Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Yin Die thought of what had happened at home, her eyes reddened again, and she wiped the corners of her eyes with her hand. "I hope Your Majesty won’t laugh at me. When I returned home, my family almost got into a fight. Fortunately, Your Majesty sent two matrons to accompany me, which helped to calm the situation."

The Empress, curious, raised her hand. "Please rise and have a seat to talk."

Yin Die thanked her and rose from the ground. She sat lightly on the embroidered stool. "Thanks to Your Majesty’s generosity, I had the opportunity to return home..."

In Daxuan, once a palace maid entered the palace, she couldn’t leave without a valid reason, let alone visit her family.

Yin Die had been in the palace for many years, and this time, she was granted the Empress's favor to return home for the first time. Upon arriving home, she realized her father was truly awful.

Yin Die's father, named Ma Bosheng, was originally an eighth-rank official in the Honglu Temple. Three years ago, he lost his job because of his drinking problem, which caused him to neglect his duties.

Since then, he had stayed at home, his temper growing worse, and he frequently beat and scolded Yin Die's mother.

Yin Die had a younger brother named Ma Wenyuan. When the boy was younger, he would just cry and beg Ma Bosheng to stop while using his body to shield his mother.

This year, Ma Wenyuan turned sixteen, and his stature was no different from an adult's. Young and full of energy, he naturally tried to stop his mother from being bullied. In the process of pulling and tugging, he ended up shoving Ma Bosheng a few times.

Ma Bosheng would then fly into a rage, lashing out at both his son and wife.

Over time, the relationship between father and son became increasingly strained.

Ma Bosheng thought his son was a lost cause and could not be relied upon in the future, so he wanted to take a concubine and have one or two more sons to ensure he’d be taken care of in his old age.

Yin Die's family was not wealthy to begin with, and since her father lost his job, the family’s finances were stretched thin.

Although the family was not well-off, fortunately, there was only one boy in the family, Yin Die's brother. By cutting back on expenses, they could barely manage to get him married and have children in the future.

But Ma Bosheng wanted to take a concubine, and who knew how many children she would bear in the future. This was clearly meant to split the family’s inheritance that should have gone to Yin Die's brother.

Concerned about her son's future, Yin Die's mother feared that there would be no place for her and her son in the family in the future, so she refused, even if it cost her life.

Ma Bosheng was furious about this and beat and scolded Yin Die's mother again.

In the past, some minor conflicts would have been endured by Yin Die's brother after being beaten a few times, but this year, the young man was filled with anger.

It was also because Ma Bosheng's curses were too harsh, saying all sorts of vile things, that the young man's blood boiled, and he could no longer tolerate it. In a moment of impulse, he struck Ma Bosheng twice.

Ma Bosheng, having been beaten by his own son, couldn’t let this insult go. He threatened to leave his wife, sever ties with Yin Die's brother, and even report him to the authorities for beating his father and being unfilial.

In Daxuan, filial piety was highly valued. If Ma Bosheng really did that, Yin Die's brother's future would be ruined. Not only would his prospects be bleak, but it would also be difficult for him to marry a girl from a good family.

Yin Die's mother had no choice but to kneel and beg, crying and submitting.

This angered Ma Wenyuan, who vowed to quit studying, skip the exams, and never marry.

But Yin Die's mother yelled at her son through tears, even slapping him, forcing him to apologize to Ma Bosheng, and threatening to take her own life if he disobeyed.

In this way, the mother and son were back under Ma Bosheng’s thumb.

Ma Bosheng, feeling triumphant, took this opportunity to teach the mother and son a harsh lesson to establish his authority at home. He grabbed a stick and beat Yin Die's brother, striking so hard that Ma Wenyuan broke his arm trying to block the blow.

Last year, Ma Wenyuan had passed the provincial exam and was supposed to take the metropolitan exam this spring. However, due to his broken arm at the beginning of the year, he had to put it off, and the next opportunity would be three years later.

In the end, Ma Bosheng still managed to bring the concubine into the household.

When Yin Die returned home this time and saw her brother's arm still in a sling, she couldn’t help but ask for details.

