064 Worry

Old Madam Xie finished speaking while gasping for breath, her mind heavy with anxiety. What did the third daughter-in-law mean by trying to drive away her longtime servant? Did she want to clip her wings? Did they secretly wish for her to die?

"If any of you dare to chase away my old servant, I will brand you with the crime of unfiliality!" The old madam glared angrily at the group gathered around the dining table.

"Yes, Daughter understands. I will not harbor wild thoughts about the monthly allowance; as long as there is food to eat, that is enough!" Xie Chengyn immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks, stood up, and bowed to answer her mother's words.

Pei Yezhu hurriedly followed her mother to her feet, looking thoroughly submissive.

Monthly allowance? Xie Chenggyun had never counted on it. She still kept two hundred taels hidden away privately, not being foolish enough to hand it over to help her second brother pay off his debts.

There was also a white jade bracelet given by Madam Zhao, and a butterfly jade hairpin that Zhao Qiusheng had bought for her daughter. These had not been confiscated and sold off by her father; all her other jewelry, however, had been confiscated and sold to clear debts.

The silver, jade bracelet, and jade hairpin in her possession were kept for her daughter. No matter what, she would never part with them. As long as she could eat, she would go without an allowance!

Right now, her greatest hope was that her daughter would grow up quickly and marry the legitimate son of the Zhao family. Even if it were as a concubine, it would still be much better than her current situation. Look at the food they were being served—it couldn't even compare to what the third-class servants of the Xie family ate!

Xie Chenggyun failed to consider that this was the very food she had been eating at the Pei residence for years; how could she suddenly disdain it now?

"Mother, I am not chasing away Mother Li; I am merely stating the ugly truths beforehand. The life our family used to live was that of a noble clan, where even third-class servants ate meat and received hundreds of cash in monthly allowance.

Now that things have suddenly changed to this, we are fine, having adapted over the past few months. But Mother Li and Fourth Sister, you have just arrived, and I am afraid you won't be able to adapt. Instead, you might harbor resentment in your hearts because we cannot give you an allowance!

If word got out, who would believe that the eldest legitimate son of the Xie family not only lost his monthly allowance several months ago, but even eats and drinks like a country farmer?

Ah! Poverty is truly bitter!"

As the third aunt spoke, she also put on a show of wiping away a tear.

Xie Wenjing instantly felt that her third aunt had progressed by leaps and bounds, transforming from her former gentle and honest self into someone sharp, decisive, and formidable. How wonderful!

She was no longer fighting alone! Everyone in the household had stood up to defend their family and fiercely battle the enemy!

"Do not blame them, do not blame them. It is simply that the Xie family has fallen. As long as people are well, that is enough. In the future, if your second brother finds an opportunity in his official career, perhaps our whole family will no longer have to live in hardship!"

The old madam mumbled through her toothless-sounding speech, using her prodigal son to issue a warning to the third aunt. Her son had entered officialdom and become an official! Stop constantly trying to nauseate me with your words!

"Oh? Grandmother, Second Uncle has separated our household from his. Will he still take care of us in the future? If so, why has our family been living in such misery before, and Second Uncle never sent anyone to send us silver?"

Xie Wenjing suddenly asked with feigned ignorance, choking the old madam into silence.

"Wenjing, you must not speak nonsense. Since the household has been divided, naturally you live your life and I live mine. Even if we are country folk now, we must understand not to recklessly yearn for things that do not belong to us, lest we put your Second Uncle in a difficult position."

The third uncle suddenly lectured Wenjing with a straight face, yet it amused Wenjing to no end. Her third uncle and third aunt were gradually becoming formidable. Those words were spoken so brilliantly! They would nauseate this old woman to death!

"Is the concubine Liu serving your father attentively?"

Provoked by Wenjing, the old madam suddenly posed this question.

"Concubine Liu? She committed a wrongdoing and was driven away by Father!" Xie Wenjing replied indifferently. She had guessed that the old woman would ask about Liu Lingling.

Xie Wenjing had already made up her mind to stall for a while and not completely burn bridges with this wicked old woman just yet. Her second uncle was still alive and well, so she had to remain on guard.

"Oh? Then what wrongdoing did Concubine Liu commit that caused your soft-hearted father to chase her away?"

