Chapter 207: Nothing Short of a Miracle

Grand Tutor Xu did not hide the matter of expelling Xu Yunzhou and his wife from the family from Xu Xingchen. He first explained the problem to him, then clearly stated his decision.

He was dead set on banishing the couple.

He could already foresee that this clueless couple would undoubtedly cause trouble for Xu Xingchen in the future.

No matter how much the Emperor valued the Xu Family, she was still the Emperor. She would not tolerate Su Rong’s offenses just because of that little bit of affection she had for Xu Xingchen.

When that time came, it wouldn’t just be Xu Xingchen who suffered, but the futures and lives of the Xu Family’s countless younger members.

Therefore, the couple had to leave.

However, what was being severed were the ties between the Xu Family and them. They had, after all, given life to Xu Xingchen. Whether he chose to care for them or show them filial piety was his own business.

But he had to remember one condition: the Xu Family must not be implicated.

Only after Xu Xingchen understood did Grand Tutor Xu summon his other grandsons, including his granddaughter Xu Ling, to very seriously explain the matter and inform them of the stakes involved.

"Don’t think that our Xu Family is still all-powerful. The Emperor values our family now because I, this old codger, am not dead yet. The eldest is in Bafang City, and we don’t know when he’ll return. The second is a good-for-nothing who can’t be propped up. Once I fall, the Xu Family’s status will plummet."

"For Xingchen to catch Her Majesty’s eye—that is their fate. The Xu Family cannot use this as a ladder to climb higher. But as brothers and sisters, you must stick together and watch out for one another. Understand?"

They all nodded together. "We understand."

After saying all this, Grand Tutor Xu finally announced his decision to remove Xu Yunzhou and his wife from the family register.

"The Xu Family is a large clan. Besides yourselves, there are countless other Xu Family kinsmen and so many young disciples studying diligently, waiting for their chance to distinguish themselves. You should take the family’s honor as your own responsibility, not drag the family down to be buried with you. Whether now or in the future, you must think thrice before you act..."

It had been many years since Grand Tutor Xu had lectured his grandchildren so extensively. Today, he was truly speaking with earnest and repeated urgency, talking until he was hoarse.

After all the children had left, Grand Tutor Xu remained seated, unable to find peace for a long time.

’How could I have fathered such a son?’

Xu Xingchen had a strange personality, but his intelligence was genuine. His oddness was in his temperament, not his mind.

But Xu Yunzhou was truly stupid. He was useless at studying, useless at conducting himself, useless as an official, and useless as a father and a son. Though doting on his wife could be seen as a minor virtue, he doted on her to the point of losing his own judgment, his own soul.

And Su Rong was even worse—rigid-minded, self-righteous, and utterly lacking ambition. The two of them were stupidity compounded.

Grand Tutor Xu even wondered if Xu Xingchen was truly their biological child.

Aside from his personality, that sharp intelligence of his was nothing short of a miracle.

Although Grand Tutor Xu didn’t publicize the matter with great fanfare, he didn’t deliberately hide it either. Those who were meant to know, found out.

And this was the result Grand Tutor Xu wanted. He needed the couple to sever all ties with the Xu Family; he absolutely could not let their foolishness bring disaster upon the rest of the family.

Unresigned, Su Rong secretly sent someone to find Xu Xingchen and give him a letter.

After reading it, Xu Xingchen went to see her, carrying a bulging bundle on his back.

"Ah Cheng, my son..."

The moment Su Rong saw Xu Xingchen, she was overcome with a sense of grievance.

Xu Xingchen avoided her hand, walked into the room, and unhurriedly opened the bundle, laying out its contents one by one.

Seeing some familiar items, Xu Yunzhou frowned. "What are you doing?"

Only after he finished laying everything out did Xu Xingchen look up and say, deliberately, "Mother, you gave birth to me, but less than a year later, you left to travel with Father. After that, I was cared for by Grandmother and my aunt, doted on by my older brother and sister, and taught by Grandfather. All these years, Father and Mother would only occasionally send back a couple of local trinkets with your letters. Even when you did return, you never stayed for long before leaving again."

"Here are all the things you’ve given me over the years. And this money is my entire salary for the year."

"Your expulsion was Grandfather’s decision, and I will not defy him. But you are my parents, and according to convention, I am obligated to support you. From now on, half of my salary will be sent to you, until the end of your days."

"Xu Xingchen!"

Su Rong flew into a rage, as if she had suffered an unforgivable betrayal. "I am your mother! I gave birth to you! How dare you take your grandfather’s side now?"

"Even though your father and I were traveling all these years, I was always thinking of you, always missing you! It was you whose personality grew stranger and stranger. You wouldn’t get close to me at all. You’d rather hug Huang Yin than me! Have you forgotten? I risked my life to bring you into this world...!"

A sudden spray of blood across her face cut off Su Rong’s furious accusation.

She stared at the short blade Xu Xingchen had plunged into his own chest, watched the blood gushing out, instantly staining his robes crimson. She froze on the spot, her face deathly pale.

Xu Yunzhou was also terrified and scrambled to his feet. "What are you doing? Someone! Get a doctor, quickly!"

Xu Yunzhou rushed out to call for help, stumbling in his panic. But Xu Xingchen, who had just stabbed himself, was frighteningly calm.

His gaze was serene and cold as he looked at the mother who had given him life.

"You gave birth to me. So how about... I return this life to you..."

Terrified, Su Rong collapsed to the floor. But Xu Xingchen’s next move nearly scared the soul out of her body.

He actually began to pull the blade out, inch by inch.

Blood splattered across Su Rong’s face. Her body went ice-cold, yet she could clearly feel the scalding heat of her son’s blood.

"CLANG!"

Xu Xingchen dropped the dagger. "This son will not see Mother off on her journey tomorrow."

He clutched his bleeding chest and staggered away.

When Xu Yunzhou returned after calling for help, he tried to support him, but Xu Xingchen evaded his grasp.

The moment he stepped outside, a carriage appeared at the door and immediately took him away.

Seeing this, Xu Yunzhou actually let out a sigh of relief. ’He’s gone back to the Xu Family. The old man will definitely get an Imperial Physician to save him. He’ll be fine.’

After comforting himself with this thought, he closed the door with a clear conscience, stepped over the blood-soaked floor, and gently helped the stunned Su Rong to her feet. "Rong’er, it’s alright. The Xu Family will call for an Imperial Physician. He won’t die. It’s alright."

The one he deeply loved was his wife. Only his wife would always be with him. A child has his own fate. All he wanted was his wife, for himself alone.

Xu Yunzhou’s madness was gradually becoming apparent, but Su Rong was too scared out of her wits to even respond to him.

When Grand Tutor Xu learned that Xu Xingchen had injured himself, he nearly choked with rage.

’These children and grandchildren are all a curse! These old bones of mine will be the death of me, all thanks to them!’

Furious as he was, he had no choice but to hastily summon an Imperial Physician.

After the examination, the Imperial Physician reported that Xu Xingchen had controlled the blade with precision. He had lost a lot of blood, but his internal organs were completely unharmed. He just needed the wound bandaged and a good rest to recover.

He had almost forgotten that his grandson knew the human body best.

Grand Tutor Xu didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved. Still, as long as the boy was not in mortal danger, that was all that mattered.