Chapter 160: Challenging the Prime Minister’s Residence
"I don’t care if you really ate it or just pretended to. Those are rewards from the Emperor. Every single item on the gift list must be delivered to Yuehua Small Building before I return, with nothing missing. If one item is gone, I’ll chop off one of your fingers. Two items, two fingers. If everything is gone, you won’t be keeping your hands." Ye Qianning was not joking in the slightest.
Xiang Mingli panicked. Just two days ago, he had taken some of those items to pay off his gambling debts. ’How am I supposed to get them back?’
The Old Madam was frantic as well. She had indeed eaten some of the items, and her second daughter-in-law had taken another portion back to her own family. ’Where on earth am I going to find replacements?’
"I won’t be back to the estate until tomorrow, so you have one day. Use it wisely." With that, Ye Qianning left.
Luo Xuan stepped forward to greet her. "Miss, everyone has assembled."
Ye Qianning looked over at a group of imposing young men, all around eighteen or nineteen years old. ’They’re all masters.’
"Greetings, Miss." The Hidden Guards knelt on one knee in unison.
"Rise."
"Yes, Miss."
"The twenty-one of you," Ye Qianning asked, "are you confident you can take on the Prime Minister’s estate?"
The twenty-one Hidden Guards were stunned for a moment, but quickly replied, "Yes."
"Louder. I didn’t hear you."
"YES!"
Their voices soared.
"Alright. Let’s go." Ye Qianning headed for the main gate.
The Hidden Guards followed in unison.
Those left behind who had overheard were dumbstruck...
’Take on the Prime Minister’s estate?’
’My god, is that little girl serious?’
"Mother, she... she... she’s taking people to attack the Prime Minister’s estate!" Xiang Mingli was terrified. ’She even dares to attack the Prime Minister...’
The Old Madam Xiang was just as terrified. ’The Xiang family’s own guards are so respectful to her, obeying an outsider’s every command.’
"Mother, did you see her? I think she’ll really chop off our hands when she comes back. What should we do?"
"What else can we do? Hurry up and bring back the things you took!" the Old Madam Xiang snapped. ’If she were still one of the Xiang family, we could have Minghou smooth things over.’
’But now she’s part of the Zhan family!’
"They’re gone."
"What? Where did they go?"
"I owed money at the gambling den... I used them to pay off my debts."
"Aiya! You wastrel! Now you’ve done it. This will be the death of us." The Old Madam Xiang was so frightened she nearly fainted.
"Mother, you have to think of something!"
"What plan could I possibly have? Go find your older brother," the Old Madam Xiang urged, giving him a push.
"Right, right, I’ll go wait at the palace gates for my older brother to come out."
——
Ye Qianning rode in a carriage, trailed by over twenty Hidden Guards. The people of the Capital City had seen their fair share of powerful and noble figures. One look at the procession told them the person in the carriage was not to be trifled with, and everyone quickly cleared a path.
The carriage moved unimpeded through the bustling streets. Higher-ranking officials and members of powerful Capital City families recognized the guards following the carriage at a glance—they were Hidden Guards. Moreover, judging by their attire, they appeared to be mid- to high-level Hidden Guards.
The carriage bore the insignia of General Xiang’s estate. ’What could they be doing with such a grand procession?’
Curiosity piqued, many dispatched their own guards to follow discreetly and see where the people from the General’s estate were headed.
About two hours later, the carriage stopped in front of the Prime Minister’s estate.
"Miss, we have arrived," Luo Xuan reported.
"Knock on the door."
Luo Xuan went to the door and knocked forcefully on the main gate.
"Who is it?" After a long moment, the steward of the Prime Minister’s estate opened the door.
"The Xiang family is here to call on the Prime Minister’s estate," Luo Xuan said coldly.
Upon hearing this, the steward from the Prime Minister’s estate poked his head out for a look. The sight made him panic, and he quickly said, "My master, the Prime Minister, is not at the estate. Please have General Xiang return another day."
"If he’s not here, then go find him," Luo Xuan stated.
"We don’t know where the Prime Minister has gone." The steward knew at a glance this was trouble.