Chapter 002: Prison Cell Brawl

Xu Yinxi, the eldest daughter of the second house, sat curled up in a corner, her face expressionless. Compared to the crying crowd, her still slightly childish face was now cold and silent. "Third brother, why are you so angry? Everyone in the world is the type to flatter the weak and praise the strong. Yesterday it was me, today it's Qingying, and tomorrow it will be the turn of my eldest and second brothers. Who of the engaged members of the Xu family can escape?"

Xu Zhenying then remembered that on the day Xu Jia was imprisoned, Xu Yinxi's fiancé's family sent a letter of cancellation of the engagement overnight.

She vaguely remembered that the second aunt in that family had carefully selected for several years.

A talented young man, only seventeen years old, he had already passed the imperial examination. His family background was clean and simple, his father a fourth-rank prefect, and his mother was renowned for her gentleness and virtuousness. Such a good son-in-law was truly hard to find, even with a lantern.

The second house originally planned to hold the wedding in the early spring of next year, but things are unpredictable. The wedding dress was almost embroidered, and the bride was waiting to be married in the boudoir, just waiting for her husband, but something like this happened to the Xu family.

"Yinxi, how can you say that?!" Second Aunt scolded hurriedly, but then she seemed to think of the attitude of relatives and friends who had been avoiding her in the past few days, and she became even less confident. "Not necessarily, your father still has some old friends in the court-"

"Isn't it?" Xu Yinxi raised her head and asked back, "Although we still don't know what crime Daddy has committed, but the fact that our house was raided and he was imprisoned overnight must be no small matter. Now we have asked everyone we should ask, but is there anyone who dares to pay attention? Let alone the in-laws who have nothing to do with us, even relatives and friends, who would dare to wade into this mess? Mother, you spent so much money to send the jailer to ask grandfather, but where is grandfather? It's been three days. If grandfather really cares about you, his daughter, and me, his granddaughter, he should at least send a servant to ask--"

"No, no." Lian Qiuzhi shook her head, her face suddenly pale and weak. "This matter is of great importance. It will take time for Dad to smooth things over. We will have to bear with it for the time being. Your grandfather will definitely not ignore us mothers—"

"Mom! Wake up!" Xu Yinxi usually only knew that Lian's housekeeper was a little confused, but she never expected that he would be so confused at the critical moment.

"You also said that this matter is of great importance. Even blood relatives dare not interfere casually. Moreover, you are just..."

Xu Yinxi originally wanted to say that Lian was just one of her grandfather's less favored concubines, but she held back.

She didn't want to hurt her mother like this.

She controlled her emotions and said calmly, "You are just one of my grandfather's children. But he has many other children. My eldest and second uncles are now very successful in their careers. He can't let them take risks for our Xu family. What's more, even if my grandfather wants to save our Xu family, will that grandmother agree?"

Lian's face turned even paler.

As a concubine's daughter, she was naturally disliked by her mother. Normally, socializing was mutually beneficial, naturally good for both sides. But once the truth came to light, the thin paper was torn apart, and who would care about whom?

Seeing Lian's expression, everyone's heart sank instantly.

Lian's father was a third-rank official and a great general in the court. He had many disciples and was also the last hope of the Xu family.

"What do you mean?" The eldest aunt looked around, as if realizing something, her expression as if struck by thunder. "Are you saying that your parents won't save us? Didn't you say before that your parents would definitely send someone?! Lian Qiuzhi, say something!!"

Everyone in the cell was silent.

Even grandmother Huang asked tremblingly: "My in-laws... really don't care about us? Isn't it said that they are high-ranking officials in the court? Such a small matter... can be settled by the waving of their fingers——"

"Grandmother!" Xu Yinxi's expression was also somewhat impatient. "No matter how high my grandfather's official position is, he is still working for His Majesty. Now that the Xu family has committed a crime, the imperial edict sent to prison was also issued by His Majesty. Do you want my grandfather to disobey the imperial edict on our behalf? Or do you want the Lian family to be buried with us?"

Grandmother Huang sat on the ground in a daze, her wrinkled face trembling as she muttered, "How could this happen..."

The eldest aunt was the first to burst into tears, raising her hand to tear at the second aunt's sleeve. "What sin have I committed?! We, the eldest family, are never allowed to enjoy the good life on a daily basis, and now we are being blamed for something that's happened. How can this be justified? Second family, please tell me what crime did the second uncle commit that caused the whole family to be confiscated and beheaded? If you can't explain it clearly today, don't blame me for being rude!!"

Second Aunt's face was livid with rage. Xu Lezhi, the second daughter of the second branch, was only thirteen years old when she suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She had always prided herself on being the legitimate daughter of the Xu family, feeling superior from a young age. She usually bossed her sisters around. Seeing her mother's sleeve nearly ripped off by the eldest aunt, whom she usually looked down upon the most, she instantly erupted like a firecracker, shouting, "What are you talking about, eldest aunt? How can you say that you, the eldest branch, have no share in the daily feasts and lavish drinks? I don't know who was so reckless in accepting gifts two years ago, even a solid golden Buddha statue on Dad's behalf. If Fourth Aunt hadn't been so clever and found an excuse to return them, our family would have been beheaded and our property confiscated! Bah, and now you keep talking about implicating others? I don't know who was using my father's name to bring everything good and bad back to our family, and now you're blaming us when something's wrong. Who knows who's been doing something shady behind our backs to implicate our second branch this time?!"

