Thinking of his father's indecisiveness and Grand Tutor Xu's various actions, Xu Chaozong felt a headache coming on. Suppressing his anger, he went to Grand Tutor Xu's residence to visit and persuade him. When the couple arrived, Grand Tutor Xu was lying on his couch drinking medicine. The once vigorous and esteemed Grand Tutor now had disheveled hair mixed with gray, his face was pale, and his eyes were dull and lifeless.
Upon seeing Xu Chaozong enter, he turned his head away as if he were ashamed to face him, saying only that his reputation was ruined and he had no face to see anyone again.
Xu Chaozong spent a lot of time persuading her, and in the end, Xu Shu almost knelt down to beg. Only then did Grand Tutor Xu hurriedly get up and say that since His Highness Prince Rui and his wife insisted, he would risk his reputation to recover from his illness and enter the palace to meet the Emperor as soon as possible, so as not to let his previous plans go to waste.
The Xu family was overjoyed to see this and brought out tonics in a steady stream, which finally helped them barely get back on their feet.
That morning, Grand Tutor Xu's spirits improved, and after staying cooped up in his residence for several days, he finally forced himself to go out despite his illness.
As soon as his carriage started moving, a spy who had been hiding in a corner outside the mansion for several days quietly slipped away and delivered a message.
...
As December arrived, the weather turned bitterly cold. Although it wasn't quite freezing cold, one's breath would turn to frost when going out in the morning or evening. On this particular day, the sky was overcast, with thick clouds piled up like torn cotton in the sky. The wind felt like ice blades scraping against one's face, chilling one to the bone.
Grand Tutor Xu was old and ill; he had a charcoal stove under his carriage and was wrapped in a thick cloak.
The carriage left the mansion and gradually entered the bustling city. Grand Tutor Xu leaned against the brocade cushions, drowsy. Suddenly, he heard a sharp crack, followed by the horse's neighing, and the carriage lurched violently, almost causing him to fall forward. Before he could figure out what was happening, he heard someone outside shout, "How are you driving? Can't you see where you're going?!"
The shout was powerful and resonant, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, completely drowning out the surrounding noise and commotion.
The bustling city was crowded with people, and the restaurants and teahouses were full of idle people killing time. Hearing some excitement, they would either stop to watch or peek out the window. Some sharp-eyed people noticed the Xu family emblem on the carriage and whispered, "It's the Xu family's carriage."
"Is that the Grand Tutor Xu, who bullied young girls and used their reputation to drive them to their deaths?"
"It's definitely his family's. Speaking of those things, tsk, they're shameless!"
"..."
The onlookers, unaware of who was inside the carriage, whispered amongst themselves, which the Xu family's coachman could easily overhear.
The Grand Tutor was one of the Three Dukes, an extremely prestigious figure. Even imperial relatives would show him deference. In the past, he was a man who could act arrogantly and bask in the glory of others. How could he tolerate being spoken of behind his back like this? Besides, today the other party had deliberately rushed out, and he hadn't been able to avoid it in time, so he was in the right no matter how you looked at it.
With that thought, he straightened his back and shouted, "How can you be so unreasonable? You were the one who barged in first, what are you shouting for!"
The driver across from me was slightly overweight with a face full of fat. He stood there with his arms crossed, not in a hurry to answer, but just laughed and said, "Which eye of yours saw me trespassing? I stopped here, and you, being blind, stumbled upon me. How come in your mouth, it's me who trespassed and caused trouble?"
This is utter nonsense.
The coachman of the Xu family was furious. He pointed at Xu's nose and cursed, "You shameless scoundrel, you're lying through your teeth! All these people around here are witnesses. Just now, my carriage was moving slowly, and your crazy horse came running over. If I hadn't reined in the horse, who knows what would have happened! And you still have the nerve to say I'm blind? You're turning black into white like this, do you think everyone else is blind?!"
"Turning black into white, huh?" the fat coachman drawled. "Isn't that what your Xu family excels at? You're getting so worked up over such a small thing. Back then, you spread rumors everywhere, treating that young girl's life like it was nothing, and even turned around and accused her. I learned all of that from you. If you really mastered the art of turning black into white, I wouldn't be arguing with you here. After this is over, I'd go around telling everyone that you bullied me and damaged my carriage. That would be real evidence against you, turning black into white! Everyone agrees, don't you think?"
He spoke with confidence and a loud voice, his words not so much as an argument, but rather as if he were saying something to amuse everyone.
Most of the onlookers had witnessed what had just happened. They hadn't known why this person was blatantly lying, but upon hearing this argument, they realized that he was using the opportunity to satirize and insult someone!
