Along the way, we encountered several groups of people sent out by the camp to search. They searched everywhere, in the mountains, the county town, and the towns, but when asked, they all said they had no trace of him.
It's as if Song Laosan has vanished from the face of the earth.
He managed to conceal all traces of himself in the middle of the night; his skill was truly remarkable.
"Sigh, General Guan was furious. He said if we didn't bring the man back, we would be punished. Those who were on guard duty the night before all got a good beating," a soldier said.
It's not really General Guan's fault. He was being held in good custody, and then he escaped from the camp. Of course, it's the responsibility of the guards.
With Song Yuanyi escaping like this, it's uncertain how he'll reappear, which is detrimental to both the Qiao and Guan families.
General Guan himself knew very well that Song Yuanyi was able to deceive the Guan family for so many years because he was cunning and had enough patience, no different from a dog hiding in the shadows.
When Qiao Lian'er arrived at the village, it was already dusk. Song Rui'er was sitting at the village entrance, reading a book in her hand.
The book contained very simple characters and had printed grooves for easy copying. He used his finger to write and draw on it.
Some villagers passed by and laughed.
"Hey, this kid is really diligent. Does he think he can pass the imperial examination and become an official? Take a good look at himself in the mirror. If you don't have the skills, don't take on the job."
"I bet you'll never even pass the preliminary exam, no matter how many times you take it."
“Your father has run away. If I were you, I would throw this book away and go find your father. Old Song is down on his luck, and he might actually be willing to acknowledge you as his son.”
Song Ruier turned a deaf ear.
He knew that because of the Song family's situation, he would have to endure a lot of scorn and ridicule before he passed the imperial examination, and he was already getting used to it.
Seeing that he ignored them, those people got bored, muttered a couple more words, and walked away.
"Sister, you're back." Seeing Qiao Lian'er, Song Rui'er put the book away.
Qiao Lian'er rode along the bumpy road, and when she saw the village, she dismounted and led the horse by the rope.
Seeing Song Ruier's reaction, she suspected that he had been waiting here on purpose, waiting for her to come back.
"Don't call me sister, and move aside."
Song Ruier stepped in front of her: "Sister, I know you went to find Dad, but did you get any news? No matter what, Dad is still our father. It's wrong for him to just leave like this and become a fugitive."
Qiao Lian'er looked him over carefully: "Song Rui'er, before Song Laosan ran away, did he come looking for you?"
The night before last, Da Shun called out to his superiors that Song Laosan didn't need to go through Datian Village to avoid getting into trouble.
He passed through here, perhaps for Song Ruier.
"Sister, what are you talking about? If Dad had a chance to escape, he would have run away cleanly. What would he be doing coming to me?"
"But you went out to look for Father and came back empty-handed. You probably didn't make any progress."
Qiao Lian'er's lips curled into a cold smile. She had to admit that Song Rui'er had improved a lot. She used to feel guilty when she lied, but now she stared straight ahead as if she were telling the truth.
Those villagers were clearly mocking Song Ruier, but he remained completely unfazed.
“Song Ruier, you are still young. Even if you are reckless and ignorant, you still have a chance. Let me give you a piece of advice: the sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore.”
Qiao Lian'er led the horse away.
Song Ruier stared at her figure: "Sister, the Master also taught us this. I asked the Master, 'Where is the shore?' The Master said, 'What kind of person do you truly want to become in your heart? That is your shore.'"
"Sister, after thinking it over and over, I want to be like you the most. If I can't climb up, I'll destroy this shore."
Yesterday, he turned eleven, and he felt his mind was even clearer and his goals even more determined.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
