While chaos erupted at the Minister’s residence, Prince Pingxi’s estate was no more peaceful.
During the family banquet, a gatekeeper suddenly rushed in anxiously.
“Bad news, Your Highness! Most of the Shen family’s businesses have suddenly been sealed by the Imperial Guards, and His Majesty has summoned you to the palace again!”
Shen Xinglan frowned deeply, saying nothing.
Shen Yujiao looked at him in panic.
“Second Brother, what should we do?”
Shen Xinglan pressed his thin lips together and looked gravely at everyone in the manor.
“Glory came from military merit, and ruin will come from military merit as well. Prince Pingxi’s estate has become too powerful. The Tatars have already been defeated, and I fear His Majesty has begun to see us as a threat.”
The Emperor had tested them many times before. Now, he had finally revealed his dagger.
Mu Wanting immediately suggested:
“Everyone, hide your valuables on yourselves—carefully and discreetly. Hurry.”
At her reminder, everyone rushed back to their rooms to gather their belongings, with the eldest and second branches running the fastest.
Although Shen Yujiao disliked Mu Wanting, she knew Mu Wanting was right at this moment and immediately ordered servants to secure the family’s valuables.
Mu Wanting pulled Shen Xinglan into a room, handed him protective armor, and passed him a small bottle of medicine.
This time, Shen Xinglan did not need her explanation. He immediately changed into the armor, though his voice remained cold.
“If I do not return, find an opportunity to remarry. We were going to divorce anyway.”
Mu Wanting had once sincerely loved Shen Xinglan.
He valued loyalty and had truly made unmatched contributions to Great Xia.
Yet such a hero had not died on the battlefield, but beneath the Emperor’s suspicion and paranoia.
“Since I, Mu Wanting, have married you, then until we are officially divorced, your fate and mine are one. I will also protect your family.”
Something stirred faintly in Shen Xinglan’s heart.
He knew Mu Wanting loved him, but he had not expected her to remain steadfast even at a moment when lives hung in the balance.
Yet he himself did not know how things would end, nor could he promise her anything.
At most, he could leave her a letter of divorce so she could escape this dangerous mire.
Outside the door, Li Dafu urged impatiently for him to leave.
Shen Xinglan opened the door. A cold winter scent drifted toward Mu Wanting, accompanied by his deep magnetic voice.
“When I return, we’ll divorce. You never truly liked me anyway.”
Mu Wanting’s eyes instantly reddened with anger.
What a statement—saying she never liked him.
If she didn’t already have plans of her own, she would truly have abandoned this whole mess right then and there.
“Your Highness may rest assured. I no longer have feelings for you either.”
Shen Xinglan turned away, sighing inwardly.
Mu Wanting was actually being so understanding—afraid he would carry emotional burdens on this dangerous journey, she deliberately spoke such resolute words.
Even though she clearly loved him so much.
Even though her eyes had turned red with sadness.
He thought that if he could return alive, and if Prince Pingxi’s estate could retain its current glory, then even if he could not give her love, he would at least give her sufficient respect.
After all, marrying anyone was the same to him.
But for now, aside from accepting her goodwill, there was little else he could do.
“If that is truly the case… then so be it.”
Mu Wanting had no idea what dramatic conclusions Shen Xinglan had imagined in his mind.
The moment he left, she immediately began making preparations.
According to memories from her previous life, about two hours after Shen Xinglan’s departure, Prince Pingxi’s estate would be confiscated and the family exiled.
Everything she could prepare in advance had already been arranged long ago.
Now, the time had come to act.
Mu Wanting instantly teleported into the treasury, emptying all the valuable items and food supplies from Prince Pingxi’s estate into her storage space.
Then she went to the kitchen and transferred all the hot meals and grain reserves as well.
Thinking about that treacherous dog Emperor who discarded loyal servants once they were no longer useful…
And remembering his madness and depravity in her previous life—his indulgence in endless luxury, drunken debauchery, extravagant construction projects, and crushing taxes imposed upon the common people…
Not a single coin from the national treasury had ever truly benefited the people. Everything had been spent on pleasure.
Mu Wanting immediately teleported into the imperial treasury.
Gold and silver? Taken.
Jewels? Taken.
Antiques and books? Taken.
Grain and flour? Taken.
Furniture and decorations? Taken.
Silks and fine fabrics? Taken.
Then she emptied the Emperor’s private treasury as well without mercy.
After that, she went to the imperial kitchens and cleared out all the ingredients and prepared food.
Fortunately, her spatial storage preserved everything perfectly. Whatever entered remained exactly the same upon retrieval.
Just as she stored the final basket of steamed buns, a distant bell suddenly rang out from within her space.
The sound echoed powerfully, making even her heart tremble.
Mu Wanting hurried inside to investigate.
Perhaps because she had collected too many items, the space had upgraded.
Previously, it had only been about the size of a football field, surrounded by dense mist.
Now, an additional area roughly three football fields wide had appeared, and beyond the mist came the sound of flowing water.
When she stepped onto the ground, she discovered it was soft beneath her feet rather than hard as before.
Looking at the rich black soil, she wondered—
Now that there was earth, did this mean the space could support planting?
She scattered several corn kernels into the soil as an experiment. There was no way to tell in such a short time whether they would sprout.
Afterward, she left the space and teleported back to Prince Pingxi’s estate.
When Mu Wanting returned, she saw Commander Li leading the Imperial Guards storming into the manor.
“By verbal decree of His Majesty: Prince Pingxi colluded with enemy nations and should have had his entire clan executed. However, in consideration of his past achievements, His Majesty commutes the sentence from extermination to confiscation of property and exile.”
Madam Shen hurried forward.
“Commander Li, is there perhaps some misunderstanding here?”
Commander Li sneered. Walking up to Madam Shen, he violently ripped the jade earrings from her ears.
Her earlobes tore open instantly. Her face turned deathly pale from the pain as blood streamed down uncontrollably.
“Confiscate everything! Use this standard—strip all jewelry and clothing from the women. If anyone resists, use force!”
The people of the manor were enraged.
Commander Li was acting outrageously.
Had Madam Shen resisted, perhaps it would be understandable—but she had merely stepped forward to ask a question, yet her ears had been torn apart.
While pressing cloth against Madam Shen’s wounds, Shen Yujiao cursed furiously:
“You ungrateful bastard! If not for my second brother, you would have died on the battlefield long ago!”
Commander Li smiled hypocritically.
“I naturally dare not forget the Prince’s kindness back then. But one matter is separate from another. First and foremost, I am the Emperor’s servant. Only afterward am I the Prince’s subordinate.”
Shen Yujiao spat angrily:
“So this is how you repay kindness?”
Commander Li sneered.
“Perhaps I should let the Imperial Guards repay you personally? None of them have ever tasted the flavor of a noble young lady from a prince’s estate.”
The moment those words left his mouth, several Imperial Guards grinned lecherously as they dragged Shen Yujiao toward a nearby room.
The manor servants tried to stop them, but the Imperial Guards blocked their way. Some servants were even killed on the spot.
The entire Shen family trembled in fear.
Shen Yujiao felt as though iron clamps bound her body, leaving her unable to move. Despair filled her face.
She was still unmarried.
If these beasts violated her, how could she continue living?
Mu Wanting frowned.
In her previous life, Shen Yujiao’s fierce temperament had driven her to smash her head against a pillar and kill herself after being violated.
Madam Shen, consumed by grief and despair, had not survived long in exile before following her daughter into death.