Chapter 227 Xiao Yan: Don’t be afraid, I’m here
Song Tangning refused to budge, the Black Armor Guards watched them covetously, and with Gu Helian eager to take action, the Song family finally gave in.
The Song family opened an ancestral hall, and the fourth master Song with a grim expression crossed out the lineage of Song Xi, the second branch of the Duke's Mansion, from the family tree. However, when Tang Ning handed Song Tan's letter of severance to the fourth master Song and asked him to look for Song Ru's name as well.
But the fourth master Song said, "She doesn't need it."
Tang Ning's eyes darkened, thinking that he was trying to make things difficult for her.
Who knew that the fourth master Song would say, "Song Ru has never been included in the family tree."
"What did you say?" Tang Ning was stunned: "A concubine's daughter should also be included in the family tree..."
"That's usually the case. Song Ru is a legitimate concubine's daughter. Although I can't remember her full name, she should be included in the family tree as Song Tan's daughter, with her surname and age sequence. But..."
Fourth Master Song glanced at Tang Ning and said, "Back then, Xue's entry into the mansion wasn't glorious. Although she was a concubine, she died after giving birth to a daughter. Moreover, Song Tan personally denied this, saying only..."
"Just what?"
"They say Song Ru's birth mother was of poor origin and unworthy of being included in the Song family tree."
In fact, what Song Qin said back then was much more unpleasant. He said that Song Ru was nothing but the bastard born by a shameless prostitute, and that she was a stain on the Song family. If all eyes had not been on the Duke of Song's Mansion and him at the time, he would never have let this bastard live in the world.
A concubine's daughter would only have her surname and generation order recorded in the family tree, which was not as honorable as a legitimate child. Song Tan was unwilling, and naturally others would not say much.
Tang Ning saw that Fourth Master Song was hesitant and knew that what he said was probably embellished. Considering how Song Qin had been abusing Song Ru without any scruples over the years, how could he have said it so tactfully?
Tang Ning's face turned cold, and he felt that he was too soft on Song Qin today.
She put away the letter of severance, took a deep breath to suppress the anger in her heart, and said to the person opposite: "Please ask Mr. Song Si to send someone to take us to move the grave."
The ancestral hall was open, and the Song family knew that they couldn't stop Tang Ning tonight. Rather than ending up with a falling out and making things awkward for each other, it would be better to let her go. However, the Song family hated the person who had pestered Song Tang Ning and "forced" her to come here.
The fourth master of the Song family had Tang Ning and the others taken to the Song family's ancestral tomb outside the city, and searched for the tomb of Song Xi and his wife, who were buried in the innermost part of the direct branch, without letting the Song family take action.
Canglang led his men forward, carrying a shovel, opened the tombstone, dug up the grave, and saw some black coffins inside.
"Carry it out, be careful."
Cang Lang had a wooden frame erected, and several black-armored guards pulled the rope-bound coffin out of the soil. They carried it to level ground and were about to lower it when Cang Lang, who was following behind, suddenly cried out in surprise and hurriedly stopped them, saying, "Wait a moment, don't let go!"
He quickly approached the coffin and saw something stuck underneath. When he saw it clearly, his face changed slightly.
Xiao Yan and Tang Ning were standing not far away. Xiao Yan looked up and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Master, there is something under this coffin."
Xiao Yan frowned slightly, with a vague bad premonition in his heart, but before he could stop Tang Ning, she had already walked over there, so he had to quickly catch up.
Gu Helian also walked over curiously, saying, "What is this? Why are you making such a fuss? Could it be that the Rong family's elder sister has been resurrected..."
He suddenly stopped talking, and his face instantly darkened when he saw what was under the coffin.
Gu Helian took a few steps forward and tore off the talisman paper that had lost its color and was mostly corroded. He shouted angrily, "Which bastard did this?!"
Xiao Yan also saw the thing clearly. When he got closer, he found that not only the bottom of the coffin, but also the edge of the coffin had some corroded talisman paper fragments, and there were also a few scattered pieces mixed in the soil around the grave that had just been dug up.
