Chapter 78 of 100

Chapter 78

14 min read3,561 words

Due to the turmoil in the capital, the gates of the major noble families were tightly closed, and no one was allowed to go out without permission. According to past examples, many dukes and marquises were as anxious as dogs that had lost their homes.

In recent years, Lan Yu, as a rising star, had a reputation that was at its peak, and he was already seen as the top military figure in the later part of the Hongwu era. Who wouldn't try to curry favor with him?

At this point, many dukes and marquises who had close ties with the Lan family regretted not learning from the Wei family, who had sent a random descendant to the Lan family's funeral with a bit of silver to promptly distance themselves. At least they would have something to say when the emperor inquired.

Xu Xiaoren, shameless and miserly, pretending to be a great man! This seemingly derogatory and teasing joke now appeared to be a remarkably prescient statement.

With the entire Lan family being seized, it was no secret whose hands the gift lists from the account room had fallen into. Many of the major noble families who had sent large sums of gold and silver were already half-dead at heart.

Outside the city, at the Mu family's villa.

The Mu family had not been greatly affected, as Mu Ying had already passed away, Mu Chun was far away in Yunnan, and Mu Sheng, being young and not the head of the family, had little interaction with the previous generation. Most importantly, like the Li family, the Mu family had a name but no power, and this generation still enjoyed Zhu Yuanzhang's trust.

In the flower hall, Mu Ningsnow, dressed in a simple and elegant long dress, was chatting with her mother while embroidering a pattern of carp playing in water on her undergarment. Like Xu Qinglian, her younger brother Mu Ang's clothes and items were mostly made by her own hands.

At this moment, Mu Ang ran into the room with a sullen face and shouted, "Mother, I don't want the new teacher. Today he scolded me for not studying hard and made me stand as punishment."

Lady Mu smiled and said, "That's strange. When the teacher first came, didn't you praise him? You made me dislike him and even scolded Xu Hao for recommending such a person. Now it seems I misunderstood them."

Although Mu Ang was mischievous, he wasn't stupid. He immediately knew that his attempt to slander had failed, so he grabbed a few pieces of cake and ran out to play.

Lady Mu smiled and shook her head as she watched her son run away. Soon, her smile faded, and she sighed, "I wonder how many families will be implicated this time. The one who will be most heartbroken is Aunt Chang. Her family suffered a great disaster, and she has to bury her children before her. How will she go on?"

Mu Ningsnow stopped her work and comforted her, "Mother, families like ours, who enjoy the wealth and honor of the world, will also face the greatest tragedies of the world. If we don't cultivate private virtues and stick to our principles, greed and lust will eventually lead to trouble. The most important thing is to know when to advance and when to retreat. But look at the capital; how many families know how to be humble and not cling to power?

As the saying goes, 'Excess is as bad as deficiency.' I've always said that the Lan family was too showy, which is not a good thing. Aunt Chang always indulged her husband and family members, and she herself only cared about accumulating wealth. If the lady of the house is like this, how many sins must the Lan family have committed in private? Although it's sad now, isn't it also a result of their own actions?"

Lady Mu said with regret, "I've told her so many times that the Lan family was too showy, but she wouldn't listen. Two years ago, her in-laws were executed for being part of the Hu party. It was clear that the emperor was dissatisfied with the Lan family's behavior and was using them as an example. Why didn't they take it seriously? They even said that the punishment was too lenient, which was truly heartless. They should have resigned from the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and enjoyed a peaceful life at home."

Mu Ningsnow said softly, "We can't worry about Aunt Chang and Uncle now. I've asked my second brother to keep an eye on the Lan family's situation and hope to find a chance to save a few sisters. Mother, I'll go to the palace in a few days. Even if I have to kneel until my head bleeds, I must beg the emperor for mercy."

"Um," Lady Mu said resolutely, "No matter how much it costs, we must save the nieces."

Just as they were discussing, Mu Sheng came in, looking haggard. He said sadly, "Mother, little sister, the women of the Lan family have all hanged themselves."

Lady Mu's vision went black, and she almost fainted. Mu Ningsnow quickly supported her wobbly mother and said angrily, "Second brother, didn't you say last night that Xu Hao was guarding them? How could he be so negligent?"

Mu Sheng smiled bitterly and said, "You're wronging Xu Hao. The emperor has already decreed that all three generations of the Lan family will be executed, and young women will be sent to the Jiaosifang as slaves. Even if they are pardoned, they will not be released! Xu Hao and the other guards were already taking a huge risk by allowing the women to commit suicide to avoid humiliation. It's better for them to die and be done with it, rather than suffer the indignity."

Mu Ningsnow said angrily, "So what? Can they not live after being humiliated? Must women take their own lives for the sake of so-called purity? Living gives hope, and even if they have to endure, they can eventually see a bright future. Xu Hao, you've really disappointed me."

Mu Sheng didn't catch the underlying meaning in his sister's words and just blamed Xu Hao. He smiled bitterly and said, "You don't have to blame him. That boy has always been bold and reckless. When the female officials in the Jiaosifang saw the women die, they cursed the guards. Xu Hao, in his anger, slashed two of them. Now the entire court is in chaos, and no one cares about a mere guard. He's been sent to the Ministry of Justice's prison and won't be out for at least ten days."

