Xue Chao staggered. Xue Yao seemed to be back in that desperate night again. He was away on a military campaign. When he returned to the mansion after repelling the Nanzhao army, he only saw the blood all over the bed, his dying wife, and his son wailing as if he knew he was about to lose his mother.
"Since that's the case, why have I never heard that the current Marquise of Pingyue is a stepmother? There isn't even a bit of news leaking out that Xue Chao isn't her biological son."
[Because very few people knew about this matter. Later, because Xue Yao was afraid that he couldn't raise the child alone, he married his current wife, a young lady from the wealthy Yang family in the border town, at the strong persuasion of others.]
"Xue Yao was the future Marquis at that time. Even with a child to take care of, he shouldn't have married a merchant's daughter.
This era is different from modern times. In the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, the combination of a scholar and a merchant always makes one feel that there's something fishy going on."
[Even if there is something, only the Marquise and Marquis of Pingyue know about it. It only took two months from the engagement to the wedding of the two.
Xue Chao got a stepmother before he was one year old.
At first, Yang Shi did take good care of Xue Chao until the family of three returned to the Marquis Mansion when the child was almost three years old.
After returning to the Marquis Mansion, as the eldest grandson, Xue Chao was directly taken to the courtyard of the Marquise who knew the truth to be raised.
Another year later, Yang Shi's brothers passed the imperial examinations, and the whole family moved from the border town to the capital city. In the same year, Yang Shi was pregnant and gave birth to her first son the next year. In the following three years, she gave birth to Xue Yao's third and fourth sons in succession.]
"Little Pearl, since you mentioned Yang Shi's natal family, have you forgotten to mention Jiang Wan's family? She was also a wealthy young lady. Haven't they come to see their grandson Xue Chao all these years?"
[Master, this has something to do with Jiang Wan's background. When she met Xue Yao, she was basically alone. Although she brought servants and a considerable amount of wealth, she was truly the only master.
And her real identity is not from Dayan.]
"From Nanzhao?" After all, they met at the border between Dayan and Nanzhao.
[Jiang Wan is not from Nanzhao, but from Nanyue. At that time, the old emperor of Nanzhao had just died, and there was a fierce power struggle among the upper - class. The Jiang family was purged because they took the wrong side.
Jiang Wan fled to Nanzhao with her family. Later, because of an informer, the Jiang family was still being chased. She got separated from her family with the servants and accidentally came to Dayan.
Before she could settle down, she met Xue Yao, fell in love at first sight, and got married on the second meeting.]
"Did Xue Yao know her identity as a Nanyue person?"
This is also what the emperor and his ministers of Dayan want to know, because Nanyue was one of the countries that destroyed Dayan.
In the past, if they heard such things, they wouldn't think much of it. There weren't many inter - marriages among the upper - classes of different countries, but there were still some.
They didn't care much about it. But after knowing that the destruction of Dayan was also due to the role of spies and internal - external collusion and the heavy blow it brought to Dayan, Emperor Mingxi and his ministers had to be cautious.
Moreover, the territory of Dayan has been described by these two young masters as being penetrated like a sieve many times, so they can't help but be more suspicious.
At this time, even though Wei Ping slowed down his report in the court, he had already said everything he needed to say.
Emperor Mingxi then looked at Xue Yao, the Marquis of Pingyue, and said, "Lord Xue, I heard that your grandson was also abducted by child - snatchers. Why haven't I seen anyone from your mansion looking for him?"
Xue Yao quickly stepped forward and replied, "Your Majesty, my second grandson was indeed among the thirty - seven children who were rescued.
My son and I only found out that the grandson we thought we had sent to his maternal grandfather's house had been abducted by child - snatchers when Lord Huo sent the child to our mansion."
Emperor Mingxi nodded and said, "The inheritance of descendants is a major matter, not only for a family but also for a country. It cannot be ignored.
A young master of the Marquis Mansion was abducted, but the head of the family didn't know about it. How can one govern the country if one can't even keep one's family in order? You, as the grandfather and father, should also reflect on yourselves."
Xue Yao bowed even lower and said, "Your Majesty's lesson is right. I will definitely investigate thoroughly."
Xue Chao also bowed and didn't dare to say a word.
[Master, what do you think Xue Yao's expression will be when he finds out that it was his sons who colluded to do this?
He didn't know Jiang Wan's background at first, but when Xue Chao was six years old, Jiang's family came to the door, and Xue Yao then knew that Jiang Wan was from a noble family in Nanyue.
He was afraid that if Xue Chao knew the truth, it would affect the already weak brotherly relationship among his sons. So he persuaded Jiang's family not to tell the truth and applied for Xue Chao to be the heir apparent that year.
That year, Xue Yue, Xue Yao's second son, was not even one year old yet.]
"Jiang Wan is from a noble family in Nanyue? How noble is it?"
[The current Empress Dowager Jiang Yu of Nanyue is her cousin.]
"Their family was purged because they took the wrong side. How can there still be a cousin who is the Empress Dowager?"
[It's true that they were purged because they supported the Prince of Wu. But her cousin was in love with the Prince of Cheng at that time. When the Jiang family was in trouble, the Prince of Cheng took her cousin Jiang Yu into his mansion as a concubine.
Later, the older brothers above fought so fiercely that some died and some were injured. The Prince of Wu, who had originally won, also died.
The Prince of Cheng didn't do much but ended up on the throne. Jiang Yu became the Noble Consort De because of her son, and later when her son ascended the throne, she became the Empress Dowager from the Noble Consort De.]
The Great Yan Dynasty was destroyed in the hands of this emperor.
The Jiang father and son completely collapsed to the ground. Especially Jiang Chao, because the current Emperor of Nanyue was now his maternal cousin!
Emperor Mingxi was taken aback. He never expected that there was such a relationship between the Xue family and the Emperor of Nanyue.
"Does Xue Yao know all this?"
[The Jiang family only showed up once when Xue Chao was six years old. At that time, Jiang Yu was still the Noble Consort De. However, Xue Yao should be able to guess it.]
The current situation of Xue Yao and Xue Chao was like that of a family in Xia during a certain special period having overseas relatives. They were the key targets to be guarded against and investigated.
"Do the other brothers of the Xue family know about this?"
[It's not clear whether they know or not, but Yang Shi should know something. After all, when the Jiang family came to the door, as the wife of the heir apparent, she couldn't have not been present.]
"So they didn't dare to directly kill Xue Chao, but instead targeted his son?"
[That should be right. What was mentioned just now about Xue Chao not being able to have children in the future was also because they couldn't directly take his life, but rather make him have no descendants.
In the future, he would either adopt a son from one of his younger brothers' families or the title would directly pass to his younger brother after his death.]
No descendants!
Cold sweat broke out more profusely on Jiang Chao's forehead. If Xue Ju hadn't found his way home by himself, he might really have only these two options in the future.
[Xue Chao doesn't know yet. After he had the idea of remarrying, he was secretly given a drug to make him infertile. Xue Ju and Xue Rui will be his only biological children.]
"Did his younger brother do this? After he married Lady Liu later, he didn't have any more children. Then why was his only biological daughter, Xue Rui, who stayed by his side, treated like a transparent person?"
[Hehe, because Xue Chao later had another son and a daughter! This really shocked the younger brothers who personally gave him the infertility drug.
Hahaha, they once thought that the expensive drug they bought was fake and almost got into a fight with the person who sold the fake drug.
The person who sold the drug repeatedly claimed that his drug was effective and even asked the brothers to try it themselves. He said it was free if it didn't work!]
