I support the army through farming and business.

Chapter 172 Buried Alive
"If this were modern times, you could just go to any hospital, get a couple of stitches, and you'd be guaranteed a quick and good recovery," Tang Zhao lamented about the backward medical standards in Da Yu. "Unlike now, it all depends on how strong your individual immune system is."

"What did you say?" Gu Ci didn't hear Tang Zhao's muttering.

"I said, I wish the wound could be stitched up."

"Suturing technique?" Gu Ci understood. "So far, only the Ghost Doctor can use this technique to snatch people from the clutches of the King of Hell. Even if other doctors cure people at the time, the patients will die from high fever afterward."

With a bacterial infection, Tang Zhao climbed into bed and, before going to sleep, put the alcohol production on his agenda.

On October 25th, the day after the Empress Dowager's birthday, the Luoyang government, together with the Ministry of Justice, launched an investigation into the matter of Old Master An directing his guards to impersonate assassins and commit murder.

Then that afternoon, the verdict was presented to Emperor Sheng'an.

The Minister of Justice, who had served in office for over forty years, had never handled a case with such clear facts and complete evidence, demonstrating exceptional efficiency.

"According to the laws of Da Yu, An Shangbin has insulted a married woman and is sentenced to eighty strokes of the cane and exiled to a mine as a slave, never to return to the capital until his death," the Minister of Justice said mercilessly. "Old Master An killed an innocent person for his own selfish reasons. Although the attempt failed, the heinousness of the crime is appalling. I believe he should be severely punished to deter others."

Emperor Sheng'an nodded, "Granted!"

"As for the Assistant Minister of Rites, I believe that he is unable to advise and admonish his parents and elders, nor can he discipline and restrain his children and younger siblings. If he cannot even handle family matters, how can he be expected to handle state affairs?"

The Vice Minister of Justice said righteously, "Therefore, I believe that he should be dismissed from his post as Assistant Minister of Rites."

"I second that opinion," Yin Weidao said. "Why did the An family dare to bully and kill the people so wantonly? It's simply because they are abusing their power as Assistant Minister of Rites. Ultimately, the fault lies with Assistant Minister of Rites. I believe that he should be dismissed from his post and punished accordingly."

"What you two ministers say makes sense," Emperor Sheng'an wrote in vermilion ink on the memorial, adding the character "approved." "The entire An family, including the Assistant Minister of Rites, will be exiled to the mines in the southwest. They will not be pardoned and will never be allowed to return to the capital."

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

As soon as the Ministry of Justice issued the official document, soldiers from the Five Cities Garrison broke down the gates of the Ministry of Rites' official residence, imprisoned the masters and servants in a side room, and searched and confiscated their valuables like locusts. The entire An residence was filled with wails, cries, and angry curses.

Inside the Shouning Hall, the old lady of the Duke of Wei shouted sternly, "Stop crying!"

Madam An's wailing and lamenting stopped abruptly, followed by a tearful sob, "Madam, the An family has been raided, and my parents and elder brother are all in prison! Please, please find a way to save them!"

Think of a way, think of a way! Now you know to tell her to think of a way, but why didn't you tell her to think of a way when An Shangbin was caught having an affair with a married woman?!

The old lady of the Duke of Wei suppressed her irritation and said, "The imperial edict has been issued, and there is absolutely no possibility of reversal."

"I will make arrangements for the jailers in advance so that they will suffer less on their journey to exile. Once they arrive in the southwest, I will send them a sum of money for their resettlement. That would be the best that the Duke of Wei's mansion has done."

"What happens to them from now on is entirely up to fate!"

Madam An cried out, "Old Madam!"

The old lady of the Duke of Wei raised her hand to interrupt Madam An, "I need to rest."

After leaving Shouning Hall, Madam An felt increasingly suffocated and turned to rush towards the front yard.

Song Shi greeted his mother outside the Buddhist hall. The mother and son exchanged only a few words across the courtyard before being interrupted by the head maid arranged by Madam An.

Song Shi swallowed his anger and returned to his courtyard. He packed a few casual clothes and the weapon that the Duke of Wei had specially made for him. Just as he reached the second gate, he was stopped by An Shi, who rushed over in a huff.

Song Shi bowed respectfully, "Mother!"

"Pah!" Madam An raised her hand and brought it down heavily. "You illegitimate son who isn't even in the family register, how dare you call me 'Mother'?" Song Shi dodged to the side and changed his address to "Step-Madam".

The slap missed its mark, and An Shi, enraged by Song Shi's sarcastic remark about the concubine being promoted to the rank of official, shouted, "You dare to dodge?"

“If my stepmother doesn’t acknowledge me as the son of the Duke of Wei, then she is not my legal mother,” Song Shi stood up and sneered. “Why should I stand here and let her beat and scold me?”

"Because of your lowly birth!" Madam An shrieked.

“My stepmother is right, I am of humble birth,” Song Shi retorted, “but my stepmother is of noble birth?”

"What makes a commoner's daughter, a convicted official's relative, any better than me, an illegitimate son?" Song Shi's words were full of malice. "Why should the stepmother deceive herself? A crow landing on a pig—can't see its own blackness!"

"Aaaaah!" An screamed, "You bastard, I'm going to kill you!"

“The stepmother is indeed Old Master An’s biological daughter, she’s just like everyone else, always talking about killing people,” Song Shi said without fear. “But I must remind the stepmother that you should be more skillful in killing me, lest you end up like the An family, exiled!”

Song Shi sneered and strode away, bypassing the crowd.

An was so angry that her hand trembled as she pointed at Song Shi's back. She couldn't catch her breath and fainted.

The news from the second gate reached Shouning Hall in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

The old lady of the Duke of Wei slammed the teacup on the ground, yelling, "You wolf cub!"

Granny Yu personally stepped forward to pick up the broken porcelain shards, wrapped them in a handkerchief, and placed them on the table. "Madam, please calm down. The weather is hot these days, and getting angry can harm your health."

"I already found Song Shi's coincidental appearance very suspicious, and now it seems that the An family's affair was most likely orchestrated by him!"

The old lady of the Duke of Wei slammed her hand on the table. "Since that wolf cub is so heartless, then don't blame me for being ruthless. Go and tell the nanny in charge of the Buddhist hall to send food and water to the Buddhist hall every three days from now on, and send it according to the lowest standard!"

"That old man..."

“The journey to exile is arduous, and my elder brother is too old to endure it,” said the old lady of the Duke of Wei, turning the prayer beads in her hand. “As his younger sister, I will see him off on his final journey, which will also fulfill our brother-sister bond.”

Granny Yu agreed and turned to go and make the arrangements.

On October 28th, the Prince Xuan's mansion, carrying three large carts of rewards, marched out of the west gate and headed west.

At the same time, the 58 members of the An family, young and old, were urged by the yamen runners to pass through the south gate and head southwest.

The further south you go, the higher the temperature, the longer the daytime, and the longer the walking time each day.

Grandpa An's steps grew heavier and heavier. He tripped over a stone and fell to the ground with a thud. No matter how much the An family called out to him, he remained unconscious.

The jailer came up and checked his breathing. "He's not going to make it. Dig a hole and bury him."

The jailer in charge of digging the pit nodded, stepped forward, picked up Old Master An, and walked away into the distance. He found a spot with soft soil and shoveled away with lightning speed.

After digging about half a meter deep, the jailer threw the dying old man, Mr. An, into the pit and quickly filled it back with sand, ignoring his desperate attempt to raise his hand.

The An family watched helplessly as Old Master An was buried in the ground, and their original plan to play dead to escape vanished instantly.

(End of this chapter)