Little Huang was furious and annoyed. "You disrespectful thing! Who taught you to talk to your elders like that?! It's obviously your father. Your father made a mistake. Maybe being in jail now is a light punishment. Who knows, in a few days we will all be dragged to the vegetable market and beheaded - Oh... Why is my life so miserable? When I married into your Xu family, I thought I could live a good life for a few days. But I found out that I had to work hard in the fields every day to support my second uncle's studies. I couldn't even eat a dry meal all year round. All my money went to fill the hole for my second uncle's studies. What kind of life am I living? The official's wife is just saying nice things, but if I eat a few more mouthfuls of food, the second family will glare at me..."

"Nonsense... When has my mother ever treated you harshly? You are simply confusing right and wrong!" Xu Lezhi was, after all, an unmarried girl. How could she bring herself to curse at her aunt, who was as thick as a knife? She was so angry that her face turned red. After a long while, she could only utter a few words, "Get up, you..."

In the end, she didn't utter the word "shrew".

"What do you mean by 'I'? I'm going to be killed because of you, the second branch, and you won't even let me cry a few words of mourning?! I'm so wronged, God, why is my life so miserable? I haven't even had a full meal for a few days... and I have to accompany you to be beheaded... God, I, Huang Cui'e, have lived a miserable life——"

As Xiao Huang was talking, she rolled over on the ground, her hair disheveled, and she started to throw a tantrum, cursing the sky and the earth, howling like a ghost, and even shed a few tears when she was moved.

It seems that he is really sad this time.

Yes, if you are imprisoned overnight, your life or death is uncertain.

Most of the men were still locked up in another cell. The elderly, women and children in the family usually stayed indoors until the police came to arrest them. Everyone was stunned and had no idea what was happening.

Grandmother Huang was furious. She beat her chest and shouted, "You've been a wife for so many years, and now look at what you've become—"

"Mom, I'm just a peasant. Didn't you also have to work in the fields? Have you forgotten that winter when the Xu family was so poor that they had to borrow rice and bran from my parents to celebrate the New Year? You've only been an old lady for a few years. You can't be so ungrateful!"

Well, this sentence almost made my grandmother faint from anger.

Faced with the chaotic scene as soon as he opened his eyes, Xu Zhenying almost couldn't help laughing out loud.

What a ridiculously bloody and dramatic plot.

My aunt is truly a heroine, flexible and adaptable, like a piece of tough meat on a rolling pin. No matter how unreasonable she is, she will get involved, and the whole family can't do anything to her.

My second aunt is also a person who hides a sharp edge behind a soft touch.

As for the taciturn Fourth Aunt, she hid in the corner, watching them struggle without saying a word, as if the whole process had nothing to do with her. I guess she had her own plan.

Everyone in the Xu family is extraordinary.

Although they were all from the same family, Xu Zhenying's family consisted of only her and Old Man Xu. Most of her relatives and friends were normal people with higher education. She had never seen such a large scene in her life, and for a moment she felt it was quite lively.

It did dispel some of the pain of separation from Old Man Xu.

However, what is the current situation?

Xu Zhenying wanted to ask a few questions, but it seemed that except for his second uncle who was imprisoned next door, no one else knew anything about the situation.

Seeing her constantly looking around, Miao thought she was scared, so she quickly hugged her in her arms and comforted her softly, "Don't be afraid, my child. Everything will be fine. Although your second uncle is not an honest official, he is not going to do anything serious that would result in the execution of the entire clan... Perhaps His Majesty will release us after a few days..."

Is it really so?

Xu Huiming on the side seemed to disagree, but he pursed his lips, glanced at Miao, lowered his head and remained silent.

Seeing this, Xu Zhenying asked, "Brother, what do you think?"

Xu Huiming shook his head, his smile a bit forced, "Nothing."

Xu Zhenying patiently coaxed him, "Brother, if you knew anything, you should have informed our family sooner rather than later. The sooner we knew, the sooner we could make plans. If something really happened, we would be in a very passive position."

Seeing that Miao and her elder brother were looking at her with doubts, Xu Zhenying's heart skipped a beat, knowing that she had been exposed.

The original owner was a shy and reserved girl, usually silent. It was really unlike her to be so coherent after such a sudden disaster.

She quickly tried to make amends, "Mother, brother, I nearly died last night, and I've made up my mind. Don't worry, I won't have any second thoughts about the Zheng family for humiliating the Xu family. Besides, the Xu family's fate is uncertain right now, and I don't have the energy to dwell on sentimental matters... I've already lost my life, so what else is there to worry about? Right now, the most important thing is how we can work together as a family to overcome this difficult time."