Chapter 568 The Imperial Edict Arrives
Meng Chengzhang received a letter from his stepmother, Zhao Shi. The letter only mentioned that his grandmother was seriously ill, but did not explain why. He was very surprised. His grandmother was perfectly fine the day he left home and even had the energy to make things difficult for him. How could she suddenly be seriously ill?
But no matter what caused his grandmother's illness, out of filial piety, he had to go back immediately, ask his teacher for leave, and go home to visit his grandmother. If necessary, he would also have to take care of her.
He had just returned home and hadn't even had a chance to pay his respects to his elders when an imperial edict arrived from the palace.
Meng Chengzhang was astonished. The last time the Meng family received an imperial edict was when his third brother was appointed as the heir apparent. Why was an imperial edict suddenly coming now? The Meng family was a declining aristocratic family with little presence among the aristocratic families in the capital. Not to mention the busy emperor, even other aristocratic families would not remember that there was a Yongchang Earl's Mansion unless there was something else going on.
Apart from the seriously ill Madam Meng, all members of the Meng family knelt down to receive the imperial decree. Even Meng Chengxing was escorted out of the ancestral hall to receive the decree.
The eunuch's shrill voice rang out as he read the imperial edict: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Meng Chengxing, the heir apparent of the Earl of Yongchang, is of immoral character, unfilial and disrespectful to his brothers. He is stripped of his title of heir apparent, demoted to a commoner, and given thirty strokes of the cane to uphold the law of the land."
Yongchang Earl Meng Dongyuan failed to properly educate his son and should be held accountable. However, considering the merits of his ancestors, he is hereby fined one year's salary and ordered to reflect on his actions in seclusion for three months.
The second son, Meng Chengzhang, is of gentle and kind nature, devoted to his parents with utmost filial piety, and well-versed in classical studies. He is highly regarded by the entire household and enjoys widespread public approval. Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of the *Zhao Guo Quan* (Statutes of the State of Zhao) regarding the establishment of virtuous heirs, he is hereby specially promoted to the position of Heir Apparent of the Earl of Yongchang. This is the imperial decree!
Apart from Meng Dongyuan, who had requested the imperial decree to change the heir apparent, no one else present had heard a word about this matter. Faced with this sudden imperial decree, everyone was shocked.
Meng Chengzhang had never thought about the position of heir apparent; he only wanted to pass the imperial examinations and make a name for himself. Now that he had just returned home, he had become the heir apparent who would inherit the title. He was somewhat happy, because it was better for the Meng family to fall into his hands than into the hands of his immoral younger brother. But he was more shocked. He had not been away from home for very long, so how could such a big change have happened?
When Meng Chengxing heard the eunuch reading the imperial decree, his expression was as if he had been struck by lightning. Since he was a child, his mother, Sun, and his grandmother had told him that the entire Meng family would belong to him in the future, and that he would be the Earl of Yongchang, leading the Meng family to prosperity again. But not only had the position of heir changed hands, but he was also to be flogged thirty times. That was no joke. Thirty strokes of the cane would leave him bloodied and mangled. Was he being beaten to death?
Suddenly, he stood up abruptly, laughing almost maniacally, pointing at Meng Dongyuan and cursing, "Meng Dongyuan, it's you! It's all your fault! I'm your own son! How could you treat me like this? That day you disregarded my reputation and sent people to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to kidnap me, ruining my reputation. If that hadn't happened, how would the news have spread? How would the Emperor have known about this and stripped me of my title of heir apparent?"
Meng Dongyuan was furious. Before he could even receive the imperial decree, he suddenly stood up and, as if using all his strength, slapped him hard across the face, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
Meng Chengxing was about to continue cursing when he looked up and met his father-in-law's gaze. His heart tightened, and he belatedly realized what he had just done. He didn't dare to say the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
Meng Dongyuan, heartbroken, cursed, "You unfilial wretch! You've angered your grandmother like this, what reputation do you have left? My Meng family is truly unfortunate to have married that wicked woman, your birth mother, and given birth to such a wretch as you! I originally thought you were different from Sun Shi, that you were a good child, but I never expected you to have become like Sun Shi!"
After speaking, Meng Dongyuan seemed to be exhausted from lack of rest that day, and now he was furious. He rubbed his forehead, swayed, and almost fainted from anger. Then, as if remembering that the eunuch who was delivering the decree was waiting for him to receive it, he hurriedly said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh." Then, he knelt down with a thud to receive the decree, "Your subject receives the decree, thanks to Your Majesty's great grace, long live the Emperor!"
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree seemed somewhat unsatisfied with the spectacle. In truth, the father and son could have continued their antics a little longer; it wouldn't have mattered, as he had no important business to attend to that day. The Earl of Yongchang and the Marquis of Changxing were truly a father-in-law and son-in-law pair, both raising rebellious sons, both of whom had been deposed. Compared to Gu Xiuming, Meng Chengxing's fate was relatively better; he wasn't expelled from the clan or exiled. But Gu Xiuming's crimes were far greater; he truly deserved it, having already attained wealth and power, he still chose to court death.
After Meng Dongyuan received the imperial edict, the eunuch who delivered it ordered the people brought from the palace to subdue Meng Chengxing, strip him of his clothes, leaving him only in his undergarments, and then press him down on a bench to begin the execution.
When the first blow landed hard on Meng Chengxing's buttocks, this pampered young master, who had never suffered hardship, immediately let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
The paddle fell on him again and again, and screams rang out one after another. Even though it was too painful, the volume of the screams gradually decreased, and finally there was no sound. He had obviously fainted from the pain. But the executioners did not slack off and did not stop until he had given him thirty lashes.
Meng Chengxing's buttocks were already a bloody mess, and the fabric of his clothes was torn to shreds, showing that the executioners were acting according to the rules and had not shown any mercy.
Looking at his son's miserable state, Meng Dongyuan felt a surge of pleasure. The Meng family was finally spared from being handed over to this wretched child, and he had avenged his unborn child with Dong Shi. If Dong Shi knew what had become of Chengxing, would she hate him less?
Zhao glanced at Meng Chengxing, who was pale and unconscious, and a trace of pity appeared in her eyes. Although he was not a good child, he was really innocent this time. However, this matter was beyond her control and she did not want to get involved. She handed a purse to the eunuch who delivered the imperial decree and said, "You have worked hard, sir. This is to invite you to have some tea. I hope you will not find it offensive."
The eunuch who delivered the imperial decree took the purse, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then led his men back to the palace.
After they left, Madam Zhao instructed her servants, "Go and carry the Third Young Master back." Then, she said to the maid beside her, "Please ask the Ling family physician to come and treat the Third Young Master."
Two strong servants responded and stepped forward to lift Meng Chengxing.
With such a misfortune befalling the master, the remaining servants remained kneeling on the ground, not daring to utter a sound, for fear of incurring the master's wrath.
Zhao's gentle yet stern voice rang out: "Get up, all of you. Go do what you're supposed to do. No one is to discuss what happened today. If I hear anyone gossiping, I'll banish them from the manor."
The servants quickly responded, then rose and dispersed, secretly lamenting the fickle nature of life. The third young master, once pampered by the Earl and the Old Madam, had been stripped of his title as heir, while the neglected second young master had become the new heir of the Earl's mansion. And the second young lady—how favored she had been! Now her reputation was ruined, and she was married to a merchant, while the eldest young lady became the Lady of Changxing Marquis. It was clear that as long as one was alive, there was still hope, and a chance for a comeback.
Only then did Meng Chengzhang have a chance to speak, asking, "Father, Mother, what exactly happened? Why did Grandmother fall ill? And what did my third brother do wrong?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com