Even if someone were to walk to this place, they would be poisoned to death by the scorpions inside the box, and they would not discover this place. Moreover, the location of the hidden treasure is not marked on the map.

"We've found it!"

Seeing Jiang Hua nod, Qing Ling dared to step forward and touch the rare treasures before her. These treasures, if converted into silver, would probably last for several lifetimes.

What are your plans?

"Let's go back first, then bring people back to move them back to the Great Sheng Kingdom," Jiang Xingzhou said, looking at the room full of gold and silver treasures. There wasn't enough room for just a few of them to move them all.

“Then let’s do as you say. We’ll rest here for the night and head out tomorrow.” Jiang Hua nodded.

The next day, as soon as it was light, the group prepared to set off back. When they arrived at the stone chamber, An Xinya, who had fainted the day before, had already woken up. Seeing that they were about to leave, she quickly followed them.

"Aren't you the one who loves your brother Yingxuan the most? Of course you should stay here and keep him company." Jiang Hua approached An Xinya step by step.

An Xinya, who kept backing away, burst into tears, repeatedly shouting that she wanted to leave this place and didn't want to stay in this awful place.

"It's late, so you should stay here and keep An Yuanliang company. You can also show your filial piety."

After saying that, Jiang Hua quickly left the stone chamber. Once outside, she turned the mechanism and closed the stone door. She could still faintly hear An Xinya's pleas for mercy.

Jiang Jingyi pursed his lips and took in Jiang Hua's actions. Looking at the tightly closed stone door, he felt a strange sense of emotion. His stepmother was clearing the way for him so that he would have no worries.

"Stepmother, thank you, and Father, Second Father." Jiang Jingyi thanked Jiang Hua, Jiang Xingzhou, and Bai Heng one by one.

Jiang Hua, who was about to reach out and pat Jiang Jingyi's head, was stunned for a moment when she heard him call him "Second Father." Jiang Xingzhou's expression was not much better.

The gossip fire in Qingyue and the other three's eyes burned fiercely, their gazes sweeping back and forth among them.

Finally, Bai Heng chuckled, patted Jiang Jingyi's head, and said it was time to go.

They returned the way they came, and it wasn't until sunset that they left the forest. The whole way was quiet, and apart from Jiang Hua, the others were worried that the giant python that had left might suddenly reappear from some corner.

“If we walk a little further ahead, I remember there’s a wooden cabin not far away. Let’s rest there tonight and go to the inn to get the carriage tomorrow,” Jiang Xingzhou suggested.

...

Three months later, when they returned to the capital, the weather had gradually turned cold, and on the way, they also witnessed the first snowfall of the year.

Jiang Xingzhou had already sent a message back to inform them when they would arrive in the capital, so on the day they arrived, Emperor Zhou Ye and Empress Su were already waiting at the palace gate.

After getting off the carriage, Empress Su looked left and right but couldn't see her father and son Zhou Yingxuan. She was a little anxious, but with so many people watching outside, she was too embarrassed to speak.

Once inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, before Zhou Ye could speak, Empress Su eagerly asked, "Where are Duke Su and Ying Xuan? Weren't the Lin and An families with them? Why haven't they returned together?"

Zhou Ye, who was interrupted, looked displeased and coldly glanced at Empress Su sitting next to him.

"Your Majesty, according to the Empress, they were murdered in the cave." Jiang Xingzhou recounted the events of the journey without changing his expression, omitting, of course, the part about Jiang Hua's actions against them.

"Impossible, this is impossible! It must have been you who did it!" Upon hearing this, Empress Su stood up from her chair, unable to bear it any longer, and pointed at Jiang Xingzhou and the others, finally pointing at Jiang Jingyi:

"Why didn't you die? Why did you come back?"

Seeing Empress Su speak of Jiang Jingyi in this way, Zhou Ye slapped Empress Su without any mercy, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground.

Empress Su was overwhelmed with tears upon learning of the deaths of her father and son. Before she could say anything, she was dragged away by the eunuchs outside.

Then she heard the news that Zhou Ye had ordered her to be banished to the Cold Palace. These words were like a bolt from the blue, and Empress Su fainted.

The next day, people in the capital learned that the emperor intended to make Zhou Jingyi (who changed his surname to Zhou after returning to the palace) the crown prince. They also learned that the deaths of the Jiang family and their army on the battlefield years ago were actually due to a hidden story: the Su family, the An family, the Lin family, and the Wuxun Kingdom had conspired together.

The people who learned the truth were no less shocked than when they learned that a treasure had been found. So many shocking things had happened in just one day.

For three consecutive days, the state government arrested people and confiscated property; no one connected to this matter was spared.

This was Jiang Hua's first time stepping into the Duke of Anguo's mansion. Looking at the jewel-encrusted woman before her, she realized that this was An Xinya's mother.

"You, you are Jiang Hua?" The woman, who was carrying a bundle and was about to run away, was startled when she opened the door and encountered Jiang Hua at the door.

“Exactly.” Jiang Hua walked in calmly and then closed the door.

"What are you doing? Don't do anything reckless. This is the Duke's mansion!"

The woman retreated in fear, dropping the bundles she was carrying to the ground in her panic, revealing a pile of jewelry.

"Why are you in such a panic? I came to see you today, and the result is already clear, isn't it?" Jiang Hua gradually approached her until she had nowhere to retreat, and then grabbed her by the neck.

Before he could struggle, his neck was snapped, and he died.

When Jiang Hua opened the door, she ran into Jiang Xingzhou, who had come with his men to ransack the house.

"Huahua, what are you doing here..." The next second, she saw the woman lying on the ground and instantly understood.

"Just handling a small matter, you can continue."

It was half a month later when everything in the capital had settled down. By then, the capital was covered in snow, and as far as the eye could see, everything was a silver-clad landscape.

"The New Year is almost here." Jiang Hua, wearing a cloak, looked at the snow-covered courtyard; the winter in the capital was rather cold.

“Young Miss, there’s still a month until the New Year, but many shops in the capital have already hung up red lanterns, and the festive atmosphere is gradually starting to pick up,” replied Granny Jiang.

"I wonder how Dongling and Songzi are doing in Shili Village," Shuanghua chimed in from the side.

"Do you want to go back to Shili Village?" Jiang Hua glanced at Shuanghua.

Shuanghua quickly shook her head: "Wherever Miss is, I'll go."

"We still have a month. If we ride at full speed, we should be able to get back to Shili Village by the time the New Year comes around."

Upon hearing this, Shuanghua's eyes lit up, but she was immediately pinched by Granny Jiang.

"Young Miss, the roads are slippery with snow, and the mountain paths are difficult to traverse. Perhaps we should wait until after the New Year to visit Shili Village," Granny Jiang quickly advised.