Outside the Xie Family gates, a large crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle.

“See, I guessed correctly. Xie Jingyu truly did embezzle silver. His death was far too easy for him.”

“Poor old father at his age having to serve hard labor, and his two young sons each owing debts of over eighty thousand taels of silver. Their lives are finished.”

“Have to say, the Xie Family’s eldest son got lucky. Otherwise, this debt should have fallen on him as the eldest.”

“Don’t forget that the Yun Family’s legitimate eldest daughter is still Lady Xie. They have the Yun Family backing them.”

“If they didn’t have the Yun Family backing them, the Xie Family would be like the He Family from over twenty years ago—all the men beheaded…”

“…”

After the soldiers announced everything, they finally rolled up the scroll in their hands.

Yuan Shi was just about to stand up.

Then she heard the soldiers say: “All of the Xie Family’s residences, estates, and shops will be confiscated to fill the national treasury. Everyone in the Xie Family must move out now, immediately!”

Yuan Shi’s head rushed with blood, her entire body swaying.

If she hadn’t been holding a baby in her arms, she might have collapsed directly to the ground like Tingyu had.

She turned her head and saw Xie Jingyu’s coffin placed in the main hall.

This was only the first day since her son’s death. He hadn’t even been buried and laid to rest yet. How could they move the coffin away with them…

“Officer, I beg you, please show mercy and give us some time…” Yuan Shi, holding the child, knelt on the ground and pleaded desperately. “Though the Xie Family is not a great household, we still have elderly and children. All the men are gone. The old, weak, women, and young truly cannot move out in such a short time… Officer, please give us a few more days. I’ll kowtow to you…”

Her forehead knocked against the ground with loud thuds, while the child in her arms cried out hoarsely.

This scene caused many of the onlookers at the main gate to quietly close their mouths.

There are just so many soft-hearted people in this world. Although the Xie Family’s crimes were too numerous to record, what fault did the elderly have? What fault did the young children have?

The soldiers had long since seen such scenes many times and were completely unmoved.

At this moment, Yun Chu, who had been silent all along, raised her head.

Although the Xie Family had wronged her, from beginning to end, Yuan Shi had done nothing, yet in the end it was Yuan Shi who had to bear all the consequences.

“Officer.” Yun Chu had just called out once.

The soldier immediately said: “Lady Xie, this humble one dares not accept the title of officer. My surname is Zhou.”

“Lord Zhou.” Yun Chu knew that because of her father, these people would naturally give her some face. She spoke: “Moving out all at once is indeed somewhat difficult. You officers have also worked hard coming here. The Xie Family has nothing good to offer in hospitality, so whatever you officers fancy, please take it.”

She stepped aside, allowing the dozen or so guards at the door to enter.

Lord Zhou quickly waved his hand: “Hospitality is unnecessary. Lady Xie, whatever requests you have, just state them.”

Today, Chengxu, Prince Pingxi’s trusted aide, had specifically come to have tea with him, saying the Prince had ordered that any instruction from Lady Xie should be unconditionally agreed to.

He knew the Prince and General Yun had a deep friendship, and Lady Xie was the Yun Family’s eldest daughter. He, a mere small soldier, could not afford to offend Prince Pingxi, nor could he afford to offend the General’s residence.

“If Lord Zhou doesn’t take anything away, how could I have the nerve to make requests?” Yun Chu insisted. “Please.”

Lord Zhou thought for a moment.

If Prince Pingxi’s residence and the Yun Family cared about the Xie Family, they would never have allowed the Xie Family to reach this point.

That is to say, he only needed to be mindful of Lady Xie.

He beckoned with his hand, and his subordinates immediately entered the Xie Family’s main gate.

They took whatever caught their eye—ornaments, screens, vases… The old lady’s storeroom was completely emptied… Only Yun Chu’s Shengju residence did no one dare approach.

Yuan Shi knelt at the main gate, head lowered, crying silently.

Concubine Jiang tightly held Xie Xian, refusing to look at any of it, making herself not cry and her daughter not cry either.

The Xie Family was almost completely looted.

Only then did Yun Chu speak: “I ask that Lord Zhou be flexible and allow the Xie Family to finish the funeral before moving out.”

Lord Zhou nodded: “Then we’ll give you another half month. We’re leaving!”

The row of soldiers dispersed under the crowd’s gaze.

The sky had already darkened. The onlookers, having seen the spectacle, naturally left as well. The Xie Family gradually became quiet.

A gust of wind blew, stirring the white banners and lanterns. The tree shadows swayed, making hearts tremble with fear.

“What do we do, what do we do…” Yuan Shi was completely at a loss. She looked at Yun Chu. “Chu’er, what should we do now? You need to make a decision.”

Yun Chu spoke calmly: “It’s dark. Time to keep vigil.”

“Chu’er, I’m not talking about that.” Yuan Shi’s voice was hoarse from crying. “Your father-in-law has been taken away to serve hard labor. Can you think of a way to rescue him?”

Yun Chu’s voice was very faint: “We should be grateful that Yun’er and Kang’er are still young. Otherwise, it should be those two replacing their father to serve the labor.”

Yuan Shi pleaded: “Those two are so young, yet they already owe so much silver. What can be done?”

“Then repay it slowly.” Yun Chu showed no expression. “Since ancient times, sons pay their fathers’ debts. If they can’t repay it all, then let their children and grandchildren continue repaying.”

Tingyu had just woken up when she heard these words and nearly fainted again.

Concubine Jiang quickly supported her.

“Madam, please save Yun’er.”

Tingyu pleaded through her tears.

Concubine Tao could be heartless enough to abandon her child, but she could not.

Yun’er was her life. She would rather die herself than have Yun’er grow up bearing a debt of eighty thousand taels of silver.

She reached to grab Yun Chu’s sleeve, but Yun Chu avoided her.

“Now that Yun’er is the Xie Family’s eldest son, let Yun’er keep vigil. Whatever matters there are, we’ll discuss them after the funeral is finished.”

Yun Chu turned and walked out of the mourning hall.

After she left, the two concubines and Yuan Shi remained—three women looking at each other, none knowing what to say.

“Madam, Xian’er will keep vigil tomorrow night. I’ll take her back to rest first.” Concubine Jiang said quietly, then tightly held her daughter’s hand and left.

After her figure disappeared at the doorway, Tingyu finally spoke slowly: “Madam, the master is dead. Everything in the Xie Family has been confiscated. Even this residence that shelters us from wind and rain will soon be taken by the court… An’er is in prison, his fate unknown. Shiwei is wandering outside, also of uncertain fate. Kang’er’s health was already weak, and now Concubine Tao has abandoned him—he may find it difficult to survive to adulthood… Yun’er is our Xie Family’s only remaining heir. Madam, you must think carefully for Yun’er’s sake.”

Yuan Shi looked bewildered: “Think about what? How to think? What methods could I possibly have…”

If her husband were still here, he could come up with some plan. But she was just a woman. Since the incident occurred until now, her mind had been in a daze. She truly didn’t know what to do.

“Madam, you are the lady’s mother-in-law. If you ask the lady to hand over her dowry, would the lady refuse?” Tingyu said word by word. “The lady’s dowry back then was a full thirty thousand taels of silver. Whatever silver has been used over these years, the old lady already replenished before. As long as we obtain the lady’s dowry, the Xie Family can temporarily breathe easier.”

Yuan Shi shook her head violently: “What mother-in-law takes her daughter-in-law’s dowry? People would condemn such a thing!”

Tingyu smiled: “Is your spine more important, Madam, or is the Xie Family’s lineage more important?”