Residence

It takes half a month for a messenger to travel from Yan Prefecture to Xuancheng. Only a few people like Xie Yong carry pigeons with them. Chi Ying calculated the timing accurately and instructed Cao Qian to lead a group of disguised Yan Prefecture soldiers to ambush the grain convoy once it entered Yan Prefecture territory, seizing five thousand dan of grain.

According to Chi Ying's plan, the grain was stored in a secret cave outside the city, guarded by over a thousand soldiers. Cao Qian returned to Yan Prefecture as if nothing had happened and continued overseeing agricultural activities.

Several days later, when the expected grain shipment hadn't arrived, Cui Yi pretended to be furious and wrote a stern letter to Xie Xiao.

In Xuancheng, the Xie Residence.

"What? Zichang betrayed the Crown Prince and schemed to create discord between Your Highness and Yuchan?" Lady Ye jumped up from her chair in shock and anger after hearing Xie Xiao's words.

Xie Xiao held two letters—one from Cui Yi questioning the grain shipment and the other, written by Chi Ying impersonating Xie Yuchan, accusing Xie Yong. He handed both letters to his wife, "Read them yourself."

Lady Ye snatched the letters, scanning them quickly. After reading, her voice trembled, "When were these letters received?"

Xie Xiao answered, "The messenger delivered Your Highness's letter today. Yuchan's letter arrived half a month ago."

Hearing this, Lady Ye clutched her heart and wailed, "Half a month ago, you knew our daughter was harmed by that b*tch's son, yet you did nothing? You kept it from me! Is Yuchan still your daughter? Or is the concubine running the household now?"

"Don't shout!" Xie Xiao was equally frustrated, "Yuchan's letter is just her word. What if she was misled by Changsun Chi Ying? Besides, the letter might be forged."

Lady Ye burst into tears, "Forged? How could it be forged? Don't you recognize your daughter's handwriting? My poor child, tormented by that b*tch's son. I'm powerless! I couldn't protect you, I'm useless!"

Xie Xiao struggled to control his temper, breathing deeply, "The grain shipment being robbed indicates the Emperor knew about it and sent agents disguised as bandits. If not, an imperial decree could have stripped me of my position and possibly executed the entire family."

Cui Yi's letter and the surviving grain transporters arrived almost simultaneously in Xuancheng. All evidence pointed to Emperor Qishengdi, and combined with Xie Yuchan's accusation, Xie Yong's betrayal became undeniable. Reluctantly, Xie Xiao had to accept the truth.

"What should we do? Lord, what can we do now?" Lady Ye cried, realizing the gravity of the situation.

Xie Xiao sighed repeatedly, pacing around the room, considering and discarding various plans.

Emperor Qishengdi already knew he was aiding Prince Wu. Despite Prince Wu's apparent fall from grace, the robbery indicated that Cui Jie remained wary of his younger brother. Xie Xiao realized that the only option left was to align firmly with Prince Wu.

Moreover, due to the internal betrayal and the damage to Xie Yuchan's reputation, the relationship between the Xie family and Prince Wu had soured. Previously, Prince Wu endured grievances, but now, the Xie family would have to humble themselves. Any slight misstep could result in severe consequences, including losing the alliance and becoming collateral damage in the conflict between the brothers.

Xie Xiao's beard turned white with worry. After much deliberation, he sighed, "Our only option now is to apologize to Prince Wu and let him deal with Xie Yong as he sees fit. As for Yuchan..."

Lady Ye anxiously asked, "What about Yuchan? Lord, she's your flesh and blood. You can't abandon her. I only have one daughter; if anything happens to her, I won't live either!"

Xie Xiao lost patience, "Enough! Stop crying! Crying won't solve anything. Will crying make Yuchan better?"

Lady Ye wiped her tears and looked at him expectantly, "What's your plan?"

"I have no plan," Xie Xiao rubbed his forehead, "Write a letter to Yuchan, telling her to behave and not challenge Changsun Chi Ying. She needs to secure her position first."

Lady Ye protested, "Our Yuchan is a lady of noble birth, never having suffered hardships. How can she bow to a mere concubine?"

Xie Xiao exploded, smashing his snuff bottle to the ground. Lady Ye fell silent, staring at him in shock.

Xie Xiao roared, "Concubine! You're always looking down on others. How noble are you? If you hadn't bullied Xie Yong and his mother, would he have betrayed us? Face reality!"

Lady Ye, speechless, reluctantly went to write the letter, plotting revenge on Xie Yong's mother.

Meanwhile, in Yan Prefecture, the meals for Xie Yong and Xie Yuchan gradually deteriorated. Initially four dishes and one soup, it dwindled to one dish and eventually just a bowl of porridge and pickles. Xie Yuchan initially refused to eat but eventually succumbed to hunger.

At night, lying in bed, she recalled her former luxurious life and cried bitterly.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the back window. Xie Yuchan scrambled to the window.

Late-night visitors to a mad princess's window could only be her brother, Xie Yong.

Xie Yong, though not particularly skilled, managed to climb the wall. He asked, "Why are you awake so quickly tonight?"

Hungry and upset, Xie Yuchan pushed him angrily, "Why ask? I followed your instructions, but nothing changed. Prince Wu doesn't visit me, and the food gets worse. I can't sleep from hunger!"

Xie Yong stumbled back, clutching his waist, "What are you doing! Did you follow my instructions?"

"I did. I wrote the letter and gave it to Prince Wu."

Xie Yong gasped, "Why give it to him? I told you to secretly send it out. Giving it to him was a mistake!"

Xie Yuchan defended herself, "I needed him to know I supported him. If he doesn't know, wouldn't my efforts be in vain?"

Xie Yong nearly fainted, "You idiot! How could Prince Wu not show it to Changsun Chi Ying? You've made things worse."

Xie Yuchan realized her mistake but stubbornly argued, "At least he knows I care."

Xie Yong sighed, "What can I say? Just behave and don't cause trouble. I'll think of something."

With a complex mix of emotions, Xie Yong left through the window, reflecting on his unfortunate fate and the daunting task ahead.