Chapter 12

Summoning the Family Law

According to custom, Xie Hengzai’s coffin was to remain in the house for seven days before the funeral. 

Meanwhile, Nan Yi was constantly plotting her escape. Her initial plan was to wait until the funeral procession left the Xie residence to find an opportunity. However, by the afternoon of the third day, she sensed something was amiss and was forced to accelerate her plans. 

The previous day, Qiao Yinzhi had visited the mourning hall. She instructed a maid to bring a food box from the kitchen, allowing Nan Yi to have a rather lavish dinner. Qiao Yinzhi even stayed with Nan Yi in the mourning hall for a long while, recounting many stories about Xie Hengzai’s past. 

As Nan Yi chatted with Qiao Yinzhi, she was filled with unease, terrified that Qiao might ask about her family background and that a slip of the tongue could expose her. But Qiao Yinzhi didn’t ask a single question. Instead, her gaze seemed filled with pity. 

She even apologized to Nan Yi, saying, “Hengzai’s decision to marry a second wife was one made out of necessity. It was never his intention to let a young girl like you waste her life for him.” 

From what Qiao Yinzhi said, Xie Hengzai sounded like an extraordinarily kind man. 

Nan Yi wanted to tell Qiao Yinzhi that it was fine. After all, she planned to escape from the Xie family and reunite with Zhang Yuehui. She would never waste her life for anyone. But such words would be considered outrageously disrespectful, so she kept them to herself. 

Then another night passed, and the third concubine, Lu Jinxiu, came to visit. She also brought some dishes and asked if Nan Yi had any messages to send back to the Qin family. 

Nan Yi didn’t really have anything to say, but saying nothing would seem suspicious and could hint at a strange relationship with the Qin family. So she said a few generic words of greeting. 

The looks in their eyes were strange, though. Nan Yi instinctively felt that something was wrong. Why would Xie Queshan let her live so easily? 

Alert as a cat, she immediately slipped out of the mourning hall to gather information. That was when she overheard the maids gossiping about the dowager’s decision to have her accompany Xie Hengzai in death. 

“I heard the Qin girl is a street-born illegitimate daughter, nothing more than a commoner... Letting someone like that into the Xie family is bound to tarnish the ancestors’ reputation.” 

“How did they find out about the inner workings of the Qin household?” 

“It seems one of the Qin family’s dowry maids was gossiping in the backyard, and Lady Lu’s people overheard.” 

“What’s going to happen to her now?”

“The ceremony has already been completed, and Qin has become the legitimate wife of the eldest son. There’s no turning back now. She can only accept her identity and be buried with him, and the Qin family won’t be held accountable. This is the greatest dignity the matriarch can offer.”

“Who told her to have the greed to soar to the top like a phoenix? The Xie family isn’t so easily deceived.”

The whispers of the maids grew fainter, and Nanyi had understood. She was now undoubtedly a sinner of the Xie family, a dead-end path.

This must be the work of Xie Que Shan! His words about the family’s reputation were actually about the family’s honor, and she was about to become the sacrificial offering to that honor. She had to run immediately, not a moment to lose.

Fortunately, Nanyi had been preparing for these past few days, trying everything she could to familiarize herself with the geography of Wangxuewu.

She had learned that the deepest part of Wangxuewu was the Xie family ancestral hall, where no one dared to disturb, so the defenses were naturally the weakest. She planned to hide in the ancestral hall until nightfall, then climb over the wall and leave the Xie family.

At this moment, a great commotion came from the front yard, drawing the attention of the household staff. Taking advantage of the chaos in Wangxuewu, Nanyi sneaked toward the deep courtyard near the high walls.

—

In the front yard, Xie Sui’an was actually fighting with Xie Que Shan using a soft sword.

Xie Sui’an was the daughter of Madam Lu, a concubine. Though born a secondary daughter, she was bright and elegant, and deeply favored by the matriarch. She lived in the matriarch’s rooms, with no distinction in treatment from the legitimate daughters.

Though Xie Heng had been weak before his death, all major matters in the Xie family were decided by him. He had indulged Xie Sui’an’s practice of martial arts, and no one dared to object. Xie Sui’an had grown bold and righteous, with a fiery hatred for evil and an inability to tolerate the slightest wrong.

She had always despised Xie Que Shan, the traitor who betrayed the country, and today, hearing that he wanted to stay in Wangxuewu, she was so enraged that she slammed her fist on the table. With no regard for propriety, she grabbed her soft sword and rushed to drive him out.

Xie Que Shan didn’t fight back but deftly dodged the sword that was like a dragon sweeping toward him.

“Xie Xiao Liu, your swordplay hasn’t improved at all.”

Unable to gain the upper hand, Xie Sui’an grew more anxious and verbally lashed out.

“You’ve killed so many of our own people, how dare you return to the Xie family! Bah! A traitor selling out for glory! Do you think no one dares to touch you just because you have the Qi people behind you? I, Xie Sui’an, will kill you today, or I’ll take your surname!”

Xie Que Shan dodged and kindly reminded, “If you take my surname, you’ll still be Xie.”

Furious at being pointed out, Xie Sui’an ignored any caution and struck out with all her might. Her sword was intercepted.

