Xie Yunxi had never suffered a setback in front of Xie Fengran. Being scolded by Xie Yi in front of Xie Fengran at this moment, she felt extremely embarrassed.
Biting her lips, she showed a wronged look on her face. She curtsied towards Xie Fengran and whispered, "I'm sorry, elder sister." After saying that, she was on the verge of crying, looking as if Xie Fengran had bullied her.
Sure enough, seeing her expression, Xie Yi softened his look. "All right, since you've apologized, your elder sister won't blame you. Go in and see your grandmother!"
"Father, you haven't told me yet why grandmother fainted?"
Xie Fengran's words successfully stopped Xie Yunxi in her tracks. She lowered her head guiltily and suddenly didn't dare to walk into the house.
That old hag just now wished she could swallow her alive. If she went in voluntarily, wouldn't that old woman send her to the estate again?
Thinking about it, she leaned behind Xie Yi. Now the only one who could protect her was her father.
Xie Fengran coldly observed the embarrassment and annoyance on Xie Yi's face and refused to yield an inch. "Father, why on earth did grandmother faint?"
"You..." Xie Yi pointed at Xie Fengran. Now in Old Madam Xie's yard, he couldn't even discipline this daughter.
Xie Yunxi rolled her eyes and tugged at Xie Yi's sleeve, persuading, "Father, don't be angry. Elder sister was brought up by grandmother, so naturally she has a special bond with her. She's just too worried about grandmother and doesn't mean to disobey you."
Every time the three of them were together, if Xie Yi scolded Xie Fengran, Xie Yunxi would always "kindly persuade" beside them. Then Xie Yi would get even angrier and would dislike Xie Fengran even more.
Now Xie Yunxi's words made Xie Yi feel that Xie Fengran only had Old Madam Xie in her eyes and didn't respect him, the head of the family.
Xie Yi was very concerned about his dignity. He could let Old Madam Xie scold him to his face, but it didn't mean he could accept having no authority in front of his daughter. Immediately, he darkened his face. "How do you talk to me? Do you still have me as your father in your eyes?"
Xie Yunxi gloated as she looked at Xie Fengran and said, "Father, elder sister has her own mind. Even in matters of marriage, she only consults with grandmother. How could she..."
"Father." Xie Fengran suddenly interrupted Xie Yunxi. Without any preamble, she said, "Daughter heard today that the Third Princess has been put under house arrest by the Empress. Even the Imperial Concubine was punished by the Emperor when she tried to plead for the Third Princess. Does Father know why?"
Xie Yi was completely confused and didn't understand what she meant. Frowning, he asked, "Why?"
Xie Yunxi's heart skipped a beat and she couldn't help but tremble.
Xie Fengran glanced at Xie Yunxi and said softly, "In the palace, younger sister instigated the Third Princess to slander me. I was pushed into the fishpond by the Third Princess, and the jade bracelet bestowed by the Empress was broken. Father, why do you think the Third Princess was put under house arrest?"
Shock showed on Xie Yi's face. "There's such a thing? Yunxi, didn't you say that you offended your elder sister and the Fourth Princess protected her, so you were sent back by your grandmother?"
Xie Fengran raised her eyebrows, with a hint of mockery on her lips. "Younger sister's ability to make up stories is truly unparalleled."
Xie Yunxi immediately panicked. She knelt down in front of Xie Yi with a thud. "Father, daughter didn't mean to lie. Daughter was just afraid of being punished. Father, please forgive me!"
She grabbed Xie Yi's robe with one hand, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Father, when daughter entered the palace, I didn't know anyone. Elder sister was with the Fourth Princess. The Fourth Princess disliked daughter for being a concubine-born daughter and looked down on me. Only the Third Princess was willing to talk to me. Those words were not said by daughter at all. Daughter was wronged!"
After saying that, she looked at Xie Fengran tearfully and said with a sob, "Elder sister, I'm your younger sister. How could I slander you? Please plead with Father for me!"
Xie Yi narrowed his eyes, with a skeptical look on his face. He began to think carefully in his mind.
Yunxi had always been cute and obedient. How could she do such a thing?
Maybe she was really misunderstood.
Seeing Xie Yi's expression, Xie Fengran knew what he was thinking. She sneered inwardly. After watching enough of Xie Yunxi's performance, she took a step forward and looked down at Xie Yunxi. "Younger sister, you're wrong. Not to mention that those words were indeed said by you. Even if they weren't, now that the Third Princess has been punished, you must be punished too."
After saying that, she looked at Xie Yi again, with a look of helplessness on her face. "Father, it's not that I don't want to take younger sister with me. You know the purpose of grandmother taking me to the palace banquet, don't you?"
Xie Yi nodded. "Father knows this, but what does your younger sister's matter have to do with this?"
