Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Black is Black

A few days later.

Xu Jingxi’s hand had mostly healed, so he took advantage of his time out of class to pick up whatever odd jobs he could to help support his family.

The last time he dismantled the wooden beams of the red-tiled mansion, the carpentry Shopkeeper had paid him 300 taels.

He used it all to rebuild their house, giving Grandpa Xu a better place to live.

Otherwise, with winter coming, another snowfall would have caused their house to collapse again.

Xu Jingxi refused to accept Shen Ningning’s help, insisting on making a living on his own.

He had just finished writing a few letters for a family and was leaving their courtyard when he heard a familiar voice.

"Ma’am, is this where you live?"

Xu Jingxi’s dark, clear eyes glanced over. He saw Liang Yici carrying an old woman on her back, about to enter a private home.

"Yes, yes, this is the place," the old woman on her back said with a wide smile.

She kept praising Liang Yici, "Young lady, you’re so kind-hearted. I was lying there for so long, and you were the only one willing to help me up. You’ll surely be rewarded for this."

Hearing this, Liang Yici couldn’t help but smile. "It’s only right to find joy in helping others. How can the people in the Capital City be so cold? To think they just ignored you!"

Seeing her carry the old woman into the courtyard, Xu Jingxi thought about her attitude toward Shen Ningning, and after a moment’s consideration, he turned and left, deciding not to get involved.

「That evening.」

When Second Master Xie returned home, he heard Housekeeper Pang say, "Second Master, the master said you should have your meal first. He has urgent business at the palace and won’t be returning to the mansion."

Second Master Xie nodded. In the past, his older brother, Xie Suzhi, was also often too busy to come home.

He took off his outer robe. "Where’s Ningning? She should be back for dinner tonight. If she’s here, tell the small kitchen to serve the food."

Housekeeper Pang looked troubled. "The Princess isn’t in the mansion either. She went to the palace with the master."

Second Master Xie was a little surprised, but he quickly recovered. "Then what about Mingxu and Ming’an?"

"The two young masters aren’t here either. They’re also at the palace..." Housekeeper Pang was starting to sweat.

Seeing his expression, Second Master Xie’s face grew cold. "Did something happen at the palace? Is my brother in trouble?"

Cold sweat beaded on Housekeeper Pang’s brow. "Second Master, please don’t worry. It’s not about our mansion."

"Then why are all four of them at the palace?" Second Master Xie’s voice deepened. "Speak!"

Housekeeper Pang had no choice but to explain.

"Actually, it was General Fang. She angered the Emperor at court today..."

Fang Qingdai had repeatedly submitted secret memorials to the Emperor, hoping he would arrange for a thorough investigation into the Huo Family, but the Emperor rejected them all.

So, during the morning court session today, she simply announced it openly, and the Emperor’s face turned ashen.

The situation reportedly became very unpleasant. The Emperor wanted to punish her, and all the officials were trying to dissuade him.

After all, General Liang had died in battle not long ago, and General Fang also had a distinguished military record. If the Emperor punished her now, wouldn’t it dishearten the common people?

As a leading general, Xie Mingxu naturally had to plead for Fang Qingdai as well.

Meanwhile, Shen Ningning happened to be in the palace playing with Mo Lingwei. When she heard the news, she pulled him along to the scene.

Xie Ming’an went to the palace for his sister’s sake, while Xie Suzhi, of course, as the Prime Minister, stayed behind to advise the Emperor to calm his anger.

And so, all four of them from the family didn’t come back.

When Second Master Xie heard this, his sharp, dark eyes stared blankly.

He subconsciously turned to leave.

Housekeeper Pang hurriedly followed, holding a thin cloak. "Second Master! Second Master, don’t be anxious. The master already sent word back that it’s nothing serious."

"It’s late at night, you shouldn’t go out!"

Second Master Xie walked to the bottom of the steps and suddenly stopped.

His narrow eyes were deep, churning with complex emotions.

’Uncle Pang was being tactful,’ he thought. ’What does it really have to do with it being late?’

He had trouble with his legs, and ever since his illness, he hadn’t held any official position at court. He was living entirely on the merits he had accumulated in the past.

’Even if I wanted to go to the palace to help Fang Qingdai, on what grounds could I?’

’In what capacity would I go?’

’Forget it...’

Second Master Xie silently turned back, leaving behind a desolate-sounding sentence.

