NFBE Chapter 376 Xie Siyuan Returns Home
Chapter 376 Xie Siyuan Returns Home
The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction. "It's a good one. Let it stay in Shou'an Palace for now."
She moved the prayer beads in her hand, but her eyes were unusually sharp.
The Emperor cannot be without princes!
He doesn't want to have children, so I'll help him out!
Zhuangzi, at night.
Xie Siyuan quietly pushed open the door and peeked around.
After making sure no one was around, he cautiously walked out.
His figure was small and thin; under the cover of night, he vanished into the darkness in a flash.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the servants on the estate were already busy.
The Marquis's carriage was parked in front of the estate early in the morning.
The carriage was adorned with the Marquis's crest, making it particularly eye-catching.
"The Marquis's carriage has arrived! Quickly inform the steward!"
A servant hurried off to inform them.
Then, there was a knock on Xie Siyuan's door, and the steward of the estate stood respectfully outside.
"Young Master, the Marquis's carriage has arrived to take you back."
A moment later, Xie Siyuan came out of the house and walked straight toward the carriage.
At this moment, the stewards and servants of the manor arrived and stood respectfully beside the carriage.
"Hey, where's Granny Zhang?" A servant noticed something was wrong and asked in a low voice, "Why didn't she come for something so important? Is she still busy in the kitchen?"
Everyone looked around, but they couldn't find her anywhere.
"That's strange. She told us last night to make sure the young master's luggage was ready. How could she just disappear like that?"
The steward frowned. "Could it be that they went to attend to other matters? Or... left the estate?"
The group looked at each other, none of them able to explain it.
Inside the house at this moment.
On the small table beside the bed was an oil lamp that was almost burnt out.
Granny Zhang collapsed stiffly beside the bed.
Black marks remained at the corners of his mouth, his eyes were wide open, and his face was bluish; he was clearly poisoned.
In the distance, the wheels of a horse-drawn carriage rolled along the mountain road.
Xie Siyuan leaned against the side of the carriage, looking out through the lifted curtain with a gloomy gaze.
The carriage sped faster and faster, racing towards the Marquis's residence.
The village behind us gradually shrank into a small dot, and then disappeared completely at the end of the winding forest path.
He was tightly clutching a small piece of cloth in his tiny hands.
The cloth contained white powder.
At the gate of the Marquis' Mansion.
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Lady Hou rushed over and immediately threw herself at Xie Siyuan, embracing him tightly.
"My dear child, you're finally back! I've missed you so much these past few days..."
Lady Hou, with tears in her eyes, stroked Xie Siyuan's face, her face streaked with sobs.
Xie Siyuan lowered her head, her voice childish and obedient, "Grandmother, I miss you too. I promise I will never make you angry again, and I will be obedient."
Upon hearing this, Lady Hou felt even more distressed and wiped away her tears repeatedly.
As she spoke, she carefully examined Xie Siyuan, saying, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
Lord Xie couldn't help but smile with satisfaction as he looked at Xie Siyuan's obedient demeanor.
"This child has really become sensible."
Chongzhi made a mistake, but Siyuan is still young and can be taught well.
Xie Siyuan turned his head and bowed deeply to Xie Yanli and Qin Jiuwei, who were standing to the side.
He said respectfully, "This nephew greets Uncle and Aunt."
Qin Jiuwei raised an eyebrow.
Having known Xie Siyuan for so long, this is the first time I've received a gift from him.
He's definitely different this time he came back.
Xie Yanli accepted the bow without any expression.
Lady Hou felt sorry for Xie Siyuan and was naturally worried about him living alone and helpless in Zhiyuan Courtyard.
They then took him directly to live in the main courtyard.
royal palace.
As night deepened, the inner gardens of the palace were quiet and still.
Gao Xian stood in the center of the martial arts arena, wielding his spear with the speed of the wind.
He gripped the spear tightly with both hands, the rough shaft of which had worn his thumbs raw, and blood slowly trickled down the shaft.
It dripped onto the ground, leaving a few dark bloodstains.
He had been practicing for so long that his shooting motion was no longer smooth.
Each thrust was accompanied by heavy breathing.
But he seemed oblivious to the pain; his eyes were filled only with chaotic obsession.
Sweat and blood mingled together and slid from his wrist to the ground.
As he looked down, he vaguely saw a bloodstain on the ground.
It was as blurry as a person's back view.