Yin Die seldom came home, and the mother and son didn’t want to upset or worry her, so they initially refused to tell the truth, just saying it was an accidental fall.

Later, Yin Die lost her temper and pressed them until she learned the truth. She was so furious that she immediately wanted to confront Ma Bosheng, but was held back by her mother and brother.

The three women had differing opinions and were in the midst of arguing when the concubine, oblivious to the danger, used Ma Bosheng’s favoritism to her advantage and tried to take the rewards Yin Die had brought home, showing off her usual bossy ways.

Yin Die naturally refused and berated her sharply. Then, out of nowhere, the concubine faked a fall, screaming and sobbing, summoning Ma Bosheng and accusing Yin Die of hitting her.

Ma Bosheng caused another uproar, protecting the concubine and cursing at Yin Die.

He said that Yin Die could now live a life of luxury in the palace, all because he sent her there years ago. Now that she had returned home, she had the nerve to disrespect him, showing no respect for her elders, lawless, and no better than a beast.

Ma Bosheng ordered Yin Die to hand over all the palace gifts to the concubine’s room, and then the matter would be settled. Or else, no one would get any peace.

Yin Die stood her ground, not only refusing to hand over the items but also accusing Ma Bosheng of beating and scolding his wife and children for the sake of taking a concubine, which went against all moral decency.

Seeing his once-timid daughter now standing up to him, Ma Bosheng couldn’t handle it and swung at Yin Die.

Yin Die, hardened by her years in the palace, was no longer the little girl who would let him beat and scold her. She stepped forward, stared at Ma Bosheng, and dared him to hit her, warning she’d report him to the authorities if he did.

Ma Bosheng’s hand hovered, but he didn’t dare to strike. Humiliated, he turned to strike Yin Die’s mother, blaming her for instigating the situation.

Yin Die lunged to stop him, while her brother, arm in a sling, shielded their mother and sister. After a few slaps, he snapped, grabbing Ma Bosheng’s neck with one hand, choking him until his face turned purple, nearly knocking him out.

Seeing Ma Bosheng struggle, the concubine wailed and rushed to his aid, shouting that the son was killing his father, and the wife was murdering her husband...

What should’ve been a joyful reunion turned into utter chaos.

The two matrons who accompanied Yin Die home, not wanting to disturb her family reunion, had been resting in the side room since arriving at the Ma household.

When the conflict first arose, they heard the commotion and went to ask Yin Die if she needed help. Yin Die said no, so they silently stood by, observing the situation.

Later, seeing the situation escalate, they couldn’t sit still and hurried to help.

One grabbed the concubine and slapped her hard, making her dizzy, with blood flowing from her nose and mouth, and she fell to the ground.

The other twisted Ma Bosheng’s arm, kicking and shoving him, directly throwing him out the door.

The two matrons achieved a complete victory, standing in front of Yin Die, sternly scolding that Yin Die was a respected official in front of the Empress, and it was not their place as lowly commoners to beat and curse her.

Seeing that both were intimidated, Yin Die took the opportunity to warn them not to bully her mother and brother in the future. If they dared to do so again, she would seek an imperial decree from the Empress to have them thrown into prison.

Although Daxuan’s laws rarely interfered in household matters, the supremacy of the imperial power made the two bullies think twice, and they were both scared into submission.

After all, not every palace maid could bring so many rewards and have two matrons accompany her home for a visit.

The two scrambled to their feet from the ground, not daring to utter a single harsh word, and left in disgrace.

Yin Die thanked the two matrons and asked them to rest. Closing the door, the mother and son finally embraced and cried, but after the tears, they had a peaceful night.

Until the day Yin Die left, Ma Bosheng and the concubine did not show up again.

Yin Die didn’t know when she would return home next, so she was worried. She took the two matrons with her to confront them once more, giving them a stern warning before leaving for the palace.

Speaking of yesterday’s events, Yin Die was both angry and relieved. "To be honest with Your Majesty, my mother, brother, and I have been oppressed by my father for many years. This is the first time we’ve stood tall and held our heads high. I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s great kindness."

The Empress waved her hand: "It’s nothing. In the future, during holidays, you can go back and visit your mother and brother more often."

