When leaving the Duke of Wei's mansion, Xie Jiang found a property deed in her pocket.
Besides a mansion on Yuqiao Street in the east of the city, the second master Xu had also prepared some gifts, which had already been sent to the Yuqiao Street residence.
These items were the consultation fees for Xie Jiang.
Xu Hengyi insisted on escorting her to the door, stopping reluctantly.
"Are you sure you don't need Yi Shan to accompany you? I also wanted to get acquainted with the place." It would also be convenient to freeload meals someday.
His father had told him to pack up quickly and return to the Imperial Academy tomorrow.
What was there to pack? Wasn't this just an attempt to confine him?
Although they expressed immense gratitude to Xie Jiang and were polite, they were perhaps too polite, making him feel a bit cold.
He also understood another meaning: his father did not want him to get too close to Xie Jiang, let alone get involved in Lu Baofang's affairs.
Xu Hengyi felt a little displeased.
He wasn't really involved in Lu Baofang's affairs, was he?
He wasn't his second brother; he didn't even have his own staff. Using the mansion's people was like exposing his backside to a beating.
He had only asked Yi Shan to help run errands, to do the most menial of tasks.
It was mainly the Fifth Prince who was busy with everything.
Xie Jiang had said he was standing by idly, and he didn't like it, but wasn't that exactly what he was doing?
Xu Hengyi's emotions were plain to see, and the second master Xu understood his foolish son's thoughts clearly.
He was not afraid of offending the Marquis of Nanxiong's mansion; a mere Marquis of Nanxiong's mansion was not enough to warrant his attention.
He was guarding against Xie Jiang.
This young man, who was too beautiful, was the same age as his son, yet his actions were unfathomable.
Was he truly driven by righteous indignation to seek justice for Wu Hongyun?
It was likely more than that.
Where was justice in this world?
Only power.
Xie Jiang would not fail to understand this principle.
Yet, he had maintained a clear stance, determined to confront Lu Baofang head-on, even unafraid of opposing the entire Marquis of Nanxiong's mansion.
The matter of Wu Hongyun was probably just the beginning.
He couldn't guess how this matter would unfold.
He couldn't control what Xie Jiang intended to do, but he simply didn't want his foolish son to be muddled into the vortex.
"My father..."
Seeing Xie Jiang silent and looking a bit down, Xu Hengyi felt a pang of anxiety and tried to smooth things over, "With the mansion on Yuqiao Street, it will be convenient for you in the capital..."
Xie Jiang patted his shoulder, "I'm a doctor. I treat patients, take my payment, and leave. Isn't that normal?"
Xu Hengyi felt that the second master Xu's approach of "money for services rendered" was too cold.
That was because Xu Hengyi sided with her, which was why he felt that way. In reality, she and the Duke of Wei's mansion had no prior connection.
It was Xu Hengyi who had unilaterally developed a connection with her.
At least her efforts to feed him during this period were not wasted on a dog.
Xie Jiang was pleased with Xu Hengyi's reaction.
Then, of course, he continued to pull Xu Hengyi closer to her side.
"Your father gave you a whole mansion, and I heard there were many gifts. For other doctors, they probably wouldn't receive such treatment."
Xie Jiang smiled, as if she truly didn't mind.
Was the great Xie comforting him? Was it comfort? Xu Hengyi didn't know why, but he felt flattered. After all, he had been tormented these past few days.
Had he developed a masochistic tendency? When Xie Jiang's attitude improved slightly, he felt it was comfort. "You be careful these few days. Why don't you not go to Yuqiao Street? You should stay at Prince Yi's mansion."
Since she no longer needed to come to the Duke of Wei's mansion to needle his grandmother, she could just lie low at Yi Yanheng's mansion. Lu Baofang wouldn't dare to snatch her from Prince Yi's mansion.
He would also endure these few days and refrain from freeloading meals for now.
Not long after leaving the Duke of Wei's mansion, Xie Jiang sensed a tail following her. Xu Hengyi's ominous words had come true; Lu Baofang was going to make a move against her.
Killing her and Zhou Shi would resolve the matter.
Fearing that these people might hesitate to act, Xie Jiang subtly changed her route, deliberately heading towards sparsely populated areas.
Gradually, the pursuers also noticed her intentions.
They hadn't expected Xie Jiang to be so cooperative; this was exactly what they wanted.
Silently resolving the problem was, of course, better than making a big fuss and letting everyone know.
As for Xie Jiang actively offering her neck to their blades, would there be a trick?
They heard that the Xie surname was skilled, but they were also well-prepared.
She would soon pay the price for her arrogance and ignorance.
Xie Jiang was pleased with the surroundings.
Overgrown with weeds, it was the most suitable place for murder.
Clearly, the other party thought so too.
The tails that had followed her all along emerged from the shadows, brandishing gleaming blades, and began to surround Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang, with an arrogant and self-assured air, didn't even turn her head. She slowly walked towards the riverbank and suddenly called out.
"Da Chui—"
Before the broad-shouldered men brandishing knives could comprehend the meaning of these two words, a black shadow suddenly swept towards them. A line of five or six men collided head-on with an iron pillar, sent flying along with bloody teeth.
A few men nearby dodged the attack and then saw that what had smashed half of their companion's face was an iron chain as thick as an arm.
"Hehehe..."
A thunderous laugh echoed from above them, making their eardrums throb.
Xie Jiang sat down on a large rock by the riverbank. As she looked up, she saw a black man as tall as a tower tearing off a person's leg with his bare hands.
He would smash a few to death with the iron chain, beat a few to death with his fists, tear a few apart with his bare hands, and then accidentally stomp one to death...
Uh (⊙o⊙)...
Not long after Xie Jiang sat down, the group sent by Lu Baofang had no survivors.
"They're too weak to fight..." The black tower-like man mumbled softly, scratching the back of his head, looking somewhat unsatisfied.
Looking at the shredded meat clinging to her hem, Xie Jiang showed a look of disgust. When she glanced at the black tower-like man, her tone carried a hint of affection, "Can you be a bit more civilized when you act?"
"I wasn't even using much strength. These people are like paper dolls, hehe..." The black tower-like man grinned foolishly and stepped forward, squatting down to pick the shredded meat off Xie Jiang's hem.
Then, with a ripping sound.
A piece of Xie Jiang's hem was torn off.
Yi Yanheng, who was riding at full speed, happened to see Xie Jiang kicking the black tower-like man away.
Xie Jiang looked up at the sound of horse hooves and her face bloomed into a smile when she saw it was Yi Yanheng.
Yi Yanheng strode forward and suddenly stopped, his entire body tensing as he looked at the mess around her.
She seemed accustomed to such situations, showing no concern, and could still smile so easily and freely upon seeing him.
He didn't know what she had experienced before.
But it must have been unimaginable.
"Didn't you go into the palace? Why are you here?"
Yi Yanheng seemed to be moonlighting as an emperor, going into the palace every day to handle state affairs, doing almost all the work an emperor should do, short of favoring the imperial harem.
Were the imperial harem too ugly?
When she thought this, he still blocked her mouth.
Feng and Shan Bai, along with a few others, had already surrounded the black tower-like man.
They hadn't seen the black tower-like man display his might, only Xie Jiang kicking him away. They assumed the black tower-like man was also sent by Lu Baofang.
The black tower-like man chuckled, "My people, my people..."
The pretty boy named Yi was someone Jiang Jiang fancied. He had to be more amiable, lest he scare him away and displease Jiang Jiang.
"My people?" Feng, looking at the piece of hem he was waving, expressed doubt.