Chapter 22
Hua Yang slept until dusk.
The body felt soft and numb, and the stomach was very hungry.
Chao Yun reported while hanging up the curtain: "Princess, Prince Consort went out to help the people drain water, and he hasn't come back yet."
Hua Yang: "When did he go?"
"In the morning, Prince Consort set off not long after you fell asleep. He was still wearing the same dirty clothes, and also ate outside at noon. I asked Zhen'er to inquire about it. Except for the Eldest Master who was interrogating the case in the east house, almost all the men in the family were taken out by the Old Master to do some work."
Hua Yang nodded. There were priorities. The old lady was gone, but there were still so many people outside who were homeless and unable to return.
"What did the kitchen make?"
"The meat from before is gone. Chao Yue has cooked red dates and longan porridge to replenish your energy and blood, as well as stewing bamboo shoot soup, and she's ready to fry two vegetarian dishes when you wake up. Princess, is there anything in particular you want to eat? The big kitchen has been steaming buns stuffed with vegetables all afternoon, each bigger than a fist. The family will eat a few and the rest is sent to the Old Master to distribute to the people affected by the disaster."
With the Chen family taking the lead, some wealthy households in town also donated some food.
Hua Yang's food in the small kitchen was enough, but Chen Jingzong had done strenuous work all day, and it was difficult to fill his stomach just by eating porridge and soup.
She said casually: "Go to the big kitchen and get two plates of steamed buns. One plate will be eaten tonight, the other will be fried and heat it up for Prince Consort tomorrow morning."
Chao Yun blinked and smiled: "Princess is starting to feel distress for Prince Consort."
Hua Yang:…
After getting up, Hua Yang went directly to the bathroom. The previous two nights were so difficult that she didn't have a chance to take a bath!
First, she sat outside and let Chao Yun rub it once, then rinsed it off, then Hua Yang stepped into the tub and took a comfortable bath.
While she was soaking, Chao Yun picked up the pile of used clothes and went outside to give them to Zhu'er.
Just after the two handed over, Chen Jingzong came back, covered in mud and even his face was rubbed with mud.
Chao Yun secretly sweated for the prince consort. Fortunately, the princess didn't see this appearance!
"The hot water has been heated in the water room. Prince Consort, would you like take a shower first?"
Chen Jingzong swept his eyes into at the central house.
Chao Yun pointed to the bathroom and said, "The princess had just woke up and is taking a bath."
Chen Jingzong paused and ordered: "Send the towel and clothes to the wing room."
After saying that, he turned around and walked to the water room to carry the water himself.
Chao Yun quickly went to the closet in the inner room to get the prince consort's change of clothes, and asked Zhu'er to take them to the wing room. When Zhu'er put away the clothes, she saw the prince consort coming in with a bucket of water in each hand.
The tall and big prince consort suddenly blocked the light at the door. His indifferent face was stained with mud. He looked very fierce.
Zhu'er was a little scared.
Chen Jingzong opened the door and said, "You go out and come back later to collect the dirty clothes."
Zhu'er breathed a sigh of relief, lowered her head and retreated.
Chen Jingzong closed the door, walked to the inner room and took off his clothes, revealing his lean body. However, there were rope marks on his shoulders and arms, and his legs and feet were white from being soaked in water for a long time.
Chen Jingzong wiped it expressionlessly, using half a bucket of water to wipe his body, half a bucket to wash his hair, and repeated the process with the other bucket.
After cleaning, Chen Jingzong put on his clothes and lay down on the bed here.
After taking a nap for half an hour, Chen Jingzong frowned and went to the central house. When he arrived at the door of the main room, he saw Hua Yang sitting at the main seat, wearing a plain white brocade dress, with black hair as fluffy as clouds, and only a white jade hairpin.
She had just taken a bath, and her fair face had a rouge-like blush. After a day of rest, her lips had regained an alluring moist luster.
Such a delicate beauty would make anyone feel better after seeing her.
Chen Jingzong smiled: "After not taking a bath for two days, you moved quite fast."
Hua Yang glared at him. She wanted to soak in the bath for a while, but when she heard his voice, she hurriedly left the tub because she was afraid of him breaking in.
"Put the food on the table."
Chao Yun smiled and went to the kitchen.
Chen Jingzong sat on the east side of the dining table and poured himself some tea.
When he was not smiling, his eyebrows were somewhat sharp and cold. This temperament also highlighted his handsomeness and demeanor, like a sharp sword.
At this moment, Hua Yang saw a tired look on his face.
No matter how strong and sturdy, he was still just a human being of flesh and blood.
Hua Yang walked to sit next to him and asked, "Do you still have to go out tomorrow?"
Chen Jingzong looked over: "Is something wrong?"
Hua Yang:…
Chao Yun and Chao Yue came over with the dinner. The staple food was red date porridge and steamed buns, as well as two vegetables and one soup.
Chen Jingzong looked at the vegetarian dishes on the table and remembered. After the maids left, he said, "I have to go out tomorrow. I probably only able to go to the mountains again the day after tomorrow when I'm free."
Hua Yang: "Who is greedy for meat? If you want to eat then go. I don't care about it, and I won't force you to go."
Chen Jingzong: "Then why did you ask me if I will go out tomorrow?"
Hua Yang scooped up a longan and chewed it slowly.
Chen Jingzong was tired and hungry. When she stopped talking, he grabbed a bun casually.
Chen Jingzong ate all four steamed buns on the plate, leaving out the sweet and greasy red date porridge, and only drank two bowls of bamboo shoot soup.
After eating and drinking, and briefly rinsing his mouth, Chen Jingzong went to the inner room.
Hua Yang had slept enough during the day and was not sleepy at this time. She sat in the side room and asked Chao Yun to prepare brush, ink, paper and inkstone.
Chao Yun yawned.
Hua Yang smiled and said: "There is no need to keep night watch tonight. You can go and sleep with Chao Yue. After tossing around for two days, it doesn't matter if you get up later tomorrow morning."
Chao Yun really couldn't stand it any longer, so she rubbed her eyes and left after thanking her.
Hua Yang grinded the ink herself.
In two days, her father-in-law would be sending a memorial to the capital. As for her, since she was going to write a letter to her father, she should write one for her mother and brother by the way.
Father-in-law had not finished investigating Qi shi's case yet, so she would write her brother's letter first tonight.
In the letter to her younger brother, Hua Yang didn't want to discuss political affairs. Her younger brother was only ten years old and he probably had no interest in how her father-in-law led the people to fight floods and provide disaster relief. What's more, her mother would definitely tell her brother these things herself.
Hua Yang wanted to tell her brother something new and interesting.
After thinking about it, Hua Yang started writing with a smile.