A pang of shock struck the old madam's heart. She had a strong suspicion that they had found out about her past deeds; otherwise, why would they have driven away the obedient and hardworking Concubine Liu?

"Mother, please do not ask Wenjing anymore. Eldest Brother does not want to dwell on the matter either. Any man would find it impossible to endure. If it were up to me, I should have used clan rules to drown her in the river.

It is only because Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law are soft-hearted and could not bear to drown her, feeling that her hard work over the past two years was not easy, that they granted her a path to survival."

The third uncle answered on behalf of Wenjing, but his phrasing remained ambiguous.

The clan rule of drowning in the river was a punishment generally reserved for women of noble clans who had committed adultery. However, the third uncle deliberately left out the details.

The clan rules contained even harsher punishments, and poisoning a legitimate son was likewise a capital offense.

Liu Lingling had not quite poisoned a legitimate son, but the old woman before them was certainly deserving of death! If her own biological mother had not died, wasn't an old concubine of the Xie family poisoning a legitimate son enough reason to be drowned in the river?

Drowned in the river? The old madam let out a slight sigh of relief. It seemed that Liu Lingling must have cuckolded him! Or perhaps this was simply their excuse.

All in all, her current situation was extremely perilous; one misstep, and she could very well die without knowing why.

She had to be extremely careful and leave herself a fallback plan. Even if she died, she would not let them off easily.

Wenbao had always felt that his own family was bullying their grandmother and the others. It was not as his elder sister and the others had claimed—that Grandmother was malicious. Even though Grandmother was this ill, Third Uncle, Third Aunt, and Elder Sister had deliberately angered her until she could not even finish her meal and claimed she was too tired and needed to sleep.

Hearing the retreating footsteps of the third uncle, third aunt, and elder sister fading away, Wenbao wanted to crawl out and offer his grandmother some comfort.

"Listen well, the three of you. From now on, no matter who offers to call a physician or brew medicine for me, you must stubbornly insist that once we live in a temple, taking medicine is forbidden. Having the protection of the Buddha is better than anything else.

In case—in case I suddenly die, you must report it to the authorities. Insist stubbornly that they were unfilial and murdered their stepmother.

Even in death, I will ensure they never rise again. Even in death, I will tell my son to avenge me!"

After Madam Li signaled that Xie Wenjing and the others had all departed, Old Madam Xie closed the door and delivered her fierce instructions through her toothless lisp.

She lived in constant fear of being repeatedly enraged to death by this bunch, saving them even the trouble of hiring a physician to murder her. They were driving her mad!

Wenbao stared in a daze. Was this his grandmother? Why was her voice filled with such hatred toward her own family?

"Mother, Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law will not harm you. Besides, Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister-in-law have enjoyed your care over the past few years. If they knew you were gravely ill, they would certainly take good care of you. You must set your mind at ease and not get angry!"

Xie Chenggyun knew nothing of her mother's vicious side. Old Madam Xie had never revealed these matters to anyone except her personal attendant Mother Li, along with Liu Lingling and Wang Yi.

As for the rest of the Xie family, they truly believed that during those two years, Old Madam Xie had gone to great lengths at a heavy cost to save the life of a dying stepson. Even her own son and daughter-in-law believed this.

"Chenggyun, just remember my words, or I will die with my eyes closed!"

Old Madam Xie stared fixedly at her daughter. *Stupid wretch! Still can't tell whose side you're on? Are they born of the same mother as you?*

At this thought, Old Madam Xie grew so angry that she began to wheeze and pant again.

"Mother, do not fret. Daughter promises, won't Daughter promise you?"

Seeing her mother fly into a sudden rage, Xie Chenggyun was so frightened that she hurriedly nodded in agreement. She dared not provoke her mother's anger; if her mother were gone, whom could she rely on?

Her second brother and sister-in-law were heartless. Her eldest brother and sister-in-law, though honest, would find her mother forcing her to accuse them of unfiliality and murdering their mother intolerable—at that time, she and her daughter would truly have nowhere left to go, wouldn't they?

Her mother must not die!

Old Madam Xie looked at this pair of mother and daughter, sighed, waved her hand, and then turned around, closing her eyes to signal them to leave. She wanted to sleep.

Xie Chenggyun and her daughter silently retreated, entering the small adjacent room. Inside stood a simple wooden bed and a wardrobe; though modest, it was clean and airy, not feeling cramped at all.

