TRBDM -Chapter 178 Brother and Sister Fall Out

Nangong Hai didn’t care for any blissful, loving marriage. What he wanted was money and power.

The Nangong family had fallen from grace, declining with each passing day. Everywhere they went, they endured people’s cold looks. The entire clan’s honor rested on his shoulders.

What use was some so-called “supreme fortune slip”? Far better to pray that he would pass the imperial examinations as the top scholar, rise through the ranks, and amass wealth.

Nangong Hai’s expression turned extremely ugly.

Meanwhile, Xie Wanyi was still standing there shyly, her heart fluttering like a startled deer, completely unaware of the change in his mood.

“Young Master Nangong, here.”

She handed the fortune slip to him.

Nangong Hai took it impatiently. Without even glancing at it, he turned and left.

He hadn’t gone far when he ran into the two Xie brothers.

Enemies often cross paths on narrow roads. He already disliked the two of them, and after Xie Wanyi’s “amusing” grand surprise, his mood was as foul as if he had swallowed filth.

The conflict ignited instantly.

When Xie Yu said she was no longer the mistress of the Marquis Manor, Xie Wanyi’s eyes reddened with fury.

She had never expected that Xie Yu—a lowly servant who had merely been adopted as a godson—would truly think he had transformed from a crow into a phoenix and flown to the heavens.

How dare he shout at her?

“Even if I’ve moved out of the Marquis Manor, I am still a legitimate daughter of the house. And you—a bastard with no father or mother—how dare you show me such disrespect?”

Slap.

A sudden slap landed across her face.

The force was so great that Xie Wanyi staggered back several steps before managing to steady herself.

Clutching her burning cheek, she stared at Xie Lan in disbelief. “You dare hit me?”

“Xie Wanyi, take back what you just said. Otherwise, I’ll hit you again.”

Xie Lan’s brow ridge was sharp, and in his usually calm, ocean-deep eyes now burned a fierce, cutting chill.

He had shown no mercy in that slap—he had used his full strength.

The heavy taste of blood instantly filled Xie Wanyi’s mouth. She was stunned.

Xie Lan—a mere son born of a concubine—actually dared to strike her?

“Xie Lan, what are you doing? She is your legitimate elder sister. How can you hit her?” Nangong Hai shouted angrily, pointing at him.

Xie Lan ignored Nangong Hai completely. He stepped in front of Xie Wanyi and gritted his teeth as he repeated, “Take back what you just said!”

“I won’t!” Xie Wanyi had always done as she pleased in the Marquis Manor. Even after signing the document severing ties and moving out, her temperament had not changed.

Since ancient times, there had been a distinction between legitimate and concubine-born children. No matter how far she had fallen, she was not someone like Xie Lan could trample over.

She spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and lifted her chin. “Xie Lan, unless you kill me, I will never take back that sentence. Shi Yi was born a fatherless, motherless bas—”

She never finished the last word.

Xie Lan’s hand shot out and clamped around her throat, cutting the word off in her windpipe.

No one was allowed to insult Xie Yu in front of him.

Xie Wanyi’s face flushed red as she desperately clawed at his arm.

It was only then she realized that Xie Lan had grown taller than her. Though his youthful frame was still slender, his strength was not to be underestimated.

She felt as if her neck were about to snap.

The fury in Xie Lan’s eyes had already drowned out his reason. As long as she refused to take it back, he would not let go.

Seeing Xie Wanyi’s eyes begin to roll back, Xie Yu shouted loudly, “Third Brother! Third Brother, let go!”

Xie Yu’s voice snapped Xie Lan’s reason back into place.

He released his grip. Xie Wanyi immediately collapsed to the ground, coughing violently.

She coughed until tears and snot streamed down her face, nearly hacking her lungs out.

Standing to the side, Nangong Hai had been frightened by Xie Lan’s actions.

Just now, it had truly seemed as though Xie Lan intended to kill Xie Wanyi.

The hatred between the siblings of the Mingde Marquis Manor had reached such a degree that, in a bustling place like Xiang Mountain, they showed not the slightest restraint—utterly unafraid of airing their family disgrace in public.

Nangong Hai knew very well that he could never do such a thing.

He cared too much about his reputation.

At this moment, he wished nothing more than to stay as far away from this pair of crazy siblings as possible, lest the crowd’s pointing fingers and gossip land on him.

“Cough, cough… Young Master Nangong, save me. Xie Lan has gone mad—cough, cough… he’s going to kill me.”

This time, Xie Wanyi was truly afraid.

The natural difference in strength and build between men and women left her powerless to resist.

For the first time, she understood Xie Wanrou. When facing someone like Lei Lieshan—a tall, imposing military general—the sense of oppression and fear Xie Wanrou must have felt was perhaps hundreds of times greater than her own.

But the thought only flashed through her mind for a second. Right now, all she could think about was that Xie Lan wanted to kill her. It was terrifying. She needed to leave—leave this place and get far away from this madman.

Nangong Hai hesitated.

He had no desire to involve himself in the Xie family’s internal affairs.

“Xie Wanyi, I’ll say this one last time. Take back what you just said.”

Xie Lan’s gaze was like a blade, slicing back and forth across her, making her shudder violently.

She trembled like a leaf in the winter wind. Though her heart burned with resentment, in the face of death, nothing else mattered.

“I take it back… I take back what I said. Xie Yu isn’t a bas— Xie Yu isn’t what I claimed.”

Instead of softening, Xie Lan’s expression grew even darker.

“Remember this. If I ever hear you say another word against Fourth Brother, I won’t give you the chance to regret it.”

“Fourth Brother, let’s go.”

A wide grin immediately spread across Xie Yu’s face. “Alright, Third Brother.”

The two of them entered the vegetarian hall one after the other.

As soon as they left, the onlookers’ gazes shifted to Xie Wanyi and Nangong Hai.

Nangong Hai felt his dignity crumble.

In the past, he had found Xie Wanyi somewhat attractive and, as the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Mingde’s residence, worth approaching.

But now, the Xie Wanyi before him—face flushed purple from coughing, robe stained with dust, looking nothing like a refined noble lady of the capital—instantly extinguished what little interest he had left.

Yet with so many people watching, abandoning her would invite criticism. With a frown and clear reluctance, he helped her up.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you back.”

Xie Wanyi had lost all face today. Her cheeks and neck throbbed with pain. At this point, she would cling to anyone who offered her a hand.

Her limbs felt weak; she needed support. But Nangong Hai, citing “propriety between men and women,” refused to get too close to her.

In the end, the two walked down the mountain one after the other, keeping a conspicuous distance between them.

Inside the vegetarian hall, Two steaming bowls of Guanyin noodles were placed before the brothers.

“Third Brother, here.”

Xie Yu handed one bowl to Xie Lan first before taking the second for himself.

Xie Lan’s expression remained dark; he had yet to fully calm down from his earlier rage.

“Alright, Third Brother, don’t be angry anymore.”

When Xie Yu had confronted Xie Wanyi earlier, the guards arranged by the Eldest Princess, as well as the men placed nearby by Wei Zhaorong, had been watching from a distance. At a single signal from him, the two of them could have been dealt with.

He hadn’t expected Xie Lan to act first.

The feeling of being protected by his third brother was wonderful. Xie Yu savored it.

“Third Brother, Third Brother,” Xie Yu called.

“Mm?” Xie Lan responded.

“Hurry and eat. The noodles will get soggy.”

“Alright.”

The two of them fell silent and quietly finished their bowls of noodles.

By the time they were done, Xie Lan’s emotions had finally settled.