"Vice Commander, this… isn't quite appropriate, is it?" Perhaps feeling that the order was too offensive, the few imperial guards who had been singled out all hesitated.
Though Lu Feng had betrayed the country, the Lu family's illustrious military achievements could not be erased. Old Madame Lu had been a heroine in her youth, every bit as formidable as any man. Even if the family had fallen on hard times now, they still deserved respect.
The Vice Commander's face darkened. "What's inappropriate about it? I am here on His Majesty's orders to confiscate the household property. Since this is a confiscation, how can we allow them to spirit away anything of value from right under our noses?"
"A bunch of criminals—whether they even live long enough to reach their place of exile is questionable. I told you to strip them, so strip them! What's with all the nonsense!"
Vice Commander Zhang Shiming was the younger brother of Consort Li.
To counterbalance the Lu family, Emperor Shun'an had conferred the title of Consort Xian upon Lu Wanzhen, Old Madame Lu's only daughter, upon his ascension to the throne.
Consort Li had tried several times to frame her, only to suffer the consequences herself and miscarry, leaving her with a burning hatred for Consort Xian.
Now that the Zhenguo Jiangjun Mansion had fallen and Consort Xian had been cast into the cold palace, Zhang Shiming, tasked with confiscating the household, would naturally never pass up this chance to kick someone when they were down.
For Emperor Shun'an to have sent such a person here—it was clear he intended to make things difficult for the Lu family.
Old Madame Lu could not afford to be any more heartbroken. How laughable that their Lu family, with all their iron integrity, had devoted such fervent loyalty to a man like that.
It truly wasn't worth it!
Zhang Shiming's gaze swept across the crowd and suddenly landed on Song Mingyuan, who was walking toward them.
He hadn't noticed her before, but now that he had, he couldn't tear his eyes away. Good heavens, when had the Jiangjun Mansion hidden away such a beauty?
Zhang Shiming's heart itched with desire. He pointed at Song Mingyuan and said, "Start with her! Strip her clothes off—strip them clean! She's definitely hiding money on her!"
In an instant, everyone's eyes turned to Song Mingyuan.
Old Madame Lu's heart skipped a beat.
This child—why hadn't she left with Qiuniang already? How foolish!
Even returning to the Song family would have been better than going into exile with them.
Fearing that Song Mingyuan would be implicated, Old Madame Lu quickly spoke up: "This is the Second Miss of the Song family from the Taifu Mansion. She has no connection to the Lu family. Even exile would not extend to her. Please, Vice Commander, in consideration of the Grand Tutor's reputation, allow her to leave."
Zhang Shiming let out a cold snort. "Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"
Yesterday had been Lu Peifeng's wedding day. The fact that it was the Second Miss Song who appeared here rather than the First Miss was already cause for suspicion.
Combined with the Lu family's conviction, what was there not to understand?
"She's nothing but a discarded pawn the Song family no longer wants. Once she's stepped through the Lu family's door, she's a member of the Lu family. Even if we beat her to death, what's the worst that could happen?"
Zhang Shiming was emboldened by his position, and the look he gave Song Mingyuan carried a hint of ill intent that made one's skin crawl.
"Strip her!"
Song Mingyuan looked at Zhang Shiming the way one might look at a dead man.
The sharp weapon in her Spatial Dimension was aimed at his head, ready to smash down like a watermelon splitter and blow his skull apart in one blow.
Old Madame Lu's voice rang out, heavy with fury: "Vice Commander! If you insist on stripping the clothes of my Lu family's women and defiling their honor, then this old woman doesn't mind dashing her head against this wall and dying right here!"
"The women of the Lu family are fierce and unyielding—they will not endure such humiliation. His Majesty only ordered exile. You wouldn't want several corpses to appear here before the exile even begins, would you?"
Her gaze was icy. "I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to explain that to His Majesty!"
First Madame Lu said coldly, "Since you refuse to grant us dignity, we will have no choice but to die to preserve it ourselves."
"It's only a life—if the Vice Envoy wants it, take it. There's no need to humiliate us with such despicable tactics."
Song Mingyuan set aside her killing intent. This was the first time she had been defended by elder female relatives like Old Madame Lu and First Madame Lu, and it felt rather novel.
If the Emperor wanted the lives of the general's household, he would not have issued an edict for their exile. This behavior was merely to win himself the reputation of a benevolent ruler.
If they died, given the Lu family's accumulated merits, the common folk would surely rise in outrage, and it would be impossible to silence the voices of the realm.
At that point, the Emperor would inevitably hold him accountable first.
This old hag was counting on the fact that he wouldn't dare!
Zhang Shiming's expression turned extremely ugly. "Shackle them and throw them into the imperial prison!"
He spat on the ground. "Pah! You old bastards, just wait! We'll see how the Lu family dies on the road to exile!"
"Once I've confiscated the general's estate, I'll have the officials give you special attention along the way!"
People dying during exile was a common occurrence. Once they left the capital and set foot on the road to exile, they were no more than ants he could crush with a flick of his fingers.
With that thought, Zhang Shiming's mood improved somewhat.
Since he couldn't make things difficult for them and make them suffer early, he would make them watch with their own eyes as the family's wealth was confiscated and their belongings desecrated.
Zhang Shiming narrowed his eyes and let out two chuckles. "The general's estate must have plenty of valuable things. Those rebel scum of the Lu family are probably a pile of corpses by now—their belongings are useless to them. Smash them all!"
Old Madame Lu closed her eyes, barely able to suppress the fury in her heart. The other madams trembled with rage.
Whatever the fate of the Lu men, if something had truly happened to them, what they left behind would be their last possessions. Yet now they were being forced to watch those things desecrated before their eyes—how could they accept it!
The madams' eyes were bloodshot as they glared hatefully at Zhang Shiming. Had they not been bound in heavy shackles, they would have lunged at him.
The angrier they became, the more pleased Zhang Shiming was.
"Destroying a few insignificant things won't earn the Emperor's displeasure. Men, search the place now! Whatever you find, smash it to pieces—ah!"
The word "pieces" had barely left his mouth when half of the general's estate gate collapsed without warning, slamming down with a thunderous crash onto Zhang Shiming's back.
The entire man was crushed flat beneath the heavy gate, like a frog squashed under a boulder. His eyes bulged, he sprayed out a mouthful of blood, and passed out cold.
Everyone who witnessed the scene felt their hearts lurch. A chill shot from the soles of their feet up their spines, their scalps tingling. Those quick to react had already stumbled back several steps.
Damn it all!
How did it just fall like that?
That gate was enormous—terrifying!
The Vice Envoy was always mixed up in something sinister!
The madams of the Lu family were also startled by the incident, instinctively covering the children's eyes. Seeing Zhang Shiming's miserable state, they felt a fierce satisfaction, as if a great weight had been lifted from their chests.
The wicked are punished by heaven—it served him right!
Without exception, everyone took Zhang Shiming's misfortune as an accident.
Only Old Madame Lu noticed the unusually cold look in Song Mingyuan's eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, but in the end, she found the matter too unbelievable, so she dismissed the thought that had risen in her mind.
Amida Buddha, how could she possibly think this child possessed such eerie abilities?
Zhang Shiming was their immediate superior, and the remaining imperial guards couldn't very well leave him lying there. So they surged forward and worked together to move the door aside, and after a great deal of bustling effort, they finally managed to wake him up.
Every bone in Zhang Shiming's body felt as if it had been shattered. He endured the pain and opened his eyes, only to hear one of the imperial guards who had been sent to search the house rushing over to report in haste.
"Vice Commander, something terrible has happened! Something truly terrible!"