"Your Excellencies praise me without reservation. I find it quite pleasing to hear; you truly have good intentions."
It was good that they understood his good intentions! It was not in vain that the two of them had been so eloquent.
Fang Yuchun was so moved that he forced tears from his eyes, looking pleadingly at Xie Jiang, begging her to show mercy and not add fuel to the fire.
Xie Jiang indicated that she had received the message.
She had no intention of causing the Lan Yong delegation to make a fuss over this trivial matter of hers.
Although the Xie family's allegiance was merely a pretense, as a pretense, it should be smoothly put up and fluttered in the wind.
"You have traveled a long way and are weary. You should return to the posthouse to rest. Don't you have to attend court tomorrow morning? I am being looked after by Master Fang's men in prison, so I can manage to stay for a few days."
Xie Jiang walked to the table, poured herself a cup of water, and drank it slowly under everyone's gaze. She then spoke to He Zhifei and Xie Taihong outside the door.
"When you see His Majesty tomorrow, speak well of me in front of him. Perhaps His Majesty will see that I have behaved acceptably in prison these past few days and issue an imperial decree to release me."
"But..."
As soon as Su Yang opened his mouth, Xie Jiang interrupted him ruthlessly, "But what is there to but?"
Xie Jiang placed the teacup back on the table. "Are you planning a jailbreak, or are you planning to coerce Master Fang?"
Fang Yuchun: "..."
No wonder Su Yang had looked at him unfavorably earlier. So he had harbored such thoughts?
Su Yang said, "You suffer in prison, and you don't pity yourself, but I do!"
Xu Hengyi grumbled, "Master Fang's men are taking good care of her. Although Xie Jiang is imprisoned and not free, she has food and a place to sleep. How can you see her suffering?"
Su Yang spat at him, "What do you know!"
This Xu surname dared to jump around in front of his young master! When his young master was tired of playing and annihilated the Duke of Wei's manor, he would be the first to kill this Xu Hengyi.
Xie Jiang slapped the table and said righteously, "I am now the Marquis of Nanhai of Da Yu, a loyal subject and a good general to His Majesty. How can I do such lawless things!"
Xu Hengyi quickly agreed, "No, no."
Xie Taihong looked at her cautiously. "Since that is the case, will you endure another night in prison?"
Xie Jiang said, "You should rest, attend to your business, and don't worry about me."
He Zhifei looked calmly at Xie Jiang through the gaps in the bars. "If His Majesty still refuses to release you when we meet him tomorrow?"
Xie Jiang was indifferent. "Then I will stay here for a few more days. You can handle everything entirely; I trust you."
He Zhifei nodded. "I understand."
In fact, why should she hide in prison to enjoy leisure?
As long as she gave the order, he would handle any matter properly and would never let her worry.
Xie Jiang was very satisfied.
Among the three, Xie Jiang favored He Zhifei the most.
Talented and capable, and willing to work without complaint.
Seeing Xie Jiang smile so gently at He Zhifei, with eyes full of trust when looking at him, Su Yang's heart was almost overflowing with jealousy, enough to fumigate the entire prison with vinegar.
"Then I will stay and accompany Young Master in prison, serving him tea and water, folding his clothes, and making his bed."
Xia Zeshi could not help but scrutinize He Zhifei again.
He was a gentleman, upright, gentle, and like jade, his words and actions were elegant and steady.
He exuded an aura that inspired unspoken trust.
It was not surprising that Xie Jiang trusted him so much.
Xia Zeshi nodded secretly as he observed him discreetly. This Young Master He was indeed outstanding.
However, the three members of the Lan Yong delegation this time were not led by Master Xie? This was something none of them had expected.
If he understood correctly, Xie Jiang's intention just now was to hand over all matters concerning the delegation's visit to the capital to He Zhifei.
Master Xie seemed to be not very involved in management?
This Master Xie was quite strange. In his prime, he handed over the position of family head to his eldest son.
