The two walked out swaggeringly and crept back in cautiously.

Madam Chen asked Chun Zhi, “What were those two up to?” Her son and daughter acting like that made it seem as if they had done something wrong.

Chun Zhi poured Madam Chen a cup of tea.

“The Fourth Young Master and Miss went to the Duke of An’s residence.”

Today was the day the Emperor ordered the confiscation of the Duke of An’s estate.

Given her son and daughter’s temperament, it was no surprise that they went.

“Let’s go take a look.”

Inside the house, Jiang Yuanxi clutched five hundred taels in her hand, searching for a place to hide them.

【Burying it under a tree won’t work. Hiding it in the pillow won’t work either—Zhizhi will find it.】

Sitting on the floor, Jiang Yuanxi couldn’t think of a good hiding spot.

“Yuanxi, what are you doing?” Madam Chen asked softly.

Jiang Yuanxi quickly hid her hands behind her back.

【Mother mustn’t find out about the five hundred taels, or she’ll confiscate it again.】

“Mother, I’m playing with Hei Zi.” She yanked out the black snake coiled around her arm.

The black snake looked completely bewildered.

Who am I? Where am I?

Seeing Madam Chen in front of it, the black snake understood—

It had been dragged out as a scapegoat again.

Jiang Yuanxi didn’t realize her mother had heard everything loud and clear.

Madam Chen smiled. “Tell me, Yuanxi, what did you do at the Duke of An’s residence?”

She pretended not to see the silver banknotes shining brightly behind her daughter.

“I—I went to bring them warmth.”

“Pfft.” Chun Tao couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

Bringing warmth and somehow bringing back silver? The young lady was still too young—she couldn’t keep a secret at all.

【I just secretly went under Grandfather’s bed and took five hundred taels, hehe.】

Madam Chen raised an eyebrow.

Since the rouge incident, the Duke of An’s estate had already lost a fortune.

The estate probably didn’t have much money left.

Under the bed… Could it be the Duke of An’s coffin fund?

After Madam Chen left, Jiang Yuanxi suddenly thought of a great hiding spot.

…

In the palace.

The Emperor held a thin account book, his brows tightly furrowed.

“That’s all?” the Emperor asked.

Eunuch Cao nodded. “Everything confiscated from the Duke of An’s estate is recorded here—this is all there is.”

A grand Duke’s estate, yet all its assets and money added up to only one thousand five hundred taels.

It seemed the rumors were true—the Duke’s household had been living off their daughters-in-law’s dowries.

The Emperor had hoped to use this opportunity to replenish the imperial treasury.

Who would have thought the Duke of An’s estate only had a few scraps?

At that moment, the Crown Prince entered, looking utterly dejected.

The Emperor looked at his eldest son carefully, eyes widening in confirmation.

In just half a month, how had he aged two or three years?

The Crown Prince, Jun Moye, knelt down. “Father, I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“Please spare the Duke of An’s wife and daughter, Jiang Yan.”

The Emperor frowned slightly. “Did the Duke of An send you?”

“No, it’s my own request. Besides, this matter has nothing to do with Jiang Yan and her mother. Please show them mercy.”

The Emperor knew his son’s temperament.

If he didn’t want to do something, no one could force him.

He became curious—who was this Jiang Yan that had made his son so concerned?

“If you like her, I will grant you a marriage decree.”

“No!” The Crown Prince refused instantly.

His face flushed as he lowered his eyes. “Father, she doesn’t even know about this.”

The Emperor understood immediately—so it was an unspoken crush.

A dignified prince of the royal family, and yet he couldn’t even claim a woman with a simple command?

How embarrassing.

“Very well, I grant your request.” The Emperor waved a hand.

Then he turned back to his son. “In just half a month, how have you ended up like this?”

Finally, someone asked.

The Crown Prince poured out his grievances. “Father, I think I’m cursed.”

In the past half month, he had almost choked to death on water, nearly been run over by an old lady, and—worst of all—tripped over a single strand of hair while walking.

The fact that he had made it to the imperial study alive felt like a miracle, all thanks to his ancestors’ blessings.

“Ridiculous!” The Emperor didn’t believe in ghosts or curses. “A gentleman does not speak of supernatural nonsense.”

“Father, do I look like I’m joking?”

Eunuch Cao had also heard about these incidents and was starting to believe the Crown Prince had indeed provoked something he shouldn’t have.

“Get out, get out, get out.” The Emperor waved his hand impatiently.

One problem after another—no one let him have a moment’s peace.

The Crown Prince felt utterly wronged but dared not argue further.

As he stood up, there was a sudden crack—and he fell straight backward.

“Father!” he wailed. “I think I broke my leg!”

The imperial physician was summoned in a hurry to carry him away.

The Emperor held his head in frustration.

A perfectly fine person—how had he ended up like this?

It was truly baffling.

The Emperor sighed.

“Cao Cheng, summon the Astronomical Bureau to take a look.” He finally gave in.

The Astronomical Bureau not only observed national fortune and predicted natural disasters, but they could also read people’s fates.

“How is it?” The Crown Prince opened his eyes cautiously.

He didn’t dare move, fearing another misfortune.

Deputy Director Pei of the Astronomical Bureau studied him carefully.

“Your Highness, have you offended anyone recently?”

The Crown Prince thought hard. “No one.”

He had only just returned from the borderlands—where would he have found time to offend anyone?

Besides, with his status, who would dare provoke him?

Pei couldn’t determine anything concrete but felt the situation was highly unusual.

“Your Highness, I believe you may have been cursed.”

Jun Moye sneered. “Impossible! How could I—”

Wait.

Suddenly, he recalled something.

Not long ago, he had slapped a little girl in a teahouse.

Before he left, she had been scribbling something on the ground, muttering under her breath.

The Crown Prince had an epiphany.

No way!

Which little dumpling was it?!

“Hurry! Find her!”

After searching for Jiang Ruowei, the imperial guards were mobilized once again—this time, to find a tiny milk dumpling.

..

Meanwhile, Jiang Yuancheng carried his sister to an abandoned courtyard where black-clad figures had once appeared.

The place was desolate, clearly uninhabited for a long time.

As soon as they arrived, Jiang Yuanxi caught a familiar scent.

She climbed out of her brother’s arms and walked straight into the house.

Her two older brothers followed.

“Every time that person walked into this room, he disappeared,” Jiang Yuanfan said. “Big Brother, do you think he can walk through walls?”

Jiang Yuansheng shook his head and motioned for him to be quiet.

【So this is where it is.】 Jiang Yuanxi stared at the markings on the ground.

“Yuanxi, what’s this?” Jiang Yuanfan asked.

His sister was staring at it intently—something was definitely off.

“Flowers,” Jiang Yuanxi said sweetly.

【It’s actually a basic teleportation array from the demon realm. Better not let my brothers know.】

【If I alter the array, that person won’t be able to escape.】

She hesitated—her brothers were still here.

She didn’t want to frighten them.

Smart as ever, Jiang Yuansheng caught on.

“Yuanfan, let’s check outside again.”

“But I already—”

Under his brother’s sharp gaze, Jiang Yuanfan quickly changed his tune. “Oh, right! Maybe I missed something!”

Before leaving, Jiang Yuansheng thoughtfully shut the door behind them.

【As expected of my dear big brother—so smart!】

Outside, Jiang Yuansheng smirked.

Inside, Jiang Yuanxi grabbed a stick and began modifying the array.