Chapter 174: Getting lost
This action startled Hua Nanzhi.
"Mother, Father...where is Father?"
Xie Xuchuan's face was covered in soot, and even his clothes were burned beyond recognition.
Xie Boyu was not around; he had been busy with something mysterious lately, and Hua Nanzhi had no interest in him, so she naturally didn't know where he was.
When Xie Xuchuan came looking for him, he knew that something big must have happened.
Hua Nanzhi helped the person up, her face filled with shock: "You...you shouldn't be at the weaving and dyeing garden, should you?"
"Mother……"
Xie Xuchuan's voice trembled at the end: "The textile and dyeing plantation caught fire, and most of it burned down..."
He lay on the ground, his face streaked with black ash and sweat, making Xie Xuchuan look particularly comical.
He made quite a commotion as he entered the house. Although Xie Chengzhi was not there, Zheng Shu kept a close eye on the eldest son's movements, still hoping to get back at them for the dyeing process.
Hearing the maid's voice, he hurriedly ran out to find fault with the eldest son's wife.
Just as I rushed to the entrance of Xuanji Courtyard, I heard Xie Xuchuan say that most of it had been burned.
Zheng Shu exclaimed, "What? What burned? Where did it burn?"
Xie Xuchuan staggered to his feet, his expression one of despair.
Hua Nanzhi turned and sent someone to find Xie Boyu. Zheng Shuyi's eyes darted around, and soon she also sent someone to find Xie Chengzhi.
Seeing that everyone had left, Xie Xuchuan said, "Today when I arrived at the textile and dyeing plantation, the machine room and warehouse suddenly caught fire..."
How could that be?
Hua Nanzhi looked anxious: "Isn't there a rule in the weaving and dyeing garden that we can't bring fire sources? It's not the dead of winter when we need charcoal, so how could there be a sudden fire?"
"I don't know."
Xie Xuchuan also looked panicked: "This morning, Manager Wu and I were both at the dye plantation, but the machine room and warehouse suddenly caught fire..."
"Was the fire extinguished in time? Were there any casualties?"
"The fire spread too quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was raging. Only a few goods were left in the warehouse, and only two vaulting machines were salvaged. The rest were all reduced to ashes. The workers, however, were safe."
Hua Nanzhi staggered, muttering, "How could this be... Quick, take me to the weaving and dyeing garden..."
When Shen Yuanzhu and Xie Qi arrived, most of the Xie family had gone to the weaving and dyeing garden. Shen Yuanzhu wanted to go and watch the excitement, but Xie Qi shook his head.
"Just wait here, there'll be more trouble when you get back."
Shen Yuanzhu thought about it and felt that Xie Qi's words made sense.
She didn't know that even if the two of them went, Xie Qi wouldn't be able to enter the Xie family's textile and dyeing garden.
Over the years, the Xie family has treated him like a thief, and while Xie Xuchuan and Xie Jingyuan were learning in the machine room and dyeing workshop, he could only hide in Jiucaiju.
If Xie Shan hadn't found a teacher to enlighten him, he probably wouldn't know a single character by now.
Xie Qi lowered his head and played with Shen Yuanzhu's belt. After a while, he felt it wasn't enough and, as if addicted, buried his head in Shen Yuanzhu's neck to absorb that comforting scent.
Shen Yuanzhu pushed the man away with all her might and pulled the sash from his hand.
The two waited until it was completely dark, but the Xie family still hadn't returned.
Xie San Niang hadn't seen Hua Nan Zhi all day, so she sent Jiang Zao out to inquire.
However, after asking around the household servants, no one knew what had happened. Left with no other option, Jiang Zao had to head to Qianxiang Courtyard.
As soon as Jiang arrived, she saw Xie Qi with his arm around Shen Yuanzhu's waist, pushing and shoving each other while Shen Yuanzhu dodged, making her blush.
"Third Aunt."
After glaring angrily at Xie Qi, Shen Yuanzhu finally tore the person off her.
"Sister Yuanzhu, you and your husband have such a good relationship."
Jiang Zao sighed, and Shen Yuanzhu smiled but did not reply.
“My mother-in-law asked me to ask where my sister-in-law went, but I’ve been looking for her for most of the day and I still can’t find her. I don’t know how to explain this to my mother-in-law.”
Shen Yuanzhu looked at the sky and said, "At this hour, he should be back soon. Why don't you wait here for him, and when he returns, you can go directly to Mother."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zao seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and sat down.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Chen Yuanzhu heard a quarrel erupt in the Xie family courtyard.
The sounds of arguing and shouting grew closer, and the three of them went outside together.
Luo was holding a round fan and winked at Ling'er and Xiaozhi when she saw this.
After leaving Qianxiang Courtyard, Shen Yuanzhu could faintly hear what was going on outside.
Xie Boyu loudly questioned, "I think it was the second brother who was resentful and deliberately set the fire."
Zheng Shu spat, "How long has it been since my husband went to the dyeing and weaving workshop? Now you're blaming us for the fire? I think you're just using my second wife as a scapegoat, that's good for you."
"They really dare to pin anything on us..."
She put her hands on her hips and said in a sharp voice, "If you ask me, it was your son Xu Chuan who did it."
Xie Xuchuan's anger flared: "Why would I burn down the machine room and warehouse? Those are the foundation of the Xie family, how could I possibly touch them?"
Xie Chengzhi snorted: "Who knows if you did it intentionally or unintentionally? Maybe you're just stupid and made a mess of things..."
Xie Jingyuan pressed his temples, having spent the whole day trying to persuade both sides, and his voice was now hoarse: "Stop arguing, or Mother will hear us."
"The server room and the warehouse are so far apart, and they both caught fire at the same time. It's clearly arson. It couldn't be Xu Chuan..."
"If it's not him, then you're talking about our second branch of the family? Third Uncle, you need to be responsible for your words."
Xie Jingyuan then said, "When did I ever say it was related to the second wife?"
Xie Chengzhi snorted: "If you think someone deliberately set the fire, then report it to the authorities and let them handle it."
"no."
Xie Jingyuan shook his head: "Reporting this to the authorities would cause a huge uproar, and I don't want my mother to know."
"What?"
Zheng Shu stretched out her arms, blocking the crowd: "Don't let Mother know? That won't do. The fire at the dyeing and weaving workshop destroyed half of the Xie family's property. How can we not let Mother know about something this big?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanzhu looked at Xie Qi in surprise.
Xie Qi also frowned, but when he saw her looking at him, he raised his eyebrows slightly and leaned close to her ear.
"You don't think... I did it, do you?"
Shen Yuanzhu shook her head.
I don't think so...
Xie Qi stroked his chin, also looking quite puzzled.
Could it be that Old Zhu did it?
The Xie family was arguing in front of them, and Jiang Zao felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to the foul language all around her.
This is... a merchant's house?
Her face was pale, but she forced a smile and walked up to the crowd, timidly saying, "Sister-in-law, Mother hasn't seen you all day, so she sent me out to find you..."
After speaking, she looked at Xie Jingyuan, who asked, "Is Mother alone in the room?"
"And there's also Mother Li."
Xie Jingyuan pressed his temples and said, "Mother can't be left unattended. You go ahead first, I'll be there shortly."
Within two sentences, Xie Boyu and Xie Chengzhi started arguing again.
The Xie family was in complete chaos, except for one place that was eerily quiet.
Inside the small Buddhist shrine, an old woman with a solemn face said, "It's done."
Xie Shan slightly raised his eyes, looking at the wisps of smoke before him, and stopped fiddling with his prayer beads...
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