Mother Li closed the connecting door to the small room, sat quietly beside her aging mistress, and tasted bitterness in her heart. Having neither children nor family of her own, she could only depend on her old mistress. Only as long as her old mistress lived would she have a path to survival.

Otherwise, even though she still had over two hundred taels of monthly allowance hidden away, she would never dare to live alone. Times were too difficult now; living alone meant that if she were targeted, ah, wouldn't it be certain death?

"Mother Li, why is my life so bitter? Ah!"

After wheezing for a moment, Old Madam Xie suddenly turned to sigh at her longtime servant. Only she truly understood her suffering.

"Old Madam, try to think broadly. Only when your health recovers will everything be well. If anything should happen to you, the happiest person would be your deceased elder sister.

She hated you for seizing her husband, but she never considered whether any man could possibly have loved someone looking like her!

It was a hardship that the master pitied her, fathered two sons with her, and gave her so much, yet she was never satisfied. All day long she put on the airs of a primary wife and even made the old madam wait on her? That hateful wretch.

After finally outliving her, the old madam has finally risen to prominence and become the mistress of the Xie family.

The sons and grandsons left behind by that old hag are living under the old madam's thumb. With just a little provocation from the old madam, her eldest legitimate son is kept on the brink of death, and her own biological grandson has been taught to squander wealth and chase women since childhood.

If the Xie family hadn't fallen so rapidly, the old madam could certainly have ensured all her sons and grandsons met a wretched end, and ruined her granddaughters' reputations so that everyone loathed them.

However, the old madam need not worry. Our young master has now decided to enter officialdom. As long as fortune favors him and he encounters a good superior, he may well rise straight to the clouds.

When that time comes, the old madam can vent her anger however she pleases and crush those two households as easily as pinching an ant.

Let them die one by one, and right as they draw their last breath, tell them they were born into the wrong wombs and deserved to die!"

Mother Li spoke with bitter hatred. Having just been infuriated to the point of apoplexy by the third aunt, how dare they treat her like this? She had never relied on them to survive!

As for the rest of them, she already knew what wretched fates awaited each and every one of them. As long as the old madam drew breath, they would never know another good day! How dare they look down on her so?

"I only fear that they already know I poisoned them during those two years. Though they endure it in silence, it does not mean they won't secretly poison me and prevent me from living to see the day my son achieves success.

Mother Li, remember this: if I truly do not live to see that day, you must report them for poisoning their stepmother, drag their reputations through the mud, and make my son avenge me.

Tell my son that my dying wish is to see every single descendant of my elder sister meet a wretched end!"

Old Madam Xie burned with even greater hatred. Though her speech was impeded by her missing teeth, the malice in her voice was boundless.

Xie Wenbao and Xie Wenfen had been frozen in terror, biting down hard on their fingers to keep from crying out.

So everything their father and mother had said was true, what their third aunt and uncle said was true, and what their elder sister said was truest of all!

*Father, Mother, Grandmother wants to kill our whole family!* Wenbao desperately wanted to rush out and tell his parents, but then he remembered his own foolishness.

When he first heard that Grandmother had poisoned his parents, his initial impulse had been to run to Yangzhou and ask her if it were true.

Yet just moments ago, when Third Uncle, Third Aunt, and Elder Sister were all before Grandmother, none of them had spoken like this. Even that Mother Li had put on a pitiful act, going so far as to kneel and beg Third Aunt for a meal.

Yet the moment Third Aunt left, this vicious old servant plotted to murder their entire family.

Xie Wenbao bit down hard on his fingers. *I cannot run. I cannot let malicious Grandmother know I heard her words. I must pretend just like Elder Sister, so she won't murder us.*

Wenbao's thoughts mirrored Xie Wenfen's exactly. Being a year older than Wenbao, Xie Wenfen understood the gravity of not exposing oneself prematurely.

The two boys waited in terrified silence. They would have to wait until nightfall before crawling out without being discovered by Grandmother!

Meanwhile, chaos had erupted at the Li Family Ancestral Hall. The entire household had mobilized to search for Xie Wenbao and Xie Wenfen.

Even Xie Chengyu and his wife could no longer be kept in the dark. At lunchtime, they had been placated with the excuse that the boys had finished eating early and gone to study with Wenfen.

However, evening had passed, and still the two were nowhere to be found. Naturally, the truth could no longer be concealed.

