Chapter 112 — The First Drop of Blood
Xie Siquan let go of his hand, adjusted his collar, and said, “This is a matter for the adults. You’re still young—you wouldn’t understand.”
He didn’t seem flustered at being caught, only frowned at Xie Jing and warned, “Don’t go poking around out of curiosity, do you hear me?”
Xie Jing raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Xie Siquan had meant to take him home, but when Xie Jing reached the East Courtyard, he only said he was going to see Lord Bai Jiu. Xie Siquan’s eyes turned slightly, and he smiled. “Go ahead. I know you still don’t quite believe what your uncle says. It’s fine—go ask him yourself.”
Lord Bai Jiu was still in the sitting room, not yet having left. When he saw Xie Jing enter, he repeated everything that had happened earlier that day.
It was mostly the same as what Xie Jing had already heard, only with a few details different.
Xie Jing was a little surprised. “You took over forty men?”
Lord Bai Jiu nodded. “Mm. Picked some good ones, just in case.”
Xie Jing frowned slightly and stayed silent. Lord Bai Jiu said, “I’ve kept a copy of what we found out about your background before. I’ll have someone deliver it to you tonight—you can read it yourself. Your uncle didn’t want me to say anything, but I’m on your side. If you want to know, I’ll tell you everything I can.”
He reached out and rubbed Xie Jing’s hair gently, lowering his voice. “Though there are some things I don’t know clearly myself. For the details, you’ll have to ask your uncle again.”
“Alright.”
Since Granny Kou had returned, Lord Bai Jiu didn’t keep Xie Jing for dinner, telling him to go home and be with her.
He had Bai Mingyu personally drive Xie Jing part of the way. Bai Mingyu, still new to the business, was full of enthusiasm and wanted to chat, but Xie Jing only answered absently, lost in thought the entire ride.
Even so, it made Xie Siquan a little envious.
Since leaving the East Courtyard, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the Bai family uncle and nephew were outshining him.
His mood was complicated.
Arms folded across his chest, Xie Siquan glanced at his nephew, who sat deep in thought, then at Bai Mingyu driving ahead. His nephew only gave the occasional “mm,” yet Bai Mingyu could talk endlessly. Narrowing his eyes, Xie Siquan rubbed his chin, his gaze shifting between the two younger men—clearly mulling something over.
When Xie Jing got back to the small rented house and opened the door, he saw Granny Kou standing before an altar table with a plate of offerings. The air was filled with the scent of burning incense.
He looked at the memorial tablet in front of her, then at her reddened eyes, and understood. He turned to his uncle. “You only told me you took ten boxes of goods. You didn’t say you took other things. Was that part of the plan too?”
Xie Siquan coughed lightly. “Well, there were… several reasons. He Dongting always hesitates; better I make the decisions for him. Only when it involves your mother does he wake up. And you’ve never seen…”
He trailed off—he and He Dongting had never gotten along—and muttered that it was Granny Kou’s idea to retrieve the memorial tablet from the He household.
Granny Kou wiped her tears and beckoned him over. “Jing’er, your uncle’s right—you’ve never met your mother. Go on, kowtow to her.”
Xie Jing had always listened to his grandmother since he was small. He walked over but hesitated. “Grandma, I’m still in my daytime clothes—they’re a bit dirty. Should I change first?”
Granny Kou said softly, “It’s alright. Your mother won’t blame you.”
So Xie Jing lit three sticks of incense, knelt, and bowed deeply. “Mother, your son has come to see you.”
As soon as he spoke, Granny Kou began to cry again. Trembling, she said, “My lady, I’ve brought your child back to you! Do you see him? He looks like you—and like the young master too…” Her voice was hoarse from crying all day.
Fearing she might make herself ill again, Xie Jing helped her sit in the small outer room after the offering, keeping her company as they talked.
Granny Kou sighed. “These past days, the young master had people take me to see some of the old servants from the manor. Nearly twenty years have passed. Some came with the Xie family, some from the He family. Many were dismissed more than ten years ago. After asking around, I finally understand—it’s not that the master was blind, it’s that those people acted too well.
“Did you know, Jing’er, when He Shuwei was brought home at age three, he had a birthmark too? A few months later he was scalded on the leg, and the burn covered the mark, turning it into a scar…”
Xie Jing frowned. “I thought they said he was well protected?”
Xie Siquan sneered. “That’s their cleverness. The wet nurse only knew you had a birthmark low on your waist when you were born—she’d seen it just once before you were taken away. Back then, I offered a thousand silvers reward to find you. Countless people ran between the Xie and He households. One woman claimed she was the midwife who delivered you—but before I could question her, He Shuwei was conveniently burned, and the mark was gone. They also dismissed several of your mother’s old servants, claiming they were negligent.”
Granny Kou sighed. “They were ruthless—even went so far as that. And that false child mimicked the young lady’s habits, fooling the whole household. How could the master see through it?”
Xie Siquan snorted, clearly displeased.
