"Breakfast can be so elaborate! It's outrageous! Following Young Master Xie is the way to good food!"
"Eat your food and stop talking so much."
"Too luxurious! It's simply an outrage..."
As usual, Xie Jiang only tasted a bite or two of each dish before putting down his chopsticks.
Xu Hengyi, on the other hand, cleaned up the entire table. He didn't spare even the morsels Xie Jiang had put down, and as he stuffed his mouth, he indignantly accused,
"Wasting food is shameful! You waste every item, you are shameful all over..."
Xie Jiang looked at the gleaming plates on the table, "Wasted? Where?"
"I cleaned up after you." Xu Hengyi patted his full stomach and let out a satisfied burp.
Xie Jiang crossed his legs, "Aren't you afraid to set foot in the Heir Apparent's manor? Why did you come in today, following the smell?"
Xu Hengyi said shamelessly, "Heir Apparent Yi entered the palace early this morning."
His second brother was already stern, dignified, and ice-cold. Yi Yan Geng was no less than his second brother, so he naturally stayed as far away as possible.
Speaking of which, he suddenly slapped his thigh, "Wu Hongyun's house was burned down, just last night!"
He forgot about important matters when he saw food! He wasn't like this before. As the third young master of the Duke of Wei's manor, what delicacies hadn't he tasted? He had never been greedy for food.
Who knew that after Xie Jiang showed his skills, he realized how many delicacies he hadn't tasted, but had simply never encountered before.
He seemed to have found another kind of joy in his life.
However, when it came to the fire last night, Xu Hengyi was so angry he jumped, "That dog, Lu Baofang, is truly inhuman. Not only is he cruel and ruthless, but he's also despicable and shameless. Before setting the fire, he actually blew sleeping incense into the house, as if afraid Zhou Shi wouldn't die from the fire..."
Zhou Shi's leg was broken, and she couldn't even stand. Was he still afraid she could escape?
This was a clear intention to kill Zhou Shi!
Xie Jiang's expression was indifferent; it was all as expected.
This was also the simplest way to resolve the matter. As long as Zhou Shi died, no one would go to the Nanxiong Marquis's manor to make trouble anymore.
Lu Baofang had harmed so many girls, had anyone gone to make trouble for so many years?
Zhou Shi was an exception.
When the exception was gone, wouldn't it be over?
Simple, brutal, and efficient.
He was good at solving problems.
But Xu Hengyi couldn't stay calm. He hadn't slept well thinking about this matter all night. When he came over this morning, he even took a detour to the Wu family alley to take a look.
"Lu Baofang's methods are too low and too vicious! The houses in Wu family alley are all connected, and everyone lives packed together. If Wu Hongyun's family caught fire, how could any of their neighbors escape?"
"Fortunately, we anticipated this and made proper arrangements for Zhou Shi. After the fire, our people also promptly woke up the surrounding neighbors. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Although the rescue was timely, several civilian houses were still destroyed..."
Xu Hengyi's words were filled with relief. Fortunately, only some houses were burned down, and there were no casualties.
Xie Jiang, however, secretly regretted it. It would have been better if there were casualties. The more casualties, the bigger the incident could have been.
So, she was still very kind, not just trying to build a persona.
"By the way, why did you wake up so late today? You just got up, right?"
As the two came out of the hall, Steward Zhang saw them off with a smile.
Xu Hengyi could feel that Steward Zhang's attitude was not just polite courtesy, and it wasn't directed at him.
If he wasn't mistaken, Steward Zhang seemed to be very afraid of Xie Jiang? And also a little fawning and ingratiating?
Even if Xie Jiang held Yi Yan Geng's life in his hands, it shouldn't be like this, right? Was Yi Yan Geng's injury already this severe?
Xu Hengyi was full of surprise but didn't dare to ask.
Steward Zhang only stopped when the two of them had left the main gate.
Xu Hengyi looked back. Steward Zhang was still bowing with a smile. He suddenly felt that Xie Jiang's figure seemed to have grown much taller. As expected of a big shot, they would be highly revered wherever they went!
"When do you plan to take Zhou Shi to Shuntian Prefecture to beat the drum and appeal?"
"That depends on how well you handle the tasks assigned to you." Xie Jiang assigned them trivial matters that she could handle herself to give them a sense of participation.
"How can it be so fast? We've done our best, but our manpower is limited. It will definitely be done in the next two days."
Xu Hengyi's face fell as he said this, "I feel like I'm definitely going to be punished by the family."
Although he and Xia Zeshi hadn't directly intervened, they had made so many subtle moves behind the scenes. The Emperor's informants and his own family weren't blind; they must have known they were involved.
"Want to quit?"
"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, can I ask for some compensation? Hey, what's with that expression?"
"Useless."
Although Xie Jiang didn't open his mouth, Xu Hengyi seemed to hear the voice. But he was also frustrated!
Did he not want autonomy?
Was it too late for him to start striving now?
But taking the imperial examinations was too difficult!
It was also not suitable for noble sons like him.
Or should he find an opportunity to train in the army?
But he couldn't achieve anything immediately!
How much longer would he be despised by this scoundrel Xie Jiang?
This was why Xie Jiang didn't force Xu Hengyi and Xia Zeshi to join her directly in causing trouble.
It was better not to be dragged home by their parents as soon as they appeared, before they could even do anything, and inexplicably add various obstacles for her.
It wasn't time for them to rise up and resist their families for her sake. If they weren't ready, there was no need to make useless efforts.
...
Arriving late today, Madam Xu's room was filled with many young women, making it exceptionally lively.
Besides Xu Hengyi's two biological sisters, there were three cousins.
Young girls full of vitality, each as tender as flower buds on a branch.
Making one want to crush them one by one.
Xie Jiang smiled innocently.
The young ladies of the Xu family all felt that the smile was directed at them.
Suddenly, they all seemed drunk, disoriented, and unable to distinguish between winter and summer, cold and heat.
Damn it!
Xu Hengyi's heart roared. Without a word, he drove his sisters back. Xie the Devil had arrived, why weren't they running? What were they waiting for! Didn't they want their lives!
You damn shameless scoundrel! The worst of the worst!
He was seducing his sisters right in front of him! And seducing them all at once!
Xu Hengyi silently warned Xie Jiang with his eyes.
Xie Jiang ignored him, considering him a weakling among fools, easily crushed with a finger, dead as dead could be.
Madam Xu the Second slapped her son on the forehead. Why was he glaring at little Xie for no reason? He looked fierce and impolite!
It was clearly Xie Jiang who had ill intentions!
What ill intentions? Smiling at girls was ill intentions? Should he have a cold face and be arrogant? Little Xie was gentle and polite.
Xu Hengyi: "..."
Gentle and polite?!
Could being good-looking make people this blind?
After finishing the acupuncture, Xie Jiang came out of the inner room and asked for brush and ink.
Madam Xu's health had recovered well. Today was the last acupuncture session. Only the medicinal prescription needed to be adjusted slightly, and the rest would be left to gradual recovery.
Starting from tomorrow, she wouldn't have to come to the Duke of Wei's manor every day.
Xu Hengyi accompanied Xie Jiang out, "You're not staying at our manor anymore? Where are you planning to stay? The Prince Yu's Heir Apparent's manor?"
Xu Hengyi's mood was a little complicated. It was good that Xie Jiang wasn't staying at their manor; it would save his sisters from being harmed.
But where would he get free meals from now on?
Yi Yan Geng's manor?!
Xu Hengyi's face turned ashen.