Struggling against her overwhelming anxiety after searching all afternoon, Xie Wenjing composed herself, preparing at any moment to comfort her parents. By dusk, her third uncle had even been forced to make the trip to Yangzhou, fearing that Wenbao might have taken Wenfen to seek out their grandmother!

In Hangzhou, her maternal grandfather's family had joined the search, alongside the entire village.

*Wenbao, you little wretch, if I find you this time, I won't just tie you up and make you kneel—I will hang you up and give you a thorough beating! Running off and dragging Wenfen along, throwing the whole family into a panic! If you frighten Father and Mother to death, see if I don't skin you alive!*

Anxious and furious, Xie Wenjing silently vowed to discipline this insensible younger brother of hers. She could only pray they found him soon; otherwise, where would she vent her anger?

"Wenjing, tell Father the truth. Did Wenbao really go to his maternal grandfather's house? Why did your third aunt run off with tear-swollen eyes? What on earth has happened? If you do not tell me the truth, I will only worry more!"

Xie Chengyu suddenly felt utterly useless. Everyone in the household protected him solely so he could recover his health. But he was much better now; as long as he didn't experience emotional agitation, he would be fine.

"Where is Qin Yu? Bring him to me! I must ask him myself!" Xie Chengyu took a deep breath while fixing his daughter with a piercing stare.

Standing beside him, Du Juan felt a twofold panic—worried for her son and worried for her husband—yet she lacked the courage to question her daughter directly, fearing she might hear some devastating news.

"Father, Qin Yu went with Younger Brother to Grandfather's house."

Xie Wenjing maintained the falsehood to buy time, praying that news of her brother being found would arrive shortly.

Xie Chengyu suddenly covered his face and slumped down. His extreme despondency gave Xie Wenjing a profound shock.

"Father, what is wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

In deep alarm, Xie Wenjing rushed to her father's side, echoed closely by a panicked Du Juan.

"Wenjing, it is Father who is useless. You are only twelve years old, yet you know how to hold this household together. In the past, when my health failed, you were forced to bear this heavy burden.

Now that I am much better, you all still keep things hidden from me and your mother. I know you fear my health cannot bear it.

Yet the more you do so, the more useless Father feels. If Father were of any use, I would have long since attained official rank and provided you with support.

It is Father's uselessness that burdens you! I failed to die, only to become a drag upon you all. Sometimes Father thinks, if I were gone, would it make things easier for you?

Yet the moment Father thinks of you without a father, and your mother without a husband, how much more sorrowful would you be? Thinking thus, Father dared not die after all!"

Hearing these words, Xie Wenjing felt as though her heart were being torn apart. It was the first time she had ever witnessed her father looking so humble, so self-reproachful, and so utterly exhausted.

As it turned out, excessive protection was also a burden to her father.

"Husband, do not frighten me. Wenjing, tell us the truth, what on earth has happened to Wenbao?"

Du Juan lost her composure entirely, feeling a sudden, suffocating wave of distress as though a terrible disaster were descending upon them.

"Father, Mother, since you both wish to know, I will conceal nothing and tell you everything in detail.

Mother Wu, help me support Mother. Let her lie down on the daybed first. Father, I will help you rest against the bed. This story is somewhat long, and I fear you will grow weary."

Having learned the depth of her father's inner torment, Xie Wenjing no longer dared to add to his suffering. She would tell them!

However, it had to be done gradually, recounting the affairs of the Xie family step by step before finally touching upon the situation with her younger brother and Wenfen, hoping the narrative would take long enough for the boys to suddenly return in the meantime.

"Father, the Xie family of Yangzhou has completely fallen." Xie Wenjing intended to start slowly from this point, also sharing some cheering news with her father.

"Really? Then—then how did they fall?" Du Juan's face betrayed a flicker of joy.

Xie Chengyu, conversely, kept his expression unchanged, waiting for his daughter to continue.

Seeing her father's calm demeanor, Xie Wenjing could not fathom his true feelings and had no choice but to press on.

"When Second Uncle went to Jinling for the examinations, he failed to attain the jinshi degree. Not only that, he became entangled with a Jinling courtesan and was forced to redeem her contract.

I heard that had Second Uncle refused, the courtesan's procuress would have dragged his reputation through the mud.

