Selling wife for fame? Kick out the scumbag and marry the new emperor to enjoy the harem of favors

Chapter 217

These words struck Xie Mingshen like a blow to the head, leaving his head buzzing and him completely dumbfounded.

After a moment, he realized what was happening and flew into a rage.

"What nonsense are you spouting? When have I ever committed such a mistake? Who gave you the right to treat your own father like this!"

After shouting that, Xie Mingshen suddenly looked at Xie Jiu with a face full of grief, as if he had been let down and was heartbroken.

"Jiu'er, I am your own father! What slanderous words did you listen to that led you to collude with outsiders to frame your own father? I raised you with great care and hardship, providing you with the finest food and clothing. I even had great scholars teach you music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and songs. I did everything with utmost care. Is this how you repay me?"

He put on a great performance, but all he got in return was a sneer from Xie Jiu.

“Prime Minister, why have you cultivated me so carefully? Because I am a pawn in your hands, a commodity waiting to be sold. You don’t care whether I am doing well or not, or whether I am comfortable or not. You only care about how much benefit I can bring you.”

Xie Jiu approached him step by step, a ferocious hatred gradually emerging in her eyes.

“I used to think I had a loving father, but I later realized that I was always just a bargaining chip for you to use to gain benefits. It was the same when you married me off to Wu Que, and the same when you conspired with Wu Que to force me to curry favor with the Emperor. Now that I have carved out my own path and stand openly by the Emperor's side, you have become so friendly with your daughter again!”

Perhaps her anger was too sharp, forcing Xie Mingshen to take a few steps back.

“Father, Wu Que may be despicable, but compared to you, he is far less vicious and despicable. You are the root of all the hardships and pain I have suffered.” Xie Jiu spoke each word with accusation.

Zhao Xingjin sat behind his desk, his gaze falling on Xie Jiu, and he couldn't help but frown.

He didn't like Xie Jiu's appearance. He thought Xie Jiu was always much better than he was now, whether he was happy, angry, or infatuated.

Right now, she's like a wounded young animal, covered in blood, yet stubbornly determined to get justice for herself.

Seemingly very strong, but actually exhausted and fragile, merely clinging to life by hatred.

Stripped of her former vibrancy and liveliness, the woman now covered in wounds is the real her.

Zhao Xingjin could understand Xie Jiu's grief and anger, but Xie Mingshen, as her father, remained unrepentant.

Looking at Xie Jiu with a pained expression, he appeared like a loving father. "I married you off to the Wu family because you were my most beloved eldest daughter. Back then, among all the young men in the capital, who was more noble than the heir of the Wu family? But I never expected that Wu Que, though outwardly beautiful, was rotten inside and would actually harm you to this extent."

"Later, he tried to treat you unfairly, but your father knew nothing about it. Then you went to the Emperor's side. Your father was afraid that you would be bullied, and that outsiders would think that your family had distanced themselves from you because of your second marriage. That's why I was extra warm to you, so as to support you!"

At this point, Xie Mingshen was already in tears, raising his hand to pound his chest.

"How could your father not love you? You have misunderstood your father now, and your father has no complaints. After all, it was your father who failed to find a good marriage for you, causing you to entrust your future to the wrong person. But you cannot listen to slander and think that I am colluding with outsiders. This is a capital offense that will result in the execution of your entire family. Even if you don't think about your father, think about your brother, your sister-in-law, your nephews and nieces. How innocent they are!"

If Xie Jiu hadn't already seen through Xie Mingshen's character and had real evidence of his crimes, he would have been completely fooled by Xie Mingshen's performance.

Xie Mingshen's performance at this moment was so realistic that he even fooled himself, or perhaps he genuinely believed that everything he was doing was right.

Xie Jiu looked at him calmly, took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and looked up to hold back her tears.

Then he said coldly, "I'm afraid you're the one who doesn't care about the life or death of your brother and sister-in-law's family."

