Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 237 Bastard
Xie Chengxin became quite animated when he talked about this. To be frank, he didn't understand many things in the imperial court, but his informants could gather a lot of information about things in the streets.

Xie Shumi usually scolded him, telling him to focus on important matters, but Xie Chengxin felt that gathering information was also very important. If he had hundreds of spies under his command, he would know immediately if anything happened to anyone. Would there be any need for veiled arguments and guessing each other's intentions in court?

Xie Shumi frowned: "How did you know?"

“Before New Year’s Day, I sent someone to the Xie family to remind them to make good porcelain so as not to delay the business at the border market,” Xie Chengxin said. “Our people heard at that time that a Yang Xie family member was suing the Xie family.”

"That Yang Xie family member was bought by the Xie family from a kidnapper."

Xie Chengxin leaned closer to Xie Shumi and lowered his voice: "Because it was to be a ghost marriage with Yang Liulang... so when it was purchased, it was a corpse."

"On the day of the wedding, I don't know what happened, but the corpse suddenly came back to life."

Privy Councilor Xie had never believed in such things, but seeing Xie Chengxin's expression, he frowned and asked, "And then?"

“Then,” Xie Chengxin said, “then the Yang Xie family seized on the Xie family’s weakness and made things difficult for them at every turn.”

Xie Shumi looked at Xie Chengxin and said that after talking for a long time, that was all he had to say.

"You may leave." Xie Shumi did not want to say anything more to his eldest son.

Xie Chengxin was in high spirits when he was suddenly doused with cold water. He stood up awkwardly and walked out, where he saw his younger brother Xie Sanlang at the door.

Xie Sanlang was waiting in the corridor with a stack of homework in his hand. Perhaps because he hadn't been called into the room yet, he simply started reciting his lessons from memory again.

Upon seeing his elder brother, Xie Chenghan immediately bowed and cleverly handed the hand warmer to his older brother, saying, "Brother, you're not dressed warmly enough. Be careful not to catch a cold."

Xie Chengxin refused to take it, instead taking his own hand warmer from the servant, and said indifferently, "Father is busy. If it's not urgent, tomorrow..."

Before he could finish speaking, the steward pushed open the door and said, "Third Master, the Master wants you to come in."

Xie Chenghan seemed to have forgotten what Xie Chengxin had just said. He bowed respectfully to his elder brother again, then turned and went into the house.

The door closes again.

Xie Chengxin vaguely heard voices coming from inside the room, followed by Xie Chenghan reciting his lessons.

No matter how busy he was, Xie Shumi would always test his three sons' studies; it had almost become a habit. Xie Chenghan was also the most studious son in the entire Xie family. Xie Shumi never said anything in public, but his favoritism towards his three sons was obvious to everyone.

Xie Chengxin's legs went numb from standing, so he turned around and walked outside.

It snowed in the capital, but the Xie residence had already been cleaned up. However, when Xie Chengxin walked into a corner, he still slipped on a piece of ice and stumbled.

Fortunately, someone appeared by his side in time and reached out to help him up.

"Be careful, brother."

Xie Chengxin looked up and saw Xie Chengrang. This Xie Erlang was an illegitimate son in the family, the same age as Xie Chengxin. He was not well-liked by Xie Shumi. If Xie Chengxin hadn't taken care of him all the time, his life in the Xie family would have been even more difficult.

Xie Chengxin looked at his second brother, who was even more considerate than his own brothers. If all his brothers were like this, he wouldn't have to worry every day that he, the eldest son, would eventually be abandoned by his father.

"Brother, how did it go?" Xie Chengrang asked. "Did you tell Father about those things? Did Father praise you?"

"Praise my foot..." Xie Chengxin let out most of his words, "Bullshit."

"My father didn't even let me finish speaking before sending me away," Xie Chengxin said indignantly. "My father has no idea how much effort I put in. In order to find out the situation in Daming Prefecture as soon as possible, I ran two horses to their deaths to send the message back."

Xie Chengxin became more and more upset as he spoke, and reached out to pat Xie Chengrang on the shoulder: "All our hard work is not as good as a little brat reciting a book."

Xie Chengrang looked around and helped Xie Chengxin up, saying, "It's cold outside, let's go inside and talk." "What are you afraid of?" Xie Chengxin said, "I'm telling the truth, Father is just biased..."

Xie Chengxin's voice disappeared into Xie Chengrang's palm, and then he was dragged and pulled into the study.

"Brother," Xie Chengrang said sternly, "you must never give up on yourself. You are the eldest son of the Xie family, and the future prosperity of the family rests on your shoulders. How can you speak so recklessly in public? If someone hears this, they will falsely accuse you of being unfilial. What will you do then?"

"When your second sister enters the palace, and the Emperor gives instructions to her family, do you want someone else to go?"

With just a few words, Xie Chengrang persuaded Xie Chengxin to stop.

Xie Chengxin nodded and said, "You're right, we can't let others benefit from this no matter what."

"By the way," Xie Chengxin said, "I haven't asked my second sister how she is in the palace yet, or what the Empress said to her."

"Don't rush," Xie Chengrang said, "Daming Prefecture has sent back another message, but you haven't seen it yet, brother."

Thinking of his father's expression just now, Xie Chengxin felt disappointed: "I'm not going to watch it anymore. You watch it for me. From now on, I'll leave these kinds of things to you."

Xie Chengrang frowned: "How can that be?"

“Anyway, it was your idea,” Xie Chengxin said. “Tomorrow I have to go to my father’s study to help organize official documents, so I won’t have time to worry about these things. Just keep an eye on them. If they don’t listen to you, then come and talk to me.”

After Xie Chengxin finished speaking, he left quickly, but he wasn't going to see Xie Erniang; he just wanted to find an excuse to get away.

Xie Chengrang was the only one left in the courtyard.

The cold wind blew open Xie Chengrang's cloak, revealing a sutra bottle in his hand. It was white with black floral patterns, depicting a blooming peony, resembling a traditional Chinese ink painting—exceptionally beautiful.
These are porcelain pieces brought from Daming Prefecture. I heard they were fired in the Yang family's porcelain kiln. Such porcelain has never been fired before, and it is refreshing to see.

When people discuss the case in Daming Prefecture, they inevitably mention things related to it. Several scholars from Daming Prefecture, who defied the powerful and wealthy, wrote tabloids and were praised. Their poems and paintings were frequently mentioned, and the porcelain specially made for them by the kilns became items to be passed around at banquets.

Such a big incident has occurred in Daming Prefecture, yet some people still haven't forgotten to sell porcelain. How important is this matter?
After this case is over and the Liu family is punished, Daming Prefecture will replace a batch of officials. Not only that, but the commerce in Daming Prefecture will also undergo major changes. If he guesses correctly, this black porcelain with white flowers will be extremely sought after.

Such fine porcelain, could it be sent to the market for sale?

Xie Chengrang thought so.

He even went so far as to guess that this was the result of someone secretly orchestrating it.

Whoever benefits is the one who manipulates these things.

He (or she) is definitely involved in the Liu family's case, and we must be extra careful around him in the future.

However, since no one in the Xie family asked him, he naturally wouldn't take the initiative to talk about it. Not only would he not receive praise, but he would also be guarded against because of his intelligence.

He was an illegitimate son, and an illegitimate son should act like an illegitimate son.

Therefore, all he could do was slowly accumulate these, hoping to sell them for a good price when the Xie family faced a crisis.

……

The Liu family of Daming Prefecture.

Hearing the sobbing sounds around him, Prefect Liu knew that the Liu family was in deep trouble.

Wang Yan did not die, but the Imperial Guards arrived.