“Good girl, Anying.”
Patting the hand she held, Wei Mingning exchanged a discreet glance with the senior maid by her side.
Taking the cue, the maid summoned two waiting servant girls. Stepping forward, each carried a heavy tray piled high with exquisite jewels and sparkling ornaments—a brilliant display that nearly blinded Tong Anying on the spot.
Wei Mingning said, “I am a soldier at heart, unversed in refined literary pursuits. Now that Anying has become my goddaughter, these worldly trinkets are all I can offer. I only hope you won’t despise them.”
Tong Anying said nothing, nodding her head vigorously like a chick pecking at grain.
Good heavens, who in their right mind would despise these?
There is someone, Host. Gu Zhenye despised them thoroughly.
Huh? Did he lose his marbles?
He fancied himself an aloof, high-minded scholar, so naturally he looked down on such tacky, worldly wealth.
Hmph. Starve a hypocrite like him for three days and three nights, and he’ll learn his lesson fast enough.
As a matter of fact, Wei Mingning really had starved Gu Zhenye for three full days and nights.
She told Du Liu’er that it was all because Gu Zhenye looked down on such material comforts that she had no choice but to cut off food to both her and the child.
Then, she turned around and told Gu Zhenye that Du Liu’er was simply too obstinate to yield, which was why he had been reduced to such a miserable state.
As for the brat, handling him was even easier. Raised on delicacies and silk, he couldn’t stomach the slightest hardship. With just a few whispers from her, the boy grew to despise both his father and his mother.
Blinking as Wei Mingning recounted the ordeal aloud, Tong Anying praised sincerely, “Godmother, you handled that brilliantly!”
Her gaze was clear, brimming with undisguised admiration. She truly meant every word.
Smiling warmly, Wei Mingning stroked Tong Anying’s temples. “Then, all of these.”
“I love them! I love them so, so much!”
Watching her daughter’s shameless, money-loving expression, Su Zhouyue couldn’t help pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh.
She nudged gently, “Anying, is that all you have to say?”
Realization struck Tong Anying. Stepping squarely in front of Wei Mingning, she retrieved a petite wooden box from her sleeve and presented it with both hands, smiling sweetly: “Godmother, this is a gift I prepared for you.”
Wei Mingning paused, surprised. “A gift for me?”
“Mm.” Tong Anying looked up, her eyes curving like gentle crescent moons. “Congratulations to Godmother on your new lease on life. From here on, the world is wide and bright—go conquer it as you please!”
“Good, good.”
Wei Mingning’s eyes stung with unshed tears.
When Gu Zhenye had been dragged away earlier, seeing that her heart was made of stone, he had cursed her with every foul word he knew.
Yet here stood this girl, wishing her a vibrant new beginning.
When she sent her maid to the Marquis estate, she hadn’t breathed a word about adopting Tong Anying. That meant the child had intended to give her this gift from the very beginning.
Opening the box, Wei Mingning found a string of polished prayer beads resting inside.
Su Zhouyue explained, “A few days ago, when I took Anying to the temple to offer incense, she sought this out specially.”
Moved even deeper, Wei Mingning asked softly, “Did Anying wish for my peace and safety?”
Tong Anying nodded earnestly.
Mostly because Godmother had way too much bad energy around her. This can ward off evil spirits and bad luck, just what she needs!
While Tong Anying beamed with quiet satisfaction, Wei Mingning chuckled and warmly invited her to visit the Wei residence whenever she pleased.
“I will!”
Wei Mingning personally walked Su Zhouyue and Tong Anying toward the main entrance. Just as they reached the gates, a carriage screeched to a halt. A woman tumbled out, stumbling frantically toward Wei Mingning.
“Sister! Sister, my Qiaoqiao is gone!”
Wei Mingning caught her by the arms. This was the orphan of a deputy general adopted by Wei Mingning’s late father, five years her junior. Last year, she had married the younger son of Lin Yu, the Minister of Justice, and early this year, she had given birth to a precious baby girl.
Holding her steady, Wei Mingning frowned. “A living child doesn’t simply vanish into thin air. What happened?”
Qu Huiyan sobbed brokenly, “I don’t know, Sister, I really don’t know! I went out this morning to pick out some fabric to make clothes for Qiaoqiao. When I got back, my mother-in-law told me Qiaoqiao was missing! Sister, what am I going to do?”
Patting her back soothingly, Wei Mingning ordered her senior maid to gather the guards to mount a search. Yet suspicion instantly took root in her mind.
Who would dare break into the Minister of Justice’s private residence just to steal an infant only a few months old?
Either Lin Yu or his son Lin Quan had crossed a dangerous enemy, or.
Wei Mingning’s eyes narrowed dangerously. It was an inside job.
She knew how fiercely her younger sister treasured that baby. Stealing the child was no different from taking her sister’s life!
Deplorable! Have the child traffickers in the capital really gotten this brazen?
Host, it wasn’t human traffickers.
The disembodied voice ringing out of nowhere made Qu Huiyan freeze mid-sob. She looked up at Wei Mingning in bewilderment. “Sister.”
Wei Mingning held her tightly, pressing a finger to her lips, urging her in silence to keep listening.
Not traffickers? Then who was it?
It’s her mother-in-law! She always despised Qu Huiyan for bearing a daughter and had been plotting to dump the granddaughter for ages, but she never found the right opportunity. It just so happened that Qu Huiyan left the house this morning.
