After speaking, she turned her head and looked straight at Nanny Zhou with her clear, black-and-white eyes: "Who are you? Why are you blocking me and not letting me go home?"
Upon hearing this, Nanny Zhou was stunned for a moment, then seemed to understand something and raised her hand to signal the guards to step back.
Nanny Zhou carefully examined Song Yi'an's dirty face and those eyes that showed no avoidance.
No manners; that was the first thought that surfaced in Nanny Zhou's mind.
She did not look like a young lady from a prominent family, nor even like a girl; looking at how dirty that little face was, how could she compare to Miss Ming Si of the Prime Minister's Estate? It was like the difference between clouds and mud.
And that pitch-black dog in her arms looked filthy.
The older brother, Song Yili, at least barely looked presentable.
"What is your name?" Nanny Zhou asked, her tone lacking any of the respect due to a young lady of the household.
Song Yi'an raised an eyebrow. This person had barged in for no reason, yet was asking who the master was?
She did not want to pay any attention to this person, so she turned her head to stroke Xiao Bai, pretending not to hear.
Seeing that his sister did not answer, Song Yili leaned into her ear and whispered, "She is Nanny Zhou from the Song Family in the Capital City."
The Song Family in the Capital City? Song Yi'an's heart stirred. Could it be people from that cheap father of hers?
She did not like looking up at people, so she simply pulled her brother to sit down opposite them, then raised her eyes and replied, "Song Yi'an."
Before the words had even faded, a soft exclamation from the guards sounded outside the courtyard.
Immediately after, Madam Gu ran in hurriedly, shielding the two children behind her, her voice trembling:
"Why are you trespassing on private property?"
Madam Gu had heard from Chunhua's mother that two fierce-looking men carrying swords had broken into their home. Frightened, she didn't even bother to pack up her stall; she just grabbed her money box and ran home as fast as she could.
It was just as Chunhua's mother had said. Fortunately, Yi'an and Yili were not hurt.
Nanny Zhou glanced at the guards outside the door who were at a loss, and her temples began to throb inexplicably.
The guards: They were innocent too.
Without needing to ask, she guessed who the newcomers were. This mother and daughter not only had similar features, but their every move was exactly the same.
Nanny Zhou's tone was flat, yet every word was clear: "Trespassing? I am acting on the orders of the Prime Minister to bring back the bloodline of the Song Family."
Madam Gu's face turned pale, and she pulled her arms tighter around the children: "The Prime Minister? Zhi Wen and the Song Family have long since..."
"Long since what?" Nanny Zhou interrupted her. Although she was not harsh, a sense of condescending pressure began to spread.
"How can blood relations be severed just because the Second Master says so? The Eldest Young Master and the Little Miss carry the blood of the Song Family, and that is enough."
She changed the subject, her gaze sharply fixed on Song Yi'an, "I just didn't expect that after being raised outside all these years, you would turn out like this."
Song Yi'an: "..." What was wrong with how she looked? She hadn't eaten a single grain of rice from the Song Family anyway.
Madam Gu lowered her eyes and remained silent, but her body was trembling slightly. Song Yi'an could clearly feel her mother's fear and unease.
Seeing Madam Gu like this, it was likely that the truth was exactly as Nanny Zhou said: she and her brother were truly descendants of that so-called Song Family.
Nanny Zhou pulled a clean handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to Song Yi'an, her tone carrying unquestionable discipline: "Wipe your face, Little Miss. This appearance is truly lacking in decorum."
Madam Gu's lips trembled with anger, and just as she was about to speak, a small hand gently pressed down on her arm.
Song Yi'an did not take the handkerchief. Instead, she raised her hand and wiped her face messily with her own sleeve. As a result, the small face, which originally only had a few stains, was suddenly smeared with black ash, making her look even more like a cat.
Song Yi'an bared her little white teeth, her voice crisp and bright: "Many thanks for your kindness, Nanny. Yi'an is dirty, and I'm afraid of ruining your precious handkerchief."
Nanny Zhou's face, which had maintained a flat and indifferent expression, finally showed a crack.
Was this girl doing it on purpose?
She narrowed her eyes and began to re-examine the little girl in front of her.
On that dirty little face, her eyes were startlingly bright. She had a wild temperament and a calmness that did not match her age.
Seeing her little daughter acting so boldly, Madam Gu feared that Nanny Zhou would lose her temper the next second, so she hurriedly diverted the attention.
"Why did the Prime Minister suddenly think of taking us back?"
Nanny Zhou was annoyed: "The Prime Minister has his own arrangements."
She turned around and ordered the guards waiting outside the door: "You two stay here and watch them; don't let them run away. We depart for the Capital City tomorrow."
Depart tomorrow?
Madam Gu's body swayed, and she could barely stand. Song Yili hurriedly supported his mother, his voice filled with panic: "Mother..."
Yili and Yi'an were still so young; how could they survive safely in that man-eating, deep mansion?
Madam Gu's heart was in chaos, and she did not sleep all night.
Song Yi'an, however, was busy. She had learned from the guards that it would take at least a month to travel from Luo Town to the Capital City, so she had to prepare food and drink in advance.
In the middle of the night, under the pretext of going to the outhouse, she secretly moved the water from the water vat in the woodshed—which she had mixed with the Spirit Spring—into different containers and transferred them into her Space.
Along the way, she also collected the hawthorn berries she had picked today.
Early the next morning.
Song Yili felt thirsty and went to the woodshed to scoop a bowl of water to drink, but to his surprise, the large vat had hit the bottom; not a single drop of water remained.
"Huh?" He rubbed his eyes, full of confusion, "That's strange. It was clearly full last night."
Song Yi'an, who was yawning and rubbing her eyes behind him, felt her heart skip a beat upon hearing this, but she put on an expression of taking it for granted and made up a lie.
"Maybe the guard uncle was thirsty last night and drank it all. Brother, isn't there still well water in the vat at the corner of the courtyard? Let's go drink that."
Song Yili believed his sister's words implicitly.
In the courtyard, Wang Yi and Wang Er, who had been guarding the yard all night without drinking a drop, heard every word of this conversation.
The two looked at each other expressionlessly, both seeing the same speechlessness in the other's eyes.
Wang Yi and Wang Er: This is slander.
Song Yili walked into the courtyard to fetch water, his gaze involuntarily sweeping over the two guards' flat, firm stomachs. His little face was full of confusion; how could their stomachs hold so much water?
Song Yili's gaze drifted over from time to time, and the corner of Wang Er's mouth twitched imperceptibly.
Could the Eldest Young Master really believe the Little Miss's nonsense?
...
The sun hung high over Luo Town in the Southern Region, while a thousand miles away, the Capital City was experiencing a torrential downpour.
Song Manor, Bright Moon Pavilion.
The sound of rain outside the window was rapid and dense, making the room feel exceptionally quiet.
In front of the vanity, the bronze mirror reflected the girl's beautiful and childish face. Behind her, her personal maid held a wooden comb, combing the young lady's dark hair over and over again.
"Have you received any news about the Third Prince?"
Chun Xia did not stop her movements, "Replying to you, Miss, the scouts cannot find any trace of the Third Prince."
Song Mingsi understood; that person was intentionally hiding his tracks, so it was normal not to find him.
Chun Xia suddenly lowered her voice: "Miss, this servant heard that the Eldest Master has ordered the Second Master's family to return to the Capital City. Nanny Zhou sent a letter saying that the Second Master has a son and a daughter. Aren't you worried?"
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