Chapter 1371: The Xue Family’s Rehabilitation 4

“Though this matter was kept hidden, there are still a few who know the truth. Before my father passed, he spoke of it to this old man; he had always felt he owed Xue Haozhen, having left him to wander outside, unable to return to his forebears and claim his bloodline.”

“And Xue Haozhen, under his mother’s influence, always harbored a thorn in his heart against our Liang Family. That year, when he falsely accused this old man, perhaps it was because I am of the Liang clan, and moreover his legitimate elder brother.”

“Do you know him well? What sort of man was he?” Gu Chengyu did not know Xue Haozhen’s character; he had only understood him from what could be gleaned in those books, and felt that he should not be some treacherous, vicious sort.

“Speaking of his character, even this old man is somewhat muddled. Back then I had always believed him to be a man of upright candor; aside from the grudge he bore against our Liang Family, in all else—whether as an official or in his dealings with others—he possessed excellent virtues. Only, his restraint over his clan was somewhat lacking; he indulged them far too much. Once he became Grand Secretary, wastrel youths appeared among his clan, committing many evils. I impeached him because he had been deceived by the younger members of the Xue Family, and, unknowingly, joined his clan in their corruption. Later, when the courtiers impeached him for colluding with Da Xing, this old man could still hardly bring himself to believe it.”

Liang Zhirui let out a sigh; in truth, his father had bitterly regretted it before he died—after all, it was his own flesh and blood. Only, the Xue Family was of noble purity, so it was not as though Xue Haozhen was disgraced by being raised there. Once his father learned of it, in order not to hinder Xue Haozhen’s prospects, he concealed the matter.

“Afterwards, this old man pondered the matter carefully, and there truly were some doubtful points. Back then, Xia Qing and Xue Haozhen often clashed over affairs of government; the two were utterly at odds, meeting only to cross blades. Xue Haozhen could not abide Xia Qing, and frequently mocked him as a man too insidious and cunning, fond of opportunism and shortcuts. If the two of them were indeed both serving Da Xing, why then was their relationship so rigid? Only, at that time the evidence was ironclad. On the day Emperor Huiming ordered Xue Haozhen arrested, he actually pled illness and did not attend court—did he already know what the Emperor was going to do? If so, why did he evade it, instead of explaining everything to the Emperor?”

After this incident, it was not that Liang Zhirui had never thought deeply on it. Those pieces of incriminating evidence were all perfectly complete, yet he always felt they were too deliberate. Who would leave so much evidence lying around, instead of hastening to destroy it?

“You say he did not go to court that day—then he must have received some warning in advance? If so, why did he not destroy those so‑called proofs before the confiscation of his household? And another thing: why did he not explain himself to the Emperor, and hand over the evidence in his possession?”

Liang Zhirui knit his brows tight, then, shocked, he asked, “Could it be that he could not bear to hand the evidence of this old man’s crimes to the Emperor?”

His hand, resting on the bookcase, trembled slightly. He had always believed that this younger half‑brother felt only coldness toward him, and only resentment toward the Liang Family—yet now, his young disciple’s words made his heart feel as though plunged into an icy abyss.

He recalled that year, after he had impeached Xue Haozhen once, Xue Haozhen had sought him out, saying he should let the matter rest, and that he could choose not to pursue old grievances.

At the time, he had thought Xue Haozhen referred only to that single impeachment. Now, looking back on the scattered words the other had spoken, it was clearly a phrase with a double meaning!

Only, alas, because of Xue Haozhen’s reproaches, he had been filled solely with anger. He felt that Xue Haozhen, as Chief Minister of the Cabinet, had failed to lead by example, indulging his clan in their recklessness. After being impeached, he still did not know repentance, and even came to threaten him—so how could he have listened to any hidden implication?

The two of them had a fierce quarrel over this, and in the end parted on bad terms! Thinking of it now, he felt he had truly been a fool!

“That may be only part of the reason. The question is: who was it that revealed these so‑called proofs into his hands?”

Toward his legitimate elder brother, Xue Haozhen truly did harbor a wish to spare him. Yet afterwards he left those proofs with Xue Miao; this showed that he had come to regret it, and still wished to preserve the Xue Family’s hundred‑year reputation.

