Chapter 134 Partiality
She crawled a few steps on her knees and grabbed the corner of Marquis Huo's robe. "How have we, the Second Branch, wronged you over the years? How have we wronged the Huo family?"
Yu's voice grew shrill, and her grip on the hem of her robe tightened. "Siyuan has made a mistake, and we accept the punishment! But you can't... you can't just stand by and watch him die, forcing our second branch to death!"
Liang Shanyu staggered when she was pulled by her, and hurriedly protected her stomach, and a few tears squeezed out of her pale face.
"Yes, father... my daughter-in-law is pregnant with the Huo family's child. For the sake of the child, please ask the emperor to spare Siyuan this time!"
"If the child is born without a father, he... he would be so pitiful..."
Liang Shanyu's voice was soft and tearful, and her fingertips under her sleeves were trembling slightly, as if she was extremely worried.
However, her concealed eyes revealed a deep sense of fear and relief.
Fortunately, she did not break the window paper and get involved in this corruption.
Ignorance is not a crime. Even if there is a grave crime, it cannot fall on her head! Moreover, she is pregnant. No matter how heartless the emperor is, he will not implicate her!
Huo Hou was upset by their crying and tried to shake them off, but they held his legs tightly.
He gritted his teeth and said angrily, "Alright, stop crying! The Emperor is not going to punish you. His grace is great. He is only fining me three years' salary!"
Upon hearing the news, Yu and Huo Siyuan stopped talking and were filled with ecstasy.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! Thank you, Master, for your plea!" Yu burst into laughter and pulled Huo Siyuan, who was still in a daze, to kowtow together. "Quick! Siyuan, thank your father!"
Huo Siyuan finally reacted and quickly kowtowed. The fear in his eyes had long been replaced by relief: "Thank you, father! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Hmph, now you know how to thank me." Marquis Huo was furious at their rude and respectful behavior. "Who was that person cursing and swearing in the yard just now, saying he was going to skin someone alive?"
Yu immediately put on an aggrieved expression, wiping her nonexistent tears with a handkerchief, and angrily said, "When the master came in angrily just now, I thought... I thought the emperor was going to execute us mother and son. I was so scared that my legs went weak!"
"Why didn't the master explain it earlier? We have been worrying for nothing."
"Say it earlier?"
Huo Hou's expression turned even uglier. He pointed at Huo Siyuan, his voice filled with disapproval. "If it weren't for the awful things you guys did, I wouldn't have to be—!"
He choked, but didn't say that he was being scolded.
"Anyway, my mother told me to give up my title to Jin Jian!"
"What?!"
Huo Siyuan, Yu Shi, and Liang Shanyu all lost their voices at the same time, and the joy on their faces froze instantly.
Huo Siyuan stood up suddenly, "Dad! How can this be? Why would Huo Jin meet that sickly guy? He can't even walk steadily, how can he be in charge of the Marquis' Mansion?"
Yu was also anxious and didn't bother to pretend to be aggrieved anymore.
"Great! No wonder Huo Jin wanted to expose us at this critical moment. So this is what he had in mind! This black-hearted kid is willing to do anything to get the master's title!"
"Nonsense!" Marquis Huo shouted angrily upon hearing this.
Huo Jin saw that it was his son! And if he had the ability, he would be given a title in the future. Why would he take the risk of doing such a ridiculous thing that almost led to his family being confiscated and his clan being exterminated?
"Isn't it obvious? That's why we used the excuse of checking the accounts to expose the fact that Siyuan misappropriated military funds!" Yu said in a sharp voice, unable to suppress her voice.
Huo Siyuan nodded repeatedly, his face flushed with anxiety, and the veins on his forehead popped out.
"Dad! Mom is right! Huo Jin saw that sickly fellow was full of evil intentions! He knew that he was weak and might not be able to return to the battlefield to earn military merit in the future. Naturally, he was afraid that your title would not be passed down to him after a hundred years. He was even more afraid that my achievements would surpass his, so he came up with this shady plan!"
"Now that you're still around, Dad, he'd be dying to wipe out our second branch! By then, I'm afraid he won't even give us a bite to eat!"
These words made Huo Hou's heart skip a beat for some reason. He felt it was absurd but also felt a little suspicious.
"And the old lady!" Yu screamed even louder, almost fainting.
"The old lady is so biased! She keeps saying the Huo family is loyal and brave, but she protects Huo Jinjian everywhere!"
"If it weren't for her support, would he have dared to expose this matter in public at the birthday banquet even if the eldest wife had ten times the courage?"
Yu clutched Marquis Huo's arm tightly, digging her nails into his flesh. "Master Marquis, you can't be fooled by them. This title is yours. It's the root of our Huo family!"
Marquis Huo's temples were throbbing with the noise. He violently shook off Yu's hand and shouted, "Asshole! Jin Jian is not that kind of person! What were you doing while he was bleeding at the border?!"
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