Chapter 477: One Breath
It hurts!
The clan leader's words pierced Jiang Yunze's heart.
The pain is excruciating.
If he had kept his word and taken them back to Beijing after the Lu family's turmoil, he would have treated them better.
perhaps……
Maybe Lu Qingyao would not have divorced him, and the family would have lived in harmony.
He has a virtuous wife, two promising sons, and an adopted daughter who is a princess. The new emperor is the adopted daughter's uncle.
Not everything he wants is within his reach.
He also didn't know why things turned out like this.
Why?
What a joke God is playing on him!
However, what is even more heartbreaking is yet to come.
"Jiang Yunze, because of you, the two most promising children of the Jiang family changed their surnames and left the Jiang family. The Jiang family's ancestors will never forgive you. You are a sinner of the Jiang family and can no longer be a member of the Jiang family." Uncle Fu paused, gritted his teeth and said, "After discussing with Brother Hu, we have decided to remove you from the family tree."
These words were like a bolt from the blue, and Jiang Yunze's whole body froze.
A hand tightly grasped Uncle Fu's hand: "Uncle, you can't treat me like this. Because I graduated from high school, your family was exempted from corvée and taxes for so many years. I, Jiang Yunze, have never owed you anything. You can't kick me when I'm down."
"Is this a matter of despair?"
Uncle Fu really wanted to give him a beating. Even at this point, he still didn't know where he went wrong.
"Is it Lu Qingyao who asked you to expel me from the family tree? She hates me so much?" At this point in his journey, Jiang Yunze had already accepted the reality.
There is still one breath left to swallow.
When the breath is gone, the person is gone.
But he cannot be expelled from the family tree. A person without a name in the family tree is like a tree without roots, and will become a wandering ghost after death.
This cut off both his life and death path.
We were husband and wife, but Lu Qingyao wanted to kill us so ruthlessly!
It turned out that he had never seen this woman clearly from the beginning to the end. During the years she was married to him, she was gentle and virtuous, even submissive, taking care of her husband and children at home. He never said that she was good at martial arts, nor did he know that she had such great abilities.
This time when he returned to Jiangzhou, he finally saw the real Lu Qingyao.
Along the way, Lu Mingxi took him to several places, especially in Jiangzhou.
Everyone spoke of Madam Lu San with admiration on their faces.
It is said that she owns the largest and most restaurants in Daliang, and that Lu's Trading Company also covers businesses such as silk, grain, spices, furs, and real estate. Now that border trade is about to be opened, she even wants to get involved in the tea business.
Most of the shops in Jiangzhou belong to her, and she has almost become the provider of food and clothing for the people of Jiangzhou.
Even the roads and bridges from Jiangzhou to Qingshi Town were funded and built by Lu Qingyao.
Jiang Yunze knew that Lu Mingxi had taken him to see those things specifically to annoy him.
Let him know what he has missed and make him regret it.
Lu Mingxi got what he wanted. He was indeed disgusted and shocked.
He regrets, hates...
I hate myself for being so short-sighted.
"It's not her." Uncle Fu pried his hand away. "Don't be so self-indulgent. Mrs. Lu doesn't have time to care about you. You don't owe me anything, but you owe it to the ancestors of the Jiang family. The things you did in the capital, colluding with the rebel king, defying the imperial decree, forming a clique for personal gain, each of these is a capital crime punishable by extermination of the family and the extermination of the clan. Even the lightest punishment is extermination of the family and exile. You are asking your entire clan to be buried with you!"
Uncle Fu was heartbroken: "Ze'er, you said you are a good husband and a good father, but how come you can't even be a good official? You are so audacious and don't know how to live or die. If it weren't for those three children, do you think you can still stand here and talk to me? I'm afraid our whole family has been dragged down by you..."
"Uncle, I...I was wrong. Please forgive me this time."
Uncle Fu would never soften his heart just because of his confession. In Yan Ge'er's letter, he had told him all the bad things his father had done in the capital.
It’s scary just thinking about it.
Jiang Yunze, this bastard, is courting death anytime and anywhere.
This is putting the lives of the entire clan on the sword.
"This matter is non-negotiable. Have you forgotten the Jiang family's ancestral precepts? If any of our descendants become officials and commit corruption, their names will be removed from the family tree while they are still alive. After their death, they will not be buried in the ancestral tomb, and their tablets will not be allowed in the ancestral hall..."
"Although the Jiang family has declined in our generation, we must not forget our ancestors' teachings. This matter is not negotiable. I have reported it to the county magistrate. There is no possibility of recovery. You can do whatever you want."
After saying that, he saw Jiang Yunze lying on the bed with his eyes open, not blinking.
Like a dead person.
Startled.
