Upon hearing this, Chu Pei was slightly stunned. He never expected to see Xiahou Qin outside the door of the Chu Mansion. Judging from Xiahou Qin's current attire, he was probably well prepared!
Defenses were gradually being built up in his eyes, but due to the people coming and going outside the gate, Chu Pei did not immediately speak to drive Xiahou Qin away. Since the other party used courtesy first and then force, he would naturally take this opportunity to explore Xiahou Qin's intentions!
"I didn't expect that Prince Xiahou would come to visit me, but I have something important to do right now. If Prince Xiahou is just here to reminisce about the past, I'm afraid I'll have to wait until next time!" He wanted to send Xiahou Qin away unnoticed, lest his well-dressed appearance scare the passers-by. Especially since there were hundreds of guards standing in an orderly manner behind Xiahou Qin. Such a scene would frighten not only ordinary people, but even those civil servants who spoke eloquently in the court would be terrified!
Hearing Chu Pei's intention to shut him out, Xiahou Qin was not angry at all. The faint smile on his lips deepened when he caught the wariness in Chu Pei's eyes. He tucked his sword at his waist and slowly said, "I have come here today with an important mission. Uncle, don't you want to hear it? Or do you want me to state my intentions in front of the people?"
This naked threat instantly intensified Chu Pei's dislike for Xiahou Qin. Seeing Xiahou Qin's attitude, he knew he wasn't just talking nonsense. Seeing the people around him gradually stopping to watch, Chu Pei had no choice but to give in. He leaned slightly and said, "Since that's the case, please come into the mansion and discuss it in detail!"
Seeing Chu Pei compromise, Xiahou Qin smiled, but his expression suddenly darkened. With a murderous aura, he ordered the guards beside him, "Guard the Chu Mansion well and don't let anyone out!"
"Yes!" Hundreds of guards responded in unison, scaring away the onlookers. Chu Pei clenched his hands tightly under his sleeves, swung his sleeves back suddenly, and stepped into the gate of the Chu Mansion with a cold voice!
Walking quickly towards the house, Xiahou Qin followed Chu Pei step by step through the garden corridor and stepped into the courtyard of Chu Mansion without being left behind!
Chu Pei suddenly stopped and angrily ordered the housekeeper and others behind him, "Stay in the courtyard and do not enter without my order!"
"But, sir..." The butler glanced at the long sword on Xiahou Qin's waist inconspicuously, and wanted to follow him in with some concern!
"You are guarding in the yard. Don't you understand what I say?" Unexpectedly, Chu Pei's attitude at this time was extremely firm. Even though the housekeeper kept winking at him, Chu Pei still acted arbitrarily and refused entry to anyone except Xiahou Qin!
Although Chu Pei was angry at this time, he remained calm! Xiahou Qin's arrival had already caused a commotion among the people. How could he attack him after everyone knew that he had entered the Chu Mansion?
The sword at his waist only served as a deterrent. As a foreigner, Xiahou Qin was not bold enough to attack the imperial officials on the land of Western Chu!
Being stared at by Chu Pei's vicious gaze, the butler could only swallow the words that were on his lips. He led the servants in the mansion to stand honestly in the yard and wait, not daring to express any opinions!
Xiahou Qin nodded slightly to the personal guard behind him, then followed Chu Pei into the room!
"Tell me, what is your purpose for coming here this time? Do you want to put the Chu family under house arrest? That depends on whether you have the ability to do so!" The door of the house was tightly closed. Chu Pei looked at Xiahou Qin, who had just been showing off outside the Chu family, with a hint of sarcasm and anger on his face. He wanted to see how long Xiahou Qin was going to stop meddling in other people's business!
Xiahou Qin didn't immediately answer Chu Pei's question. Instead, he slowly walked to the window with a leisurely look. He looked out into the courtyard with cold eyes. He noticed that the housekeeper was still peeking into the room, unwilling to give up. A hint of interest rose in his eyes, and he slowly said, "Whether you have the ability or not is not up to your uncle to decide! If I'm not mistaken, Lord Chu just wanted to go to the Youzhou government office to rescue Xie Yingping! The friendship between the Chu and Xie families is truly enviable. Lord Chu is willing to sacrifice himself for the Xie family!"
Xiahou Qin's words immediately aroused Chu Pei's vigilance, but the other party was looking out the window with a distracted expression. For a moment, Chu Pei was a little confused about Xiahou Qin's attitude! He couldn't help but wonder if Xiahou Qin had come here to put the Chu family under house arrest?
"Just say whatever you want to say!" Chu Pei frowned and walked to the window. He and Xiahou Qin looked out the window side by side, but his tone was extremely cold and contained a hint of hatred!
Xiahou Qin was also reluctant to have more contact with Chu Pei, but since Chu Feiyang asked him to do so, he could only do as he was told. He put away the carefree look on his face, and his calm eyes hid a rare wisdom. Xiahou Qin said without looking away, "This prince has come here to stop Lord Chu from going to the Youzhou government office to rescue the Xie family!"
The clear words and clear attitude made Chu Pei feel disgusted. The frozen eyes met the warm sunlight outside the window, but they still could not be melted. His tone became more and more cold. "This is my business. When did it become the Xiahou clan's turn to make decisions in Youzhou?"
