Chapter 51 You Might As Well Just Hang Yourself, Sir

"Good, very good!"

She seemed driven mad by fury, suddenly springing to her feet. Pointing straight at Xie Ning's nose, she shrieked at the top of her lungs, "I'll lay it on the line for you today!"

"As long as this old woman is breathing, don't even dream of marrying that sickly wretch into our family!"

"This marriage alliance—you will call it off, and if you won't, you'll still have to call it off!"

"If you refuse, I will... I will hang myself right here at the entrance of Fusheng Hall!"

The old dowager had completely cast aside all pretense, resorting to screeching and rolling on the ground in a childish tantrum. She thought that threatening him with her own life would force Xie Ning to submit.

However, she still underestimated Xie Ning.

Or rather, she fundamentally failed to realize that the Xie Ning standing before her was no longer the cowardly youth of yesteryear who would stand quietly and take her beatings and scoldings.

"Oh?"

Xie Ning arched an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity coloring his tone.

"Hang yourself at the entrance of Fusheng Hall? Are you quite sure about that, Grandmother?"

His breezy, detached attitude—as if he were merely a spectator enjoying a show—completely baffled everyone present.

What... what kind of reaction was this?

Shouldn't a normal person be terrified into offering frantic words of persuasion and begging on their knees?

Why was he acting as if nothing at all was the matter?

The dowager was also taken aback.

She had assumed this tactic would scare Xie Ning out of his wits. Yet looking at him now, he did not seem to care in the least. Could it be that he truly did not give a damn about whether she lived or died?

An ominous preboding welled up in the old woman's heart.

Yet, matters had reached this stage; she had no retreat left. She could only bite the bullet and carry on with the act.

"That's right!"

She straightened her posture, putting on an expression of tragic nobility ready to embrace death.

"I mean what I say! If you refuse to annul the engagement today, I will immediately find a strip of white silk and hang myself right before your eyes. I want to see just how cold and merciless the heart of this unfilial wretch truly is!"

As she spoke, she used the corner of her eye to secretly observe Xie Ning's reaction. She hoped to catch even the slightest trace of hesitation or pity on his face.

Regrettably, she was disappointed.

Xie Ning's expression remained calm, almost as if he were finding the whole spectacle thoroughly entertaining.

"Very well then."

Xie Ning nodded, giving his consent with crisp finality.

Those two words were spoken so lightly, yet they fell upon everyone's ears like two heavy bombs exploding in unison.

Ver... Very well?

What kind of reckless, lunatic words were those?

What did he mean by "very well"?

Did that mean he was actually giving the old woman permission to go ahead and die?

Everyone was dumbfounded, the old dowager included. She stared blankly at Xie Ning, her mind completely blank, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her.

Watching their ghost-like expressions of horror, the smile at the corners of Xie Ning's lips deepened.

He took two steps forward until he was standing right in front of the dowager. Bending down slightly, he leaned in close to the old woman's ear and spoke in a soft murmur meant only for the two of them: "If you want to die, Grandmother, that is entirely your choice."

"However, before you pass on, this grandson has a few things he would like to discuss with you in private."

His voice was gentle, almost seductive, carrying a subtle undercurrent of fascination.

"Aren't you curious about how my mother actually died back then?"

"Aren't you curious about what kind of despicable creature Lord Jia—who has been showing you such absolute filial piety—truly is?"

"Aren't you curious whether your decades of burning incense and reciting Buddhist scriptures at the temple have brought any peace to my mother's departed soul?"

Every single word from Xie Ning struck like a sharp blade directly into the dowager's heart.

Her entire body shuddered violently at his words. For the very first time, terror and utter confusion surfaced within her cloudy, aged eyes.

The death of... Xie Yun.

For all these years, it was a topic she had deliberately avoided, a matter she never dared to ponder. Yet at this very moment, Xie Ning had mercilessly ripped open the scar and laid it bare before her eyes in all its bloody reality.

"What do you mean?"

The dowager's voice trembled uncontrollably.

"I don't mean anything special."

Xie Ning straightened his back, resuming his lazy, languid posture. He glanced around at the bewildered family members and suddenly raised his voice, speaking in clear, resonant tones: "Since Grandmother insists on using her own death to coerce me, if I, as her grandson, refused to grant her wish, wouldn't that make me utterly unfilial?"

As soon as these words left his mouth, the entire courtyard plunged back into a dead silence.

Everyone stared at him as if looking at a total madman.

Had this fellow lost his mind?

Jia Yibo experienced a mixture of shock and elation. He was shocked that Xie Ning could be so depraved and devoid of human ethics and natural order, yet elated that Xie Ning had actually agreed.

Just as he was preparing to step forward and add fuel to the fire, he heard Xie Ning speak again.

"However, Grandmother, if you wish to die, I have no objections. But for you to die all alone would be rather lonely, don't you think?"

His gaze slowly drifted toward Jia Yibo.

That look made Jia Yibo's scalp tingle with dread.

"I think if people are going to die, everyone should die together so you have company on the Yellow Springs road. How lively that would be."

Xie Ning grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.

"Besides, as I mentioned earlier, defying an imperial decree is a capital crime punishable by the execution of all nine familial generations. Since you are so eager for me to defy the imperial decree, I suppose I can accommodate you."

He clapped his hands together, wearing a smile so brilliant it chilled people to the bone.

"Very well, it's settled! I shall march straight into the imperial palace right now and tell His Majesty the Emperor face-to-face that I refuse to marry the Eldest Princess. My reason will be that the dowager of the Marquis of Dingyuan's estate despises the princess for being sickly and short-lived, and has forced me to break the engagement."

"Then, in his wrath, the Emperor will issue a decree to execute every single member of the Marquis of Dingyuan's household."

"When that time comes, our entire family—starting with you, esteemed Grandmother, down to Lord Jia here, his good-for-nothing son, and all the rest of you who are just standing around enjoying the show..."

His finger swept across the courtyard, pointing at each person in turn.

"All of us, hand in hand, heart to heart, will head down to the execution grounds at the vegetable market to happily receive our stroke of the blade. Cleanly, neatly, leaving no one behind."

"Wouldn't that be wonderful? It will fulfill your dearest wish, Grandmother, and spare you from being lonely down below."

After finishing his piece, Xie Ning nodded sagely, appearing thoroughly pleased with his own proposal.

"Yes, I really do think this is a splendid idea."

Fusheng Hall was utterly voiceless.

Everyone stood rooted to the spot as if struck by a paralysis spell, completely motionless. Their faces were etched with absolute terror and dread.

They felt as though they were no longer facing a human being, but an absolute, unadulterated madman!

Jia Yibo's legs gave out, no longer able to support his weight, and he collapsed heavily onto the ground. His face was ashen, and his entire body shook like a sieve in the wind.

At last, he understood.

Xie Ning was not joking in the slightest.

He actually dared to do it!

He was a thoroughly lawless lunatic!

The dowager trembled even more violently, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Staring blankly at Xie Ning, her wrinkled face was completely drained of all color.