Hearing that she would have the chance to leave the palace again, Yin Die was overjoyed and kowtowed in gratitude once more.

She then stood up to leave, but after walking a few steps, she turned back, her face hesitant, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.

The Empress noticed and asked, "Do you have something else to say?"

Yin Die clenched her teeth, made up her mind, and knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, I dare to make a bold request, and I beg for your approval."

The Empress said, "Go ahead."

Yin Die’s heart was pounding with anxiety. She clenched her fingers before speaking: "I ask Your Majesty to support my mother and allow her to legally separate from my father."

Nanny Fang had been standing quietly by the Empress’s side. Earlier, when Yin Die spoke of the chaos in her family, although she was also angry, she kept her composure.

But upon hearing this, she was stunned. In all her years, she had never heard of a daughter arranging her parents’ separation.

The Empress was surprised and then confirmed, "Not just a divorce, but a complete legal separation?"

Yin Die nodded solemnly: "Yes, a complete separation."

The Empress looked at the usually quiet and introverted woman before her: "Does your mother know about this?"

"My mother doesn’t know yet, but she will agree," Yin Die said, tears rolling down her face. "For over twenty years of her marriage, I have seen her living in constant fear, as if trapped in hell. If given the chance to escape, she would surely seize it."

The Empress asked again, "What about your brother?"

Yin Die said, "I’m overstepping, but I beg Your Majesty to allow my brother to stay with my mother. I have asked my brother, and he would rather abandon his career than remain tied to such a father."

This idea was bold and unconventional, causing Nanny Fang to gasp in shock.

The Empress was speechless but suddenly admired Yin Die’s courage.

Seeing the Empress remain silent for a while, Yin Die shuffled forward on her knees, prostrated herself, and kowtowed: "I beg Your Majesty for your approval."

The Empress sighed softly, stood up, and personally helped Yin Die to her feet: "You’re a responsible and devoted child. I am willing to grant your wish."

"But people can be cruel and judgmental. Have you thought about how your mother will live after the separation, and how your brother will manage?"

Yin Die was resolute: "Your Majesty, over the years, I have saved some money while serving in the palace, enough to buy a small estate outside the city. After my mother separates, I will bring her and my brother there. We’ll live quietly and keep to ourselves and not care about what others say."

This was remarkably clear-headed. The Empress nodded and asked, "If you give them all your money, what will you do when you leave the palace?"

Yin Die said firmly, "If Your Majesty permits, I’d rather stay in the palace forever and serve Your Majesty for the rest of my life."

"Previously, I had hoped to marry a good man in the future. But after this trip home, I suddenly feel that compared to marrying a man who might treat me poorly in the future, staying by Your Majesty’s side as a good mistress for the rest of my life would be much better."

The Empress and Nanny Fang exchanged glances and both sighed. This girl had been scarred by her father’s behavior.

The Empress said, "Life is long; we’ll figure out the future later. There’s no need to be so absolute. Since you are so determined, I will help you with this and grant your mother’s separation from your father."

Yin Die was overjoyed but nervously asked, "What about my brother?"

The Empress smiled: "He may stay with your mother."

Yin Die was so happy that she cried, kowtowing repeatedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty."

"Rise now. If you hurt your head, how will you serve later?" The Empress then pointed to a cabinet and said to Nanny Fang, "I remember there is a two-courtyard house in the east of the city that has been vacant. Find the deed for it."

Nanny Fang did as instructed and found the deed. The Empress took it and handed it to Yin Die: "This house will be transferred to your name. You can keep it for yourself or use it to settle your mother and brother. It’s up to you."

Yin Die was overcome with joy, her heart filled with both sorrow and warmth. Holding the deed, she wept uncontrollably, not knowing how to express her gratitude, and immediately knelt down again.

"Stop kowtowing, you'll damage the floor," the Empress held her back and glanced at Nanny Fang. "Take my token and go with Yin Die out of the palace to take care of this matter."

Nanny Fang agreed, took the Empress's token, and left the palace with Yin Die.

That day, Yin Die's mother and Ma Bosheng went to the relevant government office to finalize the severance of ties.

With the Empress's verbal decree and Nanny Fang personally accompanying them, the officials naturally favored Yin Die's mother. They unearthed some obscure laws and applied them, splitting the Ma family's property equally.

