The Xie family is too large. As a top-tier family, they are wealthy and extravagant! However, people's hearts are unpredictable and their desires are insatiable. It's not that no one has ulterior motives.

However, the Xie family patriarch, Xie Anfeng, and even Xie Yu were all very powerful, and the benefits they brought were enough to make them submit.

Now that the edifice has collapsed and their lives are in danger, Xie Anfeng and Xie Yu have lost all their advantages, and it's not easy for them to be the clan leader and young clan leader anymore.

Sure enough, the uncles from the second grandfather's branch raised objections. The eldest uncle Xie Qingcang, the third uncle Xie Qingyun, and the fourth uncle Xie Qinghai refused to board the ship.

Not only did they refuse to board the ship, they also started hurling insults.

"It's all your eldest branch's fault! Xie Chunxi brought disaster to the country and the people, dragging the entire Xie family down with him. The eldest branch is the sinner of the Xie family!"

"The clan leader is incompetent! 150,000 Xuanyi Guards! This is the legacy left by generations of ancestors! You offer them up to the court to exchange for Xie Chunxi's complete corpse!"

"And you, Xie Zhaozhao, the Xie family has poured all its resources into raising you, a useless piece of trash. You even had a son, but he was still divorced. You have completely disgraced your ancestors!"

"We'd accept exile in exchange for all our wealth. His Majesty doesn't have many more years to live, and when the new emperor ascends the throne and grants a general amnesty, we might be able to return to the capital. But you, you've gone too far, killing the escort officer and cutting off the entire clan's means of survival!"

...

Madam Xie, Xie Anfeng, Xie Yu, and Xie Zhaozhao were all scolded mercilessly!

Madam Xie had already suffered a double blow, and now it felt like her death was imminent. She stood in front of Xie Anfeng, looked at her second grandfather, and asked, "Does your second brother also think this way?"

The second grandfather, with tears streaming down his face, said, "Sister-in-law, Uncle (Xie Anfeng) is indeed not as capable as my brother (Xie Zhaozhao's grandfather). Now the fate of the entire clan is uncertain. Please forgive the children for venting their frustrations!"

Xie Qingcang said, "What is there to bear? Father, mindful of the family's reputation, never established a separate household throughout his life. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren numbered over 150. Because of Xie Chunxi, so many of his children and grandchildren died. Don't you hate him?"

Xie Anfeng asked him, "What are your intentions, cousin?"

"We're not going anywhere. You can go wherever you want. We'll die fighting!"

They were about to board the ship, but they were making a scene and stalling for time, which made Xie Anfeng and Xie Yu very anxious.

The third grandfather said to the second grandfather, "Brother, listen to my advice. We can't accept good things with a clear conscience and then push all the responsibility onto the eldest son's family when disaster strikes."

Do you think Grandpa wanted to do this? It's just that our family is too big, and there are too many good-for-nothings in it.

Furthermore, do you think I want to hand over 150,000 Black-Clad Guards? If I didn't hand them over, would you still be standing here arguing with me? You'd be dead by now, wouldn't you?

Ultimately, is it because our Xie family is too conspicuous? We've made ourselves feared! You're all grown up, surely you see through this?

The second grandfather wept and said, "Third brother, our family is gone. I don't want to die with more than a hundred descendants!"

"Who told you that staying away from the world means dying? You'll only have no way to survive if you stay! His Majesty won't let us off the hook, it doesn't matter whether Xie Chunxi is here or not."

"To put it bluntly, Xie Chunxi spent most of her life as an imperial concubine, and she still protects our Xie family, doesn't she?"

The third grandfather persuaded the second grandfather, and the old lady was in tears.

Empress Xie died so tragically, right before her eyes, how could she not be heartbroken?

Finally, the third grandfather pulled his elder brother onto the boat, but Xie Qingcang and his two brothers resolutely stopped them.

My great-grandfather was also annoyed: "The enemy is coming soon, what are you still thinking about?"

Xie Anfeng stepped forward and said sternly, "Third Uncle is right. The enemy is coming soon. Everyone, get on the boat quickly. You don't need to complain. As long as I can lead you all to live, I will never lead you to die."

Xie Zhaozhao said calmly, "Those who want to leave, hurry up and line up. Those who don't want to leave, we won't force them! However, let me make this clear beforehand: once the big ship leaves the dock, it won't turn back to shore for anyone."

"You useless thing..." Xie Qingcang wanted to curse Xie Zhaozhao.

Xie Zhaozhao immediately retorted, "I'm useless? Go find someone useful! This big ship is mine, take it or leave it, I have no obligation to indulge you!"

"You, you wretched girl, how can you speak like that?"

"Yes, I will speak like this from now on! If you don't want to get on the ship, go away and don't block others from getting on. I don't care if you live or die."

"Once we're on board, do you guarantee we'll remain the same?"

"cannot!"

"Where is the final destination?"

"I don't need to tell you in advance!"

Xie Zhaozhao was once again glad that she had been cautious; at least so far, she hadn't told anyone whether she was going to the south or the north.

What a brilliant decision!

Xie Qingcang smiled sarcastically and said, "Then I wish you all the best for the future. I'm sure I'm not going."

Old Madam Xie couldn't bear it, but she was in dire straits herself. All she could do was advise, "Qing Cang, we are a family together. Whether we live or die, we will face it together. Isn't this how it has been for hundreds of years?"

However, Xie Qingcang had already made up his mind not to follow the eldest branch of the family.

Third Uncle Xie Qingyun and Fourth Uncle Xie Qinghai were hesitant; half of their children and grandchildren wanted to go with the eldest son's family, while the other half were unwilling to follow.

Xie Zhaozhao was truly unforgiving and said to Ling Xun, "You and your brother should register all the Xie family members who are willing to leave and count them in groups."

The Liberty is really big. Standing at the end of the track and looking at it, you realize how magnificent it is.

The ship was two or three people taller than the ground, with two folding ladders extending to the shore, and the large ship bobbed up and down with the waves.

The boatmen rushed over to help the Xie family.

In addition to the huge cargo hold, the ship also has living quarters, public quarters, food storage quarters, hygiene and sanitation quarters, medical quarters, and service quarters (offices, archives), etc.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!