She wrote about how Chen Jingzong built the small garden at the back with his own hands, including how he squatted on the ground and pressed pebbles one by one, how he was distressed about the money he spent to buy peonies, and even specially built rain shields for several clusters of peonies.
She also wrote about her fear when she first heard that the flood was coming, her relief when the heavy rain ended, and the ease with which Chen Jingzong carried her up the mountain. She used this to urge her younger brother to eat well and practice martial arts diligently so that he could grow tall and strong in the future.
After writing this letter, Hua Yang also felt sleepy.
Pressing the letter with a paperweight to wait for it to dry, Hua Yang turned off the lights in the side room. After her eyes got used to the darkness, she walked lightly towards the inner room.
There was regular breathing inside the Babu bed, and the prince consort, who had worked hard for three days, was sleeping soundly.
Hua Yang climbed into the bed carefully. Although she moved gently enough, but when she just lay down, Chen Jingzong next to her suddenly turned over, put his arm around her waist, and pulled her into his arms.
Warm breath blew on her neck, but he just held her like this, and soon fell asleep again.
The next morning, Chen Jingzong was obviously the hardest working person in Siyi Hall, but he was also the first to wake up.
Inside the bed, Hua Yang was still sleeping. Her fair cheeks appeared moist and radiant in the dim light, and her plump lips were slightly parted.
She was slender, yet had a softness to her body, whether held in one's arms or lying beneath, she was pure indulgence.
When she was awake during the day, she still had the majesty of a princess, but now that she was sleeping soundly like this, Chen Jingzong wanted to make her cry.
He looked at her ferociously for a while before getting out of bed.
It was early morning outside the window. Chen Jingzong came out of the bathroom, put on his clothes, and when he came to the side room. He then caught a glimpse of the low table on the couch and a flattened piece of letter paper on top of it.
Chen Jingzong walked over, and without touching the paperweight pressed against the corner, he silently read the letter.
A full page letter, almost all of which was written about him, and he was particularly praised for his strength.
But Chen Jingzong frowned. When had she ever liked his strength? Every time he changed clothes, she would show disgust when she glimpsed at his arms, and every time he wanted to sleep with her, she would be even more frightened.
As a younger brother with three older brothers, Chen Jingzong quickly understood the profound meaning of the princess's writing. Praising him was a fake, but coaxing the little prince to eat obediently was the truth.
.
When Hua Yang woke up and found that Chen Jingzong had already gone out and the letter paper was still spreading, she guessed that Chen Jingzong had probably seen her letter.
She was a little annoyed. Chen Jingzong was used to inching forward. When he saw her compliments, his tail would probably rise up to the sky.
Today, Chen Tingjian and others were still helping outside, and inside the Chen House was very quiet. Although the servants were busy, they were also orderly and did not make any noise.
Sun shi came to Siyi Hall to sit down and told Hua Yang about the progress of the interrogation in the east house herself.
Qi shi had only one helper, her cousin Steward Yang.
When Steward Yang was young, he worked as a shopkeeper in a merchant's house in Lingzhou City. He was very good at dealing with people and was knowledgeable. Not long after Qi shi married into the Chen family, she persuaded the old lady and her husband to make Steward Yang the Chen family's steward.
Chen Tingjian had told Chen Tingshi that he was not allowed to accept any bribes. The bribers outside had trouble with Chen Tingshi and the old lady, so they tried to get through on Qi shi's side. Unexpectedly, they actually got through. However, Qi shi was cautious and she rarely came forward in person, it was all handled by Steward Yang.
After saying all of this, Sun shi told Hua Yang a lot about Chen Tingjian's difficulties as a son and a brother.
Hua Yang understood that her father-in-law would punish Qi shi, but he was unwilling to pursue his younger brother.
What can be pursued? Chen Tingshi was not greedy for a penny of silver, and it was not him who replaced the old lady's ginseng. His only fault was that he was too cowardly to control the family.
In public, Chen Tingshi did not violate any laws, and in private, it was her father-in-law's choice whether to blame him or not. Hua Yang wouldn't interfere.
After sending her mother-in-law away, Hua Yang continued to write letters to her father and mother.
The day passed like this, and Chen Jingzong returned home in the evening, covered in mud again. Fortunately, he slept soundly last night and regained his usual energy.
After dark, as Hua Yang expected, this guy got onto the bed and pressed on her.
Hua Yang thought he was too heavy and struggled to lift him off.
"Didn't you praise me for being strong and mighty, as strong as an ox?" Chen Jingzong clasped her wrist and pressed it against her back.
Hua Yang: "You peeked at my letter and you still have the nerve to tell me?"
Chen Jingzong: "How did I know it was a letter before I read it?"
In term shamelessness, Hua Yang had to bow down to him.
Chen Jingzong turned her over.
Hua Yang closed her eyes tightly.
Chen Jingzong smiled, picked up her hand, and pressed it on his chest: "If you like it, touch it. I'm not as stingy as you."
Hua Yang smacked him down with a "slap".
A soft and crisp sound could be heard inside the Babu bed, adding a bit of ambiguity.
Hua Yang's whole body became hot.
Chen Jingzong picked up her hand again, but she didn't touch nor hit.
Chen Jingzong leaned over and coaxed in her ear: "Don't move, I'll give you some meat tomorrow."
Hua Yang:…
She wasn't greedy for his meat at all!
Chapter 23
In mid Seventh Month, Chen Tingjian's apology memorial was sent to the Imperial Study Room along with Hua Yang's three family letters.
Emperor Jingshun first picked up his daughter's three letters home. When he saw the "Dear Father Emperor" on the first letter, Emperor Jingshun smiled happily.
In Fifth Month, his daughter also wrote letters back, one to the empress and one to the crown prince, but none to him. Although the letter to the empress also mentioned her concern for him, Emperor Jingshun still felt a little uncomfortable.
He didn't have many children. In total, he had two sons and two daughters, born to the Empress and the Guifei respectively.
These four children, apart from having different expectations for his sons, the one Emperor Jingshun loved most was actually his youngest daughter Hua Yang.
The empress was a rare beauty even in place like the palace. Hua Yang's beauty was even better than the empress. She had been known to be charming and cute since she was a child, the type of person whose beauty made others concerned that even if she slapped someone in anger, they would worry whether her hand might hurt from the impact.
In Emperor Jingshun's eyes, his daughter was like a fairy fruit that could make people forget their worries and refresh themselves. No matter what headache or trouble he had, as long as he saw his daughter, his body and mind would feel comfortable.
When she was a child, his daughter was very attached to him. She always liked to run to him to play. When she called Father Emperor, the sound was better than a rare skylark in the cage.
