Mingyue's Predicament, Chu Qing Writes Letters

Imperial Capital:

The Imperial Capital was vast, but living there was no easy task.

Even though the lineages of Qing Feng, Mingyue, and the others counted as top aristocratic houses in their prefectural cities,

once they arrived in the unfamiliar Imperial Capital, life did not go smoothly for them.

They were not even as well off as the Imperial Capital natives.

All of this was because they came from prefectural cities.

In the eyes of Imperial Capital residents, every place outside the Imperial Capital was the countryside.

Even the mud-legged rabble of the Imperial Capital looked down on country folk.

Ever since Chu Qing killed Feng City and wiped out tens of thousands of Ironclad Floating Pagodas, the aristocratic houses of Stone Cauldron Prefecture had wanted to flee rather than throw in their lot with the Rebel Army.

They secretly packed their things, preparing to run.

Yet before they could escape, they learned that Chu Qing had slaughtered the experts of more than thirty cities in a single night and killed Zheng Zhixiang.

Chu Qing had ravaged more than thirty cities, yet he had not come to Stone Cauldron Prefecture, which was right next door.

They immediately understood that Chu Qing had spared them only for the sake of Qing Feng, Mingyue, and the others.

Otherwise, they would certainly have suffered grievous losses.

Then:

After a brief discussion, the top aristocratic houses of Stone Cauldron Prefecture immediately gathered half their resources and joined forces to head for the major city.

On the way, they heard that some aristocratic houses in the major city were at odds with Chu Qing. They immediately bypassed the major city of Loulan and rushed straight for the Imperial Capital.

"Even if we become ordinary wealthy households in the Imperial Capital, we still won't be living