The physician came over to check Qiu Shi's pulse and administered two acupuncture needles before she finally regained consciousness. He then turned to Han Jianming and said, "My Lord, the Old Lady is already advanced in age—she must not suffer any more shocks. If she does, she could very well have a stroke."
Han Jianming nodded, "I will be careful." This matter was too important to hide, so he had no choice but to tell the truth. Otherwise, he would have kept it from her.
When Qiu Shi woke up, she didn't speak right away. Instead, tears rolled down her face as she asked, "Ming-er, what are we going to do?"
Raising troops in rebellion was a crime that implicated nine generations of family members. Yun Qing was their family Guye1—how could the Han family escape this disaster?
Han Jianming spoke quietly, "Mom, don't worry. I have clarified my stance to His Majesty—we have severed all ties with Yun Qing and Yuxi. His rebellion has nothing to do with us." There was no choice but to draw a clear line between them.
Qiu Shi asked in disbelief, "Is that true?"
Han Jianming nodded. "It's true. Yun Qing rebelled at the beginning of the month, and it has been over twenty days now. Aren't we still fine? Mom, please don't worry, we'll be fine." In truth, he had been expecting this day for a long time.
But instead of being reassured, Qiu Shi burst into sobs. "How could this happen? How could Yun Qing suddenly rebel? If his rebellion fails, what will happen to Yuxi and Zaozao?" The Han family could sever their ties and avoid involvement, but Yuxi and Zaozao would not be able to escape death.
At that moment, everyone except the mother and son had already been led away by Mama Li. Lowering his voice, Han Jianming said, "Mom, don't worry. Yun Qing's rebellion will not fail." This rebellion was not an impulsive act—Yun Qing had been preparing for this for a long time.
Qiu Shi was startled and asked, "How do you know that?"
Han Jianming whispered like a mosquito, "Mom, the Emperor will never tolerate Yuxi and Yun Qing. They will eventually be forced into a dead end if they don't rebel now. Yun Qing and Yuxi had no choice but to rebel. Don't worry—the Northwest is already in turmoil, and the Northwest Army is known for its ferocity. Their chances of success are high."
Qiu Shi had assumed that Yun Qing was simply ambitious, but when she heard her son's explanation, she was so frightened that her face turned pale. She asked in horror, "Are you and Yuxi involved in this?"
Han Jianming quickly shook his head. "No, this is just my speculation. But you know Yuxi's temperament—would she be willing to remain under someone else's control forever? If I'm right, she must be the one pushing Yun Qing from behind." Yuxi was simply too formidable. Otherwise, why would the Emperor go to such lengths to have her killed?
Qiu Shi worriedly said, "Even if Yun Qing conquers the Northwest, what then? The Imperial Court will still be able to suppress them."
Han Jianming replied, "Mom, you don't have to worry about that. Yun Qing is an excellent military strategist. Even if the court sends troops to subdue him, they won't be able to." Han Jianming wasn't worried about Yun Qing; his real concern was Yuxi. If something happened to her, all their efforts would be wasted, not to mention Han Jianye's life would be in danger. But he did not dare to tell Qiu Shi.
Qiu Shi hurriedly asked, "What about Yuxi?"
Han Jianming said, "As long as Yun Qing is safe, Yuxi will be safe, too. Mom, until things are settled, Jianye cannot return to the capital. But with Yuxi there, he will be safe." Of course, that was assuming that Yuxi herself was safe.
Qiu Shi wept, "Why is Yuxi's fate so bitter? She had just started to live a good life, and now disaster had struck. And to make matters worse, it was all because of Jianye. Qiu Shi felt like her heart was being torn apart.
Han Jianming said, "Mom, the Imperial Court is corrupt. Sooner or later, the whole country will fall into chaos. It's better for Yuxi and Yun Qing to make their move now. Once they establish themselves in the Northwest, we will also have an escape route." In order to reassure Qiu Shi, he said more than he otherwise would have.
Qiu Shi asked, "Is the Imperial Court really in such dire straits?" She knew the current situation was unstable, but she had not realised it was so bad.
Han Jianming nodded and whispered into her ear, "Mom, Yan Wushuang has proof that the Emperor has conspired with the Donghu people. Because of this, Song Guojiu2 made a trip to Liaodong. The Emperor fears losing his throne if this matter is exposed." The entire country would be plunged into chaos if this scandal came to light.
Qiu Shi turned pale with fear.
Han Jianming continued, "Mom, you must take care of yourself. I have removed Yuxi from the family registry and publicly severed all ties with her. In the future, when the world is in turmoil, and we need to seek refuge in the Northwest, we will need you to mediate. Otherwise, Yuxi will not take us in." His words were meant to reassure her and lift her spirits. In his heart, Han Jianming knew that even if Yuxi found out that he had severed ties with her, she wouldn't blame him—she would understand that it was only a temporary measure.
Qiu Shi asked worriedly, "Can Yun Qing succeed? Throughout history, how many rebels have actually won?"
Han Jianming replied, "Mom, this is different. If he had rebelled in a time of peace, he would surely be doomed. But this is a time of chaos—the Imperial Court no longer has the power to suppress uprisings." Han Jianming had long suspected that Yuxi harboured rebellious ambitions, but he had chosen to turn a blind eye. The reason was simple—without military power in a time of chaos, they would only be at the mercy of others. He would have preferred Han Jianye to wield that power, but since Jianye was not up to it, they had no choice but to rely on Yun Qing.
Qiu Shi knew her eldest son very well. If he weren't confident, he wouldn't be so careless. "Ming-er, I trust you."