"Ze'er, you were blessed by your children and saved your life. Who are you going to show this half-dead look to? After all, you were once an important official in the court, a fourth-rank minister, and you have a wealth of knowledge and can write beautifully. You can also support you and your mother. You should always look forward to life."
"Live! Do you want to live like this?" Jiang Yunze forced a wry smile and said sarcastically, "Don't say these high-sounding words. The bottom line is that you are afraid of Lu Qingyao and are using me as an excuse to please her."
"Jiang Yunze, how could you be so ungrateful? I've shown you the way. It's up to you whether you want to go or not. After all, you have no other choice. As the head of Taoxi Village, I have to warn you. You can stay in Taoxi Village, but you and your mother cannot go to the bamboo forest in the back mountain. It's the treasure of the whole village and has been distributed to every family. If you dare to have any bad thoughts, the last person who damaged the bamboo forest had his leg broken and is still in jail..."
"Since it belongs to everyone, why can't I go? What for?" Jiang Yunze became even more unwilling.
Although he had never thought about the bamboo forest.
But he felt inexplicably angry when he was treated as a thief.
"If you want to know, then I'll tell you. Even if you dig bamboo shoots, you won't be able to sell them. That's because Qingshi Town, and even most of Jiangzhou, have all their bamboo shoots sent to Lu's Trading Company. Boss Lu doesn't like you, so he won't accept your bamboo shoots. No matter how many tricks you come up with, it's useless."
Uncle Fu knew that with Old Lady Jiang's personality, she would definitely ask around and might even have some bad intentions.
It’s better to say the ugly words up front.
After all, he is a child I have watched grow up, and I don't want to kill him. If he feels remorseful, it's not impossible to turn a blind eye.
After saying that, he shook off Jiang Yunze's hand and walked away.
I couldn't bear and didn't want to look at him and his mother again.
It's not that he is heartless, but this person who should have been exiled thousands of miles away or beheaded was sent back. After all, he was not sent back to enjoy a peaceful life.
The higher-ups didn't hold Jiang Yunze accountable, not because he was truly innocent, but because they were concerned about the two children and the Jiang family, young and old.
He was aware of this.
Having received Lu Qingyao's favor, taking the dividends she gave me, and eating the food she provided, I can't just go against her will.
It's Jiang Yunze's own fault.
"Uncle, you are my uncle. You can't ignore me. How can you side with outsiders..." Jiang Yunze stretched out his hand and rolled off the bed.
"I know I was wrong."
"sorry……"
But no matter how loud he shouted, no one responded. There was only the cursing and barking of dogs from the neighbors.
He was heartbroken, haggard, and collapsed on the bed like mud.
Don't eat or drink.
He regrets it, he hates it!
If he could live again, he would just want to be a humble gentleman, or even a teacher respected by everyone.
I don't want to be an official anymore.
I don't want to resort to any means necessary anymore.
…
Jiang Yunze was depressed for quite some time, as if he had lost his soul.
All the housework falls on Old Mrs. Jiang alone.
It was common to not have enough to eat, so I had to dig wild vegetables, pick up things that others didn't want, and even compete with dogs for food.
When she couldn't bear it any longer, she thought of Tao Tao and Xiao Shu.
"Son, no matter what, Tao Tao is yours, and she is bringing Xiao Shu with her. Why don't we bring them back?" Old Mrs. Jiang believed that she had treated Tao Tao well.
He gave her so much silver when he left.
She had never given money to anyone on her own initiative, except for Tao Tao and her son.
My son has someone who understands him and Xiaoshu will take care of him in his old age and see him to the end of his life. She will feel more at ease when she passes away in the future.
Thinking of this, seeing her son nod, she went to the Tao family.
At this time, Tao Tao was picking vegetables in the yard. She was a little surprised to see Old Lady Jiang coming. She really had the nerve to come.
He shamelessly invited her to go back and wanted her to serve Jiang Yunze.
Tao's mother poured a basin of water on her head and said, "Old hag, I've seen people with dignity, but I've never seen people as shameless as you. You still want my daughter to serve that lame man? Dream on about your future."
"Mom, I'll go. I'll take a look and come back." Of course Tao Tao wanted to go and take a look.
See how Jiang Yunze has the nerve to come looking for her again.
She took Xiaoshu and her brother with her and followed the soaking wet Old Lady Jiang.
When Jiang Yunze saw Tao Tao and her daughter, he suddenly became energetic and was happy from the bottom of his heart.
He believed that the only one who could walk hand in hand with him was Tao Mei.
Tao Mei still loves him.
"Sister Tao, I finally see you. Why didn't you come to see me? I missed you so much." He reached out to hold Tao Tao's hand.
