He had two sons, one was the fourth prince, and the other was the woman who shared a bed with the marshal.
Wu Qiu said, "Wouldn't it be better to finish the case? If you hesitate any longer, General, I'm afraid Xie Yongxin's seventh uncle in the clan will come from the Southern Region to protect him. If that happens, the Xie family ancestral hall will be involved in the case, and you will have no right to represent the family. The case will then be transferred back to Marshal Xie. Marshal Xie may be able to solve the case quickly, but what about you..."
It goes without saying. At that point, Xie Ji would have no face left in front of Xie Lanzhi.
This matter must not be allowed to snowball and grow bigger.
Xie Ji said, "I will send a message immediately."
A letter from the Right General was sent to Lanzhang Palace. The Xie family official in charge did not dare to intercept it and reported it directly to Lanzhang Palace.
Lanzhang Palace.
Xiao Xiu handed the letter to Si Xitong.
After reading the letter, Si Xitong said to Xiao Xiu, who was kneeling on the ground, "When the Marshal comes over at noon, tell her not to wait for me anymore and not to delay her meal."
Xiao Xiu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Your Highness."
Si Xitong said, "The case is easy to handle, but we can't overcome the criminal's power. Otherwise, the Right General wouldn't have asked me to step in."
"Uncle, the letter last night was presented to Commander Xie on my own initiative," Xiao Xiu said remorsefully. "It was originally addressed to you by Lord Hai, but I was afraid..."
"Are you afraid that my interference in the previous administration will displease the Marshal?" Si Xitong beckoned.
She pulled the palace maid who had grown up with her to her feet: "Don't worry, she's very good to me. I won't stand idly by in Lord Hai's case either."
She had a feeling last night that the case wouldn't be that simple.
At the gate of the Jin Palace, a dark blue sedan chair was escorted by Xie Shangguang. The gatekeepers, seeing the young general guarding the place, guessed that the person inside was either rich or noble.
The security guard checked the pass token and let the pass through without any further procedures.
The sedan chair was escorted by Xie Shangguang to the back hall of Shuntian Prefecture.
After getting out of the sedan chair, Si Xitong had just entered the back hall.
Wu Qiu and several women bowed and greeted Madam Si.
The women were brought by Wu Qiu to avoid suspicion, and they used gossip to offend the important person.
Si Xitong remembered this advisor, Wu Qiu, whom Lan Zhi had mentioned briefly.
It is likely that Xie Yongxin's case was passed on to him by him.
Wu Qiu dared not raise his head: "The Right General asked me to convey his regards to the Madam."
Si Xitong nodded and said, "Strategist Wu, let's get straight to the point."
In the case of Hai Yun's wife and daughter being defiled by Xie Yongxin, the details of the incident were reported by Wu Qiu, but direct eyewitness testimony is currently lacking. That is, testimony from the victim.
Xie Yongxin seems to have used methods to prevent them from testifying.
Si Xitong guessed that the culprit must be using Hai Yun as a hostage.
On the night Xie Yongxin arrived in Beijing, Wu Qiu got drunk and broke into Hai's mansion to take advantage of him.
The Hai family had few servants, only seven, three of whom were women. Hai Yun was honest and incorruptible and could not afford to hire guards, so Xie Yongxin easily broke in. As a military man, he easily defeated the servants and then ran into the boudoir to harass Miss Hai, who was still embroidering. When Madam Hai heard the commotion and tried to help, she and her maid were pulled into the room and defiled together.
The old woman was kicked unconscious by Xie Yongxin. In one night, the heartless Xie Yongxin forced himself on the mother and daughter.
When Haiyun returned home, Xie Yongxin brazenly put on his trousers in front of him. The soldiers, seeing that he was a general of the Xie clan, dared not arrest him. Haiyun went to see his wife and daughter, and in a fit of rage, he took a sword and stabbed Xie Yongxin.
In a panic, Xie Yongxin ran to the street and sought help from Xie Jun, who was patrolling Tianjing, who captured Hai Yun.
Xie Jun escorted Hai Yun back to the military headquarters, only to discover that Hai Yun was a civil official whom Xie Yuan had heavily relied on in Tianjing. He had no choice but to release Hai Yun.
After Haiyun returned to Shuntian Prefecture, he personally filed a report and even submitted a memorial, but unexpectedly, it was intercepted by Xie Yongxin's friend in the Grand Council.
After that, Xiao Xiu directly handed the memorial to Xie Lanzhi.
Lady Hai was a close friend of his, but she suffered misfortune in middle age, and Si Xitong certainly wouldn't stand idly by.
She asked, "There is something I don't understand."
Wu Qiu seemed prepared to answer: "Madam, may I ask?"
"Why doesn't Strategist Wu take the initiative to solve the case?" Si Xitong said, "I am a woman and should not be involved in politics. Strategist Wu's actions may be seen as shirking responsibility."
Wu Qiu said, "This case is no small matter. He not only broke the law, but also violated the clan law. Disregarding General Xie's original intention is extremely serious."
"Seventh Uncle Xie is notorious for favoritism and corruption. Before he comes to the capital, Xie Yongxin must be punished. As the matriarch of the Xie family, if you step forward, no one will dare to interfere privately and make the case more difficult."
"Moreover, Lord Hai is an honest official."
It was reasonable and just for Madam Xie to enforce family rules.
