Mingyi Hexagram (Lower Middle Hexagram)

Chapter 36 Mingyi Hexagram - Lower Middle Hexagram - A Scheme Within a Scheme

Rong Yan and Xie Chengzhi walked in the courtyard. The moonlight was like frost, and the fireflies were like stars.

The moonlight, like a layer of white frost, enveloped the two of them. The maid was still some distance away from them, and she was somewhat uneasy because of the many things that had happened in the past few days.

After resting for a few days, Xie Chengzhi felt much better.

She had originally thought that after marriage, he would take the initiative to clarify their relationship. Unexpectedly, he was more composed than she had imagined, as if he was certain that she would understand without him having to say it.

The frost between them was nothing less than an ethereal screen, preventing them from seeing each other clearly.

The two walked at a leisurely pace to the main hall. It was still early, and the Marquis had not yet arrived. However, Old Madam Xie and Xie Ningling had arrived first, followed by Madam Wang and Wang Musong.

The two were, after all, juniors, and there was no reason for them to make their elders wait. Seeing that their grandmother had arrived first, they bowed to her respectfully.

Wang Musong also hurriedly got up and bowed to the two of them.

Although Wang was a concubine in the Marquis's mansion, and Wang Musong was about the same age as her, and she was an illegitimate daughter of the Rong family, their statuses in the Marquis's mansion were worlds apart.

Grandma Xie chatted with Xie Chengzhi for a few minutes, and Rong Yan listened attentively but did not mention his injury.

She wasn't sure whether she knew or really didn't.

The Marquis and his second aunt came together. The second uncle had been invited to the Duke's mansion as a guest, so he had already greeted Old Madam Xie.

Du and her third uncle came together. Xie Qisheng even brought her an exquisite jade inkstone in front of everyone without any hesitation. Rong Yan was delighted at first sight and secretly sighed that her father really didn't take Xie Chengzhi seriously at all.

Rong Yan looked up and happened to see Xie Qisheng ignoring Xie Chengzhi.

Du had mentioned to her privately more than once that her third uncle felt she was being wronged by marrying Xie Chengzhi.

This is probably why they wouldn't approve of any man their daughter married, no matter how good he was.

The two elders have been so busy with the reopening of the Taoist temple that they haven't had time to come to the courtyard to look for her, which is why they are giving her the jade inkstone now.

Rong Shu arrived a little earlier than Xie Zhezhi. She politely bowed to the two of them, while Xie Zhezhi, still exuding a scholarly air, sat down in a refined manner.

Since being reprimanded by Princess Yongqing, Rong Shu seems to have become more composed. She hasn't made any moves lately, and now that she and Xie Zhezhi have come to the hall, she is just sitting there without saying a word.

Wang Shi also arrived at this time, and she looked much thinner than she had been seen for the past few days.

She walked slowly and steadily, her back straight, each step deliberate and composed, her clothes without a single wrinkle.

She did not sit in her usual seat, but instead sat in the junior seat next to Rong Yan.

All eyes were on her, and no one dared to offer any advice.

Old Mrs. Xie snorted coldly and muttered something that Rong Yan couldn't hear clearly, but Xie Chengzhi coughed lightly.

The Marquis had a cold face, and his expression darkened even more when he saw that Lady Wang deliberately did not sit next to him.

“Mother, now that the matter has been investigated, there is no need to say more. Hand over the murderer, and I will take him to the authorities to settle the matter.” The Marquis did not look at Madam Wang, but deliberately turned his back to speak to Old Madam Xie.

The second aunt spoke up, saying, "My lord, everything can be discussed. Let's see what Mother has to say first."

Xie Ningling was very nervous. Although she was quite certain that her mother couldn't have done this, she started to worry again when she heard her father say that he was going to take it to the authorities. If it really was Wang Shi, this would be a big problem.

"Grandmother, you must uphold justice in this matter and clear my mother's name."

Xie Chengzhi wasn't in a hurry today. Even though it was late at night, he didn't ask her how the investigation was going. He also didn't discuss with her who he thought was responsible. Especially his indifferent attitude towards the matter these past few days made Rong Yan feel that he was being excessively calm.

