"Father-in-law, could it be..."
Xia Yunfei’s face turned ashen. Their immediate reaction was that the Si family was behind this; otherwise, why would only the Top Scholar’s residence and the Prime Minister’s manor have been robbed? The two men cast an angry glare toward the entrance of the magistrate’s office.
The Capital Magistrate watched the Right Prime Minister and the new Top Scholar, feeling that they were being unreasonable. The Si family might be formidable in war, but how could they have emptied two entire mansions without anyone noticing? It was clear to him that they were framing innocent people. However, he kept his thoughts to himself; it was common knowledge that the Emperor had recently taken a dislike to the Si family, and a great misfortune was surely about to befall them.
Elsewhere, Old Father Si, after much deliberation, gathered all the stewards and servants of the house. With a heavy heart, he looked at them and said, "I intend to resign and return to my hometown. I am setting you all free today. Come forward and collect your silver."
The old steward, who was the same age as the Left Prime Minister and had grown up alongside him, had protested the decision the day before, begging to accompany the Prime Minister home. But the Prime Minister had refused. The other servants were also overcome with emotion, though they were mostly filled with joy; at long last, they were regaining their freedom. One by one, they accepted their silver from the Prime Minister’s hands, their expressions a mix of gratitude and lingering attachment.
Once the servants were dismissed, the entire Left Prime Minister’s Manor fell deathly silent.
Si Jiuyue had just woken up and, seeing that the maids and servants were gone, realized that Old Father Si had indeed taken her advice. She just hoped he had ensured the loyal ones received their fair share of silver.
By noon, the three sisters-in-law had prepared a large spread. The eldest sister-in-law, dressed in plain clothes with an apron tied around her waist, wiped away a tear. "Everyone, please try what the three of us have cooked. It may not be as good as what the servants made, but it shouldn't be too hard to eat."
"Not at all, not at all. We are grateful to have anything at all; I'm not picky," Old Madam Si said, taking the lead. She picked up a mouthful of rice; it was undercooked, but she said nothing, eating it with a steady expression and even praising the eldest daughter-in-law’s cooking afterward. The others forced smiles as well.
Si Jiuyue looked at the food and found it difficult to eat—the vegetables were raw, and the meat was tough—but she knew her sisters-in-law had tried their best. She managed a few bites and decided to go out for a walk.
But the moment she stepped outside, a squad of the Imperial Guard surrounded the manor. A guard glared at her viciously. "By order of the Emperor, the Left Prime Minister is accused of treason. No one is permitted to leave! We are to hold everything until the Emperor's investigation is complete! Those who resist will be executed on the spot!"
Si Jiuyue simply said, "Oh," and calmly shut the front gate. She then turned and dashed back toward the courtyard like a rabbit.
"Father, it’s bad!" she cried. "It’s bad! The Emperor has sent people to surround our house!"
When those in the front yard heard this, no one looked surprised. The time had finally come. Old Father Si was actually grateful he had dismissed the servants early. He had given them the household's remaining silver; he knew that the treasures in Jiuyue’s possession could hold many things.
"Let them come. If one wants to condemn someone, one can always find a pretext!" Old Father Si remarked with a sense of resignation.
The three sisters-in-law’s faces paled for a moment before they composed themselves, returning to play with the two children.
"Jiuyue, please apply the needles to your two brothers again. They said your treatment works very well." He only hoped his two sons would recover quickly so they wouldn't be bullied on the road to exile.
"I will!" Si Jiuyue guessed her father’s intention. She sat her two brothers down, took out her gold needles, and spent about a quarter of an hour on them before removing the needles. She asked with concern, "Second Brother, Third Brother, how do you feel? Is it any better?"
"Fifth Sister, I can move my arm now. It feels much better."
"Yes, you’ve only treated us twice, and we already feel much improved. Fifth Sister, if we ever meet that Taoist again, we must thank him in person."
The second and third sisters-in-law were delighted to hear their husbands’ words. "We’ll have to rely on you, Fifth Sister. If your brothers recover sooner, our hearts will be at ease."
"Don't worry, Second and Third Sister-in-law. That Taoist taught me many skills, including how to defeat bad guys. I’ll show you my skills later."
Seeing her so confident, everyone couldn't help but laugh, though the laughter was tinged with bitterness.
"You silly girl, you’ve been pampered your whole life. When people bully you, you only know how to hide behind us. How can we rely on you to fight bad guys? Jiuyue, when the bad guys come, don't be afraid—just hide behind us."
Old Father Si looked at his daughter’s high spirits and sniffled, trying to suppress his grief and rage. By dusk, the Imperial Guard would surely come to make arrests. He only hoped his children would suffer as little as possible.
Madam Fang smiled as well. When the officers came in, she would protect her sons, and also this innocent, naive sister-in-law who was facing such turmoil before even being married. She tapped the bridge of Si Jiuyue’s delicate nose. "Don't go crying when the bad guys show up!"
Si Jiuyue stated with absolute confidence, "Eldest Sister-in-law, you’ll see in a moment. Perhaps I’ll be the one protecting you. If there are bad guys, I’ll beat them flat!"
"Hahaha! Well said, Jiuyue! You are truly a girl of the Si family!" Old Madam Si looked at Si Jiuyue with doting eyes.
"Auntie isn't afraid! Anyone who dares to bully you, I’ll beat them up!" Si Yunche, who was playing with ants, looked up and clenched his small fists.
The atmosphere in the front yard relaxed for a moment, but it didn't last long. A series of rapid footsteps approached from afar.
Old Father Si’s expression changed, and everyone stood up. A moment later, over a dozen Imperial Guards in armor surrounded them. Xia Yunfei walked in through the gate, looking smug, even performing a showy, rhythmic strut in front of everyone.
Approaching them, he stared at Si Jiuyue with a malicious glint in his eyes, determined to make her life a living hell. He wanted everyone in the Si family to kneel before him! He cleared his throat and announced triumphantly, "Miss Si, Prime Minister Si, I trust you’ve been well!"
"Xia Yunfei, what is the meaning of this? I am still the Prime Minister of this court! What are you doing?" Old Father Si stepped forward resolutely. Though he was only just past fifty, his temples were frosted with gray, his thin, sallow face was lined with wrinkles, and his ropey, protruding hands were calloused.
Xia Yunfei laughed loudly, as if he had heard something absurd. "Si Boyan, you old fool, do you honestly believe you are still the Prime Minister? Are you unaware of your own secret rebellion? The Emperor has ordered me to raid your residence. You had best come with me quietly, or you will suffer for it."
He then looked at Si Jiuyue with a lecherous gaze and threatened, "Miss Si, if you don't want them to suffer, come into the room alone. I have something to discuss with you in private."