After listening to Wei Ning’s explanation, Dr. Ji felt as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes. Everything suddenly became clear.
When he looked up, he noticed the young man’s flushed cheeks and froze.
“Young master, do you have a high fever?”
“Ah! No, no. I just feel that the room is a little stuffy.”
The young man avoided his gaze, answering guiltily.
Dr. Ji checked him again. Seeing that he indeed didn’t have a fever, he stood up and cupped his hands toward Wei Ning.
“Miss, that was an excellent insight. This old man is deeply grateful.”
He then turned around and instructed his apprentice to fetch longer wooden boards.
Wei Ning looked at the young man expressionlessly.
“Where’s the money?”
“Ah?”
The young man paused for a moment before gesturing to his servant.
The servant stepped forward and took a ten-tael silver ingot from inside his clothing.
Wei Ning accepted it, then immediately turned around to leave.
“Miss,” the young man hurriedly called after her. “May I know your name? Once I recover, I will certainly visit your home to thank you personally.”
“No need. You’ve already paid me. We’re even.”
Without turning her head, Wei Ning finished speaking and walked away.
“Wait—ah!”
The young man anxiously tried to sit up, but accidentally pulled on his injured leg.
“Lie down! Do you not want your leg anymore?”
Dr. Ji turned around and sternly reprimanded him.
The servant hurried forward and pressed the young man’s shoulders, forcing him to lie back down.
After that…
Well, Wei Ning had no idea what happened next.
With the ten taels of silver she had just obtained, she asked a passerby for directions and headed toward an ironworks.
A small dagger about twenty-something centimeters long, with a simple sheath, cost one tael.
A regular hunting bow and arrows actually cost five taels.
In the end, Wei Ning bought a dagger and a bowstring, spending one tael and fifty copper coins.
She then hurried home.
By the time she arrived, it was already around five to seven in the evening. Her father and the others, who had been working, had only just returned.
The entire family was anxiously pacing around the courtyard.
“We’ve searched everywhere nearby, your aunt and I, but we still can’t find Ning’er.”
“What are we going to do?”
Her mother’s voice was trembling with tears.
“This place is completely unfamiliar to us. If something happens to Ning’er, I… I don’t want to live either. Sob…”
“Mother, don’t panic. We’ll go out and look again. My sister will definitely be fine.”
Wei Yan tried to comfort her.
Wei Qian’s face was grim.
“I’ll go find Hundred-Household Commander Shen and ask him to send people to help us search.”
He turned around—
And saw Wei Ning standing at the courtyard gate.
“Ning’er?”
His face immediately lit up with relief, and he hurried toward her.
He grabbed Wei Ning and examined her from head to toe, checking her front, back, left, and right. Only after confirming that she wasn’t injured did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“Ning’er, where did you go? Were you trying to scare your mother to death?”
There was a hint of reproach in his voice.
Wei Ning wasn’t offended.
Instead, her heart warmed.
Her mother and the rest of the Wei family also gathered around.
“Don’t scold Ning’er. You’ll frighten her. Let her come inside first, then we can talk.”
Her mother gently scolded her husband while taking Wei Ning’s hand and leading her into the courtyard.
Looking at the anxious faces of her family, Wei Ning, who had always been accustomed to doing everything alone, finally realized that she had handled things poorly.
She quietly apologized.
“I’m sorry for making everyone worry. I just went out for a walk.”
“It’s all right, it’s all right. Mother wasn’t blaming you. As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.”
Her mother spoke cheerfully.
If only Wei Ning hadn’t just seen how close her mother was to tears…
“You’re back now, and that’s what matters. Ning’er, don’t wander so far next time. You scared your mother.”
Her second aunt also chimed in.
Grandmother said, “All right. The child hasn’t eaten all day. Hurry and go prepare some food.”
Only then did her second aunt and mother head toward the kitchen.
Wei Yan patted Wei Ning on the shoulder before sitting down on the ground with his father, second uncle, and the others.
Wei Ning finally noticed that all of their hands were trembling slightly.