Unfortunately, later in a drunken stupor, he forcefully indulged a palace maid, and it was later discovered that his daughter might have caught him in that act.
From then on, his daughter seldom came to him. Emperor Jingshun pretended not to know the truth, but in fact he was ashamed to take the initiative to look for his daughter again.
But Hua Yang was still his favorite child.
"Send these two letters to the Empress and the Crown Prince."
Emperor Jingshun compared the thickness of the three family letters and found that the one given to him was the most weighty. He smiled and handed the other two letters to the eunuch who was serving next to him.
The eunuch went out with the letter. Emperor Jingshun cut the envelope and took out the letter paper.
Looking at it, Emperor Jingshun frowned, put down his daughter's letter for the time being, and opened Chen Tingjian's memorial.
Now Emperor Jingshun finally understood. It turned out that Chen Tingjian's sister-in-law had embezzled more than 20,000 taels of silver and some lands and shops behind the family's back.
In addition to writing an apology memorial, Chen Tingjian also sent a bamboo trunk containing the gold, silver and jewelry that Qi shi had embezzled, as well as land deeds and house deeds.
During the late emperor's reign, corrupt officials were in power, and the treasury was unable to make ends meet all year round. After Emperor Jingshun ascended the throne, he vigorously punished corrupt officials and reused capable ministers to improve people's livelihood. The treasury's accounts looked better, but the court's expenses in all aspects were still tight. Now he got more than 20,000 yuan for free, even if it was only a small number compared to the national needs, Emperor Jingshun was very happy. Those officials and gentry below, who had money but refused to help the court share its worries, and instead honored others in private, didn't it still end up in his hands?
As for that Qi shi woman, Emperor Jingshun didn't take it seriously at all.
Emperor Jingshun summoned a eunuch responsible for transcribing, and dictated the reply for Chen Tingjian.
The first matter, for every official involved in those bribes, considering that the amount of bribery from each official was not substantial, Emperor Jingshun decided to demote each official by two ranks and impose a fine ten times the amount of the bribe to serve as a warning to others. As for the local landlords and gentry, each head of the household shall be fined twenty strokes of the cane and a similar fine of ten times the amount of the bribe.
In this way, Emperor Jingshun would be able to earn back more than 200,000 taels of silver for the national treasury just by punishing the relevant officials and gentry related to the Chen family.
The second matter, Emperor Jingshun praised Chen Tingjian for placing righteousness before family, taking the initiative to plead guilty, and his merits in flood control. Emperor Jingshun reassured Chen Tingjian that he should not blame himself too much.
The third matter, according to the law, Qi shi was guilty of corruption and unfilial piety to her mother-in-law and should be hanged. The Chen family could just hand over Qi shi and her accomplices to the Lingzhou prefect's office. However, Chen Tingshi was not strict in governing the family, which was a family matter of the Chen family. As the elder brother, Chen Tingjian could discipline and punish him on his own to prevent him from doing it again in the future.
"Your Majesty is benevolent. Cabinet Elder Chen will definitely burst into tears after receiving your decree."
The senior eunuch Ma gonggong flattered with a smile.
Emperor Jingshun touched his beard. Chen Tingjian was the pillar of the country. Naturally, he would not punish him for such a trivial matter.
After the business was settled, Emperor Jingshun continued to read his daughter's family letters. He saw that it was all about Qi shi's corruption and the disaster in Shiqiao Town. She only asked him to take care of himself near the end.
Such a family letter was tasteless.
Emperor Jingshun went to the Empress's Fengyi Palace.
Empress Qi was reading her daughter's letter so seriously that she didn't even notice Emperor Jingshun coming in.
Emperor Jingshun was already in his early fifties, but Empress Qi was only thirty-five years old. She not only maintained the beauty of her youth, but also had the charm of a mature woman. It was precisely because of her beauty that Emperor Jingshun canonized her, this new favorite who had just entered the palace, as the empress after the post had been vacant for many years.
"What's written in it that make you smiles like eating honey."
Emperor Jingshun sat next to his wife. If Empress Qi observed carefully, she would find a trace of envy on his face.
But at this moment, Empress Qi was only thinking about her daughter and son-in-law. She smiled and moved the letter towards her husband emperor: "Since Hua Yang got married, every time she entered the palace, she always complained to me that the Prince Consort is vulgar and insensitive. But now this young couple finally got together."
Emperor Jingshun narrowed his eyes slightly and saw what his daughter said in the letter: "The two brothers-in-law are literati. It was already difficult to walk alone in the wind and rain, and there was not much spare energy to take care of their wives. However, Prince Consort carried me on his back like walking on flat ground. Daughter only then realized, martial artist has its own benefit."
The simple narrative did reveal a bit of the sweetness from their little daughter.
Emperor Jingshun also smiled. He naturally hoped that his daughter and her prince consort would love each other and live happily.
The emperor and empress read the letter side by side, chatted about the Chen family's affairs, and finally the topic returned to their daughter again. Emperor Jingshun stroked his beard and said: "Lingzhou is a remote place after all, and the town is even more impoverished. It's very inconvenient for Hua Yang to live there. When Prince Consort finish his mourning period, Zhen will immediately transfer him back to the capital, then Hua Yang You can come back soon."
Empress Qi thought for a moment and said softly: "Your Majesty, Cabinet Elder Chen's family are genuinely filial people. When news of the funeral came at the beginning of the year, many people speculated that Cabinet Elder Chen would find a way to stay in the capital. However, Cabinet Elder Chen went to the palace to resign without hesitation, and returned home as fast as an arrow. This time, the couple will definitely stay in mourning in their hometown. Although the three brothers only have to serve for one year, they probably do not want to leave the two elders behind and return to the capital to become officials. "
Emperor Jingshun: "What do you mean?"
Empress Qi smiled and said: "Officials in mourning usually report to the court before the mourning period is over, requesting that the court arrange their official positions in a timely manner. Why don't we wait and see what the Prince Consort and his brothers suggest in their reports? If they wish to return to the capital immediately, you can grant their request. If they prefer to stay in Lingzhou for the convenience of showing filial piety to their elders, it might be a good idea to prepare three vacant positions for them in Lingzhou. It will also be beneficial for the three young brothers to have one or two years of experience in the local government."
Emperor Jingshun: "If that's the case, wouldn't Hua Yang have to stay outside for two more years?"
Empress Qi: "An additional one year and three months, and they can return to the capital in the summer after next year. She is now the daughter-in-law of the Chen family. She has to mourn for a whole year. Staying an extra year and a half will allow her to share the honorable title of being a dutiful daughter-in-law with the other two sisters-in-law. Why not do it?"
