Chapter 183 Declaration of War
Xie Qi and Shen Yuanzhu stayed at Qianxiang Courtyard for three whole days.
For the past three days, Xie Qi has stayed by Shen Yuanzhu's side without ever leaving her side.
Most of the time, Xie Qi would just sit quietly beside her.
If Shen Yuanzhu was enjoying the cool air outside, he would serve her tea and water. If she was pruning flowers in the courtyard, Xie Qi would help her choose a porcelain vase or arrange flowers for her.
Even when she takes a bath, he will follow her, sometimes sitting by the tub to braid her hair, and sometimes playing with her in the small pool.
In short, he wanted to see Shen Yuanzhu all the time.
Shen Yuanzhu indulged him, knowing that Xie Qi had nowhere else to go.
If it were her, she wouldn't want to leave Qianxiang Courtyard either, and she wouldn't know how to face the Xie family.
While the two were seeking peace and quiet in Qianxiang Courtyard, Xie Sanniang left.
She was already at her limit, and her early business ventures had left her with lingering resentment, causing her to develop health problems at a young age.
Furthermore, she had Xie Jingyuan at an advanced age, and had been secretly at odds with Xie Shan for many years, only to be hit by a series of recent blows...
Even if Doctor Yan's medical skills were superb, this life could not be extended.
On the day she received news of Xie San Niang's death, Shen Yuanzhu felt that the other party had probably fulfilled her wish, and the last breath she had been holding onto had dissipated.
Although she didn't live to see the Xie family become imperial merchants, Xie Jingyuan's marriage and the thorn planted in Xie Shan's heart before his death were perhaps enough for Xie San Niang to find peace.
The Xie family only informed her of the passing of Xie Qi and Xie San Niang, but did not send any mourning clothes.
It's likely that even the Xie family didn't know what kind of arrangements to make for them.
Shen Yuanzhu looked at Xie Qi sitting in the courtyard and asked, "She has passed away. Would you like to offer incense?"
Xie Qi remained silent for a long time. Just when Shen Yuanzhu thought he would stay silent forever, Xie Qi finally nodded: "I'll go with you."
Since they had no mourning clothes, the two chose ordinary plain clothes to perform the customary etiquette for guests.
According to custom, Xie San Niang's body is currently laid to rest at home, and the coffin is now placed in Yu Jin Tang.
The red decorations that once filled the Xie family's courtyard have now been replaced by a sea of white.
As the two of them entered the mourning hall, the weeping of the Xie family members paused for a moment.
Hua Nanzhi did not look up, but continued to kneel on the ground and throw yellow paper into the brass basin.
Xie Chengzhi and Xie Jingyuan were both away. One was determined to go to the dyeing and textile factory to clean up the mess left by the fire, while the other went out to inform the members of the Suzhou Chamber of Commerce of the death.
Xie Boyu knew Xie Chengzhi's thoughts, but at this moment she had no mind to pay attention to them.
Xie Shan was naturally not there, and no one asked him where he was or what he was doing.
As the eldest grandson of the main branch, Xie Xuchuan was obliged to keep vigil in the mourning hall. When he saw the two enter, his expression changed, but he was unable to say anything at this time.
"You've arrived."
After saying this, Xie Boyu fell silent.
Over the years, he had never known how to face Xie Qi. In name, Xie Qi was his son, but in reality, he was his brother.
When his mother abandoned Xie Qi at Jiu Cai Ju, he had just married Hua Nanzhi.
There was a nameless, unregistered, and unserving child in the Xie family's side courtyard, which Hua Nanzhi had been wondering about for a long time.
For a long time, Hua Nanzhi even believed that Xie Qi was an illegitimate son born from an affair between him and a maid in her household.
So when her mother announced to the public that she was pregnant with twins after she became pregnant, the two had a big argument.
Xie Qi's identity is too embarrassing.
It was so embarrassing that Xie Boyu couldn't even speak.
If Xie Qi were the illegitimate child of his father and just anyone, he probably wouldn't find it so hard to talk back.
Unfortunately, Xie Qi's birth mother's origins were something he couldn't explain or know how to explain.