Their eyes were dull, and their faces looked utterly exhausted.
What happened?
Perhaps seeing the confusion in Wei Ning’s eyes, Grandmother, who was standing nearby, quietly explained,
“They’ve never done hard labor before. Their hands are used to holding brushes and writing. Suddenly having to grip a hoe was too much for them. They’ll get used to it after some time.”
After speaking, she lowered her gaze and looked at her own hands, giving a self-deprecating smile.
Wei Ning followed her gaze.
There were several obvious blisters on Grandmother’s palms.
She had probably gotten them that morning from using the hoe to clear the land.
Grandmother looked up and noticed Wei Ning staring at her hands.
“Don’t worry, Ning’er. Your grandmother used to farm when she was young. This little bit of work isn’t enough to defeat me.”
Looking at her gray-haired grandmother kindly reassuring her, Wei Ning was reminded of her own grandparents before she turned ten.
They had also told her to study hard and not worry about money.
“Grandmother, I’ll make sure you can enjoy your later years in comfort.”
At the very least, she was much older now than she had been when she lost her grandparents.
She would make up for the filial devotion she had been unable to give them by taking care of this grandmother who was just as kind to her.
Grandmother smiled.
“All right, all right. I’ll wait for that day.”
Wei Ning supported her grandmother into the main room and helped her sit down on the brick bed.
Only then did Wei Ning lower her voice.
“Grandmother, I found out that there’s a mountain just outside the East Gate. I want to go take a look. I’ll have to leave early tomorrow morning, and I might not come back quickly. Don’t worry about me, and please don’t send anyone out looking for me.”
Grandmother looked at her, about to persuade her otherwise.
But when she met Wei Ning’s dark, steady eyes, she saw a confidence that made her believe the girl.
“All right. Be careful.”
Wei Ning had expected to spend quite some time persuading her.
She hadn’t expected her grandmother to agree so readily.
Although the old woman had been born into a farming family, she was extremely wise. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have raised and taught her sons and grandchildren so well.
“Grandmother, tomorrow, don’t let Mother and Second Aunt go to the fields either. Winter is almost here, and even if we clear the land now, we won’t have enough time to plant and harvest anything.”
“The most urgent thing is to stock up on firewood. Winter is long here, so the more firewood we have, the better.”
Grandmother stared intently at her granddaughter, who had always been quiet and rarely spoke.
It was as though she were seeing her for the first time.
This granddaughter had thought things through so carefully. She seemed to have more of a plan than even her two older brothers—and perhaps even more than her own father.
“We can put the fields aside for now, but we still have to figure out how to earn some money. Otherwise, we won’t have enough food or warm clothing either.”
Grandmother’s voice was filled with worry.
Wei Ning needed an ally who had authority and, more importantly, trusted her.
Otherwise, she would have to explain every single thing she did.
That would be exhausting.
She reached into her clothes and pulled out five taels of silver, placing them in Grandmother’s hand.
Grandmother looked down at the money, then raised her head in shock.
Wei Ning spoke sincerely.
“I earned this money today. I got it through legitimate means. I didn’t steal anything or break the law.”
“As for how I earned it, don’t ask too many questions.”
“I only want you to know this: I’ll handle earning the money. You just need to do what I tell you. I can get our family safely through this winter.”
“Can you trust me?”
Grandmother was stunned.
The confidence in the girl’s words was almost audacious, yet somehow it made her feel compelled to believe her.
The adults had sat awake for half the night yesterday and still couldn’t come up with a solution.
Yet this young granddaughter had casually declared that she could solve everything.
Perhaps she had never truly known this quiet granddaughter of hers.
She was even more capable than her elder brother, the top scholar.
After a long while, Grandmother finally found her voice.
“All right. Ning’er, Grandmother trusts you. Whatever you say we should do, I’ll do it.”
Wei Ning smiled faintly.
Talking to an intelligent person really was easy. It saved her a lot of effort.
At that moment, Yang’s voice came from the courtyard.
“Food’s ready!”
“Come on, Grandmother. Let’s eat!”