Ruan Ziji recognized the Hao family members. Seeing the three riding at the forefront, he moved closer to Xie Jiang and said, "It's the Hao family patriarch and his two sons. The second son is Hao Wei's father."
Beside the Hao father and sons were several familiar faces.
Marquis Yongxin was the first to dismount, taking a few steps up the stairs to Xie Jiang, his expression one of toothache as he pointed at her.
"You, you..."
Seeing dozens of patrol battalion officers standing by, Marquis Yongxin, who was about to unleash a torrent of scolding, found himself speechless upon seeing Xie Jiang's infuriating demeanor. He stormed into the Hao residence without saying another word.
It was correct that the patrol battalion did not engage with Xie Jiang.
Otherwise, the adverse effects of this matter would only have spread to the maximum extent.
It would have become even more difficult to resolve.
However, to simply stand there and watch the Hao family shed blood was a severe dereliction of duty for the patrol battalion!
Marquis Yongxin rushed into the Hao residence as if his life depended on it.
Upon seeing the Hao patriarch, Old Madam Hao burst into tears, "My lord, you've finally returned. If you had been even a moment later, our Hao family would have been ruined by that little beast..."
The old madam had been holding her breath and forcing herself to stay strong. Now that the pillar of the Hao family had returned, the breath she had been holding escaped all at once.
If not for the support of two maids, she would have collapsed.
"Madam!"
The Hao patriarch stepped forward to support her.
Old Madam Hao waved her hand, indicating she was fine.
"Mother!"
Seeing their mother's state, the Hao father and sons' hearts sank simultaneously. The old madam, who usually maintained her dignity, looked exceptionally disheveled, her voice hoarse and barely audible.
Coupled with Xie Jiang's notorious reputation, many bloody scenes involuntarily flashed through the minds of the Hao father and sons.
Eldest Master Hao and Second Master Hao, forgetting their mother and even the villain Xie Jiang standing nearby, stumbled into the mansion in unison.
The Hao patriarch asked about the children's condition. Old Madam Hao shook her head tearfully, her mouth opening and closing but remaining silent for a long time. The Hao patriarch, unable to wait any longer, also rushed into the mansion.
Before entering, he glanced back at Xie Jiang.
That glance was sharp and piercing.
Xu Hengyi nudged Xie Jiang with his elbow. "The Hao family patriarch's eyes hold killing intent."
Xie Jiang replied, "There are plenty of people who want to kill me. He'll have to queue."
A group of people had also arrived with the Hao father and sons and Marquis Yongxin.
Xie Jiang was familiar with two of them.
One was Magistrate Huo, and the other was Investigator Wang.
The person walking in front of them, dressed in the official attire of a third-rank civil official, could only be who she guessed: the Prefect of Shuntian, who had evaded her three times, had finally deigned to show his face.
He had no choice but to appear.
If Xie Jiang had wiped out the Hao family, his official robes would have been for naught.
Prefect Fang Yuchun of Shuntian, middle-aged and out of shape, dismounted from his horse, panting. He glanced at the Hao residence's precarious main gates, his face pale, and walked up to Xie Jiang. "Marquis Xie, you wouldn't have actually... given the Hao family the..."
Xie Jiang, too lazy to explain, said, "Go in and see for yourself."
Magistrate Huo looked at Xie Jiang, wanting to speak but stopping himself, and followed into the Hao residence with hurried steps.
As the Shuntian Prefecture's soldiers took two steps forward, Ruan Ziji stopped them. "If you weren't called inside, wait outside!"
Xie Jiang had allowed her people to smash and grab in the Hao residence for so long. The Hao patriarch had finally returned with his two sons. Today's events were just beginning, weren't they?
How could she let these officers get in the way!
The leading officer of the Shuntian Prefecture's soldiers sized up Xie Jiang and Ruan Ziji and several others, then signaled to those behind him.
Since the patrol battalion officers were all outside, they would wait outside for now.
Marquis Yongxin was the first to rush into the Hao residence. The patrol battalion officers looked at each other, intending to follow the Marquis's orders inside.
Unexpectedly, Xie Jiang turned back at the entrance and said to the patrol battalion, "For your own good, I advise you not to go in."
The patrol battalion officers hesitated for a moment, but ultimately remained in place.
It wouldn't be too late to go in when the Marquis called for them.
Nie Tong walked to the main entrance of the Hao residence, stepped over the threshold, glanced at the two formations of officers, pulled the obstructing Old Madam Hao to the side, and closed the Hao family's main gate again.
Marquis Yongxin swiftly ran from the front courtyard to the back, and then back to the front courtyard. To his surprise, the scene he had imagined had not occurred?!
The thugs who had looted the wealth had long since fled through the back or side doors. When Marquis Yongxin rushed in, he only saw Da Chui and his group still demolishing the houses.
The roofs of the houses in the first two courtyards were already gone, the doors and windows were smashed beyond recognition, and several walls had been pushed down.
The courtyard, which had once held a hint of scholarly atmosphere, was now reduced to ruins.
Fearing that Xie Jiang might go mad and do something inhuman, Marquis Yongxin no longer cared about propriety and specifically went to the back courtyard for a look.
Da Chui and his men had not yet reached the back courtyard in their demolition, so the houses there were still intact. However, the flowers and plants in the garden and the furniture in each room were smashed to pieces.
It looked like it had been ransacked by bandits.
Not like.
It had been ransacked by bandits.
Fortunately, the female members of the Hao family were unharmed.
At least that young scoundrel Xie Jiang had not done anything that would incur the wrath of heaven and man!
Otherwise, even if she offered the four southern islands, this capital would not have tolerated her!
Seeing Xie Jiang enter, Marquis Yongxin pointed at her, unsure whether to scold her or praise her.
Xie Jiang sighed, "Am I not particularly kind? Hao Wei wanted to kill me in anger, yet I only came to the Hao family to smash and loot, and didn't even injure a single person. I'm so kind it's unlike myself."
Marquis Yongxin put his hands on his hips and turned his head away, not wanting to hear Xie Jiang's shameless words. However, this was indeed not Xie Jiang's usual style.
Whether it was the Marquis of Nanxiong's mansion at the beginning, the bandits of Huanglan Mountain, or later the Earl of Xing Shun's mansion, wherever Xie Jiang, that scoundrel, went, nothing was left untouched!
The best-case scenario was always a sea of blood with countless casualties.
Today, she had brazenly gone to the Hao family, expecting another shocking tragedy, only to find that it was merely a spree of destruction.
It seemed their earnest teachings had taken effect.
Marquis Yongxin was so moved he was about to cry. Listening to the crashing sounds, he quietly asked Xie Jiang, "Half of the Hao residence has been demolished by you. It's about time to stop, isn't it? Cooperate with me and come back to the patrol battalion for a cup of tea?"
By putting on a show to deceive the Hao family, this matter would be considered over.
The Hao father and sons inspected their residence and found that only Hao Wei and his two brothers had been severely beaten. Xie Jiang had not harmed their female family members.
However, all the storerooms in the mansion had been emptied! Xie Jiang's subordinates were still demolishing houses! They ignored all attempts to stop them!
The Hao father and sons intended to reason with Xie Jiang. However, as soon as they walked towards her, Luo Tie, along with several others, rushed forward, giving them no opportunity to speak.
Scholars of that era were not frail bookworms; riding horses and carrying swords were standard. The Hao father and sons originally had some martial skills.
But Luo Tie was not intending to politely spar with them. If he caught someone off guard and pinned them to the ground, he would never let them get up again.
"..."
Marquis Yongxin blinked. The tears of感动 that had been glistening in his eyes moments before had instantly dried up.