The Shen family spent five days in the Heavenly Prison.

During those five days, no one came to visit them, let alone bring them food, blankets, or anything else.

Under the tyranny of Wang Lao Tai Tai, the women didn’t dare to let her be cold or hungry.

The prison was damp and cold, and the concubines took off their coats to cover her. They also took turns giving her their portions of food.

They could only endure the cold and hunger.

Although Wang Lao Tai Tai was disgusted, she also knew that this wasn’t the time to be picky. She accepted their service with a sense of entitlement, constantly grumbling and criticizing.

What a perfect portrayal of a high-ranking family’s old lady!

As time went on, their arrogance was completely shattered.

At first, they were picky about the food, but later, they even started asking for more. This watery porridge simply wasn’t filling enough.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t a place where they could do whatever they wanted.

Besides the food, the most unbearable thing was using the toilet.

There was only one chamber pot in each cell, and it wasn’t emptied every day. The smell was unimaginable.

Ever since Shen Shiren had risen to prominence, he had requested a title for his widowed mother. Wang Lao Tai Tai, with her title, and her capable son with a promising future, had never suffered any hardship. Now, after a trip to the Heavenly Prison, she felt like she had lost half her life.

As for the other Shen family women, except for the legitimate mistresses, Wang Ya Lan, Liu Wan, Shen Juanjuan, and Shen Li Li, the other concubines and their daughters were already haggard and exhausted.

Not only the Shen family women, but Lu Yao and Shen Yanrong were also having a hard time. Even though they tried to find ways to give everyone delicious food to supplement their nutrition, and they took the children out to exercise every day, the two children still looked listless.

During those five days, they were also taken out for questioning, including Lu Yao and Shen Yanrong.

Because they were all taken out separately, the Shen family women were still holding out hope, but they were also more fearful.

Especially when they heard that the people from the Earl’s Mansion were being exiled to the borderlands, their heart-wrenching cries, filled with despair, sorrow, and helplessness, made the Shen family women, who had been crying every day, quiet down a lot.

【I wonder how long we’ll be locked up here.】

On this point, the Shen family and Lu Yao’s family had a rare common language.

That day, the cell door finally opened again, and they were urged to go outside to receive the decree.

“Are we finally going out?”

Some were excited, while others were fearful. Especially when they thought that the people from the Earl’s Mansion had also gone out happily to receive the decree…

This thought sent chills down their spines. Some even wanted to stay in the prison and not go out.

Of course, that was impossible.

Under the jailer’s urging, they went to the large hall outside the cells.

In the hall, the Shen family men were already waiting there. When they saw the women come out, they were all excited, and the women were the same. They rushed towards each other, wanting to know how each other was doing and to be comforted.

The guards nearby quickly stopped them.

“Don’t move!”

“Stand still!”

The few days in prison had made everyone’s nerves tense. They had lost their initial arrogance and arrogance. Hearing the guard’s scolding, they immediately stopped and didn’t even dare to speak, except for exchanging glances.

Seeing this, Lu Yao and Shen Yanrong moved closer to each other, their gratitude for Xie Zheng growing even stronger.

Speaking of the devil.

Xie Zheng wasn’t wearing armor today, but a purple official robe embroidered with a kirin. His features were sharp and his expression was cold. Coupled with this official robe, the aura he exuded wasn’t any weaker than when he was wearing armor.

Standing a step ahead of him was a man in a dragon robe, with a white face and no beard. The man was holding a bright yellow scroll in his hand.

Lu Yao’s heart skipped a beat. This must be the eunuch from the emperor’s side, and the thing in his hand must be the imperial decree that would decide their fate.

Shen Yanrong also guessed what was about to happen. They quietly put their children down and moved closer to each other.

When they were ready, the eunuch stood in front of everyone and told the Shen family to receive the decree.

The Shen family members all knelt down, their hearts gripped with anxiety.

They had been very distressed these past few days. Now, it was finally time for the verdict.

The eunuch didn’t delay. When everyone was kneeling, he unfurled the imperial decree and began to read aloud.

“By the decree of Heaven, the Emperor, it is hereby declared: Shen Shiren, Minister of Personnel, has disregarded the emperor’s grace, accepted bribes, framed his colleagues, allowed his servants to bully the people… The evidence is conclusive. He is to be caned thirty times, his property confiscated, and his entire family exiled to Qianzhou, as a warning to others. Those servants who have committed crimes will be punished according to the law, and those who have not will be sold again. This is the imperial decree!”

