Chapter 10

Huo Rou, the wife of the Fourth Young Master, had been married into the Xiao family for less than half a year, yet her face still carried the innocent freshness of a maiden. She spat at Qi Lanzhi and, with an angry look on her pretty face, exclaimed, “Who is like you?”

“You yourself are so cowardly and afraid of death—don’t go claiming that everyone is like you.”

“I, Huo Rou, married Fourth Brother; in life and death, I belong to the Xiao family. Even if Fourth Brother dies, I will still stand by the Xiao family in his stead!”

Wei Wanyun, the wife of the Third Young Master, was naturally much gentler in character, yet at this moment her expression was equally cold as she said, “Second Sister-in-law, Second Brother has always treated you well. If you’re so fearful of death that you wish to leave, no one will say you’re at fault—but if you drag me and Ah Rou along, that will be your mistake.”

“Grandmother, ever since Wanyun married into the Xiao family, she is no longer of the Wei clan. Even if His Majesty, in his confusion, truly intended to execute all nine generations of the Xiao family, it would not implicate the Wei family. Wanyun will stand by her husband, sharing life and death as she guards the Xiao family.”

Qi Lanzhi had originally planned to use the two of them as mediators, but she never expected them to be so foolish as to opt to stay in the Xiao family and wait for death. Their words made her face flush a deep red—as if her skin were being peeled off and trampled on the ground—and she couldn’t help but say, “You all talk about noble principles and claim not to fear death, but I do fear! The Xiao family is already in such a state—do you expect me to go and be buried with them?”

Her eyes filled with tears as she continued, “Grandmother, I’m only nineteen. I’m still so young—how can you bear the thought of letting me die?”

“And besides, Yunyao has already departed; someone must keep vigil over his memorial tablet. If the entire Xiao family truly meets disaster, who will remember to offer incense for him in the future? Do you really want him to become a wandering ghost?”

Standing aside the whole time, Su Jinyuan had not intended to speak while watching Old Madam Xiao display her formidable feminine authority. But upon hearing Qi Lanzhi’s words, she almost burst into angry laughter.

“Being as cowardly as you are, yet you still bring Yunyao into this,” Su Jinyuan said coldly. “So, Second Young Master’s wife, are you saying that even if you leave the Xiao family, you’ll take Second Young Master’s ancestral tablet with you?”

“You said that when you go back, you won’t remarry for five years—so then, when you do remarry after five years, do you intend to carry your late husband’s memorial tablet along and have your new husband dragged into offering incense every now and then?”

At that moment, Qi Lanzhi suddenly looked up at her, and Huo Rou and the others finally noticed someone standing behind Old Madam Xiao.

Someone recognized the newcomer and gasped, “Su Jinyuan?”

After a brief nod toward Huo Rou and the others, Su Jinyuan turned her icy gaze on Qi Lanzhi and said, “The Xiao family is in turmoil—it’s natural for you to want to leave, but you should not, out of cowardice, insist on portraying yourself as so wronged. Have you repaid the kindness that Second Young Master showed you?”

Qi Lanzhi’s face turned ashen and pale as she retorted, “You—who ran away from your arranged marriage and eloped—what right do you have to talk about me?!”

“She doesn’t have the right—do I?” Second Madam Xiao glared at Qi Lanzhi. “Do you think that just because Ah Yao is dead, I don’t have the right to reprimand you?!”

“Mother…” Qi Lanzhi’s face turned pale.

Madam Xiao stared at her coldly. “You want to leave, don’t you? Well, I won’t let you. Even if your Qi family manages to carry your belongings out today, so what? Even if all the men of the Xiao family were dead, I wouldn’t allow you to act so brazenly.”

“Someone, take them all and send them to the Jingzhao Prefecture.”

“I want to ask the people of this world and His Majesty in the palace—does the sacrifice of the men of the Xiao family on the battlefield, their century-long legacy of protecting Great Jin, and their countless military achievements mean nothing? How can there be so many guards at the door, yet the Qi family is allowed to enter and humiliate the women of the Xiao family?”

“Is it that His Majesty has already decided our guilt without trial, or is he simply eager to wipe out all nine generations of the Xiao family in one fell swoop?!”

