Fleeing from famine? Not a chance; the divine healer's wife made her fortune.

The confiscation of property is over, exile is imminent.

The pale morning sunlight cast a dim glow on the empty courtyard of the Xiao family home, illuminating the crumbling walls and making them appear even more dilapidated.

Su Yunlan stood there, feeling the cool morning breeze brush against her cheeks. The sense of accomplishment from emptying the Xiao family mansion was gradually replaced by the urgency of her impending exile.

A faint smell of dust filled the air, mixed with people's suppressed sighs.

A glance across the courtyard revealed that the once prosperous scene had vanished, leaving only devastation, broken tiles, and scattered wood chips, all testifying to the decline of the Xiao family.

Su Yunlan took a deep breath. A faint smell of earth filled the air. She frowned slightly, knowing that now was not the time for sentimentality; she had to prepare for her impending exile as soon as possible.

Not far away, the soft sobbing of Madam Xiao, Lin Wanyan, broke the silence in the courtyard.

Her voice was filled with despair and trembling with sobs, "Master, let's beg them again, maybe they will show leniency and lessen our sins..." Madam Lin Wanyan tightly gripped the sleeve of Old Master Xiao Zhenting, her voice filled with her last hope.

Old Master Xiao Zhenting's aged face was etched with weariness. He sighed softly, his tone filled with helplessness, "It's no use, Madam, they won't let us go. The imperial court wants the life of the Xiao family. Begging for mercy will only make them despise us more." He closed his eyes, seemingly unwilling to face this cruel reality any longer, his voice carrying a deep sense of despair.

Su Yunlan felt a surge of annoyance as she watched the two arguing in front of her.

She understood Madam Xiao's feelings, but she also knew that the most important thing right now was to ensure the Xiao family's survival during their exile, rather than placing their hopes on those cold-blooded soldiers.

She subconsciously touched the space beneath her sleeve, where all of the Xiao family's wealth was hidden, along with their hope for a comeback.

Footsteps approached from afar. It was Deputy General Li leading several soldiers. Their sharp eyes scanned the entire courtyard like hawks, as if they were conducting a final check.

Lieutenant Li walked up to them, his voice icy, "The time has come. Prepare to depart!"

Upon hearing this, both Old Master Xiao Zhenting and Madam Xiao Wanyan trembled slightly. Madam Xiao Wanyan's eyes were filled with fear and despair once again. She wanted to say something more, but Old Master Xiao Zhenting held her hand tightly.

Su Yunlan took a deep look at the Xiao family members in front of her, feeling a vague unease deep in her heart. She had to organize the supplies in her space as soon as possible and make arrangements for everything during her exile. She had a feeling that a tough battle was about to begin.

She turned around and winked at Butler Zhang, who understood and nodded.

"Zhuxia, let's check our luggage." Su Yunlan said calmly, but a glint of shrewdness flashed in her eyes.

She led Zhu Xia and Butler Zhang to a corner of the courtyard, where some seemingly ordinary packages were piled up, but inside the packages was their hope for survival.

Su Yunlan led Zhu Xia and Steward Zhang to a corner of the courtyard.

There were several bundles of coarse cloth piled up here, looking quite inconspicuous.

The officers and soldiers were gathered in twos and threes, talking in hushed tones, unaware of what was happening here.

Su Yunlan observed her surroundings discreetly, and only after confirming that it was safe did she give Butler Zhang a wink.

Butler Zhang immediately understood and stepped forward to open one of the packages, which contained some worn-out clothes.

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Su Yunlan slipped into the spatial dimension.

Inside the space, a dazzling array of supplies were piled up like mountains, including gold, silver, jewelry, silk, and satin.

She quickly packed away some bulky gold and silver utensils, replacing them with more portable silver notes and several priceless gems. She also took some precious medicinal herbs such as ginseng and lingzhi, as well as some high-energy foods such as compressed biscuits and chocolate.

These items are small in size, high in value, and can be very useful in critical moments.

When she emerged from the space, a fine layer of sweat had formed on her forehead.

Although it was only a brief moment inside the space, it felt like an eternity outside.

She breathed a sigh of relief, hid the small bag containing silver notes and jewels in her inner clothing, and mixed some medicine and food with other packages, trying her best not to attract attention.

After doing all this, Su Yunlan felt a sense of relief.

She patted the dust off her hands, a barely perceptible smile appearing on her face.

With these things, they wouldn't have to worry about going hungry on their way to exile, and they could also deal with some unexpected situations.

At this moment, Xiao Yuhan walked over.

He saw Su Yunlan's busy figure and his heart was filled with gratitude.

He walked to Su Yunlan's side, gently took her hand, and his eyes were full of tenderness and heartache.

"Thank you for your hard work." His voice was deep and magnetic, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

Su Yunlan felt the warmth of his palm, and her heart warmed.

She looked up at him and smiled slightly, "It's okay, everything will be alright."

Xiao Yuhan held her hand tightly without saying a word, but his eyes were full of trust and reliance.

He knew that as long as Su Yunlan was there, they would definitely be able to overcome the difficulties.

Suddenly, a loud shout came from afar: "Everyone assemble! Final count!"

Lieutenant General Li's voice boomed like a thunderclap in the dilapidated courtyard of the Xiao family.

His weathered face twitched, and his eyes, sharp as a hawk's, swept over everyone present, leaving no stone unturned.

He shouted gruffly, "Everyone, stand still! This is the final inventory. Anyone who dares to hide personal belongings will be punished even more severely!"

