Chapter 146 You killed my son!
Xiao Xiuning's knees slowly bent down, just as they were about to touch the ground.
Madam Yang rushed over and pulled her up, saying, "Ning'er, if there's any misunderstanding, just clear it up. There's no need to kneel down over such a small matter."
Xiao Xiuning shook her head and brushed her hand away. "Mother, don't pull me. It's all my fault. My third sister-in-law doesn't like me. I don't know what other way to get her to forgive me except by kneeling down."
Yun Zhaoxue scoffed, "You're overthinking it. Even if you kneel down, I won't forgive you. I was just asking who overturned the car, I didn't name names. Or are you feeling guilty and putting on a show? You're really in the mood for acting, it's a shame you don't go into acting."
Xiao Xiuning's tears flowed even more fiercely, as if she had suffered a great injustice. "Look at the look in my eyes, it's obvious that I stole it. Check and see if anything is missing, and I'll compensate you for it, okay?"
Madam Yang said with heartache, "Xue'er, I believe Ning'er wouldn't steal anything. Is there some misunderstanding?"
Both Xiao Xiuning and Xiao Xiuning are equally dear to her. In her eyes, Xiao Xiuning is still the good child who spared no effort to find a doctor for her when she was bedridden and who took care of her at her bedside.
Yun Zhaoxue reiterated, "I didn't say she stole it. I found the car had been searched, so I asked her about it. Who are you trying to impress with this aggrieved act?"
Xiao Xuance walked to Yun Zhaoxue's side, clearly siding with her, and his cold gaze fell on Xiao Xiuning's face. "You are not one of our family members, you shouldn't be with our group. You should leave."
"Third Brother, from the moment they abandoned me on the mountain, they were no longer my family. I really have nowhere to go. I've called you Third Brother for over ten years, don't you even remember our past brotherly and sisterly bond? Ugh..."
They were ruthless first, so they can't blame her for being ruthless too.
Xiao Xuance hardened his heart and said, "The moment you deliberately targeted my wife, the brother-sister relationship we once shared was long gone."
Xiao Mingshu leaned close to Yun Zhaoxue and whispered, "Third sister-in-law, we were all busy cooking and didn't touch the car. Should we check it? If anything valuable is missing, we should find it as soon as possible. If it's hidden, it will be hard to find."
"No need, it's nothing valuable, just some daily necessities."
She was curious to know what Xiao Xiuning was trying to steal. She must not have stolen anything yet, which was why she was willing to kneel down and shamelessly stay. She would definitely try to steal it a second time.
Xie Wanyun saw that the argument had started and they were at a stalemate. On one side was her mother-in-law, and on the other side were her brother-in-law and sister-in-law who were in charge of the household. It would be bad if the two sides fell out and separated.
He quickly smoothed things over, saying, "The fish is cooked. Why don't we all eat first, and then rest for a while before setting off again?"
"Mother, I really didn't take anything."
To prove her innocence, Xiao Xiuning searched everywhere she could hide anything on her person, but found only two steamed buns.
At noon, the guards distributed two steamed buns to each person, and Yang gave her her share.
When Yang saw that she had nothing on her, she thought it was a misunderstanding.
He wiped away her tears with his sleeve. "Alright, Ning'er, don't cry. Mother believes in you. Let's go eat."
Xiao Xiuning shook her head, "No, no need. They don't welcome me. Mother, you go by yourself. I'll just eat cornbread. I won't go hungry."
She didn't care about their charity.
"Don't be afraid. We'll share half of Mother's portion with you. Last time, I secretly gave some food to Shu'er, and they didn't say anything. They're just stubborn but soft-hearted. If you sincerely admit your mistake and repent, they will forgive you."
Xiao Xiuning gave a bitter smile. "Mother, I won't go over there. You go and eat. I'll just have cornbread."
After saying that, he pulled his hand away and ran to the riverbank, turning his back to them to eat cornbread.
This time I cooked three fish, plus the side dishes, making a big pot. Last time, two fish were enough.
This time there's an extra, so as usual, I'll use some to do favors.
Yun Zhaoxue put half a fish into a bowl and asked Gu Xuanwu to take it to Lao Liao as a side dish with his drinks.
In Qingfeng Village, Xiao Xuance cut out Shen Yan's tongue. The Shen family went to Lao Liao to complain many times, but he turned a blind eye to it.
The Shen family was difficult to deal with, but Lao Liao managed to withstand them.
The Xiao family owes Lao Liao a huge favor.
When Xiao Xuanwu returned from delivering the fish, he excitedly shared what he had just seen: "It seems that the Third Prince and the Yun family have started a fight. Things are scattered all over the ground, and everyone's faces are bruised. The Third Prince's wives and concubines have all been scratched and their hair is a mess. The imperial physician is applying medicine to them."
"Our family is the best. Everyone works together, we do chores together, and we can often have a hot meal..."
Every day I'm exhausted from rushing around. Whenever I can't walk anymore, the thought of having a hot meal for lunch or dinner makes me grit my teeth and keep going. That's how I find hope in life.
Xiao Xuanwu didn't notice the slight changes in the expressions of several people. He just felt that the atmosphere at his house was better than others, and he was very glad. He kept talking non-stop.
Madam Yang glanced at Xiao Xiuning, who was sitting alone by the river. If everyone could accept Ning'er, that would be a happy ending for everyone.
Xiao Xuance interrupted him, saying, "Speak less while eating fish, or you might get a fishbone stuck in your throat."
