Zhu Mingqing ran like the wind, and as she passed by the other courtyards, she quietly collected everything in them when no one was looking.
Better to take it herself than to let the heartless imperial family have it.
As long as these people didn't cause trouble on the road to exile, she would look after them to some extent.
After all, having been given a second chance at life in this body, some things were simply unavoidable.
The estate's accounting office was quite bustling at the moment. The people sent by the Old Princess Consort were shouting for everyone to hurry up, with chests of silver lined up in the courtyard.
Never mind all that—at this point, they couldn't possibly guess that the money had been taken by her.
In the blink of an eye, several servants watched helplessly as the silver vanished before their eyes. Thinking it was ghosts at work, they screamed and scrambled about in chaos.
After finishing the last haul, Zhu Mingqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
By the time she strolled leisurely back to her room, Fen Tao was already pacing in circles with anxiety. Only when she saw her mistress appear safe and sound did she relax—just as a commotion of shouting erupted from outside.
Zhu Mingqing raised an eyebrow. Here we go!
She took another sip of water before slowly rising to her feet.
Before leaving, recalling the reason for the Luo family's exile, she opened a drawer and tucked its contents away.
…
Jiuqu Lane in the western part of the capital was separated from the imperial palace by just one road—a place well known to the citizens as the domain of the powerful and noble.
Tall willow trees lined both sides of the road, their green shade providing coolness and a sense of tranquil seclusion.
Only one household resided here—the Luo Prince Manor, the sole non-imperial princely estate enfeoffed by the founding emperor of Nanxia.
The Luo Prince Manor, where no one had ever dared to raise their voice, was now in complete chaos.
Servants knelt in droves, and the masters of each branch were dragged out, disheveled and wailing to the heavens.
The Old Princess Consort and Luo Wenhong were carried out unconscious.
The scene was as lively as a hive of a hundred bees, buzzing without end.
The moment Zhu Mingqing appeared, she immediately drew hateful glares from everyone.
She surveyed the scene, her gaze settling on a young man.
He wore a simple round-collar robe of pale cyan, plain in style yet giving off an air of ethereal grace.
His brows were faint, his eyes narrow and long. His features weren't particularly handsome, but one glance was enough to be drawn in by the cold, aloof aura he exuded.
When he saw her, a barely perceptible flicker of concern passed through his eyes.
He didn't seem like the saintly eldest son who kept his distance from her.
And the man and woman he shielded behind him—those would be the villainous second son and his wife.
Still, she never expected the great villain described in the book to be so striking in appearance.
A hint of admiration flashed through Zhu Mingqing's eyes, then she walked over with perfect composure and stood calmly beside him.
A trace of astonishment surfaced in Luo Huai's deep, dark eyes. Mother… wasn't crying?
Before he could ask, the newly awakened Old Prince Luo was brought over as well, his white hair a disheveled mess and his face pale.
The moment he saw the man holding the imperial edict, fury erupted.
"Qi Cheng, how dare you—how could it be you!"
Deputy General Qi laughed heartily: "His Majesty is wise and knows how to delegate. Why shouldn't it be me!"
Luo Huai sneered inwardly. He never imagined that the man sent to confiscate their property would be Uncle Qi—the one Grandfather had taken in and raised, who had grown up alongside his father.
In the end, he was still just a fifteen-year-old boy, and after the string of blows he'd suffered recently, he couldn't hold back: "Ungrateful—"
The word "wolf" hadn't even left his mouth before someone tugged at his sleeve.
Luo Huai frowned and looked over in displeasure.
Zhu Mingqing's voice was hoarse as she said slowly: "There's no point in saying anything now. Better to think about what comes next."
Surprise flickered through Luo Huai's mind. He couldn't believe those words came from his weak-willed mother.
Zhu Mingqing didn't care what he was thinking—she just didn't want any more trouble.
The road to exile was fraught with mortal danger. In the book, Luo Huai had indeed cursed the man out, but Deputy General Qi was a truly petty man. He'd bribed the escorts to make the Luo family's journey miserable, and the third son's left leg had ended up crippled because treatment came too late.
"Since everyone's here, let's receive the edict!" Deputy General Qi felt immense satisfaction seeing them too furious to speak.
In the past, he'd been mocked and ridiculed, called the Luo Prince Manor's guard dog.
The Luo family had looked down on him—but so what? Now they were kneeling before him, at his mercy.
"Grand General of Zheng-yuan, Luo Tingshan, defied the imperial command. Driven by personal selfishness, he caused the deaths of fifty thousand soldiers. In consideration of the Luo ancestors' meritorious legacy, all members of the Luo Prince Manor are hereby stripped of rank and reduced to commoners, and exiled to Guancheng beyond the frontier."