The Xiao family members immediately panicked, their emotions, which had just calmed down, were once again overwhelmed by fear.

Madam Lin Wanyan gripped Old Master Xiao Zhenting's sleeve tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh. Her face was filled with terror, and her body trembled slightly, as if she were about to faint at any moment.

Old Master Xiao Zhenting's face was ashen, his lips tightly pressed together. Butler Zhang's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, his hands trembling slightly as he nervously rubbed the hem of his clothes.

Zhu Xia was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she followed closely behind Su Yunlan as if she had grasped a lifeline.

Only Su Yunlan remained calm.

A barely perceptible sneer curled at the corner of her lips as she thought to herself: Want to investigate?

You're probably going to be disappointed.

She remained outwardly calm, but inwardly she was rapidly devising a countermeasure.

She knew that these officers and soldiers were all slick and slippery, and with a little guidance, she could easily divert their attention elsewhere.

At Lieutenant General Li's command, several soldiers rushed into the crowd like wolves and tigers, and began to search roughly.

They opened the bundles, shook out the clothes, and even took the old wooden crates, making a jarring sound that echoed in the empty courtyard.

The courtyard was thrown into chaos, filled with cries, shouts, and curses, mixed with the shouts of soldiers, making everyone feel uneasy.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Su Yunlan subtly slipped her hand into her sleeve and touched the silver notes and gems hidden close to her body, feeling the sense of security they brought her.

She glanced around and noticed out of the corner of her eye that Lieutenant General Li was staring at them.

She immediately adjusted her expression, her face showing anxiety and unease, like a frightened, weak woman.

She pulled Zhu Xia along and deliberately walked to a pile of old firewood. Pointing at the firewood, she said to the soldiers in a flustered tone, "Sirs, this firewood is what my father used to leave behind. Why don't you take a look?"

The officers and soldiers were drawn to Su Yunlan's actions and, as expected, turned their attention to the pile of firewood.

They brandished their swords, scattering the firewood in disarray, even splitting open some rotten wood, but found nothing.

Lieutenant General Li frowned as he watched the soldiers bustling about, but he did not suspect Su Yunlan. After all, in his view, Su Yunlan was just a weak woman who could not possibly be hiding anything.

Just then, another soldier shouted, "Boss, there's a cellar here!" Lieutenant General Li immediately went over, his face showing excitement.

He thought he had finally found the place where the Xiao family hid their valuables.

Watching Vice General Li's departing figure, Su Yunlan's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, a sly glint in her bright eyes. She whispered to Xiao Yuhan beside her, "Fourth Master, what do you think they'll find?"

Lieutenant General Li and several soldiers arrived excitedly at the entrance of the cellar, only to be met with a pungent, musty smell that made them cough.

The cellar entrance was narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time, and it was pitch black inside, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Lieutenant Li, holding a torch, carefully descended the steps. The cellar was damp and cold, with an uneven, pitted floor filled with sewage that emitted a foul stench.

Several officers and soldiers followed behind Lieutenant General Li, nervously watching their surroundings, fearing that there might be some danger.

The cellar was empty, except for a few rats scurrying around.

Lieutenant Li sighed in disappointment; it seemed the Xiao family was truly at their wits' end.

He waved his hand, signaling the officers and soldiers to go up.

Back in the courtyard, Lieutenant General Li's face was terribly gloomy.

He looked around, finally fixing his gaze on Su Yunlan, but he didn't say anything. He just snorted coldly and waved his hand, "Let's go!"

The members of the Xiao family were escorted by government soldiers and slowly walked out of the Xiao family gate.

Su Yunlan glanced back at the once magnificent mansion, now reduced to ruins, and felt a mix of emotions.

But she quickly composed herself and looked firmly ahead.

When they reached a secluded spot, Su Yunlan called out to the group.

"I know everyone is very sad right now, but we can't let this get us down. Exile is tough, but as long as we are united, we will definitely overcome the difficulties." Su Yunlan's voice was clear and strong, carrying a convincing power.

She took out some dry food and water from her package and distributed them to everyone. "These things are not much, but they are enough to last us for a while. I will try to earn more money so that we can have a better life on the road to exile."

The Xiao family looked at Su Yunlan. They had originally thought that the road to exile was a certain death, but Su Yunlan's appearance gave them the courage to live.

Madam Lin Wanyan, holding Su Yunlan's hand, choked up and said, "Child, thank you. You are truly a lucky star for the Xiao family."

Xiao Yuhan stood beside Su Yunlan, silently watching her.

He knew that Su Yunlan harbored many secrets, but everything she did was for the Xiao family.

His heart was filled with gratitude and love, and he held Su Yunlan's hand even tighter.

“Let’s go,” Su Yunlan raised her head, looking firmly ahead, “We still have a long way to go.”

Dust billowed along the official road as the Xiao family, escorted by soldiers, walked step by step toward the unknown distance.

Su Yunlan gripped Xiao Yuhan's hand tightly, feeling the warmth of his palm, and her heart was filled with strength.

She knew that the road ahead was full of challenges, but she would not give up. She would lead the Xiao family to find a way out.

As the sun sets, a fiery red cloud burns on the horizon.

The exiles stopped in front of a dilapidated temple, intending to spend the night there.

Su Yunlan looked up at the sky, where the fiery red clouds seemed to foreshadow a future filled with unknown hardships and challenges.

She took a deep breath, a resolute glint in her eyes…

"Fourth Master, look at those clouds..."