Hearing this, Qu Huiyan’s mind snapped. She let out a shrill shriek: “I’m going back to slaughter that old hag right now!”
Her hair had fallen loose, and her eyes burned bloodshot with primal rage.
Wei Mingning gripped her arm, but Qu Huiyan cried out in agony, “Sister, don’t stop me!”
With a face as cold as winter frost, Wei Mingning said, “I’m coming with you.”
To bully her sister to this degree, she would show no mercy!
Wei Mingning met the senior maid’s eyes. Understanding instantly, the maid hurried inside and retrieved Wei Mingning’s spear.
Su Zhouyue whispered to Tong Anying, “Wei Mingning’s spear and staff techniques are second to none.”
Noticing her mother’s reminiscent tone, Tong Anying asked, “Did Mother ever spar with Godmother?”
Su Zhouyue nodded. “Back when we were young in the military camps, we clashed a few times.”
“Did you win?”
Su Zhouyue pursed her lips. “No.”
Tong Anying fell silent.
As Wei Mingning took the spear, Su Zhouyue stepped forward. “Anying and I will accompany you.”
Wei Mingning gave a resolute nod.
Meanwhile, outside the palace gates.
The moment Lin Yu stepped outside, a family servant rushed up in panic: “Master, disaster has struck! The Duchess has marched into our estate with weapons drawn!”
Lin Yu: “?”
He scowled. “Has Wei Mingning lost her mind?”
Happening to walk right beside him, Tong Baibo chimed in smoothly, “Madam Wei has a reason for everything she does. If memory serves, her sister married your younger son, Lord Lin. Surely your family hasn’t been mistreating her?”
Having behaved himself for merely a few days, Tong Baibo was already back to dropping sharp remarks wherever he walked.
Lin Yu said coldly, “This is a private domestic matter for my household. There is no need for the Marquis to trouble himself.”
Tong Baibo replied breezily, “Rest assured, I won’t lose any sleep over it.”
Once Lin Yu marched off, Tong Baibo’s own servant hesitated, looking conflicted.
Tong Baibo asked, “What is it?”
The servant stammered, “The Madam and Fourth Young Lady have also stormed into the Lin residence.”
Tong Baibo: “?”
Lin Yu, who happened to see the Marquis estate’s carriage tearing off in the exact direction of his home: “?”
Tong Baibo arrived first, stepping down from the carriage alongside Tong Yibin. Lin Yu arrived just in time to catch their backs vanishing through his front gates.
These Tong men are truly out of control!
Grinding his teeth, Lin Yu barged inside.
Baby Lin Qiao had already been retrieved.
Cradling the infant, Qu Huiyan glared murderously at He Qinfen, who was leisurely sipping tea across from her.
Wei Mingning demanded, “Qiaoqiao went missing, only to be discovered hidden away in the house of the Madam’s personal maid. Does the Minister’s Wife have nothing to say for herself?”
He Qinfen set down her teacup lightly. “Even if I spoke, you’d have to listen first, wouldn’t you? What household doesn’t have a few foul-hearted servants? I already had that wretch beaten to death just now. What more do you want from me?”
Qu Huiyan hissed, “How about tomorrow I have my people drag you into the deep mountains, haul you back, and beat them to death afterward—how would you like that?”
He Qinfen slammed her palm onto the table. “Qu Huiyan, what did you just say?”
Qu Huiyan only continued to glare at her with icy malice.
“What is all this ruckus?”
Lin Yu strode into the hall. Tong Baibo and Tong Yibin quietly slipped over to stand beside Tong Anying and Su Zhouyue.
Surprised, Su Zhouyue whispered, “What are you two doing here?”
Tong Baibo murmured back, “To act as my wife’s blade.”
Su Zhouyue: “?”
He Qinfen scurried to Lin Yu’s side. “Husband, you’ve finally returned! You have no idea, these Wei people are trying to turn the sky upside down!”
Qu Huiyan cut in coldly, “My surname is Qu. Don’t you dare throw dirty water on the Wei family!”
He Qinfen: “?”
Lin Yu looked at Qu Huiyan. On his way back, his servants had already briefed him on the basics. He reasoned, “Since the child has been found safe and sound, it amounts to nothing more than a false alarm. Why must you keep biting at your mother-in-law like a mad dog?”
Wow! I’ve seen biased arbiters before, but never one this shamelessly crooked!
Lin Yu stiffened. What voice was that?
Host, do you remember the juicy tea I told you about their household earlier?
Huh?
Whenever the system was bored, it chatted with Tong Anying. Having gorged herself on endless scandalous tales, her memories had turned into a tangled ball of yarn, leaving her struggling to connect the dots.
Was it the one where someone fell desperately for his superior, and upon being rejected, furiously wrote steamy fanfiction about the two of them?
Nope.
Then was it the one about keeping a pretty boy tucked away in a male brothel?
Not that one either.
Oh! I remember now! The one where someone engaged in illicit romps outside, got injured during the deed, fell into the hands of a crooked quack doctor, was bled dry of money, and still ended up uncured?
Um, still not that one.
Lin Yu’s vision went pitch black.
Tong Anying was basically conducting a full military roll call of sordid secrets! Even if his name wasn’t explicitly pinned to every roster, he was only an inch away from utter ruin!
Thud.
Lin Yu dropped straight to his knees before Tong Anying. Weeping tears of genuine terror, he cried out:
“Fourth Young Lady, please, have mercy and put away your divine powers!”
Tong Anying: “?”