Grand Tutor Xu was once highly respected and boasted of his integrity. People admired him and had high expectations for his character.
Now, the whole city is in turmoil. Grand Tutor Xu's true colors have been torn off, and because of that memorial, he has become a laughing stock. It's as if he has fallen from a divine altar into the mud. Even if he has only been touched by a little mud, he feels filthy and disgusting.
The onlookers, enjoying his scathing remarks, cheered, "He's right!"
"That's right, that makes perfect sense!"
Some idle and mischievous teenagers even whistled in the distance, eager to watch the excitement unfold.
The Xu family's coachman was clearly in the right, but because of these words, he suddenly found himself in an awkward position, and his face turned bright red.
Inside the carriage, Grand Tutor Xu's cheeks were flushed red, as if burned, and his eyes were bloodshot.
While recuperating at home, he had only heard a few words from the steward about the gossip circulating in the streets. Madam Xu, fearing it would cause him distress, had strictly forbidden anyone from mentioning these things in his presence. Who would have thought that he would witness such a thing today? Even though he couldn't hear all the whispers drifting over, he could still catch the words used to insult him.
That was bad enough, but what the fat coachman said just now was like a resounding slap in the face to the Xu family.
Surprisingly, the onlookers all became friends with him because of this!
An unreasonable rickshaw driver, acting like a local ruffian, was so unruly!
Grand Tutor Xu felt a surge of anger rising within him, his hands and feet trembling uncontrollably, and he was so angry that he almost felt dizzy.
Seeing that his coachman was still arguing, he knew that in this situation, no matter how reasonable he was, he couldn't win the argument—a scholar encountering a soldier is like trying to reason with someone who is unreasonable and rude, making veiled accusations and having no intention of addressing the issue at hand. But if he were to slink away like this, it would be even more humiliating, making him a laughingstock and causing the Grand Tutor's mansion to lose face. Those who were watching him would surely seize the opportunity to make trouble.
After thinking it over, Grand Tutor Xu suppressed his anger and lifted the curtain, saying, "Go and invite the patrolmen."
Before the words were even finished, the curtain of the carriage opposite stirred slightly, as if it could hear and recognize the voice, and it called out loudly, "Could it be Grand Tutor Xu over there?"
Her clear voice, coupled with the revelation of her true appearance, immediately drew everyone's attention.
There was a moment of silence around him. How could Grand Tutor Xu hide away? He looked closely and, although his vision was blurry and reddish, he could still make out that it was an imperial censor—that sharp-mouthed monkey who had turned the memorial impeaching him into a famous piece! Since they had met again, it was clear that today's events were premeditated.
Grand Tutor Xu's beard trembled. He wanted to reprimand him, but his mouth seemed to be out of his control, and the words stuck in his chest and he couldn't say them.
The frustration gradually turned into anger, which surged like flames through his limbs and bones, causing a dull ache in his chest.
The censor opposite him remained calm and composed, casually reprimanding the fat coachman before changing the subject and publicly bringing up the behavior of Grand Tutor Xu.
The prestige of a Grand Tutor lies not only in his role as an instructor to the Emperor, but also in his exemplary conduct as a model for the world. Unfortunately, Grand Tutor Xu was morally corrupt and lacked virtue. Relying on the Emperor's favor and his own power, he went so far as to murder a fourteen-year-old girl, resorting to slander and defamation. His methods were truly despicable and vile, unworthy of being called human. His own coachman, though a rough and uneducated man, knew the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. Even though his speech was crude, he couldn't articulate profound truths, and he lacked extensive learning, he never intended to harm anyone.
Today's events were caused by the coachman's ignorance of the existence of such shameless people. He was outraged by the Xu family's humiliation of the young girl and had to speak out. It was not intended as disrespect. Please forgive him, Grand Tutor.
He spoke fluently and clearly, with a melodious voice, and those around him nodded in agreement.
Even though Grand Tutor Xu wanted to argue, his voice was weak and trembling with anger, and he was easily interrupted and drowned out.
As a result, the street where the incident occurred was packed with onlookers. The censor spoke eloquently, every word of which attacked Grand Tutor Xu's character and reputation. Although he did not utter a single vulgar word and his attitude seemed to be explaining and advising, he cursed Xu thoroughly, belittling the Grand Tutor to the point that he was not even as good as a rough coachman.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Grand Tutor Xu felt as if those words were knives, each one slashing across his face.
The stares and whispers of the people around him were like boiling oil, making him feel utterly ashamed.
