bestfiction Chapter 574 The Villainous Female Supporting Character Who Impersonated the Tyrant's Savior 29
Chapter 574 The Villainous Female Supporting Character Who Impersonated the Tyrant's Savior 29
Whose woman is this...?
It's like he can't understand human language. He doesn't know anything but he's scolding her. Is he sick?
Zheng Baozhu frowned, glanced at Wen Zhixi, and scoffed.
"The Zheng family is protecting me?"
“I was kidnapped by thugs and taken away from the capital city the next day. It was a whole day and night. If the Zheng family had reported the case, I would have had a chance to be rescued. But when I came back, I found out that they had never reported the case! They didn’t even look for me, for fear that outsiders would find out and bring shame to the Zheng family. The next day, they announced that I had suddenly fallen ill, and three days later they announced my death.”
“After I was kidnapped, I never looked for her. Not only did my marriage betrothal soon fall to Zheng Qingwan, but all the eighteen loads of dowry my mother prepared for me also became Zheng Qingwan’s.”
“I was rescued by Prime Minister Xia, but the Zheng family wouldn’t let me in. My dear stepmother denied that I was Zheng Baozhu the first time she saw me. I was standing right in front of her, but she said that the eldest daughter of the Zheng family was dead! She also called me a stinking beggar and ordered her men to break my legs and throw me into that brothel.”
"If it weren't for the Prime Minister, I can't even imagine what would have happened to me if I had been thrown into that alley that night!"
Zheng Baozhu's eyes reddened, she gritted her teeth, and swallowed her tears. She looked at Wen Zhixi, a cold smile playing on her lips, and spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Young lady, is this the protection you spoke of from the Zheng family?!"
The maids and servants nearby felt extremely sorry for Zheng Baozhu upon hearing this and gathered around to comfort her with their eyes.
The onlookers were immediately shocked and started talking all at once.
"My goodness, is this for real? If it is, the Zheng family is so despicable! Their own daughter was rescued, but they won't let her into their home and instead want to throw her into a brothel. What kind of place is that? In the middle of the night, isn't this sending her into another fire pit?!"
"I reckon it's true, otherwise why would a rich young lady want to start her own business..."
"Tsk tsk, stepmother, that makes sense now. These wealthy families are truly ruthless. They'd even abandon their own daughter for the sake of the family's reputation. Miss Zheng is truly pitiful..."
“Who says otherwise? Just now I thought she was asking for a dowry before she was even married, and I even scolded her. Now it seems she was right to do it! Miss Zheng, I support you!” an old woman carrying a washbasin shouted.
But there are also dissenting voices.
"She said all of this herself, we don't know if it's true or not. I feel it's false, the family of the Vice Minister of Rites, it's unlikely."
"Yeah, I think she's just talking nonsense."
.......
After hearing Zheng Baozhu's words, Zhao Yanshu's mind suddenly became a jumbled mess...
Baozhu, she actually suffered so much injustice?
No, that's not what Zheng Qingwan and the Zheng family said to him.
As a certain possibility came to mind, Zhao Yanshu's face instantly turned grim...
......
"You wretched child! Shut up! Shut up!"
The surrounding noises made Old Madam Zheng's face turn very ugly, and she trembled with anger.
That damned slut, doesn't she understand the principle of not airing family dirty laundry in public?
Why are we saying all this here!
"Grandmother, don't worry."
Zheng Qingwan sneered inwardly, stepped forward to support Old Madam Zheng, and spoke in a stern tone.
"Sister, how could you talk such nonsense? Look how angry you've made Grandmother! I didn't want to say this, but you're really unfilial! My mother never stopped you from coming home. Otherwise, how could you have angered her to death, and how could you have taken all these valuables with you?"
No one could testify for what happened that night; her own servants couldn't be considered witnesses.
That treacherous minister is even less likely to come specifically to testify for her.
What can she do if the Zheng family doesn't acknowledge it?
Wen Zhixi looked coldly at Zheng Baozhu, and followed Zheng Qingwan's words, saying...