Just then, the butler’s loud voice broke the standoff: “The master is back.”

Xie Jun, the Duke of Changning, had entered the second courtyard. Dressed in plain monk robes, with only two personal bodyguards behind him, he had forgo the usual grand ceremony, yet his face exuded an undeniable aura of authority.

“Master.”

“Father.”

Everyone in the courtyard bowed in greeting.

When Lu Jinxiu saw Xie Jun return, tears welled up in her eyes—thank goodness, this chaotic household finally had a solid pillar of support.

Xie Jun’s gaze swept over everyone in the room, eventually landing on Xie Que Shan. His expression instantly grew cold, with a hint of murderous intent.

“Father.”

Xie Que Shan gave a respectful bow, neither humble nor proud.

Xie Jun had already heard from the insiders about the recent events and had a general understanding in his heart.

“Since you’re a messenger of the Qi people, why stay in my Wangxuewu?”

“Father, I’ve returned home, so of course, I want to stay here.”

“My Xie family has been loyal for generations. There’s no traitor who sells out the country.”

“I’ve never received your teachings, Father. I never knew what it meant to be a member of the Xie family.”

Xie Jun paused, his facial muscles twitching slightly, a clear sign of his intense anger, though he was trying to suppress it.

“Are you saying that the crimes you committed are because I, Xie Jun, did not teach you well?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Xie Jun sneered: “Fine. If you want to return to the Xie family, then you must follow the rules of the Xie family.”

“Father’s teachings are correct.”

Xie Jun’s voice turned ice-cold as he looked at his son, as if looking at an enemy.

“Open the ancestral hall. We’ll conduct the family punishment.”

—

Nanyi had just hidden beneath the offering table when a large group entered the ancestral hall. She dared not look outside, holding her breath as she listened to the sounds from the outside.

“I’ll ask you again, if you’re a messenger of the Qi people, the Xie family will show you some respect. But please return to where you belong. If you want to stay in Wangxuewu as a descendant of the Xie family, then you must first accept the family punishment and acknowledge your crimes.”

“I am willing to accept the punishment.”

Xie Que Shan lifted his robe and knelt in the ancestral hall.

Hearing his voice, Nanyi was startled. After hesitating for a moment, she cautiously pulled aside the corner of the tablecloth and peered through the gap.

No matter what changes happened, Xie Que Shan always had that calm expression.

Xie Jun, with some anger, called out: “Remove his clothes!”

Two young servants stepped forward to strip Xie Que Shan of his upper garment.

Nanyi, feeling nervous, could sense the terrifying anger in the air. She was afraid it would spill over onto her, so she quickly withdrew her hand and hid back in the shadows.

Then, the sound of a wooden cane striking flesh echoed.

The strikes were heavy, each one producing a muffled sound of flesh tearing.

The person being punished didn’t make a sound.

Wasn’t he in pain?

Nanyi clenched the fabric in her hands. The cane had not fallen on her, and it had nothing to do with her. Someone could control the great villain, so she should be rejoicing. But why did she feel so tense?

By some strange impulse, Nanyi peered through the gap again.

Xie Que Shan was bare-chested, lying on a long bench. His hands gripped the edge tightly, his knuckles bulging with veins. His head was lowered, sweat beading on his forehead. Even someone as calm as him could not suppress the pain on his face. His back was covered in gruesome bloodstains, but he remained silent.

No one in the ancestral hall dared to speak a word. Even Xie Sui’an, who had been thrilled at the scene at first, was now shaken by it. Her expression slowly changed from one of satisfaction to one of reluctant sympathy. She wanted to say something, but Lu Jinxiu stopped her. Lu Jinxiu gave her a warning glance and shook her head. Xie Sui’an could only hold back the words in her mouth.

Lu Jinxiu stepped back into the crowd and quietly left the ancestral hall.

Xie Que Shan had been focusing on one spot, his entire attention firmly controlled by his will, but after another heavy blow from the cane, he finally couldn’t suppress a muffled groan, his gaze wandering elsewhere. He suddenly saw a pair of eyes peering through the crack in the tablecloth, eyes that were staring directly at him.

He couldn’t see through those clear, bottomless eyes.

They locked eyes, and in the noisy ancestral hall, only he knew of her existence, and only she saw the vulnerability in his eyes. They were at a safe distance from each other, neither able to harm the other, and at that moment, they were equal, like two drowning people sinking together. Perhaps because of the pain on his body, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through his mind: if life was so painful and if Western paradise was a lie, he wanted to drag her down to hell with him.

With a loud bang, the wooden cane broke.

Xie Jun remained unmoved and ordered his servants, “Continue.”

Xie Que Shan gasped, his mouth full of a strong metallic taste of blood, but he smiled.

“Father, do you want to kill me?”

“You ungrateful wretch, dying a thousand times would not be enough to atone for your crimes in front of our ancestors!”

“Even tigers do not eat their own cubs. How can you face our ancestors with such a heart?”

“Continue!”

The servants hesitated for a moment, but since the master had given the order, they had no choice but to obey. They lifted the wooden cane again and struck down with all their strength.