Emperor Jingshun: "Okay, let's send more rewards over there. We can't let her suffer."
Empress Qi was not worried. The Chen family would not dare to wrong her daughter.
East Palace.
The Crown Prince was studying with his teacher. Although this teacher was not as strict as Cabinet Elder Chen, according to the rules, no one could disturb the class unless something serious happened.
Towards noon, the class finally ended.
The ten-year-old crown prince leaned back on his chair and stretched his waist.
The teacher glanced at him and did not criticize the crown prince's indecent manners like Cabinet Elder Chen, only cleared the table and bowed before leaving.
After the teacher left, the crown prince's eldest companion, eunuch Cao Li, walked in with a smile and bent over.
The crown prince's eyebrows raised slightly: "What happy event makes you smile like this?"
Cao Li immediately took out a letter from his back and said as if offering a treasure: "Your Highness, the Princess has sent another letter!"
The crown prince's eyes lit up, he couldn't wait to get out of his seat, and grabbed his sister's letter.
His father emperor and mother empress taught him strictly and never allowed him to leave the palace. If he wanted to know anything outside the palace, he had to ask the eunuchs around him. His sister was the first one to write to him outside.
The crown prince missed his sister very much, and also wanted to know if his sister had encountered anything new in Lingzhou.
He sat down by the window and read the letter eagerly.
Cao Li stood diagonally opposite. Seeing his young master gradually frowning, he suddenly felt worried that his young master would be in a bad mood and become difficult to serve.
Fortunately, the crown prince's eyebrows soon relaxed again, and he finally looked out the window, full of thought.
Cao Li asked curiously: "Your Highness, what are you thinking about?"
The crown prince came to his senses and asked him, "Have you ever seen a flood?"
Cao Li was startled: "Why did Your Highness suddenly mention floods? Is there a flood in Lingzhou? Is the Princess injured?"
The prince shook his head and handed him the letter.
Cao Li took a quick look and patted his chest several times: "Fortunately, Princess is an auspicious person and did not encounter the flood."
Cao Li was eighteen years old. Originally his family encountered a flood and his parents died. He then wandered to the capital and was taken to the palace to be a eunuch.
Since the crown prince was interested, Cao Li talked about the tragedy of the flood.
Crown Prince: "Doesn't the imperial court allocate money every year specifically to build river embankments?"
Cao Li: "They are all used to build large rivers. In rural areas, the small stretches of rivers hardly face flooding disasters for many years. It only happens occasionally during very rainy years. Reinforcing the embankments isn't cost-effective."
Prince: "What if Father Emperor says it has to be repair?"
Cao Li looked outside, leaned into his ear and whispered: "It depends on whether the treasury has that much money."
The crown prince pursed his lips. The treasury was not rich, and he often saw his father worrying about money.
Cao Li: "Are you worried about the Princess? You don't have to. Look at the Princess, she still has the heart to praise Prince Consort. It means that the flood over there is not serious."
The crown prince looked at the letter again, and a tall and heroic figure appeared in his mind. That was Chen Jingzong, the fourth son of Cabinet Elder Chen, who was also his brother-in-law.
The crown prince didn't meet prince consort very often, and the impression prince consort gave him was that he was pretty good-looking and could barely match his sister's appearance.
"Your Highness, it's time for lunch." Cao Li reminded with a smile.
The crown prince hummed and took the lead in walking out.
The lunch in the East Palace was very sumptuous. After all, even if the treasury was empty, the nobles in the palace would not be treated harshly. The crown prince's meal consisted of eight dishes and two soups.
His sister wanted him to be strong, so the crown prince ate an extra bowl of rice. Deep down in his heart, he also wanted to grow up into a brave man who could walk smoothly on the mountain road in the heavy rain.
After the meal, he had half an hour's rest. The crown prince thought for a while and went to find his mother.
"Mother, did Sister also write to you?"
Empress Qi: "Yes, do you want to see it?"
Crown Prince: "Well, the letter to me is only one page long."
Empress Qi smiled and asked the palace maid to fetch her daughter's letter, which was three pages full.
Among Hua Yang's three letters, the one to her father emperor only mentioned business matters, the one to her younger brother only related to family matters, and the one to her mother empress contained both.
Empress Qi took the opportunity to teach her son a lesson: "Cabinet Elder Chen is a simple and upright man. Even if something like this happens at home, he would rather expose the family's shortcomings than help his brothers cover it up."
The crown prince read the letter and said nothing.
Empress Qi: "Although he is mourning at home, when the common people encountered calamity, he sets an example regardless of the danger and advances and retreats with the people. He is a good official who truly loves and protects the people."
The crown prince finally said: "Mother Empress knows people well and chooses a good teacher for this son."
Empress Qi smiled, touched her son's head and said: "Mother Empress knows that Cabinet Elder Chen is a bit strict. But since ancient times, strict teachers have produced great disciples. You just need to remember that Cabinet Elder is entrusted by Father Emperor and Mother Empress, and even if he lectures you, it's all for your own good."
The crown prince lowered his eyes: "Son understands."
Empress Qi put away the letter and said with concern: "Just rest here for a while, and go directly to class later."
The crown prince obediently followed the maid to wash his hands and face.
Lying in bed, the prince was not sleepy at all. He thought about what the flood in Shiqiao Town was like, and then thought about the extremely stern Cabinet Elder Chen.
His sister said that the Chen family's Zhuangyuan and Tanhua were both weak and almost fell down while walking on the mountain road. As for Cabinet Elder Chen, who was both weak and old, did he also fall down?
The image of Cabinet Elder Chen falling into a mud pit and unable to get up appeared before his eyes. The crown prince smiled and fell asleep contentedly.
Chapter 25
Around dawn, Luo Yuyan finally gave birth to her daughter, the mother and daughter were safe.
Hua Yang breathed a sigh of relief when the baby's loud cries came over. Because the two courtyards were so close, while Luo Yuyan suffered all night, she also had an uneasy sleep.
Feeling dizzy, when she saw Chen Jingzong turned over, obviously worried about his sister-in-law over there, Hua Yang said casually: "Congratulations, you have another nie… Do you want it to be a nephew or a niece?"
Remembering that Fucui Hall had not sent anyone to announce the good news, Hua Yang changed her words in time.
Chen Jingzong: "Whatever, it's not me who raise it."
Hua Yang:……
She just slept on her own.
After dawn, the couple went to Fucui Hall to congratulate together.
They were the latest ones to arrive. In the main room, Sun shi was playfully cooing at a baby in a royal blue satin swaddle. Chen Tingjian was sitting next to her, looking at his wife and granddaughter with his head tilted, one hand stroking his long beard. His countenance was elegant, yet it exuded an air of dignity.
