All Sent to Dig Coal

Mia Qian sat by the bedside, tending to Quentin Qian, but her patience was nowhere to be found.

They say no child is truly filial at a sickbed for long, and after just a dozen days, Mia Qian had already lost her patience with caring for a grandfather who couldn’t move or speak.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of rushing back to the Palace of Qin, returning to the Qian Family, currying favor with her newly appointed clan chief—Second Uncle Eric Qian—and coming up with a clever scheme to get back at Su Li and soothe her own resentment.

"Grandpa, Second Uncle should have already taken down Su Li’s fleet by now, right?" Mia Qian propped her chin in her hands, murmuring to Quentin Qian.

Quentin Qian stared wide-eyed, drool trickling down his chin. His condition had worsened over these days, mostly thanks to Mia Qian’s constant agitation.

After the incident at Jing Town, Quentin Qian understood all too well how formidable Su Li was. But Mia Qian was oblivious, even sending Eric Qian to target Su Li’s fleet.

So many days had passed, and Quentin Qian feared his son was in grave danger.

Yet, as luck would have it, Mia Qian kept bringing it up every day, her chatter making Quentin Qian more and more irritable, his health steadily declining.

"Ah, just imagine Su Li losing her fleet—she must be furious! The thought alone is so satisfying!" Mia Qian laughed, as if she could see Su Li fuming in frustration.

But just as Mia Qian finished speaking, a deep chuckle sounded from behind her.

"Go home? Tsk." Su Li looked at Mia Qian with a cool smile. "Miss Mia, don’t you know? There’s no Qian Family left in this world."

"No Qian Family left!?" Mia Qian jolted, her whole body trembling. "What do you mean!?" she demanded, voice cracking with panic.

Su Li gave a sly little smile. "The Qian Family’s crimes could fill a library. I’ve already arrested the guilty, chopped off the heads of the worst, and sent the rest to dig coal. All their property? Confiscated. I’m here today to deliver the news personally: you can’t stay in the Palace of Qin. All of you—grab a shovel and start digging coal."

Mia Qian’s jaw dropped. She stared at Su Li, dumbfounded, as the reality hit her like a ton of bricks.

Quentin Qian, still sprawled on the floor, let out a pitiful groan. He tried to speak, but only managed a whimper.

Su Li’s gaze swept over them, her tone sharp and almost pitying. "You had your warnings. I told you not to follow in the Zhao family’s footsteps, but you just wouldn’t listen. Wasn’t the Palace of Qin’s massacre of thousands of Zhao family soldiers enough to scare off your ambitions?"

Mia Qian blinked, still lost in her fantasy of escaping the Palace of Qin. She tried to help Quentin Qian up and pleaded, "Honorable Chancellor Su, look, my grandfather is old and just wants to go home. Please show mercy and let us leave."

Su Li just scoffed, "Go home? That ship has sailed. Coal mines are waiting, and you’re all on the guest list."

A heavy silence fell. Mia Qian’s dreams of returning home shattered, replaced by dread for the coal pits.

Quentin Qian’s lips quivered. "Coal mines..." he muttered, as if the word itself could swallow him whole.

Mia Qian looked ready to faint, clutching Quentin Qian as if he were her last lifeline.

Su Li’s voice was crisp, her decision final: "Coal duty starts now. Guards, escort them out."

The guards stepped forward, armor gleaming, faces unreadable. Mia Qian and Quentin Qian were swept away, their fates sealed by Su Li’s sardonic decree.