remnants of the previous dynasty
The West Mansion of the Prime Minister's Residence was originally part of the Sui Mansion, and a section of it was specially set aside for the Physicians' Quarters.
After the last rain of autumn, all the joys and sorrows of the year are buried under the withered branches and fallen leaves.
As the servants swept away the fallen leaves in the courtyard, only bare branches remained.
The sunlight, no longer blocked by the lush foliage, slipped smoothly into the room and fell on Sui Zhixu's knees as he sat upright.
Cong Lan noticed that her eyes were red, and she wanted to ask but didn't dare to.
Sui Zhixu raised her eyes, her fingertips hooking on the jade pendant. In order not to interfere with Chi Gong's treatment, she deliberately took off the sachet.
"Before me, I want to hear what Aye said about three years ago."
Give yourself some time to recover.
Cong Lan paused for a moment, then began to explain.
Three years ago, the Prime Minister's residence was not called the Prime Minister's residence; the plaque was inscribed with "Sui Residence".
Cong Lan was not the prime minister, but the Minister of Rites.
Puyang Kai was not the first child that the couple brought from Xianjialiao to Chang'an; Xie Yu and Xie Xian were.
The "Xian" in Xie Xian refers to the "Xianjia Liao" (仙家寧). Sui He founded the Xianjia Liao in the hope that the gods could protect the poor children without parents and the women whose fates were fraught with setbacks, and that they could have peace and prosperity and be blessed by heaven.
Xie Xian and Xie Yu were the first children born after He established the Xian Family Lodge nineteen years ago. Their arrival seemed to represent the new life and hope for that group of suffering people.
Sui He named them Xie Yu and Xie Xian.
The character 毓 (yù) comes from the book "Guangya". It means "to grow or to nurture".
And Xian is a new life unique to Xianjialiao.
They did not disappoint the expectations of the Immortal Temple at all. From the time they completed their enlightenment and were sent to Chang'an until the end of their lives three years ago, they did very well.
Three years ago, Cong Lan, as the Minister of Rites, was preparing for the imperial examination. Since Cheng Zhijie was participating, in order to avoid suspicion, he gave the overall order and sat at the back after confirming that everything was going smoothly.
In the previous dynasty, he implemented reforms in an attempt to allow more people from humble backgrounds to enter officialdom, which was opposed by most officials from powerful and aristocratic families.
The reasons given are varied and seemingly high-sounding. They say that scions of noble families are exposed to the essentials of governance from a young age, while scions of poor families lack family traditions and may not understand the rules when they suddenly enter officialdom, leading to mistakes in governance and harming the country.
It is said that children from poor families, due to their poverty, will be greedy for personal gain after entering officialdom, while children from wealthy families are more likely to maintain their integrity and uphold their moral principles.
It is said that those from humble backgrounds are ignorant, lack etiquette, and are unworthy of their positions. On the other hand, scions of prominent families are raised with proper etiquette and are taught the ways of officialdom and the fundamental principles of living in the world.
It is acceptable for someone from a humble background to enter officialdom, but they should not be placed on the same level as those from aristocratic families.
All of this is a veiled criticism of Cong Lan, suggesting that he only achieved his current status by marrying into the Sui family, and that he forgot the Sui family's support once he gained power.
The Emperor and the Pei family strongly support Cong Lan, but they also fear that he will be influenced by him.
But Cong Lan is shameless. So what if he relies on his wife? His skill lies in piecing together a handsome face to win her favor.
His wife is the head of the family and the person behind the Shan Hai Academy. She is praised by the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Do you have that?
He readily accepted the compliment when accused of relying on his looks, he lavishly praised his wife's abilities when accused of being a kept man, and when accused of lacking parental upbringing, he pointed out that once he married into the family, his parents were none other than He's parents, the very aristocratic family they spoke of...
Under the shamelessness of the Emperor, the Pei family, and Cong Lan, this imperial examination encouraged students from poor families to participate and adopted a series of measures to ensure their participation.
Cong Lan thought that many of the poor students in the Mountain and Sea Academy had good skills, and there should be quite a few on the list. He didn't expect that something unexpected would still happen.
Before the list was announced, Cong Lan received it and found it hard to believe. She checked it countless times and found that most of the people on the list were still from aristocratic families, and there were even many famous and romantic figures in Chang'an.
He raised objections and examined each exam paper individually, finding them all to be exceptionally brilliant. The announcement of the results could not be changed, and the public was in uproar upon seeing the list.
A group of students from humble backgrounds besieged the palace gates, and young students from the Mountain and Sea Academy joined the fray without hesitation, including Xie Yu and Xie Xian.
Xie Xian: "Is this the fairness of aristocratic families? You belittle them with your mouths but fear their talents, you look down on their backgrounds but are afraid that they will rise to the top and step on you, and you are even so afraid that you resort to such despicable methods. Is this what you call being clean-living and upholding integrity?!"