Han Jianming comforted her, "Mom, you must take care of yourself. Lil Boy Shun and the others will need your protection in the future."
For the sake of her son and grandchildren, Qiu Shi knew she had to stay strong. "Don't worry, I will take care of myself."
Mama Li came to the door with a bowl of medicine and called out, "Old Lady, my Lord, the medicine is ready."
After drinking the medicine, Qiu Shi told Han Jianming, "Go and take care of your business. Mama Li is here with me—I'll be fine. Ming-er, from now on, you must tell me everything. Don't keep me in the dark anymore."
Han Jianming quickly promised, "Mom, don't worry. I won't hide anything from you again." Nothing could be worse than Yun Qing's rebellion and Jianye nearly getting Yuxi k*lled.
The medicine had a calming effect, and not long after taking it, Qiu Shi fell asleep. Han Jianming turned to Mama Li and instructed, "For the time being, don't let anyone else serve my mother. I have to trouble you to watch over her personally." The consequences would be unimaginable if his mother spoke in her sleep and revealed secrets. To be on the safe side, it was best for Mama Li to take care of her.
Mama Li immediately understood his meaning and assured him, "My Lord, rest assured—I will not leave the Old Lady's side."
Ye Shi was sewing clothes for the children when she saw Han Jianming return. She quickly stepped forward and asked, "Lord Duke, has there been any news from the Northwest?"
Qiu Shi was no longer in charge of the household and did not know about outside affairs. However, as the mistress of the Han family, Ye Shi was well informed. When she first heard about Yun Qing's rebellion, she almost fainted from shock.
In front of Qiu Shi, Han Jianming had to hide his negative emotions so as to not worry her. But in front of his wife, he did not need to hide anything. He sat down on the couch, looking exhausted, and only after drinking a cup of tea did he tell Ye Shi about the situation. He sighed, "If I had known things would turn out this way, I would never have asked his opinion. I should have sent Lu Shi directly to the Northwest. None of this trouble would have happened if she had been there."
After listening, Ye Shi immediately asked, "My Lord, who is the mastermind behind this? Why would someone go to such lengths to kill Si Mei3? What are they after?"
As for Han Jianye, Ye Shi didn't even want to say anything. He wouldn't have fallen into Qiu Yanfu's trap at the Duke's residence if he had any sense. That someone had used her brother-in-law to harm Yuxi came as no surprise. What surprised her was that Yuxi, who was usually so astute, had still made a mistake.
Han Jianming shook his head. He didn't know all the details and couldn't guess who was behind it. "Tell Lu Shi about this so that she has some awareness. Also, keep an eye on Mom." Ye Shi managed the Duke's household meticulously and was very filial to Qiu Shi, so Han Jianming trusted her deeply.
Ye Shi hesitated before speaking, "My Lord, we don't yet know the details of my brother-in-law's situation. If we tell Er Dimei4 now, it will only make her worry. I think it's better to wait until things are clearer before telling her."
Han Jianming agreed with her reasoning. "Then let's hold off for now." At this point, sending Lu Shi to the Northwest was no longer an option.
After a moment of hesitation, Ye Shi brought up another matter. "My Lord, many relatives have returned our New Year gifts over the past few days." Returning New Year gifts was a clear signal that they no longer wished to maintain ties. Since rebellion was a crime that affected nine generations, and since Yun Qing had caused such a great upheaval, these people were afraid of being dragged into it and wanted to distance themselves from the Han family.
Han Jianming only replied with a faint "Mm". It was common for people to kick others when they were down and rare to offer help in times of need. The only reason he hadn't been stripped of his position as Minister of War was that the Emperor's intentions were still unclear, and many people were in a wait-and-see mood. Otherwise, the Emperor's desk would have been flooded with letters of impeachment against him by now.
Lowering her head, Ye Shi said softly, "My Lord, even my family has returned our New Year gifts." Of course, she was referring to her maternal family. This act was their way of signalling a complete severance of ties with the Han family. Their decision not only embarrassed Ye Shi but also left her deeply disheartened.
When Han Jianming heard this, he looked up to see tears streaming down his wife's face. He said, "This matter is too serious. Given the circumstances, Father-in-law and Mother-in-law's decision to protect the Ye family is understandable."
Ye Shi wept as she let out, "If they're going to cut us off before anything happens, how can we rely on them when the real trouble comes?" When she first heard of Yun Qing's rebellion, she thought that if the Han family indeed faced disaster, she could entrust their daughter Qiqi to her maternal family. But now, before the Han family had even been implicated, the Ye family had already abandoned them.
Han Jianming reassured her, "Don't worry. The Han family will be fine. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't still have me as the Minister of War."
Ye Shi wiped away her tears and grasped Han Jianming's hand tightly. "My Lord, my only concern is Qiqi and Lil Boy Chang. If the Han family truly gets implicated, you must find a way to protect them. If they survive, I can die in peace." Even if the Han family were convicted, they would only be considered accomplices, not the main conspirators. The law did not extend punishment to children under the age of ten.
Han Jianming held Ye Shi and said, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you or the children." People often said that couples were like birds sharing the same tree, but when disaster struck, they would fly off in different directions. But when disaster loomed, Ye Shi never considered leaving the Han family to protect herself—her only concern was the safety of their two children. For that alone, Han Jianming was deeply moved.
Footnotes Full List
- 姑爷 gūye = son-in-law (used by the wife's family)
- the Emperor's maternal uncle or brother-in-law
- 四 sì = four/fourth, 妹 mèi = younger sister
- 二èr = two/second, 弟妹 dìmèi = younger brother's wife; sister-in-law
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi