Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: “Xie Mao,You Stay Kneeling!”

Sì Shí (9 AM – 11 AM).

Xie Ning sat casually on the rockery in the back garden of the residence, idly picking up a small fragment of rock and tossing it down. The pond water immediately rippled into fine waves. Several red carp swished their caudal fins and swam past, occasionally brushing against the round stones at the bottom or tilting their heads to peck at the broken lotus leaves floating on the surface, causing the reflections in the water to sway gently.

A maid in blue walked slowly over and threw something up. Xie Ning caught it; it was a small jar of ointment.

“Wipe your face.”

Xiao Zhu stood by the pond, seemingly observing the swimming fish, and also looking at Xie Ning’s reflection in the water.

Upon hearing this, Xie Ning lightly touched her swollen cheek, wincing with a soft “hiss” of pain, and couldn’t help but complain: “Why is Xiao Yu even better at fighting than you?!”

That’s right, she got beaten again.

She won against Xiao Zhu but was properly beaten by Xiao Yu.

Xiao Zhu said expressionlessly: “Xiao Yu’s talent in martial arts is higher than mine, and I can’t compete with her in other aspects either. Otherwise, why do you think only the two of us serve Her Highness in the back residence?”

“You’re not striving hard enough!” Xie Ning accused her with great indignation.

She thought Xiao Yu was a brainy type, but she turned out to be an all-rounder. She underestimated her!

“I am certainly not as ambitious as the Imperial Son-in-Law. I have truly never seen anyone who could make Her Highness apologize.”

Bringing this up made Xie Ning a little scared. Especially after she calmed down and realized that in her impulse, she not only called the Grand Princess by her name but also called her unreasonable…

I was courting death…

Pei Shujing clearly loathed Xie Jing, yet she forced her while posing as Xie Jing. Putting herself in Pei Shujing’s shoes, Xie Ning guessed she would have ordered the person to be beaten to death before talking about any apology.

Thinking of it this way, the Grand Princess sister-in-law was truly a woman of her word!

However, the woman of her word didn’t seem very happy and had been hiding in her room without coming out yet.

Xie Ning glanced back at the window of the room behind her… Hmm, the window was also closed.

She jumped off the rockery and patted Xiao Zhu’s shoulder, saying earnestly: “Were you badly hurt when I hit you?”

“If my hand was a bit heavy, I apologize to you. I won’t have to arrange for someone else to fight you first, unlike a certain person.”

Yes, she was secretly taking a jab at Pei Shujing. She believed Xiao Zhu would repeat everything she said to Pei Shujing. This way, she could provoke a certain person again while playing dumb—it couldn’t be more pleasant!

Unfortunately, Xiao Zhu didn’t play along, but instead sincerely said to her: “It is I who should apologize to you.”

Xie Ning was taken aback.

Xiao Zhu lowered her eyes: “A few days ago, I thought you were a person without backbone. After losing to you, I was initially unconvinced. Now I realize I was too arrogant, so I apologize for my previous contempt.”

Xie Ning was neither susceptible to flattery nor threats, but she couldn’t withstand Xiao Zhu’s earnest and soft-spoken manner…

She coughed twice, secretly pleased, but pretended to be nonchalant: “Making a mountain out of a molehill!”

“It’s fine. Now you know that the many times I was beaten by you before were just to save your mistress’s face.”

Besides, she was taking the blows meant for Xie Jing. Xiao Zhu’s contempt was for Xie Jing, what did it have to do with her, Xie Ning!

“It is our mistress,” Xiao Zhu corrected seriously.

“Fine, fine, our mistress,” Xie Ning replied perfunctorily. “But after losing to me, didn’t Her Highness punish you?”

Xiao Zhu shook her head: “Her Highness is actually very good.”

Speaking of which, she paused: “At least, she is very good to us.”

Xie Ning pouted and touched the ointment in her hand, but didn’t retort this time.

Xiao Zhu noticed her small movement and said mockingly: “Don’t overthink it. There’s a reason for giving you this ointment. Your father and Xie Yunhao have been waiting in the reception hall for half an hour.”

“Her Highness has ordered you to handle this matter entirely.”

Xie Ning was stunned, and she asked with some disbelief: “Why?”

Pei Shujing actually trusted her to interact with the Xie family? Wasn’t she afraid of her pulling some scheme?

Or… was the Grand Princess’s test not over yet?

Xie Ning’s mind was racing the entire way. Just as she entered the reception hall, she and Xie Yunhao stared at each other, eye to eye.

This was because Xie Yunhao was also bruised and swollen on his face.

Xie Yunhao sneered internally. He thought Xie Jing was so great, but he ended up with the same fate as him when he returned.

“Cough cough.”

A voice sounded beside Xie Yunhao, and only then did Xie Ning focus her attention on the person next to him.

“Little Jing, your father has brought your elder brother to see you.”

This man looked over forty, with a broad face, thick lips, and a dense beard that reached his chest. At first glance, he resembled Xie Yunhao somewhat, but his physique and appearance were extremely ordinary, seemingly without any remarkable features.

This should be the famous head of the Xie family, right?

Which was Xie Jing’s puppeteer behind the scenes.

Xie Ning dared not underestimate this man and bowed to him with a serious expression.

“Father, have you come to apologize to the Grand Princess?”

Xie Ning didn’t want to call him father, but she was afraid that a slip-up might expose her to this old fox. But she couldn’t let him get away with it either. This man was using the excuse of visiting Xie Jing, clearly not wanting to admit he was here to apologize.

She deliberately wanted to displease him.

