“The old madam says there are people looting the Hao family, are they the thugs who just rushed in? Those thugs have nothing to do with Xie Jiang! They saw the Hao family fighting and ran in to take advantage of the chaos!”
“Xie Jiang has been in Ninghe all along, and only returned to the capital a few days ago. You know this, where could she find so many thugs?” Xu Hengyi refused to admit it.
Coincidentally, several thugs laden with loot rushed out from the back courtyard, preparing to retreat in case they encountered the patrol camp or the Shun Tian Fu.
Xu Hengyi stepped forward, grabbed one, and dragged him over. In front of the Hao family's old madam, he asked, “Old Madam Hao says you were hired by Xie Jiang to loot the Hao family. Tell the old madam quickly, did Xie Jiang tell you to come to the Hao family to loot?”
Xu Hengyi stared coldly at the thug, trying to make his gaze fiercer.
Fortunately, the thug was very cooperative. He glanced at everyone in the courtyard, unceremoniously pushed Xu Hengyi away, almost knocking him to the ground, and said, “What Xie Jiang, ginger, I don’t know them. If you want money, go and rob it yourself!”
After saying that, he fled.
After steadying himself, Xu Hengyi silently gave the thug a thumbs-up in his heart.
Then, he said to the Hao family's old madam with great innocence, “Old Madam, you see, I told you these people have nothing to do with Xie Jiang!”
The Hao family's old madam almost laughed in anger, “Do you take me for a three-year-old child!”
The Hao residence was surrounded by the mansions of court officials, and the patrol camp arranged for personnel to patrol the area closely every day. Under normal circumstances, idle thugs would not dare to approach. How could so many appear today by coincidence?!
It was clearly premeditated!
Xu Hengyi sighed with worry, “The thugs have admitted it themselves, and you still don’t believe it? Then how can you be convinced?”
The Hao family's old madam pointed to the main entrance and said, “Take everyone and leave the Hao family immediately! Take those thugs and bandits and get out!”
The Hao family's old madam didn't want to pay him any attention, but Xie Jiang was invulnerable to swords and impervious to fire. No matter what she said, she couldn’t shake Xie Jiang, so she could only hope to break through from Xu Hengyi’s side.
These words were said to Xu Hengyi, and also to Xie Jiang.
Xu Hengyi said, “I already said it has nothing to do with us, they are all opportunistic looters, how could they listen to us.”
One after another, idle thugs with bundles on their backs emerged from various courtyards.
These thugs were idle but not brainless. Once they got enough money, they would run quickly, otherwise, why would they keep it to spend in the Shun Tian Fu and the patrol camp prison?
Occasionally, gold and silver jewelry scattered from the thugs’ arms made the Hao family’s old madam’s eyes almost spew fire. The several storerooms in the front yard and the back residence had been swept clean. Those were the savings of their Hao family for decades!
“Is the Marquis of Nanhai today planning to tear down my Hao mansion?”
Xie Jiang nodded, “Is my purpose not clear enough? Do I need to ask?”
“Hao Wei did the same thing three days ago, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, it’s very fair.” Xu Hengyi wanted to persuade the Hao family’s old madam not to be angry, or perhaps to go and beat Hao Wei soundly to vent her anger. It was all Hao Wei’s doing, who could be blamed?
A female relative, seeing her son beaten badly and seeing the thugs continuously running out of the back residence with looted property, rushed towards Xie Jiang in grief and anger, cursing loudly.
She cursed Xie Jiang for being full of evil and deserving to be struck by lightning and die a terrible death.
Luo Tie roughly grabbed the woman and threw her far away.
The Hao family's old madam trembled with anger, “It is said that you were enfeoffed as a marquis for suppressing bandits, but with your actions, Xie Jiang, what difference is there between you and those bandits! Even if there are great grievances, there is no reason to involve the women in the back residence!”
Xie Jiang looked indifferently at the chaotic scene before her, “Did I touch a single hair of your Hao women?”
Pointing at the one Luo Tie threw out, “Your saliva almost sprayed on my face, is it wrong for my subordinate to purify the air?”
The Hao family's old madam was so angry that she kept calling Xie Jiang a beast.
Xie Jiang took out a handful of candied hawthorn from her purse and leisurely threw them into her mouth one by one.
“What species I am is not for the old madam to decide. Old madam, why don’t you sit down and rest for a while? You’re out of breath from scolding so hard. If you want to scold, scold again after you catch your breath, and also ask your female relatives to be quiet. Why cry and curse there to please me, your enemy.”
“So many women crying together sounds quite nice, I wonder if they would sound even better crying together at a funeral?”
Yin Bo Xuan nodded.
Originally, he was annoyed by the women’s crying, but since Young Master Xie said it sounded nice, it must sound nice.
What could be more pleasant to the ears than the powerless curses of an enemy and the miserable cries of the enemy’s female relatives?
The Hao family's old madam was so angry that she could no longer stand steadily, her trembling fingers pointing at Xie Jiang, swaying precariously. Xu Hengyi worried that the old madam would fall to her death and then blame Xie Jiang, so he quickly stepped forward to support the Hao family's old madam.
“Why are you all surrounding those three useless people? Doesn’t your old madam care about you!”
Xu Hengyi roared at the female relatives who were crying over Hao Wei and his two brothers.
Finally, two servant women reacted. One quickly went to the adjacent hall to get a stool, and the other ran over to support the old madam.
“Jiang Jiang, they’ve all fallen, there’s no one left!”
In the spacious front courtyard, only a few female relatives remained standing.
Da Chui looked around. The household guards and retainers lying on the ground, not yet unconscious, trembled uncontrollably.
Xie Jiang said, “Then tear down the house. Tear down as much as you can.”
The Hao family's old madam was furious, “You little beast, don’t push your luck too far!”
Xie Jiang pointed at Da Chui and said to the old madam, “See? He has too much energy and nowhere to release it. If he doesn’t tear down the house, would you be happy if he tore down your female relatives?”
Da Chui was about to rush towards the main hall when he heard Xie Jiang’s words and turned to gesture, “Can I tear these women apart?”
The courtyard fell silent.
The female relatives who were crying and cursing seemed to have their throats choked simultaneously.
The Hao family's old madam, supported by the servant women, stood up. Her murderous gaze was fixed on Xie Jiang. If Xie Jiang gave Da Chui any order, the old madam was prepared to die with Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang said, “Tear down the house.”
Those idle thugs lacked professional ethics. They were supposed to smash and loot together, but they were all busy getting money. Pushing over a few tables and chairs was considered smashing.
The Hao family's old madam slumped back down.
Except for Luo Tie who remained standing by Xie Jiang’s side, all other subordinates followed Da Chui to tear down the house.
Clang, clang—
Suddenly, the roof of the main hall was blown off, and four or five door panels flew out from the roof. The roof tiles clattered down.
The main hall of the Hao residence was dismantled piece by piece right before everyone’s eyes.
The thugs who were preparing to flee were stunned. They thought smashing and looting meant smashing ornaments and furniture, but it turned out they were going to tear down the house as well?!
Although she knew that Xie Jiang was impervious to all means, and no matter how unpleasant the scolding, Xie Jiang remained unmoved, the Hao family's old madam couldn't help but curse.
Suddenly, a sandalwood desk flew out from the hall and smashed towards the Hao family's old madam.
Xu Hengyi was startled, his heart almost leaped out of his chest.
Amidst sharp screams, the Hao family's old madam’s stool overturned, and she fell to the ground.
Just then, a young man under Nie Tong ran in to report.
The soldiers of the patrol camp had arrived.