"Okay, I'll focus on eating the fish."
While they were eating, Yang took her rice bowl and walked away, deliberately turning into the woods and then walking back to the riverbank.
Everyone knew where she was going to take it, so no one stopped her.
She was, after all, an elder, and apart from Yun Zhaoxue, who would dare to say a bad word about her?
Yun Zhaoxue didn't bother to say who she was saving her own food for, whether it was for love or not.
After she finished eating, she sat down to rest under a tree.
Xiao Xuance tidied up the pots and pans and checked the car. He said, "Nothing is missing, everything is fine."
She patted the seat next to her, "Sit here."
"What do you think she's looking for? A tiger tally, a token, a jade pendant, or some kind of jade thumb ring?"
"The tiger tally was lost when my father passed away."
"Is there any other token that can command the three armies or mobilize personal guards and secret agents?"
That's how it's written in period dramas and novels.
Xiao Xuance nodded, "Yes! It is..." the Qilin dagger.
Yun Zhaoxue raised her hand, "Stop! You don't need to tell me. I'm afraid I'll be greedy and can't help but steal. Just let her steal something similar on purpose, and then we can catch her red-handed and let your mother see if I'm slandering her."
Xiao Xuance said, "Alright! I'll take care of this."
"How about we go see Doctor Hua tonight? He'll check your pulse to make sure you're safe."
"Okay, we'll find a time to operate on your leg. You won't be able to put weight on it for at least half a month, and you can't be subjected to any external impact, otherwise it will worsen the injury. It's best to arrange for someone to protect you."
He was the only adult male in the Xiao family; she couldn't protect so many people.
The two were talking.
"My son, where have you run off to? Come out quickly! Don't scare your mother..."
A voice came from beside him. Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw the Shen family members running around in the crowd, as if they were looking for someone.
"Yan'er, Yan'er, where have you gone?"
Shen Yan has disappeared?
Despite being injured, Shen Qingyu also came out to look for someone, calling out, "Big brother, big brother, where are you...?"
People were also shouting by the river, "Yan'er, Yan'er, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood. Please don't do anything foolish!"
The people around had all finished eating and were fast asleep, but their shouting made it impossible for them to sleep. They said impatiently:
"What are you yelling about? It's rare for us to lie down and rest for a while. If you don't rest, we do."
"That's right, stop shouting! We need to sleep. Go shout somewhere else!"
"My older brother is missing! Have you seen him? Please help me look for him!"
"I didn't see it! How could a living person just disappear?"
Madam Shen looked around frantically and shouted, "Yan'er, my son, where have you been? Don't scare your mother, come out quickly!"
Shen Qingyu stumbled towards the Xiao family's house. "Yun Zhaoxue, my older brother is missing. Did you see him half an hour ago?"
Yun Zhaoxue: "I don't know, he's gone. Did he run away? Your Shen family is finished."
"Impossible! My older brother has lost his tongue, he can't speak, where could he have gone?"
Madam Shen pointed at Xiao Xuance and said with certainty, "It was you! It must have been you who hid my Yan'er or... killed her? Let me tell you, if you dare to do anything to my Yan'er, I will make you pay with your lives!"
Xiao Xuanwu said, "My third brother is busy cooking, how could he have time to hide anyone? Stop making baseless accusations!"
"Exactly! You're spouting nonsense!"
"Yes! My Ce'er is not someone who kills innocent people indiscriminately."
Madam Shen ignored them and focused her gaze on Yun Zhaoxue.
"Yun Zhaoxue, you and my Yan'er have some past relationship. If you know anything, just tell me. Did he do something to my Yan'er?"
Ever since Shen Yan's tongue was cut off, his eyes have been filled with hatred every time he looks at the Xiao family.
She knew he wanted revenge.
Madam Shen advised her son to be patient for two days, and wait until they reached Xuzhou, her family's territory, before seeking revenge on the Xiao family and cutting off all their tongues.
He must have gone to seek revenge in secret, but he couldn't beat them, so the Xiao family hid him away.
She will not rest until the Xiao family hands over her son!
Madam Shen desperately searched for evidence, and when she caught sight of Xiao Xuance's shoe sole, she suddenly shouted excitedly, "There's blood on his shoes! It was you! You're the one who killed my Yan'er!"
Everyone stared intently at Xiao Xuance's feet, and sure enough, they saw blood.
It is almost certain that he killed Shen Yan.
"Cutting out one's tongue for saying the wrong thing is cruel enough, but now they're going to kill one to silence him. This is an attempt to wipe them out completely."
"Young Master Shen was truly pitiful; he was killed just like that."
“A life for a life. I used to have doubts about the Xiao family’s treason, but now I’m almost certain they are. The court did not wrong them. That day, the young master Xiao killed dozens of bandits in one go, and killing Shen Yanjiu was as easy as killing a fish.”
"The Xiao family has no regard for the law."
"It takes two to tango. Young Master Shen is at fault, but Princess Zhaoxue seduced him first. Poor Shen Yan."
"The husband killed his lover; the couple is probably going to break up now, right?"
"She broke up with Young Master Shen a long time ago, and last time she beat him up in front of everyone."
Xiao Xuance didn't care what others thought. His dark eyes fell on Yun Zhaoxue's face as she stared at him with a scrutinizing gaze. "I..."
Yun Zhaoxue interrupted him, "You don't need to say anything."
He felt as if a fishbone was stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say a word. She knew he had killed Shen Yan, but instead of judging him based on suspicion like others, she judged him. He preferred the former.
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