"Father, Fourth Brother and the Princess are here."
Chen Xiaozong was the first to catch a glimpse of the figure at the gate of the courtyard, and announce in a low voice.
Chen Tingjian came to his senses and stood up immediately.
"If Father always treats me like guest, then if there are any happy events at home in the future, Daughter-in-law will not dare to come again and ruin the harmonious atmosphere of the family."
Hua Yang helped her mother-in-law up and pretended to be dissatisfied and said this to her father-in-law.
Chen Tingjian smiled ashamedly.
Hua Yang looked at her little niece in the swaddling. The newborn baby's face was red and wrinkled. Hua Yang could only praise against her will: "This child, even just born, shows the potential of becoming a beauty. When she grows up, she'll undoubtedly be as lovely as Third Sister-in-law."
Chen Jingzong snorted from the side.
Chen Xiaozong glanced over faintly. Although the princess's praise was just a polite remark, as the biological uncle, didn't the Old Four hope his niece to grow up well, why would he destroy the stage at this time?
Sun shi also glared at him and warned the Old Four not to cause trouble.
Chen Jingzong approached Hua Yang and followed her gaze to look at the baby. When he saw that his niece looked like a monkey, he really couldn't praise her.
Hua Yang glanced around and found that her sister-in-law Yu Xiu was not around. She guessed that she was visiting Luo Yuyan in the inner room.
Luo Yuyan gave birth to a daughter last night, and there must be some smell in the inner room at this moment. Hua Yang didn't want to smell it. She was a princess anyway, and the superficial etiquette between sisters-in-law must give way to her identity.
At this time, people from the east house also came.
Qi shi had already been imprisoned in Fucheng Prison. It was not suitable for Chen Tingshi and Chen Jizong to come to Fucui Hall to give congratulation, so they sent Chen Jizong's wife Guo shi to come forward.
Guo shi was about the same age as Hua Yang. She was the daughter-in-law from a scholarly family in Lingzhou Prefecture that Qi shi chose for her son. Before she got married, she had a reputation for being gentle and courteous. If Chen Jizong was not a nephew of a Cabinet Elder, the Guo family would never marry their daughter off to a small-town dandy who doesn't like to study. As for Guo shi, after she got married, she had a strong and arbitrary mother-in-law, and her husband was boorish and unmotivated. As time went by, Guo shi became a shadow-like daughter-in-law.
Facing Chen Tingjian, this high-ranking official, Guo shi had no confidence. On top of that her mother-in-law was sent to prison, Guo shi became even more afraid to raise her head.
She walked nervously to the main room, holding her three-year-old son Brother Hu in her hand.
Although her son was young, he could give her some courage at this time, otherwise she was afraid that she would make mistakes when walking.
Chen Bozong looked at Brother Hu.
This Brother Hu had a pair of fat and big earlobes. No one in the Chen family had such earlobes, but Qi shi's cousin Steward Yang had earlobes like this.
Chen Bozong looked at his father again.
Chen Tingjian sat in the main seat with his eyes lowered, not knowing what he was thinking.
"Uncle and aunt, congratulations on adding another granddaughter." Guo shi tried her best to smile and congratulated Chen Xiaozong again.
Sun shi felt pity for this niece-in-law and greeted her lovingly.
"You all sit down. I'm going back first." Chen Tingjian suddenly stood up.
Chen Bozong followed: "I'll send Father off."
Chen Xiaozong also wanted to send him off, but Chen Bozong waved his hand and asked him to entertain the guests.
After leaving Fucui Hall, Chen Tingjian's face completely darkened and he told his eldest son: "Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, get it done as soon as possible."
Chen Bozong: "Yes."
.
Chen Xiaozong and Luo Yuyan named their newborn daughter Wan Qing.
On Wan Qing's third day, the Chen family arranged a simple family banquet in the main house. Except for Luo Yuyan, who was going to be in confinement, and Wan Qing was too young, everyone else was there.
Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong were still sitting side by side in front of a table.
She looked at Chen Tingshi and his son without a trace.
Chen Tingshi had lost a lot of weight and looked at a lost soul. He had to force a smile and didn't dare to look sad when his eldest brother's family was having a happy event.
Chen Jizong was more stubborn. He had just lost his mother and was in a bad mood, so he wore a cold expression on his face, almost on the verge of openly clashing with the eldest family.
After the family banquet, Hua Yang and Chen Jingzong returned to Siyi Hall.
As there was nothing else, Hua Yang was going to take a rest.
Chen Jingzong sat by the bed, looked at her and said: "I'm the one that dug out Qi shi's account books. My cousin may be resentful. In the future, you should not go to the back garden alone, not even with the maid. If you really want to go to relax, I will accompany you."
Siyi Hall was very safe, and Hua Yang would not leave Chen House casually, so he was afraid that Chen Jizong would cause trouble and hide in the garden to wait for revenge.
When Hua Yang heard this, she sneered: "He still dare to plot against me?"
Chen Jingzong: "Better safe than sorry. We only need to live here for a few more months, there's no need to take a risk."
Those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes. Chen Jizong dared to peek at her beauty before, but now that he had lost his mother, he may do something.
Hua Yang lowered her eyes. If Chen Jizong didn't come to harm her, she would be one that deal with Chen Jizong when she had the chance to go out.
The second crime that her father-in-law was charged after his death was indulging in family affairs.
According to the file, Chen Jizong was a dandy. He took advantage of the fact that he had elder serving as official in the court, so he became tyrannical and domineering in Shiqiao Town. He bullied whoever he wanted to bully. When the trouble was not big, the people silently swallowed their anger. When the trouble was big, Chen Jizong took out a sum of money and successfully silenced the bullied people. The people were concerned that he was Cabinet Elder Chen's only nephew, so they expected Cabinet Elder Chen would protect his nephew and never dare to report any grievances for fear of suffering retaliation from the Chen family.
After the death of her father-in-law, her younger brother ordered the Chen family to be raided. When the people near Shiqiao Town saw the Jinyiwei coming, they guessed that the Chen family was about to fall, so they complained about their old grievances.
Everything was done by Chen Jizong, but Chen Jizong was a nobody, he was insignificant, so the crime naturally fell on father-in-law.
However, the years when Chen Jizong frequently committed crimes were the critical time when his father-in-law was promoted to become Chief Minister and made drastic reforms in the court. There were many matters in the country that had to be dealt with by her father-in-law. Whilst in the ancestral home, Chen Tingshi was cowardly and Qi shi was tyrannical, they hid what their son did, so how could father-in-law know about this?
Now that father-in-law was in Shiqiao Town, and Hua Yang also knew that Chen Jizong committed a case last year. As long as the victim family dare to complain, can her father-in-law just sit back and ignore it?
