She moved roughly, not caring whether the Night-Shining Pearl remained intact, her approach akin to locusts sweeping across the land—leaving nothing behind.
After leaving the secret vault, Su Nuan still felt resentful. Ultimately, it was all the fault of that muddle-headed dog emperor. If not for him, the Ling family in her past life wouldn’t have met such a tragic end, with the entire household slaughtered.
As she pondered whether there was a chance to directly eliminate the source of this evil, Ling Yun suddenly appeared.
Without a word, he hoisted Su Nuan over his shoulder and sprinted away, moving as swiftly and agilely as a leopard chasing its prey.
No sooner had the two left than the patrol arrived. Fortunately, Su Nuan and Ling Yun had fled in time, leaving no trace behind.
Ling Yun carried Su Nuan and effortlessly scaled the palace walls, his familiarity with the route making Su Nuan suspect he was a habitual trespasser in the palace.
Once Ling Yun set her down on the ground, Su Nuan pursed her lips. She had many questions but didn’t know where to begin.
Ling Yun’s expression was calm, his handsome features veiled in frost. Faced with such an icy demeanor, Su Nuan fell silent.
Just then, the night patrol marched down the street. Ling Yun grabbed Su Nuan’s arm, and the two squeezed behind baskets at the corner of an alley.
Su Nuan, jerked by the forceful pull, bumped her nose against Ling Yun’s body. It hurt so much she thought it would have been less painful to hit a wall, and tears welled in her eyes.
She glared up at Ling Yun in anger, but he pressed her down into a crouch as if handling a chick.
Fuming, she clawed at the wall, and as she did, a thought struck her.
After her former fiancé Zhao Jingcheng broke off their engagement and married Su Zhen, how could she simply let him off the hook?
Once the patrol had passed, Su Nuan, filled with hatred, sprang to her feet and dashed off.
Ling Yun didn’t dare call out and could only follow closely.
Su Nuan ran straight to Zhao Jingcheng’s residence. Zhao Jingcheng was quite wealthy, and she saw an opportunity to make a hefty profit.
She scaled the wall and, relying on memories from her past life, found the main vault. Unfortunately, Zhao Jingcheng’s estate was heavily guarded, so breaking the lock wasn’t an option.
After a moment’s thought, she climbed onto the roof, lifted a tile, and slipped into the vault.
From a distance, Ling Yun sighed in exasperation. What kind of person was his sister-in-law? She scurried around like a mouse.
He’d heard that Zhao Jingcheng was Su Nuan’s former fiancé—the man who had broken off their engagement only to become engaged to her sister. Taking such a man’s possessions was simply fair game.
Quietly, Ling Yun went to check the private storerooms of others in the estate, conveniently taking the locks and chains to save his sister-in-law the trouble of climbing roofs again.
By the time Su Nuan had cleared the boxes from the main vault and moved to the smaller private storerooms, she found them unlocked. Though puzzled, she didn’t dwell on it and proceeded to empty them.
There was no time for hesitation—she needed to finish quickly and make her escape.
However, after clearing the last private storeroom, Su Nuan’s eyes gleamed with an idea, and she sneaked into Zhao Jingcheng’s bedroom.
Outside, Ling Yun’s face darkened. Through gritted teeth, he muttered, “Su Nuan, don’t tell me you still have feelings for Zhao Jingcheng? Or do you think my brother isn’t good enough, so you’re planning to consummate with Zhao Jingcheng?”
Inside the bedroom, Su Nuan shivered. She rubbed her nose to suppress a sneeze, then began gathering everything in the room.
Wardrobes—whether containing outerwear or undergarments—she took them whole.
She even snatched the chamber pot from under the bed. After all, it was made of pure gold and could be melted down for money.
After collecting everything, Su Nuan reached for the bed curtains, intending to take the Azure Cloud Gauze. The fabric was warm in winter, cool in summer, and mosquito-proof—perfect for camping.
Just as her fingers closed around the gauze, a powerful force yanked her from behind, and once again, she was hoisted over a shoulder.