Mu Ningsnow was stunned, heartbroken for her former sisters, and tears streamed down her face.

She cried silently for a long time, then stomped her foot in anger, "Why is he so impulsive? Truly, he's too stupid. He should stay in prison forever and never come out."

The next morning, the prison was like a pot of boiling water, with people being brought in one after another.

Xu Hao, who hadn't slept all night, saw many familiar faces among those who came in, the most familiar being Cao Daxia, who was now looking miserable with bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair, and staggering steps as he was pushed into the adjacent cell by the guards. Behind him was Cao Chun, the guard who had been taken away the previous day.

Although Cao Kun was an enemy, they had become friends through their conflicts.

Xu Hao felt very sympathetic and was very upset. He forced a smile and said, "We meet again. Brother, try to stay strong. At worst, you die, and in eighteen years, you'll be a hero again."

A group of disheveled young men crowded into a cell, all of them descendants of the Jingchuan Marquis Cao family. Each person's reaction was different, but none of them looked good.

Cao Kun wiped his eyes, recognized Xu Hao, and cried, "You're in here too? Damn, sitting at home, and disaster falls from the sky. Even if my father had a thousand hearts, he wouldn't dare to rebel. It's a wrongful death."

Xu Hao didn't dare to respond to that. He smiled bitterly and said, "If you're in here, you're guilty. Why would the emperor order your arrest if you weren't? Just admit your guilt during the interrogation to avoid physical torture."

"Why should I?" Cao Kun, the young master, lost his temper and shouted, "I won't admit it. Even if I'm executed, I'm innocent."

Seeing Cao Daxia getting agitated again, Xu Hao kept quiet, afraid of being mistaken as an accomplice.

Cao Kun rambled on for a long time, then sat on the ground and hugged his head, sobbing. Later, another group of people came in, and Xu Hao was shocked to see that one of them was Zhang De, Lu Zhu's fiancé.

Feeling heavy-hearted, he couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. He regretted not managing to get the princess back home in time, but now he was glad that Zhang De hadn't married Lu Zhu.

Zhang De was completely dazed, walking into another cell and facing the wall, muttering to himself, as if he couldn't see or hear anything.

As more young nobles, now prisoners, were brought in, Xu Hao became numb. This was not a place for conversation, so he closed his mouth and sat there in a daze.

The guards were busy all day, and the officials from the Ministry of Justice were no doubt overwhelmed. No one had the time to interrogate Xu Hao.

Influenced by the atmosphere, Xu Hao no longer thought about getting out immediately. He just wanted to stay and silently accompany Cao Kun and Zhang De through their final moments.

They endured another night of misery.

For three days, Xu Hao didn't sleep or eat, just kept asking his family to bring him wine.

Except for talking and drinking with Cao Kun and Zhang De, he remained motionless with a grim face, looking very scary. His temper became extremely volatile, and he would attack anyone who provoked him. The other prisoners kept their distance.

Watching people he knew being tortured, the scenes were too horrific to describe, and the prison echoed with screams day and night.

The officials didn't care about anything else; they just started the torture. Some people bit their tongues or died from convulsions, and the guards immediately dragged the bodies away.

Cao Kun was initially tough, shouting that he was innocent while being whipped. But as the beatings continued, his skin was torn open, and he screamed in pain, finally crying and confessing.

The official asked him about the details of his confession, and Cao Kun, like a dying animal, said with a distorted face, "I don't know anything."

The official asked coldly, "Then tell me, who did your father, the Jingchuan Marquis, often associate with?"

Cao Kun thought for a moment and said weakly, "I often associated with Li Jinglong."

The official, impatient, said, "I'm asking about your father, the Jingchuan Marquis. This is your last warning. If you don't confess, you'll be tortured."

"I'll talk," Cao Kun, unable to bear it, cried and revealed a list of officials' names. The officials were overjoyed and carefully recorded them.

To set an example for the other prisoners, Cao Kun was given a doctor to treat his injuries, a pot of wine, and a plate of cooked mutton.

Xu Hao watched coldly, understanding that these experienced officials had many ways to make you talk. Forced confessions were just one of their best methods.

When Zhang De was interrogated, Xu Hao's heart raced. He was afraid that Zhang De would implicate his family. If anyone confessed, they would be immediately imprisoned and tortured. If they couldn't hold out and confessed, their entire family would be treated as rebels.

Others might be different, but Zhang De was engaged to Lu Zhu, and any hint of information could implicate his family. He feared that even a small slip from Zhang De would ruin everything.

But to his surprise, the man who was once considered a weakling turned out to be a true hero. From start to finish, he didn't say a word, enduring six different tortures until he died without opening his mouth.

Watching Zhang De's body being carried away, Xu Hao, who rarely cried, shed tears, his fingers digging into his flesh.

For the first time, Xu Hao sincerely swore to himself that he would take care of Zhang De's orphaned children, ensuring that the Zhang family would continue. If he broke this vow, may he be punished by heaven and earth!

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