Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

'True person' was very unusual praise.

Chen Changsheng fell silent for a few moments, then asked, "There was still another?"

Just now, Madam Xue had said that he was one of the two that Xue Xingchuan thought to be true persons.

Madam Xue did not directly answer this question, but used a different method. "Your Eminence is truly the Divine Empress's son."

Chen Changsheng understood. "Regretfully, I'm not actually her son."

Madam Xue noted, "I am deeply gratified to hear Your Eminence say that it is regretful."

Chen Changsheng replied, "Yes, I don't think it's shameful at all to have such a mother. Although she wasn't a good person, she was a truly outstanding person."

Madam Xue sorrowfully sighed, "That's right, or else why would my late husband and the rest of them be willing to follow the Empress until death?"

Chen Changsheng suddenly asked, "Do you feel hate?"

If speaking of hate, Madam Xue had far too many reasons to feel hate. If speaking of regret, she had also reasons to feel regret.

This hate and regret was not all meant for the new government. There was also some meant for that supervisor of the Ministry of Justice, for Xu Shiji, and also for this period of time.

Madam Xue very calmly replied, "No, I only hate that Zhou Tong isn't dead."

Chen Changsheng calmly gazed into her eyes. He did not speak, did not console her.

Madam Xue was extremely smart, so she understood. Thus, she was somewhat shocked and deeply moved. She wanted to give him a few words of advice, yet couldn't open her mouth, as she had no idea what to say.

Chen Changsheng had said nothing at all, so what advice could she give?

The two said their farewells. At the gate of the Orthodox Academy, Chen Changsheng said to Madam Xue, "I ask that Madam does not leave."

According to the information sent from the Bureau of Ecclesiastic Education, the Xue Estate had already been emptied, boxes and luggage already piled up at its back gate. It seemed that Madam Xue might return to her hometown in a few days.

Yet Chen Changsheng had asked that she not leave.

Madam Xue understood his intentions, because he understood her intentions.

After a very long period of silence, she managed with some difficulty to give a faint smile. "Very well, I will be here to see it."

Chen Changsheng replied, "Madam will see it."

……

……

After being raided, the Xue Estate had sent away all its servants. Whether they were part of the main branch or the secondary branches, any person that had not been implicated for the moment had already been sent back to their hometown. At the moment, the only people remaining in the estate were Madam Xue, a servant woman, and an old butler. It seemed very deserted, and if Madam Xue's intentions had been followed, even the servant woman and the old butler would have already left. However, she had been unable to convince them.

The servant woman said, "Since we have to arrange a funeral, no matter how simple it is, we still have to buy a few things. We should at least share some of the burden with the Madam."

Madam Xue shook her head and said, "The person has already been buried, so there's no need for a funeral."

The butler commented, "Since the Imperial Court has said nothing, they've silently agreed. In the coming days, there will presumably be some important people or old comrades coming to offer their respects. We have to welcome them."

He was thinking of how things had been done in the past, but only stimulated Madam Xue's sadness. She indifferently replied, "Do you think anyone will dare to come?"

The butler thought, the old master was a hero of the generation with a vast circle of friends in the capital. As long as the Imperial Court does not issue an explicit decree, someone will come.

Madam Xue said, "Since we plan to have a funeral, where will we get the money?"

The butler thought about this problem for a few moments, then said, "For the moment, we can't sell off that offering field on the outskirts of the capital, but the store on the Western Boulevard…"

The present Xue Estate no longer had any money to use. If they wished to set up a presentable funeral hall, they could only sell off the family property that had not been seized, and it had to be the best property to gather sufficient money.

Western Boulevard was the most flourishing part of the capital, and the stores on that street made money hand over fist. No one had ever been willing to sell one off.

Seeing the Madam's hesitant expression, the butler thought that she was unwilling and advised, "Once we return to your home, no one will be there to watch the store. Sooner or later, we will have to abandon it. Since we have no plans of coming back, there's no need to keep it."

After a period of silence, Madam Xue replied, "Don't sell the store."

The butler was somewhat shocked and continued his persuasions. "Madam, you should…"

Madam Xue shook her head, saying, "I know what you're worried about, but I've already changed my mind. I don't plan to leave the capital."

