Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 97: What a good white lotus in full bloom

Everyone's eyes were on Ning Xiaoyao, so no one noticed that Qin Xuan had already arrived at the gardens. Ning Xiaoyao stood on the veranda as she stared at Elder Li. "Old gramps, I think you acted like a hypocrite."

Once again, the entire veranda fell silent. As the head of the clear stream faction, Elder Li naturally had to dispute the claim that he was a sham. However, Ning Xiaoyao beat him to it.

"You mentioned married women with husbands? Sure, then I'll break your words down right now."

".........." said everyone else. What's 'break your words down?'

Ning Xiaoyao pointed at the half-dead Xie Anyi. "Does this jerk count as a husband?"

Elder Li replied, "The late emperor decreed the marriage between he and née Qin. They finished all six rites of the marriage and have a certificate as well. Née Qin's name has been added to the Xie Clan's family history as well. This subject dares to ask Your Majesty, how could Xie Anyi not be née Qin's husband?"

"When the Xie Clan asked my imperial father to grant the marriage, did they mention that jerk had already slept with his little white lotus? Or that she was already with child?" Ning Xiaoyao asked coldly. "Did they ever mention how he insisted on making that little white blossom of his an equal wife after Miss Qin entered the estate?"

Elder Li was rendered mute. An official from the Ministry of Rites spoke up next. "Your Majesty, at that time, Xie Anyi truly was an unmarried man."

"Just because he's unmarried, we can pretend his cousin and childhood sweetheart never existed? That there wasn't a child between them?" Ning Xiaoyao asked. "Does Xie Anyi get to have all the good things for himself? After marrying Miss Qin, he gained control of the Jiangnan navy. Then he spends his days everlasting with his true love, that slutty cousin? Is this the kind of 'married woman with a husband' that you scholars speak of? Fine then, let me express my good wishes to all your daughters. May they find a husband like this in the future as well! Heheh, no need to thank me."

No one spoke. Which one of them didn't have daughters of their own? Which one of them wanted their own girls to meet a husband like Xie Anyi?

"Your Majesty," Second Young Master Xie Anji[1. Xie Anji (谢安济) - Ji is "cross a river, aid/relieve/help."] knelt on the ground as he kowtowed. He had to say something. "This subject's eldest brother didn't marry eldest sister-in-law for the Jiangnan navy. The navy was only..."

"You can shut up," Ning Xiaoyao said before he finished. "Are you Xie Clan members the only smart ones? Is everyone else blind or an idiot?"

"Your Majesty!" Third Young Master Xie Anshi was now kneeling on the ground, too. "This subject's eldest brother had his marriage with eldest sister-in-law decreed by the late emperor."

"So what?" Ning Xiaoyao said. "I haven't even mentioned how your entire clan tricked my imperial father yet. All you want to do is harp on the late emperor's marriage decree, is that it? Didn't you hear what I said earlier? Did you guys tell my imperial father that your big brother already had a woman? Or that she already gave birth to his son?!"

Neither of the two Xie sons could speak a word. Back then, even if their father told the truth, the late emperor would still allow the marriage on account of how much he favored their aunt. But they couldn't be certain of what the Grand Preceptor had revealed. Ning Xiaoyao stood there expressionlessly. Even if the Grand Preceptor did tell everything, she wasn't afraid. That muddle-headed late emperor was long dead now. With the sole witness gone, couldn't she rip into the Xie Clan as much as she liked?

"This subject's father would never dare to deceive the sovereign," Third Young Master Xie said. Compared to the second Xie son, his brains were much more competent. A single thought was able to bring him back on task. If he admitted that his father didn't tell the late emperor the truth, wouldn't that be admitting his father lied to the emperor? The current emperor was really a piece of work. Within a few words, he'd managed to hold a capital offence above their father's head again. Third Young Master Xie was determined to get rid the accusation.