"Who exactly is embezzling and accepting bribes? Who is attempting to cheat? How many people assisted them in the examination hall and during the grading process? We demand justice! Student Xie Yu earnestly requests Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the case of cheating in the imperial examinations and restore justice to the students!"
"Thank you, brother! And me too!" said the cheerful and forthright young man.
"Me too!" came the soft, weak voice of the young man.
It is a woman's voice, whether charming, aloof, or deep.
Hundreds of voices converged: "The students implore Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate the case of cheating in the imperial examinations and restore justice to the students!"
Despite being the top scholar, Cheng Zhijie still stood at the front of the line. "Although I, Cheng Zhijie, am on the list, I do not acknowledge my fellow students. I implore Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate any cheating in the imperial examinations and restore justice to the students."
This alarmed the Emperor, who was furious in the court and ordered a thorough investigation into the case of cheating in the imperial examinations.
At this moment, Cong Lan disregarded any need to avoid suspicion and swiftly overturned the entire Ministry of Rites, following the clues to arrest the officials who accepted bribes and the powerful families who provided them.
Several people caught his attention, and based on Cong Lan's many years of experience as an official, it was not just a simple matter of fraud.
Many former officials of the previous dynasty were granted amnesty in the imperial court, and several of them, who held prominent positions, were on the list recorded by Cong Lan.
He secretly entered the palace to report to the emperor and requested verification. The emperor hesitated for a long time. Several people on the list were specially recruited by the late emperor, and he even called them brothers and had a very good relationship with them.
But the Emperor was different. With remnants of the previous dynasty by his bedside, he harbored resentment. With a wave of his hand, he secretly sent Cong Lan to investigate.
The following morning at court, the Emperor, to avoid suspicion due to Cong Lan's status as a teacher to many students, instructed Duke Pei to handle the matter.
Cong Lan began secretly gathering evidence. Xie Yu and Xie Xian, upon returning from the Shan Hai Academy, learned of this and volunteered to assist Cong Lan.
Cong Lan initially saw this as a way to give them some early experience.
The elder brother, Xie Yu, is intelligent and composed, while the younger sister, Xie Xian, is courageous and righteous.
The brother and sister are twins, and they understand each other perfectly. They cooperate very well and unexpectedly help Cong Lan a lot.
"I underestimated you."
"That's right, the patriarch said I have her style!" Xie Xian boasted, happily circling around Cong Lan and Xie Yu.
"I didn't expect General Yang to actually station troops here." Xie Yu was much calmer.
"He seems so honest, but who would have thought he's been doing all sorts of earth-shattering things behind the scenes," Xie Xian muttered to Xie Yu, leaning on his shoulder.
Xie Yu naturally pinched her face, then grabbed her collar, and said helplessly, "How old are you?"
"Hehe, the head of the family said that I am very good. A wife may not necessarily be dignified and proper. Someone as brave and resourceful as me is also very good."
"That's because the head of the family thinks you're too noisy." Xie Yu narrowed his eyes and exposed the truth without any mercy.
Cong Lan laughed loudly, which angered Xie Xian. "You just wait, this time I will definitely be the biggest contributor."
Xie Yu remained calm and followed behind her.
What are you doing?
"Let's see how you become a great contributor."
"Xie Yu!"
Cong Lan was eager to get started. He believed that after the case of cheating in the imperial examination and the remnants of the previous dynasty were resolved, he could climb to a higher position, while this group of scholars from poor families could take advantage of the vacancies in the court and quickly rise in rank.
This is a tremendous opportunity.
Cong Lan's prediction was correct, but he did not foresee the deaths of Xie Yu and Xie Xian.
General Yang stationed his troops in Zezhou, which was backed by continuous mountain ranges and dense forests, making it difficult for them to be discovered.
When Sui He heard that the brother and sister were determined to go, he specifically instructed them to stay close to the people at Bingjialiao.
Before leaving, Xie Xian was still wearing the Chu embroidery clothes of the embroiderers of the Immortal's Abode. The vermilion dress made her look lovely, and the bells at her waist jingled as she walked.
Xie Yu once said she was noisy, but Xie Xian covered her ears and refused to listen, saying, "Xianxian is the most beautiful!"
"If you had worn bells at the palace gate that day, you might have had the loudest bells in the whole place."
"Tch, brother, I haven't even said it yet. You're usually so calm, so why were you just as angry as I was that day?"
Xie Yu glanced at her: "Calmness is the way to deal with the world, not heartlessness. They deserve justice. The Immortal Temple nurtured us, and our teachers taught us. We should repay their kindness and do our part for the common people."
Xie Xian shook his head, only then noticing the little bell on her head. He sighed, "With your outfit, you'll be the first one caught."
"Hmph, no way."
"Besides, the other person hasn't finished speaking, why are you changing the subject?"
Xie Yu: "Go ahead."
“I didn’t think that much. I was just angry at the time. I felt that those arrogant aristocratic families were going too far. They shouldn’t be treated like that. We grew up in the Sui family and were able to read and write, but it was different for them. They really had it hard. I saw the chilblains on their hands. They didn’t have charcoal braziers in the winter. In order to come to Chang’an for the imperial examinations, they even copied books in the winter to earn travel expenses. I felt very sad, brother.”
