Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 656: Persuading Death
Xie Yizhi's sedan chair stopped at the gate of the Xie residence, and he stepped into the house as usual, but this time his steps were unusually heavy.

He looked up at the mansion and a ray of sunlight shone in, making him squint, but it also clearly revealed his disheveled and haggard appearance.

Even a setting sun can still exert such power.

Xie Yizhi's eyes stung from the stinging, but she forced herself to lift her eyelids. What she saw was the desolate mansion and the steward who rushed over.

The steward looked panicked; he was both happy and afraid to see him.

Xie Yizhi frowned. Had his family found out about his affair so quickly? Oh right, the person that rebellious son went to arrest must have brought back the results.

“Master,” Madam Zhou hurried out from the inner courtyard, her eyes reddening when she saw Xie Yizhi, “Are you alright?” She couldn’t say anything else.

Just now, Xin Ge'er and A Di came in and told her that Xie Wenjing was a member of the Demon Cult, and that Xie Wenjing's mother might be related to the master. She was stunned as she listened, watching the two men's mouths open and close, and she couldn't come to her senses for a moment, not knowing what they were talking about.

Isn't Xie Wenjing Xie Yisong's daughter?

She was taken to the countryside by the old lady and raised to adulthood. After the old lady and the old master passed away, the old master had no choice but to bring her back from the countryside.

When the master spoke to her about this matter, he used an exceptionally gentle tone. He said that since Xie Wenjing's identity as a member of the Xie family was known, keeping her outside would likely draw criticism.

It's not impossible to publicly claim that Xie Wenjing is Xie Yisong's daughter, but since she saved the life of Prince Huai, he might ask the Empress Dowager to grant them a marriage and take Xie Wenjing under his wing, which would be more advantageous for them.

It was a hardship for her; not only did seeing Xie Wenjing remind her of the child who died young, but she also had to think about Xie Wenjing's every move, which was very troublesome for her.

But after hearing this, she immediately agreed. Precisely because it was a difficult matter, she had to help the master, even if it meant compromising herself. She had to do it to show her virtue and to make the master like her more, letting him know that a wife like her was very rare and that the Xie family would not do without her.

Giving something in return made her feel more at ease as the wife of the Privy Councilor.

When Xie Wenjing entered the mansion, she suppressed her displeasure and ordered people to decorate the entire mansion, putting on a show of deep mother-daughter affection in front of everyone.

She did everything the master instructed without ever suspecting anything. Sometimes she would find it strange that Xie Wenjing didn't resemble the old lady at all.

Logically speaking, having been personally taught by the matriarch, one should at least have some similarities in behavior to the matriarch.

Not only did she lack manners, but she was also quite deficient in them. However, she didn't think much of it, assuming that the old lady was in poor health and hadn't properly taught Xie Wenjing.

It wasn't until the fire at the family's Buddhist shrine and when Xin Ge'er mentioned Xie Wenjing to her several times that she began to take these strange occurrences seriously.

But that's all.

Now, Xin Ge'er suddenly tells her that she has been deceived. The real Xie Wenjing is Xie Niangzi, and the current Xie Wenjing is the daughter of the master and another woman.

Xin Ge'er and his brother originally intended to quietly get rid of Xie Wenjing and rid the Xie family of this scourge, but little did they know that their every move had already fallen into the eyes of Prince Huai and Wang Yan. Just as they stopped Xie Wenjing and her servant who were about to escape, the prince and Wang Yan caught them red-handed.

The master's collusion with the demonic cult can no longer be hidden, and their family will be implicated. Xin-ge'er told her the truth to prepare her mentally.

There were things to be done at home, and things needed to be dealt with promptly. What could Madam Zhou possibly do? For her, she was a wife who obeyed her husband after marriage, and the most important thing in her life was to be a good wife to Xie Yizhi.

Now her son tells her that her husband is unreliable and has deceived her. She doesn't feel anger, but fear; everything she has seems to have collapsed all at once.

Madam Zhou spoke again, "Master, is what Xin'er said true?"

Xie Yizhi looked at the steward, who hurriedly closed the gate of the Xie residence. He ignored Madam Zhou and strode towards the main courtyard. Madam Zhou subconsciously followed Xie Yizhi's footsteps.

Xie Yizhi stepped into the main courtyard and immediately saw Xie Chengxin standing there. He stared at Xie Chengxin, his face contorted, looking exceptionally ferocious.

Seeing his father like this, Xie Chengxin couldn't help but take a few steps back, but he didn't turn around and run away. When he was planning to take down Xie Wenjing, he had already thought about what would happen if his father found out.

Xie Yizhi grabbed Xie Chengxin's collar and said coldly, "I don't care what method you come up with, when we find you at the yamen, you have to make up a story that you were used to arrest Xie Wenjing."

"The person who took advantage of you is Wang Yan."

Xie Yizhi stared at Xie Chengxin: "If you can't find an excuse, write a letter saying that you were used by Wang Yan to deal with your father... and then... commit suicide."

"Did you understand?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Chengxin was momentarily speechless with shock. He had expected his father to be furious, but he never anticipated that his father would so readily order his death.

Xie Yizhi said viciously, "I've fed and clothed you well until today... what have you done for the Xie family and for me?"

Seeing this, Zhou Zhaochang rushed forward: "Brother-in-law, Xin'er is your own flesh and blood. You can't let Xin'er die just to get yourself off the hook. Xin'er did nothing wrong..."

As soon as Zhou Zhaochang finished speaking, Xie Yizhi waved her hand and slapped Zhou Zhaochang across the face: "What do you think you are? Are you good at literature or martial arts? If it weren't for me, would you still have a job? Would you still be able to get an official position? You're a piece of trash, a lump of mud, plotting against me with this brat."

"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have married into your Zhou family. The offspring I have are useless. The Zhou family has not only been of no help to me, but I have also had to take care of them in every way. If something happens to me this time, your Zhou family will not be able to stay out of it. If you don't die, everyone else will die with you."

Zhou Zhaochang turned pale upon hearing this.

As if she had figured something out, Xie Yizhi pointed at Zhou Zhaochang: "Your brother secretly supports Wang Bingchen's new policies, doesn't he?"

Zhou Zhaochang was taken aback.

Xie Yizhi's eyes were unfathomable, as if they were trying to suck Zhou Zhaochang into them: "When you go to the yamen, confess that you followed Wang Yan's orders, deceived Xie Chengxin, and conspired with him to plot against me, just because I obstructed the implementation of the new policies."

Zhou Zhaochang shook his head: "Brother-in-law, Xie Wenjing and the others have been arrested. Wang Yan will definitely interrogate them immediately. They are all members of the demonic sect. There's no way they can outmaneuver each other."

"You'd better confess to the court as soon as possible. Perhaps the emperor will take pity on you for your hard work and merits and demote you out of the capital. At least you can save your whole family's lives."

(End of this chapter)