Xing Ze’s arrival served not only to protect Ye Zhen but also to assert his master’s authority.
Xie Tingzhou was not merely the Heir of Marquis Zhongyong relying on his father’s status—he was also the Jingyuan Jiangjun, honored by the court for his military achievements. Naturally, he had his own followers.
Just as the Marquis Estate guards rushed over, Xie Tingzhou’s men arrived as well.
“How dare you! Are you attempting rebellion?”
The situation had spiraled beyond Xie Jinyao’s control, and she was struggling to maintain composure. Simultaneously, she felt Xie Tingzhou had become even more arrogant and domineering than before.
“How dare you cause trouble in the estate! Beware—when Father returns, he’ll have you all punished with Jun Gun! Retreat at once!”
Her bluster was empty; she was attempting to suppress them using the Marquis’s prestige.
Xing Ze smiled without speaking. Aside from his elder brother Fuguang, who was a servant of the Marquis Estate, all of them belonged solely to their master.
Seeing these men ignore her, Xie Jinyao grew both furious and helpless, her imposing demeanor deflating significantly.
Ye Zhen had no real intention of escalating the conflict beyond the estate. With the Marquise detained at the manor, the Marquis Estate lacked a presiding mistress, and Marquis Zhongyong had no concubines. As the eldest daughter of the estate, Xie Jinyao was naturally Marquis Zhongyong’s first choice to manage household affairs. However, if Marquis Zhongyong realized his daughter’s capabilities were limited, Ye Zhen would have an opportunity.
If the conflict truly spread beyond the estate and brought further disgrace to the Marquis Estate, Ye Zhen would gain nothing and instead earn Marquis Zhongyong’s resentment. Therefore, she signaled Xing Ze to engage in a feigned stalemate with Xie Jinyao, waiting only for Marquis Zhongyong to return and take charge.
Unaware that the estate awaited his leadership, Marquis Zhongyong and Xie Tingzhou had just received praise from the emperor. Exiting the Yu Shufang, Marquis Zhongyong secretly breathed a sigh of relief and asked Xie Tingzhou, “Are you truly determined to stay in Jingcheng?”
Xie Tingzhou looked at him with a faint, mocking smile. “Afraid I’ll compete with your precious darling for the title? Or are you so focused on doting on your stepchildren that you can’t tolerate your own eldest son?”
“Stop talking nonsense.” Marquis Zhongyong’s face darkened. He slipped his hand into Xie Tingzhou’s palm. Their hands clasped, both damp with sweat.
“You can stay, but promise me you won’t cause trouble. I’m getting old—I can’t handle it. We’ve finally finished the war; I just want to enjoy a few years of peace, alright?”
Xie Tingzhou released his hand, his expression disdainful. “Don’t act all fatherly and affectionate in public—it’s nauseating.” He wiped the sweat from Marquis Zhongyong’s palm onto the Marquis’s arm, then asked casually, “Who was the spy that provided us with intelligence earlier?”
Da Yuan did have a spy who had infiltrated the enemy nation. Over the years, this spy had supplied Da Yuan with much valuable intelligence, thanks to which they had managed to severely damage the enemy country, despite its greater national strength. However, Xie Tingzhou didn’t believe Xie Yunzhou could be that spy and wanted to sound out Marquis Zhongyong.
Since the spy had previously contacted Marquis Zhongyong, and the emperor had just summoned Marquis Zhongyong for a private conversation, perhaps the two had discussed this person.
But Marquis Zhongyong shook his head. “We only know the spy entered the enemy country because of Ye General, using the alias Shui Wuhen. Beyond that, we know nothing.”
“Not even if they’re male or female?”
“No.”
Marquis Zhongyong grew wary. “Why the sudden interest?” He was genuinely concerned Xie Tingzhou might act recklessly.
“Curiosity,” Xie Tingzhou said lazily. “Curious about who is so fiercely loyal to our emperor. With nothing to do at the moment, it’s a good time to investigate.”
Marquis Zhongyong hurriedly stopped him. “Don’t. This person has made significant contributions to Da Yuan—investigating them rashly isn’t right. From what His Majesty implied, Shui Wuhen will come to Jingcheng in a few days. That’s all I know.”
“You’ll understand once the person arrives.”
Xie Tingzhou remained silent.
