Wen Feng and the others harbored resentment towards Xie Jiang, wishing their master would finally come to his senses and sever ties with her. However, they knew this was an impossible dream.
Their master was not one to give up easily; once he set his mind on something, he would see it through to the bitter end.
Wen Feng hesitated as he escorted Xie Jiang out, unsure if his master was truly indifferent. He had a feeling that if Miss Xie were to leave just like that, his master wouldn't be able to bear it.
"Young Master Xie, would you like to have some tea and rest for a while?"
"Speak your mind."
"Young Master Xie, please stay for dinner. After dinner, you can go back and appease our master..." Wen Feng said weakly.
Although the situation originated because of her, and she bore the responsibility to calm things down, Wen Feng felt inexplicably guilty and short of breath when he made the request.
It felt as though his master was being unreasonable, and she needed to go to great lengths to placate him.
Yet, Wen Feng couldn't stand up straight in front of Xie Jiang.
"Do you want your master to die of anger sooner so you can be buried with him?"
"I don't, I didn't..."
Wen Feng followed Xie Jiang's steps. "Master is angry right now, but it's not that he truly doesn't want to see Young Master Xie. How could Master not want to see Young Master Xie? When has Master not wanted to see Young Master Xie? Master is just being cold with his words, but in his heart, he surely hopes Young Master Xie can provide him with a reasonable explanation."
"Isn't the explanation I just gave reasonable enough?"
Borrowing Duke Xu's eyeballs? Didn't everyone have eyeballs? Why not borrow his master's?
"Please have some tea to moisten your throat, and give Master a little more time. Doesn't Young Master Xie understand our master? As long as you put in some effort to coax him, even the greatest anger will dissipate."
"Don't you people know your master's temper? Look at him, do you think he'll calm down anytime soon?"
She didn't want to delay her visit to Xu Hengyan for some amusement. Xu Hengyan was returning to Ninghe in a couple of days. She could appease Yi Yangen after Xu Hengyan left, saving her the trouble of rushing between places.
"After dinner will be about the right time."
"Do you have a misunderstanding about your master's magnanimity?"
"...Young Master Xie, if you leave like this, our master..."
"Let your master calm down for a few days first. He won't listen to any explanation right now."
"A few days?"
"Ask your master. However many days he says, that's how many days."
"..."
He escorted Xie Jiang all the way to the main gate, or rather, he chased after her to the main gate, but still couldn't persuade Xie Jiang to stay.
Watching Young Master Xie mount his horse and leave with such ease and decisiveness, Wen Feng felt such a pang of heartache that he had an illusion that Young Master Xie didn't seem to care much about whether his master would die of anger.
After instructing someone to keep an eye on Young Master Xie's whereabouts, Wen Feng returned as if he had lost his parents, cautiously reporting at the door.
The study remained silent for a long time. Wen Feng and Shan Bai had a bad feeling about this, and then they heard the sound of a teacup shattering.
Wen Feng and Shan Bai stood outside the door, not daring to breathe. Their master had no habit of smashing things before, nor would he attack someone over trivial matters.
But ever since Miss Xie appeared...
How much bad karma had their master accumulated in his past life?
Inside the study.
Yi Yangen's mind buzzed with anger.
When she approached him, Yi Yangen feared he might lose control and kill her. Upon hearing that she was leaving just like that, his heart sank into an ice cave.
She would leave just because he let her go! She left just like that!
Moreover, he had a very bad premonition.
After a long while, Yi Yangen's voice echoed from the study, "Where did she go?"
Wen Feng's back was already drenched in sweat. He didn't dare to answer, but he couldn't not answer. "Young Master Xie went, went in the direction of Duke Wei's mansion."
With a loud crash.
The large desk was violently overturned, smashing the grand screen into two halves.
~
Xie Jiang entered Duke Wei's mansion as easily as entering her own vegetable garden.
Even though Duke Wei and Second Master Xu were unwilling to interact much with Xie Jiang, and even intended to distance themselves from her, they couldn't stop Xie Jiang from frequently entering and exiting Duke Wei's mansion.
What displeased them the most was that Xu Hengyan had also granted her access to Shi'an Courtyard and specifically set aside a room for her, where she could come and go as she pleased and reside.
Shi'an Courtyard was the courtyard where Duke Wei's heir resided. Even Duke Wei couldn't enter and exit freely, and the household staff would not disturb it easily. Xu Hengyi had only entered it a few times before, and only Xie Jiang had broken the rules with Xu Hengyan.
Duke Wei and Second Master Xu were only authoritative outside the mansion. Their words held no sway within the manor, and Madam Xu was so angry she almost pointed at their noses and called them ungrateful.
When they needed favors, they had one face, but now that they didn't, they had another.
Duke Wei and Second Master Xu were rendered speechless by the scolding and couldn't help but wonder if Xie Jiang had bewitched them. Was such a wicked and capricious young person worth defending like this?
Not only had Xie Jiang bewitched the women in the inner chambers, but the Xu brothers were also confused by her. Duke Wei and Second Master Xu couldn't understand why Xu Hengyan, in addition to Xu Hengyi's lack of sense, would also defend Xie Jiang at every turn.
Xie Jiang entered Duke Wei's mansion without obstruction and encountered Duke Wei at the entrance of Shi'an Courtyard.
Duke Wei watched Xie Jiang, hesitating. He had just come out of the study in Shi'an Courtyard.
Having inexplicably gotten into a fight with the Regent, Duke Wei naturally wanted to understand what was going on.
However, Xu Hengyan acted as if nothing had happened in front of him, merely saying he was sparring with the Regent.
How could he believe such a lie as sparring? That was what he used to fob off the guests present that day.
No matter how he tried to probe, Xu Hengyan remained unmoved, unwilling to say another word.
What's more, none of the servants, like Guang Bai, who were serving at the time, were present.
Duke Wei intended to try and get information from Xie Jiang, as she was the only one who witnessed the entire incident. However, upon seeing Xie Jiang's arrogant demeanor, Duke Wei felt it was better to remain ignorant.
He believed that no matter the reason, his son could handle it properly.
He didn't know how Xie Jiang cultivated this habit of looking down on everyone. She spoke to everyone with an arrogant and disdainful air of a ruler.
She was like this even in front of them, important court officials, let alone in front of juniors like Xu Hengyi.
What were Hengyan and Hengyi trying to achieve?
Duke Wei ultimately said nothing, nodded to Xie Jiang, and prepared to leave.
Xie Jiang also saw Duke Wei approaching. She had originally intended to treat Duke Wei as a passerby, perhaps just nodding in greeting, but she noticed Duke Wei's hesitant expression.
Xie Jiang called out to him, "Duke Wei seems to have something to say. If you have something to say, just say it. I won't blame you."
Listen to that treasonous tone! Did she think she was the Emperor of Nanyang? Even the Emperor of Nanyang would not dare to be so foolishly arrogant.
Duke Wei could only assume she was young and ignorant.
Xie Jiang smiled and said, "Duke Wei, do you want to know why Yi Yangen and Xu Hengyan got into a fight?"
Coming out of Shi'an Courtyard with that expression, it was obvious what his intentions were, even if one used their toes to guess.
Duke Wei, who had just lifted his foot, lowered it again. "Is Marquis of Nanhai willing to tell me the truth?"
Xie Jiang said, "Why not?"
Xie Jiang planned to bury a few nails under his feet.
Even if she couldn't cripple one of his feet, she could make him feel pain from time to time.
If it festered and became deeply infected, reaching the bone, then it would be a happy occasion.
Duke Wei found her somewhat inscrutable. She had just been evasive, and now she had changed her mind. "What was the reason for today's events?"