Chapter 20: Kidnapping

Chapter 20: Abduction

"Better behave yourself, weapons don't discriminate."

The voice was as cold as the knife at his throat, and Xie Erli immediately abandoned any thought of resistance.

They soon arrived at the entrance. A brown horse shook its head just beyond the threshold.

Yan Sanhe grabbed Xie Erli by the back and threw him with all her might.

Then, she vaulted over the threshold, leaped down several steps, and launched herself onto the horse's back. She squeezed her legs around it, and the horse let out a snort before bolting away.

"Sir!"

"Sir!"

"Get out of my way, all of you!"

Xie Erli roared, pushing himself up from the ground and dashing out like a madman.

There was no sign of Yan Sanhe anywhere.

Xie Erli stomped his foot in frustration, about to call for someone to chase after him, when he heard someone shout, "Look, the matriarch is back!"

Xie Erli froze.

Why would she return at this time?

He threw a few subtle glances at the surging bodyguards behind him and turned around, forcing a smile on his face.

The carriage came to a slow halt.

The curtains were lifted, and several servants helped an elegant and dignified elderly woman down from the carriage.

The matriarch saw her eldest grandson waiting at the entrance with people, and she glared at her daughter-in-law, Wu.

"I told you not to say anything, yet you still sent a message home. Why make your father wait outside in this freezing cold? You don't care about your son, but I do care about my grandson!"

Wu was also puzzled and, glancing sideways, exclaimed, "Son, what happened to your face?"

Xie Erli only then realized a searing pain on the right side of his face. Upon touch, his hand was soaked in blood.

Just as he was contemplating how to explain this without arousing suspicion from the matriarch, he heard his father's furious roar from within the room, "Where are the accomplices of that demonic woman? Have they been captured?"

It's over!

Now, there's no way to hide anything!

...

In the small hall, the lights were brightly lit.

Matriarch Yang of the Xie family looked at her son with a grim expression and said, "Is Lord determined to keep these matters from this old bones?"

"Mother, it was merely a thief who broke into the manor..."

"Do you take me for a senile fool?"

The elderly lady slammed her cane against the green stone tiles with a thud, thud, thud. "A mere female thief is worth my eldest grandson putting himself in danger? Have all our servants perished?"

Xie Daozhi found himself in an awkward position, unable to either confirm or deny, with a splitting headache.

The elder matriarch, seeing her son still stubbornly refusing to speak, laughed in anger.

"Enough, enough! I won't ask anymore. Fetch someone, pack my things. There's no place for this old woman in this residence. I'll move to the manor instead."

"Mother!"

How could Xie Daozhi endure such words? He fell to his knees and gritted his teeth. "Can't a son tell you what happened?"

"Father?" Xie Erli gasped in surprise.

"At this point, there's no avoiding the truth," Xie Daozhi continued.

Upon hearing this, Xie Erli understood fully.

The woman's words were a mix of truth and deception; it was best to clarify matters with the elder matriarch regarding the divorce letter.

Xie Daozhi rose and personally served his mother a cup of tea. "Please don't get agitated, Mother."

The matriarch took the tea, scolding gently, "You kept it from me, that's why I'm so agitated."

I was afraid you'd be even more agitated if you heard!

Xie Daozhi sighed inwardly. "Two nights ago, a woman came to our estate. She claimed to be Yan Xing's granddaughter. She... "

Smash!

The teacup hit the floor, shattering into pieces.

"You, what did you say? Whose granddaughter?"

With a stern expression, Xie Daozhi continued, "Yan Xing's granddaughter. Her name is Yan Sanhe. She... "

"Where is she?"

The matriarch grabbed her son's hand. "Where is she? Where is this girl?"

"Mother, let me finish my story."

"I don't want to hear you," the matriarch suddenly shouted in a hoarse voice. "I want to see her in person. Bring her to me."

"Grandmother, please calm down," Xie Erli hurriedly approached to soothe her. "She's here to deliver the news of death. Once she's done, she'll leave."

The matriarch was taken aback, her eyes darting to her grandson. "Yan Xing... is... dead?"

Xie Erli nodded.

"He's gone. He's actually dead..."

The matriarch's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed backward, motionless.

"Mother!"

"Grandmother!"

Father and son, one holding her and the other pinching her philtrum, were in a state of chaos.

After a while, the elderly matriarch slowly regained consciousness. Her gaze fell upon Xie Daozhi, and two streams of turbid tears trickled down the corners of her eyes.

"Quickly go find that person... Go now!"

Xie Daozhi was furious beyond measure.

"Mother, that person..."

"If I don't see that person..."

The old lady's lips trembled uncontrollably, and after a long while, she managed to grit out a sentence.

"I will never close my eyes in peace until I do!"

Boom!

The father and son were shaken to their cores.