Despite visiting the Lin family several times, Ning Yao failed to find a suitable opportunity to make her move.
She decided to scout out the Lin family's location first, thoroughly understand their situation, and then take action.
This is her last visit to the Lin family. After tonight, the Lin family, known as the merchant family, will become the subject of gossip.
Because of the favor shown to Consort Shu, the Lin family's residence was comparable in size to that of the Zhang family.
The layout is also seven entrances and seven exits, but the area of the Lin family's seven entrances and seven exits is more than twice the size of the Zhang family's.
The mansion is filled with pavilions, towers, carved beams and painted rafters, artificial hills and flowing water, with a pavilion every three steps and a tower every five steps, all of which are very exquisite.
The pebbles paving the bottom of the stream are carved from jade.
The paper used to cover the windows was also a type of tribute paper with excellent light transmission and printed with patterns.
The doorknobs were also covered in gold leaf, which contrasted with the vermilion door, demonstrating its extravagance, comparable to the imperial palace.
The Lin family also has a special warehouse for storing supplies.
The warehouse occupies one-third of the total area and is divided in two: one half is a granary, and the other half is used to store treasures.
When Ning Yao was scouting the area, she discovered that the Lin family had a habit of stockpiling grain. They had two granaries, one large and one small. They would put last year's old grain into the small granary and store this year's new grain into the large granary.
Moreover, regardless of the size of the granaries, they were not only used to store staple grains; the Lin family also stored all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and meats, and everything else they could find a way to store.
Ning Yao thought they were very prescient. In chaotic times, as long as they could protect these things, survival wouldn't be a problem.
But after Ning Yao had fully considered everything, she realized that something was amiss.
"So much grain, some of it is even infested with worms, and you're unwilling to share it with disaster victims?"
"Since that's the case, why don't I lend you a hand!"
With a wave of her hand, Ning Yao stored all the new and old grains into the secret realm, leaving only two empty granaries.
After harvesting the grain, they moved on to the treasure vault.
Even after scouting the location so many times, I was almost blinded by the dazzling golden treasure.
Antiques, calligraphy and paintings, jewelry and ornaments were all swept away by Ning Yao.
That's why they say merchants are obsessed with money.
This mountain of yellow and white stuff would make no difference to anyone!
Gold bricks, gold leaves, and gold ingots are one thing, but some pieces are complete sets of headdresses and jewelry made of gold, exquisite and beautiful.
Ning Yao didn't have time to count them all and put them into the secret realm.
Drought or chaos, it's all part of life.
Once everything settles down, all of these things will come in handy.
Besides countless gold and silver, the second most valuable item in the Lin family's treasury was all kinds of jade.
There are top-grade imperial green jadeite, top-quality icy jadeite, warm jade in various colors, and many uncut rough stones.
Ning Yao clicked her tongue and said, "It seems you're involved in quite a few areas. I underestimated you! But everything I've seen belongs to me!"
With a wave of her hand, the Lin family's treasure trove was emptied.
As soon as it gets light, it's not just the Lin family that's empty; the hearts of the Lin family members are even emptier!
After leaving the Lin family, Ning Yao visited the homes of several ministers.
Some of these people had bullied Ning Qiong, while others were on good terms with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Those who had bullied Ning Qiong were swarmed by Ning Yao's arrival like locusts.
At this sensitive time, the Ning family also subtly inquired with those they were on good terms with. As for how much they understood, that was up to their own fate.
Therefore, Ning Yao generously left supplies and notes for those who were on good terms with the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion and chose to stay.
As she passed by a grand mansion, Ning Yao stopped and looked at the plaque: Prince Duan's Mansion.
She stood there for a moment and then left.
As if sensing something, the people inside the house rushed out, but Ning Yao had already disappeared without a trace.
The young man turned and went back to his residence, his tall and slender figure leaving only a lonely silhouette against the night.
Ning Yao secretly distributed half of the grain she plundered from the Lin family to the disaster victims.
She is not a god; this is all she can do.
Whether or not the people can survive is something neither the imperial court nor she can control.
Having done all this, Ning Yao went to Yan Yun Pavilion, the highest point in the capital.
Yan Yun Pavilion was a high place set up by the royal family for the newly appointed top scholar of each year.
The newly appointed top scholar emerged from the main gate of the Yan Kingdom's palace and walked along the wide main street to the Yan Yun Pavilion at the end of the road.
Ascending the Yanyun Pavilion and overlooking the entire capital city is an unparalleled honor.
Now Ning Yao has also ascended to this Yan Yun Pavilion, but things have changed.
Looking down, there were no bustling crowds or sounds of praise.
The capital city is now eerily quiet at night, with a sense of desolation and unease pervading the air.
Ning Yao didn't linger. She turned around and used her lightness skill to disappear like a gust of wind from the vast capital of Yan.
As dawn broke, restlessness spread throughout and around the city.
Among the crowd of disaster victims, some people clutched the food in their hands in a daze.
"Where did this come from?"
The little girl beside him told him, "Daddy, it was given to me by a fairy sister. I saw her!"
The man stammered, "Really?"
The cheers from the crowd grew louder and louder in the next second.
This momentary excitement, however, cannot solve the fundamental problem.
The city fell in less than ten days, and a large number of refugees fled in.
Those aristocratic families with government troops fought back fiercely, while those unable to protect themselves retreated again and again.
"Master, there's no way out. Where else can we go?" Madam Lin said, holding her grandson with a worried expression.
Master Lin gritted his teeth and said, "Let's go to the palace too!"
Madam Lin looked up at him: "The palace is currently the safest place, but can we go in? After all, Consort Shu has already..."
Master Lin sneered: "We don't rely on those now!"
"But we're out of food too."
The thought of the empty storeroom filled Madam Lin with anxiety and anger.
Who would have thought that the Lin family's warehouse would be completely emptied overnight!
That's most of the Lin family's fortune!
Those despicable thieves!
"Who said there isn't?"
Madam Lin was taken aback, then immediately burst into joy: "My lord is so clever!"
Even Ning Yao hadn't expected that after emptying the storeroom on the ground, she would have another one underground!
The Lin family exchanged grain for the opportunity to seek refuge in the palace.
However, they discovered that there weren't many noble families in the palace.
Prince Duan, the Zhang family of the Prime Minister, the ministers of the Six Ministries, and some marquis's mansions, earl's mansions, and general's mansions.
The most unusual thing is that there is no one from the Ning family of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. Even the youngest daughter, Consort Rong, who was sent to the palace, and her maids are nowhere to be found.
Inside Qionghua Palace, Prince Duan, Shen Wei, and his heir, Shen Ci'an, sat facing each other.
"I wonder if your older sister and the others are safe?" Shen Wei rubbed his temples, feeling utterly exhausted.
Shen Ci'an pursed her crimson lips and asked, "Father, why don't we leave together?"
Shen Wei looked at his son and sighed: "An'er, we are of the Shen family bloodline, and we have an obligation to protect this Yan Kingdom."
Shen Ci'an disagreed, his sculpted features exuding a strong sense of aggression.
Peach Blossom's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a mocking expression: "If my cousin can't even protect himself, why should we worry about it?"
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