Gao Xian gritted his teeth, his gun thrusts became faster and fiercer, but his movements became increasingly chaotic.
The eunuchs stood aside with their heads bowed, none daring to step forward and offer any advice.
The guards also kept quiet.
Eunuch Li stood to the side, his eyes filled with helplessness and worry.
He lowered his head and flicked his sleeve.
Previously, the emperor only drank every day, but now he is immersed in martial arts training all day long.
By deliberately harming himself like this, the Emperor is clearly trying to break himself down.
At this moment, a maidservant saw Gao Xian stop what he was doing and immediately stepped forward.
He handed the neatly folded handkerchief to Gao Xian.
"Your Majesty, please wipe your sweat."
Her voice was soft, her demeanor was proper, and her gaze lingered tenderly on Gao Xian.
Gao Xian heard the sound and turned to look.
The maid was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a graceful figure, eyes like autumn water, and a gentle and delicate air between her brows.
Compared to the other maids, she was less reserved and more composed.
But Gao Xian only glanced at her before coldly saying, "Get down and don't come here again."
Meng Wanqing panicked.
Gao Xianyou wasn't satisfied and scolded again, "You have no manners at all!"
Meng Wanqing froze completely.
She pursed her lips, but dared not say another word, and could only lower her head and return to her original position.
Gao Xian picked up the spear beside him and continued practicing.
He didn't believe that this maid was so bold; she must have no one behind her back!
There are people in this palace who have the ability and the guts to do such a thing.
Who else could it be but the Empress Dowager?
But he didn't want to, he really didn't want to.
Shou'an Palace.
Upon hearing the Emperor's attitude, the Empress Dowager's face instantly darkened.
"He really said that?"
Granny Wei nodded, "That's right, the Emperor dislikes Wanqing very much."
"You're completely stubborn!" The Empress Dowager slammed down her teacup, her voice tinged with annoyance.
"There are so many people in the palace, all of them are servants, yet none of them can catch his eye. The people I kindly chose were dismissed with just a single sentence!"
Standing beside her, Granny Wei cautiously advised, "Your Majesty, the Emperor is in a bad mood right now. Perhaps after some time, his anger will subside..."
"In a while?" The Empress Dowager sneered. "How much longer? He's been on the throne for three years and doesn't even have a single prince!"
"He demoted Mo Qingkui, and I thought he had come to his senses, but I didn't expect him to go even further. Is he planning to become a monk?"
She paused, her gaze turning cold. "Since he's so stubborn, I'll try another method."
There's always a way to make him listen!
Qinglan Courtyard.
Qin Jiuwei flipped through the account books that Zhuangzi had sent.
After Xie Wanning got married, the power to manage the household returned to her hands.
Just then, a servant quietly entered and said, "Young mistress, the steward from Xianjia Manor outside the city has arrived. He says he has something important to report."
Qin Jiuwei put down her pen and looked up at the servant: "Let him in."
A moment later, a manager in his fifties hurriedly entered the room, his face somewhat pale.
He bowed respectfully and said with a hint of fear, "Young Madam, we discovered this morning that someone has been murdered on the estate!"
"Old Zhang from the village died in her own room. At first glance, it seems that she died of poisoning."
Qin Jiuwei asked, "Have you found out who poisoned it? Did they leave any clues?"
The manager shook his head.
"There are no clear clues at the moment, and the people in the village are all very frightened, but no one dares to admit it."
Qin Jiuwei pondered for a moment.
"There's no need to investigate further. Just report it to the authorities and let them investigate this matter."
She looked at the steward and said, "Granny Zhang was poisoned to death in the village. No matter how much we investigate privately, it's not as effective as the government's methods. Since it involves a life, let them handle it."
The steward nodded, "Yes, young mistress, I'll go report to the authorities right away."
After the steward left, Qin Jiuwei sat down again and tapped her fingers lightly on the table.
She has been managing the household for some time now, and there has never been a murder case.
This matter is weird in every way.
Xie Siyuan had just returned from the estate when someone died there.
She wouldn't believe it if you said it had nothing to do with him.
the other side.
The steward had just stepped out of the Qinglan Courtyard gate and was walking out when he bumped into Xie Siyuan.
He immediately put on a smile and strode forward, saying, "Greetings to the young master."
Xie Siyuan ignored his question and instead asked suspiciously, "What are you doing here?"