lovenovelstory Chapter 1318 - 1316: Dealing with Them (1)
Chapter 1318 - 1316: Dealing with Them (1)
In the afternoon, Xia Jingfeng went to the front courtyard, calling Xiao Chuan into the study for a private conversation that lasted a long time before he finally let her out.Upon leaving, Xiao Chuan wore a look of triumphant satisfaction on her face.
But inside, Xia Jingfeng did not share the same good mood.
His expression had almost frozen into a glacier.
...
Ostensibly, Xiao Chuan stayed in the front courtyard to learn manners, but in reality, it was to help Xia Jingfeng with the investigation.
This matter had to be traced back to the night of the wedding.
Initially, after marrying Tang Xun, Xia Jingfeng did not wish to deal with the Tang family anymore.
(After all, he had already dealt with them once, Tang Jincai, that old man, was dismissed from his position and fined a large sum of silver, leaving nothing more to pursue.)
However, last night, the wedding night, Tang Xun cried like a weeping willow, nearly collapsing completely.
Her usual strength and optimism, her indifference to squabbles, contrasted starkly with her wounded sorrow.
Evidently, the grievances she endured all these years were far from what she had revealed to him.
The misdeeds of Tang Jincai, Lady Zhu, and those three fat women were surely not as simple as they appeared on the surface.
Therefore, he conceived the idea of reopening the investigation.
After the wedding night.
Early in the morning, under the guise of learning manners, he had several Sisters take Xiao Chuan to another courtyard to stay temporarily.
Firstly, to avoid arousing suspicion, and secondly, to maintain secrecy.
This matter was not to be known by anyone, including Tang Xun.
If Tang Xun knew and did not stop him, it would be unfilial.
If she stopped him, then all her grievances and indignations would have been in vain.
Tang Xun was not someone too soft-hearted, letting others bully her while solely hoping to reform them through emotion.
Her mind wasn’t that fragile, nor would she willingly suffer grievances, otherwise, she wouldn’t have cried so sorrowfully.
The reason for calling Xiao Chuan over was because she had been by Tang Xun’s side the longest, knowing most about the matters within the Tang Residence.
...
Listening to Xiao Chuan recount Tang Xun’s experiences over the years just now, Xia Jingfeng was thoroughly disheartened.
He once thought his own childhood was hard enough, unaware that Tang Xun’s was even harder.
It turned out.
She had witnessed her mother enduring all kinds of abuse from all sides of the residence since childhood, washing her face with tears every day.
It turned out.
She was called a bitch, a bastard right from a young age, living a life worse than dogs and pigs with her mother amidst the spit and curses of others.
It turned out.
The Tang Residence never regarded her as a young lady but treated her like a servant girl, someone everyone could order around at will.
It turned out...
Xia Jingfeng dared not think any further.
He now thoroughly understood, having one’s biological mother pass away wasn’t the worst.
The worst was watching one’s biological mother alive, enduring all the torment, and eventually leaving resentfully.
He couldn’t imagine what that felt like.
If he really had to choose, he’d rather have never seen his mother than endure such suffering.
Xunxun...
Rest assured, I will surely avenge you properly!
He leaned against the desk, with a cold expression, whitened knuckles, icy hands and feet, and a sharp gaze.
...
In the following days.
Xiao Chuan continued to live alone in a certain courtyard, indeed learning manners with several Sisters.
On Xia Jingfeng’s side, he was busy investigating the Tang family’s affairs.
Occasionally needing Xiao Chuan to come forward to testify, or to describe events in detail, or provide related individuals, this matter progressed in secrecy.
In less than half a month.
Tang Jincai and Lady Zhu, along with those so-called young ladies.
Their various acts of bullying against Tang Xun over the years, the circumstances, and evidence, were all comprehensively gathered in Xia Jingfeng’s hands.
Seeing the thick stack of materials in his hand, Xia Jingfeng let out a sharp laugh.
"For people like them, being exiled three thousand miles would be too lenient!"
Coincidentally, Xia Tingfeng came over that day, and upon hearing what he said, advised him.
"Don’t go overboard!"
"The Tang family’s case is already settled, these are family matters, nothing warranting exile!"
Xia Jingfeng was quite troubled.
"As if I don’t know?"
"But now I can’t care about the law or not, I just want them dead!"
"Big brother, you should be able to understand my feelings, right?"
Xia Tingfeng’s experiences were more akin to Tang Xun’s.
Both illegitimate children, both watched their mothers suffer under their father’s tyranny since childhood.
Both were powerless, watching their mothers endure all the humiliation.
This feeling, no one understood better than they themselves.
Indeed, a trace of ruthlessness also glimmered in Xia Tingfeng’s eyes.
However, having honed himself in the palace for so many years, he had enough control not to let his emotions surface easily.
Thus, the ruthlessness in his eyes quickly faded.
He lightly coughed twice, saying calmly.
"If it doesn’t work openly, maybe... use the hidden approach!"
Xia Jingfeng’s lips quirked up with interest.
"Oh? The hidden approach?"
Xia Tingfeng smirked coldly.
"Tang Jincai is a lecherous, greedy old scoundrel, his mind filled only with debauchery, he wouldn’t regard a concubine’s daughter from the backyard as a thorn in his side!"
"Everything must have been orchestrated by that woman, Lady Zhu! For revenge, you only need to deal with Lady Zhu!"
"Moreover... doesn’t Lady Zhu have three daughters?"
Xia Jingfeng furrowed his brows.
"By principle, I don’t target women..."
Before he could finish, Xia Tingfeng interrupted him.
"Hey, you were the one who said you wanted to stand up for sister-in-law, now suddenly talking principles?"
Xia Jingfeng wavered for a long time, finally making up his mind.
"Alright! I’ll think of another trick!"
Xia Tingfeng pointed at him and laughed.
"You, indeed a man of letters!"
"Like me, I wouldn’t have so many concerns, whoever dares touch your sister-in-law, I wouldn’t let him live past midnight!"
Xia Jingfeng’s forehead broke out in a series of dark lines, momentarily speechless, he muttered a couple of vague words and let it be.
...
Several days passed, Xia Jingfeng still did not make any move.
He even sent Xiao Chuan back.
Xia Tingfeng, upon finding out, teased him a lot.
"What principle is there, is it really that important?"
Xia Jingfeng raised an eyebrow.
"Naturally it is!"
"The sage once said, ’Women and petty people are hard to nurture,’ if I spend all day thinking of ways to deal with several women and petty people, wouldn’t I be lowering myself?"
"What difference would there be between me and them?"
Xia Tingfeng was about to speak in surprise, but Xia Jingfeng continued.
"However..."
"Although I cannot act personally, I could use a borrowed knife!"
"This way I won’t violate principles and can also vent my anger?"
Xia Tingfeng rubbed his head, unable to resist a bit of sarcasm.
"You literati, really troublesome in doing things!"
He took a swift sip from the teacup on the table, leaving behind a ’Remember to find me if anything arises!’
Then he left in large strides.
Xia Jingfeng’s lips curled high as he continued to lean against the desk.
Further perfecting the ingenious plan that had long taken shape in his mind piece by piece.
Finally, he closed a copy of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, looking entirely satisfied.
"Xunxun, just wait for the show, we have all the time we need to carefully watch them meet their doom!"