Chapter 200 is too powerful.
When they met, both sides had smiles on their faces and seemed very harmonious, but when they turned around, they were both thinking about how to kill each other.
After Jiang Yu finished interrogating Lan Mudan, she informed Prince An and then instructed Li Zhong to arrange a meeting between Madam Xie and Lan Mudan. However, Madam Xie was, after all, a member of the Xie family, and the Chu State Duke's mansion had never had any dealings with the Xie family, making this matter not easy to accomplish.
Coincidentally, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ning family sent an invitation to Lu Yifang, requesting a visit. It was obvious that this was because of the incident at the Ning family banquet. Lu Yifang, unsure of Jiang Yu's intentions towards the Ning family, went to see Jiang Yu with the invitation.
Jiang Yu laughed after reading the post; it was like a pillow being delivered just when you're about to fall asleep. She said, "You can continue to interact normally with Madam Ning now. When Madam Ning comes this time, I'd like to say a few words to her."
Lu Yifang understood Jiang Yu's meaning and went back to reply to the Ning family. The next day, Madam Ning arrived.
After alighting from her sedan chair at the entrance of the Duke of Chu's mansion, Madam Ning saw Wu Zhengyan who had come to greet her and silently breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Duke of Chu's mansion would not make things too difficult for her.
Her purpose in coming here was to apologize. Of course, Ning Qi, the head of the Ning family, would also come later. She was here to pave the way and test the Chu State Duke's Mansion's intentions.
Wu Zhengyan came over and bowed to her. The two exchanged pleasantries and walked inside. Soon they arrived at Lu Yifang's courtyard. After entering, maids and servants came to greet them, and then the two went into the hall.
Upon entering and seeing Jiang Yu sitting there, Madam Ning's smile froze, and she bowed to Jiang Yu, saying, "Greetings, Chu State Public Security Bureau."
At the same time, her heart was in her throat; she didn't know what Duke Jiang Yu meant by being here.
"Auntie, you're too kind." Jiang Yu smiled and helped her up, then they exchanged pleasantries, and then Madam Ning apologized for the banquet.
Jiang Yu neither forgave nor refused her apology, but said, "I have an old friend of Madam Xie in my household who would like to meet her. I hope you can make the connection, Aunt."
These words caused Madam Ning's smile to freeze again. She thought for a moment and asked, "Who is it?"
Jiang Yu did not answer her question, but said, "This old friend wishes to see Madam Xie the Second tomorrow."
If someone had spoken to her like that normally, Madam Ning would have definitely lost her temper. "You're asking me to make a connection with you and you're acting so forceful? Do you think I'd give you a friendly look?"
But at this moment, she smiled and said, "Then I'll go back and tell my family."
Jiang Yu smiled and nodded at her, then stood up and said, "I have something to do, so I won't keep you company any longer."
Madam Ning stood up and smiled as she watched her leave the hall, then spoke to Lu Yifang. The conversation, naturally, was another apology, but she had something on her mind and soon took her leave.
Lu Yifang had someone escort her to the gate of the mansion, and Madam Ning got into her carriage and went home. Upon arrival, she went to the front courtyard to see Ning Qi and told her what Jiang Yu had told her.
Ning Qi remained silent after hearing this, then said, "I understand. You can go back now."
Madam Ning bowed to him and then returned to her courtyard. On the way, she couldn't help but sigh, "I've heard that many young women in the capital envy the Duke of Chu. Not to mention them, I envy him too!"
Who wouldn't want to be in charge? She went to great lengths to apologize to people, yet she couldn't participate in making decisions about family matters.
The old woman beside her noticed that her complexion was not good and said softly, "In my opinion, the Duke of Chu is not having an easy time either."
Madam Ning laughed after hearing this, "Yes, she's the only female duke in the entire Daqian Dynasty, it's not easy for her."
........
After Madam Ning left, Master Ning looked at Ning Qi and asked, "What does the Duke of Chu mean by this?"
“There must be a deep-seated feud between the Duke of Chu’s mansion and the Xie family,” Ning Qi said.
"Then what should we do?" Grandpa Ning frowned deeply. Under normal circumstances, they would never get involved in the affairs between the Xie family and the Duke of Chu's mansion, but after what happened at the banquet, they were in a passive position.
Ning Qi sat there silently, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Although Jiang Yu was the Duke of Chu, she was still young and a woman. She acted too forcefully in front of him, a high-ranking official with real power. She wanted to use him, but wouldn't say why.
But he also knew that because of what happened at the banquet, and because Jiang Yu was likely investigating an important case, he had to agree.
"Say yes," Ning Qi said helplessly.
"But the Xie family..."
"Judging from the Emperor's attitude, the Xie family is probably in for a major disaster," Ning Qi interrupted Grandpa Ning.
Grandpa Ning suddenly realized that they had no conflict of interest with the Xie family, and they weren't close to them usually, so there was no need for them to go against the Emperor's wishes at this time.
The Ning family father and son thought this way, as did most of the powerful and influential people in the capital.
That evening, Madam Xie received an invitation to a teahouse, signed by Madam Ning.
Madam Xie stared at the invitation in her hand in silence for a long time before finally writing a reply, accepting the invitation. She knew that Madam Ning's invitation to tea, especially outside, was definitely not a good thing, but she still had to go. She was in the wrong.
The letter was handed to a servant to be delivered to the Ning residence when Xie Lei arrived. Upon seeing him, Madam Xie the Second hurried over and said, "Why have you come here? If you have something to say, have someone tell your mother, and your mother will come to you."
"My son wants to go out for a walk," Xie Lei said.
Madam Xie pushed him to the fire basket, her eyes full of tenderness as she asked, "Does it still hurt today?"
After the amputation, Xie Lei's severed leg continued to ache.
Xie Lei shook his head. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Madam Xie looked at his legs with pity and said through gritted teeth, "It's a pity that Jiang Yu wasn't completely ruined this time."
Xie Lei touched his broken leg and said, "Mother, I've been thinking about this for the past few days. I was indeed wrong back then. The salt smuggling scandal was exposed because of the Duke of Chu's mansion, but that was because we plotted against them first. And later, Father's death was caused by Grandfather and the others pushing him out. The person I should hate the most is not Jiang Yu."
Madam Xie's tears flowed. "How could I not know? But my son and I still have to rely on the Xie family."
Xie Lei peered through the firebox at the glowing embers inside, and after a while said, "The Xie family may be facing another major crisis?"
Madam Xie looked at him in shock. Since Xie Zihui's death, she and her son had been living in seclusion, and no one would tell them about important matters in the mansion. Therefore, Madam Xie was unaware of the true situation of the Xie family.
“I don’t know the specifics, but my grandfather and the others have been discussing things frequently in the study recently, just like when the salt smuggling scandal was exposed,” Xie Lei said.
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