SGEIRS -Chapter 567 Replacing the Heir Apparent

For several days in a row, Meng Dongyuan stayed constantly by Old Madam Meng’s side, attending to her without even removing his clothes to rest. He personally fed her food and medicine, and at night he refused to sleep, keeping vigil by her bed. He claimed her condition was unstable and that he feared something might happen to her during the night.

After only a few days, his face had grown haggard, dark circles shadowed his eyes, and he had lost a noticeable amount of weight. All his vitality seemed drained, as though he had fallen ill alongside Old Madam Meng herself. In the eyes of all the servants in the household, he was the very image of a devoted son, his filial piety moving everyone who saw it.

Old Madam Meng, however, suffered greatly because of him. Every time he fed her, she instinctively wanted to resist and refuse the food, but he threatened her with Chengxing—saying that if she dared resist, he would cut off Chengxing’s meals. She did not dare refuse. Yet once she swallowed the food, her heart pounded with fear, terrified that this unfilial son might poison her and take her life. Her mind was in torment. She wanted to tell him to stop pretending to be filial in front of her, but she had lost her ability to speak properly and could not utter a single complete sentence.

When Meng Dongyuan finally left Old Madam Meng’s room, he had barely rested these past few days. His steps were unsteady, and as he went down the steps, he stumbled. Luckily, a rough-handed old servant woman reacted quickly and caught him; otherwise, he would have fallen flat.

Seeing how exhausted and dazed he looked, the woman said, “My lord, it’s rare to see such a filial son as you. But you must also take care of your own health. If you collapse, the old madam will surely be heartbroken.”

Meng Dongyuan waved his hand. “I’m fine. As long as Mother can recover. Otherwise, I’ll never forgive myself for the rest of my life. I failed in teaching my son—raised such a rebellious, unfilial child.”

The servant woman dared not respond. After all, the one who had erred was the heir apparent; how could a servant comment on the rights and wrongs of her masters?

Meng Dongyuan let out a long sigh. Pain and fury surfaced on his face as he walked out of Rongfu Hall with unsteady steps. Just as he exited the courtyard gate, a servant hurried toward him.

“My lord! My lord!”

Meng Dongyuan frowned. “Why are you being so reckless?”

The servant came up to him, bowed, and reported, “My lord, the heir apparent has gone on a hunger strike for a full day. He didn’t take a single bite of the food sent to him today.”

Meng Dongyuan’s brow furrowed even deeper. “He committed wrongdoing and should be reflecting on himself, yet he dares to throw a tantrum by refusing food? Since he doesn’t want to eat, then don’t send him any tomorrow. When he decides he wants to eat, then give it to him.”

Knowing that Meng Dongyuan was furious, the servant still relayed everything. “My lord, the heir apparent says he wants to see the old madam. If he can’t see her, he would rather starve to death than eat.”

Meng Dongyuan’s face darkened, rage surging. “He still has the face to see his grandmother? If it weren’t for him, would she have fallen ill? Is he afraid he hasn’t angered her to death yet? Go back and tell him—eat if he wants, don’t eat if he doesn’t. If he starves to death, then so be it. For such an unfilial descendant, if he dies of hunger, the Meng family will act as though we never had such a person!”

At these words, the servant froze. He hadn’t expected the lord to care so little about the heir apparent’s life. It seemed that after Old Madam Meng had fallen ill because of him, the heir apparent had completely lost his father’s favor.

On the other side, when Meng Chengxing heard the servant’s reply, the last shred of hope he had collapsed entirely. In the whole family, aside from his grandmother, no one would help him. Even his own father did not care whether he lived or died—how cruel. He was his biological son, after all.

The servant, afraid that he might truly starve himself to death—and that the lord might later regret it and hold the servants accountable—tried to persuade him. “Young Master, you should at least eat something. The lord is just angry right now. He said that as long as you say you want to eat, I can bring you food.”

Meng Chengxing stiffened his neck. “Go back and tell him I won’t eat. If he has the ability, let him really starve me to death!”

