"He didn't, he was just crazy."
Xie Sui'an's voice turned cold. She pulled away from her memories and forced herself to face the suffocating reality.
Nan Yi was silent, speechless. In the past so many years, Xie Sui'an must have had hope for his dearest brother countless times and then been disappointed before he could decisively come to this conclusion.
"Sister-in-law, don't talk about him anymore. It's getting late. You just came to Wangxuewu and you're not familiar with the place. I'll take you back to Huaixuyuan."
Nan Yi nodded and followed Xie Sui'an silently.
Xie Sui'an tried to start some other topics: "Sister-in-law, is there anything missing in your house? Don't be too shameless. Just tell me what you need and I will buy more for you. How do you get along with Aunt Qiao? She is kind-hearted. I shouldn’t embarrass you.”
Nan Yi was still in a trance. When he raised his head, the tears in his eyes fell down.
Even Nan Yi was stunned. She didn't know when the tears were brewing in her eyes, but they seemed to be for Xie Queshan's story. Xie Sui'an misunderstood and immediately became nervous.
"Sister-in-law, why are you crying? Did Aunt Qiao bully you?"
An unexpected combination of circumstances struck Nan Yi right in his heart. Wasn't she approaching Xie Sui'an just to improve her situation in Xie's mansion? She simply followed the current, raised her hand as if wiping tears, and shook her head in response to rejection.
Xie Sui'an had already finished a play in his own mind, and when he saw Nan Yi's resigned look, his anger suddenly boiled up.
Eighty percent of this anger is to defend Nan Yi, and the remaining 20%25... is her sense of justice that has nowhere to put it, and she urgently needs a place to release it.
Xie Sui'an's life has been smooth. She hates evil, has a righteous heart, and is willing to stand up for injustice and darkness. However, the evil of the world has never come to her. In peaceful times, this was a blessing for being born, but in troubled times, it became Xie Sui'an's curse.
The big trees she relied on were falling down one by one. She could not change the status quo by herself, but she could not accept this orderly world.
So she placed all her hopes on Nan Yi - she firmly believed that this woman with a mysterious identity would be the key to breaking the situation. If she can't be a military advisor, then she has to be the sword to protect her. No one can harm her sister-in-law.
……
Xie Sui'an rushed into Huaixuyuan and pulled Qiao Yinzhi out without any explanation.
"Ms. Qiao, let's talk about it today. What do you mean by being a concubine?"
Xie Sui'an pulled Qiao Yinzhi and walked to Chuyang Courtyard, which was the courtyard where Lu Jinxiu lived. She was in charge of all affairs in the backyard, and she was Xie Sui'an's biological mother. It was most effective to quarrel with her.
Nan Yi followed Xie Sui'an with his head lowered, feeling like a shameless tortoise. She used Xie Sui'an to help her gain a foothold in the Xie family, but facing such blatant favoritism, she still felt a little guilty. The sixth girl is an honest and good person, and what she deceives is her pure and pure heart.
Guilt has already swelled in Nan Yi's chest.
I just spurned myself a hundred times in my heart, but the thought of survival still took over. Nan Yi could not give up this opportunity to gain a foothold in the Xie family.
Xie Sui'an was still in the corridor without stepping into the door. She only saw someone in the room through the window screen, and she started yelling: "Mom, my sister-in-law is the real wife of my eldest brother Ming Yuan, how can you and Mrs. Qiao do it?" Treat her so harshly?"
Xie Sui'an stepped into the door and was suddenly stunned. Nan Yi just caught up with Xie Sui'an and looked inside.
It was Xie Queshan who was sitting in the study, and Lu Jinxiu stood aside respectfully. She glared at Xie Sui'an.
"What's the decorum of making such a scene and not even paying your respects to your brother?"
Xie Queshan raised his eyes and glanced at Lu Jinxiu. He clearly remembered that not long ago she had called him "Envoy Xie" in a distant manner and refused to recognize him as a member of Xie's family. Now he didn't even need to say anything. She changed sides very quickly.
Lu Jinxiu is a woman who is good at calculating pros and cons. After she heard the news that Xie Queshan's family leader was now under house arrest and went to the back mountain to worship Buddha, she was very aware of current affairs and cooperated with all Xie Queshan's requests without any hesitation. He wanted to see the backyard account books, so she took them all out for him to look through.
She hoped that her fiery daughter could be as aware of current affairs as she was, but it was obvious that Xie Sui'an would never bow her head.
Xie Sui'an pursed her lips and said nothing, pretending not to see Xie Queshan. She wanted to turn around and leave, but today's matter had not yet been decided, so she had no choice but to stay.
Xie Queshan didn't care, as if the conflict with Xie Sui'an had never happened. He looked past Xie Sui'an, towards Qiao Yinzhi who was standing with a low eyebrow, and finally fell on Nan Yi.
"How did Mr. Qiao treat you harshly?" he asked.
Nan Yi lowered his head and thought quickly in his mind - he was asking questions knowingly! He was here last night and saw clearly, but he insisted on asking her this. Was he digging a hole for her?
While thinking about it, Nan Yi said in a pitiful tone, "I'm not being harsh, it's just that I haven't had time to settle myself down... Miss Six, forget it, let's go back."
The soft and waxy voice fell in his ears, and Xie Queshan narrowed his eyes slightly.
She was a quick learner, and even if she reached out to ask for it, she knew that she would not offend others by retreating.
Lu Jinxiu quickly answered: "I was negligent. I thought Mrs. Qiao would arrange the matters in Huaixu Courtyard, so I didn't give any more instructions and let Nan Yi suffer."