His face flushed crimson, and he felt the blood mist before his eyes growing thicker. His hands trembled almost numbly, and as his lips moved, the face of the pointed-mouthed monkey opposite him became increasingly blurry. Even the surrounding sounds faded away, leaving only shame and anger thundering in his ears. He couldn't utter a word; the words stuck in his chest, suffocating him.
When he tried to vomit, what came out was bright red blood, which splattered on his gray beard.
He felt a sharp pain in his chest, vomited several mouthfuls of blood, his face turned from red to blue-purple, and he fainted in the car.
The coachman was terrified, his face turning ashen. He frantically called for doctors and imperial physicians, rushing the carriage to the mansion. When they arrived, they found Grand Tutor Xu covered in blood, already unconscious. Before the imperial physicians could arrive, he kicked his legs and died of anger.
Chapter 93 Threat
The news that Grand Tutor Xu had died of anger first reached the King of Ying.
Having been entangled with Xu Chaozong and Grand Tutor Xu for two years, even though he couldn't get close to the Grand Tutor, the Prince of Ying had many spies planted on the periphery. When Grand Tutor Xu passed away, the women inside immediately burst into tears, and the servants rushed out to deliver the message to the officials in charge. These people, having gathered the news, immediately spread it.
The King of England heard this and slapped the table in delight.
He had spent a lot of time and effort trying to get rid of Grand Tutor Xu over the past two years, but to no avail. Who would have thought that this time, his unconventional approach would have such a miraculous effect?
When You Tong first proposed this idea, he was skeptical and planned to let the Wei family take the lead while he reaped the benefits.
Once the case became clear, and Grand Tutor Xu fell ill from anger, Prince Ying was overjoyed, never expecting this to actually work for him. This was a golden opportunity! After much deliberation, Prince Ying felt that the Wei family father and daughter were weak and might not be able to strike at the heart of the matter. He immediately ordered his men to put in extra effort to create a major upheaval. Seeing Grand Tutor Xu feigning illness and hiding in his residence, Prince Ying was still worried about how to lure him out. However, Prince Rui was impatient and, fearing that there would be no one left in the palace, he actually dragged the seriously ill old man out of the residence by carriage. How could Prince Ying miss this opportunity?
Fearing that Wei Sidao was clumsy with words and unable to deliver a fatal blow, they sent the censor who was most adept at finding fault and cursing.
As expected, it lived up to expectations!
He had the upper hand in the struggle for the throne. Without Grand Tutor Xu, he would have an even better chance of winning. After ascending the throne, he would be much happier without Grand Tutor Xu in the court! Moreover, once this matter spread, the Xu family's former good reputation would turn into a bad one, and their supporters would scatter like monkeys falling from a tree. He didn't lose a single soldier, didn't arouse any suspicion, and cleared himself of all suspicion!
The King of England, dressed in a fur coat, poured himself a drink and listened as his chief secretary recounted the situation in the bustling city. He was so pleased that he downed three cups in a row.
He immediately did a favor and ordered someone to deliver the news to the Wei family—regardless of their past relationship, the Wei family had truly given him a good weapon this time, eliminating his biggest worry. With such good news, he should naturally share in the joy.
When the news reached the Wei family, Wei Sidao looked up to the sky and sighed. After a long while, he finally smiled, his eyes gradually welling up with tears.
He was condemned throughout the city that day, powerless to retaliate. He watched helplessly as his daughter's reputation was ruined, leading her to drown herself. Besides hating her for being so weak, how could he not be heartbroken? Xu Shu and Xu Chaozong were certainly hateful, but the Grand Tutor Xu, who had supported and fueled the chaos, was the true culprit. Previously powerless against the Xu family, he had spent the past six months laying the groundwork by releasing information and gathering evidence, hoping every day would come to expose their evil deeds to the world. Now, his wish had finally come true.
Wei Sidao was never good with words. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, closed the door, and drank half a jar of wine by himself.
You Tong had anticipated this, so she wasn't too agitated. She just gritted her teeth and cursed, "Serves you right."
Then she went to her grandmother's small Buddhist shrine and silently lit incense—with Grand Tutor Xu dead, Xu Shu's days of hardship were probably not far off.
...
While the death of Grand Tutor Xu was met with applause outside, it was a devastating blow to the Xu family and the Prince Rui's residence.
When the news arrived, Xu Shu was slowly drinking the herbal medicine she had prepared. Upon hearing it, her wrist trembled violently, the bowl fell, and the bitter medicine spilled all over her. The maids of the Prince's mansion hurriedly helped her wipe herself clean, but Xu Shu didn't even bother to change her clothes, only saying incredulously, "Is this really true?"
