Thinking of those children whose parents were murdered and who were poisoned and made mute, Xu Lanyin's heart ached.

Zhao Wu added, "The child my sister mentioned is called Zhuzi. I've asked Lord Gui for help. If you can find his family, that's fine. If not, please let me know."

Bamboo? This name couldn't be the child's real name. It must have been given to him by the beggar leader.

Xu Lanyin said, "If I can't find the child's biological family, I want to adopt him." Now he will be my younger brother, and if I set up my own daughter's household in the future, I will raise him as my son.

Zhao Wu said, "It's fine if my sister keeps him. If my family has any objections, I can keep him as well."

He was afraid that Old Man Xu and Xu Lanzhou would not agree, which would cause more trouble for Xu Lanyin.

The children whose parents were murdered and who themselves were poisoned and rendered mute were truly heartbreaking. However, Xu Lanyin saw that, with the exception of the younger child named Zhuzi, all the others were over six years old. These children had been raised by despicable beggars, and their thoughts and behavior were likely influenced to some degree. It would take considerable effort to change them, and Xu Lanyin was powerless. It would be better to send them to a government-run nursing home, where they could be disciplined by specialized teachers.

Zhao Wu gave Ding Gu and Zhang Qi one tael of silver each and said, "You have done a great job these past few days. You have remained fearless in times of danger. This is a reward for you."

Ding Gu and Zhangqi hurriedly thanked him for the reward.

Xu Lanting pouted and said, "I performed well and was not afraid of danger, so why am I not included?"

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "I will give you more when you get married."

Xu Lanting went over and hugged his waist and said, "I was just joking with Brother Zhao. If it weren't for Brother Zhao, I would definitely be poisoned and become a beggar. My sister is so beautiful, it would be even more pitiful."

When he talked about this, he shuddered again. Thinking about those little beggars and their families, they were so pitiful.

Zhao Wu touched his little girl and said, "Don't worry, with Brother Zhao here, no one can hurt you or your sister."

Xu Lanting nodded vigorously, "Yes, I know."

At the end of the Chenshi hour, all the guests staying at Longxing Inn could finally leave.

When going downstairs, Zhao Wu whispered, "Lord Min said that if this case requires help, I will ask my sister for help."

Xu Lanyin said, "Yes, it is my duty."

That vicious shopkeeper and all the members of that criminal group have killed countless people and made countless families homeless. They must be severely punished by law.

After leaving the inn and standing on the street, Xu Lanyin looked at the blue sky and white clouds, the bright sunshine, the endless stream of people on the road, and the shouts one after another. She actually felt a little moved.

It feels so good to be exposed to the sun and breathe easily and comfortably!

Looking at Zhao Wu's tall back again, his shoulders seemed to be a little broader than before.

Xu Lanyin felt a sense of relief again. Fortunately, this child is capable!

A few people were eating wontons at a noodle stall opposite the inn.

Many guests staying at the inn were also there. Seeing Zhao Wu, they all went over and bowed to him, thanking him for his sharp eyes and for eliminating the evil for the people.

Anyone who lost livestock or a vehicle in the fire would receive a subsidy of four taels of silver from the Fengxian County government. Although this was far from enough, these people were grateful to the court for allowing them to escape this shady business alive, and they happily took the money to rent a vehicle from a car dealership.

The Xu family's mule died and their cart was burned, so the county magistrate Feng County was very considerate and sent a mule cart to take them to the provincial capital.

After breakfast, Ding Gu and the coachman sat outside the carriage, Xu Lanyin's siblings and Zhangqi got into the carriage, and Zhao Wu still rode a horse.

They arrived at the north gate of Ningzhou Prefecture at the beginning of the afternoon. Zhao Wu went directly to the Judicial and Censorate, while Xu Lanyin and the others went to the Min Prefecture. After getting off the carriage, Xu Lanyin asked Ding Gu to give the driver two silver ingots.

Housekeeper Hao and Madam Liu were waiting anxiously for Xu Lanyin. They had heard the day before yesterday that something had happened at the inn where they were staying, and that even their own master and many high-ranking officials had rushed to the scene. Their hearts were in a state of panic. If anything happened to Miss Xu, there would be no hope for their daughter.

Xu Lanyin entered the mansion and was directly accompanied by Housekeeper Hao to the inner courtyard. Xu Lanting was young and tugged at her sister's sleeve, unwilling to leave.

Butler Hao thought that he was only six years old, the same age as his sister, so he let him go with them.

On the way, Xu Lanyin handed the embroidery to Butler Hao and said, "After this incident, Zhao Wu has to be busy at the government office, and Ding Gu is unfamiliar with the place. I have no choice but to trouble Uncle Hao to send someone to buy a screen frame to frame this embroidery. This is for Lord Min to cure his insomnia."

Butler Hao didn't understand how embroidery could cure insomnia, but thinking of Xu Lanyin's special skills, he agreed.

Xu Lanyin then asked Butler Hao to send someone to help Ding Gu find his son. Butler Hao quickly agreed. He wished Xu Lanyin would just focus on her master and not have to worry about anything else.

This time, Min Jia did not stand at the gate waiting for Xu Lanyin.

After entering the courtyard, Xu Lanyin asked the chess master to take Xu Lanting to the west wing, while she went directly to the upper room.

Min Jia was sitting cross-legged on the Luohan bed, silently looking at the small table. On the small table were the small houses of the mother cat and daughter and the mother duck and daughter, as well as the lid of an eight-piece box, in which lay the mother rabbit and three baby rabbits.

She was thinner than before, with a pointed chin, a pale face, and unusually large eyes, as still as stagnant water.

Xu Lanyin was heartbroken, and this time she looked even worse than before. She walked over and sat down next to the girl, saying softly, "Jiaer, Aunt Xu is here to see you again."

In order to get closer to her, she changed the way she used to call her "Jie'er" to "Jia'er".

Min Jiaru acted as if she didn't hear anything and continued to stare blankly at the small house.

Xu Lanyin continued, "Jiaer, don't you remember Aunt Xu?"

Min Jia still had no expression.

Xu Lanyin didn't dare to say anything else and sat next to her in silence. Xu Lanyin listened to her thoughts, but she didn't think about anything, her mind was blank.

The light outside the window became increasingly yellow, then slowly deepened and dimmed.

The servants had already quietly placed the meal on the round table. Without Xu Lanyin's instruction, they didn't dare to call the little girl to eat.

Qingyin made a few gestures to Xu Lanyin, meaning that the meal had also been delivered to the west wing and Brother Xu had already eaten.

It was completely dark, and the goat-horn lanterns in the house and the lanterns in the corridor had been lit at some point. The little girl's tears finally fell, and her thin body leaned into Xu Lanyin's arms.

Finally I know how to cry.

This made Xu Lanyin particularly touched. After such a long separation, this child was still the closest to her.

Liu Ma and the others were relieved to see that the young lady had finally shown a change of mood. Only Xu Lanyin knew that the young lady had also started to have some psychological activity.

She kept thinking to herself, "Mom didn't tell my cousin that Dad was bad, Mom didn't hug my cousin, Mom didn't violate the rules of being a woman... Grandmother is bad, she scolds Mom. Dad, Grandfather, the ancestors are all bad, they don't believe Mom..."

This explosive secret made Xu Lanyin's heart surge with fear.