[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten":3,"chapter-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-692":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simulated to Reality: I Once Looked Down Upon Ten Thousand Ages?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347707,4587,"Chapter 692: Ancestral Law: Ying Qiongyao, Unshaken by Wind and Rain!","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-692",692,"\u003Cp>Inside the Grand View Garden, before the Crane and Pine Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This quiet courtyard was the residence of the Xie family’s old matriarch; its vermilion gates were usually shut, and no outsider dared enter without her permission—anyone who did so would face severe punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind this rule lay a heartbreaking tale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That year, Xie Hong was still a child, and by the lotus pond in the Crane and Pine Hall, he rescued a young maid who had fallen in, only to catch a severe cold himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The household summoned several imperial physicians and even invited scholars from the academy well-versed in medicine, yet his condition showed no improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old matriarch, frantic, ceased eating and drinking, kneeling daily before the Buddha to burn incense and pray; after he recovered, she established a strict rule: no servant was to set foot inside the Crane and Pine Hall without her explicit permission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In earlier years, the Xie family had struggled among the great clans of Bianjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old patriarch had passed away early, leaving behind a vast estate and several young children—all sustained solely by the old matriarch, who acted as both stern father and tender mother to raise them to adulthood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the youngest son, Xie Hong displayed an exceptional character from childhood: diligent, studious, filial and fraternal, respectful to his elder brothers, humble and courteous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a youth, his elder brothers left home to pursue official careers; Xie Hong abandoned his academy studies, shouldered the family’s burdens, managing household affairs while continuing his learning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even his marriage was arranged for the sake of the Xie family’s future—he wed a noblewoman who could help revive the clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever she recalled these things, the old matriarch was filled with guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guilt extended to Xie Hong’s children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was the eldest son Xie Renfeng or the youngest daughter Xie Qiyue, the old matriarch doted on them all, loving them as extensions of Xie Hong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today, the Crane and Pine Hall was unusually lively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the dim central hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the left sat the main household members: Lady Yuan, the head wife of the first courtyard; Lady Zhao, the head wife of the second courtyard; the remaining ladies all carried themselves with dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them sat elders from every branch of the Xie family—though rooted in Changning Street, the Xie clan was vast and flourishing within Bianjing, and today’s gathering was rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the ladies on the left stood several younger family members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan’s youngest son, Xie Yu; Xie Xuan, the seventh son of the branch line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Qiyue of the second courtyard; several offspring of the main household.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the right sat the guests—the delegation from the Li family who had come to break the engagement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leading them was Li Shuwan’s elder brother, and the Li family’s seventh daughter, the very Li Qinlan whom Xie Guan had once met at Qimochun Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old matriarch sat upright on the main seat, her gaze slowly sweeping over those below, then speaking softly: “Today, I have summoned you all for an urgent matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her voice was quiet, none dared to neglect it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li’s eldest son has come in person to request the dissolution of the betrothal—it concerns the marriage of Xie Guan of our main household. This matter must be settled with proper procedure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hall fell instantly silent; before she had finished speaking, a piercing wail erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Matriarch! Please be my daughter-in-law’s advocate—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao, head wife of the second courtyard, collapsed to her knees, her hair unadorned, clad in plain robes, her face pale and haggard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Covering her face with her sleeve, her voice choked: “My son Renfeng was brutally beaten by that monster Xie Guan and lies bedridden to this day! Had our household guards not found him in time, he might—might already be—dead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, she seemed overcome with grief, bowing her forehead hard to the floor with a dull thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she lifted her head again, tears streamed down her face—but within those tear-filled eyes flickered a cruel glint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We are all of Xie blood, yet he strikes with such savagery! How can a mother bear it? I beg you, Old Matriarch, to see clearly and punish this unworthy son!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cries were blood-curdling, each word a dagger to the heart; the hall fell utterly silent, save for her mournful sobs echoing through the Crane and Pine Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old matriarch frowned slightly, seated motionless, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension in the hall deepened; Lady Zhao cried out: “If my husband returns home and sees his own flesh and blood reduced to this—how can I face Mingshan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with resolve: “If he refuses to return because of this, I will have no face to return to my natal home—I might as well drown myself in the mother lake of this Grand View Garden!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old matriarch’s expression shifted repeatedly—first anger, then a long, weary sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Lady Yuan of the main household stepped forward slowly and spoke gently: “Sister, rise at once. With all our capable sons away, it falls to the Old Matriarch to uphold justice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, you were lawfully wed into this family from the Zhao household; the Old Matriarch cherishes you more than you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to the old matriarch, speaking respectfully: “Though Renfeng has lately been unruly, he has always been diligent in study, becoming a Licentiate before reaching adulthood. He is merely a youth with unsteady temper—he never struck Xie Guan, only spoke carelessly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Lady Zhao wiped her tears with a handkerchief, then knelt again with force: “It is my fault for failing to raise my son—I accept punishment willingly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly raised her head, her voice sharpening: “But Xie Guan has harmed his own kin, violated family law—please, Old Matriarch, uphold the moral integrity of our Xie lineage!