"Husband, I heard it with my own ears!"
After Shen Tang overheard the conversation between Ruan Jiu and Su Wan, she rushed back to the courtyard of the third branch in a hurry and told Xie Xiu about it.
Xie Xiu was shocked when he heard this.
He never expected that there would be feelings between Ruan Jiu and Xie Jingchu!
This was not good.
Ruan Jiu was in charge of the silk shop now. If she joined forces with Xie Jingchu.
Wouldn't the silk shop then fall into Xie Jingchu's hands?
Seeing Xie Xiu frowning and remaining silent for a long time,
Shen Tang quickly shook his arm and said eagerly, "Husband, say something!"
Xie Xiu's frown deepened.
He snorted coldly, "What else can I say?"
Shen Tang's face was full of anxiety. She continued, "Didn't you say yesterday that the old master was going to give the control of the salt business to Xie Jingchu at the Mid - Autumn Festival family banquet? With the salt business and the silk shop, the most profitable businesses of the Xie family would all be in Xie Jingchu's hands!"
Yes, if so, Xie Jingchu would surely become the person in power in the Xie family one day.
He would never allow it!
"Then use his strength against him!" There was a hint of viciousness in Xie Xiu's dark eyes.
The hand that tightly grasped the cup tightened its grip.
As soon as the words were out, the cup in his hand shattered.
He seemed not to feel the pain even as the fragments embedded in his flesh.
At this moment, anger, unwillingness, jealousy, resentment... all filled his dark and narrow heart.
He thought to himself.
Xie Jingchu, I didn't want to deal with you so soon.
It's all because the old master values you too much!
The next day, Shen Tang invited Xu Qing to go to the Thanksgiving Temple to pray for blessings.
Although Xu Qing rarely interacted with Shen Tang on normal days and looked down on Shen Tang who came from a humble family from the bottom of her heart,
she thought what Shen Tang said made some sense.
The first branch had been having a rough time these days. First, Xie Yanchuan's engagement with Ruan Jiu had been postponed again and again, and then there was the matter of Lu Wanrou.
Even her Huan'er had a narrow escape from death.
It was really time to go to the temple and ask the Bodhisattva to drive away the evil spirits in the courtyard of the first branch.
So she accepted Shen Tang's invitation.
As soon as they walked out of the temple, Xu Qing's eyelid twitched non - stop. She felt restless, always having a feeling that something was about to happen.
Just as she was in a daze, Shen Tang's voice brought her back to reality.
"Madam of the first branch, look. That person seems to be Nanny Zhou."
Xu Qing followed Shen Tang's gaze and looked over.
Taking a closer look, it was really Nanny Zhou.
"I heard that when Nanny Zhou left the Xie Mansion, the Fourth Master was still a half - grown child and cried so sadly." Shen Tang continued.
Xu Qing picked up the conversation, "Yes, after all, the Fourth Master was raised by Nanny Zhou."
Shen Tang might have just heard about it, but Xu Qing, who had already married Xie Jing at that time, naturally knew about it.
"However, why did Nanny Zhou voluntarily ask to leave the mansion soon after the Fourth Master returned to the Xie family?" Shen Tang asked.
"Putting it nicely, she voluntarily asked to leave, but actually, Nanny Zhou was driven out of the mansion by the old master." Xu Qing whispered.
"Ah? Why?" Shen Tang opened her mouth wide, pretending not to know.
"Not long after the Fourth Master returned to the mansion, rumors spread in the mansion that the Fourth Master was not the old master's biological son. Then the old master thought it was the maids and nannies who took care of the Fourth Master in the old mansion who were gossiping. In a fit of anger, he drove them all out of the mansion."
"Ah?" Shen Tang looked shocked, "But the old master's actions actually make the Fourth Master's background really questionable."
Hearing this, Xu Qing quickly covered Shen Tang's mouth, "Don't talk nonsense!"