Second Uncle ended up spending a full ten taels of silver to redeem the Jinling courtesan. The Xie family's entire foundation was reduced to nothing more than the ancestral residence in Yangzhou.

Second Uncle and Grandfather sold off the Yangzhou ancestral residence, pawning everything of value within it, including the women's jewelry.

Consequently, our grandmother was so enraged that she collapsed on the spot. The physician examined her and said she suffered a stroke and will not be able to stand for years to come."

"Retribution! Truly, retribution has come!" Hearing this, Du Juan was overjoyed. The primary culprit who had harmed her husband was now reduced to such a helpless state herself.

Xie Chengyu quietly chewed over his daughter's words. Thus far, she still had not mentioned Wenbao; could the situation truly be that grave?

*No, it cannot be. I must not panic. I must stay calm! If I collapse in a fit of rage as I did last time, Wenjing and the others will hide even more from me in the future. Stay calm!*

Noticing her father breathing steadily with neither sorrow nor joy on his face, Xie Wenjing continued her slow narrative.

"After Second Uncle squandered the Yangzhou ancestral residence, he wished to enter officialdom, willing to accept even a minor assistant magistrate's post in some northern backwater.

Grandfather approved of the idea, but they had no wish to drag a bedridden grandmother along the road, so they decided to send her here to us."

"What? Where are they? Have they already moved into our home?" Du Juan's thoughts were led completely by Xie Wenjing.

"No, I did not let them move in. Not knowing where we lived, Grandfather and the others went to Hangzhou to find Grandfather's family first.

After locating them, they dumped the gravely ill grandmother there, entrusted my maternal grandfather's family to send her to us, and departed in a rush to catch their boat.

Left behind by Grandfather were also Fourth Aunt, Little Cousin, and Mother Li.

All of these people are enemies of our house; how could I dare let them stay here? Third Uncle and Third Aunt agreed they could not be housed here either—just looking at them causes frustration. So they were arranged to stay at Fajing Temple."

By the time Xie Wenjing reached this point, Du Juan's expression had darkened with indignation. *Was there ever anyone so shameless?*

Xie Chengyu took another deep breath. *Do not get angry, cannot get angry. The boy's matter has not been addressed yet; I must stay calm, stay calm!*

The old woman was truly reaping her rewards now, reduced to a state where even her biological son cast her aside and disdained her.

"Tell us about Wenbao! I promise you, I will not panic, nor will I grow agitated. Juan'er, you must remain calm as well. Take a deep breath; do not make yourself ill, for it is our family that would suffer."

Xie Chengyu not only managed his own emotions, but successfully soothed his wife's agitation as well.

Xie Wenjing sighed inwardly. *Little brother, if I continue speaking now, I will have no choice but to reach your part! Why hasn't this troublesome boy shown up yet?*

"Father, Mother, Grandmother wants to murder us all! I heard Grandmother say she is going to kill every single one of us!"

Suddenly, Wenbao burst in through the doorway like a dutiful messenger, followed closely by Third Aunt, Wenting, and Wenfen.

Xie Wenjing's eyes suddenly brimmed with tears. Just a moment longer—just a hair's breadth—and she would have been forced to tell her parents that her younger brother was missing. Xie Wenjing bit her lower lip hard, fighting back the urge to sob aloud.

Xie Chengyu suddenly understood how much his daughter had been forced to endure!

Wenbao must have run off alone and gone missing, which was why Wenjing dared not tell him directly, choosing instead to lead him through such a long preamble to prepare him mentally and buy time!

Xie Chengyu took a deep breath. *I must not get angry, I must not panic. My son has returned safely, but I can no longer indulge him running off on his own whim. Today, I will administer the punishment myself.*

"Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, look—Wenbao and Wenfen have returned. Send someone to Hangzhou to inform Chenjin, who took the evening boat to Yangzhou, so he won't panic searching for them in Yangzhou."

Seeing Xie Wenjing's tear-streaked face and Xie Chengyu's iron-clad expression, Third Aunt assumed they had already learned of the boys' disappearance.

"What? Wenbao? Wenbao was missing just now?" Du Juan suffered a sudden wave of dizziness. Before Xie Chengyu could collapse, Du Juan gave way to the faint first.

"Mother? Mother? What is wrong?" Wenbao suddenly panicked, having never seen his mother faint before.

