On the evening that Zhu Jiayu spoke with Zhu Shi, Qiu Weiming
Qiu Weiming rushed back to the Qiu residence, knelt down in front of the old lady's mourning hall, kowtowed three times, and then fainted from grief.
When he woke up, he heard the old lady's last words and how Zhu Jiayu persuaded his wife to change her mind.
He leaned against the headboard, remaining silent for a long time before sighing, "Let's listen to Ayu."
Madam Zhu nodded, looking at him as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Finally, she couldn't help but comfort him, saying, "You must have had a hard journey back. I will handle Mother's funeral arrangements. You should rest well and not worry about anything else."
Qiu Weiming waved his hand and said, "It's alright. Go find someone to invite Ayu over. I have something I want to ask her."
Madam Zhu sighed silently, but she knew she couldn't go against her husband's wishes, so she turned and went downstairs to call someone to invite Zhu Jiayu.
It was already dawn. Zhu Jiayu hadn't been sleeping well these past few days, and she usually woke up around daybreak. Today, she was prepared to see Qiu Weiming as soon as she woke up. So when the servants from the main courtyard came to invite her, she had already washed and dressed. Without making them wait, she left Chunshan Residence with them.
In the main courtyard, Qiu Weiming dressed and went to the study to wait for Zhu Jiayu.
Not long after, Zhu Jiayu arrived dressed in mourning clothes. She bowed to Qiu Weiming and called out, "Uncle."
Qiu Weiming nodded and asked her, "Do you know why I had someone call you over?"
Zhu Jiayu pursed her lips, wondering how much he knew about her, the old lady, and the Marquis's mansion. Even though she had a clear conscience, she was afraid that her uncle would blame her for the old lady's death.
But she asked herself honestly, if she had known that the old lady did not have much time left, would she have complied with her wishes and married into the Marquis's mansion?
No, it won't.
Having already died once, she understands better than anyone that she should take control of her own life. There's no turning back once the arrow is released; no one but herself can be responsible for her life.
Qiu Weiming said, "The old lady has a list. She once told me that she would give it to the younger generation she favors the most. Originally, I thought that this list would be given to Zhu Qing, but now it seems that it should be given to you."
"Everyone knows that the Lin family suddenly fell into ruin ten years ago. Many of the Lin family members who served as officials in the court were demoted, dismissed, or even beheaded or exiled. A large family of hundreds of people collapsed overnight, but no one knows why."
“Ayu, I’m going to tell you the reason today.”
He gazed tenderly at his niece before him, his eyes calm, yet his words carried immense weight, revealing a poignant sorrow on his face.
He said, "When the emperor was still a prince, he was ordered by the late emperor to work with Nie Wuhuan of the Imperial Observatory to select a site for the late emperor's summer palace. However, after the site was selected, the Taoist Qingxu, who was deeply trusted by the late emperor, pointed out that it was a place where dragons were buried, and while the dragon energy was strong, the death energy was also very strong."
"The Emperor was punished for this, and Nie Wuhuan was also imprisoned in the imperial prison. Decades later, although the Emperor regained his favor and was even made Crown Prince and ascended the throne, he still did not give up investigating what happened back then. In the end, all kinds of evidence showed that the Lin family was the mastermind behind it all. So the Emperor was furious and found a reason to punish the Lin family."
"When the emperor is angry, millions will die and rivers of blood will flow. How could the mere Lin family withstand such a thunderous wrath? Fortunately, the emperor did not want to be condemned as a tyrant by future generations, so he spared the married daughters of the Lin family, including your maternal grandmother."
"But since she was born into the Lin family, how could she not plan for the Lin family, how could she disregard the Lin family's kindness in raising her? So, over the years, she has worked hard and finally compiled a list. The names on this list are all the close friends of the old master and the head of the Lin family, as well as the court officials who spoke up for the Lin family after the incident."
“I don’t know what the old lady said to you, but it’s not hard to imagine that if one day you visit them by following the names on this list, they will quickly connect your identity to the eldest daughter of the Lin family from back then… and then, perhaps, it will be time to exonerate the Lin family…”
Qiu Weiming spoke with extreme difficulty.
On one side is his mother who raised him with great difficulty, and on the other side is his niece whom the Qiu family owes a great debt to. He does not want to let either side down, but things do not go as planned, and he has to make a choice.
Zhu Jiayu was also shocked.
She never imagined that the old lady would set such a trap for her even on her deathbed.
Regardless of whether the matter of the imperial palace is related to the Lin family or not, it has only been ten years since the Lin family fell from power. There must be many people secretly watching the Lin family. If she appears in Yujing with this list, she will likely not only be advised to exonerate the Lin family, but also be labeled as a remnant of the Lin family. At that time, she will be unable to defend herself.
However, what puzzled her even more was why Qiu Weiming had told her this.
As the Lin family's grandson, doesn't he want to overturn the Lin family's case?
Receiving her questioning look, Qiu Weiming smiled wryly and said, "Rather than fulfilling my mother's last wish, I would rather you know the truth and not get involved in this mess."
"If we have the ability, we will do our best to exonerate the Lin family. The intrigue and deceit involved should not be borne by a young girl like you."
"Keep this list safe and don't give it to anyone, otherwise it might harm not only you but also them." After saying this, Qiu Weiming sighed wearily, then changed the subject, mentioning the old lady's last instructions and thanking her.
Zhu Jiayu shook her head: "It's a small matter, Uncle, you don't need to worry about it."
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