“The General died in battle and lost fifty thousand troops? Is it true?”
“That’s what everyone is saying on the streets. Even the Old Prince has fallen into a coma…”
“It must be false, all a conspiracy! The General is wise and valiant; how could he possibly be defeated!”
Listening to the discussions outside, combined with the strange memories in her mind, Zhu Mingqing couldn’t help but curse under her breath.
How damn unlucky!
She had just retired from the special forces yesterday. Before she could even enjoy her life, she was involved in a plane crash. Upon waking up, she had transmigrated into a novel about a chaotic era that she had once read.
The original owner of this body was also named Zhu Mingqing. She had been married to Luo Tingshan, the Heir Apparent of Nanxia’s Prince Luo Manor and the General of Far-reaching Conquest, for seventeen years. Upon hearing the news of her husband’s defeat, she immediately hung herself. The very next day, everyone in the Prince’s Manor was exiled.
However, her second son would eventually endure the humiliation, successfully revolt to end the chaos, and become the Emperor. But he also became a great villain feared by everyone, and his ultimate end was truly miserable.
Thinking about the reason for the exile, Zhu Mingqing’s head throbbed with pain. It was all the fault of the original owner, yet now she was the one who had to clean up the mess.
“Madam, you’re finally awake!” Fen Tao pushed the door open, carrying a bowl of medicine, her face lighting up with surprise.
Zhu Mingqing looked up. The newcomer was dressed in pink—was this the maid named Fen Tao?
She was loyal and knew a bit about medicine, but on the road to exile, she had been violated and killed while trying to protect the original owner’s daughter.
Yes, besides the villainous second son, she had two other sons and a daughter. Her eldest daughter-in-law was also pregnant. In a few months, she would become a grandmother.
Zhu Mingqing closed her eyes weakly, took a deep breath, and opened them again.
She opened her mouth, intending to speak, but a gust of cold wind hit her throat, making her cough violently.
Damn, it hurts!
“What… time is it now?”
“Reporting to Madam…” Before Fen Tao could finish, the distant tolling of a bell echoed through the air.
Dong, dong…
The heavy tolling of the bell accompanied the whistling north wind as a sliver of light appeared on the horizon.
The morning court session had begun!
There were only two hours left before the imperial decree to confiscate the house arrived.
Zhu Mingqing’s heart tightened. She couldn’t just sit and wait for death.
“It is exactly the hour of Mao,” Fen Tao finished her sentence.
Zhu Mingqing picked up the medicine, downed it in one gulp, stood up to get dressed, and tied back her long hair. Her movements were sharp and swift, as if she had practiced them countless times.
Fen Tao was stunned and couldn’t help but remind her: “The Old Princess Consort has excused the morning greetings. Madam does not need to go and wait on her; you can rest more today.”
Speaking of this, Zhu Mingqing couldn’t help but grit her teeth. The original owner was too weak, always weeping and wailing whenever she was bullied.
If you had the courage to commit suicide, what else were you afraid to face?
“Madam, where are you going?” Seeing her move, Fen Tao immediately followed.
“Don’t follow me. Oh, and pack some silver and hide it on your person!” Thinking of what was to come, she turned back to write a letter, then took a stack of indenture contracts from a box. “Make sure this letter is delivered to the Zhu family today. Also, distribute these contracts; after today, you are all free.”
With that, she walked out.
Fen Tao was dazed, feeling an eerie sense that her mistress was settling her final affairs.
By the time she snapped out of it, Madam was already gone.
…
Recalling the layout of Prince Luo’s Manor, Zhu Mingqing turned left out of the door. Her first destination: the Old Princess Consort’s private treasury.
The original owner had almost nothing left of her dowry; it had all been wheedled away by the Old Princess Consort.
She had to get some life-saving money, at least enough to reach the place of exile safely.
There weren’t many people on the way to the private treasury, but there were two guards at the door.
Taking them by surprise, she stepped forward and struck each of them with the back of a knife, knocking them unconscious.
