The Zhongyong Hou Shizi had passed away suddenly. When his coffin was carried into the Hou Mansion, the entire household instantly fell into chaos.
“Does she still have the face to kneel here?”
“She is just a country girl. Her name is not in the genealogy, and her records are not in the clan registry. How is she worthy of wearing mourning clothes for the Shizi? And that little brat—conceived while he was away—who knows if she’s even the Shizi’s seed.”
A sharp voice rang out. Lin Huilan, the concubine of the Zhongyong Hou, was overjoyed to learn that the Shizi was gone. With the Shizi dead, her son would be the rightful heir to the Hou Mansion!
“Since when is it the turn of a mere concubine to call the shots in the Hou Mansion?”
Exhausted, with eyes red and swollen from crying, Liu Suyi, the wife of the Zhongyong Hou, walked in surrounded by a crowd.
“Sister, the Shizi is gone, and everyone is devastated. But rules are rules!”
Lin Huilan spoke with earnest concern, her face full of sorrow, yet the schadenfreude in the depths of her eyes flashed for a fleeting second.
In an instant, everyone’s gaze shifted to the front of the coffin, focusing on Cheng Qiqi and Jin Suian, one adult and one child, both dressed in mourning white.
Four years ago, Jin Mozhi, the Zhongyong Hou Shizi whom countless noble young ladies dreamed of marrying, had instead wed a country girl as his Shizifei. All of the capital found it unbelievable, and the Hou Mansion was even more vehemently opposed. Even after she was brought through the doors, they had stalled on adding her to the clan registry, refusing to grant her the mansion’s recognition.
Slap.
Liu Suyi stepped forward and delivered a slap that left Lin Huilan dazed.
“Don’t think that just because Mo’er is gone, your son can inherit the Hou Mansion. I am not dead yet!” Liu Suyi glared at Lin Huilan through gritted teeth.
“Houye…”
Lin Huilan clutched her face, but she had barely started to speak before she was cut off.
“You are a concubine. Even if I were to sell you off, the Houye wouldn’t dare utter a single word of protest!” Liu Suyi’s cold gaze swept over her.
“…”
Lin Huilan shut her mouth resentfully, her nails nearly digging into her palms. She rolled her eyes inwardly. Liu Suyi’s only son was dead; what was there to be so arrogant about?
She would endure for now, until the Houye returned…
Liu Suyi walked step by step toward Cheng Qiqi and came to a halt. She reached out and snatched the mourning hat off Cheng Qiqi’s head. “It’s all because of you. You cursed Mo’er to death! All of you, get out!”
Liu Suyi gave a cold command: “Nanny Wu, take them to the manor. They are never to set foot in the Hou Mansion again.”
Cheng Qiqi looked at Liu Suyi in shock, her heart sinking halfway. This godforsaken Hou Mansion—the Shizi had just died, and they couldn’t wait to kick her and her daughter out?
Nanny Wu stepped forward with guards. Cheng Qiqi stood up, holding her daughter’s hand. “I can walk myself.”
Who wanted to keep kneeling anyway!
Once they reached the manor, she and her daughter could still live a good life!
As soon as they arrived at Mozhu Yuan, Nanny Wu handed a stack of banknotes and a box of jewelry into her hands. “Shizifei, take Young Lady Suian and leave the Hou Mansion quickly!”
“Nanny Wu, what is this…” Cheng Qiqi was confused. This didn’t seem like they were being kicked out at all.
“The Hou Mansion is about to be raided and the family exiled.”
Nanny Wu’s voice was filled with urgency. She said, “The Cui Jia has been eyeing the Houye’s military tally for a long time. With the Hou Mansion being exiled this time, I fear the future holds more ill than good.”
“You are not in the clan registry, so you are certainly not on the official roster. If you leave now, there is still time!”
As she spoke, Nanny Wu pulled a jade pendant from her robe and presented it solemnly. “This is a jade pendant bestowed by the late Emperor, to be passed only to the daughters-in-law of the Jin family.”
Nanny Wu bowed deeply to Cheng Qiqi. “After this parting, I fear we may never meet again. Shizifei, Young Lady Suian, please take care.”
The sheer volume of information almost made Cheng Qiqi’s head spin. In ancient times, a house raid and exile were capital offenses. How could she be this unlucky!