Si Xitong instructed Xie Shangguang: "Shangguang, bring the criminal here for trial."
As she changed the subject, she declared, "The Xie family affairs will be decided by the Si family first, and those involved later will be handed over to the court for punishment according to Jin law."
“If anyone openly defies the patriarchal system and protects this heinous criminal, the Si family will surely eliminate evil and punish wickedness for Lanzhi and cleanse the family.”
The beauty possessed an inviolable, sacred authority; when she gave orders, she was both gentle and unrestrained, her demeanor dignified. Her words were fair, impartial, and without bias.
Convincing.
Wu Qiu and the women responded in unison, "Yes!"
Xie Shangguang looked on with admiration; this was the matriarch of the Xie family.
He clasped his hands and said, "Madam, I will definitely bring that beast before you for judgment."
At the gate of Shuntian Prefecture, a thousand ragged people gathered and lamented, for there was no one like Bao Gong to uphold justice.
At the same time, Xie Shangguang led a hundred men into Xie Yongxin's residence and arrested Xie Yongxin, who was awaiting his post.
Xie Yongxin was living a comfortable life at home, with good food and drink, and his mother even arranging his marriage. Even though the official temporarily relieved him of his post because of this case, he thought it was only a matter of time. Once his seventh uncle cleaned up his mess, he could go back to his carefree life.
This time is no exception.
This is what Xie Yongxin thought before Xie Shangguang dragged him out of his house like a dog.
"What are you doing? I'm innocent! Don't listen to Haiyun and those lowly people spreading rumors. I didn't do anything."
"You're all from the Xie family, use your brains! Even if that were true, given my status, it must be Miss Hai trying to curry favor with me by seducing me. It can't be my fault!"
"It takes two to tango!"
Xie Shangguang resisted the urge to punch him.
“How could we, the Xie clan, wrong our own people?”
Xie Yongxin had just finished shouting when Xie Shangguang stopped, turned around, and slapped him hard across the face, stunning Xie Yongxin's guilty conscience.
Xie Shangguang warned, "Shut your filthy mouth! You dog who's disgraced the Xie family!"
Xie Yongxin was slapped in the street and dared not speak again. Xie Shangguang's grandmother was the matriarch, and even his seventh uncle had to bow his head in front of her.
At the gates of Shuntian Prefecture, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xie Shangguang escorted Xie Yongxin into the courtroom.
When the culprit was arrested, the people were overjoyed and exclaimed, "Someone's finally taking care of things!"
"Xie Jun is wearing different clothes this time."
"I heard that only generals in the palace are qualified to wear black armor."
"That's an official close to the Emperor! That's wonderful! Lord Hai is saved!"
"Please, Young General, you must seek justice for Lord Hai and his family!"
Xie Yongxin was escorted from the courtroom to the back room, where Xie Shangguang even put a burlap sack over his head.
So as not to offend the lady's eyes.
In the back hall, a beaded curtain, like wisps of smoke and clouds, concealed the beautiful woman's figure as she sat behind the throne, adjudicating cases for the emperor.
A stern voice demanded: "Xie Yongxin, a member of the Xie family, has no respect for the law and has violated clan rules. Does he know his crime?"
"What crime have I committed? I haven't. You need evidence." Xie Yongxin's heart began to panic. At this moment, even with his arrogance, he could guess who was in court.
Wu Qiu said: "One of the Xie clan's rules is that those who steal chickens and dogs, engage in adultery and promiscuity, violate the family's traditions, and after investigation, they are punished by being drowned in a cage."
Xie Yongxin nervously explained, "It takes two to tango. It's not my fault at all. It was the Hai family mother and daughter who seduced me first."
“Men can all make mistakes because of beauty. I couldn’t resist seducing her, which is against family tradition. Please forgive me and give me another chance.”
Si Xitong asked, "Really?"
Xie Yongxin said, "Of course it's true, I wouldn't dare to deceive you, Mistress!"
"You've never been to Haifu?"
Upon hearing the exchange, Xie Yongxin sensed that the situation was somewhat tactful, and he began to think of ways to deflect the question: "I never went there on my own initiative; it was Miss Hai who opened the door for me."
Si Xitong coldly asked, "No witnesses either?"
Xie Yongxin said, "Those servants in the Hai Mansion are all Hai Yun's own people, so they must have colluded to give the same testimony. Therefore, they cannot be witnesses."
"If there are any witnesses here."
Xie Yongxin said, "He must be slandering me. Neither the Hai family mother nor daughter have testified against me, which means they are guilty. Even if they did, they seduced me first. They were thinking of having an affair, and they ended up having an affair with me. How can they blame me for deceiving them! So family scandals should not be aired in public. Hai Yun was so angry and embarrassed that she used me as a scapegoat."
“Madam, this matter may damage the Xie family’s reputation. For the sake of the Xie family, let’s settle this peacefully. I’ll consider myself unlucky enough to marry Miss Hai and clear her name.”
His speech was clearly memorized beforehand, with every sentence serving as a defense, seemingly logical and well-founded.
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 18:56:25 on November 22, 2021 and 11:15:41 on November 24, 2021!
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Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 24 Is the Xie Family's Mistress or the Eldest Princess?
Wu Qiu watched Madam Si behind the beaded curtain, wondering how she would handle the situation. He remained silent.
After a few questions and a moment of silence, Xie Yongxin gradually gained confidence in his responses.