The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 965: Chapter 942: Prestige amid Chaos 10

Anning and Xiao Yuan endured bitterly in prison for about three or four days.

In fact, it’s hard to say exactly how long it was, mainly because the prison sees no daylight, making it truly impossible to distinguish the time.

In any case, for those from the Duke Ping Mansion, these few days were incredibly hard, like a lifetime had passed.

After enduring these days, the imperial edict was issued.

The main point was that the Duke Ping Mansion was stripped of its noble title and relegated to commoner status, and the whole family was exiled to the Southern Yi.

When the edict came down, ministers in the court and those from noble families saw that the Duke Ping Mansion hadn’t committed serious crimes and wouldn’t be executed. Some families who had good relations with the Duke Ping Mansion started to take action.

The old acquaintances and in-laws of the Duke Ping Mansion also started to find ways to get them out earlier.

In a couple of days, the whole family was released from prison.

When they entered prison, the family was a mess but still intact.

However, when they left the prison, the family’s condition was truly unbearable to look at.

Not to mention how dirty and smelly they were, each person looked as if they had lost their shape, emaciated beyond recognition over these few days.

Especially the female relatives, who were once like flowers, but now the flowers had withered, leaving only dry branches and fallen leaves.

As they came out, the wives’ families of each house were outside waiting.

On the side of the eldest branch, the Zhao Family sent a steward along with several servants, bringing some food, clothes, and silver taels.

The second branch, the Wei Family, also sent some silver.

The third branch was awkward; the Liu family didn’t send anyone over. According to Imperial Censor Liu, a married daughter is like water splashed out, and there’s no reason to implicate the family.

The children of the third branch originally held hope, thinking that their maternal family would assist them once released. But seeing the situation, several children started crying.

Mainly because Xiao Yuan and Anning were both ill.

The couple was so sickly they couldn’t even walk without support.

Although the fourth branch, the Hui family, sent some goods, it was merely fifty taels of silver.

What can this silver do?

It’s not even enough for the travel expenses.

The fifth branch, Ms. Jin’s maternal family, sent someone over. They didn’t provide silver, but helped find a merchant team for the fifth branch to follow southward.

The sixth branch, Xiao Ling, was unmarried, a bachelor without support, but also enjoying tranquility alone.

Seeing no one was caring for the third branch, Xiao Ling went over, thinking since he was alone and the third brother was this sick, there was no one to watch over the children; he would team up with the third branch, otherwise, it was too pitiful to watch.

Seeing this situation, Xiao Jue approached the Old Master and said, ”Father, please make a decision soon.”

The Old Master saw the Old Madam’s family had also sent people and money, and both the eldest and second branches had money, noticing smiles on their faces.

Turning around seeing the gloomy looks on the faces of the third and fourth branches, he sighed in his heart and called everyone from the sixth branch over.

”Our family has encountered hard times; we must find ways to survive now. I thought it over, living together indeed isn’t peaceful, and the burden is heavy. I intend to take this opportunity to let you divide the family.”

”Father.”

Xiao Jin was anxious upon hearing this: ”Father, with the third brother this sick, mentioning dividing the family now, you...”

Xiao Ling also looked incredulously at the Old Master.

Xiao Su smiled and stood up: ”Father’s right, actually dividing the family is good. Since the house has been raided, nobody has any money, this division is the easiest one; whoever’s wife’s family gave money, it belongs to them, straightforward as can be.”

Xiao Jue also said, ”Now we must consider how to survive. If we stay together, the burden is too much. Separation is better. As long as one branch can survive, the Xiao Family has hope.”

Xiao Jin sneered: ”Who is the elder brother referring to? Isn’t it just seeing the third brother sick like this, thinking he drags you down?”

”Lao Si.”

The Old Madam glared at Xiao Jin in anger: ”This is your father’s decision, and also mine. You must listen whether you like it or not.”

