Chapter 275 - 273: A Child’s Feelings

Chapter 275: Chapter 273: A Child’s Feelings

After speaking, Xu Huan’an put down the brocade box in his hand, got up, and walked out of the room.

Xu Jing waited until his figure disappeared outside the door, then picked up the brocade box and opened it. She was somewhat stunned.

Inside was a bracelet.

Moreover, it was a bracelet identical to the one her mother had left her years ago.

Years ago, all her mother’s dowry had been squandered by Xu Guangyi. Before she passed away, the only thing left was this bracelet for her, which her mother said was given by her grandmother when she got married, hoping to pass it on to her daughter on her wedding day.

Unfortunately, she could not wait for the day her daughter got married.

Now, Xu Huan’an gave her a bracelet identical to the one from her mother, the intention was obvious.

He wanted to replace her mother and give her away in marriage.

He completely resigned himself to just being a family member of Xu Jing’s maiden family.

Xu Jing sighed quietly, closed the brocade box, and called Chunyang to store it away.

Unfortunately, she was no longer the original Xu Siniang.

This marriage was also a sham.

She would surely disappoint them with her intentions.

Xu Jing was then forced by Xu Sihai to rest in the room for two more days until Zhou Qi assured that she was fully healed, and then Xu Sihai finally allowed her to go out.

As soon as her confinement order was lifted, Zhao Shao Hua came in a rush and without a word dragged Xu Jing out, saying mysteriously, "I’m taking you to a place."

She dragged Xu Jing directly to the most luxurious and upscale restaurant in the Western Capital—Fengyu Building, leading her to a private room by the street on the second floor, where Zhao Jingming was already leisurely sitting. Upon seeing Xu Jing, he glanced slightly and said, "I wondered why Xi is so late, isn’t Miss Xu down with a cold? Aren’t you afraid Yanci would hack you down for bringing her out like this?"

"Jing’s cold is long gone, besides, what’s happening today is something Jing has every right to know both in terms of emotion and reason."

Zhao Shao Hua directly let Xu Jing sit by the window, generously saying, "It’s not time yet, let’s eat and drink something for now, today’s meal is on me!"

Xu Jing looked puzzledly at the two people in front of her, "What exactly is going to happen? Can’t you give me a little hint?"

In the past few days, she was forced to rest in bed by Xu Sihai and was even not allowed to let anyone bother her with outside matters, so she was totally kept in the dark.

Zhao Shao Hua paused for a moment, saying, "You’ll find out soon enough."

Only when it was nearly late noon did Xu Jing finally know what Zhao Shao Hua wanted her to see.

Fengyu Building was located right in the middle of the main thoroughfare—Vermilion Bird Street—running through the Western Capital. During the day, Vermilion Bird Street was always bustling and crowded. Suddenly, a small squad of soldiers rushed out, swiftly clearing the crowd to both sides, leaving a path open.

Not far away, under heavy guard, a prison wagon slowly drove forward. Even when the prison wagon was still some distance away, Xu Jing had a strange premonition in her heart. When she finally saw the man on the wagon with disheveled hair, emaciated and almost unrecognizable, her premonition came true all at once.

In just a few days, Xu Guangyi seemed to have shrunk several sizes, almost losing his original appearance.

Following him was another prison wagon, inside which sat Mrs. Wen. Mrs. Wen had long lost her usual arrogance, looking lifeless and eyes downcast.

Beside her, Zhao Shao Hua glanced at Xu Jing’s complex and indescribable expression and said softly, "The day after Jiang Zhaoyin saved the two children, he compiled the deeds of Xu Guangyi and Mrs. Wen against Lady Wen into a memorial and presented it to the Holy Emperor. The Emperor was furious and immediately stripped Xu Guangyi of his Minister of Industry position. Moreover, because the evidence of them poisoning civilians was conclusive, they were sentenced to be executed at the Meridian Gate today. This is the customary parade before the execution.

Originally, this case would not have been investigated so quickly, but the Wang Family held a grudge against the Xu Family and kept pressing the Three Ministries, even the Empress Dowager spoke, demanding the truth be uncovered immediately to avoid bringing shame to the court.

Most of the people who helped Xu Guangyi and Mrs. Wen poison Lady Wen back then were still at the Xu Family and had become their confidants. It didn’t take much effort to get them to reveal the truth of the past.

Aside from this matter, the Three Ministries also found evidence of Xu Guangyi embezzling funds allocated by the court for projects in the past, which is why their crimes could be sentenced so quickly."

The Xu Family now was entirely collapsed.

Behind Xu Guangyi and Mrs. Wen’s prison wagons, Xu Jie led Xu Hanguang and the other siblings, crying and chasing after them. It could be imagined that without Xu Guangyi and Mrs. Wen, and with the enormous debt their family owed, their upcoming days would definitely not be easy.

Xu Jing quietly tightened the gold bracelet around her right wrist.

The hatred of the original owner and her mother, she had finally avenged.

However, in the end, Xu Guangyi was the original owner’s father, and Xu Jing didn’t know how the original owner would feel seeing this scene.

Although Zhao Shao Hua despised what the Xu Family did and their attitude towards Xu Jing, he also knew that in such situations, feeling gratified was one thing but, as a child, there would always be a pang of bitterness, so he exchanged a glance with Zhao Jingming, saying, "Xiao Liu and I will take a stroll outside, if you need us, you can call us."

Xu Jing returned to her senses and could not help but smile sincerely at them, saying, "Thank you."

She could feel they genuinely cared about her.

After the parade moved on completely, Xu Jing stayed for a while longer before saying, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back first."

"No, don’t."

Zhao Shao Hua quickly grabbed her, worriedly asking, "Did what happened today affect your mood? It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have brought you here."

"No, don’t overthink it, and even if you hadn’t brought me here, I would have found out eventually."

Xu Jing said with a laugh, "Relax, in my childhood, Xu Guangyi did favor me for a few years, but that was with ulterior motives and calculations. After that, he never fulfilled the duty of raising me, and in my heart, he had long ceased to be my father, merely a murderer getting his rightful punishment.

I’m rushing back because my uncle and the rest warned me not to stay out too long. After all, it’s less than five days until my remarriage to Yanci, and there are still many things to prepare for."

Zhao Shao Hua slapped his forehead, smiling and saying, "That’s true. Look at my memory; it’s also because you were too active earlier. You’re about to get married and still helped the government solve a kidnapping case, not acting like a bride-to-be at all.

Both my mother and my mother-in-law have instructed me not to bother you during this time, letting you prepare for the wedding properly.

By the way, did Yanci come to see you when you were sick? Since you two are remarrying, you shouldn’t have to observe that silly custom of not meeting before the wedding, right?"

Xu Jing thought for a moment and said, "He did come on the first day."

"What? Only came for one day?!"

Zhao Shao Hua immediately widened his eyes, grumbling, "How did that guy convince you to marry him? I even came to see you for two days knowing you were sick!"

"Alright, Xi, stop sowing discord."

Zhao Jingming pouted, saying, "Doesn’t Xiao Yanci value Miss Xu more than enough? Don’t we all know how much he treasures her? The elders often said that meeting before the wedding scatters fortune; perhaps Yanci is just worried it might scatter the fortune between him and Miss Xu!"