After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 615 Mother and Son

That evening, Ma waited until her second son Hai Chang'an returned from Weixue, and immediately called him into her room.

She whispered to Hai Changan, "Hurry up and prepare. We will go back to Yongping Prefecture in two days. The master has decided to go back to retire, but the house in the old house has been vacant for more than 30 years. It is estimated that it is uninhabitable. The eldest branch of the family will not help us repair the house, and the clan members will not care. We have to send someone back in advance to repair and rebuild the house. Apart from you, there is no other suitable candidate. If you hurry on the way, you should be able to reach Yongping Prefecture before the New Year. Your wife and children will stay in Changan first. When the spring comes next year, I will ask someone to send them back."

Hai Chang'an was stunned, and couldn't help but ask stupidly: "Why do you say that, mother? Why do you want me to go back to my hometown at this time?" It was winter now, and there had been a snowfall in Chang'an City. Although the snow was not heavy, it was cold enough. Even if he was in good health, he had traveled in winter before, but why should he suffer for no reason? It would take a few years for his adoptive father Hai Xiya to retire and return to his hometown. Is it necessary to rebuild the house at this time? Besides, he is not of the Hai family bloodline. Even if he went to the Hai family's hometown in Yongping Prefecture, he would not know anyone. The house needs to be repaired and rebuilt, which means it cannot be lived in. So even if he rushed there before the New Year, what's the point? The eldest branch of the Hai family is not considered a good family in the eyes of his adoptive mother Ma. Can they still take in a stranger like him to live in their home?

Ma whispered to him what had happened in the past two days, especially pointing out that Ma Shangyi now had a deep hatred towards Concubine Chang Gui and the Chang family. Although there was no sign of her anger being vented on him, no one could tell when she would explode.

When Ma Shangyi forced Madam Ma to drink the imperial poison, she was also calm. Madam Ma could not guarantee that she would not kill her neighbor's enemies and relatives, nor was she sure that she could protect her adopted son. The safest way was to keep Hai Chang'an away from the disaster.

The safest way is actually for Hai Chang'an and his son Xiao Shitou to leave together. It doesn't matter that Hu is not of the Chang family, as long as Hai Chang'an and his son are safe. However, the weather is cold now, and the road back to Zhili is not easy to travel. Considering that Xiao Shitou has been in poor health since he fell seriously ill on the way back to Suzhou from Guazhou that year, Ma can't bear to let the child suffer, so she can only let Hai Chang'an go first, and let Hu take the child back to Yongping to reunite with him next spring.

After the initial shock, Hai Changan remained calm. After listening to his stepmother's words, he said, "I have been busy with the end-of-year exams at school these days and didn't notice what happened at home. When I heard Xiao Shitou's mother talking about Madam Mei, I didn't pay much attention to it. I didn't expect that this matter was also related to her great-aunt... and Concubine Chang Gui. Since it was her sin when she was alive, I have nothing to say. My father had accepted his fate before he died. Who told us that we all have the surname Chang? Even if we didn't participate in anything, the sins of the Chang family should be shared by all the descendants of the Chang family. Mother, don't worry about me. The New Year is coming soon, why bother at this time?"

Ma was anxious after hearing this: "What nonsense are you talking about?! Your father never received any favor from Concubine Chang Gui, and he even passed the imperial examination with his own efforts and real ability. Because he is outstanding, he is still suppressed and excluded by the people of the direct branch, and he is thrown to Chang'an to be punched. Concubine Chang Gui's brothers and nephews haven't done anything wrong, why should you and your father share the responsibility?! There is a perpetrator for every injustice, and you haven't hurt anyone, so you shouldn't be implicated! Even if the victim wants revenge, the direct branch should be the first to atone for the sins, and then it will be the turn of you side branches to suffer! It is absolutely unreasonable for the culprit of the direct branch to continue to enjoy wealth and honor, while throwing the innocent side branches out to take the blame!"

Hai Changan smiled and said, "Since mother understands this, then just tell Ma Shangyi. If she can figure it out, and the relatives of the murdered palace maids can also figure it out, and spare our lives, I will be very grateful. But if they can't figure it out, and insist on taking it out on me, I have nothing to say. I can grow up safely to my twenties, have a wife and children, have enough food and clothing, and see a lot of scenery and the world. This is already a pleasant surprise. I am actually luckier than my father. Even if I am asked to die now, I have no complaints. If it weren't for the kindness of my parents, I would have died more than ten years ago."

"Bullshit!" Ma spat at him, "You deserve to die if you say that! Do you still know that I am your mother? Do you still remember that your father was kind to you? Are you hurting me and your father by saying that?! We raised you up to this age, and we were counting on you to provide for us in our old age. If you die now, wouldn't we have worked in vain?!"

Hai Changan immediately knelt down, hugged his mother's legs and apologized: "I said the wrong thing, don't be angry, mother. I just... don't want you to offend powerful people because of an unfilial son like me. Dad has been suffering in the northwest for so many years. In order to protect my cousin and others, he delayed his own career for so long. He is about to retire and finally has a hope of making a breakthrough. How can I hinder him?"

Ma spitted at him again: "Why do you think the master wants to go out and make a career at such an old age? The family is not without money, wouldn't it be better for him to go home and be a leisurely rich man? Isn't it for you little ones?! If it wasn't to pave the way for you and Baoshun, the master wouldn't suffer this! In such a cold weather, he still has to work hard in the government office, leaving home early every day and returning home only after dark. Why do you think he is willing to suffer this?!"

Hai Changan lowered his head and dared not argue anymore. He listened obediently to his mother's scolding.

Ma added, "Well, it's not just for you, it's also for Xiao Shitou! How old is he? The old aunt who married our ancestors killed someone more than 40 years ago, what does it have to do with him?! If Concubine Chang Gui had not died for the late emperor with a big fanfare, the Chang family would have been in trouble at the time. Even if your father's title of Jinshi was implicated and revoked, Xiao Shitou could have re-entered the imperial examination. He is already five generations away from the mourning period, why should a child like him be implicated by the treacherous concubine?!
"In my opinion, it's all the Chang family's fault. They harmed people and should have been brought to justice long ago. Those who deserved to be killed should be killed, those who deserved to be imprisoned should be imprisoned, and those who deserved to be exiled should be exiled. When they have received all the punishments they deserved, the victims would not have been holding back their resentment for decades without a place to vent! If the direct branch of the Chang family had taken on the responsibilities they should have, you side branches would just have the same surname as Chang. Who would have taken out their anger on you? The reason why you and your biological father have suffered so much is not because the direct branch of the Chang family is not a human being?! I don't care what others think, but I can't watch my innocent children suffer for outsiders!"

Hai Chang'an wanted to laugh, but before he could laugh, tears had already flowed out of his eyes.

Yes, although his surname was Chang and he should have been close relatives to the Chang family, but now he was Hai Chang'an and the Hai family was his real family. Those with the surname Chang were outsiders!
He hugged his stepmother's legs tightly, choking with sobs, "Son understands, son understands everything! Don't worry, mother, son will be fine. Son knows what to do, you can rest assured..."

(End of this chapter)