After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

Upon leaving the palace, Madam Xie nearly collapsed.

Upon seeing this, Xie Xing immediately stepped forward to help the old lady Xie.

Madam Xie's eyes were lifeless, and her face, which had previously had some color in it, was now deathly pale. Her hands trembled as she said, "Go back to the manor, go back to the manor immediately."

Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao were confused.

On the carriage.

Xie Xing was completely baffled by the strange attitude of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor in the palace today, and couldn't figure out the reason no matter how hard he tried.

[What about the Empress Dowager? Is there anything like that in the story?] Xie Xing couldn't help but ask the system.

The system sighed. [The Xie family really needs to tone it down a bit lately. The performance the Empress Dowager and the Emperor put on in front of Old Madam Xie today was a warning to the Xie family.]

【beat?】

The system said: [Some time ago, your father, Xie Ansheng, plotted to frame Luo Mian in order to annul the engagement, which incurred the emperor's displeasure.]

Xie Xing suddenly realized what the system's reminder meant.

No wonder she felt that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor's sudden mention of Luo Huaichuan's marriage was somewhat unexpected.

It turns out it was because of the annulment of the engagement.

Xie Jiaojiao listened to her inner thoughts and clenched her handkerchief tightly.

Her expression was somewhat anxious, and she couldn't help but think of what Xie Xing had said in his previous heartfelt words, about the fate of the Xie family.

She didn't know if she was the only one who could hear Xie Xing's inner thoughts.

She was a frail woman; she didn't know what to do.

If I told anyone, would anyone believe me?

Back at the Xie family home.

Madam Xie immediately and tremblingly asked the nanny beside her to summon the men of the Xie family.

Because Madam Xie was too slow-witted, the rest of the Xie family did not tell her that they could hear Xie Xing's thoughts; Madam Xie was the only one kept in the dark.

At that time, in the old lady's room.

Xie Ansheng, Xie Yuhe, Xie Tongchen, and Xie Yuze all came over.

Seeing the old lady's deathly pale face, the four of them had a bad feeling and quickly asked, "Grandmother, what's wrong? What happened?"

Madam Xie sat in the seat of honor, her expression solemn. Her shrewd eyes swept sharply over everyone below her, and finally she slammed her hand heavily on the table: "The Xie family is finished!"

Upon hearing this, the four of them felt a jolt in their hearts.

Xie Ansheng asked anxiously, "Mother, how come the Xie family is doomed after just one trip to the palace?"

"what happened?"

Madam Xie did not answer directly. Instead, she looked at Xie Ansheng with a disappointed expression and said, "Foolish, foolish! You are all foolish!"

"What's wrong with Mother (Grandmother)?" The more she acted this way, the more anxious the four of them became.

Madam Xie said coldly, "I'm asking you, who was the first to discover Xie Xing's secret?"

The group of people were all taken aback.

Xie Yuhe, Xie Tongchen, and Xie Yuze exchanged glances upon hearing this.

Finally, Xie Yuhe spoke up as a representative: "Grandmother, it happened at the palace banquet; all three of us could hear it."

Old Madam Xie, leaning on her cane, pounded the ground loudly: "Nonsense! Why didn't you report it when you knew? Why are you only saying it now?"

Originally, Madam Xie had not realized the seriousness of the problem until she entered the palace this time, and her heart sank to the bottom.

The Empress Dowager had always had a good relationship with Madam Xie, but this time, Madam Xie did not notice any benefit from the Empress Dowager, and even vaguely felt the oppressive feeling coming from the Empress Dowager.

Therefore, that feeling lasted until the emperor entered the Empress Dowager's palace, and only then did Madam Xie's anxiety finally die.

As the saying goes, "The taller the tree, the more the wind will blow," and Xie Ansheng's ambition to make Xie Mingzhu empress was discovered by the emperor.

Xie Yuhe pursed her lips and said, "Grandmother, this matter is too absurd. We also want to confirm it before we talk about it."

It wasn't until they discovered Xie Mingzhu's true identity—that she was indeed a princess of the previous dynasty, as Xie Xing had said—that the seriousness of the matter far exceeded what the three of them could handle, that they told Xie Ansheng the truth.

Xie Ansheng couldn't help but ask, "Mother, what exactly happened in the palace that has made you so upset?"

Madam Xie sighed deeply and said, "Today I'm going to the palace..."

She recounted everything that had happened inside the palace.

Xie Ansheng's heart skipped a beat.

He never imagined that the Chu Emperor would be so dissatisfied with the Xie family.

He has always been loyal and has never had any rebellious thoughts. He just wanted to help the Xie family rise to a higher level. What's wrong with that?

What's more, he risked his life to protect the emperor not long ago?

Aren't they all members of the Xie family?

Without the Xie family, the emperor would have died long ago.

A surge of resentment rose in Xie Ansheng's heart. "The emperor is pressing me so hard, what's wrong with me just leading my troops in rebellion?!"

"My unwavering loyalty has led to this end. I will no longer serve this heartless and unjust monarch!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Xie's expression changed drastically.

She immediately stood up and angrily shouted, "You unfilial son! Are you trying to ruin the entire Xie family?"

"Walls have ears. If someone hears what you're saying, the entire Xie family will be executed tomorrow!"

Xie Ansheng was also momentarily enraged and spoke nonsense. After being scolded and brought back to his senses, he quickly said, "Mother, please calm down."

Madam Xie took a couple of breaths: "Judging from the Emperor's attitude, he doesn't necessarily want to put the Xie family to death. If we voluntarily relinquish power, we can still have a chance to survive."

"But the problem lies in..." Old Madam Xie got angry again, her chest heaving, and it took her a long time to calm down: "Our Xie family has a princess from the previous dynasty!"

"This is the card that will ultimately destroy the Xie family!"

After these words were spoken, the study fell silent.

Recently, the General's Mansion has been much more heavily guarded, especially outside Xie Mingzhu's courtyard, where countless secret guards have been stationed. If anything unexpected happens, the secret guards will take action.

Madam Xie looked at the three of them with exasperation: "Since you three knew Xie Mingzhu's identity all along, why didn't you say so?"

"This is a serious matter; do you intend to suppress it?"

"What do you have to pressure us with? Do the three of you really want the Xie family to die a violent death?!"

The three Xie brothers were so humiliated that they couldn't lift their heads.

Xie Yuhe said with difficulty, "Grandmother, after all, she is the younger sister I have taken care of since she was a child."

Madam Xie's expression was very cold: "Yes, if she were just an ordinary person, she could indeed be a pampered little sister in our Xie family."

"But you also heard it, how you will die in the future?"

Xie Yuhe: "..."

He was speechless.

"You were killed by her!" Old Madam Xie couldn't help but shout sternly, "You have your own younger sister but don't cherish her, yet you treat a heartless wretch like a precious treasure. You knew your fate was sealed, yet you still concealed it. Are you a blockhead?!"

The more Madam Xie cursed, the louder her voice became.

Among them, Xie Tongchen looked the most pained. He couldn't help but say, "Grandmother, we watched Mingzhu grow up. We know better than anyone what kind of person she is, don't we?"

"What if it's just that demon spouting nonsense and trying to sow discord?"

Madam Xie turned her cold gaze to Xie Tongchen and said directly, "Xie Ansheng, slap him."

"This is the dumbest, it's insane."