She avoided it.
He looked at Jiang Yunze with disgust.
Jiang Yunze reached out again, wanting to hug his daughter, the only daughter he had spent so much effort on and the one he could not let go of the most.
"Shushu, come here, let daddy hug you."
"I'm scared... Hanako, don't..." Xiaoshu was very resistant when she saw Jiang Yunze like that, and didn't dare to go forward at all.
In a baby voice, he said, "You are not my father. My father is a high-ranking official in the capital and doesn't want us anymore."
Old Mrs. Jiang was so angry that she went forward to beat the child, but was stopped by Young Master Tao, who took her and the child out.
Jiang Yunze was also very angry and asked, "Tao Mei, how did you raise your child? I've only been away for a few months and Xiao Shu doesn't recognize me as her father?"
"Ha! Can you blame me for this?" Tao Tao was speechless and chuckled.
She said, "Jiang Yunze, we are no longer related. From the moment you drove me away to marry a new wife, we have severed our relationship. I came here today to let Xiaoshu see you and to end things with you."
"What's the end?"
Jiang Yunze didn't believe that Tao Tao would be so cruel, he just thought she was angry.
They met when they were young and were childhood sweethearts.
Even when he was the poorest and most destitute, she never despised him.
He even advised him to resign and return home.
He knew that Tao Tao truly loved him and would not mind his current appearance. As long as he said some nice words to comfort her, she would forgive him as before.
He immediately coaxed her gently, "Tao Mei, I know I've let you go back home alone, but I've already divorced Zhou. You're not a concubine, you're my wife. If you trust me, I can still write and paint, and I can be a teacher. I'll marry you in a formal ceremony, and we can have a few more children and live in harmony as a family. Okay?"
"Divorce! It's Zhou who doesn't want you anymore, right?" Tao Tao sneered, "You still want to marry me? I don't know where you get the confidence from, thinking that everyone would want to be your wife. Don't dream on. If you want to have children, wait for your next life. You won't have any children in this lifetime."
Jiang Yunze was stunned.
Tao Tao's expression changed so quickly that he could hardly accept it.
With a look of surprise, he said, "You used to be such a gentle and sensible person, why did you suddenly become like this? And so mercenary? Are you dissatisfied with my poverty? What do you mean by saying I will no longer have children?"
"It's not sudden. I've always been like this, you just don't know it." Tao Tao really wanted to laugh, and then she really laughed, very loudly: "But you, you're already in this state, and you still want to get married? Don't even take a look at yourself in the mirror. As for children, forget it. I've fed you a lot of medicine, it would be a miracle if you can still have children."
Jiang Yunze was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered: "Were all the soups and drinks you gave me poisoned?"
"It's not poison, it's a drug that will make you childless. You shouldn't have any more children. You're not a good enough father."
"You...you vicious woman, vicious woman, you shall not die a good death!"
Jiang Yunze was so angry that his whole body was shaking.
The person who had slept with him for many years was so vicious that he even drugged him.
Although he had no plans to have more children, he wanted to kill the woman after she poisoned him so much.
But there are things that are more satisfying than killing her.
He wanted to sell Tao Tao as a slave.
"You are my concubine. Without my permission, you can't leave me even if you die. Concubines can be bought and sold. I'm going to sell you..." As he said this, he limped and tried to grab Tao Tao.
"Dream on." Tao Tao no longer hid her strength and kicked the man to the ground.
Pointing at Jiang Yunze's nose, he sneered, "You still want to sell me? You're talking nonsense, but who can prove that I'm your concubine? Have you paid the betrothal gift? Do you have any written proof?"
Of course not.
Because Tao Tao was different from the concubines bought by other families, she just went there with a bag.
It has come to this.
She refused to admit it and Jiang Yunze really couldn't do anything to her.
Jiang Yunze lay on the ground, glaring at her: "You...you shrew!"
"That's right, I am a shrew. You only just realized it after knowing each other for so many years. I don't want to talk to you anymore. Don't look for me again in the future, and don't even think about seeing Xiaoshu again. We will never have anything to do with each other again." Tao Tao left with her daughter without looking back.
After all, I was blind.
Jiang Yunze was devastated by this incident.
Until autumn.
He used all the money he saved from copying books to ask someone to buy a table full of delicious food and some aconite.
He poisoned himself and my mother to death.
Silently.
Jiang Ziyan was the first person in the family to know the news, but he didn't tell anyone, not even the people from Jiangzhou.
The news of the death of the scumbag father and his mother was blocked.
I just locked myself in the study for the whole day.
I want to wait until my eldest brother gets married before letting the news out. There is no reason to let my eldest brother, Princess Rong'an, wait another year or two because of them.
…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com