Chapter 27 Xie Yan Comes to Shen Nanzi's Tent

Chapter 27 Xie Yan Comes to Shen Nanzi's Tent

Xie Yan never expected that things would end up involving Shen Nanzi again; she really was a handful. He had no choice but to accept the offer.

"Your subject obeys."

Everyone was watching Xie Yan closely to see how he would deal with the Lin family!

The emperor watched quietly.

After a moment's thought, Xie Yan said to Lin Ruyi, "Although you are pitiful, this matter has been over for several years. The grudge between the two of you has not lessened, but has instead deepened."

"Now it has even spread to ice skating, causing everyone to be frightened. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed, which is already a relief."

“If you hadn’t confessed, the investigation would have traced it back to you and resulted in the death penalty for regicide.”

"Today, I will not punish you severely. Go back to your residence and receive twenty strokes of the cane. Please understand that this is not out of sympathy for you. This matter is separate and should not be confused with the other."

“The Princess Consort of Jing was also punished for what happened back then. You should treat people with kindness and compassion, instead of looking for an opportunity to seek revenge.”

"Now that things have come to this, you have repeatedly alarmed the Emperor and Consort Wei because of your adult grudges."

“A light punishment once is not an excuse for you to repeat the offense. Therefore, this is your last chance. If there is a next time, even if it is just a verbal dispute, I will punish you severely.”

Given such a commotion, the punishment of only twenty strokes of the cane is indeed lenient.

Moreover, the punishment would be given upon returning to the mansion, and the severity of the beating would be entirely up to Lin herself.

This is clearly Xie Yan trying to cover up the mistakes made by Princess Jing back then.

Lin Ruyi probably thought she had done something flawlessly and that it was impossible for her to be discovered. She felt that the twenty lashes were a mistake made due to carelessness.

It wasn't an attitude of repentance and reform, but rather a compromise born of necessity.

"Thank you, Your Highness Prince Jing, for your leniency. I will return to my residence tomorrow to receive my punishment."

This matter is now considered closed.

The night was deep. The Emperor left with Consort Wei, and the others gradually returned to their tents.

＊

Lie Feng also led Xie Chengze back to the tent.

"Was it fun?" Shen Nanzi looked at her son's bright eyes and knew he must have had a great time.

Touching his slightly damp hair, I took a dry handkerchief and wiped it for him.

"It's fun," Xie Chengze told her enthusiastically about the ice skating he was doing that evening.

Lie Feng also said, "Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent and has already mastered the skills to a high degree. I am ashamed of my own inferiority."

"Is my Cheng'er really that amazing?"

"I'll send it to my mother tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, we'll be heading back to Luoyang."

"Huh?" Xie Chengze looked disappointed. "Going back so soon?"

"Let's come play again next time, okay?"

Xie Chengze knew he couldn't change it, so he could only obediently nod, "Okay, my son will skate for you again next time."

At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and the cold wind from outside rushed in. Lie Feng hurriedly used his body to shield himself from the cold wind.

Upon seeing that the person was Xie Yan, he stepped aside.

Xie Yan looked at Shen Nanzi, then glanced at Xie Chengze.

He said to Lie Feng, "Take the child out; I have something to say to her."

Lie Feng glanced at Shen Nanzi, his eyes filled with unease.

Shen Nanzi gestured to him that everything was alright.

Shen Chengze, with a cold expression, warned Xie Yan, "Don't you dare bully my mother!"

Xie Yan looked at him and sensed Xie Chengze's wariness and resistance.

"When people make mistakes, they should naturally be punished."

"You can't punish my mother! Otherwise, I won't let you off the hook!" Xie Chengze's face tightened, and his eyes no longer held any respect for Xie Yan, but instead showed a resolute confrontation with him.

This child... has changed. He's hostile towards him; he wasn't like this before.

Previously... she was somewhat similar to Shen Nanzi, deliberately trying to please and act cute.

Fearing that Xie Yan would be angry with Cheng'er, Shen Nanzi quickly urged Lie Feng, "Let's go out!"

Lie Feng had no choice but to lead Xie Chengze out of the tent.

After their footsteps faded into the distance, Shen Nanzi sat on the edge of the bed and began tidying up Cheng'er's little clothes.

"Why would you trouble Prince Jing to come see me so late? Could it be that you've had a change of heart and come to atone for your sins?"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Xie Yan frowned and stood with his hands behind his back.

The tent was small, and when he stood inside, the space seemed a bit cramped.

"Oh? You don't mean you're coming to sleep here?" Shen Nanzi asked with a smile, as if she had forgotten about falling on the ice.

Xie Yan didn't want to argue with her. "Although you are the victim in today's events, it all stems from old issues between you two."

"Don't think you've covered your tracks perfectly. This area is covered in snow and ice. Where did all these rats come from?"

"One or two might be possible, but so many rats must have been done on purpose."

"Rather than letting others find out and convict you, I'd rather punish you myself."

Shen Nanzi immediately sneered, "Don't try to fool me. What rats? How would I know why they came?"

"Don't forget that you abandoned me on the ice."

"Xie Yan, are you truly blind, or are you doing it on purpose?"

Xie Yan frowned, his handsome face showing impatience. "Don't change the subject. I'm asking you, did you catch the rats on your own?"

Shen Nanzi stood up, looked up, and met his eyes.

Xie Yan looked at that stubborn face and said, "Shen Nanzi, you always pretend to be innocent and naive, but what you do every time is outrageous."

"If someone slips and falls because of a rat, wouldn't that implicate innocent people?"

Shen Nanzi said, "Why do you always pin everything on me? No matter how much I hate someone, I will never take someone else's life to avenge them."

Xie Yan said, "Lin Ruyi has already admitted to the grudge between you and her, why won't you admit it?"

"Why should I admit to not doing it?" She suspected Lin Ruyi, but she hadn't found out yet.

Xie Yan didn't want to hear her excuses: "Shen Nanzi, you have never been innocent. Everything you have done, including the fall you took today, is your own fault. Don't blame anyone else!"

Shen Nanzi was furious. "Fine, fine! It was all my fault, okay? In your heart, I'm just an incorrigible bad person."

"All the women outside are better than me, all the women are kinder than me."

Xie Yan flicked his sleeve, his face serious. "Alright! Since things have come to this, I won't tell anyone what you did, but that doesn't mean I support your actions."

"On the contrary, I will punish you because of those who stumbled because of you."

Shen Nanzi already looked indifferent: "Punish me if you want!"

Seeing her like this, Xie Yan knew she was still incorrigible: "Go back and copy the Book of Rites a hundred times. Do not have someone else write it for you! You must write every single word yourself."

"Can you give me something new as punishment? It's always the same old copying from books." Shen Nanzi's face changed, and her wrist started to hurt before she even started writing.

"Twenty strokes of the cane, you choose." Xie Yan didn't want to say any more to her.

Shen Nanzi was speechless; she didn't want to choose either option: "Xie Yan, please investigate thoroughly before punishing me, okay?"

"Stop making excuses, choose one!" Xie Yan's face was cold and his tone left no room for negotiation.