Money and items were easy to split, but the property couldn't be divided. After consulting Yin Die, the officials mediated, and finally, Ma Bosheng took the house while Yin Die's mother took the family's only shop.

The officials also issued a document on the spot to sever the father-son relationship between Ma Wenyuan and Ma Bosheng.

Then, under Ma Bosheng's incredulous gaze, Yin Die's mother hired several carriages and returned to the Ma residence with her children.

Amid the concubine's heart-wrenching wails, they took half of the silver and items, along with the little dowry she had left, and moved directly to the house the Empress had given her daughter.

Once everything was settled, Yin Die stayed at the new home to take care of the details as the Empress had instructed, while Nanny Fang returned to the palace to report.

Nanny Fang vividly recounted the entire process to the Empress and couldn't help laughing, "Your Majesty, you should have seen the joy on the faces of Yin Die's mother and siblings as they moved out of the Ma residence. If it weren't for the need to keep it quiet, they might have set off firecrackers to celebrate."

"As soon as they entered the new house, they kowtowed three times towards the palace, expressing their endless gratitude to Your Majesty."

After hearing the whole story, the Empress smiled, "From now on, Yin Die won't have to worry so much and can live a bit more freely."

In this way, she had somewhat repaid Yin Die's devotion.

Nanny Fang added, "Yin Die's mother and brother are also very reasonable. They left the main room for Yin Die and repeatedly stated in my presence that the house was only temporarily borrowed from Yin Die. Once her brother establishes himself, they will find another house to move to. The boy even vowed not to marry until he could support himself."

The Empress nodded with a smile, "That's very good."

The Empress thought the matter had reached a perfect conclusion.

Little did she know that a few days later, during a grand court meeting, a meddling censor would accuse the Empress of abusing her royal power, violating the laws of Daxuan, and encouraging her maid to instigate her mother to sever ties with her father and her brother to sever ties with his father. Such disloyal, unjust, and unfilial acts, if left unpunished, would set a bad example for future generations.

The reckless censor risked his life to advise the Emperor to reprimand the Empress and send the rebellious maid to the disciplinary office for punishment.

Behind him, a line of censors knelt down, echoing, "I concur," "I concur," "I concur"...

For a moment, the entire court was in chaos.

Of course, this is a story for later.

---

At the Wei family.

The 14th Prince sat at the head, with the Wei father and son sitting beside him, as they conversed.

After finishing the story about the 13th Prince, the 14th Prince stood up and bowed deeply to Wei Zong, "Father-in-law, this matter has implicated the Wei family, and I apologize to you here."

Wei Zong dared not accept such a gesture and quickly stood up to support him, "Your Highness, you are too kind. We are one family; there is no question of implication."

The 14th Prince's expression was not good, "Cang'er and Wei Yun have also suffered unjustly. The harsh words I said earlier are now null and void."

The 14th Prince was magnanimous, but Wei Zong dared not act as if nothing had happened and immediately stated, "Let's not talk about Cang'er for now, but as for A Yun, although there were reasons, her intention to harm her elder sister cannot be overlooked."

The 14th Prince remained silent. Although he said that, the thought of his wife and child almost losing their lives made it impossible for him to forgive Wei Yun.

After all, if Wei Yun couldn't handle it herself, she could have informed him and Wei Zong, and together they could have found a solution.

Wei Zong continued, "Your Highness, rest assured, your mother-in-law is already looking for a husband for Wei Yun. There has been some progress in the past two days. She can get up today, and I will send her to the manor later. When the time comes, she will be married far away."

These were his wife’s words, and the 14th Prince nodded: "I’ll leave it to my parents-in-law to decide."

Wei Cang, sitting beside them, lowered his eyes in silence, his heart heavy.

He knew that his sister had acted to save him and their mother, but he also knew that she had committed the grave crime of scheming against the royal lineage. That she could still marry safely now was only due to his brother-in-law’s special mercy.

After finishing the discussion about Wei Yun, Wei Zong sent his son away, leaving only the father-in-law and son-in-law in the room. He then lowered his voice and asked, "Your Highness, what’s your plan for dealing with the 13th Prince?"

