The official from the Ministry of Rites nodded and said, "Miss Shen, please do as you like."
After saying that, he turned to look at the old Marquis again and asked politely: "Old Marquis Shen, if there is nothing else, I will send someone to remove the plaque."
The old Marquis leaned against the housekeeper feebly. Naturally, he was unwilling to do so, but he had no reason to refuse. He could only turn his head in silence.
The official of the Ministry of Rites ordered: "Come here, take off the plaque!"
The government officials outside the door quickly took action.
Set up a wooden ladder and have ropes and crowbars ready.
Several able-bodied government servants climbed up the ladder and began to remove the gold-lettered plaque of the Nanyang Marquis Mansion.
A tinkling sound came.
The old Marquis turned his head and looked at this scene, his eyes suddenly turned red, and he burst into tears.
The aunts, concubine girls, and servant girls who were kneeling on the ground in the front yard all started sobbing when they saw this, and they were very frightened.
When the imperial edict was announced, everyone was more shocked and disbelieving. It was not until they saw the scene of removing the plaque that the fact that the Shen family was deprived of their title was truly imprinted in everyone's minds.
For a hereditary marquis mansion, the golden plaque is equivalent to the family's face.
The Nanyang Marquis Mansion plaque has a history of hundreds of years. It was written by the founding emperor when the ancestors of the Shen family performed meritorious service with the founding emperor. There are only two of them in the capital.
One piece is at Shen's house.
One piece is in the Zhenbei Hou Mansion.
Now, I watch the plaques being taken off little by little.
For everyone in the Shen Mansion, it was like watching the big tree they were perched on slowly fall down. The fear and confusion of losing support rose in everyone's heart.
The old Marquis kept wiping his eyes, and the housekeeper's eyes turned red.
The aunts, girls and maids below were sobbing louder and louder.
"Lower the plaque—" The government officials tied the rope to the heavy plaque, roared, and slowly sank the plaque to the ground.
Boom!
The moment the plaque landed.
The sound of crying inside and outside Shen's residence was loud, and everyone under the maid fell to their knees.
The atmosphere is sad and tragic.
The officials of the Ministry of Rites saw this and couldn't help but sigh in their hearts. They waved their hands and said, "Carry it away."
This plaque was written by the founding emperor himself. Even if the Shen family has been deprived of their title, the plaque cannot be thrown away.
It needs to be brought back to the Ministry of Etiquette and put into the warehouse properly, even if it will never be taken out again.
"Sir, can you allow me to look at you a few more times?" the old marquis begged.
The official of the Ministry of Rites nodded helplessly.
The housekeeper helped the old marquis out of the door. The huge plaque stood on the ground, and the gold-pink fonts reflected the sunlight, still shining brightly.
Just like when Xiao Lingchu saw it for the first time.
The old Marquis stretched out his hand tremblingly, and touched the four characters of "Nanyang Marquis Mansion" with his fingers little by little. He carefully wiped off the dust on it, and his purple lips trembled more and more.
He said nothing.
The long street in front of the Hou Mansion was filled with onlookers.
There were dignitaries living nearby, ordinary people passing by, and idlers watching the excitement.
But at this moment, no one spoke, and the whispers in the crowd disappeared.
Everyone watched the old marquis's movements in silence.
Even the government officials who removed the plaque showed unbearable expressions.
The atmosphere was extremely depressing.
Xiao Lingyue stood at the door of the mansion, watching the old Marquis' movements with calm eyes.
Beibei asked in a low voice: "Mom, what is he doing?" Why does he keep touching that plaque?
The little guy is still young, and he doesn't understand what a hereditary plaque from the Marquis Mansion means to the Shen family.