He squatted down and touched under the coffin, took a closer look with his muddy hands, and walked around the coffin a few steps forward. When he stopped, his face looked extremely ugly.
Tang Ning didn't know what was going on: "Brother, what's wrong?"
Xiao Yan said coldly, "This tomb has been opened."
Tang Ning was stunned for a moment, then her expression changed: "Mother..."
Xiao Yan felt around the coffin and glanced down at it. "The coffin has been buried for many years, and the edges have begun to rot, but the rivets are still relatively new. Not only has this tomb been opened, but even the coffin has been opened, and it must have happened in recent years..."
He turned his head and said angrily to Canglang, "Bring the people from the Song family here!"
The Song family's guides had no idea what was happening and were dragged over by the black-armored guards. When they were thrown to the ground, they heard that the tomb of Song Xi and his wife had been opened. Song Wenli, who came to lead the way, had a dazed look on his face.
"How is that possible? After my uncle and his family were buried, few people from the clan came here except for the New Year and other festivals to pay their respects."
The other members of the Song family were also in a panic.
"Song Xi is a member of the Song clan, a descendant of the Duke's Mansion. We can't even show respect to him, so how could we possibly dig up his grave?
"Yeah, you must be mistaken. They've been dead for so many years. Who's going to dig up the coffins of two dead people?"
They are not crazy. Aren't they afraid of being struck by lightning for digging up human graves?
Xiao Yan looked at the stunned and panicked faces of the people from the Song family and knew that they really didn't know about this matter, but the coffin had indeed been dug out.
Moreover, the talisman paper pasted underneath had not yet completely dissolved, and some black things that looked like bloodstains could be vaguely seen on the paper. Even the coffin had been opened.
Xiao Yan asked coldly, "Has anyone come to pay homage to them alone in the past few years?"
Song Wenli panicked: "Many members of the Song family's direct lineage are buried here, as well as deceased ancestors of the Song family. These people have different birthdays and death anniversaries. There must be people who come here alone to pay their respects, but, but they can't possibly dig up my uncle's coffin..."
"The Song family's huge tomb is left unattended?" Xiao Yan interrupted in a deep voice.
Song Wenli was stunned for a moment, then suddenly woke up: "Yes, yes, there are people guarding the tomb."
This place is some distance away from the capital, and it is impossible for the Song family to have someone watching them all the time. The powerful families in the capital attach great importance to feng shui, and naturally they are afraid that someone will disturb their ancestral tombs. Most of them will find people to "guard the tombs" nearby to prevent wild beasts in the mountains from damaging the tombstones and to prevent some people with ulterior motives from becoming greedy.
Song Wenli quickly said, "There's a village about ten miles west of here. We've left people there to guard the tomb. They come here every day to inspect the surroundings. In the past, people from the clan who came to pay their respects would stay there if it was too late."
"Is he from the Song family?"
"They are all servants of the mansion, and a few villagers have also been hired."
Xiao Yan glanced at Gu Helian, and Gu Helian said, "I'll take people over."
Xiao Yan said "hmm": "Take them with you."
Gu Helian no longer looked lazy as before. After nodding with a gloomy face, he led a few people and carried Song Wenli and the others away.
Xiao Yan turned to look at Tang Ning, whose face was a little pale. "I don't know the purpose of the person who opened the coffin, nor do I know if he has touched anything inside. We need to open it and see if your parents' bodies have been damaged." He paused and lowered his voice. "If you're afraid, I'll open it."
Tang Ning bit her lip, her palms cold as she stood in front of the coffin. Although she didn't know why someone would disturb the graves of her parents who had passed away many years ago, but...
"I'm not afraid."
She is not afraid of her father and mother.
After hearing this, Xiao Yan didn't say anything more. He just glanced at Canglang. Canglang came forward with the things. He carefully pried open the coffin and pushed the lid upwards with the people around him.
Hearing the "creaking" sound of the rivets breaking and seeing the inside of the coffin revealed, Tang Ning pinched his palms tightly and his face became more and more tense.
She was afraid that the bodies of A Niang and the others would be destroyed, and she was afraid to see the mess inside.
The next moment someone held her hand.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
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