"Let me know when my brother returns to the mansion."

Just then, someone on a fast horse stopped at the gate of the Xie Mansion.

Second Master Xie looked back and was surprised to see it was Lu Shaoyuan.

Lu Shaoyuan dismounted, his handsome face looking quite spirited.

However, he froze when he saw Second Master Xie and quickly cupped his hands in a salute.

"This junior greets Second Young Master Xie. Excuse me, is Shen Ningning here?"

"Ningning went to the palace to accompany the Crown Prince and hasn’t returned yet. What do you need her for?"

Lu Shaoyuan hesitated, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

’What bad luck,’ he thought, ’to run right into Second Master Xie.’

With no other choice, he had to say, "It’s nothing, really. I just heard that Princess Rongshu has been arrested by the government. The government office notified General Fang, but no one was at the Fang Mansion."

"I remembered Shen Ningning said she was going to take care of... uh..." He had originally planned to tell Shen Ningning about this. After all, didn’t the little one say her Second Uncle cared about General Fang?

But he never expected that by rushing over, he would run into the man himself!

Second Master Xie was already stunned. "The Commandery Princess was arrested? Uncle Pang, quickly, prepare the carriage."

This time, it was impossible for Uncle Pang to dissuade him, so he could only hurry to do as he was told.

「A short while later.」

Lu Shaoyuan took Second Master Xie and rushed to the government office.

Inside the government office, Liang Yici stood bolt upright, fuming. "I’ll say it again, I’m not the one who caused her to fall and get hurt! She was collapsed on the side of the road, and I kindly brought her home. That’s all!"

The old woman, sprawled on the floor beside her, clutched her chest, groaning in pain. "Ow, ow..."

Her daughter-in-law was supporting her, her face a mask of acrimony.

"And what about after you entered the courtyard? You kicked both of us! My husband is still lying in the clinic because of you!"

"That’s because as soon as I entered the courtyard, you surrounded me, accused me of pushing the old woman and injuring her, and demanded I pay you silver as compensation! You’re completely unreasonable!" Liang Yici was seething with anger.

But the old woman she had helped was now crying and shouting, "Your Honor, you must seek justice for us!"

"If-if she didn’t have a guilty conscience, why would she carry me on her back? It would have been fine if she just brought me home. I told her to pay some money to settle it, but she went and hurt more people! There’s no justice, no law in this world!"

Liang Yici grew anxious, feeling like she couldn’t argue her way out of it no matter what she said.

"You!" She stepped forward, about to grab the old woman by the collar to argue with her.

Who would have thought the old hag would fall to the ground, pretending to have fainted from shock? Her daughter-in-law threw herself over her, wailing and crying to the heavens.

The official in charge of the case felt a massive headache coming on.

This old woman was a notorious scoundrel in the Capital City.

She used her old age to her advantage, always throwing herself down by the roadside to wait for a kind-hearted person to help her up, only to extort a sum of money from them.

Anyone who knew of her made sure to take a detour.

But Princess Rongshu had just returned to the capital. She was unfamiliar with the place and its people and didn’t know any better.

Her kind act of taking someone home had backfired completely.

Originally, the case was simple. This old woman had scammed plenty of people and was a regular at the government office.

But he never expected that this time, Princess Rongshu would actually resort to violence and genuinely injure them.

That made things difficult.

According to the law, the Emperor and the common folk are equal. A Commandery Princess who injures a commoner without reason must also be imprisoned for three days!

Just then, a voice came from outside the door.

"I’ll compensate them on her behalf. How much money do you want?"

Liang Yici froze and looked back.

She saw Second Master Xie walk in, his expression stern and imposing.

She had seen a portrait of Second Master Xie among her mother’s old keepsakes.

He had sharp, sword-like brows, keen dark eyes, and a tall but not brutish figure. He carried the unmissable aura of a famed general from the battlefield.

Her father had once praised Second Master Xie as well.

He said he was a Martial God, undefeated on any battlefield.

’Unfortunately...’

Liang Yici’s gaze fell to his legs.

’No matter how legendary he was back then, now he’s just a useless man cooped up at home. He broke my mother’s heart and did such a despicable thing!’

Liang Yici retracted her gaze, her tone icy and resolute. "I don’t need you to pay for me! Wrong is wrong. She scammed me, lied, and set a trap. I only fought back in self-defense. What’s wrong with that?"

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