Volume 1, Chapter 64: Recovering the Debt from Her Biological Mother

Xie Mingyue watched coldly as Xie Changxun and Xie Liming exchanged words in a display of discipline. Wasn't this exact routine no different from Qi Yongxiang and Qi Haosong?

It seemed her father had truly raised a fine son.

While her eldest brother was away on a campaign in the northern frontier, here in the capital, father and son were playing the roles of the affectionate father and dutiful son. How wonderful indeed.

Thinking of her eldest brother, who had always been gentle and considerate toward her, Xie Mingyue felt her eyes sting, and she nearly shed tears once more.

Only today did she realize that it wasn't that her eldest brother had refused to save her back then, but rather that he had been packed off to the military camp by their father long beforehand.

How such a noble and ethereal young master managed to endure in that bitter and freezing place was beyond imagining.

"There's no need," Xie Mingyue said, casting a detached, downcast glance at Xie Liming, who was glaring with reddened eyes. "I dare not trouble the young master of the Xie family to apologize to me, and Lord Xie ought not beat his son to pieces either."

At these words, Xie Changxun's lips trembled slightly as he said with absolute finality, "Madam Qi is mistaken. This boy is not my son, but rather born of a cousin of our household."

Since Xie Liming's true identity had not been brought to light through proper channels, he naturally could not acknowledge him. More importantly...

Meeting Xie Mingyue's eyes, which were as calm and deep as a stagnant pool, Xie Changxun was struck by a sudden thought. His heart quivered, and he raised his voice.

"My cousin lost her husband many years ago. After seeking refuge with my mother, she has lived ever since in a secluded corner of the estate. This child was born to her and her late husband and has no ties to the Xie family. I merely take pity on the two of them and extend a little care."

Xie Liming's eyes widened in instant shock.

"Uncle—"

Had they not agreed that he would be elevated to the status of legitimate heir in the future? Now that this was being said in front of outsiders, how was he ever to inherit the Xie estate?

"Shut your mouth!"

Xie Changxun had no leisure to deal with him. Catching Xie Mingyue's piercing gaze, which seemed to see right through everything, he suddenly remembered that when Xie Liming was born, the country was actually in a period of official mourning.

Back then, the Empress Dowager Li had passed away, and all the officials were observing a year of mourning. Xie Liming had arrived at an inopportune time, yet unable to bear parting with the child, Xie Changxun had chosen to take a desperate gamble.

Now, although he had altered Xie Liming's birth date, Xie Mingyue had been clever since childhood; she had likely already detected some flaws in the story.

Daring not to probe further, Xie Changxun could only sever his ties with Xie Liming.

The idea of bringing him into the light was out of the question now. He would just have to find some other way to adopt him formally in the future.

Having suffered a beating and a severe reprimand, and watching Xie Mingyue force Xie Changxun to deny his identity, Xie Liming grew even more furious.

He dared not make a sound, but his fierce, tiger-like eyes stared menacingly at Xie Mingyue, as if he wished to devour her alive.

"Lord Xie is truly a man of great righteousness," Qi Jingshan remarked, catching Xie Mingyue's expression and speaking in an indifferent tone. "Even someone else's son can be raised to be so exceptional."

The muscles on Xie Changxun's face twitched. Unable to refute the statement, he could only acknowledge it with a stiff compliance. "It was merely a matter of a raised hand."

Xie Mingyue's emotions had settled, and she no longer felt even a ripple of feeling toward her father and this pseudo-brother.

What still concerned her now was her mother.

Seeing her expression soften, Qi Jingshan turned serious once more. "Aside from discussing affairs of the court, I have one more matter to announce during today's visit."

Seeing that he was finally going to let the matter of Xie Liming rest, Xie Changxun let out a long sigh of relief. "Please go ahead, Lord Qi."

Without the slightest bit of tact, Qi Jingshan informed him of Xie Wanqing's death.

"What?"

Xie Changxun turned pale upon hearing the news.

"A daughter of our Xie family, properly married into your Qi family, and this is how you treat her?"

Xie Mingyue finally understood what Qi Jingshan had meant when he said the Marquis of Shunqing had sent him.

It turned out to be the delivery of a death notice.

Since Xie Wanqing had met a violent end, the Xie family would certainly not let the matter rest easily; but with Qi Jingshan present, Xie Changxun did not dare to act too wildly.

"Lord Qi, this is surely too much of a mockery. My only daughter has passed away, yet you come to inform us with such perfunctory carelessness. Just what is the Marquis of Shunqing's estate trying to do?"

