Chapter 369: The Xie Manor's Response
Chapter 369: The Xie Manor's Response
Chaos reigned in the Manor of Jin Yangzi.
In the Xie Manor, which was also involved in this affair, an eerie silence prevailed.
Elder Xie had gained a new understanding of just how foolish his stepmother could be.
Ever since the turmoil caused by the interactions between Lady Xie and the Manor of Jin Yangzi, which sometimes plunged the manor into chaos, Elder Xie had only reprimanded her harshly on the most serious occasions; he had never taken any other actions.
It wasn't that Elder Xie hadn't considered taking action before; it was just that Lady Xie had, after all, borne him children, and those children were exceptional. Even when he was extremely angry and wanted to punish her, he still had to consider the impact on his children.
So, he had muddled through these years as best he could.
But this time...
It was too much!
To provoke the Grand Princess, a source of constant headaches even for the Emperor, what could Elder Xie do but worry?
The Empress Dowager's health had already been delicate due to the incident with Princess Jiao Yang, and she had been resting and recuperating lately.
When she heard about this latest incident, she became even more furious, and imperial physicians had to be on standby outside the palace at all times to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.
In truth, Elder Xie had been exhausted in both body and mind over the years.
He had long since given up any expectations or tolerance for Lady Xie.
If it weren't for the fact that their two children were quite exceptional, he would have divorced her long ago.
But now...
If he couldn't provide an outcome that would satisfy the Grand Princess, Elder Xie would surely face repercussions as well.
Moreover, Elder Xie also had to take into account the Empress Dowager's health.
Lady Xie's behavior over the years had greatly displeased the Empress Dowager as well.
When the censors impeached Jin Yangzi, they had also impeached Elder Xie, the Minister of Works, on the grounds of failing to discipline his family.
The Emperor gave his uncle, Elder Xie, face and did not say anything in front of the court officials.
However, just because the Emperor gave him face didn't mean Elder Xie could turn a blind eye.
So, upon returning to the manor, he summoned the two children born to Lady Xie—Xie Guangming, the fourth young master, and Xie Yujiao, the second young miss.
Xie Guangming was currently studying at the Imperial College, and while his academic performance wasn't outstanding, his conduct was commendable.
As for Xie Yujiao, her temperament was a bit sharp, but that was due to the years of trouble caused by the Xu family. At heart, she was a good child.
At this moment, Elder Xie called the two of them to his side and explained in detail the foolish things their mother had done.
Hearing this, Xie Yujiao's eyes reddened.
Xie Guangming also furrowed his brows, his expression grave.
Over the years, their mother's attention had been focused on her maternal family, and she had treated her nephew, Xu Mingxian, better than her own son.
Xie Guangming certainly had his own opinions and thoughts about this.
He had spoken up and caused a ruckus numerous times.
However, his mother simply wouldn't listen and continued doing as she pleased.
Even when she was occasionally troubled by Lady Xu, she remained steadfast in her devotion to her maternal family, her eyes and heart always turned in their direction.
Xie Guangming had long since lost respect for his mother.
Now that his father brought up the subject, Xie Guangming glanced at his sister before carefully considering his response.
He also needed to take his sister's feelings into account.
In Xie Guangming's opinion, the best outcome for the current situation, in order to appease the anger of the Grand Princess's manor and for the future of the Xie Manor, would be for their mother, the mistress of the manor who always sided with her maternal family, to suddenly pass away.
That would also sever the endless entanglements and bonds between them and the Manor of Jin Yangzi.
However, if he, as her own son, were to say such a thing, it would be extremely cruel.
Moreover, it would make him seem cold-blooded and heartless.
So, that idea wouldn't work; he needed to consider other options and take his sister's feelings into account as well.
Xie Guangming pressed his lips together, choosing his words carefully.
Xie Yujiao's eyes were red, but she stubbornly said, "If she cares so much about her maternal family, then let her go back there!"
Elder Xie saw right through his daughter's tough exterior and soft heart.
Seeing the resemblance between his daughter and her stepmother, Minister Xie heaved a silent sigh.
"This daughter of mine... Her temperament is commendable, but she has inherited her mother's stubbornness. If she remains in the capital, even without the bond of her stepmother, she will likely have her heart set on helping the Xu family, despite her words to the contrary."
Minister Xie's head throbbed with the thought, and he pressed his fingers against his temples.
"This daughter... cannot remain in the capital."
Minister Xie planned to seek the Empress Dowager's help in finding a suitable match for his daughter, someone from a distant land, far removed from the Xu family.
He did not want to leave any loose ends or create future troubles. Thus, Xie Yujiao, his daughter, must be married far away!
But such a marriage must also be meaningful.
Minister Xie pondered for a moment, then turned his head to look at Xie Guangming.
Upon seeing her father turn to face her brother, Xie Yujiao bit her lip anxiously, her eyes fixed on her brother.
Xie Guangming sensed his sister's gaze and sighed inwardly.
His sister had been too heavily influenced by their mother.
Therefore, staying in the capital was not suitable for her. Xie Guangming had already been thinking about how to secure a good match for his sister while ensuring their interests remained intact.
Considering his sister's feelings, Xie Guangming furrowed his brows and replied, "Although Mother has made a mistake, she is still our mother. It would not be right to be too harsh on her. I believe she was misled by others."
Xie Guangming knew that his words would disappoint his father, but he softened upon sensing his sister's pleading gaze.
Minister Xie was indeed disappointed by his son's words, but he did not show it on his face.
His first wife had given him two exceptional sons, and for his other sons, his expectations were simple: as long as they didn't hold back their brothers and weren't useless, he would be content.
Being soft-hearted wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Willing to go against his own wishes for the sake of his sister showed that Xie Guangming valued family bonds.
Minister Xie consoled himself with these thoughts, his mind turning to consider how to deal with Madam Xie.
Letting her pass away was definitely out of the question, especially with their two children.
However, he couldn't let her continue managing the household.
The sleeping Shusheng knew nothing of the adults' worries. She was like a little bird set free in the forest, happy and carefree.
The lute player praised her every day, commenting on her natural talent and good sense of music.
While there was some exaggeration in the lute player's words, they were indeed sincere praises.
Upon hearing this, Prince Qi's smile widened, revealing his gleaming white teeth.
He couldn't help but boast about it to others.
As a result, whenever Prince Qing saw Prince Qi, he would feel a headache coming on.
"I hear several mansions have taken an interest and will likely be testing Prince Qi's intentions soon, hoping to form an alliance through marriage," Prince Qing said in a lowered voice.
(End of Chapter)
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