“What on earth is going on?”
“Wuwu… Mother, I’m scared…”
“Why are we suddenly being raided out of the blue?”
“Master, what should we do now?”
“Wuwu…”
Including the servants, everyone in the Wei Family was driven out. The surrounding area was densely packed with Imperial Guards. Those who were once brightly dressed and dignified were now all in a sorry state. They weren’t stupid; they had already guessed that this was a raid. The men were all pale, the women mostly covered their faces and wept, occasionally sobbing.
Most of the people from the Second and Third Branches gathered around Old Madam. Shen Xiangwan did not join them with Zhao Yuping, but instead found a quiet corner to wait.
“General, everyone from the Prince’s Mansion is here.”
Several soldiers responsible for driving Shen Xiangwan and the others ran forward, exchanged a few words with others, and confirmed that everyone was present before reporting upwards.
“Mm.”
Tian Yi, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard in charge of the raid, nodded gravely, his expression suddenly darkening: “Silence!”
“…”
A voice, laced with Internal Energy, suddenly exploded, instantly silencing the scene. Everyone’s attention involuntarily focused on Tian Yi. He received the Imperial Edict presented by the soldier: “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Prince Wei Yang’s Mansion has plotted rebellion, the evidence is conclusive, the guilty shall be punished. However, considering the Old Prince and the Crown Prince’s loyalty and patriotism, and their deaths on the battlefield, the death penalty for the people of the Prince’s Mansion is pardoned. From this moment, their titles are revoked, they are demoted to commoners, all family property is confiscated, the Wei Clan is exiled to Chen Zhou, and their descendants are forever forbidden from participating in politics or the military. So Ordered!”
“No…”
“General Tian, the Wei Family has been loyal to the Imperial Family for generations. How could they possibly plot rebellion?”
“There must be some misunderstanding. We must see the Emperor…”
“Wuwu…”
As soon as the words fell, everyone felt as if the sky had fallen. Led by Old Madam, the men of the Second and Third Branches all stepped forward, attempting to stem the tide. The women, however, collapsed into a torrent of weeping. Even though they had already guessed that the mansion would be raided, they still could not accept it, let alone the fact that they would be exiled to Chen Zhou, a remote and impoverished place.
“Shut up!”
Seeing them become increasingly agitated, Tian Yi suddenly shouted, and the scene fell silent again. After his fierce gaze swept over them one by one, Tian Yi said in a deep voice: “The Imperial Edict is here. How dare you quibble? Anyone who continues to make trouble will not be spared.”
“…”
The other party’s attitude was clear. Even if they were reluctant, the men of the Second and Third Branches, led by Old Madam, dared not make any more trouble. In contrast, the women of the Prince’s Mansion cried even harder, as if they had lost their parents.
“Search for me. All wealth must be collected.”
Seeing this, Tian Yi sneered, ignoring them and waving his hand to signal the soldiers to begin searching the Prince’s Mansion for wealth.
“Yes.”
The soldiers moved immediately, rushing into the Prince’s Mansion again. Tian Yi nodded in satisfaction: “The Wei Family members stand to the left, and the servants to the right.”
“…”
Having realized that they could not turn things around, the people of the Prince’s Mansion did not dare to defy him and quickly moved.
“It’s you! You’re the one who ruined us!”
Suddenly, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties pointed angrily at Shen Xiangwan standing in the corner: “You are a jinx, a harbinger of disaster. As soon as you married into the Prince’s Mansion, you caused Chengyi to vomit blood and fall unconscious, and now you’ve caused us to be raided and exiled.”
The woman’s teeth were gritted in hatred. Her eyes, fixed on Shen Xiangwan, were as if she wanted to devour her alive, blaming her for everything.
End of Ch
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