Xiao Yuan struggled to stand steady, pleadingly looking at the Old Master: ”Father, dividing the family now, are you forcing your son’s family to die?”

Xiao Ying, with his siblings, was also angrily staring at the Old Master and Xiao Jue.

Especially Xiao Yin.

She was truly infuriated.

Bringing it up sooner or later, but seeing her parents were sick, and the maternal family didn’t give a cent, the Old Master and the eldest branch mentioned dividing the family — isn’t this dismissing them?

”Eldest, give fifty taels of silver to the third.”

The Old Master said indifferently.

Xiao Jue felt pained but still took fifty silver notes over: ”Third brother, this is my heartfelt gesture as the elder brother; take it. We don’t have much silver left now, I still have to support father and mother and have the whole family to raise, can’t give you much.”

Xiao Jue didn’t take the silver note, only looked at the Old Master.

The Old Master got somewhat angry: ”Take it if given, use the money to buy medicine, cure the illness first, and then think of other ways.”

Xiao Yuan still didn’t take it, but instead cried out in disappointment and pain: ”Father, are you really dividing the family? Really not caring for your son anymore?”

The Old Master sighed deeply: ”I can’t manage, I’m old, and our house is in this state. In the future, I have to rely on the eldest branch, how can I look after you?”

The second branch dropped a stone into the well: ”That’s right, third brother, in your current state, father and mother won’t rely on you for support. We’re letting you off as brothers, you better appreciate it.”

Xiao Yuan’s gaze turned cold: ”If so, might as well be straightforward. Father, better to split the lineage; I’ll establish my own branch from now on.”

The Old Master’s expression fell: ”Third, don’t be ungrateful.”

Xiao Jue, however, thought it wasn’t a bad idea.

”Third brother, is this really what you think?”

Xiao Yuan nodded resolutely: ”Yes, once the lineage is split, my family’s fate, be it life or death, is none of your concern.”

The Old Master found it hard to step down from this, but Xiao Jue was tugging at his clothes from behind: ”Father, agree to it.”

”Fine.”

The Old Master gritted his teeth, calling Xiao En: ”Get paper and pen, I’ll draft the document with your third uncle.”

Xiao Jin stepped forward too at this moment: ”Father, draft a lineage-split document for me as well.”

The Old Master was further enraged, the Old Madam was slapping her thigh in anger: ”Write it, write it; give them all the documents. Split the fifth and sixth branches as well, to prevent their ill intentions, causing us trouble later.”

Xiao Ling chuckled: ”Indeed, then write it, son will join the third brother’s lineage.”

Xiao Fang didn’t want to split the lineage; he stood by the second branch side, mainly because the second branch had money: ”I’ll join the first and second brothers.”

The Old Master sulkily drafted the lineage-split document, after writing it, each branch signed and stamped a fingerprint, two copies were made, the Third Young Master’s side held one, each branch preserved one.

The Xiao Family directly split their lineage outside the Ministry of Justice’s prison.

Then the eldest, second, and fifth branches took the Old Master and Old Madam and left.

The Zhao Family had carriages waiting, ready to take them to a manor outside the city to rest for a few days before departing.

Here remained the third, fourth, and sixth branches.

Xiao Jin squatted on the ground, distressed.

The third branch didn’t accept the money given by the eldest, the sixth branch also had no money, only the fourth branch had fifty taels from the Hui family, really a drop in the ocean, not enough for anything.

”Let’s find an inn to stay in first.”

Xiao Jin murmured: ”We must first find a doctor to examine third brother and sister-in-law, must get some medicine before leaving.”

The edict requires they leave the capital in three days counting from today, the Xiao Family has three days to rest.

Hui family’s Ms. Hui saw Xiao Jin making a decision, she worried in her heart too, but had always been quite affectionate with Xiao Jin and listened to him, so wouldn’t contradict him now.

However, she really didn’t want to bring along the third branch and Lao Liu.

After all, it’s a burden.