When Grandma Liu came out and saw her daughter return, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Liu Yuelan stepped forward and took her hand: "Mother, I'm back."

Grandma Liu looked Liu Yuelan up and down with delight: "Good, it's good that you're back."

Song Ning looked at the carriage outside the courtyard. While the two were talking, she went out to take a look. The people who escorted Liu Yuelan back were preparing to pack up and go back.

Song Ning smiled and asked, "Brothers, thank you so much for bringing my mother back. You must be tired from your long journey. Why don't you stay here for the night before you leave?"

The leader looked her up and down and said very politely, "It's alright. The manor is waiting for us to return and report, so we won't keep you any longer."

"It's not on this day. You've all worked hard. It's alright to rest for a day before continuing your journey."

The person didn't reply, and Song Ning's smile slowly faded.

The man's gaze at her just now was clearly disdainful, and judging from her words, it seemed as if he was worried that she would cling to them.

"Then may I ask, elder brother, who arranged for you to bring so many things back with you when you sent my mother back? We'll remember the kindness of the Marquis's family in the future."

The man turned his head, looking somewhat impatient: "This is an arrangement made by our First Madam and Second Madam."

Oh, so the Xu family is now ruled by several wives.

"Thank you, brothers. We will remember the kindness of the two ladies."

The group didn't say much, and when they got into the car, they gave her a meaningful look.

Even if the Xu family really wanted to acknowledge her as her mother, she had no intention of relying on the Marquis's mansion. They earned their own money and spent it as they pleased; weren't they more free than those people in the Marquis's mansion? Who cared about his Marquis's mansion?

Is this because they're afraid that if the family really goes back, the Marquis's mansion will have to support them?

Song Ning sneered and turned back to the courtyard, just as Liu Yuelan came out.

"They've all left?"

"Come on, Mom, come on, I'll make you something delicious."

No one else matters; what matters most is that their family lives a good life.

While the family was busy in the kitchen, Liu Yuelan suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, I also saw Madam Jiang during my trip to the capital. She and her matriarch even invited me for tea."

Song Ning then remembered, "Oh right, Madam Jiang is from the capital."

"Did Madam Jiang say anything to Mother?"

Liu Yuelan smiled and said, "Actually, she didn't say much. She just asked how things were at home lately and mentioned that business is booming and our soaps and hair accessories are selling well."

Liu Yuelan felt that Madam Jiang treated her better than some people in the Xu family.

"By the way, she asked you quite a few questions. Madam Jiang misses you very much."

Song Ning nodded; Madam Jiang was indeed a very approachable person.

While shelling beans, Liu Yuelan said, "Mother heard something else in the capital. It seems there's war again in the south. I heard that General Xie has led his troops into battle."

Song Ning paused in his work and clicked his tongue. It seemed he wouldn't see him for a while; his thing wouldn't be going back anytime soon.

Song Dahai sighed: "Didn't they say things would be peaceful these past few years? Why is there going to be war again?"

Liu Yuelan shook her head: "Who knows?"

"Alas, I can only hope that General Xie is blessed by the heavens and that he will be safe and sound on this journey."

For soldiers, every campaign is a life-or-death struggle. Those who are lucky can survive, while those who are unlucky will find every battlefield a death trap.

Song Ning hoped that Xie Linzhou would return safely.

The house next to Song Ning's cotton field has been prepared, and the people hired have arrived one after another. Construction will begin soon.

Sun was skilled at making clothes, so Song Ning chatted with her and assigned her to the cotton-padded clothing workshop as a manager, while the task of making braised food was handed over to others.

Nowadays, everyone in the Jiang family except for Granny Jiang works for Song Ning. Granny Jiang is extremely envious, but she still has two children at home who can't be left alone.

Aunt Zhao's family is very busy these days. Aunt Zhao is in charge of making braised food, Li Daniu and Jiang Yongshou are in charge of purchasing goods, and Li Xingwang has recently been learning to read with Mr. Yu, so Song Ning arranged for him to work at Xiangyunlou.

After Xiangyunlou opens for business, Li Xingwang and Xiao Cui will be her managers, and they need to get familiar with the environment first.

After arranging all these things, Song Ning planned to go to Yongning County.

Before this, news came from the county government that the magistrate was lenient and did not behead Zhang in public, leaving her with a complete body, but only giving her a cup of poisoned wine.

In the end, Song Rui even collected the body.

On the day of the burial, Song Dahai and Song Xiu'e went to help, and the body was buried on the mountain.

Even as the sun set, Song Rui still hadn't come down from the mountain, so Song Ning, feeling uneasy, went up to check on him.

Song Rui knelt before the tombstone, motionless.

Song Ning stepped forward and said softly, "Cousin, it's getting late, we should go back."

Song Rui didn't move for a while before speaking: "Er Ya, I want to go find my sister."

Song Ning was stunned. Song Sanya had been sold, but who knew where she had been sold to?

The Jin Dynasty was so vast, where could we find it?

"Any clues?"

Song Rui shook his head.

Without clues, it's like searching for a needle in a haystack; you might never find it in your lifetime.

"Even if I search my whole life, I will keep searching..."

Song Ning breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Since you want to go look, I support you. I was just thinking about opening branches in other places in the future. My cousin can help me find suitable locations while we're looking."

Song Rui stood up and finally showed his first smile in a long time: "Er Ya, thank you so much. Don't worry, I will write back often. Write to me whenever you want to open a branch."

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