Moving Out Overnight
Justin Zhao was now so regretful that he could practically turn green with remorse. If only he’d known earlier, he would have treated Queen Lily of Qin with proper hospitality. Now, his own estate was being requisitioned—what a humiliating fate!
Normally, Justin Zhao strutted around Anchester, bullying the people and living high on the hog. He’d never tasted what it was like to be pushed around by others, and now he was so frustrated he could explode.
Meanwhile, Sean Hayes was directing Prince Alexander Hayes’s royal guards to settle their relatives and friends in the Magistrate’s residence, while Justin Zhao was being driven out, forced to move overnight.
“Oh, sir, what is this mess! This is our home—why do we have to move out and give it to Prince Alexander Hayes? Anchester is the Zhao family’s turf; how could we be bullied by outsiders like this?” Justin Zhao’s original wife, Mrs. Margaret Qian, was a stout, middle-aged woman, far from beautiful, but exuding a fierce and domineering air. She hailed from the Qian family, one of the Southeast Big Four Families, and was commonly known as Mrs. Qian.
Justin Zhao hurried Mrs. Qian to pack up their belongings and said, “Madam, please don’t complain so much—just hurry and move our things! His Majesty has set a deadline; we have to be out of here before sunrise!”
Mrs. Qian, used to throwing her weight around, protested, “Sir, the Zhao family is the top of the Southeast Big Four Families, ruling Anchester with an iron fist—why should you fear Prince Alexander Hayes? Your clan is powerful, and you have tens of thousands of private soldiers. Why be so timid?”
“Oh, Madam, even if our clan has all those soldiers, can they just fall from the sky to protect us now? Haven’t you seen those black-armored Qin troops outside? Their spears are practically at our throats. Madam, a wise man knows when to back down—let’s get out of here first,” said Justin Zhao.
Mrs. Qian peeked outside and saw the densely packed, well-trained black-armored Qin troops. She bit her lip, unwilling to give in. “Hmph! I’ll lie low for now, but I’ll settle accounts with them later! I’ll write a letter to my family, have my father and brothers stand up for me. I don’t believe that with the Zhao and Qian families—the top two of the Southeast Big Four Families—teaming up, we can’t crush some upstart outsider!”
Mrs. Qian ignored the servants packing up, immediately grabbing paper and pen to write a letter. She ordered a servant to deliver it to her family hundreds of miles away as soon as they left the estate.
Justin Zhao had plenty of concubines. Besides Mrs. Qian and the Nineteenth Concubine, who was stuck in the latrine, there were still seventeen others left.
All seventeen of Justin Zhao’s concubines, usually so lively, were now pale with fright, hurriedly packing their bundles under the intimidating gaze of the black-armored Qin troops.
"Once you’re all packed, let’s go!" Justin Zhao snapped, his nerves frazzled. After years of swaggering, he couldn’t believe he’d fallen so far—his own home taken right under his nose.
The Zhao family loaded up both carriages and handcarts, moving out of the Magistrate’s residence in the dead of night, making their way to Justin Zhao’s father’s estate.
Justin Zhao’s father, once the Magistrate of Anchester, was infamous for squeezing every penny from the people. His estate, on the outskirts of town, was just as grand as the Magistrate’s. Justin planned to settle his family there first, then rally his clan to plot against Alexander Hayes.
At that moment, Justin Zhao’s father was fast asleep, only to be roused by the servants. Grumbling about his dreams being interrupted, he stomped into the courtyard—only to find his son’s entire household, luggage in tow, standing in the dark.
"Justin, what’s going on here?" his father asked, bewildered.
"Oh, Dad, don’t even ask! That new Prince of Qin, Alexander Hayes, stormed in with his cronies in the middle of the night and took over my Magistrate’s residence—and now he says he’s coming for the Zhao family next!" Justin Zhao slapped his thigh and started complaining.