Unexpectedly, before he could even refuse, Xie Shuai said he would abide by the rules, and these people began to denounce him as a traitor.
This was completely unexpected.
"How dare you offend me so greatly!" Si Lei pointed at the Duke of Zheng and the others, his hand trembling with rage. "I have committed no major offense, so what virtue or ability do I possess that allows you to rebel against me!"
The Duke of Zheng said to him angrily, "To cross the line and presumptuously try to usurp the throne from a legitimate wife is already a heinous crime!"
Si Lei's face immediately turned ashen: "Then you all said that Commander Xie's agreement is as solid as a mountain, and that I risked my life to enter the capital. Can't you see that?!"
Duke Zheng retorted, "Your Highness still has the nerve to bring this up? As a humble subject, it is your duty to do your utmost to repay the kindness of your benefactor! When did you become so clear about this? It turns out that greed has taken hold of you."
Duke Zheng spoke each word with force and conviction, his words resonating and convincing everyone present. Before they even realized it, Duke Zheng had taken the lead: "Reporting to Commander Xie, is what I say true? During the Tianjing incident, Commander Xie, as our benefactor, led the first troops to protect the capital of the Seven Jin states, and only withdrew after the Seven Jin states were safe. This is already a great kindness."
"Si Lei should have repaid kindness, but he ignored Xie Shuai's great help in protecting him. Such a person who forgets the fish trap after catching the fish is despised by the people as an ingrate."
Si Lei's face darkened further. He wanted to lose his temper and shout, but this was not Weidu, and it was not his place to yell.
The more Duke Zheng spoke, the more people sided with him, and even the Xie family members looked at Si Lei with a different kind of glint in their eyes. You are no good!
Si Lei was almost furious.
The moment he moved, the clerk beneath him pressed down hard on his legs, preventing him from moving. They were afraid he would actually go to receive his appointment.
The situation instantly turned one-sided.
Xie Lanzhi glanced at the people around her.
Si Xitong stepped forward at the opportune moment and advised the crowd, "Gentlemen, tonight is the Duke of Zheng's birthday banquet. You should all enjoy yourselves to the fullest. Why are you making such a racket like a bustling marketplace? If you want to argue, please rise up and prioritize harmony, rather than resorting to harsh words to silence one person and leave them speechless."
"This is not a rational move. All of you are newly appointed officials who have not yet repaid the lord's kindness. How can you fight to the point of death or injury after the departure of the former lord?"
“The Imperial Uncle is also without fault. Although he was not thorough in his considerations, his words were all for the sake of the younger generation. He is a true restorer of the dynasty. Why should we cover up his good name and make him feel embarrassed?”
"It would be better if everyone took their seats, and each of you gave each other some face, so that everything could proceed smoothly."
These words and reasoning prompted the Duke of Zheng to repeatedly say, "Your subject was too rash and impolite to the two esteemed guests, and I am truly ashamed."
As he spoke, he wiped the corner of his mouth, intending to stop talking.
The Xie family members secretly agreed, agreeing with their wife's words. Seeing Commander Xie in such a dilemma, how could a wife stand idly by? Her act of protecting the commander at this crucial moment showed that she was truly fulfilling her duties as the matriarch of the Xie family.
Xie Meixiang also stepped forward to mediate: "General Xie, this agreement is not in accordance with the right time, place, and people. If we force a victory, there may be disaster. I believe that the King of Si will not disregard the will of his subjects and the people and act arbitrarily."
"What the Duke of Zheng said just now was reasonable, but also impolite. I am mindful that it is his birthday today and he was drunk, so I did not mean to cause trouble. Please forgive him for the sake of the birthday celebrant."
Xie Lanzhi nodded secretly; finally, someone from the Xie family had come up with someone who could assess the situation.
She glanced at Si Lei, whose face showed resentment but also helplessness. She then said, "Your Majesty, since entering the capital, I have prided myself on upholding the Jin etiquette. Now, with the support of the people and the hearts of the people, I will give it due consideration."
"This matter still requires consultation, and can only be decided by the unanimous opinion of all the civil and military officials. Until then, I will make compensation to the Lord of Si."
"How dare I? Young Master Xie is right. It was all due to the influence of alcohol. I was also confused by anger and added fuel to the fire." Si Lei bowed and said, "I am also at fault. I hope General Xie can forgive Duke Zheng."
"I urge Commander Xie to retract the order. I, the King, have neither rendered meritorious service nor deserve any further favors. The prior agreement was my duty, and it is not that Commander Xie has broken his promise, but the agreement is without written documentation and cannot be considered a valid contract."
Si Lei took the initiative to back down, knowing when to stop. Since he couldn't become the Lord of the Capital, Xie Shuai would compensate Qi Jin out of guilt, so he wasn't at a loss, but he wasn't happy either.
