How strange!
After leaving the study, Huangfu Yue wanted to find the Chang family's treasury to sweep it clean and empty it. However, while searching for the treasury, she discovered something peculiar.
Perhaps it was because it was already the end of the Hai hour, and very late, that everyone in the Chang residence, except for the patrolling guards and the servants on night duty, had already fallen asleep.
This was rather eerie! Chang residence's house on Sanyuan Street had caught fire, and seeing Chang Qing's anxious demeanor, how could the people of Chang residence still be asleep?
A flicker of doubt crossed Huangfu Yue's mind.
Could it be that Chang Qing had forgotten to tell his sleeping family and servants about the fire at the Sanyuan Street residence?
Or had he deliberately had them conceal the information about the fire at the Sanyuan Street residence, unwilling to let anyone know, including his own family?
Huangfu Yue speculated, believing it was likely the latter.
The former seemed unlikely.
With such a significant event as the fire at the Sanyuan Street residence, if Chang Qing hadn't deliberately kept it quiet, someone would have surely informed everyone in the Chang residence.
Why would Chang Qing deliberately conceal it?
It seemed the Sanyuan Street residence likely harbored some secret, with considerable hidden dealings.
It was a pity that Chang Qing and the others had not yet arrived at Sanyuan Street, and she could not investigate anything.
Xiao Hei quietly flew behind Chang Qing and the others, tracking them silently. Thus, through Xiao Hei's eyes, Huangfu Yue kept constant watch over Chang Qing and his party, observing their every move.
She saw that Chang Qing and Minister Li had already left the residence, boarded their sedan chairs, and were heading towards Sanyuan Street.
While monitoring Chang Qing and his group through Xiao Hei, Huangfu Yue continued her search for the treasury. After searching for a while longer, her efforts were rewarded, and she finally found the Chang residence's treasury.
Although the treasury door was secured with several large locks, Huangfu Yue found them useless. She simply phased through the door. Inside, the treasury was much like the treasury in the Prince Dai's mansion, divided into an outer and an inner treasury.
The outer treasury was filled with grain, several tens of thousands of catties, by Huangfu Yue's estimation. She immediately began to plunder, collecting all the grain from the outer treasury into her spatial dimension, and then proceeded to the inner treasury.
The inner treasury was an unexpected sight. Although it contained valuables as Huangfu Yue had surmised, there were not many. It held only two small chests of silver fragments. It was likely that most of the Chang family's wealth was in Chang Qing's secret chamber, which Huangfu Yue had already emptied.
Even the silver fragments were not spared!
Collected!
Huangfu Yue stowed the two small chests of silver fragments into her spatial dimension. Seeing that there was nothing else to take from the inner treasury, she left it and went to search for Chang Qing's living quarters.
Chang Qing's residence was very close to the treasury, and Huangfu Yue found it quickly. She emptied everything from Chang Qing's living quarters, not even leaving the beds, tables, chairs, or benches, taking it all with her.
Although there were servants in the courtyard where Chang Qing resided, they were all asleep, making Huangfu Yue's plundering effortless, and she had no fear of anyone discovering that things had suddenly disappeared.
Even if they had discovered it, it would have been useless, as she was invisible and no one could see her.
After plundering Chang Qing's living quarters, Huangfu Yue proceeded to search the residences of Chang Qing's wives and concubines, and then the residences of Chang Qing's children. The residences of Chang Qing's wives and concubines, as well as those of his children, were similar to Chang Qing's own, containing many good items.
Huangfu Yue accepted them all without politeness, thoroughly enjoying the plundering.
After finishing her sweep of the Chang family masters' residences, Huangfu Yue headed for the kitchen. She had no intention of plundering the living quarters of the Chang family's servants.
She was acting on behalf of Heaven, a righteous thief, so how could she plunder the unfortunate servants of the Chang family and steal their wealth?
She intended to finish plundering the kitchen and then stop, leaving the Chang residence.