“Miss Zheng is right. You said the Zheng family wouldn’t let you in and would break your legs, but the truth is you weren’t broken, and they even took your property and made your stepmother die of anger. I think you’re just talking nonsense.”
"Furthermore, I don't believe any wealthy family in Kyoto would be so ruthless as to disregard their own daughter's life for the sake of family reputation."
"Disloyal and unfilial, slandering and spreading rumors about the family! Hu Feng, go to the yamen to report this!"
Wen Zhixi gave a look to the guard beside her, and the guard named Hu Feng immediately turned and left.
Zheng Baozhu was furious.
"Fine, you want to report me to the authorities? That's perfect! You forced me to hand over my property and then tried to frame me! I'm going to report you to the authorities too!"
She spoke with conviction, but she was still uneasy. If she really went to the yamen, she would be punished with a beating for being unfilial.
"Is someone going to report this to the authorities?"
Xia Xizhi's clear voice immediately made everyone turn around, and they saw her walking out of the alley with a half-smile.
Upon seeing Xia Xizhi's face, both Madam Zheng and Zheng Qingwan's expressions changed drastically.
Zheng Baozhu's eyes lit up immediately, and she quickly raised her hand.
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, I must report this to the authorities!"
"My lord, someone is forcing me to hand over the inheritance left to me by my mother, and is even accusing me of spreading rumors!! Please, my lord, do me justice!"
"You wretch! Shut up!"
Old Madam Zheng interrupted her with a stern voice.
"Prime Minister Xia, this is a family matter of the Zheng family. At most, we'll take that brat to the yamen and give him a few lashes. We won't trouble you, Prime Minister Xia," said Old Madam Zheng in an unfriendly tone.
This treacherous minister's involvement will only bring trouble.
Xia Xizhi walked over with a smile.
"No need to trouble yourself. For the sake of the people of Tianqi, I have always worked tirelessly and conscientiously. Serving the people is my duty, so how can it be considered troublesome?"
Working tirelessly and diligently?
he?
Serving the people?
The onlookers were speechless.
Upon hearing the name "Prime Minister Xia," Wen Zhixi glanced at Xia Xizhi and immediately frowned.
Is this the infamous treacherous minister?
As she spoke, Xia Xizhi abruptly changed the subject, her tone turning cold.
"The Zheng family has truly broadened my horizons. How dare you even come to see Miss Zheng?"
“I heard your conversation just now.”
"I personally handled this case and personally registered Miss Zheng's household registration. Is your Zheng family dissatisfied with me?"
Xia Xizhi briefly explained Zheng Baozhu's experience that night, except for the fact that Han Xing committed murder.
Just then, two constables rushed over.
Xia Xizhi sneered,
"You two are forcibly seizing property and spreading rumors! Take this Madam Zheng and this Miss Zheng away! Give each of them twenty lashes as a warning to others!"
The two constables responded without saying a word as soon as they saw Xia Xizhi.
"Yes!"
Madam Zheng turned deathly pale with fright.
Twenty strokes?
She's an old woman, she can't take that kind of beating.
"You, you dare to hit me?"
"I am the mother of the Vice Minister of Rites! The mother of an official! How dare you, a treacherous villain, be so arrogant!" Old Madam Zheng said angrily, her voice trembling.
Xia Xizhi scoffed dismissively.
"I'll beat your son just the same way, what are you afraid of?"
What a joke! Everyone's already said she's a villain, of course she's going to be arrogant!
"Guards! Drag him away! Beat him severely!"
"Yes!"
Two constables stepped forward to pull her away, but Zheng Qingwan's face turned ashen. She shook them off and glared coldly at Zheng Baozhu.
"Sister, say something! Are you just going to let Grandma get beaten? How can you be so unfilial!"
"Please speak!"
Zheng Baozhu rolled her eyes, hid behind Xia Xizhi, and ignored whatever Zheng Qingwan said.
"stop!"
Seeing that the two constables were about to take the person away, Wen Zhixi spoke up sharply.
"I am Wen Zhixi, daughter of Princess Mingsi! Stop it!"