"It's true." The reply came from the maid she had brought from the Xu residence. "It was a servant from the Grand Tutor's side who personally delivered the message. He said that after His Highness returned to the residence the day before yesterday to persuade him, the Grand Tutor's health improved considerably. Today, he was originally going to the yamen before going to the palace, but on the way, he ran into the censor who impeached him last time, and they got into an argument. He was so angry that..." She couldn't continue, and only lowered her head sadly, "The Grand Madam also fainted. Fortunately, our master returned in time, otherwise the residence would have fallen into chaos."
Xu Shu's hands and feet went weak, and she staggered back two steps, gripping the table beside the bed tightly, her knuckles and fingernails almost turning white.
She knew that her grandfather was getting old and had developed many health problems, and that he was easily angered.
In the court, both open and covert struggles are governed by rules. My grandfather, who has always maintained a good reputation, feared nothing more than losing his honor in his later years. The other day, when she and Xu Chaozong visited him, she spent a long time comforting and reassuring him, saying that the rumors outside must have been stirred up by the Prince of Ying in his struggle for the throne, and that there was no need to take them too seriously, let alone get angry and harm his health over such a small matter.
Who knew that this would happen just two days later?
Xu Shu's fingernails almost dug into the cracks in the wood. It took her a long time to regain her composure and force herself not to shed tears in front of the maid. As she slowly rose, the first person she thought of was the culprit behind this whole affair—Wei Youtong. If it weren't for Wei Youtong's sudden attack after things had calmed down, how could the Xu family have been pushed into such a position of public condemnation? Her grandfather wouldn't have fallen ill from shock and anger because of this, nor would he have been publicly ridiculed and humiliated in the marketplace, ultimately dying from vomiting blood.
How could the censor have run into him in the bustling city? He must have been bribed by the Wei family!
Xu Shu gripped her handkerchief tightly, trying to regain her composure. Supported by her personal maid, she slowly walked towards Xu Chaozong's study.
Upon arriving there, they found the windows tightly shut and the guards standing at attention.
Seeing that she was about to walk inside with a slightly dazed look in her eyes, the guard quickly bowed and said, "His Highness is discussing matters with someone. Please wait a moment, Your Highness, while I inform you."
"I want to see Your Highness." Xu Shu ignored him and walked straight ahead.
She was Prince Rui's principal wife, a woman who had paid homage at the ancestral temple, and with the considerable assistance of Grand Tutor Xu, her status in Prince Rui's residence remained extremely high, even though they had no children after marriage. The guards dared not truly stop her, and fearing Xu Chaozong's wrath, they quickly raised their voices slightly, pleading, "Your Highness, please wait a moment, allow me..."
Before he could finish speaking, the door creaked open.
...
Inside the gate, Xu Chaozong was discussing matters with Fu Yu.
Emperor Xiping's condition was critical, almost to the point of death. Consort Ling, Xu Chaozong's birth mother, was not as favored or shrewd as Consort Zhao in the palace, and the Empress made it clear that she would not favor either side, only staying by the emperor's bedside to take care of him. In his weak position, he naturally wanted to find a powerful helper.
For example, Fu Yu.
Previously, when Fu Yu was suppressing the rebellion in Xuanzhou, Xu Chaozong sent out several secret letters, but received no reply. He originally thought that the Fu family was only concerned with fighting for territory and did not intend to pay attention to the affairs of the court. Who knew that just last night, Xu Chaozong suddenly received news that Fu Yu was about to arrive in the capital to help and secretly paid him a visit.
Xu Chaozong was overjoyed. After dealing with some trivial matters today, he specially waited for him at his residence.
Sure enough, around noon, Fu Yu quietly made his way to the chief clerk of the Prince's residence. The clerk then personally led him, avoiding others, to Xu Chaozong's private study. The two spoke in seclusion, unaware of the commotion outside. Just as Xu Shu arrived at the door, Xu Chaozong noticed something amiss in her voice and stopped. He intended to inquire at the door, but the guards failed to stop her, and Xu Shu barged in.
The room was warm from the charcoal fire, and the auspicious beasts emitted fragrance. Xu Shu looked at him with tears in her eyes and her face was pale.
Xu Chaozong, after all, was her husband who shared a bed with her. He was slightly surprised to see this, turned around and glanced at Fu Yu, and then said, "I was discussing matters with General Fu. Why are you in such a hurry? Is it something important?"
"I..." Xu Shu's lips moved slightly, but she couldn't hold back her tears, which rolled down her cheeks.