Xie Yu patted her head. Since Xie Xian grew up, he had rarely been so affectionate with her.
Xie Xian would always complain that her brother didn't love her anymore, but she was magnanimous and didn't hold it against him.
Upon arriving in Zezhou, Xie Xian removed all the bells and carefully preserved them.
These were all chosen for her by the head of the family. She has only worn them once or twice, but she will continue to wear them after she returns from her business.
Everything was progressing smoothly. While secretly verifying the size of the troop deployment, Xie Xian even used his superb lightness skill to collect information on the army's deployment and letters between General Yang and other people from the previous dynasty.
When Xie Xian ran out, he felt that he must be the biggest contributor this time.
But she didn't expect that when she returned, she would find the soldiers of the military camp lying scattered on the ground in the courtyard where they were staying, all killed instantly.
She dared not make a sound, and quietly slipped in through the kitchen dog hole. She saw Xie Yu being tied up by a group of men in black. She quickly hid and leaned against the wall, afraid to breathe.
She heard the sound of bells ringing in her ears. She peeked through the window and saw that the bells she kept were scattered all over the floor.
She heard her brother's muffled groan and smelled the stench of blood.
Xie Xian's eyes widened, and she desperately resisted the urge to look, tears welling up in her eyes.
She was afraid she would give herself away at any moment.
At this moment, Uncle Sui from Bingjialiao quickly took Xie Xian away from this place.
"Brother!"
"My lady, quickly take the evidence back to Chang'an and hand it over to the magistrate. I'll go rescue my husband."
Xie Xian was stunned as Uncle Sui arranged everything for him. He then ordered the other members of the military strategist's ward, "Protect your wife well!"
When she came to her senses, she grabbed Bingjialiao's clothes and shouted, "Uncle Sui doesn't have many people with him. He'll die! He... he's trying to cover our retreat!"
They paused for a moment, then said, "The deputy head of the monastery told us to protect the lady, and we must escort her back to Chang'an."
They kept their promise and pursued the enemy several times along the way. The number of people in Bingjialiao dwindled. Xie Xian clutched the letter in his arms and silently thought, "It'll be soon. We'll be in Chang'an soon."
Her body and even face were covered in arrow grazes, but she didn't care.
As they approached Chang'an, Xie Xian rode her horse alongside the last member of the military guild. An arrow pierced her back and her heart, and blood from her mouth dripped onto Xie Xian's shoulder.
The warm touch stimulated her, "You know what, we're almost there, almost there!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the person behind her closed their eyes and slid off the horse. Xie Xian didn't even have time to grab a corner of her clothes before the arrow pierced her waist.
Xie Xian spat out a mouthful of blood and stepped into the city gate.
When Cong Lan woke up again, he had already submitted evidence. The Dali Temple could not get anything out of him, and Sima Xian, the Prince of Xuanping, went to court to plead guilty.
Xie Xian didn't say anything. She dressed and walked towards the palace gate, holding a long sword and looking at the plaque above the gate.
Everything seems to have happened yesterday; my brother didn't die, and neither did my uncle.
She knew the Prince of Xuanping; he was a mysterious man who seemed to be blessed by the heavens, with all sorts of good fortune falling upon him.
But she is Xie Xian, the immortal of the immortals, the immortal of the immortal's dwelling.
The guards outside the palace gates were on high alert, but she held her sword to her neck and shouted, "Xie Xian of Shan Hai Academy is petitioning today, begging His Majesty to deal with the case of cheating in the imperial examinations and the remnants of the previous dynasty, to restore justice to the students, and to bring peace and tranquility to the world."
The wind was still. Her blood scattered in front of the palace gate, splashing into the eyes of the guards who tried to stop her. Her eyes were etched with the sound of the wind that day, but all she could hear was the pain of her brother being stabbed.
The palace gates slowly opened, but Cong Lan ultimately failed to arrive in time.
The case of cheating in the imperial examinations and the remnants of the previous dynasty ended in bloodshed, and Cong Lan successfully became prime minister, ranking first among all officials.
Before the corpses of Xie Xian and Xie Yu, the entire Immortal Clan wailed. They had no blood relatives; their mother had been wandering for too long and was weak, and she died after giving birth to them.
But Xianjialiao is their home, where their families live, and Suihe and Conglan are also their families.
Su Zhixu's heart grew even heavier. No wonder that in all these years, only Cong Lan had escaped unscathed from any involvement with Sima Xian and had even been granted a title and made a high-ranking official.
It was all bought with the lives of countless soldiers and the Xie family.
Xie Xian sacrificed himself to Heaven, which earned Heaven's approval and ensured the smooth resolution of Cong Lan's case.
So, what is she going to say?
She is Sima Xian's niece. In her previous life, she was also a remnant of the previous dynasty, and she may even have their blood on her hands.
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