Chapter 135: Confrontation

The Zhao Mansion was situated between the Xie Mansion and the Da Li Prison. Therefore, the vice commander of the Jingu Guards responsible for searching the Zhao Mansion was working neither fast nor slow, waiting for Sheng Huaixing to bring the people from the Xie family to join him.

When Sheng Huaixing and the others brought the people to the gates of the Zhao Mansion and waited for a while, it didn’t take long before the people from the Zhao Mansion were also brought out.

When Zhao Yutan learned that her maternal family had also been searched and exiled, she almost fainted. She couldn’t understand why this was happening. It shouldn’t have been like this.

“Guests, is this the place?”

“Yes, you can put me down here, take the money, and you can leave.”

“Alright.”

A few words caught the attention of both the Xie and Zhao families.

Fourth Brother?!

Zhao Bin was sitting in a sedan chair, smiling and greeting them, “Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Eldest Sister, long time no see.”

The three brothers of the Zhao family looked at each other, no need to ask, if there was such a disaster in the Zhao family, it must have been leaked by the Fourth Brother.

The Jingu Guards stepped forward, “Are you Zhao Bin?”

“Yes.” Zhao Bin admitted readily.

“Take him down!”

Zhao Bin didn’t resist at all, cooperating very well.

“Fourth Brother, did you provide the evidence?” Zhao Wenkuan questioned him.

“Yes.” Zhao Bin admitted straightforwardly.

“A Bin, why would you do this? We are your family.”

Family? Haha, they sent him to Li Mountain Villa, it’s been so long, who has come to see how he’s doing? His sister got married, his three brothers all came back, did anyone think of visiting him to see if he was doing well?

“Yes, why would you do this?” Zhao Wenkuan didn’t understand. He believed that even though he had given up on this son, he hadn’t mistreated him. And didn’t he understand? As long as the Zhao family existed, he could always have food and clothing without worries. If he ruined the Zhao family, wouldn’t he suffer too?

Zhao Bin smiled and said, “No reason, I just think what Lu Songli said is right, a family should be neat and tidy.”

Zhao Wenkuan really hated it. Before the late emperor issued the decree to give so many courtiers a death sentence to accompany him in death, he narrowly escaped. Was it easy for him? Ah! Now he was betrayed by his own son, he really hated it.

“Did you collude with Lu Songli?” Xie Zhan asked. Zhao Bin had really helped Lu Songli a lot, and he must have leaked a lot of secrets from the Xie family too, right? It was a mistake, they shouldn’t have been soft when they advised Zhao Wenkuan to give up on him in the first place.

“Collude? Am I worthy?”

“If you’re not worthy, then why did you help her deal with your own family? Have you forgotten who caused you to end up like this? How can you be so indiscriminate in your enmity?” Zhao Yutan hysterically questioned him.

Zhao Yutan didn’t understand. It was clearly Lu Songli who crippled his leg, and it was Lu Songli who didn’t let him go, always scheming against him. Why would he turn around and help Lu Songli deal with his own family and his own relatives?!

Zhao Bin sneered, “Who made me end up like this? Wasn’t it you?”

Love is deep, hate is strong. Lu Songli was his enemy, it was normal for her to be ruthless towards him, because he, Zhao Bin, hadn’t been soft on her either. But among his family, the abandonment of his parents and relatives, and the inaction of his elder sister, were like being stabbed in the back to him, and this was the reason why he deeply hated the Zhao family. Moreover, he had never forgotten why he had provoked Lu Songli.

“I didn’t expect you to think this way. Do you know that I almost avenged you? I was so close! You could have had your revenge on your enemy, you know?!” Zhao Yutan loudly questioned him, “Because of you, everything went to waste! And you also harmed the Xie family and the Zhao family!”

Zhao Bin scoffed, she was too naive, did she really think she could outsmart Lu Songli with her methods?

“Alright, enough said.” Xie Zhan stepped forward, what was the use of arguing further now that things had come to this? It was just adding to the spectacle.

The Jingu Guards watched a ripping-apart drama, feeling quite satisfied, before escorting the people to the Da Li Prison.

Da Li Prison

The Qin family members were packing their things.

Someone had just informed them that they could leave the prison in two hours and prepare to set off for their exile destination. They were packing their things at the moment. They hadn’t expected to have accumulated so many things after only a few days in prison. Moreover, these supplies were all sent in by relatives who had shown their support, and they were all timely assistance.

“Let’s take everything we can!” Madam Qin thought about the exile journey ahead, all the way north, the freezing cold and snow, it would definitely be difficult, and there would be a great need for supplies, so she was reluctant to waste anything.

Thankfully, on the day they were imprisoned, the younger daughter-in-law had changed the children’s clothes. Although they looked old, they were very warm, so the children hadn’t caught a cold or gotten sick these past few days.

Seeing Qin Jia holding a straw mat, Lu Songli smiled and said, “Jiajia, don’t take that, okay?” The straw mat they had woven previously had been used for a few days and was no longer presentable.

“Oh.” Qin Jia dropped it.

Lu Songli used the large piece of coarse cloth sent by the Xu family to pack the items from the female prison into two bundles.

On the female side, Nie Yunniang wanted to hold her newborn daughter, only Lu Songli and Qin Madam could carry things, Qin Jia was quite sensible and tried to help, but an eight-year-old girl could manage herself well enough.

Not long after, Wang Yuan arrived with the guards, and they also brought a few locks.

“This is Officer Xu, the official responsible for escorting you to Pingzhou.”

When Lu Songli saw the person, she was certain. The person was indeed Xu Zheng, the elder brother of her elder sister Lu Songyun’s husband. He had been an ordinary officer in Baoding before, but later, under her arrangement, he had been promoted and had some power in the officer ranks.

Their eyes met for a moment, but they didn’t exchange any words.

“Now, the male prisoners will come out first, one by one!”

Qin Heng came out first, the guards put handcuffs and shackles on him, followed by Qin Zhao and Qin Sheng.

Wang Yuan said to Xu Zheng, “Officer Xu, you don’t need to put locks on the women, do you? Look at them, they are old, sick, and weak.”

Xu Zheng glanced at the female prison and nodded, “Alright.”

“Madam Qin, Lord Qin, the journey ahead will be difficult, take care of yourselves. Wang Yuan wishes you all a safe journey.”

Qin Heng smiled, “I’m not an official anymore, Qin Heng wishes you the same, Lord Wang.”

Taking advantage of the brief moment when they were talking, Qin Sheng came over to his mother and wife. He said to Lu Songli, “Hang the bundles you and Mother are carrying on me.”

Lu Songli felt it wasn’t too heavy, but considering that Old Madam Qin probably hadn’t done much heavy work before, she took her bundle and hung it on Qin Sheng.

After hanging one, Qin Sheng urged her with his eyes to also hang the one in her hands on him, and he also said, “The one in your hand too.”

Lu Songli smiled and hung it on him, then gently pushed a lock of his hair that had fallen down behind his ear, even letting her index finger brush against his earlobe. She said, “Then I’ll let my dear A Sheng bear the burden. A man with a sense of responsibility is a good thing, and should be encouraged.”

Qin Sheng glared at her. This woman!

“Officer Xu, I’ll leave these prisoners to you,” Wang Yuan said before taking a step back. The handover was completed earlier, and after Xu Zheng took over, whatever happened afterward would no longer concern him.

“Alright,” Xu Zheng nodded at him and then said, “Listen to me now, move out.”

As they were leaving the cell, they happened to encounter the Jinwu Guards escorting members of the Xie and Zhao families.

As they passed each other, they met face to face, and everyone stopped in their tracks.