If it weren't for the fact that it was difficult to go out during the mourning period, Hua Yang would have taken action long ago.
However, Chen Jingzong's worries were also justified. Chen Jizong was tall and strong, if he really lurked in the garden to pounce on her, neither she nor Chao Yun and Chao Yue would be his opponent.
"Don't go into the mountains in these few months."
Hua Yang said while looking at Chen Jingzong. The Chen family's courtyard wall was not high, if he could climb over it, then so could others.
Chen Jingzong nodded: "I told the old man to let the guards strengthen patrols and ensure that there are people watching our side at all times."
Hua Yang thought, no matter whether there were guards outside, as long as Chen Jingzong did not leave Siyi Hall, she would have nothing to fear.
After the thought fell, Hua Yang squeezed his strong arm with satisfaction.
A martial husband was also good, if it were exchanged to Zhuangyuan and Tanhua, if a bad guy came, the two brothers might not be able to fight him.
Chen Jingzong:……
Was it because she found out that he could help her fend off bugs, carried her up the mountains on his back, guard against bad guys and other practical uses, that she had been a little kind to him recently?
.
The next day, Chen Jingzong inspected the courtyard walls in front and behind Siyi Hall, thinking about digging traps to prevent anyone from outside from breaking in.
At this time, a woman's cry suddenly came from outside the gate of Chen House, shouting her grievances and begging the old man to make the decision for her.
Chen Jingzong immediately returned to Siyi Hall.
Hua Yang also heard it, and the couple met at the gate of Siyi Hall.
Chen Jingzong: "You want to see it too?"
Hua Yang nodded.
The couple walked side by side in the corridor and saw that Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong had also come out separately. Luo Yuyan was on confinement, even though she wanted to watch the excitement, she was unable to do so. While Yu Xiu was asked by Chen Bozong to stay at home.
Chen Bozong dared to order his wife but would not dare to interfere with the freedom of his sister-in-law princes. After nodding in greeting, the four of them went to the Main House together.
Chen Tingjian and Sun shi have also arrived.
"Sir, there's someone making trouble outside, and people have gathered around." The steward said with a headache as he stood guard inside the gate.
Chen Tingjian: "Open the gate."
The master of the house gave the order, and the steward hurriedly asked the boy servant to open the gate.
Hua Yang used Chen Jingzong's shoulder to cover half of her face and looked out of the gate. He saw a young couple kneeling in front of her. The man had a weathered complexion, while the woman was delicate with fair skin, but her lovely face was marked with tears.
Seeing Chen Tingjian, the woman cried and kowtowed: "Cabinet Elder, this humble woman has been wronged. Please make the decision for this humble woman!"
Chen Tingjian walked out of the gate. Because the woman's cry was so touching, his majestic expression softened a bit. He lowered his head and asked, "Since you have grievances, why don't you go to the government to complain? This old man is in mourning at home, so it is not appropriate to overstep my authority."
The woman knelt on the ground, burst into tears: "Cabinet Elder, the person this humble woman wants to sue is your nephew, Chen Jizong. I didn't dare to sue before, because I was afraid that Cabinet Elder would protect his nephew. A few days ago, it was said that Cabinet Elder placed righteousness before the family and sent Qi shi to prison. Only then this humble woman gave birth to hope and came here to ask Cabinet Elder to bring justice to our husband and wife."
Chen Tingjian frowned and looked into the courtyard.
Chen Tingshi and Chen Jizong, the father and son, happened to arrive at this moment. Chen Tingshi didn't recognize the people kneeling on the ground, but Chen Jizong, upon seeing the people's faces, was stunned, stopped in his tracks, and his face changed several times, clearly indicating that he had some guilty conscience.
Chen Tingjian looked away and continued to ask the woman: "What injustice do you have?"
These words made the woman cry more and more sadly. After sobbing for a long time, she could barely speak a clear and complete sentence. She buried her head and said: "This humble woman is a native of Zhaojia Town, married to this town five years ago. At noon on the ninth of Sixth Month last year, when this humble woman was doing laundry by the stream, Chen Jizong suddenly appeared and forcibly dragged the women to a remote place… This humble woman did not dare to say anything. Unexpectedly, he got worse and went to this humble woman's homes many times. Once, he was bumped into my husband, but Chen Jizong was a strong man, and my husband was no match for him. He broke one of his legs and threatened to kill my husband if we dared to make a big deal out of it!"
"You're talking nonsense, I don't even recognize you!"
Chen Jizong ran out, knelt down in front of Chen Tingjian, and expressed his innocence with red eyes: "Uncle, don't believe her! This person clearly thinks that something happened to my mother, so she wants to take advantage of our family by accusing me unjustly!"
"I'm not talking nonsense!"
When the woman saw Chen Jizong, she acted like a madman. She threw herself on Chen Jizong and tried to pull off his clothes: "You beast bullied me many times. I scratched your back and bit your flesh. Do you dare to show your scars to Cabinet Elder to verify!"
Chen Jizong pushed her away violently: "I have many scars on my body. They were all left by my wife. What they've got to do with you!"
Inside the courtyard, Guo shi had already turned pale and was on the brink of collapse due to the woman's accusations. However, when she heard that Chen Jizong, in front of so many people, was dragging her in and discussing something so disgraceful, Guo shi felt a rush of blood rush to her head, the extreme shame was followed by piercing hatred, then she uncontrollably cried out, "I'm innocent! Chen Jizong, you're a monster! Don't even think about ruining my reputation!"
The biggest mistake she made in her life was that she followed her parents' advice and married into the Chen family!
The common people loved to watch the excitement, especially this kind of scandal that involve intimacy between men and women, and there was a buzzing discussion among the crowd.
Chen Tingjian closed his eyes, pointed at Chen Jizong and said to the steward: "Tie him up and take him to the ancestral hall for interrogation."
Chapter 26
After Chen Bozong won the title Zhuangyuan, he stayed in the Hanlin Academy for three years. Later, he worked in Dali Temple and dealt with various criminals and prison cases.
This time, Chen Tingjian still asked his eldest son to preside over the case.
Considering that the case involved a woman with unspeakable matters, Sun shi, Hua Yang, Chen Jingzong and others did not follow them, choosing to wait for the news in the front yard. Chen Jizong's wife Guo shi, who could not bear the damage to her reputation, ran back to the east house while crying. Sun shi hurriedly sent her eldest daughter-in-law Yu Xiu to comfort her, so that Guo shi wouldn't do something stupid.
Ancestral hall.
Chen Tingjian asked his eldest son to take the main seat, and he and his younger brother Chen Tingshi sat on the side.
