Chapter 3: Raiding the Household Only to Find Emptiness

Everyone knew that raiding a household was a lucrative task, capable of yielding some profits. Liang Long had just ordered that not a single copper coin be left behind, yet his men reported repeatedly that the Li family’s storeroom was utterly empty—not a single coin remained, nor were there any valuable items in the various courtyards.

“Li Yuan, still denying that you’re a traitor? You’ve even moved the family’s wealth away. It seems you’re prepared to take your entire family and flee,” Liang Long said with a sinister smile.

The rest of the Li family secretly rejoiced, glancing at the matriarch, believing her to be clever for hiding the money, hoping for a chance to rise again in the future.

But Li Yuan understood the gravity of the situation. A mere family confiscation and exile after a military defeat was one thing—there would still be hope for a comeback. But to be branded a traitor collaborating with the enemy meant the entire family would be executed.

Li Yuan looked at his elderly mother. She had always managed the household—everything from presenting gifts and celebrating birthdays to buying groceries and managing all the finances passed through her hands. He wondered how she had anticipated this disaster and prepared in advance.

Yet he was not foolish enough to have her bring it out directly. Instead, he turned his gaze to his wife, Gu Yuru. “Yuru, why are you being so thoughtless? Why haven’t you brought out the money yet?”

Gu Yuru was dumbfounded. What money? When had she ever been in charge of the finances in this household?

From afar, Li Mumu watched her mother and knew that her mother had been overly pampered by her own family, oblivious to the cunning within the inner chambers. Having read hundreds of novels about household intrigues, Mumu could immediately sense what her scoundrel father was scheming.

“Yuru, mother is old and unwell. Didn’t she already hand over the responsibility of managing the household to you? You can’t let her take the blame now. Aren’t you usually so filial? Tell us—did you secretly take the money to the Duke’s mansion? Lord Liang will show you mercy for your parents’ sake.”

Li Yuan looked at Gu Yuru, repeatedly signaling with his eyes, clearly urging her to shoulder the blame, implying she still had the backing of the Duke’s mansion.

Mumu’s heart skipped a beat. Her love-struck mother could really do anything—even suffer humiliation on behalf of a romantic rival. Her father was as vile as could be; she couldn’t understand what her mother saw in him, considering she was the only daughter of the Duke’s mansion.

Seeing her mother seemingly persuaded, Mumu hurriedly stood up and ran to the elderly matriarch. “Grandma, I want candy. Buy some for Mumu, please.”

“Shut up, you foolish girl! What kind of time is this to be eating candy? The sky is falling and you’re still such a fool,” Liang Long frowned as he looked at the little girl. Many knew the child was slow-witted, but his keen senses detected something unusual in her words.

“Mumu, come here. Tell uncle why you want your grandmother to buy you candy.”

Mumu smiled stupidly and walked over to the man. To the onlookers, she seemed oblivious to the family’s turmoil—how else could she be so cheerful?

Wiping her nose with her sleeve, she said, “Grandma has money, Grandma has the most money. Mumu is good, so Grandma will buy candy.”

“Lord Liang, this child is naturally slow; her words can’t be trusted. Yuru, hurry up and tell us—what’s really going on?”

Liang Long glanced at Li Yuan. “I’m not the one in a hurry, why are you?”

Li Yuan closed his mouth with a sullen expression, but his eyes revealed a ruthless sharpness.

“Mumu, where does Grandma keep the money? Tell uncle and he’ll buy candy for you.”

“The money is on her waistband, hehe,” Mumu laughed heartily.

She was indeed quite pleased—this meant the old lady was about to get into trouble.

Liang Long smirked slightly, gave a nod, and two soldiers quickly went to seize the elderly matriarch. Soon, they found a bunch of keys hanging from her waistband.

Only the housekeeper would have so many keys.

“Madam Li, where is the money? If you don’t tell me, I’ll have a hard time explaining this.”

“I... I really don’t know. I swear on heaven, if I lie, I’ll suffer a terrible fate,” the old woman stammered, terrified nearly to the point of losing control.

Liang Long raised an eyebrow, just then noticing thick smoke billowing from the storeroom. Soon, flames soared into the sky.

Grinding his teeth, Liang Long glared coldly at Madam Li. “Though you come from the countryside, you’re quite crafty. Trying to burn the storeroom to destroy evidence, but you’re just a moment too late.”

What did it matter how late it was?

What did she matter at all?

Madam Li looked utterly bewildered. She hadn’t done anything—she wanted to know where the money had gone just as much as anyone else.

Mumu remained calm. She had secretly left white phosphorus in the storeroom, timed so that when the raiding soldiers entered, friction and increased airflow would raise the temperature enough for spontaneous combustion.

“Sir, sir, I’m innocent! I really don’t know where the money went! I didn’t start the fire!”

But Liang Long refused to listen, feeling mocked—outwitted by an old rural woman’s crude trick.

“Madam Li certainly has a stubborn tongue!”

The two soldiers holding Madam Li struck her from both sides. In moments, her face was beaten to a pulp. Were it not for the need to count prisoners before exile, Liang Long would have killed her on the spot.

But he could not swallow his anger. He vowed to report everything truthfully to the emperor, and he would instruct the escorting officers to treat the Li family with care.

Liang Long glanced at Gu Yuru. “Madam Li, even if you did transfer the assets to your family, it won’t help. I’m headed to the Gu family now. Soon, you’ll all be reunited.”

With that, he waved his hand. “Count the prisoners. We depart at dawn.”

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