Second Madam Xiao’s words were undeniably heavy.

The General’s Mansion had protected Great Jin for a century, and the Xiao family had earned countless military honors. Even if they were accused of treason and rebellion, as long as the trial hadn’t concluded and evidence hadn’t been presented to confirm their guilt, anyone who dared to harm the women of the Xiao family would be defying the entire world—and the military wouldn’t stand for it.

Moreover, there hadn’t even been a trial, yet the Xiao family was humiliated.

Those who knew the situation would say the Qi family was brazen and opportunistic, but those who didn’t might think His Majesty was deliberately oppressing the Xiao family, imposing false charges, and condemning them without investigation. The entire matter had taken on a twisted flavor.

As the Xiao family’s servants began to gather, the Qi family members turned pale with fear.

With a loud thud, Qi Lanzhi dropped to her knees, crying out, “Mother, are you trying to force me to my death?”

“I should remain loyal to Yunyao, and I shouldn’t leave—but he’s already gone. He’s not coming back… Do you really have to force me to die with him?”

Seeing Second Madam Xiao’s cold expression, Qi Lanzhi wailed, “Yes, I’m heartless and selfish. I’m cowardly and afraid of death. But I don’t want to die here at such a young age. If you truly want to force me to my death, instead of waiting for His Majesty to convict the family and implicate everyone, I might as well end it now by smashing my head against the wall. That would fulfill your wishes, wouldn’t it?”

Qi Lanzhi stood up and rushed toward the flower terrace beside her, smashing her head against it with a loud bang.

As blood splattered, Second Madam Xiao’s face turned pale, and Huo Rou and Wei Wanyun trembled.

“Lanzhi… Lanzhi…” Madam Qi cried out as she threw herself onto Qi Lanzhi, holding her bloodied daughter and wailing uncontrollably.

“It’s mother’s fault. I should never have let you marry into the Xiao family. I should never have allowed you to reach for a family like this—a family whose dead man still drags others down to be buried with him, with a heart as dark as sin.”

“You drive Lanzhi to death, then drive me to death as well. Today, I’ll die here together with Lanzhi—so that everyone may see that your Xiao family’s long-revered nobility is nothing but a sham, that by relying on sheer numbers you have forced both of us, mother and daughter, to our doom…” Madam Qi wept as she made motions as though she were about to head-butt, almost as if she wished to perish along with Qi Lanzhi.

Old Madam Xiao could no longer tolerate it. “Enough!”

But Madam Qi continued her hysterical crying and tantrum. With a furious snort, Old Madam Xiao cracked her whip; the bloodstained flower stand shattered into pieces in an instant.

Madam Qi trembled in fright, and her cries caught in her throat.

“You only want to take Qi Lanzhi away from the Xiao family—if that’s what you want, then leave!”

“Mother!”

At that moment, Second Madam Xiao rushed to speak, but Old Madam Xiao silenced her with a firm grip: “Since her heart is no longer with the Xiao family, what use is there in keeping her? Our Xiao family has not stooped so low as to force someone to stay!”

While speaking, she pulled several folded letters from her sleeve and flung one in front of the Qi family members. The letter landed right in front of Qi Lanzhi. It read: “After the news from Linchuan reached the capital, I, together with your mother and aunt, prepared this release letter for the wives. It was meant for the day when Yao’er’s remains return to the capital—and if circumstances leave no room for mercy, so that you may be allowed to leave in advance.”

“The Xiao family’s men stand tall under the sky with a clear conscience. They would never drag their wives’ kin into death. But I never expected that you wouldn’t even have the patience to wait these few days.”

In just a few days, the true state of hearts had become all too clear—a truly tragic picture.

The Qi family members were dumbfounded, and Madam Qi’s eyes widened with shock.

Qi Lanzhi stared at the letter lying before her. Seeing the neatly printed words “Divorce Letter” made her body tremble uncontrollably. Her face turned white as a ghost. Blood blurred her vision as tears welled up in her eyes.

Old Madam Xiao took a deep breath and declared: “This divorce letter is for you. Take everyone from your family and leave. From this moment on, you, Qi Lanzhi, are no longer part of the Xiao family.”