Originally anxious and fearful of being thrown into prison, the common people all let out long sighs of relief upon hearing this. They had come to seek justice but acted out of greed—everyone actually knew in their hearts that they were in the wrong. If the authorities were determined to investigate, could these small common folk possibly escape Huichuan County?
Moreover, whether it was their initial charge toward the Lu mansion or their looting of the Lu family’s possessions, these were all their private actions, unrelated to the prince’s mansion. The princess consort had no obligation to speak well of them before Head Constable Guo to protect them.
At this moment, the common people deeply felt the righteousness of the prince’s mansion’s conduct. One by one, they looked at Qin Yining with eyes full of gratitude.
Head Constable Guo, knowing when to act appropriately, finished speaking with a smile, nodded to Qin Yining, then turned and left with his officers.
Qin Yining secretly smiled that Head Constable Guo was an interesting person, then turned to smile at the common people: “Everyone disperse.”
The common people naturally wanted to quit while ahead and not continue provoking the Lu family. If they really angered them, they feared that even with the princess consort’s help, they might not be saved.
However, everyone still held so many treasures in their hands—enough for them to spend comfortably for quite a while. Things grabbed were precious even before being warmed up, and they were reluctant to give them up just like that.
Qin Yining’s words timely resolved everyone’s anxiety.
“Whatever you’re supposed to take with you, take it all. Everyone hurry home—it’s raining heavily outside, don’t catch cold.”
With the princess consort’s permission, everyone immediately had their backbone and rushed toward the gate without hesitation, carrying their things.
Bian Ruohan screamed: “No! No! Put everything down! You’re not allowed to take anything!”
How could the common people listen to her? Naturally, they were willing to listen to whoever’s orders benefited them. So everyone rushed outside like a gust of wind, clutching their things.
Only a very few people hesitated in their steps.
“Princess Consort, if we take all these things, how will you settle privately with the Lu family?”
Qin Yining smiled: “Don’t worry, I will settle accounts clearly with the Lu family.”
This meant that they had robbed the Lu family’s things, and the princess consort would also take responsibility for them?
The common people were moved to tears and ran off. A small portion still felt their actions were too improper and wanted to put down the things in their arms.
Qin Yining instructed her attendants to persuade each of them: “Take the things back home—it will save your families some expenses.”
Everyone’s tears were about to flow in that instant.
Bian Ruohan crossed her arms and walked step by step toward Qin Yining. The Lu family’s courtyard was now in complete disarray—being trampled and soiled was secondary; most important were the things those rioters had looted.
Qin Yining actually had the nerve to say she would compensate?
“Good, good, good! I just want to see how you’ll compensate!” Bian Ruohan pointed at Qin Yining and cursed: “You’ve played the good person yourself, but don’t care about other people’s lives or deaths? You have no idea how much effort I put into preparing this current residence! Every flower and blade of grass here was carefully prepared by me using my personal savings for my husband. And you—with just one sentence, you let all those rioters run away! You say you’ll settle accounts—fine! My precious calligraphy and paintings, antique vases, and jade cups from the previous dynasty—return them all to me!”
“All bought with your personal savings? That’s even better.”
“What?”
Qin Yining smiled: “To welcome my prince, I carefully prepared a residence filled with countless rare treasures, precious calligraphy and paintings, antique vases, and jade cups from the previous dynasty—all from my personal savings. Who knew that before they were even arranged for long, your people robbed them. Not only did you order people to steal my things, you also had them beat my servants. You want to settle accounts? Fine, let’s start with you leading people to break into the prince’s mansion.”
“You, you, you!” Bian Ruohan’s finger trembled as she pointed at Qin Yining. “You’re shameless! Those things are clearly all mine!”
“Stealing other people’s things and saying they’re your own—Lady Zhongyi really commands admiration.”
Qin Yining’s words made Bian Ruohan jump around on the ground in fury, her cheeks purple with rage, no longer knowing what to do. From childhood to now, she had never suffered such grievances, yet she had experienced them all at Qin Yining’s hands.
The people Qin Yining brought were now just crossing their arms and sneering coldly. There was no helping it—the princess consort was too formidable, they had no place to use their skills. Before they could even act, the princess consort had settled everything with just a few words.
Bian Tong could see it clearly too. Bian Ruohan was no match for Qin Yining at all. She couldn’t gain advantage in verbal sparring, and even today’s situation—Bian Tong suspected it was a trap set by Qin Yining, deliberately coming to “rob the rich and help the poor.”
It had to be said that Bian Tong was much more perceptive than Bian Ruohan.
Qin Yining called to her maid behind her and turned to leave.
Bian Ruohan roared: “Stop right there! You haven’t compensated me for my things yet—you’re not allowed to leave!”
Qin Yining turned back, looking at Bian Ruohan as if viewing an unreasonable child.
“Compensate you? Fine. I already spoke very clearly just now. You first return the things you stole from me, then apologize to my household servants and compensate for damages and medical expenses, then I’ll compensate your family. We need to handle things one by one—there has to be a proper order, doesn’t there?”
“You! Surnamed Qin, you’re doing this on purpose!” Bian Ruohan finally caught on, roaring in uncontrollable fury: “I’m going to report you! I’m going to report you to the Empress Dowager and Empress! I’m going to…”
“Go ahead.” Qin Yining’s face suddenly turned cold. “I’ll be right here, waiting for you to report me.”
With that, she turned around gracefully and left with all her servants.
Bian Ruohan clenched her fists and began crying loudly on the spot.
What to do—everything valuable in the house had been stolen. Never mind that before leaving home she had boasted to Lu Heng, swearing confidently that when Lu Heng arrived in Huichuan County he need only move in and wouldn’t have to worry about anything. Just the personal savings she had lost—those were treasures she had accumulated for half her lifetime!
“You poisonous whore! I’ll fight you to the death!” Bian Ruohan charged toward the gate with bared fangs and claws, but where was the prince’s mansion carriage at the gate now? Only a few scattered common people remained. Seeing Bian Ruohan charge out, these people also hurriedly scattered like birds and beasts, as if afraid Bian Ruohan would demand they return the lost household items.
Bian Ruohan knelt on the rain-soaked wet stone bricks, crying loudly without any regard for her image.
Qin Yining had already entered her own home by this time.
“Quickly close the gate—don’t let that shrew bring people to break in again.”
“She won’t—she can’t even finish crying over her own troubles! Haha!” Bingtang clutched her stomach and laughed heartily. “She dared rob us—why shouldn’t they be allowed to rob her? We’ll just consider it robbing the rich to help the poor, doing good deeds. Let’s see how that Bian woman can still be smug!”
Qin Yining shook her head with a smile: “Bian and I have completely torn our faces now. Who knows how chaotic the situation in Huichuan County will become from now on.”