"Qiuyun Mountain has a steep terrain, full of hard rocks, with few trees and even fewer wild animals. The refugees rarely venture into this area. Therefore, once we evacuate through the secret passage, our safety will be well guaranteed."
Gu Qinlan couldn't help but express her respect once again for the foresight of the Zheng family's ancestors.
After confirming that the secret passage was usable, they did not linger there.
It took them more than half an hour to return along the same route.
When the three of them crawled out of the secret passage, their clothes were soaked with the dampness.
Princess Duan had already sent clean clothes, and upon seeing them, she urged them to change.
"Didn't I tell you not to go? You insisted on going anyway. Look at you, you're so pale it's frightening, it scared me to death."
Princess Duan wiped away her tears with heartache.
Gu Qinlan felt extremely tired and her physical condition was not good.
The air in the dark passage was extremely foul, and being in it for a long time was unbearable. One would feel a tightness in the chest, nausea, and a sharp pain in the head.
Princess Duan handed her a porcelain bottle and said, "I got this from Miss Luofeng. It is said to be a cure for miasma poison. You should take it quickly."
She handed a bottle to both Sang Qian and Hong Ye.
After taking the medicine and resting for a while, the three of them felt much better in their chests and their minds became clearer.
After regaining her strength, Gu Qinlan said to Sang Qian, "We must clear that secret passage, otherwise, in an emergency, with so many of us trapped inside, we might suffocate."
Sang Qian deeply agreed. Even a martial artist like himself felt uncomfortable. How could those with weak constitutions, like the old lady, possibly withstand it?
"If you trust me, Madam, then entrust this task to me."
Gu Qinlan replied, "Of course I trust you, otherwise why would I let you go down the secret passage? Clearing the secret passage is a difficult task; not only do we have to act quickly, but we also have to keep quiet. Can you really..."
"I will certainly live up to my mission."
Sang Qian's tone was firm and forceful.
Gu Qinlan nodded: "Okay, I'll leave it to you. Just let me know what supplies you need."
In the days that followed, the entire Prince Duan's residence was bustling with activity.
The maids, servants, and female servants in the mansion were all assigned various tasks.
Some were responsible for digging traps inside the mansion, some for making the hidden weapons needed for the traps, and others for supplying materials and keeping a close watch on the refugees.
Even the master of the mansion and the Jiang family members in the guest quarters actively participated and worked hard together to protect the Duan Prince's mansion.
The situation in the city is deteriorating further.
Apart from the Prince Duan's Mansion, almost all the mansions of powerful and wealthy families were looted by refugees.
The refugees harbored too much resentment. After storming into the mansion, they wreaked havoc, taking everything they could and destroying or burning what they couldn't.
A family's house, located opposite the Prince Duan's mansion, was completely engulfed in a fire and reduced to ashes.
It is said that the women of that family, in order to protect their chastity, all threw themselves into the fire...
Many civilian homes were also destroyed in the disaster.
Within the capital, the people suffered countless casualties, and many even joined the riots in search of a glimmer of hope.
The entire city was plunged into chaos and confusion.
In these turbulent times, the Duan Prince's Mansion, which had always stood firm in its posts, gradually became a thorn in the side of everyone.
They suffered so much, while the Prince Duan's mansion seemed to remain unscathed, which they found unbearable.
"It is better to share suffering than to enjoy peace alone!" they murmured to themselves.
As a result, refugees and civilians in the city flocked to the Prince Duan's residence amidst the clamor.
"The Prince Duan's residence has grain hidden away!"
"I heard that the Crown Prince's wife recently opened the granary and provided relief to the people of the entire city."
“We suffered from hunger and cold for months without anyone caring, but they only needed to go hungry for two days before someone would bring them food and water!”
"This Crown Prince's wife clearly looks down on us displaced refugees! If she despises us, then we'll smash her headquarters and let her taste the bitterness of hunger!"
"Since she's willing to treat the whole city to a feast, her mansion must be overflowing with grain. Let's join forces and conquer the Prince Duan's mansion in one fell swoop, and from now on, we'll never suffer from hunger again!"
"That's right, grab it! Everyone, charge!"
Countless refugees, armed with stones and sticks, menacingly approached the Prince Duan's residence.
The crowd also included many citizens who had previously received favors from the Prince Duan's mansion.
These people were initially grateful and remembered the kindness shown to them by the Prince Duan's mansion. However, human nature is unpredictable.
Many people's homes were destroyed by refugees, and their last rations and money were stolen. In order to survive, they mingled with the refugees and robbed the wealthy and powerful.
At first, they still had a sliver of conscience and only intended to steal some food to prevent themselves and their families from starving to death.
However, the allure of money is hard to resist.
As they blended into the crowd and easily seized the wealth that might have taken years or even decades of hard work to acquire in the past, their conscience gradually disappeared.
"The law does not punish the masses. I'm mixed in with the refugees, who can tell me apart?" they comforted themselves.
After looting, all they need to do is take off their tattered clothes, curse the refugees, and even wish the robbers a terrible death, and no one will doubt their identities.
So they continued this kind of business with a clear conscience.
Seeing that they were making money, people around them followed suit and joined in.
They even rushed to the front to grab more benefits.
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