Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 650 Deliberate
Chunxi was afraid that the second lady would not agree to leave, but fortunately the second lady had thought it through.

Xie Wenjing was resting in the house as usual. Chunxi suppressed her panic and walked around the mansion, dealing with the matters in Xie Wenjing's courtyard.

As evening approached, the head housekeeper, being clumsy, accidentally knocked over the medicine bowl, soiling Xie Wenjing's newly made needlework. Xie Wenjing flew into a rage and punished the head housekeeper.

Knowing he had done wrong, the steward dared not serve Xie Wenjing any longer, lest the Second Mistress be angered by his presence.

That night, the master and servant barely slept. Chunxi showed the map to the second mistress: "I've had horses prepared. After we change horses, we'll head east."

Xie Wenjing listened attentively.

"If anyone blocks our way, I will take people to deal with them. Second Madam, just keep going. You will be safe once you reach the sect."

Xie Wenjing looked at Chunxi with concern: "Even if someone tries to stop us, let them go. You come with me."

Chunxi shook her head: "We have lost too many people. The remaining ones are probably not enough to handle any situation. I have to stay and think of a solution."

Xie Wenjing didn't know what to say. In the end, only Chunxi still cared about her.

Xie Wenjing had only slept for a short while as dawn approached, and when she woke up, Chunxi had just entered the room.

"How is it?" Xie Wenjing asked.

“The mule cart has entered the manor and is now parked in the backyard,” Chunxi said. “Today is the Third Young Master’s birthday, and everyone in the manor is busy. When the Third Young Master goes to pay his respects to the Master and Madam, everyone will gather in the main courtyard, and we can take the opportunity to leave.”

Xie Wenjing nodded.

After a while, Chunxi took Xie Wenjing out. Xie Wenjing hurried to the backyard, and couldn't help but look up and observe her surroundings along the way.

Today, the Xie family is decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. The long corridor is filled with rare flowers and plants. The servants who come and go are all dressed in brand-new clothes, carrying snacks and food to the main courtyard.

For an eleven-year-old child, such a grand celebration is being held. Although they say they won't be hosting a banquet, this kind of lavish affair certainly doesn't mean they're mistreating the child.

A few days ago, Madam Zhou said that she would help organize the family banquet when Sanlang celebrated his birthday. But now that Prince Huai was no longer coming to the mansion, she used her serious illness as an excuse to tell her to stay in the house and recuperate. So she simply didn't let her show up at the banquet.

Xie Wenjing clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with hatred. The Xie family's wealth and glory were the result of her mother's behind-the-scenes machinations. When boxes of money were delivered to the Xie family, how could they not despise it? But now that something had happened, Xie Yizhi felt that she and her mother were a burden and wanted to kill them.

"My wife, let's go quickly!"

Chunxi's voice brought Xie Wenjing back to her senses. She gritted her teeth and secretly vowed that once she was freed, she would return to take revenge. She would kill Zhou Shi and her children. No, she would send Zhou Shi to the sea and let her experience the bitterness of wandering.

Xie Wenjing boarded the donkey cart and huddled in the narrow space under the cart. A pungent smell wafted to her nose, and her clean clothes and hair inevitably got stained with the filth. Xie Wenjing felt waves of nausea in her chest.

I've hidden like this many times before, but now it feels so unbearable.

She was like a flower at the tip of a branch, suddenly falling into the mud.

The donkey cart bumped along, and just as it was about to leave the Xie residence, it was stopped by the steward.

Xie Wenjing tensed up, fearing someone would come to search her and arrest her. She could survive when everyone was pretending, but now that the pretense was over, they would definitely target her immediately.

Xie Wenjing held her breath, and then heard the steward outside say, "Today is my third son's birthday, and the madam has bestowed some food upon him."

The driver was extremely grateful. The Xie family servant inspected the mule cart and then instructed, "Come back at this time in three days."

The mule cart started moving again, and Xie Wenjing breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she realize that she was soaked in sweat. The weather was already hot and humid, and being huddled under the wooden plank was torture. Thinking about this made her even more impatient, and she couldn't wait to get out.

"My lady, please bear with us a little longer. There are spies everywhere in the city, it's impossible to guard against them all..." a voice came from outside. "We'll be fine once we get out of the city gate."

Xie Wenjing closed her eyes and calmed herself down.

Instead of going straight to the city gate, the mule cart bought some things at the market before slowly making its way out of the city.

After another round of checks at the city gate, the mule cart continued on its way. After traveling a while, the mule cart stopped, and Xie Wenjing felt a sudden light before her eyes as a gust of wind blew in.

Xie Wenjing gasped for breath, feeling as if she had come back to life.

Chunxi also got off another mule cart and rushed to help Xie Wenjing.

"Second Mistress, let's change our clothes and ride away," Chunxi said. "Let's get as far away as possible before the Xie family finds out."

After saying that, she looked at the man driving the mule cart and said, "Take the cart west. When the Xie family comes to their senses, they will definitely suspect you. At that time, just deal with them. They won't be able to get any evidence and won't do anything to you."

“If they don’t catch up, you should abandon the mule carts early tomorrow morning and head south to hide for a month or two before returning to the church.”

The men accepted the order and immediately left with their mule carts.

Xie Wenjing mounted her horse and led Chunxi and the rest of the followers eastward. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief as they got further and further away from Bianjing, she heard the sound of hooves coming from behind.

Xie Wenjing immediately turned around to look, and sure enough, several people were chasing after them. Her face turned pale instantly. She knew that the Xie family would notice something was wrong, but she didn't expect them to come so quickly.

Even chasing the mule cart would take some effort, unless... they had been secretly watching them and deliberately let them leave the city.

Thinking of this, Chunxi's expression changed. She looked at Xie Wenjing and said, "Wife, go quickly. I'll stay and stop them."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a rustling sound came from the woods on both sides of the official road, and then several people emerged.

Several people pulled on the tripwire, and Xie Wenjing never expected this. The horse was caught off guard and charged forward, and she fell off the horse the next moment.

A wave of dizziness washed over her, and pain surged throughout her body. Xie Wenjing tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in her arm sent her sprawling to the ground again. Her ears rang, and her vision blurred with blood; it took her a long while to regain her senses.

In just a short while, more than half of the people she brought were subdued, and the rest were surrounded.

Xie Wenjing looked at the people who had gathered around and finally spotted two familiar faces among them.

One was Xie Chengxin, and the other was Zhou Zhaochang, the younger brother of the Zhou family.

It turned out that the two of them had known all along and were secretly waiting to take her down at this moment.

A surge of rage welled up in Xie Wenjing's heart. She struggled to her feet and charged at Xie Chengxin. Even if she died, she would drag the eldest son of the Xie family down with her.

(End of this chapter)