If the old master heard this, it would be her who would be driven out of the mansion.
Shen Tang nodded, "Judging from the old master's attention to the Fourth Master, the Fourth Master must be of the Xie family's blood. Otherwise, the old master wouldn't be preparing to hand over the salt business to him."
"What?" Xu Qing suddenly grabbed Shen Tang's arm tightly, "You mean the old master is going to hand over the salt business to him?!"
Shen Tang frowned, "Don't you know?"
Xu Qing couldn't believe it. The salt business was a highly profitable business. How could the old master hand it over to Xie Jingchu?
Did the old master really decide to let Xie Jingchu be the person in power in the Xie family?!
Xu Qing double - checked, "Are you telling the truth?"
Shen Tang nodded firmly, "The old master will announce this at the Mid - Autumn Festival family banquet."
Hearing this, Xu Qing stopped in her tracks. Her expression was complex.
Seeing this, Shen Tang quickly comforted her, "Madam of the first branch, I know this is hard to accept. After all, the eldest master is the legitimate eldest son of the Xie family."
Xu Qing's face became even uglier.
Yes, Xie Jing was the legitimate eldest son!
Even if Xie Jing didn't become the person in power in the Xie family, what about her Yan'er?
Her Yan'er was the legitimate eldest grandson of the Xie family!
If Xie Jingchu really became the person in power in the Xie family, then the Xie family's property would have nothing to do with Yan'er in the future.
Seeing Xu Qing's face turn ashen, Shen Tang decided to add fuel to the fire. She continued, "But after all, the Fourth Master is of legitimate birth. Unlike my husband, who is of concubine birth. Even if he wants to fight for it, it would be unjustifiable."
Shen Tang's words reminded Xu Qing.
Xu Qing glanced at Nanny Zhou in the distance. Her eyes narrowed, and she seemed to have an idea in mind.
Actually, if Xu Qing thought carefully, there were many loopholes in Shen Tang's words.
However, even if Xu Qing saw through Shen Tang's trick, in order to prevent Xie Jingchu from becoming the person in power in the Xie family, they would try any means.
At the Mid - Autumn Festival family banquet, the several branches of the Xie family seemed to be in harmony on the surface, but actually, each had their own hidden agenda.
However, Xie Qinghuan's marriage was also a happy event for the Xie family.
It made the old master of the Xie family look more energetic.
"On this Mid - Autumn Festival family banquet, I'm very happy to see you brothers getting along so harmoniously."
After saying that, the old master of the Xie family picked up his wine cup first and drank it all in one gulp.
Everyone in the Xie family also raised their wine cups.
After finishing a cup of wine, the old master of the Xie family spoke again.
"Now that I'm old, I'm not up to many things. So I specially take this family banquet to announce a major event."
Everyone held their breath and waited for the old master's next words.
"In the past few years, many shops of the Xie family have made considerable profits under the leadership of the fourth son. So I've decided to hand over the salt business to the fourth son to manage as well."
Hearing the old master say this, Ruan Jiu first cast her eyes on Xie Jing.
But Xie Jing's face was unusually calm. He casually twirled the wine cup on the table.
He looked like an outsider, as if the old master's words had nothing to do with him.
This was really abnormal.
Then, Xie Jing stopped what he was doing.
He slowly stood up and picked up his wine cup.
"Father's decision. I should congratulate the fourth brother."
After saying that, he pointed the wine cup in Xie Jingchu's direction.
Xie Jing's action also aroused Xie Jingchu's suspicion.
But at this moment, he could only follow Xie Jing's words, raise his wine cup, and drink it all.
But Xie Jing didn't drink the wine in his cup.
Only to see a faint smile on Xie Jing's lips.
Then, he poured the wine in the cup on the ground.
Looking at Xie Jingchu provocatively, he slowly said,
"However, Xie Jingchu is not a member of the Xie family. How can he be in charge of our Xie family's property? How can I talk about congratulating him?"