Fortunately, anticipating that she might fail to keep the truth from her parents—and terrified that the shock of Wenbao's disappearance might cause her father to collapse—Xie Wenjing had already arranged for a physician to stand by at the house as a precaution since dusk.

To her surprise, her father held firm, but her mother had fainted instead.

Looking at the physician who materialized instantly, Xie Chengyu understood all too well that this old doctor had been prepared for him by his daughter. A sharp pang pierced his heart—his daughter was only twelve years old, yet she bore such a heavy load!

"Congratulations, Master! This madam is with child!"

After taking her pulse for a moment, the old physician stood up and delivered the diagnosis everyone had been praying for—she was pregnant!

"However, the conception is still very recent, barely thirty days. The old man will prescribe some stabilizing herbs; take them consecutively for ten days and she will be fine. Furthermore, the expectant mother must avoid excessive emotional agitation to prevent destabilizing the fetus."

After giving his instructions and leaving behind a prescription, the old physician departed. Only then did Xie Wenjing dare let him go, now that her younger brothers were back.

"Father, Third Uncle went to Hangzhou to look for Younger Brother. Let us have Uncle Li chase after him to Hangzhou right now and inform Third Uncle!"

Though delighted by the news of her mother's new pregnancy, Xie Wenjing also noticed a trace of anxiety flickering across Third Aunt's face—worry that Third Uncle wouldn't find anyone in Yangzhou and would panic.

"Very well, Wenjing, handle the arrangements as you see fit! Wenbao, come here—kneel down!"

Xie Chengyu prepared to discipline his insensible son.

"Father, wait for me just a moment. Once I have everything arranged, I will return. Father, take good care of the little brother in Mother's belly first!

Wenfen, take your younger brother, both of you go and kneel in the main hall right now. Wait until I return to deal with you!"

Xie Wenjing shot her younger brother a fierce glare. *Just wait, I'll deal with you later! And Wenfen too, letting himself be led astray by his younger brother!*

Frightened by his elder sister's ferocious look, the cold, stern gaze of his father, and his mother ignoring him to focus on the unborn child in her belly, Wenbao suddenly felt thoroughly panicked.

Along the way, Xie Wenfen had already realized the magnitude of the trouble he had caused today. Their unannounced disappearance had thrown the entire household into panic and driven his father out to search for them in Yangzhou!

Without a word, Xie Wenfen took the lead, walking toward the main hall. He had done wrong, and kneeling was the proper punishment.

Seeing his older cousin comply, Wenbao had no choice but to drag his feet and follow along.

After instructing Mother Wu to look after his wife for a moment, Xie Chengyu rose steadily to his feet and followed his daughter out.

Xie Chengyu intended not only to find out precisely when Wenbao had gone missing today, but to personally punish his son. The fact that his third brother had rushed off to Yangzhou to search for them meant the boys had been gone for a very long time indeed.

"Uncle Li, go via my maternal grandfather's house and inform them that Wenbao and the others have returned. Then take a boat directly to the Yangzhou ancestral residence, find my third uncle, and tell him the boys are back.

Zhihua, Duma, take the household's mantou and go thank the village chief. Tell him Wenbao and the others have returned, and ask him to call back everyone from the village."

Stepping outside his parents' room, Xie Wenjing issued her instructions to Uncle Li and the others waiting outside. As she spoke, she produced two hundred taels in silver banknotes and handed them to Uncle Qin.

Uncle Li had followed her father for years. However, when Uncle Qin turned eighteen, he had taken a wife who later grew dissatisfied with his taciturn nature and eloped with another man.

The blow had crushed Uncle Li. From then on, aside from quietly tending to Xie Chengyu, he ignored everything else. Now thirty years old, Uncle Li refused to exchange more than a few words with the other maidservants and attendants.

Though a man of few words, he was utterly dedicated when caring for Xie Chengyu, and tasks assigned to him were invariably handled with absolute reliability.

Xie Wenjing would have loved to go to Hangzhou herself—not only to find her third uncle, but also to see Xu Yin—but the timing was wrong.

Her mother was pregnant, and her grandmother had come to plague the household; she could not afford to leave home now. She had no choice but to entrust Uncle Qin with finding her third uncle in Yangzhou.

Uncle Li nodded without declining the banknotes his young mistress offered. Folding them carefully, he accepted the parcel of mantou handed to him by Meilan and departed.