At the same time, Si Lei gave Duke Zheng a way out, and Duke Zheng immediately bowed to him and said, "Your subject is ashamed that I misunderstood the Seventh Lord. It was my fault."
"Not at all, not at all. It was my poor eloquence that prevented me from explaining in time, causing you all to misunderstand." Si Lei reluctantly clasped his hands in response, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"No, no, no, please forgive my old foolishness, Your Highness." Duke Zheng lightly slapped himself to express his apology.
Si Lei's lips twitched. This old man was really good at acting. He also slapped his own mouth lightly: "I will definitely practice my speaking speed more in the future, so as not to be a beat too slow and cause misunderstandings."
"It is truly my fault. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." The Duke of Zheng slapped himself again, this time making a sound.
With a slap, Si Lei had to increase the force to make a sound as he slapped his mouth: "It is my fault, Duke, please do not take the blame."
"It was my fault."
"No, it belongs to me."
The two went from bickering to admitting their mistakes, and the situation reversed. Even the clerk who was hanging on Si Lei's lap quietly let go and moved away from them.
Xie Meixiang and his fellow disciples were watching what felt like a grand play. They were somewhat bewildered, feeling like participants one moment and spectators the next, making it difficult for them to define themselves.
Little did they know, at that very moment, the two who had risen to power...
Xie Lanzhi picked up the full wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. Seeing that there was no more rice wine left, she licked her lips, still feeling unsatisfied. She picked up her chopsticks to pick up a piece of meat, but the lady next to her snatched the meat away with her chopsticks and put it into her mouth.
"Lanzhi is rather cunning. After watching the show, she's still thinking about satisfying her cravings." Changing the subject, she reminded her, "You ate too much meat tonight."
Xie Lanzhi froze, chopsticks in hand, watching as the thin, translucent meat on the plate was snatched away by Si Xitong with a single chopstick.
She also placed the plate of bok choy in front of her: "Just something to tide me over, so I won't feel unwell when I wake up tomorrow."
Xie Lanzhi resignedly picked up a piece of green vegetable, stuffed it into her mouth, and swallowed it. Then she said, "So, what kind of snacks are you planning to have with my drinks so I can continue watching the show?"
Si Xitong quickly brought her a plate of boiled peas: "Life is like a play, but if you have to participate in every scene, no amount of snacks or wine will be enough for you to enjoy. It's better to just watch the play and have a good look at it; that's much more comfortable."
"Marshal, what do you think?"
Xie Lanzhi picked up a green pea, chewed it, and then praised it, "It's very smooth and flavorful."
It's not just about peas, but also about the play right before our eyes.
Chapter 29 Her final act already had the world at her fingertips.
Si Lei's attempt to succeed as the ruler of Tianjing was stopped by the Xie family and Tianjing officials. Si Lei dared not mention the matter of becoming the ruler again.
The Duke of Zheng also calmed down considerably.
The birthday banquet continued as Xie Lanzhi did not leave in a bad mood, but most people were still in shock from the earlier commotion.
Now, take this opportunity.
Duke Zheng once again asked Xie Lanzhi for instructions: "I apologize for my rudeness. Although I was under the influence of alcohol just now, I truly wish to clear Her Highness's name."
"Your Majesty, I am willing to use ten thousand..."
With a "thud," Xie Lanzhi's wine cup suddenly fell to the table, and the people sitting below instantly fell silent.
Duke Zheng carefully sized up Marshal Xie.
After Xie Lanzhi put down her wine cup, she picked up her chopsticks and snatched a meat roll from Si Xitong's plate. She put it in her mouth and chewed it, feeling that her mouth was full of vegetables.
The little girl was secretly plotting against him by putting food in the dish.
She swallowed it and had no choice but to put down her chopsticks.
"Duke Zheng, please continue."
"Your subject, Your subject." At this moment, Duke Zheng was immediately hesitant and uneasy. He wondered if Xie Shuai's act of taking meat from the Princess was an implication.
Xie Lanzhi said, "Why don't you say?"
She began to give the Duke of Zheng time to organize his thoughts.
Xie Meixiang and his disciples whispered and discussed for a while, analyzing the situation that had just occurred. After all, their elders had sent them to the birthday banquet so that they would have the opportunity to observe the marshal.
I heard from my elders that the Marshal's temperament has become even more eccentric and unpredictable than before. What he says may not be true. Based on the last battle, it was discovered that Marshal Xie's actions were not necessarily in accordance with the plan.
Now, Xie Lanzhi simply wants to eat meat, but Si Xitong secretly stuffs her with vegetables, and even this small action is being interpreted.
Listening to the young masters' discussion from the back seat, Wu Qiu couldn't help but shake his head and remind them, "Gentlemen, I believe that the Duke of Zheng has already made himself very clear."