In particular, he remained silent and did not speak up for Wang.

Wang sneered, glancing sideways at the Marquis. Though her voice was soft, it was firm as she said, "I killed him. Take me to the authorities."

The Marquis turned around and glared at her fiercely, but then ignored her.

Madam Wang was a little anxious, but dared not ask. Her second aunt spoke up for her, "Mother, if the truth comes out, you can tell us who did it."

Grandma Xie touched the hand warmer in her hand, and stared at Rong Yan with a deep smile, "The murderer? I do know, but let's see who's right and who's wrong in the confrontation later."

After saying that, she still smiled with an ambiguous expression. However, she kept looking at Rong Yan.

Everyone in the hall looked at Rong Yan, their expressions filled with disbelief.

Xie Ningling turned pale with fright, and asked in a trembling voice, "How could it be you?!"

Rong Shu sneered, looked up at Rong Yan with a venomous glint in her eyes, seemingly both disdainful and immensely pleased.

Du Chunhong: ?

Xie Qisheng: ? ?

Rong Yan: ?!

Rong Yan's heart skipped a beat, and she frowned. Everyone's eyes were on her, except for Xie Chengzhi.

She then chuckled and looked at Grandma Xie, "Grandmother, you're saying I'm the murderer, right?"

After staring at her for a moment, Old Mrs. Xie lifted the lid of the cup and said with her eyes lowered, "I didn't say that someone else was the murderer. Bring them up."

As soon as Grandma Xie finished speaking, a person was brought up. Everyone looked and realized that it was none other than Mama Fang.

Madam Wang frowned as well, "Mother Fang?"

Madam Fang immediately knelt down, pleading, "My lord, please spare my life! I've confessed everything truthfully, please be lenient!! It was the young mistress who threatened me; if I didn't frame her, my old man who owes money would be lying dead in the street. I had no choice but to do this, please, old lady and my lord, forgive me this once!"

This time, everyone's attention shifted from Madam Fang to Rong Yan. Xie Chengzhi's expression was indifferent, yet he gave a cryptic smile, drawing everyone's attention to him.

He smiled gently, his eyes shining as he stared intently at Madam Fang.

He said in a soft, low voice, "If you were to convict someone based solely on your own words, you would be underestimating us."

Wang's expression was not pleasant, whether from hearing Fang Mama identify Rong Yan or from the Marquis's attitude.

When Madam Qian committed suicide by hitting her head against a wall, she insisted that Madam Wang was the murderer, and the Marquis believed her immediately.

Under the same circumstances, her son not only did not believe it, but also spoke up to defend his wife. The two fathers and sons acted very differently, which made Wang feel even more that the Marquis was heartless and ungrateful, and her heart sank even further.

With trembling hands, Fang Mama took out a letter from the cloth bag at her waist, crawled on her knees to the Marquis, and handed it to him with both hands.

"My lord, please take a look. This is a written agreement that the young mistress gave me. She said she would save my old man after the matter was settled. It is a very important matter, so I kept it hidden for fear that the young mistress would destroy the evidence."

The Marquis took the letter, opened it, glanced at it, then looked up at Rong Yan's expression before handing it to Old Madam Xie.

After taking it, Old Madam Xie didn't even look at it before gesturing for Rong Yan to take it.

Rong Yan took a look and saw that it was indeed a written agreement, which roughly meant that she would pay forty strings of cash to redeem the person after the matter was completed. The signatory was Rong Changyu.

Interestingly, at first glance, the handwriting does indeed look as if it were written by her own hand.

Even after watching it twice, she couldn't find any major flaws.

The expressions on the faces of everyone present were incredibly varied. Rong Yan quietly scanned them one by one before lowering his eyes again.

She didn't rush to deny it, nor did she confront Fang's mother immediately, which made everyone in the room feel a little strange. She seemed not to be in a hurry at all, nor did she seem flustered.

If she is the murderer, then her current demeanor is frighteningly calm.

If she wasn't the murderer, then she was frighteningly composed.

But now, many people are taking her temporary silence as a tacit agreement.