Su Nuan clung tightly to the Azure Cloud Gauze, causing the canopy of the bed to tear off and crash violently onto the bed. The person on the bed let out a piercing scream.
Ling Yun carried Su Nuan on his shoulder while she held onto the Azure Cloud Gauze. As they flew over the wall, someone shouted loudly.
“A ghost!”
Ling Yun felt somewhat frustrated but carefully avoided the patrol teams.
Su Nuan tucked away the Azure Cloud Gauze and, as they passed the outer wall of the Su Mansion, tossed several official silver coins from the palace inside.
Su Liren, if even this can’t finish you off, then you must have a remarkably strong fate.
Ling Yun returned to the General’s Mansion, threw Su Nuan into a side room, and closed the door.
Su Nuan rolled on the floor twice, tangled in the Azure Cloud Gauze for a long time before managing to free herself.
Fuming, she muttered, “You brat, just wait until we’re on the exile road. I’ll make sure you starve, you jerk.”
She cursed while packing her things, eventually exhausting herself and falling into a deep sleep.
The next morning was calm and peaceful.
Su Nuan didn’t take everything from the General’s Mansion. First, the mansion wasn’t wealthy, so there wasn’t much worth taking. Second, she needed to leave something for the confiscation officials—if they found nothing, it would only cause more trouble.
She went to the adjacent bedroom and saw Ling Yun feeding porridge to Ling Cang. She said, “Let me handle this. Go check on Grandmother and Auntie so they don’t get frightened.”
Ling Yun nodded and handed her the bowl. “Then I’ll trouble you, sister-in-law.”
Su Nuan didn’t find the address odd and took over, carefully feeding Ling Cang the porridge.
Ling Cang seemed slightly better today. After eating, he asked, “What kind of person are you?”
Su Nuan smiled faintly, picking up a steamed bun from the table to eat. “I’m just me—no monster or ghost.”
“What if I told you I dreamed that the General’s Mansion would be confiscated and its family exiled? Would you believe me?”
Ling Cang chuckled softly, his stern face softening—a true embodiment of a tough man’s tenderness.
He produced an envelope sealed with fire lacquer.
“Keep this letter. If someday the Ling family does something that puts you in a difficult position, open it in front of them. It will ensure your safety.”
Su Nuan’s bun caught in her throat, stuck between swallowing and spitting. Her eyes grew hot, and her heart ached.
Here was a man who couldn’t even protect himself, yet he was thinking of leaving her an escape route—such a gentle soul.
She grabbed a teacup and gulped down the contents, forcing down both the bun and her tears.
She comforted him, “When the decree-announcing eunuch arrives, don’t get agitated. We’ll leave together. Don’t worry—I’ll find a way to protect you along the journey.”
Ling Cang hadn’t expected this delicate-looking woman to be so resilient. She appeared as fragile as a porcelain doll but possessed a strong heart and soul.
He said gently, “If I don’t die, none of you can leave the capital safely.”
Hearing this, Su Nuan could no longer hold back her sorrow and anger. “Then why did you agree to Chongxi? Wasn’t that just dragging another family’s daughter to her grave?”
Ling Cang shook his head. “Chongxi was decided by His Majesty. Whoever offered a daughter would be promoted.”
Su Nuan froze. So that was how it was. In her previous life, she had misunderstood Ling Cang, thinking he was a coward seeking Chongxi to save himself, which was why she had always resented the Ling family.
Ling Cang continued, “I’ve already informed Grandmother and Mother. They will protect any woman who marries in, treating her as their own daughter. When the situation calms down, they’ll arrange for her remarriage.”
Su Nuan clenched the steamed bun tightly, lowering her head to ask, “Is there really no other way out?”
Ling Cang shook his head and chuckled lightly, “No.”
Su Nuan grabbed his hand and tried to pull him into the Space, but unfortunately, she couldn’t succeed. It seemed that only she could enter the Space.
Just then, commotion erupted outside, mixed with the clashing of weapons and shouts.
Su Nuan and Ling Cang exchanged a glance—what was bound to come had finally arrived.