Chapter 711: Break from Official Duties Due to Mourning

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Yu! Zong! Shen! Yu Zongzhengs face turned red, and his face burned as if someone had peeled off his skin. Our Yu Residence is a n.o.ble family. Xie Roujia is just a businesswoman. Its their blessing to be able to marry into our family.

Yu Zongshen was furious. What blessing? The blessing of an early death? Or the blessing of a shameless husband who had an affair with someone that was secretly pregnant? Or the blessing of a husband who couldnt wait to welcome another new wife before her corpse turned cold and the funeral was over? Or is it that you re still doubting her reputation and her daughters blessing?

Haha, if I had been as shameless as you back then, would Mother not let me marry Xie Roujia?

What Yu Zongshen regretted the most in his life was that on the day the Yu Residence held a banquet to entertain the Xie Residence, Xie Roujia had secretly drunk wine.

She had a low alcohol tolerance and she was drunk after taking a sip. She mistook the Yu Residence for the Xie Residence and ran to the wrong courtyard. If he had been more heartless at that time and arranged for a servant to see him alone with Xie Roujia

He could say that he had seduced Xie Roujia and wanted to express his affection for her. Perhaps the outcome would be different.

However, the more deeply he loved her, the more he had to take care of her, and the more careful he had to be. He was worried that it would be abrupt, but in the end, he was still the most worried that it would damage Xie Roujias reputation, so he quietly avoided her and lured a maidservant over.

Yu Zongzheng was embarra.s.sed.

Even so, it was a fact that Second Brother was thinking about Madam Xie, which still made him feel like a fishbone was stuck in his throat. He couldnt help but feel furious. You care about your eldest sister-in-law and disregard your family. Isnt that shameless?

Yu Zongshen sneered. Ive already sent a notice to the Imperial Court to hand over Dehua County in Fujian. Why would I care? If she wasnt my eldest sister-in-law, do you think I would have given up on her?

In the previous dynasty, their Yu Clan had once s.n.a.t.c.hed someones wife.

There was a saying that went, The past should enlight the future generation.

Why didnt he dare to do what his predecessors had dared to do?!

However, Xie Roujia was her eldest sister-in-law.

He could ignore Yu Zongzheng.

He did not care about his reputation.

He couldnt ignore Xie Roujias reputation. It was easy to get married, but Xie Roujia would only die.

However, after thinking so much, Xie Roujia was still dead.

Yu Zongzheng was furious. With a flick of his sleeve, he swept the cups, bowls, plates, and plates on the table to the ground. With a clang, they fell to the ground in a mess.

After a short commotion in the room, there was silence.

An unknown period of time pa.s.sed!

It was Yu Zongzheng who couldnt hold it in anymore. He took a deep breath.

Its against the etiquette of kins.h.i.+p for brothers to fight over a woman.

Madam Xie has been dead for more than ten years, and Mother has pa.s.sed away. I dont want to argue with you about this. Yu Zongshens lips twitched in understanding.

Indeed!

Yu Zongzheng changed the topic and said, Mother had to be a widow for many years. Its not easy to raise the two of us until were adults and make contributions. We have to thank Mother for her kindness. Now that Mother has pa.s.sed away, one of us has to mourn for her for three years.

Yu Zongshen said nothing.

It wasnt that Yu Zongzheng wasnt smart. Perhaps he had been fooled by Madam Yang and Nanny Li for a moment. In addition, he had a deep grudge against Old Madam and had suppressed it for many years. On impulse, he had quarreled with her. However, now that Old Madam had pa.s.sed away and Madam Yang had been abandoned, even if Yu Zongzheng had a grudge, he wouldnt make this matter public.

Her younger brother coveted his first wife. Did Yu Zongzheng still care about his pride?!

Yu Zongzheng had used this matter to strike first.

He could only scheme against him using the matter of mourning.

Yu Zongzheng waited for a while, but when Yu Zongshen did not say anything, his expression turned even uglier. He could only say, Theres order in seniority. As an elder brother, its my duty to mourn for my mother.

As an elder brother, he was the one at a disadvantage.

Be it when his mother was alive or after she died.

His mother was biased towards Yu Zongshen, so it was only right for Yu Zongshen to mourn for their mother.

Yu Zongshen still did not speak.

Yu Zongzheng was a little angry. Ive also become one of the 13 Imperial Censors, and the emperors grace is vast. Its fine if Im the a.s.sistant Minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, but once I have to mourn home, its equivalent to removing my t.i.tle as one of the 13 Imperial Censors. During this period of time, the drought in the north has become more and more serious. The emperor wants me to be the Imperial Censor to help the refugees. If Im at home now, wouldnt I be letting down the emperors grace?

In the past dynasties, there was no official position that someone could continue to hold after three years of mourning. It was impossible for him to be in mourning.

Using the emperors grace to counterattack was justified!

Yu Zongshen was a little amused. It wasnt good for Yu Zongzheng to be in mourning as the dignified Cabinet Grand Secretary? Was he using Madam Xie to force him to take the initiative to mourn at home?

Xie Roujia had been dead for more than ten years, but he still refused to let her have peace.

He was really shameless.

Yu Zongshen chuckled. If you dont want to mourn, you can ask the Imperial Court for help. Theres a drought in the north, and the emperor wants you to go to disaster relief. Its a special situation that requires special intervention. The court officials wont think that youre unfilial.

Yu Zongzheng frowned. Although thats the case, its still a fact. In the previous dynasty, there was a Prime Minister Zhang. It was because he did not give up his official position that the later people died. He was even hated by the emperor at that time and the dead Prime Minister Zhangs family confiscated his t.i.tle and his descendants were exiled. Mother is still a widow, so its even more difficult to raise us. Filial piety is the top priority. No matter what the reason is, it is a must to mourn for her. Otherwise, our familys reputation of loyalty and filial piety will be tarnished.

Yu Zongshen chuckled. So?

At that time, Prime Minister Zhang was hovering between filial piety and power, which was why he had caused trouble later. However, the emperor was still young and needed the help of a good minister.

Yu Zongzheng did not want to not show filial piety, nor did he want to give up his power. After becoming a wh.o.r.e, he still wanted to show his chast.i.ty.

It was extremely unbearable

He had even selectively forgotten that he was the one who had caused Matriarchs death.

Yu Zongzheng perked up. Youve always had a stable position in the cabinet. Even if the mourning takes three years, it wont affect anything.

Even if he did not want to admit it, he knew very well that the cabinet ministers were different from people like him who had only obtained power because of the emperors grace.

Alright. Yu Zongshen couldnt be bothered to feign civility with him. At dawn, Ill send a memorial to the palace.

Yu Zongzheng was overjoyed, but he looked guilty. Second Brother

However, Yu Zongshen interrupted him in a gentle voice, as if he had returned to his usual calm and elegant self. On account of Mother and Xie Roujia, Ill tolerate you one last time. In the future, without Mother protecting you, well really be enemies from the same family.

A trace of mockery appeared on Yu Youyaos face. Yu Zongzheng did not want to worry about the mourning period, so he used her biological mother to threaten Yu Zongshen, forcing him to do it for him.

What a good show.

She did not want to stay in the Yu Residence for another moment..