The Xue Family had endured for a century, a true house of pure, principled scholars. After Xue Haozhen rose to Grand Secretary, its renown reached its zenith. But no matter how brilliant the flowers, prosperity can only blaze for a time. It was not long before they plunged into an abyss, becoming an object spat upon by all.

The Xue Family had raised Xue Haozhen; how could he allow others to defile their good name? Perhaps this was precisely why he preserved those incriminating documents and entrusted them to Xue Miao.

To overturn the case for the Xue Family, to wash away their unjust burden—this was Xue Haozhen’s dying wish.

To Gu Chengyu, the truth of the matter was now quite plain: the one who framed Xue Haozhen, Xia Qing, stood at the forefront. Yet the one who truly meant to put Xue Haozhen to death was that figure Xue Haozhen could not defy—Emperor Huiming.

When the ruler wills a minister’s death, the minister cannot but die.

Liang Zhirui stared fixedly at the candle flame before him, his eyes already brimming with aged tears. Only after Gu Chengyu had thought matters through did he lift his head, and suddenly discovered that his teacher’s state of mind was not right. He hurried forward to comfort him.

“Do not torturing yourself with these thoughts. In the end he kept those proofs, surely because he regretted his actions, did he not? He still wished to reverse the case for the Xue Family, and did not leave you much face. Besides, prosperity must decline. The Xue Family’s destruction did indeed stem from being framed, but even more from Emperor Huiming’s distrust and fear.”

His teacher was precisely such a righteous man; learning that Xue Haozhen had once harbored the notion of letting him off would inevitably weigh upon his heart.

“Had he submitted the evidence earlier that year, he might never have met that final fate. Our Liang Family never gave him anything; though he spoke words of resentment, in the end he still kept the Liang Family in his heart. For this, he even sacrificed the Xue Family’s hundred‑year reputation and so many lives. How could his spirit find peace after death?”

At last Liang Zhirui could not hold back; tears traced lines down his aged face. He regretted that he had not seriously tried to discern the meaning behind Xue Haozhen’s words.

In that moment his heart was unbearably heavy; he felt that those six hundred and eighty‑one lives and the Xue Family’s century of good name lay like a crushing weight upon his chest.

“Teacher!” Gu Chengyu gently rubbed Liang Zhirui’s back. He knew his teacher now regretted it, but this matter had, after all, passed many years. Back then, a misunderstanding had arisen between the two, and as both were stubborn, upright men, they had thus both erred. One could only say it all stemmed from a lack of trust.

“Go back for now. This old man is somewhat weary.” Liang Zhirui pressed his hand to his brow, his voice slightly choked.

“Do not blame yourself too much. The Xue Family’s path to ruin lay in forces beyond their power to resist.” Gu Chengyu could see his teacher had hardly heard a word of what he had just said; to his mind, Emperor Huiming’s fear and suspicion of the Xue Family was so deep that they could never have escaped.

Liang Zhirui waved his hand. Gu Chengyu felt somewhat heartsore; in the end, he had caused his teacher grief.

Before leaving, Gu Chengyu called for the Liang Mansion’s steward, asking him to invite Mrs. Ning to come and soothe the teacher’s spirit. The teacher was no longer young; his emotions ought not be roused too fiercely.

He was already somewhat regretful for having told his teacher of this matter, though he had indeed gained many clues.

Seated in the carriage back to his own residence, Gu Chengyu closed his eyes slightly. If the orphaned scion of the Xue Family wished to restore their century‑old reputation, it could not help but entangle his teacher. And as for Emperor Huiming’s deeds in those years, anyone with eyes should have been able to see them clearly.

Though there had been much evidence, how could guilt be fixed so lightly? Moreover, Xue Haozhen had had no chance to defend himself. To issue such swift orders was truly unlike Emperor Huiming’s usual way of acting.

“That Yan Bi—have you had someone take her into custody?” Thinking of that Yan Bi, Gu Chengyu recalled that this woman was acquainted with Mrs. Tan, who served by Liu Su’er’s side. Yan Bi should be that little maid from back then; the age matched.

“We have already sent men from the Prefecture to seize her; they are probably still interrogating her. It will be several days yet before the carrier pigeon brings word.” Ming Yan’s voice sounded from outside the carriage.