Following the sound toward the main gate, an oily, powdered old eunuch waddled in, swaying his plump waist.
Shen Wan remembered this old eunuch was the emperor’s confidant, Huang Gonggong.
Years ago, his adopted son had killed someone in the army and was executed according to the law by Zhen Guo Gong.
From that incident, the two had become enemies.
Now, sending him to confiscate the family’s property clearly showed the emperor had no intention of sparing the Guo Gong residence.
“Reporting to Gonggong, all the items are here. Please take a look,” said the officers in charge of the search, carrying in several boxes one after another, their faces smeared with fawning smiles.
Half a box of broken silver, some tattered calligraphy and paintings, and a few worthless, bulky bronze artifacts.
Huang Gonggong, who had been eager to seize the opportunity for profit, stared in disbelief. “Who are you trying to fool? How could the prestigious Zhen Guo Gong residence be this poor?”
Xie Mubai was also puzzled.
It was true that Zhen Guo Gong’s household was poor, but not to this extent.
Although he had hidden most of the valuables beforehand, the items left in the warehouse were far more than this.
“Do you think we moved the things in advance?” he sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm.
Huang Gonggong narrowed his small, triangular eyes and scoffed disdainfully. “You’d need the capability for that!”
By now, he was almost certain that Zhen Guo Gong’s residence was genuinely impoverished.
From the moment the despicable emperor decided to confiscate their property, spies had been secretly watching the Guo Gong residence.
Not even a fly could have escaped, let alone any valuables.
“But what if they’re hiding things on their persons?”
Catching sight of the beautiful female family members in the crowd, a wicked glint flashed in Huang Gonggong’s murky eyes.
He sauntered over to Sun Shi and Xie Mubai’s half-sister, Xie Murong, and reached out his greasy claws to lecherously stroke their faces.
Xie Murong, still unmarried and sheltered, had never encountered such a situation. Her face turned deathly pale, and she nearly fainted from fear.
“You scoundrel! If you have the guts, come at me! What kind of skill is it to bully women?” Xie Mubai glared fiercely at Huang Gonggong, his entire being radiating a sharp, knife-like aura that seemed to saturate the stifling air.
Gritting his teeth, he tried to rise from the stretcher.
The entire Zhen Guo Gong family had been loyal and heroic, yet they had fallen to such a state of humiliation. Shen Wan couldn’t help but burn with rage.
“Huang Gonggong, long time no see!” Her eyes flickered with an idea as she smiled and walked toward him. “Had I known you were coming, I would’ve prepared a feast to fulfill my duties as host!”
Taking him by surprise, she retrieved a poisoned needle from her Space and swiftly pricked his Quchi xue.
She had no desire to kill, even in the context of the book.
But for scum like Huang Gonggong, who humiliated the families of heroes, allowing him to live would only lead to more good people suffering.
Though she thought her actions were seamless, Xie Mubai caught every detail.
He didn’t expose her, but his dark pupils contracted slightly.
This woman—what was she really up to?
Huang Gonggong felt as if an ant had bitten him and instinctively scratched his arm. “Get lost! I have no time for your nonsense!”
“Men, search every person in this residence! Strip them down to nothing—not a single piece of clothing left!”
At these words, the female family members turned ashen with terror.
They had always upheld their purity and integrity—how could they endure being stripped bare by those unruly men?
The officers, however, gleamed with excitement.
Apart from the newly arrived Shen Wan, every female member of the Zhen Guo Gong household was a stunning beauty.
These noble and beautiful women were usually beyond their wildest dreams to even glance at, and now that they had the chance for close, intimate contact, how could they let it slip away easily?
"Huang Gonggong, if I were you, I would never do such a foolish thing!" Shen Wan's face darkened as she suddenly raised her voice. "Even if you don't fear being scorned by others, do you not care about our natal families?"
"It's true that the Zhen Guo Gong household has fallen, but our families have not collapsed."
"If this gets out, forget about others—I ask you, how will you explain it to my father?"