Zhao shi, her husband and Chen Jizong were kneeling on the ground.
Zhao shi's words were filled with tears. Since she was assaulted by Chen Jizong, she had been suffering from nightmares every night. Later, her husband broke his leg because of this, and the couple's life became even worse, without the sweet love of the past.
They were afraid of the power of the Chen family and were ready to give up. Fortunately, Heaven had eyes and Cabinet Elder Chen was back!
Yesterday, Zhao shi went shopping for groceries and heard someone saying that Cabinet Elder Chen was secretly investigating whether Qi shi had committed other evil deeds and was planning to take this opportunity to clear her up. The fire of resentment that Zhao shi had suppressed for a year suddenly rekindled. After discussing it with her husband, she would rather ruin her reputation, rather accept the backbiting from her neighbors, and came to the Chen family to redress her grievances!
As soon as she finished her story, Chen Jizong retorted it, resolutely refusing to admit it.
Because the incident happened last year, the so-called scratches and bite marks on the body could not be used as evidence.
When Chen Bozong asked Zhao shi whether she had any other evidence, Chen Jizong's eyes flashed with pride. How could such a thing leave traces unless someone caught it on the spot?
Zhao shi cried and took out a bundle, which contained two broken jade pendants: "This is from the first time he came to my house. He dropped it when I resisted!"
Chen Jizong sneered: "I lost this jade pendant a long time ago. It turns out you picked it up because you coveted it."
Zhao shi: "You have a gray birthmark on your lower back the size of a copper coin!"
Chen Jizong: "I used to bathe in the river when I was a child. Your husband saw it and now you use it to slander me."
Zhao shi was so angry that she was shaking all over!
Chen Tingshi looked at his son and then at Zhao shi. The hands on his knees kept shaking. He didn't want to believe that his son had done something so cruel as a beast, but Zhao shi's tears and anger didn't really seem to be fake.
Just when Chen Jizong continued to insist that Zhao shi tried to slander him, Zhao shi looked at her husband and suddenly lowered her head, tears rolling down silently, her voice sad and desperate: "Cabinet Elder, there is a young servant named Liu Sheng next to Chen Jizong. When he first bullied me by the stream, Liu Sheng was his accomplice."
Her husband suddenly raised his head and rushed towards Chen Jizong with eyes wide open!
When Chen Jizong was about to fight back, Chen Tingjian slammed the table!
Chen Jizong was so frightened that he was punched in the face by Zhao shi's husband. At this time, Chen Bozong rushed over, pulled Zhao shi's husband to the side, and said to the outside: "Bring Liu Sheng here quickly!"
Hearing this, Chen Jizong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Zhao shi with contempt. Jokes on you, Liu Sheng had been with him for seven to eight years, how could he betray him? If really testified and he was convicted of rape, Liu Sheng, the accomplice, would not have an easy time.
A quarter of an hour later, Liu Sheng was brought in. He knelt down behind Chen Jizong. He was quibbling at first, but when Chen Bozong asked him sternly what he had done at noon on the ninth of Sixth Month last year, his two answers did not match. Liu Sheng finally collapse and kowtowed his head to admit Chen Jizong's beastly behavior.
Chen Jizong still wanted to deny it, but Liu Sheng mentioned another servant who had followed Chen Jizong to the Zhao couple's home and was responsible for spreading the news outside.
Together, the two servants explained clearly how Chen Jizong had insulted Zhao shi.
"Uncle, don't listen to them, they're all trying to frame me!"
Chen Jizong, who could not speak more than three words on his own, crawled up to Chen Tingjian on his knees and screamed injustice until his throat was about to break.
Chen Tingjian just looked at him expressionlessly: "According to the law, anyone who rapes a woman shall be hanged. If you feel that you have been wronged, go and tell the prefect."
"Come here, escort him to the prefect's Yamen!"
Chen Tingshi slumped on the chair.
When Chen Jizong saw that the people outside really wanted to come and tie him up, he was so afraid and angry that he threw away the two servant and ran out as fast as he could.
In the front hall, Sun shi was handing Hua Yang the letter that Chen Tingshi had sent them before, and said helplessly: "The capital and Lingzhou are separated by 2,500 miles. Except for sending people to the ancestral home during the New Year and holidays to give festival gifts, we really have no way of knowing what happened here. Even so, if what Zhao shi said is true, then your father and I cannot shirk the crime of negligence. We are really ashamed of the people of this town and the emperor."
Hua Yang: "Mother doesn't need to blame yourself. According to historical records, many virtuous ministers and generals have been implicated because of relatives' crimes. Because people's energy is limited, it's difficult to restrain relatives who are close to them. What's more, they are thousands of miles away. As long as they can be promptly investigated and impartially dealt with, then the people will not be wronged and evil relatives will not run rampant, and the reputation of Father and the Chen family will not be damaged."
Chen Xiaozong showed admiration and was glad that the princess was reasonable and did not look down on them because of the matter in the east house.
Chen Jingzong looked at Hua Yang's moist and delicate lips, but what he thought about was that this woman's mouth felt like honey when she coaxed the two elders, but she was always picky with him.
Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.
Chen Jingzong was the first to rush out of the hall. When he saw Chen Jizong running away like a beast, he guessed that the case had a result. He sneered and chased after him.
Not long after, under Sun shi's worried eyes, Chen Jingzong twisted Chen Jizong's arm and escorted him back.
Chen Jizong's hair bun was in a mess, and the left half of his face had obvious traces of rubbing on the ground.
Chen Bozong had brought Zhao shi and her husband over, and he would personally accompany them to the prefect's Yamen.
Ancestral hall.
Chen Tingshi knelt down in front of his brother, tugging at the hem of his brother's clothes with both hands, crying more miserably than ever before: "Brother, although Qi shi is hateful, Jizong is my son and the flesh and blood of our Chen family. How could you watch him die!"
Chen Tingjian looked at the courtyard with a cold look: "There's no family affection in front of the law, not to mention, what flows in his body may not be the blood of the Chen family."
Chen Tingshi cried for a while before raising his head in disbelief.
Chen Tingjian pulled out his clothes and sat on the main seat. He was angry and didn't want to say anything.
But Chen Tingshi still looked at him with tears in his eyes, looking stupid and sluggish.
Chen Tingjian paused, then said to the tear marks on the hem of his clothes: "When something happened to Qi shi, I asked Bozong to interrogate all the servants in the East House. As you know, Bozong used to be on duty at Dali Temple, and it was difficult for those villains outside to hide anything from him, much less the servants at home. Among them there's two that looks suspicious. After Bozong carefully interrogated them, they confessed that Qi shi and Steward Yang had an affair for a long time, and they often spent time alone together on the pretext of settling accounts."
