Perhaps because he could not bear it, Eunuch Li cleared his throat and said, “Madam Song, His Majesty is merciful. He has given you permission to hold a funeral in the residence. You have to take care of yourself. After all, these two children are still so young. If you fall, what will happen to them?”
Feeling the trembling bodies of the two children beside her, Madam Li closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and knelt down. She raised her hands to receive the decree.
In a trembling voice, she said, “The wife of the sinner, Madam Li, accepts the decree. Thank you, Your Majesty… for your kindness…”
Eunuch Li nodded and did not nag any further. He handed over the imperial edict.
Looking around at the kneeling servants, he gestured at the people behind him. “Take away all those who are registered as slaves by the government.”
The large group of people were already worried, but they were even more terrified now.
They instantly collapsed to the ground, their faces pale.
Once they left this residence, they would become guilty slaves. Choosing their new masters was out of the question, any family that was even slightly prominent would not want them.
However, their opinions didn’t matter.
When an official finished reading the list of names, they were immediately captured.
Without even giving them time to pack up, the group of slaves was quickly taken away.
Only a few people who had been released from their status as slaves were left kneeling there.
Uncle Yang repeated the list of names.
The front yard, which had been crowded just a moment earlier, suddenly became empty. A gust of wind blew past. It was clearly summer.
However, those who witnessed this scene felt a chill down their spines, and they shivered unconsciously.
The Duke’s Residence, which had been very imposing a few days ago, suddenly looked depressing.
The decorations from the wedding ceremony were dirty from being stepped on, and scattered on the ground.
The red silk that had yet to be removed under the eaves looked more like a joke at this moment.
“Father, Grandfather, please get up…” When no one was looking, Brother Hao and Sister Huan ran to the two corpses lying on the ground.
Tears ran down their faces as they each tugged at one of them, stubbornly trying to pull the two silent men off the ground.
But no matter how hard they tried, the two of them remained motionless.
Brother Hao turned to look at his mother in confusion and said uneasily, “Mother, please ask Father and Grandfather to get up. Father promised to make a small wooden horse for us when he returned…”
As he spoke, he sobbed again. “And Grandpa, he said that he would teach me martial arts when I grow up, and make me as powerful as Big Brother…”
Hearing these childish words, the surrounding people could not help but tear up again.
Madam Li took a deep breath and suppressed tears that welled up in her eyes. She subconsciously tightened her grip on the imperial edict in her hand until her fingertips turned white.
Then, she forced himself to stand straight up and said to the remaining people, “I’ll have to trouble everyone here. After this matter is settled, let’s disperse!”
“Ma’am …”
Madam Li waved her hand to stop them from interrupting, and she continued. “Uncle Yang, please invite a doctor back to take a look at Brother Chen.”
“Aye!” Uncle Yang immediately got to work.
After instructing Shen Yijia to send Song Jingchen back to his room, she turned to look at the twins. “Brother Hao, Sister Huan, your father and grandfather have passed on. Will you accompany your mother to send them off?”
“Mother…” The nine-year-olds could more or less understand what she meant, and immediately burst into tears.
Although there weren’t many people left, everyone still got to work according to Madam Li’s arrangements.
Before night fell, white banners had already been hung in the residence and a mourning hall had been set up.