She had transmigrated right as the original owner was dying of a difficult labor. She had endured a day and a night of agonizing pain before giving birth to her daughter. It didn’t matter that the Hou Mansion looked down on her; as long as she had enough to eat and drink, Cheng Qiqi didn’t care!
After all, the world outside was harsh. Being able to stay fed and warm in the Hou Mansion was already a great advantage!
The Shizi’s death wasn’t a big deal either. In the three years since she gave birth, Cheng Qiqi had only seen him twice, so there was no emotional bond.
But a house raid and exile meant death!
“Oh no, the soldiers have completely surrounded the Hou Mansion. We can’t get out.”
Nanny Wu had intended to lead Cheng Qiqi out through a side gate, but unfortunately, there were soldiers everywhere. There was no escape!
“We can’t leave.”
Cheng Qiqi’s eyes darkened. She went into the kitchen and started a roaring fire in the stove. The steamer on the pot was already venting steam, carrying the scent of buns.
“Chuntao, go to the backyard and pull up all the sweet potatoes, potatoes… every vegetable there. Gather them all together.”
Cheng Qiqi took the banknotes and the jewelry from Nanny Wu and said, “Nanny Wu, I’m going out for a moment. Help An’an get her clothes on quickly!”
“Shizifei, where are you going?”
Nanny Wu looked at the timid Young Lady Suian in her arms, her heart filled with doubt: Surely the Shizifei wouldn’t abandon her daughter and flee alone?
Cheng Qiqi, dressed in ordinary cotton clothes, darted through the Hou Mansion, avoiding the guards and heading straight for the kitchen on the east side. As she passed the wall of the front courtyard, a scream rang out. Startled, Cheng Qiqi took a cautious peek!
In the center of the courtyard, surrounded by soldiers, was a scene of horror.
Cheng Qiqi’s pupils contracted, and her hand gripping a tree trunk involuntarily tightened. She watched as a blood-covered man was carried in. His body was clearly marked by lashings from a whip. Was this the Houye?
With so much blood lost, could he even survive?
Liu Suyi, who had been so high and mighty just moments ago, was now sobbing uncontrollably. Within a single day, her son was dead and her husband’s fate was unknown.
The sky had fallen on the Hou Mansion.
Cheng Qiqi’s heart felt incredibly heavy. If even the Houye was in such a state, would they even survive the journey into exile?
She didn’t dare look any longer and ran straight for the kitchen. If they truly couldn’t escape exile, then she had to take all of this food!
Fortunately, she had a Kongjian that she had brought with her when she transmigrated. The Ping’an Wushi Pai left to her by her parents had activated this Kongjian, which was a vast, empty expanse.
It was thanks to this Kongjian that, although she was disliked in the mansion and frequently picked on by Jin Xue’er, the daughter of Concubine Lin, she had been able to raise her daughter to be plump and healthy.
Relying on her familiarity with the terrain, Cheng Qiqi entered the kitchen and went straight for the granary. Most everyone had been driven to the front courtyard, so the back area was empty for now.
The Old Lady’s birthday banquet was coming up soon, so the granary was completely full.
Without hesitation, Cheng Qiqi moved the entire granary—bins, rice, and all—into her Kongjian.
Flour—taken.
Prepared ducks, rabbits, chickens, fish… all into the Kongjian!
Oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, all kinds of seasonings—Cheng Qiqi didn’t even spare the pots and pans. If they were exiled to the wild, these might come in handy!
Even the lively fish in the vats—Cheng Qiqi took the vats and the fish together.
Once the kitchen was stripped clean, Cheng Qiqi was about to leave when she paused. If she remembered correctly, the side rooms held the food for the servants!
She had to take that too!
Unlike the refined rice the masters ate, the servants ate ordinary brown rice and coarse flour. These were also good things. Taken!
Cheng Qiqi checked her Kongjian. Fortunately, it was large; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to hold all these miscellaneous items.
Next, Cheng Qiqi went to the main courtyard. Upon entering the room, she saw soft carpets; everything exuded elegance and nobility.
Cheng Qiqi didn’t give them a second glance and headed straight for the storehouse. Furs, quilts for winter, as well as gold, silver, jewelry, and medicinal herbs—she took them all into her Kongjian.
As Suian’s grandmother, it was better to save these things for Suian later than to let them fall into the hands of the dog emperor and corrupt officials.