“My lord, please take me with you.”
The Prime Minister’s wife wrapped her slender fingers, painted with bright crimson nail polish, around Yan Lexian’s sleeve and tugged at it coquettishly.
She had climbed her way up from being a lowly concubine to her current position. More than anything, she wanted to witness with her own eyes how those noble ladies who had been born into privilege would fall from the clouds and become miserable prisoners.
After being pestered relentlessly, Yan Lexian finally sighed in defeat.
“Fine, fine. You can come. But when the time comes, keep your mouth shut.”
The Prime Minister’s wife immediately beamed, her scarlet lips blooming like flowers.
“My lord is the best!”
The couple had just prepared to extinguish the lamps and retire for the night when a commotion suddenly erupted outside.
“Fire! Fire!”
The terrified cries of the servants shattered the night’s silence, followed by frantic shouts for help and the chaotic pounding of running footsteps.
The Prime Minister’s wife’s expression changed dramatically as she shoved Yan Lexian.
“My lord! The treasury! The fire’s coming from the treasury!”
Yan Lexian didn’t waste another second. Throwing on an outer robe, he rushed outside.
His wife followed close behind, panic and anguish written all over her face.
Towering flames illuminated the night sky, while thick black smoke billowed upward as though it intended to swallow everything.
Both the treasury and the granary were ablaze. The raging fire painted the surrounding trees an eerie crimson.
Standing at a distance, the Prime Minister and his wife watched the sudden inferno with hearts that bled in despair.
“Quick! Put out the fire!”
Yan Lexian roared until his voice turned hoarse, unable to conceal the terror gripping his heart.
The Prime Minister’s wife was equally horrified.
“My lord… our fortune!”
Yan Lexian’s face turned ashen. Fury burned in his eyes as he barked orders at the servants, but all their efforts were in vain.
Amid the chaos, Xin Long descended silently from the rooftop like a ghost, her black-clad figure melting seamlessly into the darkness.
Watching the panicked crowd struggling against the flames, a mocking smile curved her lips.
Trying to profit from the Xiao family?
Then pay the price first.
She slipped into the Prime Minister’s bedchamber.
The carved canopy bed was draped with luxurious embroidered quilts and soft bedding.
Without the slightest ripple of emotion, Xin Long swiftly swept every valuable item in the room into her storage space.
Gold, silver, jewels, priceless antiques, famous paintings and calligraphy—even the two brand-new embroidered quilts decorated with mandarin ducks swimming together were not spared.
You wanted to steal my eldest sister-in-law’s family heirloom bracelet?
Then don’t expect to keep even a single grain of rice!
After storing away all her spoils, Xin Long quietly left the Prime Minister’s residence under the cover of darkness.
She didn’t stop there.
Without pausing to rest, she headed straight for her next destination.
Every corrupt official in the capital who had colluded with the Emperor and oppressed the common people would become her target tonight.
She intended to let every one of them experience what it felt like to lose everything.
After thoroughly emptying the residences of every corrupt official, both great and small, throughout the capital, Xin Long finally arrived at her own Princess Manor.
The manor held numerous property deeds—prime commercial properties located in the busiest districts of the capital—which had all been bestowed upon her by the Emperor.
When she married Xiao Jinghe, the Emperor had gifted her an enormous dowry. Gold, silver, jewels, and countless treasures filled the estate, far exceeding what an ordinary princess would receive upon marriage.
Looking back now, it was obvious the Emperor had done so merely to appear generous and win people’s favor, knowing that everything would eventually return to his own hands.
Xin Long packed every piece of her dowry and every property deed into her storage space, stripping the Princess Manor completely bare.
After changing out of her black clothes, she calmly returned to the Duke Dingguo Estate as though nothing had happened.
The moment she stepped into her courtyard, her personal maid, Qiuyue, hurried over with a face full of worry.
“Your Highness, where have you been?”
“I heard the maids saying the Duke Dingguo Estate is going to be confiscated. There are rumors everywhere…”
Qiuyue cautiously studied Xin Long’s expression, clearly wanting to say more but hesitating.
Looking at the loyal maid before her, Xin Long’s emotions became complicated.
Back when the original princess had been an ignored princess confined to the Cold Palace, Qiuyue had stayed faithfully by her side, never abandoning her.
Unfortunately, her mistress had been hopelessly obsessed with love. In her previous life, after the original owner was tortured to death by a eunuch, Qiuyue, as her personal maid, likely hadn’t met a better fate.
Xin Long sighed inwardly.
Since she now occupied this body, she would naturally protect the girl.
“The estate really is about to be confiscated,” Xin Long said calmly.
Qiuyue’s body trembled violently, and all the color drained from her face.
“Your Highness… how could this happen…? His Majesty…”
She choked back sobs, her eyes wide with helplessness.
Xin Long took a one-hundred-tael silver banknote and Qiuyue’s contract of servitude from her storage space and placed them in her hands.
The banknote was crisp and new, carrying the faint scent of fresh ink.
“Qiuyue, you’re the person closest to me.”
“Now that the Duke Dingguo Estate is about to collapse, I don’t know how Imperial Brother intends to deal with me.”
“I don’t want to drag you down with me.”
“Qiuyue, this is your freedom contract. Take it, along with this silver, and leave the estate immediately.”
“Use the money to start a small business. Thank you for taking care of me all these years.”
Looking at the deed and the banknote in her hands, tears streamed down Qiuyue’s face.
She understood Xin Long’s intentions and knew that staying by her side would only make things worse, since she had no ability to help.
“Your Highness…”
All the words she wished to say ultimately became those three simple words.
With trembling hands, Qiuyue accepted the silver, took one last deep look at Xin Long, then turned and disappeared into the night.
Xin Long watched her leave before walking toward her bedchamber.
Inside, the room was already piled high with the belongings sent over by her six sisters-in-law.
Several thick cotton quilts were neatly stacked together, still carrying the fresh scent of sunshine.
Beside them were several plain-colored padded winter garments, every stitch sewn with meticulous care.
There were also the dowries their natal families had given them when they married into the Duke Dingguo household.
A few simple pieces of jewelry.
Several bolts of plain-colored cloth.
And various small personal belongings.
It wasn’t much.
Compared to the fortunes she had just looted from the corrupt officials, these possessions weren’t even enough to fill a single room.
It was obvious that the women of the Duke Dingguo household had always lived frugally and honestly.
Looking at these humble belongings, Xin Long thought about how the women of the Duke Dingguo family were already living in such modest circumstances, yet the Prime Minister’s wife had still coveted her eldest sister-in-law’s family heirloom bracelet.
The more she thought about it, the more she regretted not making the fire burn even hotter.
It would have been better if the Prime Minister’s entire estate had burned to the ground.
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