Chapter 4: Empty the mansion, eat and drink
"Xie Jinrong, accept the order!"
Xie Jinrong and Xie Anhuai had disheveled hair, were covered in blood, and were unconscious. How could they receive the imperial edict?
Xie Anfeng knelt in silence and received the imperial edict.
After the imperial edict was issued, the palace was quiet for a moment, and then there was a burst of crying.
The one who announced the decree was Leng Luo, deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. He looked at the people in the former Marquis' Mansion and sneered, "You're crying now? What were you doing before?"
He waved his hand and said coldly: "Search your property by order!"
The Embroidered Uniform Guards, as ferocious as wolves and tigers, immediately pounced on the warehouse.
Xie Xiangxiang wore a peony-flowered gold-snow satin jacket with intricate patterns embroidered on the collar, a pink brocade skirt, and pearls adorned with a phoenix hairpin in her hair, which was shiny and round.
At this moment, she clenched her delicate hands, knelt there in a daze and didn't get up. Her originally bright face was pale.
[Why did you suddenly order a house search? It's not time yet.]
[Does Prince Xi know? Does Concubine Baogui know? ]
The old lady grabbed her hand in fear and said, "Xiangxiang, please contact King Xi to save us. You are a noble lady from a noble family, you cannot be exiled!"
Xie Xiangxiang looked at the majestic Leng Luo, gritted her teeth, and said seriously: "Master Leng, yesterday the precious concubine sent an order to grant me the title of concubine of King Xi."
"Your Majesty did not mention it." The Embroidered Uniform Guard only obeyed the emperor's orders. The emperor said that there were 108 exiled members of the Xie family, so not a single one could be left behind.
"Sir, you can send someone to call Prince Xi and ask him and we'll know the answer." The old lady said confidently, "Not only did Concubine Baogui appoint the eldest daughter to Prince Xi as a concubine, she also appointed the third daughter to the son of Marquis Cheng'en."
"Then ask Concubine Baogui to come and tell me in person." Leng Luo said in an imposing manner.
“You…” The old lady wanted to scold Leng Luo for being daring, but who would dare to offend the Embroidered Uniform Guards?
Little Shen's teeth chattered: "Mother, will Prince Xi come to see Xiang'er?"
"Yes." The old lady said affirmatively, "Prince Xi will definitely come."
The Embroidered Uniform Guards searched the mansion and were stunned.
There was nothing in the warehouse, not to mention gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, there was not even a piece of cloth!
"Sir, the storehouse is empty."
Leng Luo's heart trembled, and he glared at the old lady with his bloodthirsty eyes. The old lady trembled with fear.
The house was searched in vain. Leng Luo looked very unhappy. He swept his tiger eyes around with an imposing manner, "Hand over all the valuables on you. You can only keep one set of clothes. Don't force me to have someone search you."
The meaning of the words is self-evident.
The women were suddenly panicked. They took off the pearl hairpins on their heads, the jade bracelets on their wrists, and the necklaces around their necks while crying.
Soon, a team of escort officers came over, saluted Leng Luo respectfully, said a few brief words, and then took over the former Wuyi Marquis’s fugitives.
The leading officer was tall and strong, with a strong and powerful demeanor.
"Listen up, Xie family. I am Li Rong, the captain of the escort officers. All the exiles, I will give you one stick of incense to change your clothes and travel light. You are not allowed to bring any gold, silver, food, or replacement clothes! If you dare to disobey, you will be killed on the spot! The place of exile is the wild land of Lingnan!"
After he finished speaking, Xiao Shen asked, "Master Li, my father-in-law and husband are both injured. Can we drive two carriages?"
Li Rong laughed coldly: "Do you think exile is a trip to enjoy the mountains and rivers? Why don't you drive two carriages? Why don't you carry a sedan chair with eight bearers? Do you want to pull a silver carriage?"
Everything in the mansion had been confiscated, not to mention the carriage, not even a piece of wood. If you get hurt, ask your family to carry you.
In addition, all maids and servants were to be sold again, and all proceeds from the sale were confiscated.
Everyone stood still. No valuables could be taken with them. When they returned to their rooms, they were reminded of their past and were left with nothing but sadness.
The emperor suddenly announced an edict, and Xie Yanyan was caught off guard.
Ancient times were different from the 22nd century. It was extremely difficult for a woman to break away from her family and start her own business, and escaping was even more ridiculous.
She had wanted to break with the Marquis's Mansion in an open and aboveboard manner, but man proposes, God disposes. The Emperor launched a surprise attack, and the imperial edict came harshly and urgently.
We can only take one step at a time.