Xie Meixiang's eyes lit up: "What does Strategist Wu mean?"
Wu Qiu hinted, "Look at the two people sitting here, what's their relationship with you?"
"The mistress and the head of the Xie family..." Xie Meixiang had just returned when he realized what was happening.
“But the Duke of Zheng is not necessarily loyal to his mistress,” Xie Meixiang said. “Moreover, there have been rumors in the clan recently that the lady has ambitions to restore the state, and she will be detrimental to our Xie clan.”
Wu Qiu said, "Young Master, think about it. The Si family is the most coveted family in the Eight Jin states. The benefits of having the princess far outweigh the drawbacks. This treasure now belongs to the Xie family matriarch, the wife of General Xie. As the saying goes, those near the water get the moon first. The lady was saved by General Xie, and she is grateful. How could she possibly harm the Xie family? Even the royal family will remember the life-saving grace. At the very least, how could a woman with no power or influence, not even military power, become a dangerous figure in your eyes?"
"Besides, think about it, who benefits from slandering Madam Xie?"
"Neither the Xie family nor the Duke of Zheng, but a member of the gentry of Tianjing."
The rumors that stirred up chaos in Tianjing, inciting some members of the Xie family to submit memorials questioning Wanfa's matter, were the result of collusion between internal traitors and external enemies.
And who is this external enemy? Xie Meixiang and the others looked at Si Lei. They were all thinking...it's Ba Jin! Who else but Ba Jin would want the mistress to be disgraced? Besides, the mistress had just resolved the case and restored the Xie family's reputation in Tianjing, gaining the approval of most of the clan. Then someone submitted a memorial impeaching the mistress for her hair-tying incident, clearly indicating a personal grudge for revenge.
The younger generation all thought of one person: Xie Yan, the seventh uncle.
Upon hearing this, Xie Meixiang felt extremely ashamed. In fact, he had thought the same way before, but he couldn't resist the constant nagging from his elders that this woman was greedy and uneasy about the inner palace, and he was influenced by his elders.
At this point, what was Xie Shi still arguing with the Duke of Zheng for? Whether it was the eldest princess or the mistress of the house, they were all the same person.
That was Si Xitong, a direct descendant of the royal family.
Xie Meixiang immediately pulled a group of his followers to the Duke of Zheng's side. They cupped their hands and asked, "Marshal, we think the same as the Duke of Zheng. Now that a large number of Xie family members have entered Tianjing, and the royal family of Tianjing is still alive, and the mistress is the eldest princess of the royal family. Although the Emperor has passed away, she is of the late Emperor's bloodline and can inherit the Heavenly Decree left by the late Emperor."
Xie Lanzhi scanned everyone and asked, "So you mean you're not against it anymore?"
"The mistress has entered the Xie family, which is her husband's family. But as the saying goes, a daughter is married off, but before marriage, she is still her father's little cotton-padded jacket. She also takes her father's surname. She can also inherit her father's business." Xie Meixiang said, "The mistress has a noble status. Her entry into our Xie family has already brought glory to our humble abode. Now, however, she has been slandered by rumors in Tianjing, which makes all the younger generation heartbroken."
According to age, Si Xitong was younger than Xie Meixiang and others, but Xie Lanzhi was of a higher generation than many of the Xie family members present, and since she was his wife, they naturally counted according to seniority.
"To dispel the rumors that continue to slander the mistress, we, as her juniors, should support her in regaining her rightful place and upholding the proper order of things. Let those petty people cease their accusations."
These words were met with unanimous agreement from the Xie family members.
Duke Zheng also seized the opportunity to shout, "Please, Marshal Xie, restore Her Highness the Princess to her original position!"
Officials from Tianjing and members of the Xie family: "We beg Marshal Xie to restore Her Highness the Princess to her original position!"
"Please, Marshal Xie, restore Her Highness the Princess to her original position!"
The scene was filled with a powerful and united atmosphere, leaving Si Lei with a complex expression. Just moments ago, this group had been opposing him, but now they were supporting Si Xitong. It was a completely different attitude.
Si Lei was extremely unwilling, but what could he do? The other party wasn't supporting him.
This made him stand there like an outcast, and Si Lei had no choice but to go with the flow and ask Xie Lanzhi, "We beg Marshal Xie to restore the princess to her original position!"
With popular support, the momentum is immense.
Xie Lanzhi raised her hand to the crowd: "Your united efforts have deeply moved me. The rumors in Tianjing have indeed been disturbing lately, but the fact that the Xie family members have been able to deal with them calmly shows that they are capable of handling things on their own."
"I am also very pleased."
As she spoke, she looked at Si Xitong and said, "Madam, since this is everyone's good intention, what do you think?"