The next morning, Xie Qinglan sent someone to invite the elders and clan head of the Xie family clan to come and open the ancestral hall, gathering everyone there.

The Xie family followed the founding emperor of the Great Yuan Dynasty to conquer the country and was granted official titles and ranks. Since then, the Xie family has settled in the capital for more than 250 years, with deep roots and is a true noble family.

Many officials, both high and low, held positions in the imperial court, and some shops in the capital were also run by members of the Xie family.

The elders of the Xie family were all senior and respected uncles. Upon hearing that Xie Qinglan was going to take charge of opening the ancestral hall, they all rushed over as if they had something important to discuss.

Everyone from the Marquis's household, including Madam Zhang, was invited to the ancestral hall.

Zhang, unaware of the situation, was still angry that Ye Chaoxi had left her speechless. When she arrived at the ancestral hall, she glared at Ye Chaoxi fiercely.

Ye Chaoxi ignored her.

"Qinglan, what are you up to now?" Madam Zhang sat down and said with displeasure, "The Marquis isn't in the manor, are you trying to turn the manor upside down?"

Xie Qinglan ignored her.

Neither of the couple paid any attention to her, and Zhang, feeling awkward, shut up and stopped talking.

Once the clan leader and the others had all arrived, Xie Qinglan addressed the elders, saying, "I have invited you all here today because there is a matter I would like to ask you to decide for the younger generation."

"Zhuo Qing, bring it here."

Soon, Zhuo Qing came up with a stack of booklets and handed one to each person. The booklets recorded in detail the process of Zhang's three attempts to murder Xie Qinglan, including how she hired someone, when, where and how she carried out the murders.

The elders looked solemn. Zhang Shi also received a share, and when she looked down, her face turned pale instantly.

One of the elders said, "Qinglan, I remember ten years ago, you also said that the Zhang family harmed you, but you have no evidence. How can you prove it?"

“That’s right, I didn’t do it at all. Qinglan, even if you don’t like me as your mother, you can’t fabricate things to frame me!” Zhang hurriedly retorted, her voice trembling slightly without her even realizing it.

"All the matters recorded in the book have witnesses and physical evidence." Xie Qinglan had the witnesses brought up, and two small red bottles were also presented.

“Zhang was indeed very clean in her dealings. The people she sent to poison me and kill me were all dealt with afterwards. Back then, we were unable to implicate Zhang because we lacked evidence.”

“This man is passionate about studying poisons. I’ve been looking for him for ten years. He was the one who sold the poisons to the Zhang family back then.”

Xie Qinglan spoke slowly and calmly, but Ye Chaoxi understood how much pain he had endured over the years, and silently tightened her grip on his hand.

The man was thin as a skeleton, with cloudy eyes and graying hair and beard. He glanced at Madam Zhang and said, "I remember her clearly. She's the lady I first developed. I sold her the poison I created. I didn't develop an antidote for it, and I even gave it a name: Seven Days to Sever the Soul. Just like its name, it will kill you within seven days of ingestion."

"You're talking nonsense! I've never seen you before!" Zhang insisted, refusing to admit it.

Xie Qinglan instructed the servant carrying the tray to place the small red porcelain bottle on the table. "I found this bottle on the assassin who was chasing me half a year ago. Coincidentally, my men found an identical bottle under the peach tree in your courtyard."

"And last time, when my wife and I went on a trip, Zhang sent people to follow us and disguise themselves as bandits, forcing our carriage to jump off a cliff. This case is also well-documented, and Father has already punished Zhang."

"Elders, Zhang has tried to kill me three times. If it weren't for my good fortune and the timely rescue by the divine physician and the lady, I would be a pile of dust by now. It is unjust for such a vicious woman to become the mistress of the Yongyi Marquis's mansion. I beg you elders to do justice for me!"

As soon as Xie Qinglan finished speaking, the room fell silent. Everyone present looked at Zhang Shi with condemning eyes, especially the second branch of the family.

They had previously thought Zhang was merely a bit two-faced, never expecting her to be so ruthless inside? Why did she have to kill her two or three times if one attempt failed?

Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone Xie Qinglan.

The head of the Xie family, who was originally the emperor's tutor, retired in his old age to enjoy his retirement at home. He was the most prestigious person in the entire Xie family.

Chief Xie, who was always upright and incorruptible, showed a hint of anger on his wrinkled face after hearing about Xie Qinglan's ordeal.

Xie Qinglan was once his most promising junior, and he felt sorry for her for a long time now that she had turned out this way.

“Zhang, how could you be so vicious? As the matriarch, you not only failed to protect the younger generation in your family, but you also repeatedly plotted to harm the Xie family’s offspring. The evidence is conclusive, what else do you have to say in your defense?”

"I didn't! I've been diligently managing the Marquis's mansion, why are you slandering me like this!" Madam Zhang tore up the booklet and tried to rush forward to snatch the porcelain vase from the table, but Zhuo Qing stepped forward and blocked her.

“The evidence is right in front of us. How can this be slander? You are taking advantage of the fact that the Marquis is away from the capital for many years to dare to harm your family’s offspring!” One of the elders angrily rebuked.

“Zhang is unrepentant. Today, I will punish her by sending her to a nunnery to repent. This woman is unworthy to be the grandmother of the Xie family. I will write a letter to Lu Ying, asking him to divorce Zhang.”

Xie Luying is the name of the Marquis of Yongyi.

Zhang panicked and knelt in the middle of the hall. "No! Xie Qinglan is standing right here! You can't make decisions for the Marquis! If there's to be punishment, the Marquis must be present!"

Zhang had a son and a daughter. Her daughter was already married, and her son, Xie Changyu, had difficulty walking and disliked meeting people, so he wasn't present. Therefore, at this moment, there was no one to speak up for her.

One of the elders said, "Whether or not to divorce his wife is the Marquis's business. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to interfere too much?"

Clan Chief Xie hesitated. In his heart, he didn't want this kind of vicious woman to continue being the mistress of the Marquis's mansion. Who knew if she would continue to harm Xie Qinglan or other members of the Xie family in the future.

Just as they were at a stalemate, an eunuch arrived from outside the mansion, an imperial edict from the emperor!

The emperor issued an edict ordering the Marquis of Yongyi to divorce his wife. The divorce papers were already prepared and were just waiting for Zhang to receive the edict before being delivered to her.

The emperor, who never interfered in the family affairs of his court officials, issued an edict ordering the Marquis of Yongyi to divorce his wife—this was the first time such an event had occurred in the entire Dayuan!

Now everyone present knew that the Emperor had come to support his nephew.

Even with all her courage, Zhang dared not disobey the imperial decree. Trembling, she accepted the decree, only to find that the position she had held for twenty years was about to be lost. Filled with resentment, tears and snot streamed down her face as she accepted the decree.

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial decree, he smiled and said to Xie Qinglan, "There is also an imperial decree for the Marquis. It has been sent to the frontier by fast horse. We will explain it to the Marquis. Young Master, you don't need to worry."

Xie Qinglan said, "Thank you for your trouble, Father-in-law."

"The Crown Prince and his wife are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. When His Majesty heard that the Crown Prince's wife was pregnant, he even asked the Crown Prince to bring his wife to the palace to meet him."

"must."

Ye Chaoxi's eyes widened. Did the Emperor want to see her?

She was a little flustered; she had never imagined that she would be able to meet the Emperor.