Chapter 358: Confiscation of Property

Chapter 358: Property Seizure

Sun Yan was a high-ranking eunuch, a favorite in the Emperor's court. But before becoming a eunuch, he had been a poor commoner.

He left his newlywed wife behind to seek a better life in the capital, only to fall gravely ill soon after arriving. After spending all his money, he was left half-dead and dumped in a mass grave by the innkeeper, but he miraculously survived.

Then it dawned on him that everything was fleeting; only money and a comfortable life mattered.

He willingly underwent castration and entered the palace. Because he was clever and resourceful, and could read a few characters, he quickly took a senior eunuch as his mentor and within a few years, he found himself by the Emperor's side.

Today, after hearing Xin You's words, Sun Yan was profoundly affected.

If life back home had been manageable, who would have wanted to leave their hometown to seek survival?

He regarded the young girl before him with newfound respect, not so much for the common folk, but for his own past.

As he climbed the social ladder, he didn't think much about it, but in recent years, he often wondered—what if he had arrived in the capital a bit later? Perhaps his wife could have given him a child or two.

But it was merely a thought. Later, with money and power, he sent money back to his hometown, only to learn that the village had been devastated, and everyone had perished.

Xin You didn't know that Sun Yan had thought so much. Hearing his words, her smile became more genuine: "Respected Sir Sun, you can stop here. It's only a short walk from the palace gate to the Imperial Academy."

Seeing her insistence, Sun Yan had to stop: "Lady Xin, take care of yourself."

The people at the Imperial Academy, like those in other government offices, were completely uninterested in their official duties, their minds entirely preoccupied with the matter of Chief Minister Zhang.

Seeing Xin You walking leisurely, many wished they could rush over to ask for details, but reason kept them in place.

This was the one who had brought down Chief Minister Zhang.

Before that, there was Elder Deng, Count Gu Chang, and as for Liu, the Censor, they didn't even bother to mention him—he was merely an afterthought.

Yes, Lady Xin was indeed the victim, but when others encountered such situations, they truly became victims or even died. When Lady Xin encountered it, those who wronged her ended up dead. Who wouldn't be afraid?

After Xin You walked away, whispers of discussion broke out.

"Is the Zhang family completely finished?"

"Of course, it's just a matter of how many people will be implicated."

"I heard that Commander He of the Pacification Office personally led the team to confiscate the property and arrest people."

As these people speculated, the entire Zhang residence was now surrounded by the Jinlin Guard.

Zhang Xu's superficial wounds had healed. Because he had been expelled from school, he didn't need to return to the Imperial Academy and slept until the sun was high before getting up.

"What's all the noise outside?" Hearing faint commotion, Zhang Xu lazily walked out.

A group of officers approached with a menacing air.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Zhang Xu widened his eyes in surprise, then became furious. "How dare you barge into the Zhang family like this?"

The leader of the Jinlin Guard was Huang Cheng, who had accompanied He Qingxiao south. Seeing Zhang Xu's clueless expression, he found it both unbelievable and amusing: "We are the Jinlin Guard, here by imperial decree to confiscate the Zhang residence."

"By imperial decree?" Zhang Xu's mind raced, finally understanding the meaning of these words.

They were here to seize the property!

"Why are you seizing my family's property?" The reckless youth felt panic, but more than anything, disbelief. "Just because I offended Xin You, you're seizing our property?"

Huang Cheng looked at Zhang Xu with disdain in his eyes. This disdain wasn't genuine sympathy but rather contempt for his foolishness.

"Your grandfather and uncle plotted to assassinate Lady Xin, but their plan was exposed, and they were both thrown into the imperial prison," Huang Cheng explained with a rare show of kindness, then coldly waved his hand and ordered, "Take him away!"

"Let go of me, let go of me! I don't believe it, you must be lying!"

The Zhang residence erupted in chaos, with Zhang Xu's screams standing out above the rest.

Xin You stood outside the Zhang residence, quietly watching the Jinlin Guardsmen come and go, dragging away members of the Zhang family one by one. When she saw Zhang Xu being dragged out, her calm, water-like eyes flickered slightly.

She thought of Dai Ze, the heir to Count Gu Chang.

Compared to Dai Ze before his exile, Zhang Xu looked far more disheveled and wretched.

Zhang Xu seemed to sense her presence and turned his gaze toward Xin You. Seeing her standing there, he struggled to lunge forward.

Bound and immobilized, he could only spew curses in his rage: "Xin You, you're a demon! You're a demon!"

A demon who brings ruin to anyone who crosses her!

Many turned their heads at Zhang Xu's curses, their eyes landing on the young girl beneath the magnolia tree.

The magnolia tree stood bare of flowers, its leaves a rare splash of green in the late autumn chill.

The girl beneath the magnolia tree wore a green robe—a dull color for official attire—yet she carried it with the grace of willow and the strength of pine.

People revered spirits and gods, so the accusation of being a 'demon' was no trivial matter. Everyone was curious how the accused girl would respond.

Xin You marched over, her robe swirling, and halted before Zhang Xu.

"You say I'm a demon?"

Face-to-face with his enemy, Zhang Xu's eyes burned with rage: "You are a demon! If Dai Ze and I hadn't met you, our families wouldn't have fallen—"

His words were silenced by the sharp crack of a slap.

Xin You struck him repeatedly, left and right, without mercy, landing dozens of slaps before finally stopping.

Zhang Xu's mouth was contorted, his face swollen, and the pain left him speechless.

The onlookers stood frozen, mouths agape, too stunned to utter a word.

Or perhaps they didn't dare.

How excruciating it must have been to endure dozens of those brutal slaps!

Xin You wiped her hands with a handkerchief and sneered, "A dog's mouth can't produce pearls!"

The Great Xia dynasty was built by her father, with her mother's indispensable support. Yet the descendants of her mother's murderer dared to hurl insults at her. Did they truly believe she'd tolerate it for the sake of a genteel image?

The familiar pain and dizziness washed over him, and Zhang Xu trembled as he met the girl's dark, piercing gaze. Fear coursed through his veins, chilling him to the bone.

She was capable of anything!

The realization hit him like a bucket of ice water, dousing his anger in an instant.

The girl's icy warning cut through the air: "Keep spouting nonsense, and even in the imperial prison, I'll come back to slap you."

Seeing Xin You's fury, Huang Cheng shoved Zhang Xu and barked, "Get him out of here!"

Xin You calmly watched as Zhang Xu was dragged away, then turned to He Qingxiao with a slight smile. "Lord He."

The earlier unrestrained demeanor vanished without a trace, like a gleaming sword slipping back into its sheath, and she once again became a gentle and composed lady.

The swiftness of this change left onlookers utterly stunned.

He Qingxiao, however, showed no discomfort, a hint of amusement hidden in his eyes as he asked her, "It will take some time to search and seal the Zhang residence. Would Lady Xin like to go in and take a look?"

Xin You shook her head. "I'm just here to see what's going on. I'll stay out of it."

Whether the Zhang family could find letters or other items bearing the imperial seal still depended on Lord He. Her getting involved might just complicate things.

"I will investigate carefully," He Qingxiao said, understanding Xin You's concerns.

To an outsider, his words might have seemed ordinary, but between them, the understanding was crystal clear.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Lord He," Xin You said. Once He Qingxiao had stepped back into the Zhang residence, she turned on her heel and departed.