Upon hearing this, Huang Gonggong's expression abruptly changed.
It was true that he was the emperor's confidant, but making too many enemies would certainly not bode well for him.
The natal families of these women were all court officials, especially this ugly girl before him—her father was none other than Xiangyang Hou!
Xiangyang Hou had been the emperor's study companion when he was still the crown prince, and the two were as close as brothers.
To offend him would be nothing short of seeking death!
Huang Gonggong hesitated for a moment but still sent officers to fetch a few Jin Po who worked in the prison.
"Search them thoroughly, every last one of you!" he threatened viciously, raising a delicate finger. "If you miss so much as a single coin, I'll have your heads in return!"
The Jin Po, terrified, hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Thus, the group of women was taken to the inner room.
The search was extremely thorough, leaving no part untouched—from the strands of their hair to the tips of their toes.
Sun Shi had hidden the most items; even the banknotes tucked inside her undergarments were discovered.
After the search, one of the Jin Po brought over a pile of patched, coarse hemp clothes and tossed them onto the floor, saying irritably, "You're no longer fit to wear your old clothes. These are what Huang Gonggong has prepared for you."
These noble ladies, accustomed to wearing silks and satins, how could they bear to put on such shabby garments?
"I won't wear these!" Sun Shi exclaimed anxiously at the sight. "Who knows who wore these clothes before? They might even have lice!"
At the mention of lice, the other women's faces also turned pale.
Shen Wan, however, was unfazed. Having grown accustomed to the hardships of the battlefield, she had no such fastidiousness.
She bent down, picked up one of the garments, and carefully put it on.
One of the Jin Po glanced at her, a faint smile appearing on her face. "At least this ugly girl knows what's good for her."
"As for the rest of you, if you'd rather go into exile naked, then don't bother wearing these clothes!"
Could they possibly go into exile naked?
The answer was no.
No matter how unwilling they were, the women reluctantly and sluggishly put on the clothes.
Once everything was settled, the Jin Po handed over the confiscated items to Huang Gonggong.
Looking at the meager pile before him, Huang Gonggong grew even more frustrated.
No wonder Xie Mubai's illness had persisted for so long—it turned out they had no money to hire a renowned physician!
Then again, the court hadn't allocated military funds to the Zhen Guo Gong for years, so their lack of money wasn't surprising.
Impatiently, he waved his hand and shouted in a shrill, effeminate voice, "Someone! Take the prisoners to the city gate immediately and make sure they are 'well taken care of'!"
Even a fool would understand what "well taken care of" meant.
The journey ahead would undoubtedly be harsh for the Zhen Guo Gong family.
Xie Mubai, with his broken leg, couldn't move, and the servants weren't allowed to accompany them to the northwest. Thus, it fell to Shen Wan and Sun Shi to carry him.
As for the other three widowed sisters-in-law, they still had to take care of the children and Concubine Zhou.
The moment they stepped out of the main gate, Xie Mubai suddenly raised his head, his gaze complex as he looked at the solemn mansion before him.
Glazed tiles, vermilion-lacquered doors.
Everything before him was so familiar, yet so distant.
Though it was just a step away, it felt as if mountains and rivers lay between them.
Seeing the desolate look in the villain's eyes, Shen Wan felt a faint ache in her heart and silently cursed the original owner a hundred times.
How could she have been so blind as to betray such an outstanding man?
Huang Gonggong handed over the escort duties entirely to the other officers, while he himself took the confiscated gold, silver, and jewelry and returned to the palace first to report.
Just as the carriage brushed past them, Shen Wan crooked her finger.
In an instant, all the valuables in the carriage quietly vanished into her Space.
"Beat these beasts who colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country to death!"
"Heartless scum, why doesn't heaven strike you damned bastards down with lightning!"
"Slice them into a thousand pieces, use their blood to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers!"
As the group staggered to the street, eggs reeking of foul odor and rotten vegetables rained down upon them like a storm.