The sorrow of parting

  The funeral of King Zhou's diligent son was originally scheduled for today, but before the officials left to attend the funeral, they received a notice from the Zhou family's servants that the funeral had been cancelled and would be rescheduled for another day.

  Many officials had not yet guessed what had happened to change the burial date of Zhou Qian, when they heard a shocking piece of news: Dingyuan Hou Xiao Fu had betrayed the country and was now being investigated by the Crown Prince under imperial orders. All sixty-four members of his family were arrested and thrown into prison awaiting trial.

  The officials were in an uproar, and before anyone could raise any objections, new evidence burst out. The assassin who killed the third prince was found in the Xiao mansion, and before taking poison to kill himself, he confessed that he had been instructed by Xiao Da Gongzi to avenge the insult to Miss Xiao San.

  Either of these two things would make the dragon's face furious, Wu Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to investigate thoroughly. If there is conclusive evidence, he will not tolerate it at all.

  Xiao Zuo was completely unaware of what had happened that night and although being detained here had suffered a lot, it was better than he had imagined.

  The Empress Dowager hated her to death, and was so angry that she could have bitten off a piece of flesh, but since this was the Ministry of Justice's great prison, both the Governor of the Imperial Capital and Prince Guo Yang were on good terms with the Fifth Prince, who did not allow anyone to touch her, and even if her hands were longer, they still couldn't reach inside this great prison.

  Xiao Congrong, the empress dowager, did not come to interrogate her, and no one else dared to move. Every day, she was locked in prison. Originally, she had been injured by flogging and was physically weak. Some of her wounds were still not healed. After staying in this damp and dark place for two days, her body could not resist the strange symptoms that appeared, which made her feel itchy and painful. Finally, pus flowed out.

  The bath looked at Miao San Niang's kind face, asked for some medicine to rub on it, but unfortunately the environment was such that the medicine had no effect. One night of pain made her toss and turn, didn't sleep well, just as the sky was getting light, she heard the sound of noisy footsteps coming, listening to the voice were all rushing towards her.

  Something big has happened, and it's related to the Xiao family. Just as he was thinking this and struggling to sit up, he saw Miao San Niang standing outside the cage with some unfamiliar guards.

  "Come out, you're going to be transferred!" A leading guard shouted, with a kind of condescending disdain in his fierce and sinister tone.

  "Report to General Peng, Xiao Congrong cannot walk." Miao San Niang reminded carefully.

  Peng Shiwei was the Da Huangzi's man, and upon hearing this, he glared at Miao San Niang with one eye, then turned his head to shout at his subordinates behind him: "You two, go bring her out!"

  Two guards came in, each grabbing one of Xiao Congrong's arms and dragging her out. She felt as if her whole body was being torn apart with pain, and large drops of cold sweat fell down. She gritted her teeth and endured it silently, not wanting to let these people look down on her!

  Xiao Zongrong dragged the heavy chains, and two guards pulled for a while before calling out in distress: "Captain of the Guard, she can't even walk with these on. Can we take them off?"

  Peng Shuai's guard slapped one of them in the face, shouting: "You're useless! Who is she? A prisoner on parole! You said she can't walk and she won't walk? What if she runs away, will you use your life to make up for it?"

  Two guards looked somewhat embarrassed, lowering their heads and dragging Xiang Congrong like a sack of rags on the ground, all the way only hearing the sound of shackles. The female prisoners in the cells peeked out to take a look, seeing that Xiang Congrong was dragged until her face was pale, they all pitied her in their hearts, what a sin!

  A group of guards hadn't even reached the door when another team of guards, surrounding a man, walked in. Peng guard was startled and his hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was actually the Fifth Prince Wu Minghao. Frightened, he quickly released his grip and stepped forward to pay respects: "Your Highness, how did you end up here?"

  Wu Minghao ignored him, his eyes fell on Xiao Congrong who was dragged to the ground, covered in cold sweat and in pain. He became furious, pushed away the two guards, and shouted: "Who allowed you to treat her like this!"

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  Peng Shuai was stunned for a moment, and then he saw him bend down to hug Xiao Congrong, calling out: "Rongrong, how are you? Does it hurt?"

  Nonsense! You try it if you don't believe me!