Qi shi and Steward Yang were cousins, and also the mistress of the house and the steward that took care of the account. It seemed nothing to spend alone time together, but if they happened more often, there would always be one or two leaks that would make people guess that they were having a clandestine relationship.
In addition, Chen Bozong had already found out Chen Jizong's evil deeds from Liu Sheng and the other servant, but he had to wait for the imperial decree to convict Qi shi before he could deal with it, so it had been delayed to this day.
Of course, there was no need to tell his brother this.
Chen Tingshi opened his mouth in shock. At first he didn't believe that Qi shi dared to do something like that, but then he remembered some scenes. The smiling face that Qi shi gave Steward Yang was much more than she gave him.
But he had slept with Qi shi so many times, was Jizong really not his son?
His eyes rolled, and Chen Tingjian knew what he was thinking, his face became a little darker: "Based on appearance alone, Jizong looks like Qi shi, it's hard to tell, but look at Brother Hu, he has a pointed nose and fat earlobes, almost exactly the same as Steward Yang!"
Chen Tingshi's eyes were filled with tears, but he said: "Steward Yang is Qi shi's cousin and Brother Hu's uncle. Isn't it normal to have similarities?"
At the end of the day, he could not accept that his wife had cuckolded him for more than twenty years, and he could not accept that his children and grandchildren were not his!
Chen Tingjian: "No matter how much you and I argue, it's hard to come to a conclusion. But don't worry, I have told Bozong to ask the prefect to put Jizong and Steward Yang together, and he will observe in secret. If Jizong is Steward Yang's son, he will definitely be anxious about his son being imprisoned. If Jizong is your son, Steward Yang who hates you and me, will only take pleasure in Jizong's imprisonment."
This was indeed a good idea. Chen Tingshi couldn't deny it, and asked while holding on to the last glimmer of hope: "If it's proven that Jizong is my son, can Brother save him?"
Chen Tingjian lowered his eyes: "Death penalty can be avoided, but living crime cannot be avoided."
In fact, the death penalty was inevitable, but he just said it first so that his brother would not feel too anxious for the time being.
Not to mention fake nephews and real nephews, even if his sons dare to rape common women, he would personally send them to prison!
.
Lingzhou City, the prefect's Yamen.
When Prefect Li heard that the eldest son of Cabinet Elder Chen was coming, he came out to greet him enthusiastically.
Chen Bozong did not exchange some pleasantries with him. When something like this happened at home, he was not in a good mood. He only explained the whole story and asked Prefect Li to judge the case impartially and give justice to Zhao shi and her husband.
Prefect Li's mind turned several times. Did the Chen family really going to exterminate their relatives out of righteousness, or was it just a show?
Chen Bozong glanced at him and said: "According to the law, what Zhao shi said and Liu Sheng's oral testimony are consistent, which is enough for the verdict. If you feel that the evidence is insufficient, I will find other witnesses to assist you. "
Prefect Li immediately understood that the Chen family really wanted to kill another relative!
He said hurriedly: "It's enough, it's enough. Eldest Master works as an official in Dali Temple and he is like a god in solving cases. We have heard about it for a long time. Eldest Master has said so, so it must be right."
Chen Bozong didn't like his flattery, but there was no need to break the harmony. Then he suggested that Chen Jizong and Steward Yang be locked up together.
That night, Chen Bozong came to the prefect's prison.
He hid in the dark and observed Steward Yang and Chen Jizong in the cell.
Chen Jizong, who came in at noon, had already scolded Chen Tingjian and his family with Steward Yang. A villain like him naturally didn't think it was a big deal to force a woman. Instead, he was sure that Chen Tingjian looked down on them, these useless relatives, and would rather send them to die viciously rather than letting them became an embarrassment for him.
Steward Yang did not dare to underestimate Chen Tingjian. He guessed that Chen Tingjian had discovered that he had an affair with Qi shi.
Not to mention, that child Brother Hu actually inherited some of his facial features…
He and Qi shi had done capital crimes, and the rape of his son was also a capital crime. Since they were going to die, they should recognize each other as father and son before they died.
Steward Yang hugged his son and whispered something.
Chen Jizong was stunned. After a while, he suddenly grabbed Steward Yang's collar and punched him over and over again!
He hated it. If he was a genuine heir of the Chen family, how could Chen Tingjian be so cruel as to kill him?
Steward Yang did not resist, and bore his son's anger with loving and distressed eyes.
Chen Bozong left as quietly as he came.
Early the next morning, Chen Bozong rode out of prefecture capital and arrived at Chen House half an hour later.
Chen Tingjian called his younger brother to listen to his eldest son's report.
In order to make his uncle give up completely, Chen Bozong depicted the scene of Stewards Yang and Chen Jizong's father and son recognizing each other as "crying in each other's embrace".
Chen Tingshi lowered his head deeply, but the exposed side of his face was as white as paper.
Chen Tingjian signaled his eldest son to retreat. He held his younger brother's shoulders and said, "Guo shi did nothing wrong. It was our Chen family who wronged her. If she is willing, I will write a separation letter and send her home with generous gifts. As for Jizong, he violated the family's principles and broke the law. He's not worthy of being the heir of the Chen family. Write him a letter severing all ties and cast him out of the family. This way, it will not only cut his connection with the family but also cover up what Qi shi has done, preserving your reputation."
Chen Tingshi hadn't thought that far yet, but his elder brother had thought of everything for him.
The concern from his brother made Chen Tingshi found the feeling of being alive again, tears burst out again, and he knelt down in pain.
Chen Tingjian:……
He looked at the door irritably.
After Chen Tingshi cried enough, he said: "I listen to Brother. It has nothing to do with me whether that evil seed lives or dies. Guo shi is still young, it's good to go home and remarry, but what should I do with Brother Hu? I don't want to raise him, but I can't just throw him away, he doesn't understand anything."
Chen Tingjian: "The Yang family lives in the city. I will let someone to send Brother Hu there quietly. They will naturally understand. Then we will tell the outside world that Jizong's sins were too heavy, and you send Brother Hu to the temple to practice and chant sutras every day to alleviate his father's sins. We can report his supposed passing due to illness in a couple of years."
Chen Tingshi nodded repeatedly. His brother was so smart and was born to be an official.
He left with red eyes. Chen Tingjian sat down on the chair tiredly, pinching his forehead with one hand.
Sun shi walked out of the side room and silently poured him a cup of tea.
Chen Tingjian let out a long sigh.
Sun shi showed no sympathy, and her tone was sarcastic, "Now you see how good the Old Four in our family is. He neither commits crimes nor needs you to help wipe his butts at his age."
Chen Tingjian:…..