Edited by Tnyhy

Ji Yu Shu attempted to appease Xie Jing Xing, "Of course. One have to see who Third Older Brother is. Prince Rui of the Great Liang, His Majesty"s blood Younger Brother. Who in the entire world dare to underestimate you? That Luo family is just a small family at the outskirts of the Ming Qi. In our Great Liang, that is just a small little official rank. Moreover, he now could not even lift a sword up with his right hand, so how could he be compared to Third Older Brother?" Ji Yu Shu"s ability to flatter was first-rate, and could say all that freely without hesitation.

"To compare this Prince with a person who can not any more protect himself, Ji Yu Shu, do you want to go back home?" Xie Jing Xing"s voice became colder.

Ji Yu Shu went blank. He had already flattered till this level, what else could be done?

It was Gao Yang who finally discovered his conscience and steered the conversation away, "The people at the tower prison asked how will Xie Chang Chao"s corpse be managed? Now that Shen Miao had returned to the Shen mansion, what is your next step of plans?"

Xie Chang Chao was dead, and Shen Miao was sent back to the Shen mansion safe and soundly by Princess Rong Xin, and this part was also known to the entire city. Since many people were alerted about it, for this to pa.s.s so easily like this made others feel that it was not fully expressed. But since Princess Rong Xin came forwards, it was difficult for rumours to rise, thus this was gradually forgotten.

However, how could this be forgotten to the people involved? At least Xie Chang Wu would be on pins and needles in his heart as Xie Chang Chao had disappeared, but the kidnapped Shen Miao had returned to her residence safely. Just what would he think about it?

Hearing this, Xie Jing Xing"s lips slowly hooked up, "The next step is naturally to settle scores."

Gao Yang looked at Xie Jing Xing for a while before sounding him out, "You… Intend to also settle Princess Ming An"s scores together?"

"Otherwise?" Xie Jing Xing said indifferently, "If that dog the Qin country raised is not tied up properly, and ran around biting others crazily. If it is being caught and killed, one cannot be resentful of others."

"But." Gao Yang somewhat disagreed, "Although this is the case, His Majesty had warned repeatedly that during this trip to the Ming Qi, one must not make a rash move. Currently one do not know what is being planned at His Majesty"s side, once a move is being made against the Qin people, HuangFu Hao would definitely investigate and if it is traced back to our people, even if you have a way, there would still be a lot of trouble."

"Who said that the Great Liang"s people will be used?" Xie Jing Xing chuckled, "Can not my own people be used?"

Gao Yang was startled for a moment before speaking, "Why do you insist on taking action against Princess Ming An? It is alright to let her taste sufferings, why must one take her life?"

"This mad dog has given me a number of trouble." Xie Jing Xing"s gaze got slightly deeper, "This Prince will take whoever"s life one want. No need to inform you." After speaking, he then got up and headed outside while ignoring the both of them, one did not know what he was going to do.

Ji Yu Shu frowned, "Is Third Older Brother having menstruation? Why is he so moody lately? You provoked him?"

"Who have that kind of idle time?" Gao Yang said, "I still want to live longer a bit more."

"It seemed that Xie Chang Wu and Princess Ming An are in a lot of trouble." Ji Yu Shu said in sympathy, "Speaking of that, Xie Chang Chao really died easily and probably he is lucky for it."

"Correct." Gao Yang expressed his approval to Ji Yu Shu"s words.

As compared to the brightly coloured decorations two years ago in the Ding city"s residence of the Marquis of Lin An, it was much quieter now. It was no longer bustling with coming and going, and the people who came to visit Xie Ding was getting less by the day. There was no choice. Ever since Xie Jing Xing died, Xie Ding had lost interest with the matters of the court. The Xie family that made the Emperor"s head ache about, finally lost their spirits and could no longer cause issues.

Now that the Xie family was left with Xie Chang Wu and Xie Chang Chao who were still climbing in their careers. Even though these two people were not as mesmerising as Xie Jing Xing, they had some abilities. If they did not have the ident.i.ties of Shu sons, one thought that they would have climbed even higher. Even so, to be able to be promoted to such a level was already astounding to others.

