Xia Chujian cursed inwardly, rose from her seat, and retreated to the guest room-cum-storage room where she had stayed the previous night.
Xiao Mo came out of the main hall and saw A Ce rushing in, frantic. "Xiao Mo! Hurry! Grab the bundle! We need to leave now!"
"The Shen Tu Family is here!"
Xiao Mo's heart sank. She hurriedly said, "They really came? Are they here to arrest us?! But no outsiders knew about it yesterday..."
Anyone who knew and reported them would also die.
Because of collective punishment, and because that person was related to both A Ce and Xiao Mo.
A Ce said, "I don't know! There's no time to investigate now! We need to go!"
As he spoke, he rushed into the inner bedroom he shared with Xiao Mo, grabbed the bundle, and called out, "Benefactor! Benefactor! We have to leave now!"
He took Xiao Mo's hand and hurried toward the courtyard gate.
Before they even reached the gate, they saw a large group of horses closing in.
The horses were ridden by fierce-looking men—the Shen Tu Family's guards.
In addition, five thousand slave soldiers followed behind them, running into the village and already sealing every household inside.
A subordinate of the Shen Tu Family Head Butler rode the largest horse and led the way.
Looking down at A Ce and Xiao Mo, he said arrogantly, "You are Meng Ce? And you are Mo Xiao?"
A Ce and Xiao Mo's hearts sank, and their clasped hands tightened.
A Ce said in a low voice, "Yes, I'm A Ce, and she's Xiao Mo. May I ask what business you gentlemen have with us?"
The subordinate pointed his riding crop at them. "Last night, you lured Young Master Shen Tu Ding onto the grasslands, murdered him to silence