Six months later, she and her brother heard the news: the Qian clan had angered His Majesty, and their entire nine generations of relatives were exterminated. When she heard this, she rejoiced, utterly delighted. It wasn't just a general execution, but the extermination of nine generations. Fortunately, due to their father's words, she and her brother had changed their names and surnames, thus escaping the disaster.
The punishment had arrived so quickly. Could she finally get her revenge? But as she felt joy, tears flowed uncontrollably.
Then one day, in the bundle their father had given them, she discovered a letter sewn into her favorite dress. Opening it, she and her brother read it, their faces streaming with tears. It turned out their paternal uncle had colluded with the enemy and committed treason, which the then Emperor of Huangze had discovered.
Colluding with the enemy and betraying the country were capital offenses, which consequently implicated the entire Qian clan, leading to the gruesome punishment of exterminating nine generations. Their father had discovered his uncle's evidence long ago, but it was already too late to change anything. However, due to the vast number of people in the Qian clan and the sheer number of those involved, it was impossible to absolve the clan. Therefore, her father made a decision.
This led to the actions of that day. Their father had intended to divorce their mother and have her take her and her brother away, as far as possible. Who knew that their usually gentle mother would take such drastic action.
It turned out their father still loved them, but they understood it too late. She regretted more than once the words she had spoken to her father at that time. If she had another chance, she would tell her father that they would rather die together, and even in hell, they would have no fear. Alas, it was too late, far too late.
Qian Shiming closed her eyes, knowing she couldn't escape this place. Brother, I'm sorry. Ming'er has been willful this time! Suddenly, the door was kicked open, and a gust of wind blew in. Shi Gui quickly turned to face the intruder, who dared to disturb his pleasure with such audacity.
Mingyu looked at the only piece of red cloth Qian Shiming was wearing and her anger flared. "You old fossil, you're so fat, like a pig, and you still want to defile a good girl? Are you worthy?" Da Feng Novel Network
Hearing the curses, Qian Shiming opened her eyes. Seeing Mingyu's fury, she couldn't help but be surprised. Was it really her?
"You... who are you?" Shi Gui, intimidated by Mingyu's presence, almost collapsed onto the ground.
Mingyu gave a cold smile. "I am your great-aunt." As she spoke, she swept her sword around, cutting the ropes that bound Qian Shiming and tearing Shi Gui's clothes to shreds.
Qian Shiming put on her clothes, picked up the whip that had fallen to the ground, and her face contorted with rage. "You old beast, you still want to eat me? Look at your own character?" Her anger surged. She had wanted to deal with this old fossil for a long time.
Mingyu nodded. "Exactly, fat as a pig, truly disgusting!"
Shi Gui's legs trembled in fear. He had been stunned moments before, but now he recovered and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Someone, quickly! Someone!"
"You two hurry and leave, I can handle this here..." Qian Shiming said, feeling she already owed someone a favor and didn't want to incur more.
"No, I can't stand looking at this old beast. He still wants to eat young grass, but he doesn't even look at his own character?" Mingyu shook her head, disagreeing with Qian Shiming's plan.
"If you don't leave soon, it will be too late," Qian Shiming urged.
"What about you? Aren't you also unable to escape? Do you want to die together?" Mingyu's eyes turned sharp as she spoke.
Her thoughts guessed correctly, and Qian Shiming faltered for a moment. "Please take care of my brother!"
"Qian Shiming, if you don't go back, your brother will be sad. Can you bear to leave him alone? He has already lost so much!" Mingyu said softly.
Qian Shiming startled, looking at Mingyu, and asked with surprise, "You... you know?"
Mingyu nodded. "Yes..."
"Then you..." Qian Shiming lowered her head. Knowing she and her brother were fugitives, would Mingyu still come to save her?
Mingyu understood Qian Shiming's thoughts and smiled. "I've come to save you because you are my companion on this journey, nothing else."
Qian Shiming knew that she had been moved by that single word, "companion." She fought back the urge to cry, but turned her head away and said, "Even if you do this, I won't be grateful."
"I know..." She didn't need anyone's gratitude. This was something she wanted to do, so she just did it.
Qian Shiming said no more. The whip in her hand moved like a spirit snake. Whether it was to vent or for some other reason, she lashed Shi Gui's already battered body fiercely.
"Miss Mingyu, we should go!" Changyu, who had been waiting outside, entered and said.
Mingyu walked forward and patted Qian Shiming's shoulder. "It's time to go!"
Qian Shiming withdrew her whip and nodded. "Alright!"
They then tied Shi Gui to a chair, gagged his mouth with a cloth, and the three of them sauntered out of the Yu Manor, leaving only Shi Gui's muffled cries behind.
After a bumpy journey, Mingyu and her companions finally arrived at a county town closest to their final destination—Huzhou.
They found an inn and checked in. Despite the journey, Qian Shiming still wasn't entirely fond of Mingyu and Changyu, but after the rescue, her attitude towards them had improved considerably.
"Miss Mingyu, tomorrow my sister and I will be going to search for our relatives. We will part ways here!" Qian Shixuan said calmly at the dinner table.
Mingyu nodded. "There is always a farewell when we meet. I wish Young Master Qian and Miss Qian success in finding your relatives."
"Alas, I just don't know if the relatives are still alive." Because their father had forcibly written a letter of divorce to their mother, her mother's family had been spared. He and his sister were returning to find their mother's father, their maternal grandfather.
"You will surely find them," Mingyu said.
"I hope so!" Qian Shixuan said faintly.
"What about you, Miss Mingyu?" Qian Shixuan suddenly turned to ask Mingyu.
Mingyu paused slightly and then replied, "I am also going to the capital for some matters."
"Then I wish Miss Mingyu success in all her endeavors," Qian Shixuan suddenly said.
"Thank you, Young Master Qian."
Qian Shixuan looked at Qian Shiming and said, "Let's go!"
Watching the retreating figures of Qian Shixuan and Qian Shiming, Mingyu let out a long sigh of relief.
"Miss Mingyu, according to our travel time, we will enter the capital tomorrow," Changyu said.
Mingyu nodded. "We will go directly to the Ministry of Justice Attendant's mansion."
Changyu was taken aback. "You..."
Mingyu looked up at Changyu. "We'll have him take us to the palace to meet the Empress. Otherwise, do you think we can get into the palace?"
Seeing Changyu frown, Mingyu continued, "Did you think we could sneak into the palace at night?"
"Can't we?"
"Changyu, you have experienced many things. Do you think a woman could ascend to the throne without being exceptionally resourceful?"