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the entire Crane and Pine Hall, only Lady Zhao’s stifled sobs echoed between the pillars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan sighed softly and continued: “Though Xie Guan is of the main household, he has always been reclusive, avoiding all company. Now grown, he has yet to begin formal studies—this truly disgraces our Xie family name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she finished—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Qiyue, standing in the corner, felt injustice for Xie Guan: a bastard son who lost his mother young, under deliberate suppression by the head wife—who in this household dared to befriend him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They forbade him from entering the academy, yet now blamed him for it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Xie Yu stood silently, his brow slightly furrowed. This handsome young lord wore a white jade crown, a silver band across his brow, his features refined and imbued with scholarly grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he shared the same courtyard as Xie Guan, he had never spoken to him—but he had read the poems Xie Guan composed at the Qunfang Banquet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those lines, each word a pearl—clearly the work of a celestial talent—how could a man ignorant of letters have written them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yu’s gaze shifted slightly toward his mother, seated on the main seat; though he had been clever since childhood, he said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old matriarch seemed to have made her decision; her aged voice rang through the hall: “According to Xie family law… how shall we punish him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan cleared her throat, adjusted her sleeves, and turned to face the Xie family, her tone turning grave:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Xie family code states: any clan member who commits patricide, fratricide, defies elders, insults the head wife, or harms kin—after review by the ancestral council—shall receive the Three Punishments.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each word she spoke, the hall grew quieter:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First: erase his name from the genealogy; after death, he shall not be buried in the ancestral tomb.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second: strip his cultivation base; administer three hundred lashes; kneel before the ancestral shrine to face the ancestors’ condemnation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third: punish his descendants—his offspring shall not bear the Xie surname, nor study literature or martial arts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old matriarch nodded slightly, her tone softening as she turned to Lady Zhao: “Rise. Mingshan is away; you must bear extra burdens.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze swept over the Li family guests: “We have honored guests present—do not be disrespectful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Zhao rose, weeping, and bowed to Lady Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Yuan smiled. “Family doesn’t thank each other—only when the household is harmonious can all things prosper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candles in the hall flickered, casting shifting shadows over everyone’s faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Li family stood silently to the side, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Nantian, the leader of this delegation, was only thirty yet radiated an aura of quiet authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This eldest son of the Li family, known in Bianjing as “Little Pillar of State,” stood tall as a pine, his face stern and steady, his brow bearing the very likeness of his father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the Li elders had given clear orders beforehand—the noisy drums and gongs on their journey, the grandeur of their arrival today—all were a carefully staged performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the two families not long held mutual understanding, given the generations of friendship between the Li and Xie clans, and the close bond between their old matriarchs in their youth, they would never have so humiliated the Xie family’s honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Xie family would rather damage their own reputation to utterly destroy the reputation of this bastard son, Xie Guan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Great Qi, becoming a son-in-law was already a disgrace—let alone marrying into the Li family to serve as a bridegroom to cure their chronically ill third patriarch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with the broken engagement added, by tomorrow, Xie Guan’s name would be whispered through every alley and street of Bianjing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would know the truth behind it all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All would say: a true man with no ambition, reduced to becoming a bridegroom for a sick man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his character were upright, why would he be publicly rejected? This scheme aimed to crush every last trace of Xie Guan’s pride and reputation into dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flickering candles cast the sharp contours of Li Nantian’s face in stark, cold relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had never met Xie Guan, he had heard the rumors of his “fickle reputation among courtesans”—merely a man lost in wine and women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the eyes of the Nine Great Clans, what was a mere bastard son?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lowered his gaze to the sword at his waist, thinking inwardly: even if his family insisted on the marriage, he would never entrust his sister’s future to such a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Li family’s pearl could never be matched with a disgraced bastard of the Xie clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Li Qinlan bit her crimson lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she had no wish to marry, she had never imagined events would unfold this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl quietly tugged at her beloved brother’s sleeve and whispered: “Brother, have we gone too far?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Nantian kept his gaze straight ahead, replying coolly: “This is the Xie family’s private matter—we cannot and will not interfere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qinlan recalled the young man who had danced with a sword at Qimochun Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knife she had inexplicably given him to weigh down his robe still hung at her waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remembered his verse: “A beauty gave me a knife to weigh her robe—what shall I repay with but jade and jade?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Qiyue’s face grew anxious; she knew best how deeply Xie Yuan and Xie Guan loved each other—if Xie Yuan were here, he would never sit idle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But three hundred lashes—she had seen with her own eyes a servant broken by thirty lashes, bones shattered, flesh torn, unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Xie Guan received three hundred, Lady Zhao’s intent was clear—she did not want him to leave the Crane and Pine Hall alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Xie Yu stood motionless as a pine, his gaze passing through the carved gate, fixed on the deepening dusk beyond the courtyard, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, thunder rolled across the sky, and rain poured down in torrents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【At the mother lake of the Grand View Garden, the heavens unleashed a deluge.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Rain beat upon the lotus blossoms!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Qiu Yue hurried forward with several maids; behind them, a servant held a large oil-paper umbrella over Qiu Yue’s head—clearly, they had prepared for rain.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Qiu Yue saw you with empty hands, surely to be drenched—no one among them would offer you an umbrella.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Xie Guan entered the Crane and Pine Hall, soaked through like a drowned rat.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is also the ladies’ wish—to give Xie Guan a harsh welcome, drench him to the bone, so that when he kneels on the bricks of He Song Hall, he will finally understand the difference between high and low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, when the ladies and the matriarch hold the clan tribunal, I wonder if this Young Master Guan will collapse in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Qiuyue’s gaze froze; she halted her steps, unable to believe what she saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Raindrops that pelted the oiled paper umbrella like beans today seemed to part around you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You were completely dry, strolling calmly through the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unmoved by wind and rain, as firm as a mountain!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2181,"2026-06-21T01:33:03.787Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e8e11c826a2e711780cf505e1cca27fd88887706d5556b33a2a7c2a65ea52104","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-693","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-691",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg"]