Lu Jinxiu also half-heartedly put the responsibility on Qiao Yinzhi.
Qiao Yinzhi was an extremely docile person, but at this moment, she didn't answer any questions at all, and knelt down on the ground to answer.
"I have no arrangements. The Dalang is of noble character and should be worthy of a beautiful daughter as his wife, not a daughter who deceives her superiors and deceives her subordinates. She is not worthy of living in Huaixu Courtyard."
——Then do I only deserve to die?
Nan Yi forcefully swallowed back the words that came to her mouth.
She felt aggrieved, and Qiao Yinzhi also felt aggrieved. Although she was a concubine, she wanted to protect her husband's reputation and not allow any impurity to stain his life.
Everyone present seemed to be a victim, and even the instigator Xie Heng was never at fault.
There was silence in the hall for a moment.
Even Xie Sui'an was speechless. She didn't expect that Qiao, who usually had no idea and listened to her elder brother in everything, would be so strong at the moment. In her mind, it was just a matter of where and how to live, but when Qiao said this, it became a big deal.
Xie Queshan laughed lowly, his voice half deep and half lazy: "I made a promise in front of the people of Lidu Mansion that I want her to keep her filial piety to her eldest brother. If others know that my sister-in-law is in Wangxuewu, Being treated harshly hit me in the face. Mrs. Qiao, you have given me a big problem."
Qiao Yinzhi knelt on the ground, sobbing quietly and saying nothing.
Lu Jinxiu was afraid that Xie Queshan would deal with Qiao Yinzhi, so she quickly smoothed things over: "Master, how can I worry you about the little things in the backyard? Dalang's body is not yet cold, so it is understandable that Mrs. Qiao has resentment in her heart. In addition to the Huaixu Courtyard in Wangxuewu, there are also If there is another courtyard, why not—I will ask the female envoys to clean up the Zheyue Pavilion for the young lady to live in."
Xie Queshan glanced at Lu Jinxiu lightly: "If we had arranged this earlier, we wouldn't have had this happen today."
Lu Jinxiu's heart skipped a beat as she sensed the danger. Why did the fire come to her?
"I'm looking at the affairs in the backyard. Miss Lu, please stop taking charge. Sort it out and leave it to Nan Yi. She is the eldest brother's widow, and the eldest daughter-in-law is in charge of the backyard. It is reasonable for you to assist her, what do you think?"
As soon as these words came out, all the women in the room widened their eyes.
Lu Jinxiu blushed even more. Xie Queshan's calm words really slapped her in the face.
Nan Yi was frightened and quickly knelt down and declined: "I just came to Xie's house. I don't know anything and I can't do anything. I can't afford such a big thing."
"Then learn from Miss Lu. Sister-in-law, are you here to enjoy the blessings of being a widow?"
Nan Yi was speechless.
Qiao Yinzhi raised her head angrily: "How is she qualified to be the mistress of the Xie family?!"
"She's not worthy, so why don't you come?" Xie Queshan looked at Qiao Yinzhi calmly.
Qiao Yinzhi murmured at the corner of her mouth, but in the end she couldn't answer a word.
"Then it's settled."
Xie Queshan's decision seemed to be made casually, but also seemed to have been carefully considered. He had just become the head of the Xie family today. It was no accident that he took over the power of the backyard, but giving it to Nan Yi was beyond everyone's expectations.
It's just that Xie Sui'an's coming to make trouble today was not planned. If he hadn't happened to bump into him in Lu Jinxiu's study, where would he have had the opportunity to announce this?
Is it possible that every move of Xie Sui'an and Nan Yi was within his plan? He was in Chuyangyuan just waiting for this show?
What does he want to do? ! Nan Yi looked at the calm Xie Queshan, feeling full of confusion and uneasiness.
——
"He's trying to kill him!" Xie Sui'an gritted his teeth and judged.
After leaving Chuyang Courtyard, Xie Sui'an took Nan Yi to her new residence, Zheyue Pavilion. The two of them walked under the corridor with lanterns, avoiding the guard Qi Ren and whispering in low voices.
"Praise for killing?" Nan Yi couldn't believe it.
"He clearly holds a grudge. He hates you for making him lose face at his eldest brother's funeral. He wants to take revenge on you, but he can't do it blatantly, so he puts you in a high position that you are not qualified for, and then allows you to make a mistake and fall to pieces. ——What a vicious move!”
"But why bother to deal with me so much..."
"Xie Queshan is a madman! In order to return to Xie's family, he took so many canes. He can be cruel to himself. Is there anything he can't do?"
"Then what should I do?" Nan Yi panicked.
"Sister-in-law, don't worry, I will never allow him to do anything to you. Although you are a hidden secret, behind you is the entire Bingzhusi."
Xie Sui'an's original intention was to comfort Nan Yi, but Nan Yi felt guilty. She was afraid that if Xie Sui'an talked about Bingzhusi for a few more words, she would reveal her secret, so she quickly changed the topic.
"Thank you Miss Sixth. My problem is small, but my top priority is to think of how to save Third Uncle."
In the corridor, Xie Sui'an clenched his fists: "Xie Queshan, don't even think about hurting anyone in the Xie family. I will fight him to the death."
Is death a decision that can be made casually?
Nan Yi stared at the determination on Xie Sui'an's face in confusion, seeming to understand. She was grateful to Xie Sui'an, but she didn't want to be her fellow traveler. She doesn't want to fight with Xie Queshan, she just wants to have a safe place and live well.
