The eldest master pulled Duan Qingyang back, signaling him to stay quiet.
Lord Xu produced the imperial edict and read it aloud, “Duan Chengyuan, Duke of Chongguo, and his son Duan Chong, have committed the unpardonable crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the state. As of this day, your property shall be confiscated, your family arrested, and you shall be reduced to Nuji status, to be exiled to Qinan shortly.”
The rows of people below were all stunned speechless, their expressions frozen in an instant.
A moment later, the old duke spoke up in a loud voice, “Lord Xu, could there be some mistake? Our Duke’s Residence has always been loyal—how could we possibly commit treason?!”
Lord Xu’s eyes narrowed with disdain as he raised his chin. “Are you suggesting the emperor’s edict is a forgery?!” Then he gave the order, “Go! Search every corner of this residence! Leave nothing behind!”
The old duke collapsed completely to the ground, muttering to himself, “The Duan family is finished. The Duan family is doomed!”
The eldest master, Duan Chong, hurried forward to support him, his voice trembling and hoarse, “Father! Father!”
The crowd below erupted in panic, crying out in unison, “Injustice! Injustice! My lord! We’re innocent!”
Duan Qingyang, young and hot-blooded, straightened his back and shouted in fury, “Stop! Stop this at once! We demand an audience with His Majesty!”
Lord Xu turned around and kicked him to the ground. “His Majesty has decreed that anyone who dares defy the edict shall be executed without mercy.”
Duan Qingyang fell to the ground, gritting his teeth, glaring at Lord Xu with fury and resentment. He tried to charge forward again but was stopped by two soldiers who pressed their blades against his neck.
Beside him, Lin Wanwan snapped out of her daze at the scene before her. Clutching her body, clad only in her undergarment, she burst into tears.
She had schemed by every possible means to swap the marriage, and now, having just been wed, she was about to be exiled!
The more she thought about it, the more miserable she felt. When she looked up, her eyes happened to meet Lin Shutang’s through the archway.
Lin Shutang, wearing a goose-yellow padded jacket, stood in the snow beside Duan Yanzhou, looking like a perfectly matched loving couple.
At that moment, Duan Qingyang also noticed them and quickly said, “Lord Xu, if the Chongguo estate is being confiscated, then why isn’t the second branch next door being seized as well?”
Lord Xu glanced at Duan Yanzhou and the others. “They were lucky. Last night, they brought the late emperor’s edict to the palace and resigned from their posts, volunteering to take up a post in Qinan.”
“His Majesty, out of consideration for the late emperor’s memory, granted them a chance to reform themselves.”
“They won’t have their property confiscated, nor will they be exiled.”
“What? They don’t have to be confiscated? And they won’t be exiled?!” Duan Qingyang exclaimed in shock.
The old duke and the members of the eldest branch all turned to look at the neighboring residence, their mouths hanging open wide enough to fit a steamed bun.
Their gazes were filled with disbelief, envy, resentment, and jealousy.
Especially Lin Wanwan, who looked at the legitimate elder sister she had bullied for years—the woman she had stripped naked and thrown into the sickly man’s room.
She was consumed with regret. If she hadn’t swapped the marriage, then it would be her elder sister being exiled today, not her.
With this thought, Lin Wanwan momentarily forgot that she wasn’t wearing an outer garment and said to Lord Xu, “My lord, my lord, I… I am the daughter-in-law of the second branch of Chongguo Fu, not a member of the eldest branch. Could you please let me go?”
Duan Qingyang whipped his head around to look at her, shock and fury in his eyes. “Wan’er, what nonsense are you talking?!”
Lord Xu found this rather amusing. “You’re the daughter-in-law of the second branch? Then why were you in the eldest branch’s young master’s bed? Surely your Chongguo estate doesn’t have a custom of younger sisters-in-law warming their elder brother-in-law’s bed?!”
This Lord Xu had always been at odds with the father and son of the Duan family, and deliberately spoke these words to humiliate them.
Madam Duan (Zhou Shi) frowned and glared at Lin Wanwan. “Lin Wanwan, are you not our daughter-in-law? Who is?”
She had originally been somewhat fond of this daughter-in-law, thinking that her mother would eventually be elevated to the position of legal wife, and did not mind her status as a concubine’s daughter. Little did she expect that now that disaster had befallen them, she would abandon him and think only of saving herself.
She had even claimed to be deeply in love with their Qingyang—turns out it was all lies.
Lin Wanwan pointed at Lin Shutang, who was watching the spectacle from beyond the arched gate. “She, she is the one! From the very beginning, it was the legitimate daughter of the Lin family who was to marry the heir! Not me! My lord, please let me leave at once.”
Lord Xu followed her pointing finger and looked at Lin Shutang.
Lin Shutang showed no sign of timidity. “My lord, what she says is indeed correct. The one who should have married the heir is indeed me. However, my younger half-sister and the heir were deeply in love, so on the wedding day, we exchanged husbands.”
“Now she is the eldest branch’s daughter-in-law, and I am the second branch’s young mistress.”
“No! That’s not true!” Lin Wanwan trembled and shrieked hysterically.
Duan Yanzhou took Lin Shutang’s hand and shielded her behind him. “Lord Xu, what my wife says is correct. The one I performed the wedding rites with was the eldest Miss Lin, not her, the second Miss Lin.”
“If there is nothing concerning our second branch, we shall prepare to set off on our journey.”
Although Lord Xu was not on close terms with the Second Master, the Second Master was generous and kind to others, having built good relations far and wide.
So he did not wish to make things difficult for their second branch. “It would be good for the Second Young Master to set off early, so as to avoid encountering heavy snowstorms.”
“Thank you, Lord Xu.” Duan Yanzhou bowed deeply to him.
Lin Wanwan, however, refused to accept this. She shouted at him, “Yanzhou, I am your wife! Yanzhou, we were betrothed long ago.”
“It was my fault. I shouldn’t have exchanged marriages. Please, for the sake of our former betrothal, forgive me just this once. Once I return, I will definitely live a good life with you.”
Hearing these words, Lin Shutang felt like vomiting.
If Lin Wanwan had known that the second branch would later thrive and prosper because of her, wouldn’t she be clinging to her legs and calling her sister?
And Duan Qingyang—he exchanged marriages, throwing away a great treasure for a great burden. Wouldn’t he be beating his chest and stamping his feet in regret?!
These two—one climbing a high branch, the other abandoning his rightful wife—were truly a match made in heaven.
Beside them, Duan Qingyang could no longer bear to listen. He grabbed Lin Wanwan and pulled her back, then slapped her hard across her pale face, trying to snap her out of it.
But just then, the guards who had surged into the residence to confiscate the property came rushing over, saying, “My lord, something terrible has happened—the Duke’s Residence is empty?!”
Lord Xu was startled. “Empty? What’s empty?”