In the Xie residence, Madam Fang was handling the newly tailored clothes to Xie Chang Wu. Madam Fang was nearly forty this year but her appearance did not show too much old age. Different from Princess Yu Qing, who had the magnanimity and elegance of the Imperial family. Up to now Madam Fang had some JiangNan"s unique features and since she speak softly and slowly, it make others to could not help but have tender a affection for her.

With such delicate bearing, it was no wonder that at the beginning years ago, the Marquis of Lin An would end in Madam Fang"s bed, even when he had such a pampered wife like Princess Yu Qing.

Madam Fang said, "This is the new material that came out this year. One had let the tailor make some winter clothes for both you brothers. The days in the Ding capital are getting colder by the day, and both of you all are often out all day. One must not catch a cold."

Xie Chang Wu reached out to take it, "Thanking Mother." But his heart was thinking of other matters.

"Your Younger Brother"s clothes are also here. One heard that Chang Chao had gone with others to hunt. Why is it that he is not back after so long?" Madam Fang complained, "The Marquis even said to me that previously, Chang Chao had been harping on wanting to go to the Ministry of Appointments, and he wanted to bring Chang Chao to the a.s.sistant Minister of the Ministry of Appointments for a chat, but at the end Chang Chao have not been seen in these days and this opportunity was wasted." Madam Fang sighed, "Previously, Chang Chao was thinking of progress so why he is thinking of having fun now?"

Xie Chang Wu forced a smile out, "Third Younger Brother… Is not just having fun. It just that lately the snow is heavy and the weather turned cold, thus it was not a good time to leave the mountains after hunting, thus there was some delay and can only return after a few days. At that time, Father can then come forward to invite the a.s.sistant Minister of the Ministry of Appointments for a banquet."

Hearing this, Madam Fang became worried, "The snow is heavier, would the mountains be sealed? Will Chang Chao be in any danger?"

"How can it be?" Xie Chang Wu smiled, "There are a lot of people that are following along and they are all experienced. Mother can be rest a.s.sured."

Madam Fang then let her heart down and pulled Xie Chang Wu"s hands, "Mother now only have both of you as support. Master had treated me neither warm or cold for all these years. At the beginning there was Xie Jing Xing suppressing both you brothers, and Mother"s heart was very upset watching you in grievance. After so many years, it was fortunate that Heavens have eyes and he wound up dead. Now there is no one in this residence of the Marquis of Lin An that will block your way. We can only go forward nonstop and step on all the people that once mocked and scorned us, mother and sons, and in the future even the Marquis would not be able to ignore your feats and would grant Mother a t.i.tle. With this, there would not be any Shu sons ident.i.ty and the entire residence of the Marquis of Lin An will belong to you both." As Madam Fang said those words, her tone was as usual slow and soft, but there was after all some resentments and unwillingness in it. After all these years she had been suppressing this anger and kept on living.

Xie Chang Wu said, "Do not worry Mother. Since the Heavens already let Xie Jing Xing die early, it means that the Heavens are standing at our side. There will be a day where it is us, Mother and sons, that have the final say in the residence of the Marquis of Lin An.

Madam Fang nodded her head.

After sending Madam Fang away, Xie Chang Wu returned to the room and paced around the room with some irritation.

Those words that were said to Madam Fang were naturally just to deal with her. It was easy to deal with Madam Fang as she was after all a married woman in the inner courtyard, but now even Xie Ding was asking about Xie Chang Chao"s whereabouts every now and then. This was somewhat not good.

Ever since that day when Xie Chang Wu went out to the banquet with Xie Ding, he had not seen any trace of Xie Chang Chao. It was fine if it was as such as Xie Chang Chao perhaps had left due to some urgency, but even the person in the secret chamber had disappeared. This made Xie Chang Wu tremble with fear.

The secret chambers in the residence of the Marquis of Lin An were built by the two Xie brothers, and it cost quite a fortune too. Those workers that built the secret chambers were eliminated by Xie Chang Wu at the end so in the entire Marquis residence, other than both brothers, there was no one who knew where was the entrance or exit. Xie Ding had no knowledge of it, much less outsiders of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An.

