The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

Murong Xuewei smiled. "Yes."

Two days later, at dawn.

"Is everything ready?" Murong Xuewei straightened her coarse cloth clothes and styled her hair in a simple and casual way in front of the bronze mirror.

"Your Highness, everything is ready." Liuli, now dressed as an ordinary person, handed over a bundle. "However, this hairpin..."

Murong Xuewei took off the gold hairpin and rummaged through her bundle to find a wooden hairpin to replace it: "From now on, you don't need to call me 'elder sister,' just call me 'elder sister.'"

Xiao Cui was helping to pack when she suddenly remembered something: "Mother...eldest sister, aren't those wounded guards coming with us?"

“They haven’t fully recovered from their injuries yet,” Murong Xuewei turned around, a faint smile on her lips. “They’ll catch up once they’ve healed. Besides, more people would just draw more attention.”

“But…” Xiao Cui wanted to say something, but Liu Li gently tugged at her and shook her head.

Liuli lowered her voice and said, "Eldest sister is right. But what if we encounter danger along the way..."

"Don't worry, I have my own plans." Murong Xuewei took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve. "Zhang Jing gave it to me before he left, just in case."

The three women, disguised as ordinary merchant ladies, left the manor at dawn. After walking for a while, Murong Xuewei looked back in the direction of the manor, her eyes flashing.

"Big sister," Xiao Cui trotted up to us, "where are we going?"

"Jiangnan," Murong Xuewei said calmly, "to go find someone."

Liuli continued, "Xiao Cui, remember the rules on the road: don't ask questions you shouldn't."

The first city south of the Yangtze River soon came into view. The city gate was half open, and the guards were lax, allowing the three to easily slip into the city.

"It's so quiet here," Xiao Cui said in a low voice, looking around. "It's completely different from when I came here before."

"You've been here before?" Murong Xuewei raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Cui nodded: "I came here once two years ago with a caravan. The streets were so lively back then, there were people everywhere..." As she spoke, she suddenly realized she was talking too much and quickly shut her mouth.

Murong Xuewei glanced at her thoughtfully, then led the two towards an inn that was still open for business.

"Three honored guests," the innkeeper said cautiously, sizing them up. "Are you looking for a room?"

“Yes,” Murong Xuewei smiled gently, “The three of us sisters came from out of town to do business, but…why are the streets so deserted?”

"Alas," the shopkeeper's expression tightened, and after glancing around, he lowered his voice and said, "Miss, you may not know this, but last month a group of soldiers came and stormed into the prefect's residence, and even..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture, "Now that they occupy the government office and act like tyrants, how dare the people of the city go out freely? Just two days ago, they even kidnapped the daughter of the silk shop owner..."

"A silk shop?" Liuli interjected. "Is it Li's shop on West Street?"

The shopkeeper was taken aback: "You know Li's Shop, young lady?"

“I came here two years ago,” Liuli sighed. “Mr. Li is a very kind person, how could he have encountered something like this…”

Murong Xuewei asked at the opportune moment, "What's the banner these people are flying?"

"This..." The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "They say they're a loyal army to the emperor, but what kind of loyal army does this kind of thing? Just a few days ago, someone went to the government office to file a complaint, and the result..."

"What was the result?"

"They disappeared the very next day," the shopkeeper sighed. "If these young ladies come to do business, I'm afraid they'll leave disappointed."

After settling into her lodgings, Liuli closed the door and was about to speak when Murong Xuewei made a shushing gesture, took out a talisman from her sleeve, and stuck it on the door.

"Big sister, what is this...?" Xiao Cui looked on curiously.

“A way to avoid attracting attention.” Murong Xuewei sat down at the table, a cold glint in her eyes. “An army loyal to the king…that’s a good title.”

Liuli leaned closer and whispered, "Big sister, could they be from Nanzhao?"

“It doesn’t seem like it.” Murong Xuewei shook her head, a sharp glint in her eyes. “If Nanzhao wanted to take action, they wouldn’t be so blatant. There’s something else going on here.”

"Then..." Xiao Cui hesitated before speaking, "what should we do next?"

Murong Xuewei looked out the window at the darkening sky: "First, find out what's going on at the government office. Liuli, go investigate the missing person who filed the complaint. Xiao Cui..."

“Xiao Cui will stay at the inn and pretend to be an ordinary guest to gather information,” Liu Li continued.

Murong Xuewei nodded: "I'll go to the Li family's silk shop and see if I can find any clues."

"Big sister, let me go." Liuli said with some worry.

“No need.” Murong Xuewei stood up and took out a plain-colored cloak from her bundle. “At this time, what the Li family needs most is probably a doctor.”

As night deepened, Murong Xuewei emerged from her room and walked leisurely down the stairs. Liuli wanted to follow her down, but Murong Xuewei gently shook her head to stop her.

"Waiter, two more dishes, please," she said softly as she sat down at the table downstairs.

"Coming, coming!" The waiter hurried over. "What would you like to eat, sir?"

"The weather's getting cooler, a warm soup and a seasonal stir-fry would be perfect." Murong Xuewei glanced around and asked casually, "I've heard that Jiangnan cuisine is the most authentic, why is it so quiet today?"

The waiter rubbed his hands, hesitating, unsure how to answer. Just then, the manager strode over: "Xiao Li, go help in the kitchen. What would this customer like? I'll get it for him."

After the waiter had walked away, the innkeeper lowered his voice and asked, "Is this your first time in Jiangnan, young lady?"

"I came here a few years ago." Murong Xuewei picked up her teacup and took a sip. "I remember the streets were bustling then, and the restaurants were always packed with customers. Now..."

She deliberately left things unsaid. The shopkeeper looked around before leaning closer: "To be honest, miss, the situation in the city right now..." He paused, hesitating whether to continue.

“Shopkeeper, please speak freely,” Murong Xuewei put down her teacup, revealing a gentle smile. “I’m a businessman who travels all over the country, and I’m very good at reading people. The scene in the city today must mean something big has happened.”

The shopkeeper sighed, pulled up a chair, and sat down. "Since you're in business, young lady, you must know about the Murong family of Jiangnan?"

Murong Xuewei's heart tightened, but her face remained calm: "Of course I know. The Murong family is the richest family in Jiangnan; which businessperson doesn't know their reputation?"

"Now..." the shopkeeper's voice lowered even further, "the Murong family is likely to fall."

"What do you mean?"

The shopkeeper gestured for Murong Xuewei to speak softly: "That group that occupied the government office immediately targeted the Murong family. Their leader claimed to be the Murong family's son-in-law and led his men into the mansion demanding money and goods."

"Son-in-law?" Murong Xuewei's eyes flickered slightly. "Wasn't Miss Murong married far away to the capital? Why is her son-in-law coming to Jiangnan, and so domineering at that?"

This question surprised the shopkeeper: "You know these things, young lady?"

Murong Xuewei calmly explained, "I have a sister who has had some business dealings with the Murong family, so I know a little about it."