“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: General Mu Yunsheng of the General’s Manor, for colluding with foreign enemies and conspiring to usurp the throne, yet in consideration of his illustrious military achievements and loyal service, is hereby exempted from the death penalty. Now, the entire Mu family is demoted to commoner status, their property confiscated, and they are to be exiled to Fangling. They are forbidden from returning to the capital without an imperial decree. So it is decreed!”
“General Mu, receive the decree.”
“This commoner obeys the decree!”
Li Fuquan glanced at the sparsely populated Mu family and, despite having witnessed such scenes many times, could not help but sigh at the fickleness of human relationships.
The Mu family had served in the military for generations and had always been small in number.
After this incident, the maids and servants in the manor had either left or scattered. Only a dozen or so people remained now.
“General Mu, I still address you as ‘General’ out of respect, for you have indeed rendered great service to Da Qing. But one must always guard against others. It would be wise for you to be more cautious in the future.”
“Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch.” Mu Yunsheng’s hand gripping the decree was taut with bulging veins.
“Alright, everyone, proceed.” Li Fuquan signaled the soldiers behind him to enter and seize the Mu family’s assets.
“Wait!”
Lin Zhiman ignored Mu Tairan’s attempts to stop her and insisted on standing up to halt Li Fuquan’s actions.
Li Fuquan’s gaze swept over her like a black venomous snake, causing Lin Zhiman’s legs to weaken in fear.
“What is it?”
“Eunuch, this commoner wishes to report Da Qing’s Luoyang Princess, Shang Yueli, for fleeing without permission and defying the imperial decree!”
At these words, everyone’s attention turned to Lin Zhiman.
Upon closer inspection, Shang Yueli was indeed not present.
Could it be that she had truly escaped?
Eunuch Li’s expression remained unchanged, but he was inwardly shocked.
For a princess to defy an imperial decree was a crime punishable by the execution of nine generations of one’s family. But under heaven, who would dare to chop off the Emperor’s head?
Was this new daughter-in-law of the second branch kicked in the head by a donkey?
Eunuch Li forced a smile and said, “Defying an imperial decree is a crime punishable by the execution of nine generations.”
Lin Zhiman’s legs gave way, and she fell to her knees in terror.
The youngest son of the third branch, who had been kneeling properly, jumped up in panic upon hearing about the execution of nine generations, his chubby cheeks trembling as he shouted, “I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die! Go die yourself!”
Jiang Xia of the third branch hurriedly covered her son’s mouth and said with an apologetic smile, “Please excuse him, Eunuch. He is still young and doesn’t know any better. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”
“The youngest son of the third branch—if I recall correctly, he should be eleven or twelve years old, right? If he does not wish to go to Fangling, I can petition the Emperor to send him to military service!”
For a moment, everyone fell silent, and no one dared to speak again.
When Shang Yueli arrived, this was the scene she witnessed.
“My apologies, I am late.”
Shang Yueli glanced at the crowd with a hint of guilt.
Not only had she emptied the Mu family’s treasury, but she had also used her space ability to teleport into the palace and clear out the national treasury entirely.
Li Fuquan, seeing that she was still here, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Your Highness, the Princess, the Emperor’s intention is that as long as you are willing, you may remain Da Qing’s Luoyang Princess.”
Hearing this, Shang Yueli inwardly sneered, though her expression remained neutral.
How could that dog Emperor truly be so kind-hearted? He merely wanted to keep her in the palace as a hostage because she was carrying Mu Yunsheng’s child.
Shang Yueli refused, saying, “Eunuch, since I have married into the Mu family, I am a member of the Mu family in life and a ghost of the Mu family in death. There is no reason for me to flee when the Mu family faces disaster.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Yunsheng looked up at Shang Yueli in surprise.
She had been gone for so long that he thought she would never return.
“If Your Highness insists on this course, then this humble servant shall say no more. Men, search the premises!”
“Search every corner thoroughly! If anything is overlooked and His Majesty holds you accountable, none of you will escape punishment.”
A troop of officers noisily stormed into the Mu residence, ransacking every area, not even sparing the Mu family’s private treasury.
Li Fuquan looked quite satisfied watching chest after chest of treasures being carried out.
“Your Excellency, everything is here.”
“Open them for inspection.”
When the contents of the chests were revealed, even Li Fuquan couldn’t control his expression, while the Mu family members exchanged bewildered glances.
Lin Zhiman couldn’t resist looking up—the chests were filled entirely with books, with no treasures to be found!
Mu Yunsheng also found this strange.
He turned to glance at Shang Yueli’s abdomen—it was indeed larger than before, but still nowhere near big enough to conceal the treasures that should have been in the chests.
Had she given everything to Lu Shiqing of the Prime Minister’s residence?
At this thought, Mu Yunsheng clenched his fists, pressing his tongue against his cheek.
“Mu Yunsheng, let me be blunt—concealing assets is a crime that warrants severer punishment!”
“Your Excellency, please be just! How could we possibly conceal any assets?”
Lin Zhiman panicked, terrified they might discover the treasures she had hidden beneath the old elm tree.
“I know, I know! I know where they hid the silver!”
Seeing that it was the chubby young Mu Shicai from the third branch, Li Fuquan motioned for him to continue.
“Second Uncle took all the money to marry his new wife—the money must be on that woman!”
“And Cousin.” Mu Shicai then pointed at Mu Yunsheng. “Ever since his wife got pregnant, she’s been eating delicacies every day. The money must have all gone into her belly—otherwise, why would her stomach be so fat!”
Li, Shang, Lin, and the others: “…”
Alright, that’s enough from you.
Shang Yueli took out a clean handkerchief and stuffed it into Mu Shicai’s mouth.
“Shut up!”
If they let him continue spouting nonsense here, the Mu family’s sentence would likely be upgraded from exile to execution!
Jiang Xia grew frantic, shoving Shang Yueli aside and shielding her son behind her.
“What are you doing!”
“Our Shicai is still growing—what if you harm him?!”
Shang Yueli felt a sharp pain in her abdomen from the push, and Mu Yunsheng quickly steadied her.
“Are you alright—” Mu Yunsheng’s hand paused as it rested on Shang Yueli’s stomach.
There was no soft flesh to be found—only silver and banknotes.
Seeing that Shang Yueli still had the leisure to wink at him, his anxious heart immediately settled.
“Aunt, Mu Shicai is not that young. I think it would be good for him to join the army and contribute his modest effort to the Da Qing nation.”
“Yunsheng, what kind of talk is that? Your aunt was just joking with Yueli—see, she’s perfectly fine.”
“All of you, silence!”
Li Fuquan had thought this trip would yield some profit, but who would have expected the prestigious General’s residence to be as stingy as an iron rooster, with no valuable goods in sight?
Just as Li Fuquan opened his mouth to pronounce charges, he was abruptly interrupted by a voice:
“Your Excellency, something terrible has happened!”
“What is it? Why the panic? This is no way to behave!”
“Your Excellency, the national treasury has been emptied by thieves!”
“What?!!” Li Fuquan’s pupils dilated in shock, and he rushed back to the palace at top speed.