That afternoon, knowing that many villagers had volunteered to search for her younger brother, Xie Wenjing had been deeply moved and instructed the household to steam extra mantou. None of the family members had eaten a single bite yet, but these provisions had to be prepared.

Before dispatching Uncle Qin to Hangzhou, Xie Wenjing had told Meilan to quickly prepare an extra package of mantou for Uncle Li to take along. The whole family had been searching until now without a meal; since Uncle Li was heading to Yangzhou, he could not set out on an empty stomach.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Xie Chengyu reined in his emotions. *My son's disappearance has caused so many people to search for him?*

*Do not get angry! Do not panic! Stay calm!* Xie Chengyu repeatedly warned himself!

"Speak. I am giving you two both a chance: explain why you left at mid-morning and only returned this late. Do not stand up—kneel while you talk!"

Xie Wenjing's voice turned harsh. Watching from the side, Third Aunt felt both angry and heartbroken at her son's thoughtlessness, which had forced his father to make a midnight dash to Yangzhou.

Listening calmly and observing quietly, Xie Chengyu noted his daughter's precocious maturity and decisive, thorough handling of the crisis. She had kept him from punishing the boys personally out of fear that he could not control his emotions.

Since he, as their father, could not provide support to his daughter, he must at least avoid becoming a burden. Thus, he watched in silence, forbidding himself from getting angry or agitated.

"It's because you refused to tell us the truth! You didn't trust us, so we simply wanted to go to Fajing Temple in person to find out the truth. If you had told us, wouldn't we have stayed away from the temple?"

Wenbao suddenly grew stubborn again. He and his cousin had huddled beneath Grandmother's bed in fear and trembling for so long, waiting until nightfall when the old woman fell asleep to sneak back home.

The moment they returned, they had told their parents that Grandmother wanted to murder every single member of their family one by one, yet no one listened to them, and instead they were being punished. They hadn't even eaten yet! Wenbao thought resentfully, feeling entirely unrepentant.

"Wenfen, you speak! From the time you left until your return, tell us every detail of what happened. Wenting, listen closely as well."

Xie Wenjing cut short her younger brother's defiant retort.

Wenting raised her pale face. Having been terrified all day after learning her older brother and younger brother were missing, she felt her heart flutter anxiously now that they were back, only to see her brothers kneeling while her elder sister remained furious.

"Mother, Eldest Uncle, Eldest Sister, we were wrong. We should not have run off to Fajing Temple without a word and worried you all!"

Being a year older, Wenfen understood where he had erred.

"Get to the point. Why did you sneak away, what happened in between, and why did Wenbao come back claiming Grandmother wanted to murder us one by one?"

Xie Wenjing coldly interrupted Wenfen's apology.

"Wenbao said he had previously overheard you talking about Grandmother poisoning Eldest Uncle, but he didn't believe it. Today, when Eldest Aunt and the others came and said Grandmother was gravely ill and wanted to move into our house,

and we heard you say you wouldn't let them stay here and were sending Grandmother to Fajing Temple instead, Wenfen and I decided to go to Fajing Temple ourselves to see if Grandmother was truly so malicious.

We followed Mother and Eldest Sister to Fajing Temple. While you went to Eldest Aunt's house, we hid beneath the bed in Grandmother's chambers and waited for them.

At noon, we heard what you said, and at the time we thought you were just resenting Grandmother and deliberately provoking her, and even felt she was rather pitiful.

We were just about to come out and comfort her when, the moment you walked away, Grandmother and the others said things we had never imagined.

Grandmother hates our biological grandmother and wants to see all her descendants killed one by one before she will be satisfied.

Moreover, Grandmother fears you might poison her, so she specifically instructed Fourth Aunt and Mother Li that if she suddenly dies, they must stubbornly insist that you murdered her.

She wants to ruin all our reputations, burden us with the crime of unfiliality, and tell Second Uncle to avenge her. Grandmother even said—she even said her dying wish is to see every member of our family die a wretched end!

She said our family was born into the wrong womb and deserved to die!

Wenfen and I were terrified. We didn't dare make a sound, biting our fingers hard until nightfall when they fell asleep, and only then did we dare sneak back!"

Wenfen finally managed to recount the entire sequence of events. Trembling like a leaf, Wenting was pulled into a protective embrace by her third aunt.