The conflict between the two princes on the street had already spread among the ministers. Thinking of his son-in-law’s lack of military power or authority, Wei Zong was somewhat anxious.

The 14th Prince replied, "No rush, we’ll talk about it later."

Wei Zong hesitantly asked, "Your Highness, are you planning to inform the 8th Prince about this?" Thinking of the 8th Prince’s temperament, he frowned, his worry deepening.

The 14th Prince said, "That’s the idea. But father-in-law, you need not worry. I do not intend to have the 8th Prince stand up for me, but there are some things he needs to know to avoid being tripped up by others’ schemes."

Hearing this, Wei Zong felt slightly relieved and said no more, "That makes sense."

After chatting a bit more, the 14th Prince took his leave and returned to his residence.

Upon seeing his wife, he immediately told her everything that happened that day and asked, "Would you like to see Wei Yun one last time? Once she goes to the estate, it will be difficult for you to meet again."

The 14th Prince’s Consort thought for a moment and shook her head, "No need. It’d just make things more awkward."

Rationally, she understood that the root of this matter lay in her husband’s royal status, and Wei Yun was merely collateral damage.

But emotionally, she still could not accept that Wei Yun had chosen to sacrifice her, the elder sister, to protect her own brother and mother.

However, thinking that without Nuo Er, not only would Wei Yun have died, but Wei Cang would have too, and their entire family would have suffered because of her husband, she felt deeply guilty and sorry for her family.

Torn inside, she hesitated for a long time before finally sighing, "Over the past two years, I have prepared some dowry gifts for Wei Yun. I’ll have someone send them to her later." This way, they could consider the matter settled.

Seeing his wife’s downcast look, the 14th Prince embraced her and said, "Whatever you say."

The 14th Prince’s Consort pulled herself together and remembered to ask, "You captured that man named Cui Pinggui. What’s his story?"

The 14th Prince explained, "Cui Pinggui was originally under the 13th Prince’s command, but he made a mistake recently and was dismissed by the 13th Prince. Later, when the 13th Prince secretly plotted to harm you, he needed someone to pretend to be a reckless rich kid at the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, risking his life for the scheme."

"Zhang Hu couldn’t find someone both reliable and willing to risk their life for the task, so he thought to give his cousin a chance to make amends by secretly assigning Cui Pinggui to the job."

"Zhang Hu had planned to confess this to his master after the deed was done, hoping that the 13th Prince would not be too harsh on them."

"Unexpectedly, things took a turn, and Zhang Hu, fearing that the 13th Prince would blame them for the failure, went to Cui Pinggui and gave him some silver, hoping he would flee far away."

At this point, the 14th Prince sneered, "This morning, the 13th Prince acted clueless in front of me, thinking I had no evidence against him. Little did he know that Cui Pinggui has already been captured by me. When the time is right, I will settle this with him properly."

Thinking of the morning’s events, the 14th Prince’s Consort, fearing her husband might act impulsively again, gently advised, "At least we know who’s behind this. There’s no rush to settle the score; we can take our time."

The 14th Prince held his wife’s shoulder, "I know. After you give birth, we’ll figure it out then."

Then, with a look of guilt, he said, "Wei Er, I’ve let you and our child down. If I had known, I would not have married you back then, letting you marry an ordinary man and avoid these troubles."

He never imagined that this disaster had arisen because of himself. Now that he knew, and thinking of the tragic fate of his wife, child, and in-laws in the original plot, he truly wished he could cut himself a few times.

"What are you saying?" the 14th Prince’s Consort chided him with a glance, "We’re in this together. Since I have enjoyed the power and status that come with marrying a prince, I must also bear the dangers that come with your identity."

The 14th Prince still felt guilty, "Not just you, but also my parents-in-law, your entire family, all because of me..."

The 14th Prince’s Consort covered his mouth, "Husband, when my parents decided to let me marry you, they clearly knew that our Wei family would henceforth be tied to you on the same boat. We are one family, through thick and thin, and no one blames you."

The 14th Prince hugged his wife again, resting his chin on her shoulder. After a pause, he said, "Wei Er, I want to ask Father for a task."

