Luo Qingchuan dragged his weary body inside, collapsed into a chair, and slumped down like a heap of mud.
Xia Lan hurriedly served him a bowl of rice, urging him to eat before speaking.
Like Luo Xueyao when she first arrived home, Luo Qingchuan was famished, parched, and exhausted. After devouring two bowls of rice and downing two cups of tea, he finally began to recover.
"Mother, I spent the whole day running around outside. The city gate guards have all been replaced by the Fourth Prince’s men, and the Golden Guards are all new faces. Today, the ministers went to the palace for the mourning rites, and those retainers of the Fourth Prince have all returned. Only those who have aligned with other princes, or those who remain neutral like Father and Big Brother, have been allowed to stay in the palace."
Lin Yue grew increasingly anxious. She instinctively turned to look at Luo Xueyao and asked, "Yaoyao, what should we do next?"
Luo Xueyao looked at Luo Qingchuan; the Luo family's next moves depended on whether the liquidation of assets by her third brother went smoothly.
Luo Qingchuan pulled a stack of banknotes from his pocket.
"Li Zhixin is a reliable man. He bought all eight of my shops at market price for a total of 300,000 taels, with the payment to be settled in banknotes tomorrow. However, selling the manor and the remaining shops hasn't gone as smoothly."
Luo Qingchuan took a sip of tea and offered a bitter smile. "I spent the entire day at the broker’s office, and I only managed to sell two shops. After all, these aren't cabbages you can just sell on a whim. As for the rest, the broker said they would be willing to take them if I’m willing to sell at a thirty percent discount."
"What? A thirty percent discount? Why don't they just go out and rob someone!"
Gu Fang slammed the table before sighing. "Given how tight time is, a thirty percent discount isn't too bad. I contacted a furniture store today to collect our furnishings, and they only offered sixty percent of their value."
Luo Xueyao mused, "Sixty percent for furniture is a real pity; we could have used those in Ningguta. But let’s sell the manor and shops anyway..."
In the original book, although the Luo family had a chance to return to the capital, the ending was far from happy. In this life, Luo Xueyao did not want to return.
Luo Qingchuan braced himself. "Alright, I’ll go conclude the deal with the broker tomorrow. If I sell them all at a thirty percent discount, we should still be able to get over a hundred thousand taels."
"Oh, right. My men contacted several charcoal burners in the mountains and bought 80,000 jin of charcoal. They have been delivering it to the manor in batches today."
Luo Xueyao finally relaxed. "Third Brother is truly reliable. With this 80,000 jin of charcoal, we won’t have to fear the winter in Ningguta."
She still had heaters and air conditioning in her Spatial Dimension, but she would have to wait until they built a large house to install them discreetly. Without the charcoal as a cover, it would be impossible to explain how the rooms stayed as warm as spring.
"I have already stored the items from Cat Ear Lane in the Spatial Dimension. Third Brother, sell that residence tomorrow as well. I’ll clear out our family’s storeroom in a little while. Prince Pingxi is entering the city tonight, the Empress has passed away, and I fear Father and my elder brothers won't be able to return tomorrow..."
Before she could finish her sentence, three more tolls of the funeral bell rang from the palace.
The Empress had died.
The major events foretold in Luo Xueyao’s "goddess dream" were coming true one by one, making the women of the Luo family even more anxious.
"We don't have much time left, everyone, hurry! And Third Brother, Ningguta doesn't have many banks. Banknotes aren't as convenient as hard currency. Tomorrow, find every channel you can to exchange those banknotes for silver!"
Luo Xueyao gave everyone a reassuring smile. "Take off your valuable jewelry, and I will store it in the Spatial Dimension for you. However, we cannot keep absolutely nothing. If the bailiffs who come to raid our home find no profit at all, they will surely not let us go easily. Keep a few pieces of plain silver or low-quality jewelry to avoid suffering in prison later."
"Also, they will make us wear prisoner clothes when they raid the house, so don't worry about how good the outer garments are. Focus on your undergarments; they must be warm and soft."
"Alright, we will go back to our rooms and prepare."
Returning to her own courtyard, Luo Xueyao saw that Xiangtao and Cuiping’s eyes and noses were red. She knew immediately that Uncle Zhong had already spoken to them about being released from their status as servants.
With a soft sigh, Luo Xueyao called the two maids to her side and said earnestly, "The three of us grew up together. I know you are both kind souls. But now that the new Emperor has ascended, the Luo family faces a great disaster..."
Xiangtao interrupted, "Then Xiangtao will suffer alongside you, Miss!"
Cuiping also sobbed, "Uncle Zhong’s family isn't leaving, so why must we? Miss, do you not want us anymore?"
The original owner’s emotions surged, and Luo Xueyao felt her own nose sting; she was on the verge of tears.
"Listen to me, both of you. Your parents and brothers are all at the manor on the outskirts of the capital. Tomorrow, when I go to the manor, I will return your contracts to you. Once you are no longer enslaved, you can find good families in the future. There is really no need to follow us to Ningguta."
Xiangtao and Cuiping shook their heads firmly. "We don't want to leave you, Miss! Wherever you go, we go. We are yours in life, and we will be your spirits in death!"
Even though she was not the original Luo Xueyao, she felt deeply touched and saddened.
"If you truly consider me family, then listen to my instructions now!"
In the original book, these two maids were humiliated and killed by the escorting guards while trying to protect Luo Xueyao on the road. Since she had transmigrated into the story, she would never let them repeat that fate.
"That’s settled then!"
...
The next morning, the Luo family ate a simple breakfast and then split up to carry out their tasks.
Luo Qingchuan went to liquidate all the property deeds, while Gu Fang and Xia Lan continued to organize people for supplies, packing belongings from each wing into the storeroom so Luo Xueyao could store them.
Luo Xueyao and Lin Yue rode a carriage out of the capital, arriving at the manor in less than half an hour.
Xiangtao and Cuiping’s families were all there. Lin Yue returned their contracts, leading to another round of tears and pledges of loyalty.
Taking advantage of the time when everyone was called away by Lin Yue, Luo Xueyao went to the warehouse in the back hills and collected the charcoal, quilts, winter clothing, fabric, and livestock into her Spatial Dimension.
The crops in the fields were nearly ripe; Luo Xueyao waved her hand, and they were all moved into the Spatial Dimension. She even collected the thousands of fat, healthy fish from the pond.
Mengmeng did not dare to protest and could only nimbly divide the space into sections.
"Just plant these crops in the yellow soil; I need to save the red and black soil for medicinal herbs!"
"I've herded all the livestock into one corner. Oh my, it stinks!"
In her first life, Luo Xueyao's Spatial Dimension only had storage capabilities. In her second, she unlocked the store, and in her third, it manifested the Spiritual Spring, land, and Mengmeng. Only in this life could she enter and exit the space freely.
Since she got Mengmeng, the little housekeeper, Luo Xueyao no longer worried about the space being messy.
The germaphobic Mengmeng organized and sorted everything herself, saving Luo Xueyao a lot of trouble.
"There's nowhere to put these fish. I’ll have to dig a new pond for you... just don't go polluting my Spiritual Spring!"
The motherly Mengmeng muttered to herself while digging.
"Hey, hey! Why did you bring the orchard in too? ...Oh my, and why are there pigs?"