Chapter 26: Demanding an Explanation for the Uprising

  Tao looked at He Huan's smile and was stunned for a moment.

  Da Xiao Han are not siblings, they don't look alike, but it can't be denied that they are both beauties. He Huan and Lin Xiyan each inherited their mother's beauty, if Lin Xiyan is a tall and elegant beauty, then He Huan is a warm and delicate one. But at this moment, the bright smile on He Huan's face made Tao Shi see Lin Xiyan's shadow. In that instant, she was no longer a shy little white flower hiding in the green leaves, but more like a wild rose blooming in the sunlight.

  Taoshi came back to his senses from his stunned state, anger surging up in his heart, and with a stern face asked: "What are you laughing at? What's there to be happy about?"

  "Great Aunt, I'm just happy for you that your illness is finally better. Actually, I was thinking of asking Bai Miao to invite the doctor back to treat you again." He Huan said as he stepped aside and yielded the main room to her, indicating that she should take the seat of honor, and also instructed Bai Miao to bring He Jing back to their quarters.

  He Jing's face turned red with anxiety, her eyes fixed on He Huan, and she wanted to go forward to persuade Tao Shi.

  "Jingdi, big sister and aunt have something important to discuss, you go back to the house and read a book first." He Huan patted He Jing's shoulder intimately and said with a hint of meaning: "No matter what, it's always better to say it out loud than to keep it in your heart. Many things, once spoken, will pass. We're all family, who has overnight grudges? You think so?" She deliberately raised an eyebrow at Tao Shi.

  Cao's "heh" laughter, pulled He Jing's hand and walked out, saying: "Let's go, your sister has said it's a serious matter, you little kid, staying here will only get in the way." As she spoke, she also loudly instructed Bai Miao: "Since Eldest Sister can get out of bed and walk around now, quickly go to the kitchen to prepare some food."

  Tao listened to these words, her face turned pale and white. She didn't expect that in just a few days, Cao would stand on He Huan's side. In the past few days, she had been lying in bed, and He Huan and He Jing only took turns sending her plain porridge, without even bothering to talk to her, let alone showing any concern for her grievances.

  Thinking of this, Tao's eyes turned red and tears were about to fall again.

  "Great Aunt, if you're still feeling unwell, I'll take you to the hospital to rest for a few days." Hehuan didn't hide his impatience.

  Tao's head jerked up, and she angrily asked: "What do you mean by that! You might as well send me to a nunnery!"

  "If Auntie is willing to leave home, there's nothing wrong with that."

  "You!" Tao's family was so angry that his whole body trembled, "You forgot who taught you to read and write, who protected you when Aunt Cao beat you..."

  "Grandma, I don't dare forget these things, so whatever you want, I will respect you."

  Mrs. Tao patted her chest hard, panting heavily, and tears rolled down one by one. She was the eldest daughter of a scholarly family, she was the eldest daughter-in-law of the He family, but now she has become a topic of discussion among the common people after dinner. She resented, she hated, but she had no power to change anything.

  "Eldest maternal aunt, if you really can't stand what I say and do, whether you want to go back to your mother's house or live separately from the second wife, I'll listen to you..."

  "What did you say!" Mrs. Tao jumped up with a "huh", her eyes wide open and forgetting to cry.

  He Huan glanced at her and stated calmly, "If Aunt really dislikes me, I can take my mother-in-law and Cao Yiniang to live elsewhere. My only requirement is that Jingdi remains your son and can support you in your old age, but he must spend his daily life with me. I don't want him to grow up in an atmosphere of tears and develop a melancholy temperament."

  Tao's anger made him dizzy and his eyes blurred, he pointed at He Huan's nose, but no sound came out of his throat, only a "thud" as he fell back into the chair.

  He Huan stood in front of Tao Shi, coldly staring at her without saying a word, nor did he step forward to support her.

  Mrs. Tao finally stopped panting and complained in despair: "You've caused so much trouble, how can you still not know what's wrong with you? Are you trying to get the whole family to die with you before you'll stop?"

  "What's the hurry, Aunt? If I'm not mistaken, you didn't even bother to put on your outer garment before coming to scold me. Is it because of the bailiffs outside the gate? You're so flustered, do you know what's really going on?"

  Taoshi hastily pulled his clothes and said with a serious tone: "No matter what happened, you provoked the officials, it's your fault. You should know that if one doesn't enter the government office when alive, he won't enter hell after death..."