The 14th Prince's Consort was briefly surprised, then smiled. "Good, as long as you're willing."

---

At Princess Lanzhen's residence.

Shen Zhinuo had just summoned the system when Princess Huayue, dressed in red, swept in like a gust of wind. She grabbed the chubby little one from Princess Lanzhen's arms, planting kisses on her cheeks. "Nuo Er, I've missed you so much."

Princess Lanzhen observed her spirited daughter, who was never steady, and couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Be careful not to drop Nuo Er."

Princess Huayue tuned out her mother's scolding, pinching the little girl's hands and rubbing her cheeks. She asked in a squeaky voice, "Nuo Er, have you been eating too much meat? You look chubbier again."

Hearing the fake soft tone, Shen Weiqing got chills and rubbed his arms in disgust. "Hua Yue, can you stop acting so sweet? Talk normally, it's creeping me out."

Princess Huayue was ten years old, a year older than her cousin Princess Wen'an, but her personality was the complete opposite. She was crazy about martial arts, dreaming of traveling the world with a sword.

She got along with her cousins from the Crown Prince's family, but she and Shen Weiqing, the idiot, always clashed. They'd been at each other's throats since childhood, and this time was no exception. Hearing Shen Weiqing's taunt, Princess Huayue exploded and yelled, "Shen Weiqing, you're asking for trouble again!"

She then set Shen Zhinuo down on the couch, rolled up her sleeves, and lunged at him. Shen Weiqing bolted to avoid getting hit. In the blink of an eye, the two were out in the yard, each grabbing a stick and starting to spar.

Shen Zhinuo watched as the flower pots and stands were knocked over by the two, shook her head, and sighed in her childish voice, "When will my second brother and Hua Yue sister grow up?"

Sitting there like a round little dumpling, she tried to put on an air of maturity, which made Princess Lanzhen laugh heartily. "Don't mind those two rascals. Auntie will go tidy up the room. Nuo Er and Hui Er, play first."

Princess Wen'an agreed, picking up her sister and walking out. "Nuo Er, let's go and see, lest second brother goes too far and makes Hua Yue sister cry."

Shen Zhinuo nodded her little head in agreement. When they reached the yard, they saw the two swinging their sticks, fighting happily.

Seeing their little sisters come out, Shen Weiqing jumped back a distance and raised his hand. "Stop."

Princess Huayue, who had been practicing her stick techniques and was in the middle of a good fight, refused to stop and swung her stick again.

Shen Weiqing grabbed the stick and pulled the little girl closer, whispering mysteriously, "Didn't Auntie tell you?"

Princess Huayue didn't react immediately, tugging at the stick impatiently. "What are you squinting about? Say it!"

Shen Weiqing tilted his chin toward the little sister. "It's about A Tong."

Princess Huayue's eyes lit up, and she stopped pulling. Covering her mouth, she whispered, "My mother told me, but I forgot. What, did Nuo Er bring that thing today?"

Shen Weiqing was displeased. "What do you mean 'that thing'? A Tong is like a deity."

Princess Huayue nodded. "I misspoke, I know. If it weren't for A Tong, my mother and I would be dead."

Shen Weiqing didn't dwell on it. "Shall we go listen to Nuo Er and A Tong talk now?"

Princess Huayue was so excited her eyes sparkled. "We can listen now? Great, let's go, quick!"

Seeing the two, who had been fighting, suddenly huddle together and whisper, Shen Zhinuo tilted her little head and looked at her sister. "They were fighting so well, why did they suddenly stop?" She hadn't had enough yet.

Princess Wen'an guessed they were probably talking about A Tong but couldn't say so. She shook her head. "Maybe they're tired from fighting."

Shen Zhinuo shrugged her little shoulders and didn't bother anymore. "Doggy, go scan Hua Yue sister, see if you can find out what happened when she got sick last time."

The little black dog wagged its tail and turned around. "Young Master, it's too far, I can't scan."

Shen Zhinuo was about to get down and walk over herself when Princess Huayue threw down her stick and ran over excitedly. "Nuo Er, let sister hold you."

Shen Zhinuo's eyes curved into a smile. "Doggy, go scan."