White silk fluttered at the Xie residence.

Many common people passed by the main gate and couldn’t help discussing in low voices.

“The entire Yun clan executed—how tragic. I absolutely don’t believe the Yun Family would rebel.”

“Now Dongling is invading our Great Jin’s coastal cities. General Yun could go fight them, yet His Majesty executed General Yun. Great Jin has no generals left.”

“The Dongling Kingdom comes with fierce momentum, yet His Majesty killed a loyal general. Our Great Jin is finished!”

“Ah, at least the Xie Family has some conscience, giving the Yun daughter a lavish burial…”

“…”

Amid the crowd’s discussions, a youth wearing dark robes walked over.

He looked up at the plaque inscribed with the two characters for Xie Residence. Lord Xie was a third-rank official in the Ministry of Finance. His son was Xie Shi’an, the currently prominent Grand Chancellor at court.

He knew the Xie Family was on good terms with Prince Gongxi and had little dealings with his father prince.

The death of the Xie Family matriarch, logically speaking, had nothing to do with him.

He didn’t know why, but it was as if some strange force was pulling at him, making him involuntarily step inside.

White lanterns hung everywhere in the courtyard. Servants’ faces were full of grief. Walking inside, the main hall was the mourning hall. A coffin was placed there. Many people knelt before the coffin, all with heads lowered, burning paper offerings.

The youth walked closer step by step until he reached the coffin.

Kneeling first was Song Yin. After Xie Shi’an entered the Grand Secretariat, she often accompanied him into the palace for banquets, so naturally she recognized the person before her.

She hurriedly bowed: “Greetings to the Heir Apparent of Prince Pingxi.”

With those words, she stood and brought over three incense sticks, handing them to Chu Hongyu.

“Much obliged.”

Chu Hongyu lit the incense and bowed three times… He didn’t know why, but he felt bowing wasn’t enough.

He looked at that coffin. His eyes inexplicably stung. An inexplicable sadness continuously rose and fermented in his heart.

He couldn’t control himself and suddenly knelt on the ground.

He kowtowed three times in succession.

Song Yin and all the Xie Family members were completely stunned.

That the heir apparent of Prince Pingxi’s manor had come to offer condolences to Mother was already very surprising.

This heir apparent had actually knelt before Mother’s spirit tablet.

Generally speaking, only children needed to kowtow before the deceased’s spirit…

“Heir Apparent, you mustn’t.” Yuan Shi hurriedly helped him up. “You are a great noble. Quickly rise. Don’t bring such honor upon Chu’er that she cannot bear.”

Chu Hongyu stood up.

He lowered his head and gently wiped away tears that had involuntarily spilled from the corners of his eyes.

“Heir Apparent of Prince Pingxi.” Xie Shi’an’s voice approached from far to near. “For the heir apparent to perform such grand rites—my mother may not be able to accept them.”

Chu Hongyu concealed the sorrow in his eyes and spoke coolly: “Passing by the Xie Family, I came specially to pay respects. The Yun Family has been loyal for generations, as was the daughter of the Yun Family. She naturally can accept it.”

“Prince Pingxi’s manor now also faces troubled times. The heir apparent still has such leisure.” Xie Shi’an spoke coolly. “If there’s anything that needs help, heir apparent, feel free to speak.”

Chu Hongyu’s face darkened slightly.

Three months ago, after the Yun Family’s troubles, Father Prince began working to overturn the Yun Family’s case. However, before the Yun Family matter could be investigated clearly, Father was impeached for privately hoarding weapons.

Because of this, Father Prince was thoroughly investigated by the Court of Judicial Review and was confined to the prince’s manor by Imperial Grandfather.

Recently he had been cooperating with the Court of Judicial Review’s investigation to restore Father Prince’s and the Yun Family’s innocence.

Chu Hongyu pressed his lips together, turned, and left the Xie Family. Walking outside, he still couldn’t help turning back to look at that coffin…

His front foot had just left when a man stumbled through the gate.

Xie Shi’an raised his eyes, went forward to meet him, and cupped his hands: “Marquis Xuanwu.”