  Xiao Congrong could only scold in his heart, he didn't have the energy to open his mouth and scold others. He rolled his eyes and couldn't help but feel a bad impression of this Fifth Prince!

  Also said to like her, but on that day in the great hall, he didn't even see him come out to speak a good word for her!

  Even if he relied on the queen's favor and said something wrong, that old witch probably wouldn't punish him. But he didn't say a word, how could she not be disappointed?! No wonder Xiangxiang didn't choose him before, with just this kind of man who only knows to say empty words of affection, she couldn't stand him, what a coward!

  "Your Highness, what are you doing?" Peng Shouzhang saw Wu Minghao draw his sword to cut the chains and was shocked. He hastily stepped forward to stop him: "Your Highness, I'm just following orders to bring people in. Please don't make things difficult for me!"

  "I've made it difficult for you, haven't I? Take off her shackles! She can't even walk, how is she supposed to escape... Do any of you still have a conscience?"

  Wu Minghao saw Xiao Congrong's legs, which were cuffed and bleeding profusely, and his heart ached so much that he almost lost his mind. He grabbed Peng Shixiang's collar with one hand and roared at his face.

  "She's a prisoner of the imperial court. If anything goes wrong, I won't be able to report it to His Majesty, so please don't put me in a difficult position!" Peng Shih-wei explained helplessly.

  "What's wrong with the big brother to find me, Ben Wang, to take off her handcuffs? Isn't it just escorting her to the heavenly prison? I'll help you take her there!"

  Wu Minghao was almost losing his mind, the person he loved was tortured like this, he hated that he couldn't take her away immediately, far, far away from the capital city, and not be a prince anymore!

  "How dare you disobey me!" Having been scolded by him, Peng Shih-wei, who had been a subordinate for some time, was somewhat at a loss for words. He insisted that he was in the right and even dared to argue with the Fifth Prince.

  Wu Minghao had been harboring resentment and was unable to vent it, so when Xue Zongrong entered the palace, this incident occurred. In his heart, he also doubted that she had poisoned him, but unfortunately, he couldn't find any evidence to clear her name. Seeing her suffer such injustice filled his heart with guilt.

  Looking at himself, he couldn't even help her suffer less. A burst of anger rose up, and the sword in his hand pointed directly at Peng Shih-wei's throat. His eyes were red with rage: "I'll take her away now, what can you do? Are you going to kill me too?"

  The cold sword pointed at Peng Shuai's neck, and another inch would have pierced his throat. Peng Shuai was also looking for an opportunity to see whether he should save face or be a hero who knows when to act. Just as he was hesitating, he heard the voice of his own master.

  "Good heavens, Fifth Brother, what kind of temper is this!"

  The crown prince's voice sounded a bit cold in the gloomy atmosphere of the large prison, Wu Minghao turned his head and saw that his imperial brother was standing behind him, followed by a group of elite soldiers.

  "I..." Wu Minghao lowered his eyes, feeling guilty as he sheathed his sword: "Big Brother Emperor, I was just asking Peng Shuaiwei for a personal favor. Everyone knows that Xiao Congrong's legs are crippled and can't walk, can't you spare her the shackles?"

  The eldest prince walked over and looked down at Xiao Congrong, who gazed back at him calmly with clear and unruffled eyes.

  Wu Mingfeng crouched down, reached out and pinched Xiao Congrong's face, turning it back and forth.

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  Wu Minghao's face changed, and before he could get angry, Wu Mingfeng stood up and smiled: "The appearance is ordinary, I don't understand why the fifth brother is so infatuated! However, since the fifth brother asked for mercy in person, this face must be given! Peng Shih-wei, take off her handcuffs and send her to reunite with her family quickly! Otherwise, Xiao Lao will think she was executed!"

  Xiao Congrong listened and confirmed his own speculation. The Xiao family was in big trouble, but he didn't know what crime they were being charged with.

  It seems that she didn't know, Wu Mingfeng patted Wu Minghao's shoulder and said: "The Xiao family betrayed the country, the evidence is conclusive, once signed and sealed, they will be executed. Xiao Congrong only delayed the execution date for a few days. If Fifth Brother wants to save him, go ask Old Man Xiao! Doesn't his family have an exemption card? Haha, with sixty-four mouths to feed, I'd like to see who he saves!"

