Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 81: Evanescence

Chapter 81: Evanescence
Because Xue Sui had such a "good relationship" with Li Zhao, he was able to learn about the court's movements more promptly.

On the fifth day of April, after receiving the news from the Eastern Palace, Xue Sui sent someone to deliver the letter to Yao's mansion.

In the afternoon, Xue Yuelou came over with two little girls.

In Lixiangyuan, tea had been brewed long ago and the aroma was wafting in the air.

After this period of recuperation, Ming'er seemed to be getting better. He hadn't seen his mother for a long time, and his attachment to her was even stronger than usual. His little face was full of joy, and he tugged at the corner of Xue Yuelou's clothes, not wanting to let go for a moment.

This surprised Xue Yuelou so much that his eyes turned slightly red.

After Xue Sui and his mother had finished their intimacy, he asked Ruyi to take out the "divorce agreement" that she had prepared and solemnly handed it to Xue Yuelou.

"Today you will hand over this divorce letter to the Yao family."

Xue Yuelou was stunned. "The Yao family wants me to take care of that sickly person. I'm afraid they won't agree."

Xue Sui said, "It doesn't matter whether they agree or not. What matters is the Xue family's attitude. I'll accompany you to Shou'an Courtyard and ask grandma to come forward. Let grandma talk to father."

After a pause, she smiled again.

"If the Yao family refuses to agree, you can say that you will go to the Jingzhao government office to file a complaint, accusing them of abusing their daughter-in-law and harming their grandson. Don't forget that you have evidence of their corruption and manipulation of the imperial examination. Recently, Censor Zhou has been worried about his nephew's affairs. If someone can provide him with solid evidence, it can help him..."

There were many women in this dynasty who asked to be divorced on their own, but it was rare in the families of officials.

Xue Yuelou had never done such a rebellious thing before. After listening to Xue Sui's well-organized plan, he felt his blood boiling, his cheeks flushed red, and he was so nervous that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

"Will Grandma and Dad agree?"

"Maybe not before, but it will definitely happen this time." Xue Sui said with a smile.

Xue Yuelou lowered his head to drink tea and nodded nervously.

"Okay, I'll listen to Sixth Sister."

Later, the two sisters went to Shou'anyuan to pay their respects. When Mrs. Cui heard about the divorce, she looked hesitant.

Second uncle Yao is useless now, and his wife is lying on a hospital bed. It would be inhumane to propose a divorce at this time, and it would inevitably lead to gossip and people saying that the Xue family is cold and heartless.

Fortunately, the old lady has been particularly fond of Xue Sui recently and always goes along with her in everything, so she agreed to wait for the eldest master to come back before discussing it.

As expected by Xue Sui, Xue Qingzhi also heard the news in the court. His Majesty wanted to punish Yao Hong, the Minister of Internal Affairs, for the land occupation and fraud...

With the support of her natal family, Xue Yuelou returned to the Yao residence that day and started to make a fuss about divorce.

Naturally, Yao Fu was extremely unwilling, so she followed Xue Sui's instructions, crying and making a fuss, trying to commit suicide, and threatening to file a complaint, making the matter a hot topic. The more people who knew about it, the better.

Yao Hong had something to hide and felt guilty, so he finally nodded and agreed.

That same day, Xue Yuelou took the seal and divorce letter signed by Yao's father to the government office to have them stamped, thus dissolving her marriage alliance with Yao Wei. She then packed up her belongings and went straight back to her parents' home.

When the Third Lady heard the news, she immediately set up two banquets for Xue Yuelou in Lianshui Pavilion, saying that she wanted to celebrate.

Xue Qingxiu's career has been going smoothly recently, and Qian is also very happy and proud.

"Good fortune never comes to a resentful family. The second girl made a prompt decision and left the Yao family. From then on, everything went smoothly and she followed the God of Wealth, with much happiness, joy and good fortune."

"Wait for Auntie San to come back and look for another ideal husband for you."

Xue Yuelou smiled happily.

Thinking back to when Xue Sui said he would help her escape from the Yao family's hell, she hadn't held out hope. Unexpectedly, in just over a month, times had changed, everything was different, and she did it.

Xue Yuelou raised his glass with a sincere look on his face.

"Thank you, Sixth Sister, and Third Aunt. This matter is entirely thanks to you."

Then he took a sip and smiled again.

"I'm counting on Ming'er's condition to get better. As long as my parents don't mind me being a burden, it would be best if I never remarry again."

The third lady laughed.

