Even after returning to the Xie residence, Xie Ying still felt somewhat dazed.
Madam Xie was worried about her son, so she had servants send over food and a newly stuffed cotton quilt, and specifically asked what was wrong with him.
Xie Ying rubbed at his brow, his expression somewhat complicated. After a long while, he finally sighed softly and asked his mother, “Mother, what do you think of Miss Qi? What kind of person do you think she is?”
Madam Xie was embroidering a shoe pattern. Hearing this, she immediately looked up at him, stuck the needle into the embroidery frame, and asked in confusion, “Why are you suddenly asking about that?”
Xie Ying sat on the chair by the window, looking at the pots of bougainvillea on the windowsill blooming in fierce competition, and let out a deep sigh.
Thinking of the words Qi Yuan had whispered in his ear earlier, even now his heart was still in turmoil.
Madam Xie set aside her embroidery and sat down beside him. One look at him and she asked, “Did Miss Qi ask you to do something, and you’re finding it difficult?”
His mother had hit the mark exactly. Xie Ying pursed his lips somewhat helplessly and nodded, then honestly said, “Mother, this matter is truly too great. If it succeeds, then Miss Qi will achieve a complete victory. But if it fails, everyone involved will likely be implicated.”
Xie Ying was very sincere. “Mother, I’m not afraid of being implicated myself. Miss Qi has helped me so many times; she’s not someone who would deliberately harm us. But I’m afraid that some things are ultimately beyond human ability…”
“So that’s what it is.” Madam Xie laughed brightly, then looked at her son with a smile. “Just do what you think is right. Since ancient times, all men die, but some deaths are lighter than a feather, while others are weightier than Mount Tai. Miss Qi once staked her life for us as well. I can do the same.”
The way the Xie family conducted themselves had always been to repay kindness with kindness.
Seeing Xie Ying staring blankly, she spoke again, “Don’t think too much. If you think this matter is worth doing, then do it. Ah Ying, what makes Mother proud of you has never been your talent or the fact that you’re a provincial graduate. It’s because you have ideals, because you’re not someone who studies merely for fame and profit!”
Xie Ying understood.
At the same time, he could not help but laugh bitterly inwardly.
Miss Qi truly had set an example for the women of their family.
From Madam Xie down to Seventh Miss Xie, every girl in the Xie family now took Qi Yuan as their role model, wanting to learn from her decisiveness and her ability to determine her own fate.
Still, this was a good thing.
As fathers and brothers, they could not guarantee the women in their family a lifetime of smooth sailing. If they themselves possessed the ability to stand firmly in the world, that was what truly mattered.
After speaking with his mother, Xie Ying composed himself and returned to the Imperial Academy.
The moment he returned to his dormitory at the Imperial Academy, he heard his roommates discussing Ren Zhong’s matter.
Chang An directly said, “Lord Ren sacrificed his life solely to eliminate evil and bring peace to the people. Such a loyal minister is truly rare!”
When scholars gathered together, they were usually at their most hot-blooded and most willing to speak up for justice.
In recent days, the rumors outside had only grown more intense, so the students of the Imperial Academy had naturally heard the whole story.
To be honest, these students had not yet entered officialdom and therefore had not yet been tainted by the bureaucracy.
They naturally sympathized with the common people and the weaker side.
Their sense of justice was also overflowing.
Now Ren Zhong had remonstrated unto death, but what result had it brought?
The Emperor still overrode all objections and insisted on letting the Imperial Grandson personally investigate the Lu family’s treason case.
If that was the case, then had not Ren Zhong’s death been in vain?!
What did scholars study for?
Suddenly, waves of booing erupted outside.
Xie Ying glanced at Chang An. “What’s happening out there?”
Chang An was likewise startled. Together with several roommates, he went out to take a look, then said in shock, “They… they’re burning books!”
Burning books?!
Xie Ying’s brows twitched. He immediately realized the moment had arrived.
He rushed out at once, just in time to see a huge crowd of students gathered outside Deyu Hall, currently burning books.
The instructors of the Imperial Academy were shouting and berating them, some nearly hopping with fury, but it was completely useless.
The students’ anger had already been fully ignited.
They loudly cried that the Emperor was unjust, and then directly turned their attacks toward the Imperial Grandson.
One person suddenly raised his arm and shouted, “The Imperial Grandson prides himself on his noble status. When he went to Hongdu for disaster relief, he killed more than a hundred officials in succession, leaving Jiangxi Province with almost no officials left to use! His thirst for killing is so severe, he is utterly unfit to be a benevolent ruler!”
Xie Ying stared at him carefully, then turned to Chang An beside him. “Who is he?”
Xie Ying had never seen this person before.
Chang An immediately replied, “A member of the Ren family, Ren Zhong’s nephew, Ren Shuquan.”
Oh, so it was Ren Shuquan.
Sure enough, good things stayed within the family.
Xie Ying curled his lips coldly and gave a faint laugh. “This commotion amounts to nothing. It’s far too small.”
Huh?
Chang An was speechless. This was still considered small?
This was the Imperial Academy! Burning books and gathering crowds to make trouble at the Imperial Academy was already a major incident.
Hadn’t he seen the instructors’ faces turning black?
Ren Shuquan became even more fervent. “And now, the Imperial Grandson openly favors his own kin! Just because the Lu family is his maternal family, he insists on shielding them and covering up their crimes! Does this realm no longer have laws?! Has the world already become the Imperial Grandson’s?!”
What a sharp tongue!
The Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy hurried over, his gaze dark as it fell upon Ren Shuquan’s face. He sternly rebuked him, “Shut your mouth! Fool! Is that something you can say?!”
He immediately ordered people to drag Ren Shuquan away.
But at this moment, how could Ren Shuquan possibly be willing to leave?
As he shouted that Xiao Yunting was bending the law for personal gain and murdering loyal ministers, he also called out to the students, “Did we study the teachings of the sages for this?! To serve someone like him?!”
Xie Ying took a deep breath. He finally understood where Qi Yuan’s move was truly vicious.
It was his turn to enter the stage.
At once, he shouted loudly, “Fellow students, why do we study?!”
Chang An hurriedly grabbed him.
Was he crazy?!
Getting involved at a moment like this,
Wasn’t this taking sides?
And siding with the Ren family, no less.
Why bother?
That was becoming enemies with the Imperial Grandson!
Meanwhile, the struggling Ren Shuquan could not help revealing an ecstatic expression.
Xie Ying!
Provincial graduate Xie Ying!
A top candidate for future number one scholar!
With him joining in, would this not surely force the Emperor to deal with the utterly disgraced Xiao Yunting?!
Ren Shuquan immediately shouted with all his strength, “That’s right! Everyone, don’t forget, why have we endured more than ten years of bitter study?! Ask your consciences, what was it all for?!”
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