“Make way! All bystanders must clear out immediately!”
“The Duke of An and Marquis Yue have been found guilty of forming factions for selfish gains and plotting treason. The Imperial Capital Prefecture has received orders to confiscate their property!”
As expected, they still came!
Qi Yue’s heart tightened, and she hurriedly left.
Yet, no sooner had she crossed the long corridor than she was seized by the officials and soldiers of the Imperial Capital Prefecture and escorted to the front hall.
The front hall had already been ransacked, and everyone from the Marquis Residence had been rounded up here.
Her stepmother Shen Yu had already fainted, and beside her stood two sisters-in-law with tears streaming down their faces.
Several servants tried to flee through the doors; they were struck down by the officials and soldiers of the Imperial Capital Prefecture, one by one, and were immediately breathless on the ground.
The sight of blood everywhere left everyone in shock, silencing their cries, shouts, and gasps in an instant.
Qi Yue, like everyone else, was so frightened that she knelt on the ground.
Compared to the joy of her previous rebirth, she now felt the horror of death even more profoundly.
This was no longer the modern world she was familiar with but an alternate dimension where human life was considered worthless and imperial power reigned supreme.
Even though she came from the modern era and possessed a special space, she still had to desperately cling to life.
“Count the people, and detain all members of the Zhao Family under guard. Let no one escape!”
“Yes!”
Suddenly, a tall soldier entered the hall, circled in front of her twice, then abruptly stopped.
“Qi Yue? Niece Yue?”
Qi Yue looked up to see a middle-aged man with a broad face and square jaw.
She recalled faintly and immediately found the man’s name from the original owner’s memories.
This man was named Dai Yuan, the Deputy General of her father Qi Yunzhang in those days.
Noticing the pattern on his armor, Qi Yue promptly bowed her head and greeted him.
“Great Commander Dai!”
Dai Yuan bent down to help her up and looked at her intently.
“Is it really you, Niece Yue? Just call me Uncle Dai.”
Qi Yue saw his sincere expression and changed her address.
“Uncle Dai.”
Dai Yuan motioned her to the side, looked around, and whispered, “Niece Yue, I heard last month you were to be married, could it be to this Ducal Mansion?”
“Yes.”
Qi Yue responded with a nod, carefully observing Dai Yuan.
Dai Yuan, the Great Commander, the head of the fifty thousand Imperial Guards of the Imperial City, the Emperor’s most loyal subordinate.
If she could use this connection well, she could do a lot.
When Dai Yuan learned of Qi Fengzhang and Bai Jiahui’s schemes to force her into a sham marriage to gain control over the General Residence, he clenched his fists and cursed angrily.
“Damn it, that second uncle of yours is really worthless, daring to deceive me like this!”
However, he quickly calmed down and said with a stern face, “Niece Yue, I’m afraid this Ducal Mansion is beyond saving. Before the imperial decree arrives, I’ll think of a way to get you out of the Capital City.”
For a moment, Qi Yue almost believed Dai Yuan’s words, but she quickly came to her senses.
Back when her father Qi Yunzhang had fought against Nanyue and sacrificed himself for his country, he had not only preserved the land of Beiyuan Kingdom but also saved the lives of many Deputy Generals and over a thousand soldiers.
But these things alone were not enough for Dai Yuan to risk his future and life to save her.
The Emperor’s Imperial Guards, what a sensitive force.
They are the Emperor’s knife, his amulet, how could they easily promise anything to someone else?
Moreover, someone who could take the position of the Great Commander must not be truly righteous and loyal.
Thinking this, Qi Yue shook her head repeatedly.
“There’s no need to trouble Uncle Dai. If you really want to save me, Qi Yue would like to ask you to help vindicate my father,” she said.
As soon as Qi Yue mentioned Qi Yunzhang, Dai Yuan’s expression became slightly solemn, and then he looked serious.
“May I know what kind of vindication Miss Yue is referring to?” he asked.
Qi Yue caught the fleeting change in Dai Yuan’s expression but did not dwell on it further.
Right now, all she wanted was to avenge the fatal vendetta of her former self.
When Qi Yue told him that Qi Fengzhang had bribed officials using the late Great General Qi Yunzhang’s fame and connections to seek benefits everywhere, and had even been involved in the underhanded businesses of brothels and gambling dens, Dai Yuan’s expression grew darker and darker.
“Great Commander Dai, Qi Yue wants to accuse my second uncle Qi Fengzhang. He has used the power of the General Residence to his advantage and has seized the position of the Major General in the Imperial City Division. Last year, he even killed two innocent citizens in the street. My father spent his life with a clean reputation, serving the country with loyalty, only to be completely ruined by Qi Fengzhang! I implore Great Commander Dai to thoroughly investigate and handle this!”
After speaking, Qi Yue bowed respectfully and solemnly.
Dai Yuan, who was able to become the Commander of the Imperial Guards, was naturally no ordinary person.
Upon hearing this, he immediately understood Qi Yue’s intent and expressed, with utmost gravity, that he would deal with both Qi Fengzhang and the affairs of the Ducal Mansion—reassuring Qi Yue to have peace of mind!
At that moment, a soldier dressed in the garb of the Imperial Guards came hurrying over with a look of panic and quietly reported the empty state of the Treasure Pavilion.
Qi Yue instantly understood where that odd feeling in her heart was coming from.
Dai Yuan, as the Commander of the Imperial Guards, naturally had command over the Imperial Guards. So why had he come to the Marquis Residence, and moreover, to inspect the seizure of the Treasure Pavilion?
Her expression became stern as she remembered a rumor.
It was said that the current Emperor of Beiyuan Kingdom had a collecting habit, fond of gold, especially keen on casting gold into various little animal figurines for decoration.
Most of the valuable items taken from confiscated officials’ possessions were converted into gold and stored in his private vault.
Therefore, the Imperial Capital Prefecture’s act of seizure was just a pretense; the genuine executors were the Emperor’s Imperial Guards.
Lost in thought, she saw Dai Yuan whispering mysteriously to the guard, who immediately turned and left.
Afterward, Dai Yuan comforted Qi Yue with a few words, implying that those from the Ducal Mansion were highly likely to be exiled, and then he left in a hurry.
Qi Yue surmised that he was off to deal with Qi Fengzhang.
After all, she had exaggerated so much just to signal to Dai Yuan that there were mountains of gold and silver in the Great General Residence!
Since Dai Yuan was amassing wealth for the Emperor, he would undoubtedly not miss such an excellent opportunity!
Thinking of the soon to be nonexistent General Residence, Qi Yue’s lips curved into a slight smirk.
“Qi Fengzhang, Bai Jiahui, just wait! Everything you owe Qi Yue will be repaid twofold!”
Very soon, the servants who hadn’t managed to escape were tied up with ropes by the officials from the Slave Administration Division and led away, awaiting to be sold once more.
Following that, everyone from the Marquis Residence was taken into custody by the soldiers.
The men in one room, and the women in another.
Because of Dai Yuan’s special attention, Qi Yue was not locked up with her stepmother and the others, but isolated in a room by herself.
This actually made it easier for her to carry out her next plan.
She needed to get back to the General Residence before Dai Yuan and retrieve what belonged to Qi Yue.
As for how to get back, Qi Yue had long thought of a good plan!