Having never witnessed such a terrifying scene in her entire life, Sun Shi was dazed for a moment. Her hoarse, sharp voice seemed squeezed from her throat as she frantically patted the carriage wall: “Stop the carriage! Stop the carriage! Let me see what’s happening!”

Seeing this, Qin Yining quickly supported Sun Shi: “Alright, alright, Mother, don’t panic. Let’s see what’s happening. Once we understand the situation, we can go back and discuss with Father how to resolve this! Mother, please stay calm!”

“Yes, Madam, Fourth Miss is right. We must keep our composure now.” Nanny Jin’s forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Bingtang’s face was deathly pale as she gritted her teeth: “That incompetent ruler doesn’t know what trouble he’s stirring up now!”

The carriage stopped, and all four of them lifted the curtain and crowded to look outside.

By now, the incident at Duke Dingguo’s mansion had alarmed passersby and servants from neighboring households. Many people gathered around—some purely for the spectacle, others filled with confusion and righteous indignation. Their discussions buzzed as everyone wondered how the Duke’s household, having just finished the heir’s funeral, had fallen to the point of confiscation!

Seeing so many people, Qin Yining helped Sun Shi down from the carriage with Nanny Jin. The group wrapped their cloaks and hoods tightly and hid behind the crowd, watching from afar.

The wide-open mansion gates had been slammed shut with a clang, and soldiers posted seals on the doors.

All the masters and servants from the mansion had been driven out, tied up like mules and horses and arranged in several rows.

Duke Dingguo’s wife, eldest aunt, second aunt, and several daughters-in-law dressed as mistresses were bound in one row. Everyone tried their best to support two pregnant women in the middle—the heavily pregnant one about to give birth was fifth cousin’s wife, while the one just beginning to show was eighth cousin’s wife. Even with support from those beside them, both women looked unwell. Fifth cousin and eighth cousin in the front row anxiously kept turning back to inquire about them.

Seeing this, the soldiers first looked toward the fifty-year-old man in the black sable fur cloak who led them. Seeing him nod toward them, the soldiers understood and struck fifth cousin and eighth cousin several times with their sword sheaths, immediately breaking open their heads and faces. Blood flowed down their cheeks.

“This is a raid! Who gave you permission to speak!”

“Ah! Stop hitting them!” the women screamed.

“Don’t touch my grandsons!” Duke Dingguo roared and used his body to push aside those men. Though his hands were bound behind his back, he stood like a towering mountain, blocking in front of his children and grandchildren.

Eldest uncle and second uncle angrily kicked and rammed, knocking down several soldiers who had struck them.

The crowd immediately became chaotic, and the onlookers pointed and whispered.

“Beat you? Beating is getting off lightly!”

“Cao Bingzhong! How dare you allow private punishment!”

So the leader was Duke Cao!

“His Majesty entrusted this matter to me. How I handle it depends entirely on my mood! If you’re dissatisfied, you can certainly go plead your case before His Majesty—provided you can see His Majesty.” Duke Cao smiled smugly: “Weren’t you all so capable? How have you become quails waiting for slaughter now?!”

After a moment of silence from the watching crowd, someone boldly said with indignation: “What crime has Duke Dingguo’s family committed? Their eldest son just demonstrated his resolve for the country, so why are they being raided now!”

“Yes, why raid Duke Dingguo’s family!”

“It must be that demon empress’s instigation!”

“That man is the demon empress’s father! He’s no good person either!”

…

When someone spoke up, others agreed. Though people naturally seek advantage and avoid harm, once emotions are stirred and heads get heated, they don’t consider consequences as much.

Moreover, the law doesn’t punish the masses. These people hadn’t done anything unconscionable—they were just discussing quietly. They didn’t believe these officials would arrest them all too.

Duke Cao angrily glared at the crowd.

The soldiers immediately understood and moved forward to push the onlookers: “All of you shut up! Do you want to be buried with them!”

Several people in front were pushed down, and those behind were also jostled. Despite supporting each other, Qin Yining and Nanny Jin supporting Sun Shi, and Bingtang supporting Qin Yining, all four stumbled and fell.

Seeing the officials take action, the civilians quieted down.

Duke Cao curled his lips mockingly: “Sun Decheng, do you think you still have a place to speak? Your mansion is full of traitorous rebels! His Majesty is already furious—do you still want to incite the people to create civil unrest?!”