So this matter remained weighing on Xie Boyu's mind.
Hua Nanzhi also misunderstood Xie Sanniang and him for many years.
It wasn't until Xie Xuchuan was six or seven years old that he obeyed his father's orders to find a tutor for Xie Qi, which enraged Hua Nanzhi. During their argument, he finally revealed Xie Qi's true identity...
Once the situation was explained clearly, the couple truly didn't know how to deal with Xie Qi.
So the couple chose the simplest option: to ignore it.
Xie Qi's existence was not only a thorn in the side of Xie San Niang and Xie Shan, but even Xie Boyu felt extremely uncomfortable in his presence.
After all, when Xie Qi was born, Xie Shan's biological mother was Xie Qi's wife.
He, the eldest son of the Xie family, was the unborn child without any official status.
But he also knew that Xie Qi was innocent...
Xie Boyu paused, holding the incense stick for a moment, then handed it to Xie Qi.
Xie Qi looked down and remained motionless for a long time.
The incense remained suspended in mid-air; Xie Boyu did not retract his hand, nor did Xie Qi attempt to catch it.
One person wants the other to bow and offer incense as a token of their gratitude.
One of them was disrespectful and fearless, let alone filial.
The fact that Xie Qi came to the mourning hall was simply because he realized that Shen Yuanzhu wanted to come.
As expected, Xie Qi did not move. Shen Yuanzhu took the incense from Xie Boyu's hand, stepped forward, and bowed in worship.
Although her marriage to Xie Qi was a result of Xie San Niang and Hua Nan Zhi's deception, Xie San Niang treated her well during the years when her engagement with Xie Xu Chuan was still in effect.
Now that death is a great loss, all past grievances should be settled and all grudges wiped clean.
Therefore, Shen Yuanzhu respectfully offered three sticks of incense for Xie Sanniang.
Xie Boyu was still standing next to Xie Qi, his lips opening and closing, but he still didn't know what to say.
"Yuanzhu and I will move away from the Xie family."
Upon hearing this, Xie Boyu suddenly felt a sense of relief.
Although his mother said before she died that Xie Qi must not leave the Xie family, let the affairs of the previous generation end on that day.
Now that Xie Qi was able to take the initiative to leave, Xie Boyu felt much less pressure.
He felt relieved, unaware that Xie Xuchuan's heart was in turmoil upon hearing these words.
After paying their respects to Xie San Niang, Shen Yuanzhu and Xie Qi walked out of the mourning hall together.
Shen Yuanzhu thought it was a good idea that Xie Qi wanted to move out of the Xie family home.
The Xie family is in complete chaos now. Without Xie San Niang to keep things in check, the second branch of the family will inevitably cause trouble sooner or later. She and the second branch have already fallen out, and without Xie San Niang to keep them in check, there will likely be endless problems. In that case, it will only create a lot of troubles, so it would be better to move out as soon as possible and find some peace and quiet.
If she really moves out, it will be convenient for her to come and go from Xiecui Lane. She just doesn't know if Xie Qi has the money to buy a house…
While he was lost in thought, Xie Xuchuan suddenly followed him out from behind.
"Thank you, Qi."
Xie Qi stopped and turned to look at Xie Xuchuan.
Shen Yuanzhu was also somewhat puzzled, wondering why Xie Xuchuan, who wasn't keeping vigil at the mourning hall, had come over at this time.
"Thank you, Qi."
Xie Qi stopped, and Xie Xuchuan said, "I have something to tell you."
Xie Qi frowned, his expression turning slightly cold: "No one's covering your mouth, so feel free to say whatever you want."
Xie Xuchuan said, "I'll talk to you privately."
Shen Yuanzhu looked at Xie Qi, and seeing him nod slightly, she returned to Qianxiang Courtyard on her own, ignoring Xie Xuchuan and not even glancing at him.
The hands behind him left red marks, but Xie Xuchuan suppressed all his emotions.
Seeing that Shen Yuanzhu had walked far away, he said, "Xie Qi, you should leave. Leave the Xie family and let Yuanzhu go. Someone of your status will ultimately... be a burden to her."
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