A sharp pain pierced Xie Changxun's heart. Though not heart-rending, it was filled to the brim with sorrow.

"Lord Xie, compose yourself. Younger sister-in-law committed a grave offense, and who could have foreseen that she would encounter bandits and be killed while being sent away to the estate?"

Qi Jingshan stood with his hands clasped behind his back beside Xie Mingyue, saying coldly, "Furthermore, her crimes of murder, arson, and faking a pregnancy to vie for favor are all undeniable facts."

"A fake pregnancy?"

Xie Changxun was startled, his myriad pains instantly transforming into fury.

He had always known this daughter lacked peace of mind. Back in the Xie family, she had constantly stirred up trouble; now in the Qi family, not only had she gotten herself killed, but she had also left behind such a massive burden!

Every trace of sorrow vanished from the depths of his heart. Meeting Qi Jingshan's abyss-like gaze, he took a deep breath. "It is Xie's fault for failing to properly discipline his daughter. Yet this matter is ultimately unseemly. As for the explanation given to the outside world..."

There was little emotion on Qi Jingshan's face. "The Marquis's estate intends to announce to the public that younger sister-in-law fell gravely ill, bedridden and unable to see anyone, and then announce her death at a later date. Only thus can her remaining dignity be preserved, and it will also be beneficial for Feng'er."

Xie Changxun thought about it with cold detachment. True enough, if it were announced that she had died of illness, it would still be better than people gossiping about her meeting a violent death.

"That is for the best, then. I must trouble Lord Qi and the Marquis to exert yourselves over this."

Leaving the Xie residence, Xie Mingyue remained silent the entire way inside the carriage.

Xie Changxun's reaction to Xie Wanqing's death once again confirmed the suspicions lurking in her heart.

She had never known that her own father could be such a cold-blooded and heartless man.

Her mother's current plight was undoubtedly connected to him.

As soon as she departed, Xie Changxun swiftly delivered another slap across Xie Liming's face, ordering him to confine himself to his courtyard and reflect on his faults.

Standing inside his room, Xie Liming tightly gripped the whip that had been kicked away earlier, the faces of Xie Mingyue and Qi Jingshan flashing before his eyes.

"Accursed, cheap woman! Married off to a husband, and she dares to bully people by leveraging his power! Does she even look at how many years she spent sneaking around the Xie estate playing the part of a fake legitimate daughter?"

His brows were darkly shadowed with malice. The pageboys shrank back into the corners, not daring to utter a sound.

After falling silent for a moment, just when it seemed he would no longer vent his fury, Xie Liming suddenly kicked out to the side, shattering a cabinet and a porcelain vase into countless pieces all over the floor.

"Damnable! Damnable! For causing my father to be unable to acknowledge me, this young master will make sure to finish off that woman and let her witness the might of this young master!"

The mere thought of Xie Changxun flatly denying his identity made Xie Liming wish he could whip Xie Mingyue's face to ribbons!

He swung the whip a few times while panting heavily, when a servant came running in from outside with trembling steps, followed immediately by a woman's voice: "My son, what are you flying into a senseless rage about again?"

The newcomer was a woman still possessing a lingering charm. Walking unhurriedly into the room and surveying the chaotic mess on the floor, she raised her willow-leaf brows. "Why aren't you hurrying to clean this up? Mind you don't scratch the young master."

"Mother? Why have you come?" Seeing Shi Hanyue, Xie Liming threw himself straight into her arms. "You have no idea how utterly detestable that cheap woman was today! Father actually struck me on her account!"

He had been raised in pampered luxury and possessed fair, tender skin; the prints of five fingers remained un-faded on his cheeks, looking quite terrifying.

Naturally, Shi Hanyue felt heartache for her son, but she was far more concerned about Xie Changxun, for he was, after all, the foundation of her security in this household.

"Who told you to be so devoid of manners?" She helped Xie Liming to a seat, picked up the medicinal ointment she had brought, and began to apply it for him. "You know very well your identity is special. Why must you insist on showing off in front of Xie Mingyue? She may lack ability, but her husband possesses ability in abundance. Even your father has to show him courtesy these days. Look at you—you ended up losing the upper hand today."

Seeing that Xie Liming remained exceptionally displeased, Shi Hanyue offered a faint smile. "You are still young, and some words were not meant to be spoken to you, but fearing you would harbor resentment, your mother will tell you now: Xie Mingyue may have left the Xie estate, but her own birth mother is still lying right here in this household. It matters little that you suffered a grievance; mother will personally exact repayment from her birth mother."