  Wu Minghao was stunned, looking at Peng Shih-wei in a contradictory manner as he removed the handcuffs from Xiao Congrong, unsure if he had really bought her account. This time, he didn't make things difficult for Xiao Congrong and helped her onto the prisoner cart to take her away.

  The eldest prince looked at the distant prison cart and smiled with satisfaction: "The day the Xiao family is beheaded is also the day Zhou Qin is buried, now my sister-in-law should be satisfied and won't bother me again!"

  Wu Minghao looked coldly at his departing figure and asked the trusted aide beside him, "Do you think General Xiao will betray our country by colluding with the enemy?"

  The trusted follower hesitated for a moment before stuttering: "I... I don't believe it!"

  Xiao Fu's loyalty to the country is known to all, but overnight, rumors of his betrayal spread, shocking many people. Without solid evidence, everyone is half-believing and half-doubting, who dares to vouch for whom?

  Wu Minghao naturally knew what his trusted advisors were worried about, gritted his teeth and said: "I don't believe it either! I will go to request the Emperor to reassign investigators, so as not to give certain people with ulterior motives a chance to frame and harm high-ranking officials of the imperial court... Hmph... Let's enter the palace!"

  Some people are born with a low fate, and it's not wrong to say that. When the Xiao family was in trouble, Xiao Yufu had been unconscious all along, but when she was caught and thrown into the heavenly prison, she woke up, staring blankly at the shackles on her body, and it took her half a day to realize her own misfortune.

  She was still dreaming of being chosen by the prince to be a princess, but when she woke up, she was in handcuffs. Who can bear such a huge disappointment? She couldn't understand and kept crying, which annoyed her cellmate Erniang so much that she slapped her face: "Are you annoying or not?! Can't even let people have some peace!"

  Xiao Yufu was stunned for a moment and didn't know how to react.

  She was Erniang's personal maid before, she used to be bullied by you and endured it silently, being a prisoner already, and now with such a crime name, who knows if she can still get out, why are you still bullying people!

  The concubine had suffered the wrath of the second wife for half her life, and at this moment she could no longer bear her treating her own daughter like that. She jumped up, rushed over, grabbed the second wife's long hair and slammed it against the wooden bars, scolding: "I let you bully my daughter, what are you? I haven't even spared my mother from beating, you beat her, I'll beat you to death!"

  Born into a humble family, she had great strength. The second wife was knocked dizzy and didn't react until half a day later. She couldn't fight back against the concubine and after being beaten several times, she let out a loud wail like a slaughtered pig: "Save me! Murder!"

  The sound in the heavenly prison was loud and mournful, causing Xiao Lide to frown and grit his steel teeth tightly as he sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in the distance.

  The prison guard Wei Chang of Tianlao rushed over with his men upon hearing the news and hastily pulled open the second wife who was almost strangled to death by Xiaodie.

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  Looking at Erniang's weak and feeble appearance, Wei Chang was furious. All the prisoners in this prison were serious offenders, and if any of them died mysteriously before being sentenced, he would be held responsible. Now these two people had a fight to the death on his turf, wasn't that a loss of face for him?

  In a fit of rage, one person slapped the other, with such force that both their faces immediately swelled up on one side. Wei Chang cursed viciously: "You're already locked up in prison and still won't behave! You want to fight and cause trouble for me? Are you tired of living?"

  Xiao Yufu heard these words and rushed over to hug Wei Chang's legs, crying: "Officer, I don't want to die, I'm still young, I haven't gotten married yet! Please save me, please save me, let me do whatever... I really don't want to die!"

  Wei Chang saw her rushing over, originally thinking of kicking her away with a foot, but when he heard her say "I'm not married yet", his eyes lit up, and he reached out to lift her chin, looking at her, she's quite pretty!

  Tianlao, as long as the person isn't dead, who cares about you so much? With a sly smile, he doesn't care that everyone is watching, and strokes Xiaoyu Fu's chin, dazedly smiling and asking: "Can you really do anything?"

