Xie Shi’an didn’t see Xie Shiyun.

He strode inside with large steps, arrived at Xie Shiwei’s courtyard, and said coldly, “Since you returned to the Xie family, you’ve been idle and lazy every day. The Xie family doesn’t support freeloaders.”

Xie Shiwei said resentfully, “If it weren’t for you, the Xie family wouldn’t be like this. Yet you still blame me. What right do you have to blame me…”

“I don’t want to argue with you.” Xie Shi’an spoke word by word. “I’m now arranging a task for you. If you do it well, from now on I won’t say a word even if you freeload. If you don’t handle it well, pack your things and get lost.”

Xie Shiwei clenched his fists.

Before, when Xie Shiyun didn’t obey, he was nearly starved to death by eldest brother. He believed eldest brother was capable of throwing him out.

He asked stubbornly, “What is it? Let me say upfront, if it’s too difficult, I can’t do it…”

“Take this thing to Prince Pingxi’s manor.” Xie Shi’an said slowly. “Throw it in a pool, bury it in the ground, hide it anywhere you like.”

Without thinking, Xie Shiwei refused, “Prince Pingxi’s manor? What kind of place is that? Can someone like me even get in?”

“You can have the manor’s servants pass a message, saying grandmother is dying, saying I’m dying, saying Brother Yun is dying… In short, as long as you can enter the manor, you can say anything.” Xie Shi’an stuffed the item into his hands. “You only have this one chance.”

Xie Shiyun, hiding in the shadows, was so frightened his eyes widened.

He finally saw what that thing was—a ghost doll pierced with needles. If it were hidden in Prince Pingxi’s manor, it would surely bring catastrophic disaster to the manor.

He didn’t dare make a sound. He turned and ran, ran out of the Xie family residence, ran through the streets, ran frantically until he reached Prince Pingxi’s manor, his face pale from running.

“Princess Consort, Xie Shiyun has returned.”

Yun Chu had someone bring him in.

“Princess Consort, this is terrible…” Xie Shiyun knelt on the ground and recounted everything he had seen and heard. “…You absolutely cannot let Xie Shiwei enter the manor!”

Yun Chu’s feelings were somewhat complicated.

She had Changsheng invite Xie Shiyun to the manor intending to make Xie Shiyun become a chess piece for Xie Shi’an to use… But she never expected that Xie Shiyun would choose to stand on the manor’s side.

The Xie Shiyun from her previous life and the Xie Shiyun of this life seemed to be completely different now.

Xie Shi’an was still as scheming as in her previous life.

Xie Shiwei was still as worthless as in her previous life.

Xie Shiyun had already changed.

“Alright, I understand. You may go back.”

Yun Chu had someone bring silver as a reward.

Xie Shiyun hurriedly waved his hands in refusal. “I only came to pass on a message. I don’t want reward money. What the Princess Consort has given is already more than enough.”

He got up from the ground and left.

Sure enough, at dusk, a servant passed word that Xie Shiwei was requesting an audience, saying Xie Shikang was critically ill and asking Yun Chu to save his life.

Yun Chu had the servants directly turn Xie Shiwei away.

The next morning, the person requesting an audience changed to Xie Shi’an.

Yun Chu smiled. “Let him enter.”

Xie Shi’an tightly gripped his fingers and followed the servant into the manor.

Servants were everywhere throughout the manor—trimming flowers and trees, sweeping fallen leaves, cleaning the surrounding walls… With difficulty he made it to the back area where there were fewer people.

Xie Shi’an clutched his stomach. “Sister Tingshuang, I apologize. My stomach hurts. Could I first go to the lavatory?”

Tingshuang’s expression was indifferent as she pointed not far away. “It’s right there. Young Master Xie must be quick. The Princess Consort is busy. Don’t keep her waiting long.”

Xie Shi’an nodded and went in that direction.

The lavatory was for servants’ use, a whole row of them. Outside were planted some flowers and trees to mask the foul smell, which also blocked the view from outside.

