A servant matron rushed in frantically.
“New Madam, there are many imperial guards in the front hall. They’ve driven everyone there already. The Old Madam, the young master, and the young miss have all gone over. They’re asking for you as well.”
Ziling followed the elderly servant to the front hall.
From afar, she saw an imposing old woman standing straight as a pine tree, her face stern and dignified like a tiger’s. This must be her mother-in-law. Beside the old madam stood a boy and a girl. The boy, around eleven years old, was named Gong Hao. His eyes, wide as bronze bells, glared furiously at the soldiers. The little girl, only seven years old and named Gong Ying, looked like a soft, adorable dumpling. She was the same child who had asked earlier if Ziling was hungry in the bridal chamber. At this moment, her frightened eyes stared helplessly at the guards surrounding her family.
Ziling stood beside the little girl and held her soft little hand, comforting the terrified child.
The leading guard stepped forward and shouted:
“The General has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the nation! By imperial order, we are here to confiscate the General Manor!”
The Old Madam remained calm and replied coldly:
“My son has spent his life fighting on the battlefield, defending the borders. How could there possibly be treason?”
The guard glanced sideways at Ziling.
“This must be the young general’s new bride, I presume? Old Madam, perhaps you should ask your new daughter-in-law. It was her father who submitted the accusation before the emperor, along with letters proving the General Manor’s treason.”
What?!
Everyone instantly turned to look at Ziling.
Ziling cursed inwardly.
That scumbag father definitely isn’t the original owner’s real father. He deliberately shoved his daughter into a pit of fire. He’s trying to get me killed!
“I truly didn’t know!” Ziling quickly said. “It must’ve been that old bastard of a father of mine! If I had known, how could I possibly have agreed to marry into this family? I was wondering why he suddenly gave me the marriage that was supposed to go to my younger half-sister!”
Gong Hao suddenly turned those fierce eyes toward her.
Good heavens. Even though he’s just a little kid, his glare is actually intimidating. As expected, children raised in a military family are different.
At that moment, a eunuch carrying an imperial decree arrived at the General Manor.
“Members of the General Manor, receive the imperial edict!”
Ziling’s heart sank.
So the fate of exile from all those novels really couldn’t be escaped?
It seemed the one in the palace truly hated the General Manor to the bone, so eager to wipe them out entirely.
The eunuch unrolled the decree and read aloud:
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Gong Zhentian of the General Manor has colluded with the enemy and betrayed the nation, causing the deaths of thousands of soldiers. His crimes are unforgivable. He is stripped of his title. His current whereabouts are unknown, but once found, he shall be executed immediately. The entire family of the General Manor shall be exiled three thousand li away and forever forbidden from entering the capital again. All family property is to be confiscated into the national treasury. Thus is the decree.”
After finishing, the eunuch sneered.
“Old Madam, accept the decree.”
The maids and servants beside the Old Madam immediately fell into chaos.
The Old Madam said solemnly:
“My son entered the palace by imperial summons and has yet to return. I wonder for what reason. Could it be that seeing only women and children left in the General Manor, someone has begun to look down upon us?”
The eunuch replied coldly:
“Old Madam, I imagine the young general will only reunite with you on the road to exile. Your words are merely an attempt to learn of your son’s current situation. But from the looks of it, he can no longer control his own fate.”
Ziling tightened her grip on Gong Ying’s hand and thought to herself that the moment he had been summoned to the palace, he was probably already imprisoned like livestock waiting for slaughter.
The eunuch urged impatiently:
“Hmph! I still need to return and report to His Majesty. Which one of you will receive the decree?”
“Give it to me.”
A jade-like hand clad in bright red wedding sleeves stretched out.
Seeing that the family consisted only of the elderly and children, Ziling realized she was the only one who could step forward.
The eunuch turned and left. As he departed, he instructed the soldiers:
“Guard the gates of this manor. No one is allowed inside.”
Having heard the exile decree themselves, the soldiers became even more unrestrained, barging recklessly through the courtyard.
Supported by her maids, the Old Madam nearly lost her footing. She raised her eyes and looked toward the daughter-in-law who had only entered the family less than a day ago.