  Xiao Yufu heard this and seemed to see a glimmer of hope, with her simple mind thinking that a small prison warden like Wei Chang could do something about the Xiao family's crime. She thought she had met a savior and tightly hugged Wei Chang's leg, nodding her head like a chick pecking at rice: "As long as Master Official can save me, I'm willing to be an ox or a horse!"

  Xiao family's young mistress, He Feng, stared in shock as Wei Changhou stretched his hand into Xiao Yufu's clothes under the gaze of everyone, and it took half a day for her to react, covering the eyes of two underage aunts and nieces beside her with all her might, and she herself also lowered her head with a red face.

  Wei Chang carelessly flipped through it, only satisfied after verifying the goods, and then pulled out his hand to look at his subordinates who were drooling with envy, saying: "Xiao Yufu has something to confess, I'll take her to the interrogation room!", and then openly took Xiao Yufu away.

  "Shameless!" He Feng spat at the departing figures, only releasing his grip on his two nieces' eyes when they were far away. He anxiously hugged them, unsure of what to do next.

  She's no fool and naturally knows that Wei Chang will keep coming to harass these female prisoners once he gets a taste of it, but Xiao Yufu is willing, what about the others?

  Looking at the concubine and second daughter-in-law, as well as her sister-in-law's unwarranted silence, she seemed to have also moved with thoughts. She was bewildered, if things happened to herself, would she die to preserve chastity? Or struggle on in misery, putting aside self-respect for the sake of living...

  This is a matter without an answer, until the last moment of despair, who would show their most unbearable side to their family, if by any chance they were proven to be wronged, then who would still have the face to stay in the Xiao family?!

  He Feng prayed that she wouldn't have to make a choice herself, she still had two kids, she couldn't let them live in shame of her!

  Xiao Yu Fu hasn't returned yet, but Xiao Cong Rong has been sent over first, without being shackled. As soon as she was brought in, the women of the Xiao family glared at her with eyes that seemed to want to devour her flesh, as if she were the main culprit behind the misfortunes that had befallen the Xiao family. Ever since she became the secondary consort, the Xiao family has been plagued by bad luck.

  Due to the precedent of Erniang and Xiaojie fighting and being beaten, no one dared to come up and beat her, and even scolding was done in a low voice, fearing that the prison guards would hear and bring disaster.

  Xiao Zongrong slowly caught her breath, struggled to sit up, and found that all the women of the Xiao family, familiar or not, were locked in a cage together. They were all staring at her with eyes that seemed to want to kill her. She was shocked, then suddenly felt she understood the reason.

  。

  The reasons that can lead to a whole family being locked up are only a few in history, just treason or intent to overthrow the government, nothing special!

  You want me to die, I cannot but die. The Xiao family tree is big and attracts wind, and he also has military power in his hands. How can he stabilize the Jiangshan without overthrowing several princes?

  So she was framed and beaten, but all that was just child's play; the truly tragic part is right here.

  Xiao Congrong's father was a general, who loved history and military affairs. Xiao Congrong was influenced by him and was familiar with some famous generals in history. He also had deep sympathy for some great generals who were wrongly killed in history.

  Although she hadn't been with Xiao Lao Houye for long, the old man's strong and unyielding character, as well as his broad-mindedness, had left a deep impression on her.

  Generals of the Cold Arms Era were all made with flesh and blood, and one general's success was enough to see the hardships of his labor. This is a two-generation general of the Xiao Mansion who exchanged her life for honor, she wouldn't understand that it's just an honor, but rather felt the charm of Old Master Hou's character from their interactions!

  Even her father, Xiao Lide, who she had only heard of but never met, wouldn't think that he would drive her out without any paternal affection. On the contrary, through him, she misses her own father even more... The old man, who couldn't express his true thoughts and feelings openly, had a deep and profound love for her, which not many people could understand after experiencing it themselves!

  Great love is like a mountain, and the love of soldiers is even heavier than mountains. They won't use flowery words to prove themselves, but will silently shed blood and sweat. A man has tears that he doesn't easily shed! Xiao Congrong believes that seeing one's loyalty being trampled on is what brings sorrow to a general...

  The decline of the Xiao family was something that Xiao Zong felt could strike at General Xiao and Old Master Hou more than anything else, whoever wanted to strike at them would find this weakness incredibly accurate!