"Wenting, do not be afraid. An enemy standing in the open is not terrifying; the most terrifying enemy is the one standing behind your back, the one you believe you can rely on while she waits to stab you in the back.

Now that Wenbao and Wenfen have witnessed Grandmother's malice firsthand, you must all remain on your guard against them.

The only reason we refused to let Grandmother move into our home was precisely to protect you from her venomous schemes, while you still regarded her as a good grandmother.

Wenfen, Wenbao, you both committed a wrong and performed a merit today.

Your wrong lies in knowing full well what panic your unannounced disappearance would inflict upon the family, yet still running off. That deserves punishment.

Punishment must be metted out, and the two of you will share it.

However, your merit must be rewarded. You discovered Grandmother's plot to poison us, allowing our family to prepare and teaching Wenting how to guard against her.

First, I will reward you with a full meal so you do not starve while being punished. As for the punishment itself, you may choose one of two options.

Option one: kneel through the night until dawn without a cushion beneath your knees, until your knees are raw and aching so you learn your lesson.

Option two: take a sound, brisk beating across the calves. Once your legs smart, the next time you think of running off, you can reflect upon your calves first."

Initially, Xie Wenjing had truly wanted to hang her younger brother up for a thorough whipping. But hearing Wenfen's account, she realized both boys had shown clear initiative and growth—knowing enough to hide and gather intelligence, and being smart enough not to be discovered by their grandmother. They had improved significantly, so she abandoned the idea of suspending them.

Punishment was still necessary, however; otherwise, these two brats would grow lawless indeed! Causing such uproar, terrifying the household, and forcing her third uncle to take a boat to Yangzhou by night—she could not let them off lightly!

"Elder Sister, I choose the beating!" Wenfen made his choice the moment Xie Wenjing finished speaking. A brisk beating meant he could go back to sleep sooner; it was far better than kneeling all night!

"What about Wenbao? Do you prefer kneeling?" Xie Wenjing glared fiercely at her younger brother.

"C-can the beating be a little lighter?" Wenbao asked weakly, desperately wanting to ask if his merit could offset his demerit.

He would rather go hungry all night than kneel, let alone take a beating. Having never been struck once in his life, surely a whipping would hurt terribly!

"Since you have chosen the beating as well, Zhihua, Meilan, serve dinner for the whole family first. The two of them will eat along with everyone, and the beating comes after the meal!

Because of the two of you, our entire family, along with Grandfather's family and the whole village, went without dinner this evening. Look at yourselves—it is already the hour of the dog!"

Exasperated, Xie Wenjing glared at her younger brothers, thoroughly fed up. Fortunately, not only had they returned safely, but they had also shown genuine growth—an unexpected blessing. There was no need to hang them up for a thrashing after all!

Once the family had finished their meal in peace, it was time for Wenbao and Wenfen to take their punishment. The two boys reluctantly rolled up their trouser legs, baring their calves as they awaited their elder sister's rod.

Holding the thin bamboo switch, Xie Wenjing suddenly found herself hesitating. She could harden her heart to make her brother kneel, but actually striking him proved rather difficult.

"Third Aunt, you beat them!" Xie Wenjing suddenly thrust the bamboo switch into Third Aunt's hands, casting a pleading look as if begging for help.

Thoroughly exasperated by their thoughtlessness, Third Aunt grabbed the switch and struck her own son's calf first.

Yet the moment the switch landed on Xie Wenfen's calf, Third Aunt involuntarily softened her blow, turning the stroke into little more than a token tap.

Realizing this, Wenbao thought he saw a way out. As long as his elder sister wasn't the one administering it, anything was fine. Third Aunt had hit his older cousin without even making him frown; it couldn't possibly hurt.

"Third Aunt, hit me too! I won't run away again!" Wenbao eagerly rolled up his trousers and thrust his leg forward to be struck.

With a hardened heart, Third Aunt brought the switch down on Wenbao's calf just as she had for her own son.

"Third Aunt, you're biased! Why does it hurt so much when you hit me?"

Wenbao howled, wincing in agony and dramatically jumping into the air.

Having never been struck once in his life, it was his first beating; even the lightest blow stung fiercely.

In contrast, Xie Wenfen had occasionally faced a ruler over the past two years of his studies. A ruler was standard for keeping students focused—something most scholars and educators believed in and practiced. Third uncle fell squarely into that majority.