi as they knelt together at the main gate.

“…After thorough investigation by the court, Ministry of Revenue Vice Director Xie Jingyu embezzled a total of thirteen thousand four hundred fifty-six taels of official silver from the Ministry of Revenue. The case has been verified with both witness and material evidence… Xie Jingyu is granted execution after autumn…”

Yuan Shi wailed: “My son is already dead! He’s dead!”

“If this were the previous dynasty, even if he were dead, his corpse would be dragged out for execution.” The soldier cupped his hands toward the direction of the imperial city. “It’s the current Emperor’s benevolence that prevents such acts! Hah, just because someone died doesn’t mean everything is wiped clean. Their blood relatives must bear the court’s punishment!”

A strong sense of foreboding rose in Xie Zhongcheng’s heart.

“Xie Jingyu’s father failed to teach his son properly and allowed his son to embezzle. Though exempt from the death penalty, he cannot escape punishment. He is hereby granted thirty years of hard labor!”

“Hard… hard labor, thirty… thirty years…”

Xie Zhongcheng nearly fainted.

He was almost fifty years old. Thirty years of service would make him eighty. A normal person could hardly live to eighty, much less someone serving hard labor.

As far as he knew, hard labor wasn’t simply road repair or river dredging, but going to the front lines to dig trenches and build walls, often being used as human shields pushed onto the battlefield.

Those serving hard labor were criminals. Frontier soldiers didn’t treat hard laborers as human—even worse than pigs or dogs…

This was worse than letting him die outright.

Two guards stepped forward, dragged Xie Zhongcheng up, locked chains on his hands and feet, and pressed a wooden cangue onto his shoulders.

“No… don’t…”

Yuan Shi crawled on all fours to beneath the soldier’s horse.

“Please, officer, spare my husband’s life. Please…”

The horse’s hoof lifted and kicked Yuan Shi aside.

“Listen up, we’re not finished yet!” The soldier spoke coldly. “Xie Jingyu embezzled over ten thousand taels of official silver. Death cannot redeem this crime—father’s debts are repaid by sons! This dynasty has decreed: for every tael embezzled, ten must be repaid. A total of one hundred thirty-four thousand five hundred sixty taels must be repaid, plus the thirty thousand from concealing the He family daughter without reporting, making a total debt to the court of one hundred sixty-four thousand five hundred sixty taels!”

Hearing this figure, shock appeared on every Xie family member’s face.

Before they could think further, the soldier shouted coldly: “Where are Xie Jingyu’s sons!”

Tingyu quickly hugged Xie Shiyun tightly. Concubine Tao also clutched the sleeping child in her arms.

Seeing no movement from the Xie family, the soldier gave a look, and several guards stepped forward and directly pulled out the two children.

“Auntie, save me!” Xie Shiyun’s small face turned deathly pale with fright. “I don’t want to! No! Help! Mother, save me!”

Knowing his auntie couldn’t change anything, he looked pleadingly toward Yun Chu’s direction.

Yun Chu looked at her nose and her nose at her heart, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Xie Shikang had been sleeping but woke when pulled, bursting into loud wails.

The soldier took two papers from his chest: “Xie Jingyu has two more sons, so all debts will be split between you two in half. Make them sign!”

Two guards grabbed the children’s hands, pressed their thumbs onto ink pads, then onto the IOUs.

After the two children signed, they were released. Xie Shiyun immediately ran into Tingyu’s embrace, feeling he’d been saved.

Tingyu looked at the IOU. Her Yun’er owed the court over eighty thousand taels of silver.

Over eighty thousand taels—such an enormous sum. Even the first-rank General Yun’s household probably couldn’t produce it all at once…

Her Yun’er would have to grow up bearing such a heavy debt…

Tingyu couldn’t catch her breath and fainted directly.

Concubine Tao stared blankly at the IOU that had appeared in her hand, then looked at the child who had returned to her arms and stopped crying. Her heart felt utterly desolate.

Kang’er was born premature and weak. Now at three months, he still weighed about the same as when just born. She always felt she wouldn’t be able to raise this child, but this was the child she’d carried and birthed, her own flesh and blood. She had to persevere… Until the Xie family encountered trouble and the wet nurse ran away, all the pressure fell entirely on her alone.

These past days and nights, she didn’t know how she’d endured.

Several times she wanted to give up, several times she forced herself to hold on until dawn.

She thought she would persevere, but when she saw this IOU for over eighty thousand taels of silver, it was like thunder striking her head. She truly broke down.

This wasn’t a debt owed to someone else—it was owed to the court, owed to the current Emperor. This debt couldn’t be avoided even if one tried…

“Madam…” Concubine Tao’s voice was hoarse. “Please… help hold Kang’er for a moment…”

Yuan Shi had cried until she had no tears left. She numbly took her grandson and held him in her arms.

Concubine Tao stood up from the ground, stepped outside, and walked away. Only after she disappeared from the Xie family’s entrance, disappeared into the crowd, did Yuan Shi suddenly understand.

“She… she left?” Yuan Shi’s eyes widened. “She doesn’t want Kang’er anymore?”

Yun Chu pressed her lips together.

In her previous life, after Kang’er grew a bit older, unable to speak or walk, looking dull and foolish, Concubine Tao had broken down and thrown the child at Sheng Residence.

This lifetime, everything had changed, yet Concubine Tao still abandoned her own child.

No matter how circumstances changed, a person’s fundamental nature couldn’t change. They would always make the choice most beneficial to themselves.