Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

Chapter 47: First Shift

Yaoying did not forget.

Not only because she was a granddaughter of the Xie family, but because she was born in the chaotic world and grew up in the chaotic world. Because, when wandering at the age of five, she saw too many instances of families being separated without warning, parting forever.

The whole country was in a mess, the land full of those who met with disaster.

Yaoying was also a person who struggled to survive in this chaotic world where human lives were regarded as grass. She respected the Zhu clan that tried their hardest to salvage the situation back then, admired the Xie family whose ancestors sacrificed their lives for their country and who were overlooked and disregarded. She respected her uncle Xie Wuliang who was weak but never lost his will to support the ruler.

It was precisely because of the ancestors of the Zhu clan, of the Xie family, of the countless who unhesitantly stepped forward when their country was being lost to enemy hands, who risked their lives to protect the people-heroes whose blood sprinkled on the ground so peace and tranquility were possible-who sacrificed themselves for the coming years of peace for the people.

Some people admired the Xie family.

However, more people could not comprehend the Xie family's ancestral teachings. They ridiculed the Xie family ancestors' pedantic and foolish loyalty, ridiculing that the Xie family did not know how to plan for themselves. They only knew how to lead soldiers to battle yet their whole di branch and 100,000 strong Xie army fell, making Xie Wuliang, a noble family gentleman, have no choice but to lower himself and deal with businessmen, covering himself with the stench of copper.

Yaoying once thought that if her uncle Xie Wuliang was still alive, she would have advised him to protect himself and urged that he plan more for the Xie family.

Because she was just an ordinary person who wanted to live well with her loved ones.

Xie Wuliang wouldn't have listened to her advice; he would have laughed before moving on.

The children of the Xie family were not people who were greedy for life and afraid of death.

For the sake of their family and their country, they would die a good death.

For their nation, their land, and the people. Just not for themselves.

This Xie family's lineage had been thoroughly severed.

Evaporating like smoke, dispersing like clouds.

Today, eleven whole years later, Yaoying stood in front of Li De, standing in the grand, bright Liangyi Hall, and said clearly: "Your Majesty, I am not, as a daughter of the Li family, appealing to you for your mercy, but as a granddaughter of the Xie family, I am asking for justice from the emperor to whom the Xie family was loyal!

"My aniang is the last of the Xie family's bloodline left in this world. My uncle did not ask for anything else, only that you treat my aniang well. You swore to take good care of my aniang, but Your Majesty, have you done so?"

Each word was calling for blood, powerful and resonating.

Li De did not say a word, quietly looking at Yaoying.

The mythical incense burner continued releasing light streams of smoke.

Yaoying's body trembled as she lost her strength. She forced her body to stand firm, and then said, "I am collecting the third account on my elder brother's behalf."

The corners of her mouth tugged: "Ah ye, back then, concerning when the Li family clansmen supported the establishment of my elder brother as shizi, and Empress Tang fought with my aniang over it, this daughter would like to ask you a question."