The moment he finished speaking, his stomach growled loudly, the sound especially jarring in the silent ancestral hall.

He was starving—truly starving—but he clung to his pride. He said nothing more and chased the servant out.

However, by the latter half of the night, when hunger had reduced him to utter weakness, he could no longer keep up the act. With what little strength he had left, he called out to the servants outside, asking them to bring him food.

Throwing a tantrum in the heat of the moment was one thing—but to truly starve himself to death? He was genuinely afraid.

So what if his grandmother, his pillar of support, was gone? He couldn’t actually let himself die of hunger. He was the heir apparent of the marquisate—someone who would inherit the title in the future. Once the old man died, the entire Meng family would be his.

As long as the green hills remained, there would be no fear of running out of firewood. He understood that principle well.

—

The next day.

At the morning court session, Meng Dongyuan—who held only a nominal post with no real power and ordinarily had no qualification to attend court—was granted permission to appear alongside the civil and military officials.

Seeing Meng Dongyuan’s haggard face and dispirited appearance, the officials were quite surprised. Everyone had heard about the Meng family’s affairs; the incident of the Meng heir apparent being tied up and brought back from Baihua House had already become a favorite topic of idle gossip.

There was little business to address at court that day, and no officials presented memorials. Instead, Meng Dongyuan’s matter became the biggest event of the session.

With a loud thump, he knelt to the ground, his face full of grief. “This minister is guilty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me for failing to discipline my household.”

Emperor Jingwen had already heard about the Meng family’s situation. The censors hadn’t even had the chance to impeach Meng Dongyuan yet, and he had already come forward to plead guilty himself. The emperor asked, “Why do you say this, my lord?”

Meng Dongyuan replied, “This minister failed in teaching his son and managing his household, raising such an unfilial, rebellious child. He has now even caused my aged mother to fall gravely ill and become paralyzed. This minister is guilty.”

As he spoke, tears streamed down his face. With snot and tears mingled together, he accused his unfilial son of vile conduct—ignorant and idle, skipping classes, spending nights in brothels, angering his elders until they suffered a stroke and were left paralyzed. Now, he claimed, even hearing that rebellious son’s name would make the old mother so furious she nearly fainted.

At last, Meng Dongyuan said, “Your Majesty, my third son, Meng Chengxing, is morally corrupt and unfilial toward his elders, unfit to bear responsibility. I beg Your Majesty to strip my third son of the title of heir apparent and instead establish my second son, Meng Chengzhang, as heir. In addition, this minister is guilty of poor household governance and failing to teach his children, and I ask to be punished as well.”

Emperor Jingwen paused for a moment, then asked, “And what of the character of the second young master?”

Meng Dongyuan wiped his tears. “My second son is kind in nature and diligent in his studies. He is currently studying at Lingshan Academy and has already obtained the xiucai degree.”

At first hearing, he sounded like a student of both virtue and talent.

Emperor Jingwen turned his gaze to Gu Jingxi, who immediately stepped forward, bowed, and testified on Meng Chengzhang’s behalf. “Your Majesty, my father-in-law speaks the truth. My wife’s younger brother, Chengzhang, is indeed a man of outstanding character and learning. He was the top scorer in the last provincial academy examination.”

Emperor Jingwen nodded. “Very well. I approve. Meng Chengxing lacks virtue and has shown disrespect and unfilial conduct toward his elders. He shall receive thirty strokes of the rod, be stripped of his title as heir apparent, and Meng Chengzhang shall be established as the new heir. As for Lord Meng, for lax household discipline and failure in teaching his children, his salary shall be docked for one year as punishment.”

Joy exploded in Meng Dongyuan’s heart. He hadn’t expected it to succeed so smoothly. All those sleepless nights, deliberately exhausting himself into this pitiful state, had not been in vain. He hastily kowtowed in gratitude.

“This minister thanks Your Majesty for your boundless grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live!”