Turning around, Duke Cao declared loudly to the watching civilians: “Great Zhou had already extended an olive branch to us. If only Sun Yuanming had been willing to offer his brain fluid to treat Great Zhou’s Empress Dowager, perhaps our crisis could have been resolved. But the fine grandson Sun Decheng raised actually defied imperial orders! His Majesty hasn’t even pursued the crime of defying orders yet! Now Great Zhou is furious, Prince Zhongshun’s Huben Army is pressing at our borders. If Xihua City is truly breached, can we civilians in the capital remain safe? All this was caused by Sun Decheng’s family!”

“Bah! Shameless!”

“It’s clearly because the incompetent ruler is cowardly and afraid of death!”

…

The crowd murmured quietly. Qin Yining and Sun Shi were among them and heard everything clearly.

Duke Cao paid no attention, looking down haughtily at Duke Dingguo’s family: “His Majesty had no other choice. Great Zhou’s national letters are posted everywhere. For the sake of our Great Yan people, we can only hold your family accountable.”

“I don’t believe it! Even if His Majesty wants my Sun family’s lives, I must hear His Majesty’s decree from his own mouth! I don’t believe that we Suns are a family full of loyal ministers, my grandson demonstrated his resolve for the country, my sons fought on battlefields, only to meet this end!”

“You want to hear His Majesty’s personal decree? But His Majesty won’t see you!”

Duke Dingguo’s face turned purple with anger: “Cao Bingzhong, you treacherous villain! The daughter you raised uses her wiles to bewitch the ruler, constantly instigating His Majesty not to attend to proper affairs! You’re also a traitorous minister and enemy of the state! Aren’t you afraid of retribution!”

“Hahaha!” Duke Cao laughed loudly, clapping his hands: “My retribution hasn’t come yet, but yours, Sun Decheng, has arrived.”

Then his expression became serious as he raised his voice: “His Majesty’s decree: Sun Yu defied imperial orders and committed insubordination. Duke Dingguo’s lineage harbors disloyalty, sowing discord between the two nations and preventing peace between Great Zhou and Great Yan. All males of Duke Dingguo’s mansion, regardless of age, shall be beheaded. Execution at noon three days hence! Female family members shall be immediately sold to the pleasure quarters! Duke Dingguo’s servants shall be sold at the market entrance three days hence. All property under Duke Dingguo’s name shall be confiscated for the state!”

After a moment of silence, the scene erupted in chaos.

Duke Dingguo stood frozen in place.

Duke Dingguo’s wife looked dazed for a moment, then screamed: “No!”

Eldest uncle roared: “Your Majesty! You cannot be blinded by treacherous ministers! I, Sun Haicang, have fought for the country all my life. My son was loyal and devoted, full of patriotic fervor! Yet you wanted my son’s brain fluid to seek peace! Now you want my entire family’s lives! My youngest nephew is only five years old! Your Majesty! Children are innocent! I beg Your Majesty’s mercy!”

“Even if Duke Dingguo’s lineage doesn’t find favor with Your Majesty, what does a five-year-old child understand! We deserve to die, but we beg Your Majesty to leave the Sun family a thread of bloodline!”

The mournful cries of eldest uncle and second uncle caused an uproar among the people, who began loudly cursing the incompetent ruler.

But Duke Cao sneered coldly: “His Majesty is sage. He was right to say you harbor disloyalty! Look—with just a few words you can incite ignorant civilians to curse His Majesty?!”

With a casual wave of his hand, several eunuchs and soldiers rushed toward the crowd, grabbed the young man who had shouted loudest earlier, and struck down with a blade.

This stroke hit the young man’s neck. Blood spurted high, and the body fell to the ground with a thud.

The crowd immediately fell silent.

Duke Cao turned to face the onlookers: “Anyone else who speaks nonsense shall be charged as a rebel!”

How would the civilians dare speak again? Each one was angry but didn’t dare voice it.

Duke Dingguo’s eyes were bloodshot, two streams of hot tears flowing: “Your Majesty has wronged my Sun family, wronged Great Yan’s loyal ministers! Your Majesty, aren’t you afraid of chilling your subjects’ hearts!”

“Silence! Males shall be detained in the Ministry of Justice prison, females shall all be sent to the pleasure quarters! Take them all away!”

“Yes!”

