Chapter 30: Using one's body as bait and one's life as chess piece

"Wait!" A middle-aged man in official uniform hurried over and saluted Xiao Jinxuan.

"Your Highness, please let me handle my family affairs. I will give you, your majesty, and Miss Zhuo Ning a satisfactory explanation!"

The person who spoke had an elegant appearance and a slender stature. He was Xie Heng, the eldest son of the Xie family.

Xie Heng had been an official for more than twenty years and had always enjoyed a good reputation. He was also a second-rank official in the imperial court, and his words were always important.

With his promise, the matter of returning the items was basically settled.

"I believe in my uncle!" Xie Zhuoning immediately stood up upon seeing this.

She looked at Xie Heng with a smile, a barely perceptible curve at the corner of her mouth.

Uncle, since you promised to pay it back, you must pay it back with interest, even if it means losing everything you own.

Since both parties have reached a settlement, there is naturally no need to report the matter to the police.

But before leaving, Xiao Jinxuan added, "The gift is of great importance. I will send someone to keep an eye on it at all times. Please return it to its original owner as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, Your Highness." Xie Heng bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Xiao Jinxuan then said nothing and walked away.

Yang Fangwen followed closely behind, "Thank you, sir. I will take my leave now."

"Master Yang, take care."

After sending the outsiders away, Xie Heng ordered his servants to send Old Madam Xie and Xie Zhuoning back to their rooms.

Mrs. Xie wanted to say something, but she was so tired that she just left this mess to her son to deal with.

Xie Zhuoning was much more obedient, and even gave his grandmother a ride, "Grandma, don't worry, my uncle will definitely take care of this matter."

"It would be great if everyone in the family was as worry-free as you." Old Madam Xie sighed and patted Xie Zhuoning's arm.

Xie Zhuoning felt that these words sounded familiar.

When I was beaten in my previous life, my grandmother seemed to have said the same thing to Xie Wanyin.

So the children that grandmother likes are always those who can bring honor and benefits to the family?

She collected her thoughts and became silent for a moment.

After sending the old lady back to Ci'an Hall, he immediately returned to Fenghua Pavilion.

Fuling quickly brought tea and filled her cup. "Today is really dangerous. To be honest, it is all thanks to His Royal Highness Prince Xuan who stood up for Miss."

Xie Zhuoning picked up his teacup and snorted, "Who asked him to meddle in other people's business?"

He is not capable of accomplishing anything, but is more likely to cause failure.

If he hadn't arrested Liang Ke and brought him before the official in advance, would she have been caught so off guard?

It was actually her own negligence. If she had thought more carefully, she would not have mixed the Phoenix Tail Foot Shaker given by that guy into the pile of gifts.

Fortunately, she was well prepared. She used what she knew in her previous life to instigate Jinxiu, who was close to Liang, to rebel in advance, which led to the final reversal.

But she didn't expect that Xiao Jinxuan would actually ask her to report to the police directly?

Just kidding!

She took great pains to get herself out, but the guy actually wanted to push her back in!

When the time comes to report to the authorities, Liang will throw out all the charges against her, and the Xie family will go through the motions and sentence her to exile at most.

And what about yourself?

If she reported to the police and had her aunt, who had raised her, arrested, wouldn't everyone in the Xie family hate her to death? Wouldn't outsiders say she was ungrateful?

She had obviously lost so much, and although it seemed like she had gotten justice, in reality, she didn't even get a single word of praise!

But it was different if she settled the matter privately. Not only did she preserve the reputation of the Xie family and gain gratitude from everyone in the family, she was also able to get her family's belongings back.

The most important thing is that she had hidden a lot of private goods in that blue booklet.

Although Xiao Jinxuan's interference almost ruined her entire plan, if it weren't for him, it would probably not be so easy to force Xie Heng to make a promise in person.

In this way, the merits and demerits will offset each other.

But just for this one thing, she didn't want to write off the past with him!

…

"Farewell, His Royal Highness Prince Xuan."

After leaving the Xie Mansion, Yang Fangwen respectfully saw Xiao Jinxuan off, then he stood up and sighed.

"That Miss Xie is really a character!"

The attendant was surprised to hear this, "Why do you say that, sir? I think Miss Xie is very pitiful. Look at how she has been bullied by the eldest wife's family!"

He looked angry when he talked about it.

"This is the brilliance of Miss Xie." Yang Fangwen glanced at his followers meaningfully.

Everyone thought she was in a weak position, but if they looked more carefully, they would find that she was secretly guiding the development of the whole thing.

Use your body as bait and your life as chess piece.

Only when you immerse yourself in the play can you make others believe it.

"The most important thing is that she can actually get Prince Xuan to act with her!"

His Royal Highness Prince Xuan is a man of strong principles. No one can force him to do something he doesn't want to do, not even the current emperor.

But it just happens that Miss Xie can do it.

This makes people think more.

"Is His Royal Highness Prince Xuan acting with Miss Xie?" The attendant shook his head in confusion, "Why didn't I notice it?"

Yang Fangwen said cautiously, "I can tell that Miss Xie is acting. With the intelligence of His Royal Highness Prince Xuan, it is impossible that he didn't see it."

He saw through the situation but didn't say anything, and even always stood on the side of the eldest daughter of the Xie family. This in itself is very telling.

Yang Fangwen put his hands behind his back and slowly left Xie's house.

"It seems that I have to be more polite to Miss Xie in the future."

…

In the living room.

After Xie Heng checked the records in the blue booklet, he asked Liang, "Is everything written here true?"

"I... I can't remember..." Liang shook her head slightly.

She took so many things, how could she remember every single one of them?

After receiving such an answer, Xie Heng was so angry that he just sat there, unable to express it or let it out.

He slammed the table and said, "Do you know that even ten Xie families can't afford the things in this booklet?"

"How...how can there be so many?" Liang was panicking, her eyes darting around, looking for something. "This list must have been forged by Xie Zhuoning! That's right, she must have forged it!"

Seeing that Liang still had no intention of repenting, Xie Heng shook his head in disappointment.

He raised his eyes and set his gaze on the Liang family.

He felt guilty towards the Liang family.

So even though he knew that the Liang family had been secretly supporting the Liang family, he just turned a blind eye.

I never thought that she would be so demanding and have no bottom line!

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.

He knew it was time to make up his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, he asked someone to bring a stack of banknotes and handed them to Liang Li.

"Here is a five hundred tael banknote. Take it. I will send someone to send you back to your hometown, Liangzhou. From now on, your Liang family and my Xie family will have no ties at all!"

The Liang family was used to spending lavishly on a daily basis, so five hundred taels seemed not enough to them.

Liang Li was dissatisfied, "Aunt, five hundred taels of silver, you are giving money to beggars. My mother is lying in bed, and she needs to be kept alive by the best old mountain ginseng every day, and the medicine costs five taels. And Ke'er, now that his fingers are broken, he can no longer take the imperial examinations, so he has to make a living to support his family, right? There are also maids and servants serving in this house, and the daily expenses are about five hundred taels a month."

Xie Heng snorted coldly, "Five hundred taels a month? How dare you ask for that? My annual salary is not even that much!"

Seeing that he was angry, Liang Li immediately wiped away her tears and played the sympathy card, "If that short-lived ghost in my family hadn't died early, how could we, an orphan and a widow, have such a hard life?"

"Besides," she glanced at Xie Heng and curled her lips, "If it weren't for that short-lived ghost in my family, you, my brother-in-law, wouldn't have the chance to sit in the high position you are in now and enjoy all the glory and wealth, right?"