Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 480 - 255 Long Union Must Part_3

Chapter 480: Chapter 255 Long Union Must Part_3

He rambled on for a long while, then took a cloth to cover his face and wept. His words moved Assistant Pan and Pan Yang, who also began to reflect seriously.

After crying for a while, Prince Consort Pan wiped his tears clean, raised his head, and said, "As the saying goes, ’Everything that comes together must eventually part.’ The time for the five aristocratic families to split has come. If it weren’t for these five families acting in unison, influencing the rise and fall of the previous dynasty over the past hundred years, and swaying the politics during the late Emperor’s reign, the present Emperor wouldn’t regard us with such caution, wishing to remove us quickly. It is better to split than to be altogether destroyed. Soon, I will resign from my official duties, and my second and third brothers, who hold minor sixth-rank positions, are not of any concern. Yang should also resign... When Brother Jie grows up, he can then seek public office..."

Assistant Pan of course understood this rationale, but the bonds between the five families were intricate and complex after hundreds of years of intermarriages; his own wife was from the Wong family...

For the first time, Pan Yang stood on the same front as his father and said, "Grandfather, I think my father is right. It is better for us to split than to be destroyed together; it benefits everyone. Those four families cannot forget the glory of when the five aristocratic families united and continue to support the next monarch, striving to maintain our past glory. Little do they know, this has already incurred the Emperor’s displeasure... Moreover, my niece’s adopted son is the sole child of Prince Ning, and their bond as mother and child is profound. The Emperor’s Maternal Grandmother, who has been neutral, is very fond of my niece and might become biased once she knows the truth. I think the likelihood of Prince Ning ascending to the throne is much greater..."

Afterward, three generations of the family discussed these matters throughout the night.

The next day, the deeply emotional Prince Consort Pan, dressed in white hemp clothes and wearing a wooden hairpin, rented a small courtyard not far from the Elder Princess’s grave. He would go to the grave during the day to offer incense and reminisce, and only return to the courtyard to rest after dark. This went on for three months, during which he wrote a poem lamenting his late wife, titled "Quiet Night Thoughts." Full of poignant emotion, the poem’s somber beauty quickly became a beloved masterpiece that continued to be passed down through the ages.

During these three months, Pan Linfu defied the advice of the other four families and resigned from his position of Secondary Assistant. At first, the Emperor did not agree, but after Pan Linfu had severely injured his head from kowtowing, the Emperor finally agreed with tears in his eyes.

Following that, everyone from the Pan family who held an official position also resigned. Only Earl of Rongen, Pan Zi’an, and Protectorate General, Pan Yang, could not resign as these were hereditary noble titles, not official posts. Such titles could only be taken back if one committed an offense and the Emperor decided to revoke or demote the title or upon the death of the titleholder.

As for those who resigned from their official posts, Pan Linfu, Old Great-grandpa, and Pan Zi’an still received corresponding compensation—they were given silver.

With nothing to do, Pan Linfu then led his sons and grandsons in preparations to open an Academy.

In mid-July, the nature-loving Mr. Pan left the capital again. Now, Mr. Pan was not only a famous painter and poet but also adored by scholars and the recipient of countless women’s affections because of his deep devotion. His poem "Quiet Night Thoughts" was so moving!

Before he left, his youngest daughter Pan Yuanfeng came to him in tears to complain about her increasingly difficult life at the Cui family. Because she had used some tricks to marry Cui Jinxiu, she had not won the favor of her in-laws and faced the jealousy of the other wives. Her mother-in-law would constantly introduce women to her husband, who by now had three concubines and two maids-with-benefits. Although she was pregnant, she still had to act according to the rules set by her mother-in-law.

Now, Old Great-grandpa had stubbornly relinquished his position as Assistant and also estranged his family from the other four aristocratic families. This had greatly displeased the other four, including the Cui family.

Prince Consort Pan looked at his youngest daughter crying before him. Although she wasn’t as beautiful as Yueyue, she also had a graceful figure and an uncommon temperament. The Pan family’s daughters were all talented, and she was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. If she hadn’t taken that wrongful step earlier and had married someone appropriate to her status, she would be living well now.

Prince Consort Pan consoled her for a while, advising her to carry on, embrace life with her child, secure her husband’s heart, and aim for a separate household in the future. In the end, he gave her a few thousand taels in silver notes.

Pan Yuanfeng was somewhat surprised. Whenever she went to her father to complain in the past, he would just curse the Cui family and give her some silver, never having spoken to her as much about day-to-day life as he did now.

When Prince Consort Pan and Brother Jie arrived at Guiyuan, it was early August, and the autumn wind was cool.

That day, in the sunny autumn afternoon with the sky high and clouds sparse, Cheng Yue was playing with several children in front of Wangjiang Building. Jingjing sat on the swing under the tree, with Yixiu gently pushing her, while Ming Wa and Shan Dian circled around them. The children’s giggles and Shan Dian’s barks mixed into a joyous chorus that could be heard from afar.

Gazing at this peaceful and serene scene, Prince Consort Pan felt a profound sense of tranquility and softness in his heart. Having lived more than half a lifetime, he had finally come to understand what he truly wanted.

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