Marrying for someone else and being a widow? Stepmothers open classes to raise children

On a late autumn afternoon, the sun shone through the mottled leaves onto the path in Qingjun Garden. Xie Yunce's footsteps gently disturbed the tranquility.

He stood outside the swing, watching Xie Yunlin's thin figure swaying gently in the wind, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

"Fifth brother, can I come in?" Xie Yunce's voice was calm and gentle.

Xie Yunlin stopped shaking and looked up at his brother. A hint of doubt flashed across his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "Brother, please come in."

Xie Yunce walked to the swing frame and gently put down the jade pendant in his hand. Xie Yunlin took it and whispered, "Brother, this jade pendant is very precious. You don't have to do this."

"This is a little gift from me. Thank you for bringing me food today." Xie Yunce said, his eyes lingering on Xie Yunlin's face for a moment, and then continued: "I noticed that when you took the jade pendant, you didn't dislike the mud on it, which shows that you really don't have mysophobia. My previous misunderstanding of you was really too much."

Xie Yunlin smiled and said, "Brother, everyone has their own way of life. I don't blame you. But I hope you won't come to see me so often in the future. I like quietness and my daily homework is very busy."

Xie Yunce was silent for a moment, feeling a surge of guilt and sadness in his heart. He recalled that when he was a child, he had been looking forward to the birth of his fifth brother, imagining the closeness between them. However, as he grew older, he gradually distanced himself from Xie Yunlin and even misunderstood his lifestyle.

"Fifth brother, I'm sorry for not treating you well before." Xie Yunce lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly.

Xie Yunlin gently patted his brother's shoulder and said, "Brother, let the past be the past. We are all growing up and learning how to become better people."

Xie Yunce raised his head and looked at Xie Yunlin's gentle and firm eyes, and a warm feeling surged in his heart. He took a deep breath and began to tell his memories.

"I remember when I was little, I was always looking forward to your birth. At that time, I naively thought that having a younger brother would give me someone to play with. I vowed to be a good brother, to protect you, and to make you happy. However, as you grew up, I found that the gap between us was getting bigger and bigger. I began to distance myself from you and even misunderstood you."

Xie Yunlin listened quietly, with a hint of emotion in his eyes. He understood that his brother also had his own struggles and pains in his heart.

Gu Zhiyi sat up suddenly. The maid Luluo quickly handed her a cup of warm water and said nervously, "Madam, you are finally awake! The people outside are like crazy, saying that the Duke died in the battle. They gathered in front of the mansion and their voices were getting louder and louder."

Gu Zhiyi took the cup, drank a sip of water, and asked, "Luluo, is this news reliable?"

Luluo shook her head and said, "Madam, I don't know either. But judging from the expressions of the people, it seems to be true. Moreover, I heard that the news came from the battlefield."

Gu Zhiyi frowned slightly. She remembered that in her previous life, the news of the Duke's death was not received until after the battle. At that time, the Ningguo Mansion had already made preparations to welcome him. But now, the news came back before the battle was over, which made Gu Zhiyi feel a little unusual.

Gu Zhiyi sat up from the warm bed, with a gleam of determination in her eyes. She put on a dark purple robe and quickly tightened her belt, her movements were agile and powerful. Luluo was busy fixing her hair and looked at her worriedly.

"Luoluo, go get ready. I'm going out." Gu Zhiyi's voice was calm and firm.

Luluo was stunned and said anxiously: "Madam, it's so chaotic outside now, you'd better not go out."

Gu Zhiyi smiled slightly and patted Luluo's hand: "I have to go, this is for the Ningguo Mansion, and also for myself."

Gu Zhiyi put on her clothes and walked out of the inner room with a solemn look. She hurried through the corridor of the mansion, and her maid Luluo followed closely behind her. When she walked to the front yard, Gu Zhiyi saw the shocking scene.

In front of the Ningguo Mansion, a crowd of people surged, and the people were excited, shouting slogans and accusing the Duke of Ningguo of being a traitor. Eggs, vegetable leaves, stones and other debris were thrown at the gate like raindrops, and a few brave people even tried to rush into the mansion. The servants in the mansion held long sticks and waited in full battle array, trying to protect the peace in the mansion.

Gu Zhiyi sighed secretly in her heart. The Duke's Mansion was at the center of the storm at the moment. If the crisis was not resolved in time, it would probably cause even greater turmoil.

The guards pushed out the shields, which shone coldly in the sun, like a firm line of defense between the chaotic crowd and the Ningguo Mansion. Xie Yunchen stood in the middle with a firm look, and his eyes were like a sharp sword, pointing directly at those questioning voices.

Xie Yunchen raised his voice and said to the crowd: "I, Xie Yunchen, swear to heaven that no one in Ningguo Mansion has betrayed the country! If anyone dares to question it, I am willing to confront him face to face!"

Someone in the crowd said viciously, "Well, even if you are right, I still want to ask you, why did you go to the Heavenly Hall to beat the drum in person? Don't you know what this means?"

A trace of determination flashed in Xie Yunchen's eyes: "I know that beating the drum for reporting means that this matter will be made public and let the world judge. But I, Xie Yunchen, am upright and I am not afraid of anyone's doubts. As long as the truth comes out, the reputation of Ningguo Mansion will naturally be restored."

"The Duke is guilty of treason. I have evidence."

He walked towards the old soldier with a sloping foot and asked expressionlessly, "Old soldier, is what you said true? Did the Duke really lose the battle and be executed for treason?"

The old soldier straightened up, the armor in his hand shining with rust and glory in the sun. He said in a deep voice: "Thank you, Master. Although I am old and weak, I am not so bad as to confuse right and wrong. I watched the Duke put on this armor with my own eyes. Every scar on it is a trace of battle. If the Duke had not deliberately retreated, how could this armor return to our hands so intact?"

Xie Yunce frowned, he looked at the old soldier, and said in a serious tone: "What evidence do you have to prove that the Duke retreated on purpose? The scars on the armor may also be caused by the fierce battle."

The old soldier's eyes flashed with anger, and he raised his voice: "Evidence! I have evidence here! The Duke secretly summoned us old subordinates before the war. He told us that if the war went badly, we should bring this armor back to prove his innocence. We didn't believe that the Duke would commit treason, but we didn't expect..."

Xie Yunce's eyes were firm, and he walked steadily towards the old soldier. His voice was low and powerful: "You said that my father deliberately lost the battle and was executed for treason? This is related to the honor and reputation of the Duke's Mansion. You must provide solid evidence!"

The old soldier raised his head and looked at Xie Yunce firmly: "The evidence is in my hands. Young masters and young ladies of the Duke's Mansion, you may as well make your own judgments."