Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 1036: Transforming into a Different Kind of Father-in-law (1)

Chapter 1036: Chapter 1036: Transforming into a Different Kind of Father-in-law (1)

If Xiao Xiong were merely incompetent, Emperor Huian would not have stripped him of his title in a fit of anger. However, by digging his own grave, not only did he condone Lady Wei’s private issuance of loans with interest, but he also shielded her family’s relatives who committed multiple evildoings, resulting in several lives being lost.

Such a person, who contributed nothing to the state, lacked personal virtue, yet held a high position and squandered the Court’s resources, was not someone Emperor Huian could tolerate. Moreover, Xiao Ruiqing dared to commit fratricide; in Emperor Huian’s heart, it was likely that any mistake his own son made was led astray by such an unscrupulous person. Not only was he unwilling to pardon this "chief culprit," but even the family members of the "chief culprit" would not have an easy time either.

For various reasons, Xiao Xiong became the first Lord Hou in Great Chu’s history who was not dead, nor had his family’s property confiscated, yet lost his title.

The Imperial Edict issued by Emperor Huian won him much praise among the people and somewhat consoled the depressed monarch.

Through this ordeal, while Emperor Huian did not imprison Xiao Xiong, considering the past contributions his ancestors made to Great Chu, Xiao Xiong, without a title or official position, became a commoner and would have to rely on Xiao Ruiyuan for the rest of his life.

Compared to Xiao Xiong, who still had the possibility of continuing to live in luxury, Lady Wei was not so fortunate. Her private issuance of loans had already violated the criminal laws of Great Chu and she was to be held accountable by law. Besides, she had also helped her family’s relatives commit multiple atrocities, costing several lives, so she was thrown into jail on the same day. Once Xiao Ruiqing was brought back to the capital, mother and son would be tried together.

Xiao Xiong truly loved Lady Wei and could not bear to see his beloved suffer in prison. He hurriedly sent many fine things to the jail and then pulled strings everywhere in an attempt to get Lady Wei out.

However, even if Emperor Huian had not personally decreed Lady Wei’s imprisonment, nobody would attend to Xiao Xiong, who no longer had a title. After running around for days and furiously smashing batch after batch of objects in his room, he was still unable to get Lady Wei out.

As for Xiao Ruiyuan... he was the biggest beneficiary of the entire incident. Not to mention his sudden rise from Marquis’s Young Master to Lord Hou, the fact that Xiao Xiong could no longer suppress him with the pressure of public opinion or use the status of being a father, rid him of his last reservations.

The public opinion overwhelmingly supported Xiao Ruiyuan. People expressed their disgust towards the unkind Xiao Xiong and the wicked mother and son of the Wei family. If anyone deliberately caused trouble by suggesting that all of this was a play orchestrated by Xiao Ruiyuan himself (which indeed it was), such a person would become the target of public attack.

People chose to believe in Xiao Ruiyuan partly out of admiration and sympathy, and partly because the deeds of the three members of the Xiao Family and Lady Wei were irrefutable facts. Moreover, when the angry citizens rushed to the Hou Mansion seeking justice for Xiao Ruiyuan, it was he who arrived in time to "rescue" Xiao Xiong and Lady Wei, preventing a subsequent bloody incident. This showed his "pure," "filial," and "benevolent" nature, leaving no room for doubt about him.

With the matter satisfactorily resolved, Mo Qingze, who had been worried for days, finally let out a sigh of relief and found time to invite Xiao Ruiyuan over to the Scholar Mansion for dinner. This invitation truly flattered Xiao Ruiyuan, who went over early in the afternoon.

Mo Qingze’s attitude toward his son-in-law Xiao Ruiyuan had never been particularly good, similar to many parents who always felt like years of nurturing had been for naught, as if their cabbage had been taken by a pig. Even though this "pig" was flawless in every aspect and he was actually satisfied with him, Mo Qingze still felt uncomfortable about it.

This time, Xiao Ruiyuan acted decisively, eliminating the unpredictable factors of Xiao Xiong and Lady Wei, effectively removing Mo Qingze’s last doubts about the marriage. Therefore, his attitude towards Xiao Ruiyuan gradually changed.

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