When the doors to the private treasury opened, Zhu Mingqing’s eyes widened instantly.
Tsk tsk, this was truly eye-opening.
She had visited museums in the modern world, but compared to this place, those were small fry.
Exquisite porcelains of all kinds were neatly arranged across ten full shelves.
There were also countless deeds for land and shops, gold and silver jewelry, silks and satins, and crates filled with various pearls, agates, and jadeite…
Taking any single piece back to the modern world would probably buy a whole house!
Moreover, upon closer inspection, the original owner’s dowry was basically all here.
Sigh, what could she say? The original owner was truly a fool!
However, if she could take these things with her, what would she have to worry about on the road to exile?
As soon as the thought flashed through her mind, Zhu Mingqing thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.
Because the gold ingot in her hand had vanished.
She blinked, and realizing something, she excitedly picked up a golden hair ornament to test it.
Sure enough, it disappeared as well.
She held her breath and whispered tentatively, “System? Spatial Storage?”
“I am here, Qingqing,” a crisp voice suddenly sounded. “As long as you think it in your mind, you can take items into your Spatial Storage.”
Zhu Mingqing’s eyes lit up. The Heavens still loved her; now she wouldn’t have to worry on the road to exile.
With the thought of collecting things, the room was instantly emptied.
The tables and chairs in the corners, the large water vat by the door—not a single speck was left behind.
As she was leaving the courtyard, the sound of the Old Princess Consort’s intermittent sobbing suddenly drifted from a room.
“Hong-er, this news can’t be true, right? What will we do in the future?”
“Mother, don’t worry about whether it’s true or false for now. The most important thing is to send all the valuables out, and don’t let the eldest branch get their hands on them.”
“Rest assured, the money is all with me. On the road to exile, I will find an opportunity to separate them from us.”
“But the Zhu family surely won’t ignore Sister-in-law.”
“Then we’ll keep them around for a while. We’ll wait until that fool hands over her money to me before we decide.”
Fine, since you don’t care whether we live or die, don’t blame me for being ruthless!
Zhu Mingqing kicked the door open with force. Before the mother and son could see who it was, they were knocked unconscious.
Because they were discussing private matters, the maids and servants were keeping their distance, so no one knew what was happening inside.
Zhu Mingqing directly swept the room clean. As she left the room, she felt the floorboards beneath her feet were uneven and discovered a hidden basement.
Inside was a small mountain of glittering gold.
One look at it was breathtaking.
At the very least, Zhu Mingqing had never seen this much gold before.
This Old Princess Consort, building such a concealed basement in her own room—she must have been up to something shady.
Take it all; they wouldn’t be able to move it out anyway.
Next, Zhu Mingqing deliberately avoided everyone and went to the Prince’s Manor’s main warehouse.
This was more than twice the size of the Old Princess Consort’s.
Good heavens, as expected of the only manor belonging to a Prince of a different surname. Having followed the Great Ancestor in battles and accumulated wealth for a century, one could only imagine how much was here.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the wealth rivaled a kingdom. With money, power, and the love of the people, no wonder they were being targeted!
No matter, she took it all.
Bows, arrows, knives, spears, swords, halberds, and other weapons; stockpiled grain; rare medicinal materials such as ginseng, lingzhi, snow lotus, saffron, cordyceps, and cistanche; and many rare books and paintings—all were taken.
When the goose passes, pluck its feathers; Zhu Mingqing would absolutely not leave a single grain of rice for her enemies.
At this point, there was only one hour left until the arrival of the imperial decree.
Zhu Mingqing took a deep breath, ignored the pain from her neck, and broke into a fast run.
When she reached the kitchen, she took all the pots and pans, fruits and vegetables, grain and seasonings, snacks and pastries, and seeds. Even the firewood in the woodshed was taken, leaving not even a splinter.
When she passed the sewing room, she went in and conducted a massive sweep. Needles, threads, thimbles, robes, boots, and all kinds of clothing and furs for the four seasons were not spared.
There was one more important place: the Prince’s Manor’s accounts office.