  "So you're saying that we should just let the swindlers extort us, take away all the silver we have at home, and then our whole family will starve to death?"

  Tao's expression changed slightly. She didn't know what had happened, but she heard Cao say from behind the window that there were guards at the gate and warned He Jing not to go out of the gate.

  "Great Aunt, others say that giving birth doesn't enter the public gate is because they are afraid of the darkness of the government..."

  "In short, there's no good person in the government office, your great uncle was killed by Lin Daoye..."

  "As far as I know, Lin Zilu was just following orders to bring back Eldest Uncle for questioning at the yamen..."

  "What nonsense!" Tao shouted, "They framed your great uncle for smuggling and tortured him to death. They are all murderers!"

  Facing the emotionally out-of-control Tao Shi, He Huan could only purse his lips and watch her. When she calmed down slightly, he calmly stated: "Auntie, you can do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't affect others, I will respect your decision. However, I'd like to advise you sincerely, since you're physically fine, don't spend all day lying in bed. Staying cooped up in the house from dawn till dusk, even if you're not sick, can still make you fall ill..."

  "My affairs are none of your business, in short, as long as I am your elder aunt for one day, you are not allowed to have any dealings with the officials. Also, from now on, you are not allowed to go out and show off..."

  "What if I have to go out?"

  Tao's eyes widened slightly, and he stiffened his neck, saying: "Then you can step over my dead body."

  "Good!" He Huan's eyes gleamed with excitement as he stared at Tao Shi, his gaze seeming to say, "Die, I'll step over your corpse."

  Taoshi was infuriated by He Huan's attitude and his face turned pale with rage. He immediately stood up and walked out.

  He Xian stepped forward to block the doorway, his expression serious: "Aunt, I know you've been bedridden for several days because of some rumors and gossip we heard at the Shen's house. I believe that right now, no matter what I say, you won't listen, but I still want to say it. Outside our family, those people are all outsiders who only watch the show and jeer, saying sour and cold words. You might think those words are 'advice', coming from a good heart, but in reality, they don't care whether we can afford food or not, nor do they care about Jingdi's future. To them, we're just their after-dinner entertainment. I don't expect Aunt to defend me in front of outsiders, but at the very least, please don't harm your own body for the sake of unimportant outsiders and make those who truly care about you worry."

  He Huan's words were extremely sincere, and at first, Tao Shi still had some resentment. However, gradually, her grievances outweighed her anger. She pushed He Huan away and walked out of the west wing without looking back. At lunchtime, she combed her hair, washed her face, and voluntarily appeared at the dinner table.

  This is a later story, for now, He Huan saw off the Tao family and sat back in front of the window, carefully recalling every meeting between herself and Xie San. Thinking of that disturbance at the Shen family gate, her face changed slightly.

  "Why is it specifically Xie!" He Huan muttered to herself, "Is this a real name or an alias?" She involuntarily thought of a name: Xie Minjuan.

  Everyone in Jizhou knew that ten years ago, the former crown prince was deposed, and Shen Jinglin returned to his hometown from the capital, carrying the memorial tablet of his deceased wife Xie Minjuan. It is said that Xie Minjuan was the eldest daughter of the Yong'an Marquis's family, and after Shen Jinglin excelled in the imperial examination, the former crown prince's consort arranged their marriage, and the empress dowager bestowed it upon them. At that time, Xie Minjuan was only twelve years old, while Shen Jinglin was not yet fifteen.

  Four years later, the former empress had passed away, and the former crown prince was deposed. Shen Jinglun was sent back to his hometown. For seven or eight years after that, Shen Jinglun did not remarry, leading everyone to believe that he had a deep affection for his late wife. After Lin Xiyuan married into the Shen family, she tried to understand Shen Jinglun's preferences through Xie Minjuan, but only found out after repeated inquiries that Shen Jinglun and Xie Minjuan had only met once during their engagement, and that Shen Jinglun had only welcomed the spirit tablet as promised. In fact, they did not even have a formal wedding ceremony, and the name "Xie Minjuan" was not even recorded in the Shen family tree.

  At that time, Lin Xiyu originally wanted to ask more about the inside story, but Shen Jinglun's servants from Beijing were all tight-lipped and refused to mention what had happened in Beijing. She only knew that every year, Shen Jinglun would send gifts to Beijing along with a handwritten letter.