Inside the kitchen.
Xu Xi's gaze fell upon the flames dancing within the stove hearth.
The bright firelight reflected in his eyes, also igniting a certain new thought.
That player with the earring had made his meaning quite clear. To clear this instance, they needed to no longer be members of the Shen family in name, to no longer be Master Shen's children.
So, scratching their names off the clan genealogy was equivalent to expelling them from the family.
This logic was incredibly simple and crude, yet surprisingly reasonable.
As long as they weren't Shen family members, the Shen family's "debt" naturally wouldn't fall upon their heads.
Similarly, they would no longer need to observe mourning for Master Shen and could leave the Shen Residence openly and honorably.
But judging by the current situation, he couldn't get his hands on that broken writing brush in advance.
Without the brush, he naturally couldn't scratch out any names.
However… who said that scratching out names was the only way to sever ties with the Shen family?
Thinking from another angle, what if he simply burned the clan genealogy? Without the black ink on white paper in the genealogy, who could prove they were Shen family members?
Xu Xi naturally knew this idea was outrageous.
But after experiencing the mixed-team competition, he had gained a whole new understanding of these instances.
Perhaps the method to clear an instance was indeed unique, but the process might not be.
Anyway, as long as the end result allowed them to shed the title of "Shen family children," the means to achieve it were completely unimportant.
As for whether this method would work or not… he'd try it first.
Time was tight. In any case, he couldn't find a better solution at the moment.
If it failed, at worst he'd find a way to pry open the coffin and get the brush in the next attempt.
And as for where the Shen family's clan genealogy was hidden, he already had a guess in his heart—
That ancient well that once drowned the Seventh Concubine's son and was later tightly sealed.
Thinking of this, Xu Xi immediately turned and headed towards the small door.
He couldn't touch the ancient well, couldn't fish out the genealogy, but there was one creature that could!
*
In the courtyard.
"The hour is growing late, Madam. Perhaps you should rest first. You can continue this embroidery pattern tomorrow," the maidservant standing to the side softly advised.
The Seventh Concubine didn't respond. She merely lowered her head to look at the half-sewn little garment in her hands. The needle tip hovered in mid-air, the thread trembling slightly, as if unsure where to land.
The candlelight fell upon her face, making the dark circles under her eyes even more startling.
The maidservant waited a moment. Seeing she still showed no intention of stopping, she let out a soft sigh and bent down to tidy the sewing basket on the stone table.
"If Madam truly cannot set her mind at ease, this servant can go to the Ancestral Temple first thing tomorrow to offer incense for the Sixth Young Master," she paused, her voice dropping even lower. "Your health… if you keep pushing yourself like this, I'm afraid even the Sixth Young Master's spirit in heaven would not rest easy."
The Seventh Concubine's body trembled. Just as she was about to speak, a series of urgent barks suddenly erupted from the shrubs.
"Woof! Woof, woof—"
Both women immediately looked towards the sound.
They saw a young man wearing a dark blue long gown unhurriedly pass through the Moon Gate, walking directly towards them.
Xue Ke, meanwhile, had his ears perked up, a continuous, threatening growl rumbling in his throat.
The Seventh Concubine's face changed slightly. She stood up. The maidservant quickly reached out to support her, but her gaze swept warily towards the approaching man.
Xu Xi, demonstrating good awareness, stopped about three meters away.
"Third Young Master, this is the residence of the female family members," the maidservant was the first to regain her composure, her tone somewhat tense. "Your presence here seems rather improper."
Xu Xi didn't look at her. Instead, he looked directly at the Seventh Concubine she was shielding behind her.
"I can help you have your son's name scratched off the clan genealogy."
