Yang Xi closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she had suppressed the pain in her eyes.

Her father-in-law raised her as his own daughter. She saw the shadow of her father in her father-in-law. After so many years of living together, her father-in-law was like his own father.

Yun Ya was terrified, fearing that something might happen to the Madam. “Madam.”

Yang Xi’s voice was filled with sorrow, “Let’s go over there.”

Before Yang Xi reached the main courtyard, she heard bursts of crying.

She entered the main courtyard and carefully identified the voices. They were all from the people she cared about the most.

There was a whine in the mother-in-law’s cry, and her xiǎo shūzihusband’s youngest brother and xiǎo gūzihusband’s youngest sister were sobbing in fear. The one crying the loudest was her eldest son, named Zhou Ziheng. The only sound in the room that was not heard was that of her husband, Zhou Yu.

The servants in the main courtyard were sobbing silently. Yang Xi didn’t care how sincere they were and she walked into the room anxiously.

In the bedroom, father-in-law Zhou Huai was lying on the bed with blood-stained clothes on. The strong smell of blood filled his nose, just as she remembered. The court stipulated that officials committing suicide was a serious crime. Just as she remembered, father-in-law once again deliberately angered the Emperor just to seek death.

Yang Xi’s tears rolled down her cheeks. Why didn’t she come back earlier? Why didn’t God treat her better? Even if she came back one day earlier, it would be fine!

She didn’t want to face her father-in-law’s death again. She knelt straight down and said in a sad voice, “Dad.”

Zhou Huai was already at the end of his strength. Seeing his eldest daughter-in-law who had raised him like a daughter, he endured the pain and comforted her, “Don’t worry, Dad is fine.”

Yang Xi’s eyesight was blurred by tears, and her father-in-law lied to her as if it were a memory, “Dad.”

There was a strong reluctance in her tone. She was unwilling to give up. It would be good if she could come back one day earlier!

Zhou Yu’s heart trembled. He knew his wife too well. They grew up together. He knew that his wife had the same opportunities as him.

Zhou Yu held his wife’s hand. He understood her dissatisfaction, but he was no less unwilling. “I have always been here.”

Yang Xi’s heart was pounding. She met her husband’s eyes, which also contained resentment. Only those who have experienced it could have such a look. Her tears flowed even harder.

They grew up together, like half of each other, and she understood what her husband meant. They were blessed by God and had the same opportunities. She was not reborn alone.

Zhou Yu held his wife’s hand tightly, turned his head, and looked at his father. His heart felt like it was being tortured, and his voice trembled, “Dad, your son can’t save you.”

Zhou Huai’s eyes lit up a lot, “You’ve done very well, Dad can’t escape.”

He had been in the court for many years, and he knew that too many people wanted to kill him. His mortal enemies just saw the opportunity. He used to think that his son was too immature when he first entered the official career, but today his son performed very well, so he could die with peace of mind.

Yang Xi understood that Zhou Yu must have done something, but he still couldn’t save his father’s life.

Zhou Yu finally burst into tears, “My son is useless, I hate him!”

He hated that good people don’t live long, he hated that villains were in power, he hated that tyrants were in power, and he hated why they didn’t come back one day earlier, every word was heart-wrenching and full of hatred.

Yang Xi also started crying. This feeling of unwillingness was too torturous.

Zhou Huai looked at his son with a heavy gaze, which finally turned into a sigh, “You all go out, I want to talk to Yu’er for a few words.”

Yang Xi knelt without moving. In her memory, she had left obediently, but this time she wanted to stay.

Zhou Yu did not let go of his hand either. When Zhou Huai saw this, he signaled his wife to take their younger son and daughter out.

The bedroom was quiet, and Zhou Huai spoke, “When you return to your ancestral home, Yu’er must remember not to rashly seek revenge.”

Yang Xi felt heavy-hearted after hearing this. His father was being plotted against by a villain, and the enemy was so cruel that he wanted to turn the Zhou family into military households.

When the dynasty was established, the imperial court was very harsh on military households to ensure the supply of soldiers. Once you became a military household, many of your rights would be taken away from you.

The establishment of the military household system had both advantages and disadvantages. However, the military household system was not perfected when the imperial power changed. As the imperial power changed, too much filth was hidden in the darkness, and gradually the officials who managed the military households began to oppress them.

Of course, the military households in some states were lucky, but as the court became corrupt, the officials who managed the military households became more and more daring in colluding with the local government offices, and oppression outweighed fairness.

Yang Xi remembered several major cases involving military households, but they continued to occur despite repeated bans, and very few military households could make a name for themselves.

This resulted in the status of military households becoming lower and lower, and their families were extremely miserable. Men had to serve in the military when they reached a certain age, and it was difficult for sons to marry because they had to join in place of their fathers after their fathers died.

Military households were not allowed to change their household registration unless the Emperor or the Minister of War did.

How could ordinary people meet the Minister of War, let alone the Emperor? If they didn’t cheat and become awesome, it would mean that military households would be military households for generations.

Of course, the miserable state of the military households did not mean that the troops were weak. Even if the imperial court was so incompetent, the imperial court’s troops were still very capable.

Yang Xi felt even sadder, as she had heard all this from her father-in-law.

Once the Zhou family became a military household and were exiled, even if the dynasty was destroyed, the Zhou family would still be governed. In troubled times, heroes fought for supremacy, and military households were the source of soldiers. If they were lucky, they would meet someone who appreciated them, but if they were unlucky, one could imagine how miserable their future would be.

The Zhou family became a military household. Would the enemy arrange a good place for the Zhou family? Of course not. They would torture everyone in the Zhou family to death!

Yang Xi clasped her palms with her fingertips. Her father-in-law risked his life to help the Zhou family escape the plan of recruiting soldiers.

However, the enemy still did not let them go. In her memory, she and her husband were buried in a sea of ​​fire together.

Zhou Huai arranged the funeral arrangements and saw that his eldest daughter-in-law seemed to be possessed by a demon. His tone was full of worry, “Yu’er, take good care of your wife.”

When Yang Xi heard what his father-in-law said, she suddenly came to his senses and said in a hoarse voice, “Dad, we will be fine, and our Zhou family will be safe and sound.”

Zhou Yu choked up and said, “Dad, I will fulfill your regrets.”

Zhou Huai smiled, “Okay, okay.”

Then he slowly closed his eyes!

(End of this chapter)

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