The Grand Tutor could argue with Xie Yanfang, but Principal Official Zhu didn’t dare truly argue with Seventh Master Xie. No matter what, Seventh Master Xie was the Emperor’s elder.
“I will convey this to the Grand Tutor,” he said coldly.
Seventh Master Xie turned around to look below the elevated platform and shouted angrily, “Xie Yanlai!”
Xie Yanlai, who was laughing and talking merrily with Lin Kun, looked up.
Lin Kun also looked at this man and said in a low voice, “This is your uncle. My uncle hosted a banquet for him last time.”
Xie Yanlai made an acknowledging sound. This single sound answered both of them.
“You are unbearably unruly and act recklessly in the military. Although the military doesn’t hold it against you, the family cannot ignore it,” Seventh Master Xie shouted, then summoned people. “Bind him and take him home. He’ll kneel in the ancestral hall.”
Xie Yanlai laughed. “Seventh Uncle, isn’t the ancestral hall in Dongyang?”
Seventh Master Xie said coldly, “When there’s an ancestral hall in your heart, you can kneel anywhere. Of course, you could also go back to Dongyang to kneel in the ancestral hall. That’s actually an excellent suggestion from you.”
Go back to Dongyang, and from then on, he could forget about coming out again—like an eagle with broken wings. Xie Yanlai stopped talking and looked at Seventh Master Xie.
The Xie family servants had already walked up to Xie Yanlai and said respectfully, “Ninth Young Master, please.”
Xie Xiao hid behind the servants, covering his face and saying viciously, “If he won’t go, bind him! He’s thrown away all of our Xie family’s good reputation! If we don’t discipline him, what kind of behavior is this!”
The officials on the elevated platform saw Seventh Master Xie binding someone and invoking family rules, and only sneered coldly. The good reputation had all been taken by their family, without any loss whatsoever.
Lin Kun also couldn’t say anything more. This was their family affair—he had no reason to say he’d go along.
But at least there would be no conviction. Going home was going home.
He looked at Xie Yanlai’s wooden face and said in a low voice, “I understand—family is always annoying.”
But there was no helping it—that was family. There was no escaping it. He reached out and patted Xie Yanlai’s shoulder.
“When you go back, admit your fault properly. Play the grandson for a few days, then come out and find your brother to hang out.”
Borrowing the force of his pat, Xie Yanlai walked forward a few steps and was surrounded by several servants.
Officer Niu from the border army blurted out “No!” He pushed aside the servants and grabbed Xie Yanlai. “You can’t go home. You need to have an imperial audience. You’re the military envoy.”
Seventh Master Xie glanced at this military officer. So many officials weren’t stopping it, yet this man dared to say no.
“Don’t worry,” Seventh Master Xie said with a half-smile, joking with this crude fellow. “It won’t delay official duties. Even if it does, his older brother is in the court—he can speak a word for him.”
Officer Niu didn’t know why he was blocking this either. As the military envoy, an imperial audience was also the Xie family’s glory. Would the Xie family really delay it?
But somehow—probably from looking at these Xie family people, old and young—it felt like if they opened their mouths, they would swallow Xie Yanlai whole and never spit him out again.
“Why not wait until after the imperial audience is finished before going home?” he said again.
Seventh Master Xie’s face darkened. Before he could speak, Xie Yanlai raised his hand and placed it on Officer Niu’s shoulder.
“Old Niu, why are you talking so much?” he said. “Can’t bear to part with me? On the road, didn’t you find me displeasing? Before we left, I heard you complaining to Zhong Changrong that you didn’t want to travel with me. Now that we’ve entered the capital, you’re scared? You want to rely on me?”
Officer Niu glared and said, “What nonsense! I’m worried about the border army’s mission. You’re completely unreliable. Don’t you dare delay General Zhong’s important matters.”
Xie Yanlai smiled. “Don’t worry. I am me, the border army is the border army. They won’t be delayed because of me.” Having said this, he pushed him.
What do you mean “I am me, the border army is the border army”? Officer Niu wanted to ask more, but Xie Yanlai’s push was forceful, making him stagger back several steps. Several military officers from the border army also surrounded him, signaling him not to say more.
“His brother is Xie Yanfang, no lower than the Grand Tutor in the court. Stop worrying needlessly.”
“Xie Yanlai can speak casually—his family is large and powerful. Whatever he says is fine. What are you? Say less. This is the capital.”
Seeing that military officer quiet down and stop speaking, Seventh Master Xie smiled, flicked his sleeve. No matter what captain you’ve become, no matter how many troops you lead, and no matter what military envoy you are—Xie family people are Xie family business. Who else could interfere?
“Alright, let’s go—” he began.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, someone else interrupted. “Seventh Master, please wait a moment.”
Who was this blind fool now? How could taking away one Xie Yanlai, such a small matter, be dragging on endlessly?
Seventh Master Xie’s expression was irritated as he turned toward the voice. He saw the red-robed palace attendant smiling and bowing to him in salute.
“Ah, Eunuch Qi,” Seventh Master Xie put away his irritation and said with a gentle smile, “What are your instructions?”
Eunuch Qi said, “Young Master Yanlai cannot go back yet. The Empress wishes to see him.”