To be a hands-off manager and live a carefree life, there was nothing wrong with that, but it was difficult for most people to relinquish power. Master Xie was quite magnanimous.
Xu Hengyi's attention was all on Su Yang. He found Su Yang extremely annoying. "In such a small place, do you need to serve tea, pour water, fold clothes, and make the bed?"
He could reach anything with a stretch of his hand. Xie Jiang herself was not without hands.
Su Yang refused to pay attention to Xu Hengyi, wishing he could cling to Xie Jiang's side. "Young Master will be in prison for a long time, and I will accompany Young Master for as long as he stays."
Xie Jiang said, "Do you think I lack people to accompany me in prison?"
Xu Hengyi said, "When Xie Jiang entered, someone was already clamoring to accompany Xie Jiang, loyal and true friendship. If Xie Jiang needs company, the adjacent cells are already full. Where would there be a place for you?"
Su Yang: "Who?"
He would find an opportunity to kill them one by one!
Turning back, he said to Xie Jiang, "How can I be the same as those people! I don't care, I want to! Young Master, please don't drive me away. I promise I..."
Xie Jiang found him annoying. "Xie Taihong!"
"Yes!" Xie Taihong instinctively straightened his chest and buttocks, his voice loud.
Fang Yuchun and Zuo Shixin were startled by the sudden booming voice. Xie Taihong realized his overreaction was too late, so he decided to maintain his persona as an old father who feared his son.
He hadn't expected Xie Jiang to be too lazy to even pretend, let alone act. They had said Xie Jiang was his biological son, hadn't they? He had thought there would be a scene of fatherly love and filial piety.
He had thought too much.
Xie Jiang said, "Take Su Yang away and restrain him properly."
Xie Taihong did not want to agree, appearing very troubled.
He couldn't manage someone like Su Yang, who had a wicked bone in his body. Even if he wanted to, he was powerless.
Xie Jiang stared at him and smiled.
Couldn't manage Su Yang?
Now he remembered to pretend to be a benevolent person. When dealing with her in the past, he had not been soft-hearted. Did she need to remind him of the past?
Xie Taihong felt a tightness in the back of his neck and immediately nodded in agreement, not daring to show any further reluctance.
He had truly lacked foresight back then, being blind and thinking Xie Jiang was just a small child.
He had actually thought it would be as easy as crushing Xie Jiang with a finger. Who knew that later he would almost be crushed to death by Xie Jiang with a finger?
Fortunately, his son Xie Tangqing was more perceptive and had shown goodwill to Xie Jiang from the beginning. Otherwise, the Xie family would not only have failed to manage the four southern continents but would have been left to barely survive.
He had resigned as family head in his prime not because he liked to be a hands-off manager. Which man could abandon great power in his hands?
But Xie Jiang did not trust him. If he continued to be the family head, the Xie family would not have today.
For the sake of the Xie clan, he had to step down even if he didn't want to.
Su Yang still wanted to act cute with Xie Jiang. Xie Taihong immediately put on a stern face. "Su Yang, come out! Don't disturb Little Jiang's peace!"
Xie Taihong had been the head of the Xie family for many years and had once been an authoritative figure. When he got serious, Su Yang dared not be too presumptuous.
Su Yang looked at Xie Jiang with longing. "Young Master, I'll just chat with you for a while and then leave..."
Xie Jiang did not want to pay attention.
Xie Taihong said sternly, "Su Yang, are you deaf! Why so much talk!"
Su Yang was unwilling and filled with anger. "We haven't seen each other for so long. What's wrong with me saying a few more words to Young Master?!"
Xie Taihong: "Say one more word and you're going back to Lan Yong immediately!"
Fang Yuchun and Zuo Shixin silently watched Xie Taihong exert his authority.
This Master Xie, when facing people other than Xie Jiang, put on the airs of the old Xie family head. Why was he so lacking in paternal authority in front of Xie Jiang?