The kitchen contained only food. Why would she plunder it? It was so that Chang Qing would have nothing left, not even to eat, and be miserable.
While plundering the kitchen, Huangfu Yue did not even spare the bowls and chopsticks, emptying the entire kitchen, leaving not a single seasoning behind.
After thinking it over and confirming there was nowhere else to plunder, Huangfu Yue, smiling contentedly, left the Chang residence in high spirits.
As she exited the Chang residence, she saw that Chang Qing and Minister Li had also arrived at Sanyuan Street.
As soon as they reached the head of Sanyuan Street, they saw flames soaring into the sky ahead. The place where the flames were rising was clearly Chang Qing's burning residence.
At this moment, many people had already gathered to fight the fire. The road on Sanyuan Street was crowded with people, and the sedan chairs could not proceed. Chang Qing and Minister Li had no choice but to disembark and squeeze through, protected by guards and servants. After much effort, they finally reached the front of the burning residence.
"What a big fire!" Minister Li frowned, gazing at the residence, which had turned into a sea of flames and was inaccessible. The firefighters could only pour water from the outside onto the burning house.
"Where is Lin Quan? How did he guard the residence for the fire to start and burn to this extent!"
Chang Qing roared with anger, appearing extremely furious. However, a strange gleam of a smile flashed across his eyes, a smile that held a hint of relief.
As Xiao Hei was hidden high in the sky behind Chang Qing, it could not see into Chang Qing's eyes, so Huangfu Yue did not notice the fleeting strange smile in his eyes.
"Lin Quan's whereabouts are unknown, and he has not been found yet," a person who appeared to be a Chang family servant stepped forward and bowed to Chang Qing.
"Damn it! When I find Lin Quan, I'll make him pay," Chang Qing clenched his fists in anger. "Quickly find more people to help fight the fire!"
"Yes."
"I'll go back and call for troops to help fight the fire," Minister Li offered.
Chang Qing nodded and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Minister Li."
Minister Li waved his hand, "You're too kind. What's our relationship? It's impolite to be so formal."
Chang Qing curved his lips and nodded, "Yes."
Minister Li immediately left to call for troops. Huangfu Yue watched Minister Li's retreating figure and became curious about his identity.
"Xiao Hei, who is this Minister Li? What official is he?" Huangfu Yue asked Xiao Hei.
"Minister Li is Li Weitong, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, and a good friend of Chang Qing," Xiao Hei replied.
Hearing the phrase "a good friend of Chang Qing," Huangfu Yue immediately thought of the idiom "birds of a feather flock together."
"Master, how are things on your end? Have you obtained the Puppet Gu?" Xiao Hei inquired with concern.
"It's already obtained, don't worry," Huangfu Yue said with a smile. She had intended to tell Xiao Hei that she had also extensively plundered the Chang residence and cleaned it out as a righteous act, but she swallowed the words.
She suddenly remembered that Chang Qing was Xiao Hei's former master. Xiao Hei was loyal and affectionate. If it learned that her former master's family had been plundered by her, it might become sad, worry about Chang Qing, or even blame her.
Therefore, it was best not to tell Xiao Hei that she had cleaned out the Chang residence.
"It's good that you've obtained it. Master, the fire at Chang Qing's residence on Sanyuan Street is burning fiercer and fiercer. It feels like by the time the fire is extinguished, it will probably be completely burnt to ashes,"
Xiao Hei said to Huangfu Yue, feeling relieved as it watched the residence below being engulfed by raging flames and turning into a giant fiery beast.
"Mmm, I see," Huangfu Yue nodded.
Actually, she had considered asking Xiao Hei to fly into the fire to see if there was anything inside, to discover any hidden secrets.
However, the fire was too intense, and Xiao Hei might not be able to get out if it went in. Therefore, she decided against it, not wanting Xiao Hei to risk danger.
Suddenly, a group of people appeared ahead and walked towards Huangfu Yue...