"If you don't get married for the rest of your life, Auntie San will support you."

Xue Yuelou smiled slightly, but couldn't help feeling sad when he thought about it.

"Ming'er is ill right now, so the Yao family won't come to fight for him. But his last name is Yao after all... The divorce is so ugly, I'm afraid they won't let it go and will come to our house to ask for the child..."

After hearing this, Qian put down the cup in her hand and looked worried.

Although the child is born by the woman, it is often difficult to bring the child back to her parents' home once the couple divorces.

If a fight really breaks out, the Xue family may not be in the right.

When the two talked about the Yao family, they gritted their teeth.

Xue Sui smiled, slowly picked up the teacup, blew away the cool air gently, took a sip elegantly, and looked calm and composed.

"They didn't have a chance to make trouble."

The Third Madam and Xue Yuelou both looked at her.

This sixth girl has some great foresight and is often very accurate in her predictions.

Xue Sui did not say much, only said: "If you do too much evil, you will eventually perish. Just wait and see."
-
The next day, at the beginning of the morning, the weather was sunny and windy.

After the divorce, Xue Yuelou seemed to be reborn. He swept away the gloom of the past and came to Lixiangyuan early in the morning. He wanted to go to Tongjitang with Xue Sui to get medicine for Mingger.

Xue Sui readily agreed.

The two sisters left the house together.

Next to Tongjitang is a teahouse. The waiter had already set up the tables by the roadside, and many people were sitting around chatting.

Xue Sui was familiar with Tongjitang because he often came here to get medicine.

There seem to be more tea drinkers in the teahouse today.

The discussion became louder.

"I was woken up early in the morning. There were so many officials that the Jade Belt Lane was completely blocked..."

"My wife also went to join in the fun..."

"Look, those people are heading to Yudai Lane..."

"What's going on here?"

"The residence of Minister Yao has been ransacked!"

"All the men were imprisoned, and the women were made slaves and sent to the Jiaofangsi."

"Oh my God! What kind of crime is this that is so serious?"

"She deceived the emperor, took bribes and perverted the law, tampered with documents, forged imperial edicts, and allowed her son Yao Wei to use the name of Princess Pingle to privately occupy fertile land, sell official positions, and cheat in imperial examinations. There are many charges against her..."

"Wow! The Yao family is so bold!"

"It was Second Madam Yao who had foresight. She filed for divorce a few days ago. I guess she got wind of it a long time ago..."

"Using the princess's name, this is quite interesting. Isn't it the same as Gu Wulang from the Jingyuan Marquis family? They are both close to Princess Pingle. They usually take advantage of the princess to bully others. When they accidentally capsized, they took the princess out..."

"Shh, you can't say that. You can't say those words."

"Let's go and have a look."

Xue Sui asked Xue Yuelou, "Second sister, do you want to go and take a look?"

There was a hint of mist in Xue Yuelou's lowered eyes.

It's not sadness, but an indescribable joy.

"Yes. I want to see with my own eyes what happens to them."

Jade Belt Lane, where the Yao family lived, was home to many high-ranking officials and nobles.

The lane was paved with bluestone, with luxuriant flowers and trees, and houses in an orderly manner, with flying eaves and brackets. But at this moment, it was crowded with people, and there were people hanging on the trees, crowding around like monkeys.

Xiao Zhao was very strong. He found a good position and waved towards Xue Sui vigorously.

"Girl, here, come here and you can see clearly."

Xue Sui and Xue Yuelou walked over.

I saw that the officers and soldiers had surrounded Yao's mansion tightly and were on high alert everywhere.

They were all dressed in heavy armor, holding spears, with stern expressions, blocking the onlookers from entering.

Everyone in the Yao Mansion, from the master to the servants, were escorted out of the mansion one by one.

Only Yao Wei was carried out. He looked haggard and thin, with dishevelled clothes and messy hair on his forehead. In the sunlight, his face looked even weaker and pale, not like a normal person.

The women cried and staggered out, full of fear and despair.

Xue Yuelou's eyes swept over them one by one.

She saw her mother-in-law who was shrewd, harsh and mean to her.

I saw a sister-in-law who was sharp-tongued and always making trouble out of nothing.

She saw the widowed sister-in-law who had an affair with her husband and had a child with him, and who was showing off in front of her...

There is also the eldest son who will go to prison with Yao Wei to await trial.

On the contrary, Ming Ge'er, because he is a well-known "fool", has been mentally ill since childhood and is too young to be involved in the affairs of the Yao family.