"Of course it does. Because of younger sister's words, the Third Princess said a lot of unpleasant things to daughter in front of the Crown Prince, saying that our Marquis Mansion is a family that tries to curry favor with the powerful. How could I admit such words? Not to mention that grandmother's pride is well - known in the capital. Even for Father's reputation, I won't admit such words."
Xie Fengran sighed, presenting herself as a good daughter who only had her father's interests at heart.
Xie Yi was a bit touched. With a cold face, he said, "That's right."
"That's it. The Crown Prince directly put the Third Princess under house arrest, so grandmother took younger sister back to the mansion. Originally, the Empress was going to discuss with grandmother... But unexpectedly, it was all messed up by the Third Princess. So..."
Xie Fengran was being vague, but based on what Old Madam Xie had told him, Xie Yi could more or less guess what was going on. His look towards Xie Yunxi immediately turned unfriendly.
Xie Yunxi didn't understand why these two things were suddenly linked together. Before she could refute, she met Xie Yi's look and shivered. Immediately, she came to her senses.
"Father, don't listen to elder sister's nonsense. The Crown Prince even asked about daughter when he was at the Sun family. Elder sister must be jealous that I'm favored by the Crown Prince. Didn't you also agree to let me marry the Crown Prince and let elder sister marry the County King? Anyway, it's just changing the person for the betrothal. Isn't it good that both your daughters marry into noble families?"
But this time, Xie Yi wasn't so easily deceived. Although he doted on Xie Yunxi, he was still very clear - headed when it came to matters related to his own interests.
He had the idea of replacing Xie Fengran with Xie Yunxi because he thought the Crown Prince really took a fancy to Xie Yunxi. But what Xie Fengran said just now made him clearly realize that it was all just an excuse from Xie Yunxi.
If the Crown Prince didn't take a fancy to Xie Yunxi and their Xie family took the initiative to offer her, it would be a blatant slap in the face!
Seeing that her father really took her words to heart, Xie Fengran knew the time was right. Before Xie Yi could speak, she stepped forward and persuaded earnestly, "Younger sister, the Crown Prince is of such a noble status. How could he be easily deceived? If the betrothal fails in the end, wouldn't it implicate our entire Xie family?"
"Xie Fengran, stop pretending. You're just afraid that I'll become the Crown Princess and you'll have to bow down to me."
Seeing that Xie Yi was being persuaded, Xie Yunxi couldn't hold back anymore. She angrily scolded Xie Fengran, looking as if she wanted to eat her.
Xie Fengran calmly withdrew her gaze and looked at Xie Yi. "Father, younger sister is ill. She should be sent to the estate for a period of rest."
Xie Yi felt a bit reluctant. Life in the estate was hard. After all, Xie Yunxi was the daughter he had doted on. For a moment, he hesitated. "Isn't the punishment too harsh?"
Xie Fengran lowered her eyes and said coldly, "Father, it's just a short stay in the estate. When the storm passes and the Third Princess starts to move around again, younger sister will naturally come back."
"I won't go." Xie Yunxi finally realized what was going on. She let out a scream and stared at Xie Fengran with red eyes.
Xie Fengran remained unmoved and didn't want to give her any extra expressions.
Xie Yunxi suddenly realized that she still had to rely on Xie Yi. Immediately, she hugged Xie Yi's leg. "Father, please don't send me to the estate. Daughter is about to be betrothed. Do you want to marry me to a peasant?"
"Nonsense. How could I have such an idea?"
"But Father, if daughter stays in the estate for a year or so, how can daughter have a place in the capital? Father, please don't send daughter away."
"This..." Seeing his younger daughter crying so pitifully, Xie Yi felt reluctant. He looked at Xie Fengran.
Xie Fengran sighed inwardly, but showed no sign of it on her face. She coldly looked at Xie Yunxi. "One must be punished for doing something wrong. Moreover, the Third Princess has already been punished. Does younger sister think she's more noble than a royal princess?"
"Furthermore, Father, if we don't punish younger sister now, our Marquis Mansion may be remembered by the noble people in the palace. If it implicates Father, it will be an unexpected disaster."
"Is it really that serious?" Xie Yi's face also became solemn.
Xie Fengran nodded. "Moreover, younger sister's outspoken nature should be changed. If she still speaks wildly in front of noble people in the future, it will be a disaster for our Marquis Mansion. Just as younger sister said, she's about to be betrothed. With such a personality, how can it be good?"
"Xie Fengran, shut up. You have no right to send me away."
Xie Yunxi was almost crazy. Xie Fengran had easily persuaded Xie Yi to her side with just a few words, hitting Xie Yi's weak points every time. If she really got her way, would she ever be able to get out of the estate?
Hearing this, Xie Fengran slowly took out a token from her sleeve and placed it on the table. She glanced at Xie Yi, who was still undecided, and said softly, "Father, I really don't have the right to send younger sister away, but I think it surely does!"