“My lord!” Duke Dingguo’s wife choked back sobs.

Duke Dingguo turned to look at his old wife.

They both knew this parting would be forever.

“Peizhen, ultimately I have wronged you.”

“No, my lord. You are a hero, a good man. That I could follow you in this life is already enough.” Duke Dingguo’s wife wept uncontrollably.

Eldest aunt, second aunt, and the daughters-in-law all cried frantically for their husbands, both sides struggling to get closer to each other.

Eldest uncle and second uncle’s tiger eyes contained tears as they fell to their knees with a thud.

Since they were tied together, all the men knelt down together.

“Sons are unfilial. We bid farewell to Mother.”

After eldest uncle and second uncle bowed, the cousins also kowtowed to eldest aunt and second aunt.

Eldest aunt wailed loudly, while second aunt screamed madly, unclear words coming from her mouth, half-crazed.

Among the males to be executed, her second branch had the most people, including her five-year-old grandson.

This heart-wrenching, blood-crying scene caused another uproar among the watching civilians.

Sun Shi could no longer bear it. Like a madwoman, she shook off Qin Yining and Nanny Jin’s hands, pushed through the crowd and rushed forward: “Father! Eldest brother! Second brother!”

Qin Yining and Nanny Jin also rushed out. Seeing soldiers about to block Sun Shi, Qin Yining feared Sun Shi would suffer and positioned herself beside Sun Shi, using her arms and back to block the soldiers’ pushing.

But the three were still blocked by the officials and couldn’t advance an inch.

Duke Dingguo, eldest uncle, second uncle, and the cousins all turned back, looking tearfully at Sun Shi and Qin Yining.

“Grandfather, eldest uncle, second uncle.” Since they had already shown themselves, there was no point in hiding anymore.

Qin Yining knelt on the spot and performed a grand salute.

Duke Dingguo looked at Qin Yining and Sun Shi but didn’t speak.

Eldest uncle and second uncle cried and laughed: “This must be Han Jie’er’s daughter? Take good care of your mother.”

“Eldest uncle, second uncle, please rest assured.” Qin Yining supported Sun Shi.

Sun Shi pressed her forehead to the blue stone brick ground, sobbing loudly: “Father, I don’t want you to die! Eldest brother, second brother, I don’t want you to die!”

Duke Cao first glared at Sun Shi and Qin Yining. Because Sun Shi was married and her husband was Grand Preceptor Qin, he didn’t dare act, only commanding in a low voice: “What are you hesitating for? Take them away!” He then got into his carriage and left first.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers and eunuchs moved to separate the women from the men and lead them away in different directions.

Finally, they had to part, and tightly held hands had to be forcibly separated.

Duke Dingguo said hopefully to his wife: “Peizhen! Take the children and survive!”

Duke Dingguo’s wife’s eyes were blurred with tears as she nodded with effort.

Fifth cousin shouted anxiously: “Grandmother, please take care of Shuang’er! Shuang’er, don’t cry. Give birth to our child and live well!”

“Husband, husband!” Fifth cousin’s wife, heavily pregnant and about to give birth, refused to let go of fifth cousin’s hand. In the chaos, she was pulled by soldiers and stumbled, falling to the ground while clutching her belly and crying out in pain. She was forcibly dragged away, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.

Fifth cousin’s eyes nearly split with fury—his child!

Qin Yining could no longer bear it and pushed over the soldier blocking her with one shove.

No one expected a young lady to have such strength!

Someone was about to draw their blade but was stopped by an informed eunuch: “This is Grand Preceptor Qin’s daughter!”

However, though these people didn’t dare use blades, three or four strong men still blocked Qin Yining, preventing her from getting closer.

Qin Yining could only shout loudly: “Cousin, don’t worry!”

This shout made Duke Dingguo, eldest uncle, second uncle, and the cousins all look at Qin Yining.

Qin Yining had tears in her eyes, but her gaze was extremely determined: “I’ll go to the pleasure quarters immediately!”

The Zhaoyin Bureau, which specialized in renting criminal women from the pleasure quarters, was now Qin Yining’s property!

Duke Dingguo smiled and nodded heavily.

Qin Yining also nodded. After one last look at fifth cousin and eighth cousin, she turned and left.

Fifth cousin’s voice came from behind: “Yi Jie’er, your cousin thanks you!”