Xie Shi’an took the opportunity to walk to the edge of a pool, crouched down, and quietly took the ghost doll out from his sleeve.

As long as he threw this ghost doll down.

Then he would accuse Prince Pingxi’s manor of harboring cursing arts.

Next, the Court of Judicial Review would find evidence, and Prince Pingxi’s manor would be finished.

But…

Xie Shi’an’s fingers tightened.

This was going too smoothly.

Yun Chu waited in the flower hall. Soon, Xie Shi’an was brought in.

Her face showed concern. “Prince Gongxi was placed under house arrest. I thought you would also be implicated. Thank goodness, thank goodness you’re alright.”

“I’m fine…” Xie Shi’an’s expression was somewhat complicated. “I stood in opposition to mother, yet mother is still willing to see me…”

Yesterday when Xie Shiwei came, he was refused at the door.

Today he thought he would also be refused and had even prepared his excuse.

But unexpectedly, Yun Chu directly let him in.

His hand felt around in his sleeve and pulled out a doll. He presented it with both hands, knelt on the ground, and said, “I came to the manor today with ulterior motives…”

Earlier by the pool, he had not thrown this doll down.

He was thinking—would Prince Gongxi definitely ascend to that position?

If he really did this, he would be closing off his own path.

Clearly, there was a better choice.

“You…” Yun Chu picked up the doll and looked at him. “Then why didn’t you do as Prince Gongxi instructed?”

“Because we were mother and son, because I always wanted to be filial to mother. Even though we’ve reached an opposing position, I still won’t do anything detrimental to mother.” Xie Shi’an looked into Yun Chu’s eyes as he spoke.

If she didn’t know this person so well, Yun Chu thought she would have been deceived.

She paused and said, “Do you really want to be filial to me, your former legitimate mother, or is it because Prince Gongxi has been defeated, so you want to pledge allegiance to a new master?”

Xie Shi’an’s expression stiffened, and he lowered his head. “Both, I suppose.”

“Prince Pingxi cannot possibly accept your allegiance.” Yun Chu returned the ghost doll to his hands. “Unless you can demonstrate sincerity.”

Xie Shi’an gripped his fingers tightly. “I understand the Princess Consort’s meaning.”

He cupped his hands in salute, turned, and walked out.

Qiutong, standing to the side, spoke up. “Why didn’t the Princess Consort just finish him off with one strike? It’s annoying to watch him hopping around.”

Yun Chu smiled. “This blade has been tempered enough. It’s time to let Prince Gongxi completely descend to hell.”

In her previous life, the entire Yun family was schemed against and had their entire clan executed just because they chose neutrality and didn’t board Prince Gongxi’s ship.

The sins committed in the previous life must be repaid in this life.

Xie Shi’an hid the small doll against his chest. The needles pierced through his clothes, causing him a bit of pain.

He entered Prince Gongxi’s manor once again.

He raised his head to look at the enormous manor.

He also wanted to be loyal to Prince Gongxi, but Prince Gongxi had been placed under house arrest for examination fraud.

A person who had offended all the scholars in the world probably had essentially no possibility of ascending to that position.

He also wanted to pledge allegiance to Prince Pingxi, but his father was Yun Chu’s former husband. With this relationship, Prince Pingxi would never trust him with important responsibilities.

Where could he go?

Where should he go?

Could it be that he really could only return to Jizhou?

Xie Shi’an raised his hand, pulled out the small doll, lifted his hand, and threw it into the pool of Prince Gongxi’s manor.

He walked to Prince Gongxi’s study, bowed his head, and said, “Reporting to Your Highness, that item has been hidden by this humble one in Prince Pingxi’s manor. Please instruct me on what to do next, Your Highness.”

“Hahahaha! Hahahaha!” Prince Gongxi burst into laughter. “The Crown Prince has an Imperial Concubine Wu by his side, and third brother’s manor has a cursing doll. Neither of these two is to be feared anymore! Why should I be anxious! Since I’ve been placed under house arrest, I’ll behave myself for a while. Once father’s anger passes, I’ll slowly take my revenge…”