"I think you should have communicated with the prince before. The prince has made some things clear! What we are doing now is just to save you! Otherwise, once you appear in court, even the prince can't protect you!" Facing Chu Pei's accusations, Xiahou Qin turned a deaf ear. It was not that his Xiahou clan was willing to do so, but given the current situation in Youzhou, the only people who could guarantee Chu Pei's safety were his own people, except for the guards under Han Shaomian's command! Han Shaomian's men had already been sent out to guard the jade mine, so he had no choice but to dispatch the Xiahou clan guards!
However, Xiahou Qin's cryptic words touched Chu Pei's most sensitive nerve. He immediately turned to look at Xiahou Qin, and asked with a sinister look, "Xiahou Qin, what do you mean by this?"
Seeing Chu Pei's expression change drastically, Xiahou Qin slowly turned his head. His calm face was filled with a distant indifference, but he kindly explained the mystery to him. "If you appear in court, not only will the Xie family be unable to save you, but you will also be implicated! In this way, the Chu family will definitely be implicated! I believe that the prince must have said long ago that he would not let you threaten grandfather. Otherwise, do you think the Xiahou family would have done this unnecessarily?"
It was said so bluntly, there was no way Chu Pei didn't understand!
However, this matter cannot be stopped by Chu Feiyang. Han Shaomian has already gone to court to try the case. Even if Xie Yingping doesn't reveal anything, is it possible that he can't find out as long as he is determined?
Xiahou Qin saw through Chu Pei's concerns and said, "Just stay in the Chu Mansion, and everything will be resolved!"
Xiahou Qin's confidence and arrogance made Chu Pei sneer, and then asked, "Then how do you plan to deal with me?"
Hearing Chu Pei's cold question, Xiahou Qin turned his head and continued to look out the window, saying coldly, "As for your matter, we will naturally wait for the prince to come back to make a final decision!"
After he finished speaking, Xiahou Qin stopped talking. Chu Pei stood there with a frown, watching the sky outside the window gradually turn dark. Lanterns were gradually lit by the servants in the courtyard. Until the housekeeper knocked on the door in a panic, the two people standing quietly by the window moved and opened the door to let the housekeeper in!
"Master, something bad has happened to the Xie family!" With Xiahou Qin's previous reminder, Chu Pei seemed much calmer and composed at this time, but his heart was still slightly worried. Seeing the panic-stricken expression of the housekeeper, a sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Chu Pei's heart!
"Master, Young Master Han..." The housekeeper wanted to call him by his name, but when he saw Xiahou Qin was also in the room, he stopped talking abruptly. After calming down, he spoke again cautiously, "Master, Lord Han just issued an order to seal off the Xie family! All members of the Xie family who have anything to do with jade mining will be imprisoned! Even the Xie clan leader..."
"Xie Yingping is the patriarch of the Xie family, so he naturally has to shoulder the greatest responsibility. What is there to say about such a thing?" The person who took over the conversation was Xiahou Qin, who had been silent for a long time. He glanced coldly at the butler with a pair of stern eyes, blaming him for making such a fuss as the head of a mansion!
"Besides this, is there anything else that happened?" Seeing Xiahou Qin blaming his people, Chu Pei felt unhappy and immediately changed the subject!
"I have only heard that Lord Han sentenced the Xie family, but I don't know anything else!" This is also what puzzled the housekeeper. Han Shaomian only sentenced the Xie family, but did not immediately take action against all the officials in Youzhou. Is it because he didn't dare?
Xiahou Qin noticed that after Chu Pei heard the housekeeper's words, a hint of relief flashed in his forcedly calm eyes. He couldn't help but sneer in his heart, and then said, "In that case, uncle, you should rest well in the mansion! All subsequent matters will be decided after the prince returns to Youzhou!"
After he finished speaking, Xiahou Qin turned around and left the room, but before leaving the Chu Mansion, he left behind the group of guards he brought with him!
At this time, the Xie residence was filled with resounding cries. The maids and servants who were implicated for no reason kept begging for mercy from the guards who came to escort them to the prison, hoping that these expressionless guards would show leniency to them because they were just servants!
But things are different now. These guards are all Han Shaomian's men. How could they listen to their pleas for mercy and let any member of the Xie family go!
Night had already fallen by this time, and torches and lanterns illuminated every inch of Xie's residence. The exquisite pavilions, towers, bridges and flowing water remained, but the people living inside were about to be thrown into jail!
Han Shaomian personally led the guards into Xie's house. He turned a deaf ear to the cries and shouts everywhere, and went straight into Xie Yingping's room. He ordered people to carefully collect all the important account books inside as evidence for future conviction!
The narrow prison was packed with members of the Xie family who were brought in. No matter if they were from the main house or a branch, as long as their surname was Xie, they were all locked up by the guards and runners!
Several elders had already lost their temper and started cursing, but Xie Yingping sat calmly on the straw pile, looking indifferently at Han Shaomian who walked in with the guards. Amid the shouting, he said, "If we're talking about people with the surname Xie, it seems there are three in Kyoto! Does Lord Han need to send someone to arrest them?"
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