Marquis Zhongyong grew uneasy. “Your silence means you agree. A man keeps his word, remember? Don’t cause trouble. Stay low-key! Behave yourself! Let me live a few more years…”
As they spoke, they arrived at the palace gates. Xie Tingzhou looked at the anxiously waiting figures outside the palace and smiled faintly. “It seems neither of us has a choice in the matter.”
Marquis Zhongyong’s eyelids twitched.
Just then, his attendant hurried forward. “My Lord, it’s terrible! The young lady is quarreling with the Heir’s men and Second Shaofuren…”
When Marquis Zhongyong arrived, the Marquis Estate guards lay defeated on the ground.
Xie Jinyao was frantically directing the remaining guards to stop Xing Ze and his men.
Her hair was disheveled, her eyes filled with rage, all traces of her usual noble demeanor gone.
Marquis Zhongyong’s face darkened. “Everyone, stop this instant!”
On his way here, he had learned the full story.
He never expected his daughter to be so reckless and rude as to storm into her sister-in-law’s courtyard with a whip.
Seeing him return, Xie Jinyao breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to his side, bowing her head. “Father, I acted impulsively. I deserve punishment.”
The reprimand Marquis Zhongyong had prepared died in his throat.
He had always wished for more sons to carry on the family line, but he adored his daughter.
Being an only child himself, with a father who had no concubines, he had envied others who had sisters when he was young.
Thus, when the Marquise gave birth to Xie Jinyao, he was overjoyed and particularly doted on this daughter.
Seeing her admit her mistake willingly, his anger subsided considerably. He roared at the guards, “Get out of here and go train!”
He could tell at a glance that Xie Tingzhou’s men had shown mercy; otherwise, the Marquis Estate guards would never have been able to stop them.
Had they not, his estate would have become a laughingstock again today.
And all of this was caused by his daughter.
His face darkened once more. “Is this how your mother taught you to disrespect your sister-in-law?”
Fathers discipline sons, mothers teach daughters—he believed Xie Jinyao’s foolishness today was due to the Marquise’s failure in upbringing.
Xie Jinyao had intended to help the Marquise win back Marquis Zhongyong’s favor, but instead, she had implicated her.
She quickly knelt. “It has nothing to do with Mother. The resentment was in my own heart.”
Pointing at Ye Zhen, she continued, “Second Sister-in-law is a jinx. Right after she was born, she caused her own mother to fall ill and her grandfather to pass away. Only after she was sent to the southern estate did Ye Furen recover. After she married into our family, Second Brother met with misfortune. That’s why I resent her and refuse to acknowledge her as my sister-in-law. This time, because of the estate affairs, Mother was detained, and Second Brother… he…”
She seemed too distraught to continue.
After a long pause, she sobbed, “No matter how many faults he had, he was my own brother, the one who cherished me most… If Second Sister-in-law had been capable of keeping her husband’s heart, perhaps Second Brother would be standing safely by your side now… In short, I was so upset I didn’t know what to do. My thoughts became twisted, and I took it out on Second Sister-in-law. I never meant for things to escalate like this. It was my mistake.”
From Marquis Zhongyong’s punishment of the Marquise, she deduced that he already knew about the situation in the estate.
Her usual poor treatment of Ye Zhen meant that pretending to be friendly would only arouse her father’s suspicion. It was better to openly admit her dislike, leaving an impression of frankness in her father’s mind.
In Marquis Zhongyong’s heart, Ye Zhen was merely a daughter-in-law he had met a few times, while Xie Jinyao was the daughter he held dear.
He chose to shield his own, “The matters concerning your second brother and your mother have nothing to do with your second sister-in-law. From now on, you are not to disrespect her like this again. You must apologize to her.”
Yet he couldn’t help but think that if Ye Zhen had been able to win Yun Zhou’s heart when she married into the family, Yun Zhou wouldn’t have faked his death three years ago, and that incident at the estate would never have happened.
Perhaps by now he would already be holding a grandchild in his arms.
After being reborn, Ye Zhen had analyzed the temperaments of many people, including Marquis Zhongyong.
She stepped forward calmly, “Ye Zhen is aware of her humble status and knows she is unworthy of the Marquis Estate. Now she has even incurred the displeasure of the young lady and young master. Ye Zhen begs the Marquis to grant her permission to divorce and leave the estate.”