Volume One, Chapter 18: Miss Xie San, We Meet Again

It would surely take no more than half a day for the news of the Marquis of Chengen brutally beating his lawful wife in the ancestral hall to spread throughout the entire capital.

Once that happened, she would add even more fuel to the fire, determined to make the spectacle at the Marquis of Chengen’s estate known to everyone. She truly wanted to see how much longer the old fox, the Marquis, could maintain the mask of honesty and loyalty he had worn for two lifetimes.

Watching the Marquis withdraw his foot, Xie Shu couldn’t help but offer a word of praise: "Marquis, you are truly a paragon of putting righteousness before family."

"Although my mother-in-law conspired to harm her daughter-in-law, she is family after all. For your sake, Marquis, I shall let it slide this time." Her words were filled with magnanimity. She glanced at Ning Rongsheng, who stood nearby, seething with silent rage, and waved at him with a smile. "Husband, do not provoke your father’s anger any further. Return to the estate quickly and reflect on your actions."

Enduring her sarcastic, biting remarks, Ning Rongsheng held his tongue. Far more than her stinging words, he was concerned by the transformation in the Marquis. Only today did he suddenly realize that his father, who had always appeared weak and dependent on the surface, was actually a man of such decisive action.

Ning Rongsheng lowered his eyes, lost in thought. Finally, he flicked his long sleeves and followed the guards who had dragged Lady Li away, returning to the Marquis’s estate first.

Xie Shu watched his departing silhouette, her palm resting gently on the imperial decree. *For now,* she thought, *I shall spare you.*

"Marquis, we have been framed!"

Seeing that Lady Li and Ning Rongsheng had been dismissed, those remaining on the ground grew even more panicked. They cried out their innocence, begging the Marquis for mercy. Because the Marquis ignored them, a few exchanged glances and wailed, "We have only done what we did for the sake of the Marquis’s estate! You cannot abandon us now!"

"Gag them at once!" At Xie Shu’s command, the guards swiftly tore the sleeves from the men’s robes, stuffed the fabric into their mouths, and tied them tightly behind their heads.

"Mmph! Mmph!"

The muffled groans filled the air. Finding the noise grating, Xie Shu cupped her hands toward the Marquis and asked, "Marquis, look at these people. Not only did they commit wrongdoings, but they even attempt to shift the blame onto your estate. If I do not deal with them now, I fear our family’s reputation will be even more deeply implicated."

The Marquis let out a few cold snorts. With the people and the evidence now in her hands, what else could he do?

"Do as you see fit."

At these words, the members of the Ning clan were struck dumb, and they began to beg for mercy again. "Marquis, you cannot ignore us!"

"You know well what you have done." The Marquis swept a chilling gaze over the crowd before adding in a hollow tone, "As for what should be said and what should remain unspoken, you should know that even better."

Watching the group fall into a fearful silence, Xie Shu curled her lips. *It seems the waters of the Ning family run even deeper than I imagined.*

In her previous life, Xie Shu had only heard rumors of the sordid affairs of the Ning family. Occasionally, a scandal involving the bullying of men or the taking of women would surface, and she had even helped suppress the news and pull strings to smooth things over. Back then, she had been single-mindedly paving the way for Ning Rongsheng, terrified that the filth of these distant relatives would hinder his career. Yet, her conscience had always been troubled. When she died, she had felt regret. Those who had suffered due to her silence—how innocent were they?

With a grand wave of her hand, Xie Shu turned to the guards of the Marquis of Zhenyuan’s estate and commanded, "Escort them to the Capital Prefecture! Today, I, the Crown Princess, shall purge this house and restore justice to the wronged."

"Understood!"

The well-trained guards responded in unison. Their shout was so thunderous that even the memorial tablets in the ancestral hall seemed to tremble. Within moments, the dozen or so members of the Ning clan were gagged and dragged out one by one.

Outside the Ning ancestral hall, the hazy moonlight that had shrouded the night began to dissipate. A faint morning light rose, and against the backdrop of pristine snow, the world grew bright. When the crowd looked up, they were shocked to see that the prisoner transport carts of the Capital Prefecture had already been waiting for some time.

"Third Miss Xie, we meet again." Lin Sheng scratched his head. He could never have imagined that, in just one night, this Third Miss Xie would again have someone beat drums and lead a procession to report a crime to the Capital Prefecture. And the ones she was accusing were the very kin of the Marquis of Chengen, whom she had just married into today!

When the evidence was presented in court, Lin Sheng flipped through it casually and found that every charge was a capital offense. Truly, there is no heart more venomous than that of a woman.

"Magistrate Lin, I must trouble you once more." Xie Shu was still in her wedding robes, yet there was no trace of joy about her—only a chilling, eerie quality that made one’s skin crawl.

Lin Sheng waved his hands repeatedly. "No trouble, no trouble at all. It just so happens I had just sent tea cakes to the Prefect when this business arrived." This was his way of telling her that the Prefect was already aware of the situation.

"Move out! Take the prisoners back!" Lin Sheng gestured to his officers. After issuing his orders, the prisoners were locked away. He bowed to Xie Shu in farewell, leapt onto his horse, and departed. Three prisoner carts followed closely behind, departing from the Ning ancestral hall, passing through the bustling morning market, and drawing a crowd of onlookers before finally arriving at the Capital Prefecture.

By high noon, the rumors regarding the Marquis of Chengen had spread throughout the capital, to the point where even the gossip about the Marquis of Zhenyuan’s estate colluding with the enemy was rarely mentioned in tea houses and taverns.

People gathered in groups, whispering, "The Heir of the Marquis of Chengen has surely married a debt collector!"

"It was the Heir Ning himself who was depraved, which is why Third Miss Xie is taking such ruthless revenge!"

"If you ask me, neither the Marquis of Chengen’s estate nor the General’s estate are any good."

"Just you wait. In a few days, there will be a fine show of beheadings at the Meridian Gate."

People came and went, and the rumors in the capital reached a fever pitch, as if everyone were waiting to laugh at the spectacle involving the Xie and Ning families.

Inside the Capital Prefecture, Lin Sheng returned to report. He had conducted an initial interrogation of the Ning clansmen and compiled their testimonies into a volume, which he handed to Zhou Xunli.

Thinking back, however, Lin Sheng felt goosebumps rise all over his body. If he were the one married to such a woman, he would likely have lost his life. He clicked his tongue at Zhou Xunli, who was busy reviewing official documents. "Tsk, this Crown Princess—whoever marries her is truly cursed."

Zhou Xunli’s wolf-hair brush paused, but he did not respond. Seeing that he wouldn't engage, Lin Sheng dared not say more.

After a moment, Zhou Xunli set down his brush and began to read through the testimonies Lin Sheng had provided. After a few pages, he furrowed his brows. "These testimonies differ significantly from the evidence Xie Shu presented."

"Discrepancies in testimony are common enough. As long as the evidence is solid, it should be fine," Lin Sheng replied. How much of a problem could there really be?

Zhou Xunli shot him a look and pushed the evidence Xie Shu had submitted toward him. "These pieces of evidence are missing several key links. If we want to secure a conviction, we will need to investigate much more thoroughly."

Lin Sheng gasped. "What are we to do then? We’ve already brought all these people in!"