More than thirty people were bound together by a rope, a long string dragged out from the Xie residence.
Passersby on the road stopped to watch, and some busybodies even followed from a distance, eager for a spectacle.
"It's different when you're ennobled. He doesn't resort to shouting and fighting anymore. Sending them to Shuntian Prefecture is a good move. Let Shuntian Prefecture handle the headache. It's all about making things difficult for Hao Wei, saving himself the trouble of dirtying his own hands and getting into more problems."
"Why are you so sour? If I stuffed a radish in your mouth, it would be pickled in no time."
"Am I sour?!" He was just a little envious, only a little!
"Xia Zeshi, do you smell that?"
"Uh, yes, a little..."
"You've suddenly become a Marquis, you can even talk directly to my uncle. Can't I be a little sour? Next time you achieve something great, can you call me along?"
"If I called you, would you dare to come?"
"I want to gain experience in the army!" He really didn't want to study anymore.
"Go tell your father at home. I'm not your father. What's the use of telling me?"
"..."
Xie Jiang, Xia Zeshi, and Xu Hengyi walked at the front of the procession, chatting idly.
Hao Wei's mouth was tightly stuffed with a pair of underpants, but his heart was filled with unvented rage.
Some of the Hao family's servants and guards who were cursing were also rewarded with a special pair of underpants.
Those who had their mouths stuffed with underpants had their eyes rolling back and their steps unsteady, while the rest remained as quiet as mice.
Who would want their mouth stuffed with underpants? The smell could be detected from afar! Did the people in the Xie residence never wash their underpants? How many had they saved up to be able to pull one out at any moment!
This method was too inhumane!
They would rather be whipped ten or eight times than suffer such torment.
More and more people were gathering to watch.
"Why are we doing this, walking step by step to Shuntian Prefecture? Why aren't we riding horses?" Xu Hengyi suddenly remembered this.
Xie Jiang: "Forgot."
Xu Hengyi: "Forgot?!"
Xie Jiang: "Why are you so agitated? It's less than half an hour's journey. Consider it exercise."
Xia Zeshi glanced back. "Hao Wei was paraded naked through the streets last night, and today he's being paraded tied up. I reckon Hao Wei might really have to cover his face the next time he goes out."
No one's face could withstand such humiliation. Xia Zeshi suspected that Xie Jiang was doing this deliberately; acting ruthlessly was very much in line with Xie Jiang's style.
Xu Hengyi suddenly thought of something and said to Xie Jiang, "Do you know the situation with the Hao family?"
If she didn't know, how could she have targeted Hao Wei? Xie Jiang feigned ignorance. What would she, an outsider, know? She just went gambling and slept with a courtesan.
"Is there some gossip?"
Xu Hengyi: "Don't you like Prince Song and Miss Song San? This Hao family has a history of grievances with the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, and this matter also involves His Highness the Fifth Prince."
Xie Jiang: "So complicated?"
Xia Zeshi was taken aback. "What does it have to do with me?"
After speaking, he immediately realized, "If it's about the Hao family's grievances with the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, it might actually have something to do with me. After all, Princess Gu'an is my aunt."
Xie Jiang: "Oh?"
Xu Hengyi: "Princess Gu'an's husband is Hao Wei's elder brother, Hao Ming."
Xie Jiang: "Oh."
Xu Hengyi: "But as everyone knows, Princess Gu'an's beloved was the third young master of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, Song Yu, who is Prince Song's uncle. Before the Duke of Dingguo's mansion fell into disgrace, Princess Gu'an had declared that she would marry no one but Song Yu."
"In fact, many women admired Master Song San back then. Nine years ago, Master Song San's reputation in the capital was comparable to my second brother's now. You've already seen Prince Song's demeanor. Master Song San was not only no less impressive than Prince Song, but even surpassed him..."
Xie Jiang: "If Master Song San was truly as exceptionally talented as you say, it's understandable that the young ladies of the capital would vow to marry no one but him."
Xu Hengyi sighed. "Indeed."
Xie Jiang looked ahead with a calm gaze. "But Princess Gu'an still got married."
Xu Hengyi leaned close to Xie Jiang's ear and whispered, "At first, Princess Gu'an also defied the imperial decree, preferring to live a life of solitude rather than marry. But Princess Gu'an's birth mother was still in the palace..."
Even a princess was not entirely free.
"Although Princess Gu'an married Hao Ming, she has lived in the Princess's mansion all these years, while Hao Ming still lives in the Hao residence. Hao Ming had thought of moving to the Princess's mansion, but the princess never allowed him in."
"It is said that the princess and Hao Ming have never consummated their marriage all these years, and Hao Ming has become a laughingstock."
Xie Jiang nodded, indicating she understood. "Princess Gu'an is, after all, His Majesty's sister. No matter how dissatisfied the Hao family might be, they wouldn't dare to do anything to Princess Gu'an. So, they transferred their resentment to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. After all, the Duke of Dingguo's mansion is not what it used to be, and everyone wants to step on them."
She would step on anyone who had stepped on the Duke of Dingguo's mansion.
Xie Jiang said, "Speaking of which, are you sure that Princess Gu'an's humiliation of Hao Ming is because she truly loves Master Song San?"
Xu Hengyi: "Is there any doubt? Although I was young nine years ago, who in the capital doesn't know about this matter?"
Xie Jiang said, "If she truly loved Master Song San, how could she have given the Hao family the opportunity to transfer their enmity to the Duke of Dingguo's mansion?"
Xia Zeshi finally spoke. "Xie Jiang, have you ever considered that Princess Gu'an's resistance to Hao Ming might simply be because 'once you've seen the sea, other waters are just streams'?"
"Although Hao Ming is also a talented young man, it depends on who you compare him to. Compared to Master Song San, the gap is too great. The princess can't just gouge out her own eyes."
Xu Hengyi's words were a bit harsh. While it seemed to belittle Hao Ming, there was no harm without comparison.
Xie Jiang suddenly felt it made sense. "Hao Wei is already like this, how good can his elder brother Hao Ming be? Princess Gu'an dislikes him, which seems quite reasonable."
"I haven't interacted much with Hao Ming, so I don't know him, but Hao Wei is definitely not a good person. Although Miss Song San is still young, anyone with eyes can see that in a couple more years, she will be stunningly beautiful. That dog Hao Wei has repeatedly threatened to... to Miss Song San..."
Xie Jiang's gaze turned dangerous. "What did he threaten to do to Miss Song San?"
How could Xie Jiang not know about Hao Wei's vulgar words?
She not only knew what indecent things Hao Wei had said, but she also knew that Hao Wei had made advances towards Song Xun two years ago.
Song Xun, being clever and intelligent from a young age, not only didn't fall for it but also turned the tables on Hao Wei.
But what if Song Xun hadn't managed to resolve the crisis?
Xie Jiang had been listening to Xu Hengyi talk all this way, just waiting for Xu Hengyi to say the next sentence.