Xue Qingzhi went to the official in charge of the case and told him that the child followed his mother when they divorced. The official then crossed out Mingger's name as a favor.

The Yao family had planned everything, but they had never expected that Ming Ge'er would become the only bloodline of their family...

The men were thrown into prison, although there was no guarantee that they would be sentenced to death.

But in order to appease the people's grievances, suppress the disturbance of "the people's petition", cover up Princess Pingle's crime, and prevent the princess from being involved, His Majesty may very well silence her...

They knew in their hearts...

Maybe he can’t get out of prison!

"Let's go, second sister."

Xue Sui said: "Go back and pick up medicine."

Xue Yuelou nodded, and looked back again before leaving.

The former wealth and glory were like a bubble, shattered in an instant.

Only a miserable scene was left.

The Yao family also noticed them in the crowd, their eyes full of resentment and helplessness.

Yao Wei opened his mouth, raised his hand and pointed at Xue Yuelou with a pleading look, as if he wanted to say something, but was rudely interrupted by a slap from the officer. His words were mixed with the miserable cries of the women and could not be heard clearly.

Unjust is doomed to destruction.

Xue Yuelou felt heavy in his heart when he thought of his sixth sister's words.

When the group returned to Tongjitang, the waiter had already picked out the medicine they needed.

Xue Sui asked Xiao Zhao to pay the money, then took Ming Ge'er by the hand and got in the car to go back home.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the driver turned the cart sideways, it hit the shaft of another cart that had just arrived.

The driver apologized repeatedly.

Xue Sui looked up and met a pair of eyes as warm and gentle as a pool.

The man in the car had his hair combed meticulously and tied up with a white jade hairpin. He wore a royal blue brocade robe with a straight collar and a neat front, and he exuded an outstanding temperament.

Xue Sui smiled slightly, "My dear sir, I'm sorry."

The other party pulled the curtain open a little further.

"It's okay, girl, please go first."

The man's voice was friendly and elegant.

Xue Sui thought of the day when the number one scholar was the only one standing in the Golden Palace and riding a horse through the streets. Wherever he went, people gathered around him and the girls in the capital competed to admire him. How high-spirited and unrestrained he must have been...

Comparing it with now, I can't help but smile knowingly.

This man is Lu Youan, the consort of Princess Pingle.

His face looked haggard, his eye sockets were sunken, and there were dark circles under his eyelids. It was obvious at first glance that he was weak and looked particularly thin.

It's so pitiful.

Perhaps noticing Xue Sui's gaze, Lu Youan looked over cautiously and nodded slightly at her.

Xue Sui withdrew his gaze, got in the car and left.

Lu Youan did not get out of the car immediately.

Instead, he sat there, quietly looking at the plaque of Tongjitang with a gloomy expression.
-
The ninth day of the fourth month in the thirteenth year of Chongzhao.

Three days before Prince Duan's birthday, Xue Sui received three hundred taels of gold from Lai Fu. He kept it in Hongfu Casino and did not send it to the Xue family.

Yaoguang looked at the gold lump and felt disgusted.

"Tsk tsk, His Royal Highness is so generous. Just for two seeds? Is he crazy, or am I crazy?"

Xue Sui looked at him and motioned Xiao Zhao to take the money.

Yaoguang asked, "Where are you going to find the seeds of the rare flowers from the Western Regions for him?"

Xue Sui said: "Mingkong Fern Flower."

That plant is unique to the Old Mausoleum Swamp. It is named after the flower, but it never blooms or bears fruit, and its growth is surprisingly slow. It grows in the dark and humid land of the Old Mausoleum Swamp. It may not survive in the Upper Kyoto, let alone wait for it to bloom and bear fruit to be used as medicine to suppress the poison...

Thirteen. Isn’t this just fooling Li Zhao?

Yaoguang even felt a little sorry for the prince.

He went to the doctor in a hurry.

If I had known this would happen, why would I have fallen into the hands of their envoy?

This little Thirteen looks harmless, but he is actually full of tricks.

Xiao Zhao put away the gold bar and found a piece of paper embossed with ginkgo leaves underneath it.

"Girl, there's a letter!"

Xue Sui took the letter from Xiao Zhao.

With a faint fragrance of leaves, there is only one line of small words.

She was already very familiar with Li Zhao's handwriting.

This time the writing is particularly sloppy and arrogant.

It can be seen how impatient and anxious the writer is when he puts pen to paper.