As they spoke, Xie Wei slowly walked in from outside the door, glanced at Xie Mingshen, and then, without pausing, bowed to Zhao Xingjin first. "Your Majesty, I have lived up to your expectations. I have worked with the Imperial Guards to arrest all the private soldiers that the criminal Xie Mingshen kept at his villa in the suburbs of the capital. Their leader has been handed over to the Court of Judicial Review for imprisonment and interrogation."

These words were even more damaging than Xie Jiu's earlier remarks.

Xie Mingshen was stunned for a moment, then his body went limp, and he suddenly took a few steps back. Then he looked at Xie Wei with disbelief, his face suddenly turning red with rage, his eyes wide, and his hand trembling as he pointed at Xie Wei.

"You unfilial son, do you know what nonsense you're spouting!"

"Your Majesty, Grand Secretary Xie Mingshen has been raising a private army of 1,500 men, all of whom are equipped with armor and weapons. According to the laws of Dajing, he should be convicted of treason. Although he is my father, I am an official of Dajing and cannot bend the law for personal gain. Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty to punish the guilty Xie Mingshen according to the law!"

Xie Wei had no intention of speaking to him at all, and only spoke firmly, asking Zhao Xingjin for permission to take the order.

At the same time, Xie Jiu took out an account book from his sleeve and placed it on Zhao Xingjin's desk.

“Your Majesty, this is the account book left behind by the former Deputy Commissioner of the Provincial Judicial Commission, Pan Bangming. It records all the dirty deeds that Xie Mingshen made him do over the years, as well as the amount of money he amassed for Xie Mingshen. After Pan Bangming was imprisoned and convicted, his wife and daughter fled the capital with the account book, but were pursued by Xie Mingshen. They barely escaped and have now been found by me. They have been brought to the palace and are willing to be witnesses.”

Upon seeing the ledger, Xie Mingshen's eyelids twitched, and he began to breathe rapidly, unable to control himself.

But that wasn't all, Xie Jiu continued.

"In addition, the youngest grandson of Wu Shao, the commander of the Northern Army, and the old steward of the Wu family are also among those being hunted down by Xie Mingshen. They are now in the capital, and the old steward is willing to testify in court against Xie Mingshen for his crimes."

Zhao Xingjin was surprised that Xie Jiu had prepared all this. He took the ledger and flipped through it, his gaze darkening further.

He then looked up at Xie Mingshen, who was barely holding on, and asked him in a cold voice.

"Xie Mingshen, do you know your crime?!"

"Your Majesty..." Xie Mingshen's lips trembled, then he suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly, "I never thought that my life would be ruined by my own children, ha ha ha, how ridiculous, how ridiculous!"

He appeared insane, his face contorted like a vengeful ghost, and suddenly charged towards Xie Jiu.

Zhao Xingjin subconsciously stood up, wanting to protect the person behind him, but Xie Wei beat him to it, blocking Xie Jiu and pushing Xie Mingshen aside.

"You unfilial son and daughter!" Xie Mingshen was pushed to the ground and roared hoarsely, "Do you think you can have a good life without me as your father? You also have the surname Xie. The crime I committed is a crime that will result in the extermination of nine generations of your family. Even if I die, none of you will escape. You two stupid good-for-nothings, why did I give birth to you!"

"We were just pawns in your power and profit-seeking schemes, not the ones you expected. You don't need to make excuses for yourself."

Xie Wei frowned, his face showing a resolute expression.

“Growing up in the Xie family, I don’t know how much blood and tears of ordinary people I’ve eaten and used over the years have stained my life. I’m not afraid to repay this debt with my life. I only ask that in the next life, my little sister and I will never have to meet a hypocritical father like you again!”

These words made Xie Mingshen clench his fists, but he couldn't say anything. He just stared at Xie Wei and Xie Jiu with his eyes full of anger and hatred.

"Guards, take the guilty official Xie Mingshen to the imperial prison to await further punishment."

Finally, Zhao Xingjin spoke in a deep voice, temporarily ending the standoff in the study.