“Bang!”
Before Shen Pengcheng’s hand could even touch Su Yanxi, he was sent flying by a kick from Su Qingyu.
“Dare to lay a finger on my sister, and I’ll kill you!”
Su Qingyu radiated ferocity.
Even though he was dressed in coarse cloth and shackled, he nearly scared Shen Pengcheng out of his wits.
Shen Qingyan, standing nearby, watched the scene with a flash of jealousy and resentment in her eyes.
That brute Su Qingyu was already protecting that bitch Su Yanxi!
She was the one who had grown up with them as their sister.
She strode arrogantly toward Su Qingyu and scolded sharply, “Su Qingyu, you exiled criminal! How dare you lay hands on my brother!”
As she spoke, she flatteringly helped Shen Pengcheng up. “Big brother, are you alright?”
Seeing this, Su Qingyu clenched his fists until they cracked.
How had he failed to see earlier that Shen Qingyan was such an ingrate?
If he had realized sooner, he would have driven her out long ago.
How could he have allowed her to…
Shen Pengcheng, meanwhile, waved his hand with feigned gentleness and elegance. “It’s nothing. Right now, retrieving our belongings is what matters most.”
Shen Qingyan immediately stood and approached Su Yanxi. “Su Yanxi, you criminal slave! How dare you collude with our shopkeepers to steal our family’s property? If you don’t confess immediately, your crime will be compounded. Instead of exile, you’ll face death by a thousand cuts!”
Her venomous gaze fixed on Su Yanxi as if she wished to flay her alive with her eyes.
“Slap!”
Su Yanxi snorted coldly and directly slapped Shen Qingyan across the face.
Shen Qingyan froze, instinctively covering her cheek. “Su Yanxi, you criminal slave! How dare you hit me!”
“Slap!”
Without the slightest hesitation, Su Yanxi delivered another slap to her face.
“Hitting you when I feel like it – do I need to pick a date?”
“You keep calling me a criminal slave, but the Emperor only sentenced my Marquis Family to exile. He never decreed that we should become slaves. Are you now presuming to pass judgment on behalf of the Emperor?”
As soon as Su Yanxi spoke these words, not only Shen Qingyan but the entire Shen family turned pale.
Who would dare to act on the Emperor’s behalf or place themselves above him?
Their Shen family, mere merchants, wouldn’t have enough heads to spare even if they had a hundred!
“I… I didn’t mean it that way… Su Yanxi, don’t twist my words intentionally…” Shen Qingyan hurriedly cried out.
But no one paid attention to her explanation, and Su Yanxi certainly wasn’t listening.
“Slap!”
She slapped Shen Qingyan across the face once more. “Moreover, you keep accusing me of conspiring with these Shen family shopkeepers to steal from your stores. But as a criminal sentenced to exile, I’ve been under constant supervision by the officers. By saying that, are you implying that the officers have been negligent or derelict in their duties?”
Su Yanxi pinned another accusation on Shen Qingyan.
When she had earlier accused Shen Qingyan of disrespect toward the Emperor, the officers nearby had remained unmoved, as commoners’ slips of the tongue couldn’t all be prosecuted.
But as soon as Shen Qingyan uttered these words, Liu Bantou immediately fixed a sharp gaze on her. “How dare you spout nonsense and slander us officers! Feng Shan, Sun Hao, take her to the magistrate’s office!”
Daring to pin blame on them – did Shen Qingyan have a death wish?
Hearing this, Shen Qingyan’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed on the spot.
Su Yanxi curled her lips in a faint smile. Scared already, are we?
Even more terrifying things were yet to come!
At that moment, the ground trembled slightly.
A team rushed over and surrounded them directly. “Arrest them all!”
At the command of the Jingzhao Prefect leading the group, the Su Family members, except for Su Yanxi, all changed their expressions.
What was going on?
Had the Emperor suddenly changed his mind again, wanting their lives?
Shen Qingyan, who had just been so frightened that her legs went weak, now became smug again.
She looked at Su Yanxi with arrogance. “Su Yanxi, if you confess honestly and tell us where you hid the stolen goods from my family, I might still ask my father and brothers to plead for leniency for you, so you suffer less in prison!”
Su Yanxi curled her lips mockingly at Shen Qingyan.
She couldn’t be bothered to engage with her any further.
Idiot!
She didn’t even realize that she and the Shen Family were about to be finished.
Feng Shan and Sun Hao, who had originally intended to arrest Shen Qingyan, also halted and looked toward Liu Bantou.
Liu Bantou hurriedly stepped forward to greet the Jingzhao Prefect. “Prefect, has there been a change regarding the exile of the Marquis Family?”
The Jingzhao Prefect frowned deeply and said sternly, “You were ordered to escort the prisoners to Shachang. What are you still doing here, delaying?
Hurry up and take the prisoners away!”
Liu Bantou quickly bowed and replied, “Yes, yes, yes. I’ll take them away immediately.”
After speaking, he cracked his whip on the ground and shouted sharply, “Why aren’t you moving? Still looking around? Do you want a beating?”
Shen Qingyan was stunned for a moment.
The Jingzhao Prefect wasn’t here to arrest the Champion Marquis Family.
Then why were they here…
“Arrest all the Shen Family members! A mere merchant family dares to harbor evil intentions? Seeking death!”
As soon as the Jingzhao Prefect spoke these words, the Shen Family members were momentarily stunned, unable to react.
Their homes and shops had just been completely robbed. What evil intentions could they possibly harbor?
After Shen Qingyan processed the situation, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted on the spot.
By the time she woke up, she was already in prison.
All of this was within Su Yanxi’s expectations.
In her previous life, she had used her Space and Spirit Spring to painstakingly protect the Shen Family, ensuring they lived smoothly and comfortably.
Yet, they had turned her into a human pig, not even granting her a quick death.
In this life, she wouldn’t let them die easily either.
What they owed her, she would reclaim bit by bit, with interest!
Su Yanxi lowered her head, hiding the sharp, ruthless glint in her eyes.
Suddenly, she sensed something unusual in her Space.
It seemed…
there was a living creature!
She frowned. Could it be that she had accidentally taken in some snake, insect, rat, or ant while collecting things last night?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
Memories of the pain from being gnawed by snakes, insects, rats, and ants after becoming a human pig in her previous life flooded her mind.
No, she had to find an opportunity to check her Space as soon as possible.
Soon, they had already left the capital.
Outside the city gates, Su Yanxi gained a new understanding of the Champion Marquis Family’s standing in the hearts of the common people.
Because a large crowd of commoners was already waiting outside the city gates to see them off.
These commoners were not wealthy, but they offered what they could—some gave steamed buns, others gave flatbreads, and a few even offered copper coins.
The items weren’t valuable, but they represented their heartfelt goodwill.
Doctor He, who had treated Su Houye yesterday, also came. He handed a bundle to the Su Family, filled with various bottles and jars.
“Marquis, Madam, you came and went in such a hurry yesterday that I didn’t have time to prepare.
“After you left yesterday, I prepared these useful medicines. For Houye’s medication, I specially prepared several doses made into pills for convenience during your journey.”
After speaking, Doctor He solemnly cupped his hands toward the Su family. “Houye, Madam, three young masters, and young lady, take care on your journey!”
The Su family’s eyes were slightly reddened.
Su Houye was about to lead the entire family in bowing and cupping their hands to express gratitude to the commoners, including Doctor He.
Then the sound of horse hooves was heard, “Hyah!”
Someone else was arriving!