Zhang Ping immediately understood and asked quietly, "Is it...that person?"

Stone smiled knowingly.

Zhang Ping didn't ask any more questions: "Wait, I'll go in and report first."

Zhang Ping went in and came out a moment later: "Young Master wants you to come in."

When Shi Tou entered the room, Xie Linzhou was engrossed in his official duties. Shi Tou stepped forward, bowed, and handed him the letter.

After reading the letter, Xie Linzhou's eyes flashed with displeasure.

"I know everything. Go back and report."

Shi Tou raised his eyes slightly and said respectfully, "General, my master has another message for you."

"What did you say?"

Shi Tou forced himself to speak: "My master said... said... that Miss Er Ya was bullied, and asked... asked the general whether he should intervene or not?"

After saying those two sentences, Shi Tou broke out in a cold sweat because he saw General Xie's expression change in an instant.

There was no movement in the study for a long time. Shi Tou was sweating profusely when he finally heard the person in front say, "I know, you can leave now."

Shi Tou stepped back, wiped his sweat, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Just now, from the look in General Xie's eyes, he thought he wouldn't be able to leave the general's mansion.

After Shi Tou left, Xie Linzhou wrote a letter and summoned Zhang Ping, saying, "Send this letter back to the capital."

"yes."

The matters in Shangyang City are not yet finished, and Xie Linzhou cannot leave right now, so he can only write a letter back to the capital first.

Zhang Ping curled his lip, thinking that those old bastards in the capital were probably in for some trouble.

At this time, Zheng Gaoyi and Song Ning were having a lot of troubles in Tianxiang County.

After those people went back, they used some means, and most of the people who came to work were no longer willing to come.

Song Ning went to inquire and heard that there was a good place for him, so naturally he was unwilling to do this kind of hard labor.

Of course, some people are still staying, but with fewer people, the progress will be affected. What could have been completed in three months will now take twice as long.

There's no other way but to keep hiring.

With fewer people around recently, and not many people needed to watch over things, Song Ning has become quite free.

When they first arrived, there were only three people in the Song family. After a few months, the number of people in the family had increased to six.

Song Rui stayed, though Song Dahai still cared about his wife and daughter's opinions; the whole family had discussed it.

However, the only job he can do at home now is driving the cart for Song Ning, and when he's not going to Jiangning County, he helps out at the docks.

Sitting in the car, Song Ning looked at Song Rui driving the carriage outside and asked, "Cousin, do you feel wronged that you're driving the carriage for me now?"

Song Ruiming paused for a moment and said, "What's there to feel wronged about? I'm just an ordinary person. I used to think that there were few people in the village who could compare to me, but now... I'm just glad to have a stable home."

The mule cart rumbled forward, and Song Rui asked, "Er Ya, last time I saw you in Shanhe Town, I pretended not to know you. Aren't you angry?"

Song Ning smiled and said, "What's there to be angry about? Back then, we weren't even close."

Song Rui's state of mind has changed quite a bit. Song Ning wasn't sure what he was thinking, so she asked, "Cousin, if other members of the Song family suddenly came looking for you now, would you acknowledge them as family?"

Song Rui is different from her. The Song family treats him with genuine sincerity and openness. Song Rui used to be afraid that his family would hinder his advancement, but now that everyone is on the same starting line, his thoughts may have changed.

Song Rui remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "I don't know either."

Judging from Song Erhai's later condition, even if he could escape the clutches of those rebels on the road to escape famine, he wouldn't be able to endure the hardships along the way.

Song Rui probably doesn't know about what happened to Zhang back then, and he's likely unaware of the changes in the Song family as well.

Song Dahai had specifically instructed her not to let anything slip.

Song Ning naturally wouldn't do anything unnecessary. However, if the other members of the Song family were still alive and they happened to run into each other in the future, Song Rui, as a descendant of the Song family, couldn't possibly ignore it.

But she doesn't.

In fact, Li Guixiang had already signed the letter severing ties with her family, and now even Song Rui was no longer related to her family. However, Song Dahai couldn't bear to see his nephew suffer.

Ignoring what Song Rui was thinking, Song Ning asked directly, "Cousin, do you know that your grandmother has already signed a letter severing ties?"

Song Rui turned to look at her incredulously: "A letter of severance of kinship?"

"The letter severing ties clearly states that from now on, the eldest and second branches of the Song family, including your grandmother herself, will have no further connection with our family."

Song Rui seemed to suddenly understand what Song Ning meant, and an embarrassed look appeared on his face.

"I'm not saying these things to embarrass my cousin, but to give him a heads-up that he's staying in our family entirely because of my dad."

If it weren't for Song Dahai, he wouldn't even be able to get into her house.

The meaning is clear: if he dares to betray his own people and upset Song Dahai, Song Ning can immediately kick him out.

Song Ning could compromise on almost anything, except for two things: her family and money.

In the past two days, Song Rui has also realized that the current Er Ya is different from the Er Ya of the past.

"However, as long as my cousin is still alive, I will consider him family."

Song Rui remained silent, just as Song Ning had said; she truly considered his family as her own.

Upon arriving in Jiangning County, Song Ning bought some daily necessities and also bought some clothes and shoes for Song Rui.

He's wearing clothes covered in patches, so many that they can't be patched any more.

She handed him the clothes: "Go inside and change now."

Song Rui hesitated for a moment: "Actually... you don't need to spend so much money."

"I've already bought them, so I can't return them. I need to go and exchange them right away."

Song Rui opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing and obediently went inside to change her clothes.

When they came out, Song Ning seemed to be answering his earlier question: "I said, we are all family now. What I have, you should naturally have too."

The two had just come out of the clothing store when they ran into Zhou Ling'an.

Zhou Ling'an's expression wasn't good, but when he saw Song Ning, he immediately smiled and went to greet her.

Song Rui recognized Zhou Ling'an. When he saw Zhou Ling'an looking in their direction, he was about to greet him when Song Ning stopped him.

Song Ning shook her head: "Just pretend you didn't see it."

After saying that, the two went down the steps and walked towards Zhou Ling'an. When they passed by Zhou Ling'an, they didn't even blink.

Zhou Ling'an froze instantly. How could he forget that Song Ning had made it clear to him last time?

Just thinking about how his mother looked earlier gave Zhou Ling'an a headache. He sighed and glanced back at Song Ning's back.

Er Ya, wait for me. Once I pass the imperial examination, I'll be able to confess my feelings to you...