Sometimes the Emperor would launch a sudden attack, and Yuwenzhang found himself unable to make decisions on his own. He refused to believe that Xie Zhixue could not understand the stakes involved. If she did not come within a month, the Xie Family’s good days would be at an end. When that time came, he looked forward to seeing how Xie Zhixue would plead with him to save her family.
To avoid drawing attention, Yuwenzhang had "kindly" lent his carriage to Xie Daoyuan, sending him off to the Xie residence in the rattling vehicle. Inside, Xie Daoyuan huddled close to his wife, neither of them saying a word.
"My lord, what do you intend to do?" Madam Xie finally looked up, her temples disheveled. "Are we truly going to hand over Xue'er? I won't have it. I refuse, no matter what." She clutched his arm, weeping. "Xue'er has already suffered so much. How could I, her mother, bear to let her endure more? You are not to agree to this either!"
Chapter 133