The hearts of the Shen family members sank deeper and deeper as the decree was read. Some of them collapsed directly onto the ground.

“The Shen family, receive the decree.” After reading the decree, the eunuch put away the scroll and urged the Shen family to receive it.

He didn’t hold their lack of decorum against them. Every time he read such a decree, this scene would play out. Suddenly falling from the clouds to the mud, deeply affected, was human nature.

The Shen family finally snapped out of it. Shen Shiren was not there, and Wang Lao Tai Tai was the most senior member of the Shen family. She stood up shakily, supported by Wang Ya Lan, and stepped forward to receive the decree: “Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor.”

Her voice was at least ten years older.

The eunuch didn’t show any emotion towards the Shen family’s misery. He didn’t even look at them. He simply exchanged a few words with Xie Zheng and then left.

Xie Zheng didn’t delay either. With a wave of his hand, someone immediately went to get the instruments of punishment to put on the Shen family members.

The Shen family members were completely distraught. They embraced each other and cried out.

“Mother, does this mean we can never go back to the capital?”

“What are we going to do now?”

“Qianzhou, that’s a barren land, with high mountains and long rivers. Will we even be able to survive there? Wuwuwu!”

“We don’t have anything, can we go back to the Shen family to get some things?”

“…”

Everyone was terrified and desperate. The little dignity they had left was completely gone because of their uncertain future.

Shen Yaoming listened to everyone’s cries and complaints, feeling very frustrated. Was his whole life just going to be like this?

No, his life shouldn’t be like this.

But with the emperor’s decree, no matter how much he resented and disagreed, it was useless. He could only let the soldiers put shackles on their hands and feet.

At this moment, they finally saw Shen Shiren.

Shen Shiren had just been caned thirty times. He was old, and he must have suffered a lot these past few days. Now, he was unconscious and was dragged like a dead dog to the Shen family members.

Wang Lao Tai Tai saw her son, covered in blood and flesh, and immediately rushed to him, crying, “My son! What happened to you?”

“Cousin, wake up.”

“Father…”

A group of people surrounded him. Seeing their head of the family in such a state, the already flustered and fearful group became even more confused. What were they going to do in the future?

“Mother, is Big Uncle going to die?”

“Will we be able to survive?”

Shen Li Li and Shen Juan Juan asked in hushed voices. They were used to being spoiled, and now they were so scared that they had lost their temper. They could only tightly hold their mother’s hand for comfort.

“Don’t worry, he won’t,” Liu Wan said, but her voice was very weak. It was unclear whether she was comforting herself or her two children.

“What are you talking about!” Shen Shifu, the second son of the Shen family, said, “Watch out for Lao Tai Tai punishing you.”

The three of them shrank their necks and quickly fell silent.

“What are you doing? What are you doing!” The guard saw them gathered around and wouldn’t leave. Seeing the general’s gloomy face, he was afraid of being scolded, so he quickly urged the soldiers escorting them to leave.

But…

Shen Shiren was unconscious, and they couldn’t take him away.

Shen Yaoming looked at Shen Yanrong, who simply gave him the back of his head. He had no choice but to ask Xie Zheng, who was looking cold, for help, asking him to make an exception.

Xie Zheng wasn’t difficult with him, but he didn’t say a word. He simply glanced at him and then looked away.

Shen Yaoming’s heart sank to the bottom. They were a group of old and young people, and he was just a scholar with no strength. What were they going to do?

Thankfully, Wang Ya Lan was calm enough. She had been paying attention to her son’s situation. She went to the jailer, took off her bracelet and handed it to him, asking if he could help find a carriage. It didn’t have to be good, as long as it could take them away.

Worried that he wouldn’t agree, she apologized, “We also hope to leave as soon as possible, so we don’t miss the time.”

The jailer took the bracelet, looked at its quality, and said, “Wait” before leaving.

After a cup of tea, the jailer reappeared. Behind him was a jailer pushing a cart.

The jailer directly placed the cart in front of them and left. The jailer pointed at the cart, indicating that it was prepared for them.

A good jade bracelet in exchange for a cart like this, Wang Ya Lan was furious in her heart, but she couldn’t say anything. She had to thank the jailer.

With the cart, it was much more convenient. With the Shen family’s combined efforts, they finally managed to move the person onto it.

As for who would push the cart?

Of course, it was the concubines and the sons born to concubines.

Shen Yaoming was very satisfied with his grandmother’s arrangement. However, they hadn’t left the capital yet, and he didn’t want to be gossiped about.

So, as his half-brothers pushed the cart, he also put his hand on the handle.