At first, Xie Chang Wu thought that it was Xie Chang Chao who brought Shen Miao out, and perhaps he had found a way to move Shen Miao to the "lowest ranked brothel", or perhaps Xie Chang Chao had other plans. But after much waiting, the news that he heard was that Shen Miao was sent back to the Shen mansion by Princess Rong Xin. Xie Chang Wu immediately felt that the situation was bad.

Shen Miao was saved, so where did the missing Xie Chang Chao go? Did those people stole Shen Miao away from the secret chambers? But there was no signs of fighting in the secret chambers, moreover it was not possible for other to know about them. Could it be that Xie Chang Chao was discovered by others when he brought Shen Miao out, thus Shen Miao was then saved? But what was with the story from Princess Rong Xin?

Xie Chang Wu felt that he was caught in a strange phenomenon. No matter what was it, it was incorrect. If alive, one would see the person, if death, one would see the corpse. Xie Chang Wu had sent out everyone to search for Xie Chang Chao but there was no news at all.

Not only was Xie Chang Chao"s long absence go unexplained, over at the Qin country"s residence when Princess Ming An came to know that Shen Miao had returned safely, she flew into a terrible rage and made Xie Chang Wu rush over. Xie Chang Wu could only temporary make excuses to appease Princess Ming An but paper could not hold fire, Princess Ming An would erupt at the end.

Xie Chang Wu was so anxious that blisters appeared at the corners of his mouth. He put on a robe and planned to instruct people to search the different corners of the Ding capital, when he suddenly glanced at a letter on the table.

One did not know who had placed it on his study table. However Xie Chang Wu had never allowed servants to enter the study or even anyone else. He first looked around vigilantly and seeing that there was no one else, he opened the letter and a familiar handwriting appeared in front of his eyes.

It was Xie Chang Chao"s handwriting.

In the letter Xie Chang Chao said that he wanted to bring Shen Miao out to look for a low ranked brothel that day, but who knew that during the journey they met some soldiers and had to hide in a commoner"s place by the Wan Li Lake. These days the news about Shen Miao returning to the Shen Mansion was actually a trap that was conspired by Shen Xin and Princess Rong Xin. The purpose was to let the people who kidnaped Shen Miao to put their guard down. On the surface the Shen family army and the officials had already stopped searching, but in private the search was not relaxed at all. Thus Xie Chang Chao dared not show up with Shen Miao.

Now that Princess Ming An was forcing, it was better to sell Shen Miao to the Wan Li Lake"s brothel tonight at Zis.h.i.+ (modern timing: 11pm to 1am). No matter what, Shen Miao must be humiliated first so that Princess Ming An would be happy. The best was to let Princess Ming An watch it together, so that it would make up for the two brothers" miscalculation.

After reading the letter, Xie Chang Wu only believed seven to eight tenths of it.

First, like what the letter stated, even though Shen Miao was said to have been sent back by Princess Rong Xin and it was spread all around outside, but on that day when Shen Miao returned to the Shen mansion or after Shen Miao returned, she had not been seen. This was saying that no one saw with their eyes that Shen Miao had returned and if that was the case, why did Shen Xin not let Shen Miao make an appearance to clarify the truth? Could it be that Shen Miao was not found at all?

Secondly and this was the most important point. The handwriting on the letter was no doubt that of Xie Chang Chao"s, as it even used the secret communication codes that Xie Chang Chao and Xie Chang Wu used. Xie Chang Chao, even during officialdom, would only written a few doc.u.ments personally and if one were to retrieve those, it was impossible to imitate Xie Chang Chao"s handwriting. If one were to use something then it would be the writings that Xie Chang Chao did when he was young. There were a number of such books, and if Xie Jing Xing was alive perhaps he would be able to copy Xie Chang Chao"s handwriting.

Irregardless of whether Xie Jing Xing had the intention to copy Xie Chang Chao"s handwriting or not, it was already not possible. Xie Jing Xing died two years ago in the battlefield without a single bone left. In this world, no one could be able to imitate Xie Chang Chao"s handwriting.

Xie Chang Wu thought for a moment before walking to the table, and rolled out a paper to start writing with a brush.