Chapter 198 Coffin
"What's all this commotion about? The mourning period for Mother isn't over yet. Are you trying to make her restless in heaven by causing this?"
Hua Nanzhi came out and said to Xie Boyu, "You can't write two 'Xie' characters in one stroke. What you said really hit Second Uncle in the heart."
"Second Uncle is also at fault. We've seen your grievances over the years, but we are family after all. Why did it have to come to this?"
She spoke softly, clearly intending to confuse Xie Boyu.
If Xie Chengzhi really goes along with it and insists on taking control of the Xie family, then this will be a real problem.
"With my mother gone, as the eldest sister-in-law, I have no choice but to offer my respects. In that case, I apologize to my second uncle on behalf of my mother and Bo Yu."
"You have indeed suffered grievances over the years..."
"Hua Nanzhi, you insidious and vicious bastard."
Zheng Shu wasn't stupid. Xie Boyu had clearly said the wrong thing, but regardless of whether the other party meant it sincerely or not, once the words were spoken, there was no reason to take them back.
She rolled up her sleeves and said, "Everyone heard it just now. My eldest brother said he would hand over the Xie family's assets to our second branch."
"A man's word is his bond; he has to keep his word."
Xie Boyu's face turned pale, while Xie Chengzhi knelt down in front of Xie Sanniang's coffin with a thud, quickly kowtowing repeatedly.
"Mother, you have appeared to me, haven't you? After hearing about my grievances over the years, you used my elder brother's words to give me the Xie family's property."
“Mother, my elder brother has always been a gentleman, and a gentleman’s word is his bond.”
Hua Nanzhi's face twitched upon hearing this: "Second Uncle, you cheated your mother out of her savings when she was alive, and now you want to use her body after she's dead. Aren't you afraid of retribution in this world?"
"Retribution? What retribution?"
Zheng Shudao said, "These words were spoken by my eldest brother himself. Everyone can see whether the eldest branch of the Xie family has the ability to take over the family business."
"What can you guys do? Over the years, my brother has been unable to manage business deals properly, and he's been too blunt in his dealings with others, offending more people than he's made friends with."
"Is he even cut out to do business properly? Your older brother can't even keep the family business afloat, let alone your Xie Xuchuan."
"They rejected a perfectly good marriage agreement with the Shen family and insisted on having a promiscuous affair, which caused the Xie family to lose face in the Shen family's social standing."
"If the Xie family hadn't lost the dyeing manual, how could Mother have fallen seriously ill? How could the family business have plummeted?"
Hua Nanzhi sneered: "Isn't the Shen family's dyeing manual right in the Xie family's house? You stole the dyeing manual and still have the nerve to spout nonsense in front of Mother's corpse. I think all the grievances you've had over the years were fake. The second branch is clearly a giant rat that has fallen into the rice jar, with its ambition and blood-red mouth all aimed at its own family."
"Sister-in-law, you don't need to ramble on like this."
Xie Chengzhi, his eyes red, stood up.
He pointed to the sky and stomped his feet on the ground, his face grim: "Heaven above and earth below bear witness, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond."
“Since my elder brother has already said that he will hand over the family business to my second wife, then he should keep his promise…”
"Second Uncle."
Xie Xuchuan couldn't bear to listen any longer and had to stand up and say, "When did Father ever say that he would hand over the family business to the second branch? Father only said that even if the second branch were to manage the Xie family's business, they might not be able to do it very well."
"Moreover, the foundation of our ancestors is not something to be trifled with. The Xie family is currently in a critical situation, and rashly changing the management would inevitably shake its foundation."
"Second Uncle, the Xie family is good, and everyone can benefit from their protection."
"Besides, you've never handled such a large business before. If something goes wrong now, how can the Xie family withstand even the slightest setback?"
Xie Chengzhi sneered: "What, I've never handled such a big business before, but you and your father have?"
"You and your father are both out of their minds, talking as if the Xie family managing things for you will nourish your foundation and restore everything to normal."
Seeing that his words had caused such a big problem, Xie Boyu quickly said, "My mother has just passed away and the family storeroom has been burned down. The Xie family is currently facing many problems. If we change the person in charge now, how will the outside world view us?"
"With such obvious turmoil, who would dare to do business with us at this time? If things go wrong, it won't just be a matter of foundation or not."
“I am aware of your dissatisfaction and grievances. The Xie family has a jewelry shop on Wanbao Street. If you want to manage it, you can take over the shop for now.”
Upon hearing Xie Boyu's words, Hua Nanzhi couldn't help but grit her teeth and sigh.
Xie Xuchuan, however, felt that this was acceptable.
After all, his father had broken his promise, and his second uncle wouldn't let the matter rest without offering some real money.
But they didn't expect that Xie Chengzhi didn't care about this small shop at all; what he wanted was the Xie family's foundation!
Xie Chengzhi said to Xie Sanniang's coffin, "Mother, look, this is the good son you raised with such care. You've only just passed away, and he's already broken his promise, trying to fool me with things meant for children."
"This is all the sins you committed. If you had valued your son when you were alive, who would have dared to bully me like this?"
"They think my second wife is helpless and weak, and now they want to give me a run-down jewelry shop to get rid of me..."
Xie Chengzhi said, "Being treated so lightly, I'd rather go with you. When we get down there, please explain to me why you've treated me this way all these years..."
After saying that, he bent down and banged his head against the coffin.
The coffin was knocked askew, nearly scaring Xie Boyu out of his wits.
If he were to overturn his mother's body, even death would not be enough to atone for his sins.
Xie Qi and Shen Yuanzhu stood outside Yujintang, never expecting the situation to develop so strangely.
Shen Yuanzhu looked surprised. When the coffin was pushed out crookedly, she was so startled that she unconsciously raised her hand as if to support it in mid-air.
Xie Qi listened to Xie Chengzhi's words with a furrowed brow.
A few calculations began to form in his mind; at this moment, he actually hoped that the Xie family could be handed over to Xie Chengzhi.
The funeral hall was in complete chaos. Xie Jingyuan and Xie Boyu desperately held the coffin in place, while Xie Xuchuan and Hua Nanzhi tried to pull Xie Chengzhi away. Zheng Shu cried incessantly, and the scene was utterly chaotic.
Xie Boyu felt as if she were being roasted over a fire, her heart tormented and scorched, wishing she were dead.
With his mother's coffin behind him, he could almost hear the sound of the Xie family mansion collapsing and shattering.
After a long while, Xie Boyu, his eyes bloodshot, shouted sharply, "Enough!"
"Since you insist, the Xie family business will be temporarily managed by the second branch, but the shop deeds, land deeds and other items will remain in the communal hall. This is the bottom line for the entire Xie family. If you are dissatisfied, just pretend this never happened."
"Can."
Xie Chengzhi stood up and shouted.
Xie Boyu felt a lump in her throat and, holding the coffin, felt a pang of heartache.
He couldn't understand why his brothers, who were once so close, had turned out this way.
After a long silence, he said, "You can manage it, but if anything goes wrong, I will hold you responsible. Also, if you cause any more trouble at Mother's funeral, don't blame me for being rude to you."
The sorrow on Xie Chengzhi's face faded, replaced by an irrepressible smile.
"Brother, rest assured, I will live up to your expectations and bring glory to the Xie family, so that Mother can rest in peace with a smile..."
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