Marquis Xuanwu Qin Mingheng was nearly forty this year, but one could still see his elegant bearing from his youth. At this moment, his face was full of distraction as he rushed to the coffin.

“Yun Chu…”

His voice was hoarse to the extreme. His lips moved, murmuring, not knowing what he was saying.

Xie Shi’an’s brows furrowed.

Previously when attending palace banquets, he had noticed this Marquis Xuanwu often stared at Mother—likely a romantic debt from Mother’s youth.

He spoke coolly: “Go invite Father here.”

Xie Jingyu had been drinking all along.

He kept thinking of those eyes of Yun Chu’s that wouldn’t close even in death. Feeling deep terror, he could only numb himself with strong liquor.

“Yulang.” He Shi snatched the wine cup from his hand and couldn’t help speaking: “Yun Chu is dead. Is Yulang this heartbroken?”

Xie Jingyu’s gaze was hollow: “You don’t understand. You won’t understand…”

From the wedding night onward, he had wronged Yun Chu, making Yun Chu remain a living widow her entire life.

Outsiders all said the Xie Family matriarch couldn’t bear children. Of course—he didn’t even touch her once. How could she bear children?

She treated all his children as her own, raising them with utmost care and effort. But in the end, he united with all the children and forced her to death.

He knew clearly that the Yun Family hadn’t rebelled. She wasn’t the daughter of a criminal official. It was the Xie Family who had conspired with Prince Gongxi to orchestrate all this… The Yun Family was wronged. She was wronged.

Old people said those who died with grievances would become vengeful ghosts seeking lives.

“Lingying, do you see Yun Chu?” Xie Jingyu looked toward the sky. “Look, she’s there watching me. She hates me…”

He Shi was frightened pale by him: “Yulang, you—don’t talk nonsense. Yun Chu is the daughter of a criminal official. She deserved to die…”

“Right, she deserved to die!” Xie Jingyu picked up the wine cup and threw it at an illusory shadow in the sky. “Get lost, Yun Chu! You get lost! Don’t look at me…”

Until a servant came to report: “My lord, Marquis Xuanwu has arrived.”

Xie Jingyu pulled himself out of his terror.

He stood and headed toward the mourning hall. When he saw Qin Mingheng sprawled over the coffin, all his pent-up rage found an outlet. He raised his fist toward Qin Mingheng: “It’s all you! If not for you, Yun Chu and I wouldn’t have ended up like this!”

“You’re hitting me?” Qin Mingheng simply couldn’t believe it. He raised his leg and kicked viciously: “Yun Chu must have been blind to marry scum like you! You even dare hit me—where do you get the gall to lay hands on me!”

He grabbed Xie Jingyu by the collar and punched him viciously several times.

The Xie Family members swarmed forward: “Marquis Xuanwu, calm down. If there’s something to discuss, discuss it properly. Don’t use violence…”

“All of you get lost!” Xie Jingyu said coldly. “This is a private matter between me and Marquis Xuanwu. All of you withdraw!”

Everyone exchanged glances and could only temporarily withdraw from the mourning hall.

“At least you have some guts!” Qin Mingheng grabbed Xie Jingyu by the collar and pressed his head before the spirit tablet. “Face Yun Chu’s tablet and tell me exactly how she died!”

Xie Jingyu smiled bitterly: “Does how she died even matter? She’s already dead.”

“Beast!” Qin Mingheng punched him in the face again. “I regret it. I should have told Yun Chu about that matter back then. Then she definitely would have divorced you without hesitation instead of being killed by the Xie Family!”

“Yes, you should have told Yun Chu that on the wedding night, you were the one who took her innocence!” Xie Jingyu laughed miserably. “You were the one who violated her. As long as she knew this matter, she absolutely wouldn’t have spared the Xuanwu Marquis manor! You were just afraid of that consequence, which is why you kept it hidden all along, right? You call me scum, call me a beast—then what are you? All of the capital knows you, Marquis Xuanwu, love your wife as your life. But who knows that privately you keep two mistresses who look exactly like Yun Chu and have secretly fathered several children…”

“Shut up!”

Qin Mingheng used all his strength to rain fists and kicks on Xie Jingyu.