Chapter 2: About to be Exterminated

The days after the exile were arduous, and they couldn’t keep too many people. However, they still needed to live after arriving at the place of exile, so they definitely needed some people around them. The selection of personnel was also very important; loyalty and ability were indispensable.

Seeing the anxiety on Yan Huan’s face and the heartache in her eyes, Jiang Mama readily agreed, “Miss, don’t worry too much. I’ve already asked everyone, and usually the masters treat us kindly. Now that the Yan family is in trouble, most people are still willing to stay.”

Her little darling had lived a life of luxury since childhood, never experiencing such hardship. Now that the master and young masters were gone, all these chores fell entirely on the young lady’s shoulders. Thinking of this, tears welled up in Jiang Mama’s eyes.
Yan Huan wasn’t anxious about this matter; she was in a hurry to hoard things and quickly said, “Then I’ll have to trouble Mama with this. Given the current situation, it’s impossible for everyone to stay. Mama, just see to keeping a few capable ones.”

After thinking for a moment, she added, “It’s best to keep a few who are quick-witted and strong.” Life in the future would likely involve a lot of rough work, and she needed to plan ahead.

Jiang Mama understood her concerns and quickly nodded to take care of it.

Having dismissed Jiang Mama and perfectly resolved the manpower issue, Yan Huan felt a little more relieved.

After the two separated, Yan Huan first returned to her boudoir.

The Yan family had produced five officials, with Yan Qing reaching the position of Grand Tutor. However, he was an honest official with strict family rules, and the sons he raised were all as upright as him, leading to a poor household. Fortunately, the Yan family produced an oddball, Yan Jinrong, who lifted the family out of poverty, barely making them middle-class.

The second son, Yan Jinrong, had disliked books and loved the abacus since childhood. After adulthood, he even risked breaking ties with Yan Qing to venture out. Over the years, even if he wasn’t the richest person in the world, he had certainly made a fortune.

During his travels, whenever he saw anything strange or interesting, he would bring some back for his little sister. Therefore, the valuable items in Yan Huan’s boudoir were likely more than those in the public storeroom.

The jewelry and gems on the table were already dazzling to Yan Huan, but this was just the tip of the iceberg. Yan Huan knew that the bulk of it was stored under the bed.

Yan Huan had studied medicine. Her maternal grandfather’s Xu family had been practicing medicine for generations, a renowned medical family. Although the medical skills were generally passed down to men and not women, Yan Huan had grown up in her maternal grandparents’ home before the age of ten and was deeply loved by old Master Xu. Under his influence, she still understood some basic medical knowledge.
Precious Chinese medicinal materials such as Dendrobium officinale, Cordyceps sinensis, natural bezoar, pilose antler, musk, Gastrodia elata, and so on, filled several large boxes…

These were all natural and good things. Taking any one of them to later generations could fetch a good price, not to mention that Yan Huan also saw several hundred-year-old ginsengs and lingzhi mushrooms.

Yan Huan’s useless tears streamed down from the corners of her mouth. If she brought these things to modern times, wouldn’t she be able to lie down and wait to die at home every day?

Shaking her head and dismissing these unrealistic thoughts, the most important thing now was to take care of the present and try her best to ensure that the Yan family could safely overcome the current difficulties. Take away, take away, leave nothing behind!

The Yan family was a scholarly family, so antiques, calligraphy, painting supplies, and stationery were naturally indispensable, all thrown into the space.

The Yan family only had this one young lady, and her daily food, clothing, and utensils were not comparable to those of the rough sons. There was even a cloakroom specially separated by a green gauze screen.

Before Yan’s father went to the capital to take office, he was transferred everywhere. Because life was difficult, in order not to let this delicate little girl suffer the hardship of displacement, he had always fostered her with her maternal grandparents. After bringing her home, they all felt indebted to her for not having her by their side to enjoy the love of her parents and brothers from a young age, so they naturally doted on her even more.

Clothes and shoes filled more than a dozen boxes, and there was even a box of furs that hadn’t been made into garments yet.

In later generations, Yan Huan resisted such things, but she only knew that here, she didn’t have the luxury of discarding this box of things. Maybe she would rely on it to get through the winter in the future.

Daily necessities were also collected cleanly. After collecting everything, Yan Huan looked at the remaining simple and elegant furniture and fell into deep thought.

If small items were missing, when the officials asked, they could still say that Aunt Tao had ransacked the house when she fled. But if even the furniture was taken away, wouldn’t that be a bit too much?

But she really didn’t want to lose a single brick or tile. Not only the furniture, but even the windows, the glazed tiles on the roof, and even the green bricks on the ground, she wanted to pry them all away, not leaving a single hair for others!

Hehe, there was no other reason; her frugality was innate, a traditional virtue born in her bones.

Yan Huan’s hands were always more honest than her brain. Thinking of this, she had already packed everything that could be packed. If she hadn’t thought it would be difficult to operate later, she would have even wanted to take away the beams. Looking at the neatly stacked glazed tiles and green bricks in the space, a hint of a smile finally appeared on her face.

The space was still considerate; even the windows were completely dismantled without leaving any traces of removal. If someone were hired to dismantle them, they would probably leave scratches.

After tidying up her own room, the others’ rooms would naturally not be left out.

The study, the reception hall, the servants’ quarters, and even the woodshed were not spared.

Of course, a carriage at the gatehouse was also taken into the space. Originally, the Yan family had two carriages, but unfortunately, the larger one was driven away when going to court and probably couldn’t be retrieved now.

Just at this moment, Jiang Mama called everyone to the front hall, which was simply an opportunity to do whatever she wanted.

Finally, the most important kitchen naturally needed special attention.

The space had a preservation function, so all the vegetables that could be taken away definitely had to be taken. Pots, bowls, plates, and chopsticks were not forgotten either. Anyway, everything in sight was taken away, regardless of whether it was useful or not, all packed away first.

The space was very large; even if the entire Yan family was put into the space, it would be more than enough. If she wasn’t afraid of being caught as a monster, she would have wanted to take the entire Yan mansion into it.

It was just a pity that the Yan mansion usually bought fresh ingredients on the same day to ensure freshness, and only some vegetables that could be stored for a longer time were bought and stored at home.

There weren’t many fresh vegetables, chicken, duck, fish, and meat. What was harvested the most were dried vegetables and grains.

There were several large bags of various dried vegetables, several hundred catties of rice, and some millet and flour.

These things could only be used for emergencies. Occasionally taking them out to improve the meal was okay, but relying on them to live along the way would definitely not last long.

After collecting these things, Yan Huan began to look at the home she had transmigrated into less than a day ago.

Although she didn’t have much emotional attachment, she still felt a little unbearable at the thought that this place would soon be destroyed.

When the officials arrived at the Yan family, the Yan family was ablaze with fire and in chaos.

Yu Yiran, who was in charge of leading the search and seizure team, had just reached the gate when a girl with a face smudged with soot like a calico cat rushed out and grabbed his sleeve, shaking him vigorously.

“Brother Yu, you’ve finally come! Quickly call people to put out the fire. Any later, and our family won’t even need to be exiled; we’ll be exterminated directly!”