Xie Yanyan looked at the stunned Xie Yong and Xie Lingyu, and dragged them quickly to the backyard, giving them instructions as he ran.
"It will probably take more than half a year to travel this distance. You should change into Hu clothing and Hu boots suitable for long distances. Bring me a pair of my Hu boots. Embroidered shoes cannot be used for long-distance walking."
"Little brother, go to the kitchen immediately and see if there is any cooked chicken or duck meat. One stick of incense is enough to fill you up."
She took away all the bird's nests, ginseng, and various stockpiled medicines from the old lady and the eldest wife's house.
Seeing Xie Yong changing into Hu clothing and Hu boots and walking out the door, she waved her hand and all the clothes, shoes, and bedding in the second room were moved into the space.
The three siblings went to the front yard and handed the roast chicken and bird's nest to Xie Anfeng, Xie Ning and eldest sister-in-law Song Lingling.
"Eat it. Not eating won't change anything. Eating until you're full is not a violation."
"Don't think too much about it. Just think of it as going to the border to defend the country and reclaim wasteland for Daqin."
Xie Yanyan's face was indifferent. He twisted off a chicken leg and stuffed it into the hands of his nephew Xie Yusheng, "Ah Sheng, eat the chicken leg."
The three-year-old little Tuanzi was also exiled. He was wearing a small brown linen shirt with a slanting collar, his yellow hair was limp, and his face was fleshless.
Xie Anfeng and Xie Ning looked at the calm Xie Yanyan and made up their minds. Yan'er was right. It's not like they haven't been to bitter and cold places before. Eat!
Leng Luo and Li Rong looked at the family with indifference.
The old lady and the first wife were panic-stricken, and they all stretched their necks waiting for Prince Xi to arrive.
The third branch and the side branches cried and complained against everything.
The people from the second house were unusually calm. They changed into foreign clothing and boots, and were busy but fearlessly eating the roast chicken.
It's inexplicably funny, but it also makes people respect it.
At three quarters past noon, the whole family left the house.
The Xie family, a total of 108 people, stumbled and embarked on the long road of exile with the other prisoners who were exiled this time.
Walking along the street, rotten vegetable leaves, mud balls, and rotten eggs caused the once high-ranking young men and women to suffer physical and mental damage for the first time.
Xie Xiangxiang was like a beautiful peony that was suddenly hit by wind and rain, feeling indescribably broken.
Xie Yanyan had an indifferent expression, with his sleeves hanging on both sides, and walked with rhythmic steps, showing a rebellious and unrestrained look.
Xie Yanyan's father, Xie Anfeng, fought hard among the dead, and after making meritorious service at the border, he was transferred back to the camp outside Beijing to serve as a guard. Half a lifetime of hard work was in vain.
The eldest brother Xie Ning was a member of the Yulin Guard. He had a bright future but was also implicated.
The common people on the street had no idea what was going on inside the mansion. They only knew that those who were exiled were definitely not good people. Could a good person have his property confiscated and be exiled?
Rotten vegetable leaves fell on their bodies and heads. Xie Anfeng and his two sons protected Xie Yanyan, Song Lingling and Xiaotuanzi from all directions, feeling sad and desperate.
Xie Jinrong and Xie Anhuai both had their legs broken by the emperor. Xiao Shen asked her two illegitimate sons to take turns carrying Xie Anhuai, and the old lady asked Xie Anfeng and Xie Ning to take turns carrying Xie Jinrong.
The old lady said that the first and third wives were all scholars, unlike Xie Anfeng and Xie Ning, who were both military generals with thick skin and strong flesh.
Jiang Shuang cried and kept supporting the old lady, and her image as a good daughter-in-law remained intact.
Xie Yanyan glanced at her indifferently, with impatience and annoyance.
Sister-in-law Song Lingling is pregnant, and nephew Xie Yusheng is only three years old. Jiang Shuang doesn't take care of his own family, but instead licks the old lady?
At 4 p.m., outside the city, a filthy former marquis stood on the side of the road, looking back at the capital, his expression sad and confused.
Exiled to the wild Lingnan land thousands of miles away, will I be able to see my hometown again in my lifetime?
Xie Tingting kept crying: "We were not given any money to take with us, and we didn't even have a carriage. How could we possibly make it to Lingnan alive?"
The other women in the tribe also kept crying, complaining about being tired, having sore feet, being thirsty, and complaining.
The escorts had serious expressions on their faces. They didn't beat or scold anyone harshly. They just urged everyone to leave before daybreak.
But Xie Yanyan saw the forbearance in their eyes.
At the end of the Shen period, outside the capital city, there was a ten-mile long pavilion.
Li Rong ordered to rest here.
(End of this chapter)
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