Xie Mao stroked his beard with a smile: “Won’t my son invite his father to sit down?”

As he spoke, he was about to sit in the main seat, when Xie Ning suddenly shouted: “Hold on.”

Xie Mao stopped his movement.

Xie Ning quickly rushed over, pushed Xie Mao aside, and vigorously wiped the chair with her sleeve, saying with a wronged expression: “Father, it’s not that your son won’t let you sit here. It’s just that this seat belongs solely to Her Highness. A few days ago, your son accidentally touched it and was punished so severely that the injuries on my face still haven’t healed.”

Xie Yunhao was so angry that his breathing became heavy. He knew that Xie Jing’s face had no injuries yesterday.

But his father had instructed him not to say anything here, so Xie Yunhao forcefully suppressed himself from exposing the lie.

“It’s nothing, nothing. It was this father who was reckless.”

As soon as Xie Mao sat down in a side seat, he saw Xie Ning sitting down casually in the spot he had just aimed for.

He narrowed his eyes and took the initiative to speak: “My son, do not doubt. This father is not here to seek justice. Although Yunhao is your elder brother, he overestimated himself this time, offending Her Highness for the sake of beauty. Whatever his fate, it is his own doing, and we cannot blame you.”

Xie Ning chuckled and said sternly: “Father, your words are wrong. Although Xie Yunhao and I are brothers, we have never had any exchanges, and there is no enmity between us. The reason for the conflict now is truly for the sake of our Xie family!”

“For my brother to insult the Grand Princess of Daxia in public, it would be a disaster if I ignored it. Only by fighting with my brother can we confine the feud within our Xie family.”

“Although my brother is disrespectful to the ruler and the father, how can I allow my brother to truly be without ruler and father? You agree, right, Father?”

She had to stop Xie Mao’s line of thought. Yesterday, her hitting Xie Yunhao was done under the pretext of royal authority. If, as Xie Mao suggested, it was for the sake of beauty, it would turn into a private fight, and the meaning would be entirely different. The moral high ground would return to the Xie family. That’s why Xie Mao said at the start that he was “not here to seek justice.” This narrative could not be allowed to be seized by the opponent. She had to maintain the moral superiority.

Xie Mao frowned slightly. He did intend to set a trap, and he wasn’t surprised that Xie Jing could figure it out. But precisely because Xie Jing could figure it out, he deliberately said it to try and calm the situation down. He believed Xie Jing would make the correct choice.

But now, things were somewhat unexpected.

He seriously scrutinized Xie Ning but found Xie Ning’s gaze slightly unfocused, seemingly hinting at something.

Xie Mao was startled. Could the Grand Princess be eavesdropping here?

If that was the case, Xie Jing not taking his bait was understandable.

So he cupped his hands and apologized: “It was indeed this father’s misstatement. My son is right, so compensation is only natural.”

Xie Mao stroked his beard and pondered for a while, seemingly thinking about how to apologize. After a moment, he slowly said: “Since Yunhao was at fault first, why don’t we hand Yunhao over to Her Highness? Whether to punish, scold, beat, or kill, it is entirely up to Her Highness. What do you think, Jing’er?”

Xie Ning said leisurely: “Her Highness has other important matters. Even I, the Imperial Son-in-Law, can barely see her daily. How could she have time to deal with my brother? Furthermore, Her Highness has commanded that I handle this matter entirely on her behalf.”

Xie Mao couldn’t help but look sideways at Xie Ning, but Xie Ning remained unmoved.

“Her Highness is indeed fond of my son.”

“I am Her Highness’s Imperial Son-in-Law. Naturally, Her Highness is fond of me.”

“Does a rat in the corner also wish to walk into the light? Little does he know that a rat that comes out in broad daylight can be easily killed.”

“You don’t need to worry about that, Father.”

Xie Ning tapped the table with her index finger: “It’s getting late. I won’t make things difficult for you, Father. Please just kneel here and kowtow to Her Highness.”

Xie Yunhao’s face flushed red, and he slammed the table: “Xie Jing, don’t push your luck!”

Xie Ning ignored him and looked at Xie Mao: “What do you say, Father?”

Xie Mao smiled and exclaimed: “My son, you have truly made this father see you in a new light today!”

“Father!”

Xie Yunhao looked at his father in disbelief. When he saw his father stand up from his seat and slowly kneel down, he couldn’t help but burst into tears.

“Father, I was wrong! I won’t dare to do it again! Please get up…”

“Father!”

But neither Xie Ning nor Xie Mao paid him any attention. Xie Mao knelt on both knees, his head touching the ground.

“I implore Her Highness to forgive my son’s arrogant words.”

Xie Ning sat directly in front and leisurely took a sip of tea. Only then did she quickly get up and help Xie Mao: “Father, please rise quickly. I believe Her Highness has seen everything today and will no longer pursue my brother’s mistake.”

Xie Mao stood up and smoothed his clothes, then angrily rebuked the weeping Xie Yunhao: “Her Highness is the Grand Princess of Daxia. Why is kneeling once such a big deal? Let alone kneeling, even if she asked for my head, you should still kneel and thank her grace!”

He then turned to Xie Ning: “Jing’er, don’t you agree?”

Xie Ning nodded in agreement: “Father is absolutely right. I, the Imperial Son-in-Law, feel the same way.”

Xie Mao nodded with a look of relief: “That’s good, that’s good.”

“Then this father will take your brother back to the residence first.”

“But Jing’er, rats usually come out at night. Do you think they fear the light, or do they mistake the moonlight for sunlight?”

Xie Ning held the teacup, her eyes lowered.

“Farewell.”

Support Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess