Chapter 153: The Xie Family Massacre
Xie Yan's eyes showed deep sorrow.
The dim candlelight shone on Xie Yan's eyebrows and eyes, hiding half of his face in the darkness. The corners of his eyes were red and a little scary.
A horrific murder occurred, and an unfounded charge of treason was imposed. The once prosperous Xie family was reduced to a scorched earth, and hundreds of innocent people were killed. The blood dyed the vegetable market red.
"In the Ming Dynasty, the current emperor is the younger brother of Emperor Wencheng, and is the uncle and nephew of the previous emperor, Emperor Jingxiang."
"When the current emperor was born, Emperor Wencheng was the crown prince and the regent. His position was as stable as Mount Tai and no one could shake it. He was not stingy in showing brotherly love and respect. As a result, he simply raised the current emperor as his own child and named him King Kang to show his deep love."
"The late Emperor Jingxiang was the eldest son of Emperor Wencheng, and was naturally made the crown prince and inherited the throne."
"Because the uncle and nephew are close in age and both were taught by Emperor Wencheng, they have always had a close relationship. Rather than calling them uncle and nephew, it is better to say that they are close brothers who are like brothers from the same mother."
"After Emperor Jingxiang ascended the throne, Prince Kang was renamed Prince Kang, showing his great honor and glory, and the emperor liked him very much. Prince Kang was cautious in his words and deeds, gentle and polite, and never overstepped the boundaries."
"No one in the court could see the ambition of Prince Kang, and some even praised him from the bottom of their hearts, saying that he was worthy of being raised by Emperor Wencheng."
"When the late emperor was in his prime, he met with an unexpected accident and passed away. Prince Kang immediately tore off his former disguise of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness, and with the help of the capital's guards and the Qin family, he ascended the throne with a thunderous force, carrying a will that was difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake. At the same time, Prince Kang claimed that he had received a secret report that the Xie family of the Xin Guo Mansion was colluding with the enemy and treasonous, and had the intention of rebellion, so he dispatched the guards to surround the Xie family's mansion overnight, searched for the so-called letter, and imprisoned the entire Xie family."
"All this happened in just one night."
"When the day dawns, a new master will be born in the majestic imperial city."
"The Xie family was guilty of treason within three days. The conclusion was indisputable. Except for my grandfather, all the members of the Xie family, young and old, were beheaded as a warning to the public."
"The pretext is that, in appreciation of Duke Xin's life-long hard work and contributions in expanding the territory, he is being spared from death and exiled instead."
"After the Xin Guo Mansion was confiscated and the family was exterminated, the eldest sister was divorced by her husband's family, and was driven out along with her newborn Jingyi. With no one to help her, the eldest sister hid Jingyi in a safe place with great difficulty, and then she ran into a wall next to the drum to report the death of the baby girl she found at the mass grave."
"The death of my eldest sister was like a pebble dropped into a river, causing ripples. Some officials were concerned about the Xie family's treason."
"But the late emperor died suddenly, the Xie family was wiped out, and Empress Dowager Xie was placed under house arrest. No one in the court dared to take the lead. After all, the blood of hundreds of thousands of lives shed at the intersection of Caishi Street has not yet dried up, and the head of Xie's second son is still hanging high on the flagpole, allowing birds and crows to gnaw on it."
"So, the ripples finally returned to peace."
"Gradually, no one in the court dared to mention that the Xin Guo Mansion's Xie family's crime of treason and rebellion was untrue. Instead, they said that the Xin Guo Mansion deserved the punishment."
"It is not important whether or not someone has the intention to rebel against the emperor. What is important is that the Duke of Xin's mansion has the power to rebel, which is a capital crime punishable by death."
"The new emperor has to establish his authority and consolidate his supreme position. He also needs to reward his loyal followers. What better place to start than the late emperor's maternal family?"
The Duke of Xin's mansion turned to dust and soil.
Xie Yan clenched his hands tightly, his voice trembled, his voice lines were erratic, and he tried his best to suppress his emotions, but his lips trembled uncontrollably, like the mottled and swaying candlelight blown by the biting cold wind.
His face was very pale, the kind of pale that one would see on a dead person, but the corners of his eyes were getting redder.
The hatred and longing did not fade away after thousands of days and nights, but instead penetrated deeper into the bone marrow.
In Xie Yan's words, Lu Mingchao felt the overwhelming despair and hatred.
Lu Mingchao thought that the feeling might be very similar to the pain before drowning.
At this time, any words of comfort seem pale and powerless.
Lu Mingchao sighed softly, leaned forward, stretched out his arms, circled Xie Yan's shoulders, and patted him gently again and again.
Xie Yan rested her chin on Lu Mingchao's shoulder, feeling his warm breath beside her ear and the gentle pat on her back. Her whole body trembled and she could no longer hold back her tears; she sobbed silently.
No one knew the despair and grief he felt when he received the secret message from Empress Dowager Xie while he was far away in the northern border.
Mingming, not long ago, before his father and brother were summoned back to Beijing, they happily prepared a birthday gift for him in advance.
In a short period of time, his father, brothers, and relatives were all killed by the mortar, without a complete body and no place to bury them.
Only then did he realize that the net set up against the late emperor and the Xie family had already begun to close in when the Xie family's military commanders outside the capital were ordered to return to the capital.
In this world, apart from Empress Dowager Xie, no one else can prove that he is Xie Silang of the Xie family.
He hates!
He is afraid too!
When he was young, he was so angry that he even thought about fulfilling the new emperor's wish. He would rebel against Daqian and surrender to Beihu, lead his iron cavalry to trample on the new emperor who was indiscriminate and vicious, and avenge the extermination of his entire family.
It was his grandfather and aunt who persuaded him.
The revenge of the late emperor and the Xie family must be avenged, but one should not trample over thousands of ordinary people.
The Xie family has been stationed in the northern border for generations, guarding the border of Daqian and protecting the people of Daqian.
The family is full of loyal and brave people.
Even if there is only one son of the Xie family left, he cannot swing his butcher knife against the people he is protecting.
The people have not let down the Xie family.
When the news of the Xie family's treason and rebellion reached the north, the people of the north sneered at it.
I don't want to believe it, I can't believe it, but I can't do anything about it.
Lu Mingchao felt the warmth and wetness on his shoulders, and his heart became increasingly confused and heavy.
Of the huge Xie family, only three people are left from four generations.
Old Grandpa Xie, Xie Silang, and Xie Ru'an.
Although Mrs. Xie, who is over 70 years old, was once a powerful figure, she is old now.
His thin, frail, and hunched body could no longer bear the hatred of the Xie family, and he could not escape the future of the Xie family.
The same was true for Xie Ru'an, who was still young and naive.
I can only thank Shiro.
It can only be Xie Shilang.
Although Xie Yan promised her again and again that he would never risk revenge.
The blood feud of the Yanmie clan is important, but the living people are also important.
But at this moment, she deeply realized that if she could not take revenge, Xie Yan's whole life would be shrouded in hatred and she would not be able to be reborn even after death.
This is a responsibility that Xie Yan, as the fourth son of the Xie family, cannot shirk.
Similarly, even though Huai Qian felt resentment, hatred, and longing for the late emperor, and his situation was very complicated, he still couldn't help but feel unfair for him.
Not to mention Xie Yan.
After looking at the manpower, industries, and layout that Xie Yan handed over to her, revenge was not entirely an impossible gamble.
The destroyed Xie family is now nothing more than the gray ashes of a burning fire.
Xie Yan and Xie Silang are the seeds of endless vitality left by the Xie family.
The branches sprout and the trees grow tall and straight like a canopy.