The moment the words fell, everyone burst into wails, each shouting that they had nothing to do with it and begging His Majesty to show mercy.
"Cough, cough… I must see His Majesty." Old Prince Luo was so agitated he coughed violently, deeply regretting ever having taken that man in and raised him.
It seemed Tingshan's affair was inextricably tied to him as well.
Deputy General Qi looked down at him from above, a smug smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Old Prince, as acquaintances, let me offer you some advice—don't stir up more trouble. The road to exile is quite treacherous, haha."
"You—" Overwhelmed with grief and fury, Old Prince Luo spat out a mouthful of blood.
Deputy General Qi waved his hand grandly, and the soldiers scattered, charging into the rear courtyards: "Search everything! All estate property is to be confiscated for the state!"
The imperial edict had been issued, and the fate of property confiscation and exile was unavoidable.
As everyone was consumed by grief and despair, a sudden voice turned the blame toward the eldest branch of the family.
"How dare you still have the face to live? If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have fallen to such a state!"
Zhu Mingqing looked over and, drawing on her memories, identified the speaker.
It was Madam Song, wife of the second son—the legitimate daughter of the Song family, whose patriarch served as Left Vice Minister of Revenue, and the niece of Old Princess Consort Tian.
She had originally wanted to marry Mingqing's unfortunate husband, but had been thwarted by the original owner of this body, a merchant's daughter.
From that day on, she had held a grudge against the original owner.
Playing the good cop and bad cop with Old Princess Consort, she had led the original owner around by the nose.
Madam Song glared with wide eyes, gnashing her teeth at Zhu Mingqing. It was this pretty face, with its pitiful, delicate air, that had deceived the general.
Still putting on an act even now—who was she trying to fool? Let her expose the woman's true colors.
The others, their attention diverted, also turned to glare at the eldest branch with clenched teeth.
Zhu Mingqing's lips curved upward, her tone gentle yet laced with barbs: "Since you haven't gone and died, of course we should live well. Now you speak such callous words—but back then, who was it that wailed and threw a tantrum when my husband wanted to divide the family, and couldn't leave the house without flaunting the words 'Luo Prince's Mansion'?"
"You—" Madam Song's face darkened with fury, but she couldn't find the words to argue back.
"Enough, stop talking. It was Father's fault to begin with." Suddenly, a listless voice interjected, and a hand tugged at Zhu Mingqing's clothes to restrain her.
Old Prince Luo heard this and nearly fainted from rage.
If his body weren't so frail, he would have given the boy a flick to the forehead.
Zhu Mingqing was disgusted as well, turning to sweep a glance at the speaker.
Seventeen or eighteen years of age, with a face full of dejection and defeat, and beside him a heavily pregnant woman weeping.
This was… the eldest son, Luo Feng, and his wife, Wu Yunyun?
Zhu Mingqing's expression turned cold. The books said the eldest son couldn't tell right from wrong, but only through personal experience did she realize just how brainless he was.
That was his own father. Even if the old man had truly erred, was it appropriate for a son to point it out publicly?
Moreover, anyone with half a brain would see that this matter was riddled with suspicious details.
Zhu Mingqing narrowed her eyes with a smile and, without a word, delivered a resounding slap to his face. "Does it hurt?"
Luo Feng winced in pain and demanded loudly, "Why did you hit me?"
"Good, it hurts—that's exactly right. Speaking rudely to your mother is your fault, and you deserve the beating!"
Luo Feng choked on his words, about to retort when the raised arm before him cowed him into silence.
Old Prince Luo inwardly sneered: Well struck.
Luo Fu and Luo Xiao both saw the shock in each other's eyes. The latter tugged at her second brother's sleeve and whispered, "Is she all right?"
Luo Huai shook his head without speaking, but his heart was filled with confusion.
Why was Mother acting so strangely today? Had she truly been pushed over the edge?
The others exchanged uneasy glances, occasionally stealing looks at the heir's wife while murmuring among themselves.
"Enough! All of you, shut up!" Deputy General Qi cracked his rope against the ground with a sharp snap, startling everyone into silence.
"Listen up, everyone. The Luo family stands on the left, the servants on the right…"
Fen Tao wiped away her tears and tried to follow her mistress, but a single look from Zhu Mingqing stopped her, and she had no choice but to stand in the other line.
She clutched the object hidden in her bosom, a resolve forming in her heart.
Deputy General Qi was in the middle of directing the crowd when an official suddenly rushed over in a panic: "Sir, something's wrong—we haven't found any money or valuables."
Deputy General Qi's expression shifted, and he turned to Old Prince Luo with a threatening tone: "His Majesty intended to show the Luo family mercy, but it seems the Luo family does not cherish that grace. In that case, I shall have no choice but to report the truth to His Majesty."