The butler was even more shocked at these words, but before he had time to speak, he heard the Madam say, "In the next few days, return home and bring Brother Jin back."

Brother Jin's full name was Xue Yejin, Xue He's only son. The butler had already heard the news that Second Master Xue He was currently being escorted back to the capital and was probably doomed. Right now, Brother Jin was the sole descendant of the Xue clan. The day before yesterday, when Madam Xue had confirmed the decree from the Imperial Court, she had sent him back to her home on the same night, so why had she suddenly decided to bring him back? After all, this was an enormous risk, as no one knew if the new powers of the Imperial Court might suddenly change their minds.

With a shaky voice, he said, "Even if Brother Jin returns, there's no one to watch those stores."

"Brother Jin is my Xue clan's sole descendant; how could he waste his time on these common affairs? He is returning to the capital to study," Madam Xue seriously declared.

The butler inwardly grumbled, just which school in the capital would be willing to accept the descendant of the Xue clan? Even the most ordinary of private schools will probably shut their gates to Brother Jin.

Madam Xue did not voice aloud her future plans. She said to the butler, "First busy yourself with the matter of the funeral. As for money, use this first. If it's not enough, we'll discuss the matter again."

As she spoke, she took a hairpin made of pure gold from her hair and handed it to him.

The butler could only accept the order. Taking the golden hairpin, he left the estate.

The servant woman brought up a cup of tea and said, "Madam, please, wet your throat a little."

Madam Xue took a sip from the cup. Seeing her pale reflection in the tea, she suddenly smiled.

It was different from the past few days. Although her smile was still exhausted today, it was somewhat brighter.

Then she felt that the tea was somewhat sweet.

If there was blood in the throat, it would probably also be sweet.

This was something she and Xue Xingchuan had once chatted about.

They had just been married at the time. On the second day over which she was supervising offerings, she realized that there were problems in the clan's accounts, that a lot of money was flowing to the wrong places.

It just so happened that there had been a lot of rumors around the estate in that period.

She had felt somewhat sad. At dinner, she had not been able to drink any soup.

Xue Xingchuan had no other means than to tell her the truth. Only then did she discover that her husband had been adopted, that he had a younger brother, and that brother was called Zhou Tong.

To console her, Xue Xingchuan had chatted with her about other people's business and told her many interesting anecdotes. He had also talked with her about matters concerning the battlefield, like how blood in the throat would taste sweet.

If that golden hairpin were stabbed into my throat, it would also probably be sweet.

Madam Xue thought.

From the very beginning, she had never intended to leave the capital.

After burying Xue Xingchuan, she had intended to commit suicide and follow him.

Until yesterday, when things changed.

She was not intending to die.

She intended to continue living in the capital, because she wanted to personally see Zhou Tong die.

She also wanted to raise the sole descendant of the Xue clan in the capital, because she wanted him to study at the Orthodox Academy.

The sounds of sobbing could be heard outside the hall.

The servant woman led a swollen-eyed noble lady into the hall.

The noble lady entered the room and fell directly into Madam Xue's lap, weeping as she said, "Mother, how can we continue to live?"

Madam Xue looked at her eldest daughter who had been married off to the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites, her expression calm. "You've been driven away?"

The noble lady was given a fright, then angrily replied, "I did nothing wrong! There's no way the Wei clan would dare to drive me away!"

Madam Xue asked, "Since you weren't driven out, why are you crying?"

The noble lady's eyes reddened once more. "They've treated me poorly."

Madam Xue replied, "If your husband's family is not willing to tolerate you, come back."

The noble lady was somewhat embarrassed. "In the past few days, Father- and Mother-in-law have had rather ugly expressions, but he…has actually been rather polite."

Madam Xue calmly replied, "Polite? If he continues to be polite, then the two of you should mutually divorce."

The noble lady was somewhat hesitant. "But what of the child? In addition, he's treated me rather decently, and after things calm down, Brother Jin's prospects…"

Madam Xue replied, "In the future, it's fine if Brother Jin enters the army. The court's okay as well, and so is managing the stores. It's also fine if you just get married again. How can it be impossible to not find a way to live?"

The noble lady pondered these words, then forcefully nodded her head. "Mother, these words are reasonable. I'll say that exact thing to him."

……