Granny Kou wasn’t afraid of his temper. Holding Xie Jing’s hand, she wanted to say something to defend He Dongting, but sorrow and anger for her late mistress filled her throat, and she could only wipe her tears again.
Feeling for her, Xie Jing gently patted her back. “Don’t cry, Grandma. If you want me to acknowledge him, I will.”
Her heart ached all the more for this child. She wanted to say “good,” but the word stuck in her throat for a long time before she managed, “Let’s wait a bit. You’ve already met; there’s no rush.”
Xie Jing nodded immediately. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Granny Kou was old and went to bed early. Xie Jing boiled water to heat a towel for her to wash up.
Xie Siquan sat in the small hall, grumbling. He still couldn’t stand He Dongting.
Granny Kou sighed. “Don’t speak that way. The master is a good man—he treats everyone kindly. If not for how he values family, the young lady wouldn’t have married him. She even entrusted you to his care back then, and he fulfilled that promise.”
Anyone else would have provoked Xie Siquan’s temper, but he only ground his teeth at her words. “Enough about the past. Don’t just see what he’s done for us—I’ve never owed him anything. Whatever he could give, I could too. What’s so great about the He family? Bao Bao, I’ve decided: once this matter is settled, I’ll take you and Jing’er back to Sichuan. We don’t need anything from them. He’s my sister’s child—that makes him mine. The Xie family fortune, all of it, will go to Jing’er!”
Granny Kou froze and hurried to dissuade him. “No, young master—once you start a family…”
“I’m not marrying,” Xie Siquan waved dismissively. “As for children, raising Jing’er is enough. His surname is Xie—what difference is there between that and adopting him as my heir?”
“Young master, you mustn’t…”
“Enough, Bao Bao. My mind’s made up.”
Just then, Xie Jing brought over two hot towels, one for Granny Kou and one for his uncle.
Xie Siquan was long used to being served, but this time he grinned from ear to ear, wiping his face with the steaming towel and sighing in pleasure. Turning to Granny Kou, he said proudly, “See? Jing’er’s close to me.”
Granny Kou looked at the uncle and nephew—their features so alike: one smiling warmly, the other cool and quiet—but unmistakably of one bloodline. She couldn’t help smiling too and said no more.
Xie Jing stayed with them for two more days. During that time, Hu Da and others came several times, delivering various belongings—most were his mother’s old possessions, including a few photographs. Granny Kou grew emotional seeing them and spent hours telling Xie Jing stories of the young lady’s life.
The ten boxes of gold and silver weren’t as complete as what the Xie family had once given, but He Dongting compensated with money. Xie Siquan showed no restraint—whatever was short, He Dongting paid back double.
He even came personally to deliver the “compensation.”
It was Xie Jing who opened the door. Both froze at the sight of each other.
Xie Jing inclined his head. “Boss He.”
He Dongting quickly responded, almost gratefully. At this point, no matter what Xie Jing called him, he was thankful enough that the boy was still willing to speak to him.
Xie Jing invited him in. He Dongting was dressed neatly, but his clothes didn’t quite match—the shades of gray were slightly different. He looked thinner, and the clothes hung loose on him. After glancing around the cramped home, he asked tentatively, “Did you buy this place?”
Xie Jing shook his head. “It’s rented.”
He Dongting immediately apologized.
Xie Jing looked puzzled. “What are you apologizing for? It’s just a rental. Sit down, I’ll pour some tea.”
He Dongting nodded. “Alright.”
Xie Jing wasn’t used to dealing with him. He went upstairs for clean teacups and called Grandma Kou down. Xie Siquan was out, thankfully—otherwise there would surely have been a fight downstairs.
When Granny Kou came down, she saw He Dongting standing quietly before his late wife’s memorial tablet.
Her heart tightened. “Master, please sit and have some tea.”
He Dongting slowly sat down. As he raised the cup, Xie Jing noticed two of his fingers were wrapped in bandages, bent at odd angles as if broken. After a sip, He Dongting said quietly, “Aunt Kou, I still have a few houses. They’re quieter than this one. Why don’t you and Jing’er move there?”
Granny Kou shook her head, refilling his cup. “No need, Master. We won’t be staying long here anyway. We’ll be leaving soon.”
He Dongting looked up. “Leaving? Where to?”
“Do you know Lord Bai Jiu of the Bai family?” she said. “Jing’er worked for him up north. He’s already sent people to help us pack. We’ll move to the East Courtyard first. As for later—well, I’m old now. Wherever Jing’er goes, I’ll follow.”
He Dongting’s expression dimmed, though he forced a smile and agreed softly.
After a while, Xie Siquan returned.
As soon as he saw He Dongting, he gestured to the servants. “Hu Da, move those crates to the East Courtyard. Jing’er, you go with Grandma—help her with the packing; don’t let her tire herself.”
Xie Jing agreed and helped Grandma Kou out.
Once they left, Xie Siquan went over and asked quietly, “Something happened?”
He Dongting nodded. “I received word today—the wet nurse who brought the child to the manor back then… died on her way to Shanghai.”
