Ah Man is only a junior high school girl in modern times, but she has been burdened with the mission of rebuilding and revitalizing the ethnic group. Jane Ning felt really distressed when she heard this. This is not a burden that she should have at her age!
She looked at Ding Youtian. When Ding Youtian heard Ah Man talk about the sense of mission, he looked up at the sky with his hands behind his back. Noticing Jian Ning's gaze, he glanced sideways, his eyes dimmed slightly, and then he looked at Ah Man.
"Man'er, although your father and I loved to argue when he was alive, our relationship was actually no less close than that of my childhood classmate and close friend, Brother Yifan. You and I..." He nodded his chin towards Jian Ning, "We treat you like our own daughter. You're grown up now and can make up your own mind, but you still need to think carefully about this matter. If you don't change your mind in two years, we can go ahead. If your grandparents don't agree by then, you can come find us. I think your father, if he's still alive, will let you go in the end."
In two years, Ah Man will be coming of age. Given Huo Jincheng's love for her, if she is determined to leave, Huo Jincheng will not be able to persuade her. Even if the Grand Tutor and Old Madam Huo oppose it, he will definitely let Ah Man go.
After Ding Youtian finished speaking, Ah Man bowed deeply to him with a smile.
Jian Ning sighed inwardly, knowing that Ah Man would not change his mind, she asked Tong Bajin to drive the carriage and follow Ah Man and his friends to the villa to see Tian.
"Aunt, aunt, why hasn't my dad come back yet?" Ma Xiaobing was distracted by Erniu and Sanniu yesterday. When he saw her and Ding Youtian today, he ran over and hugged Jian Ning's legs and asked with his back facing up.
"Are you stupid?" Ma Xiaolu said from the side, "Daddy passed away this morning!"
"Pa!" Tian slapped Ma Xiaolu, whom she always loved, in the face. "You have no conscience. How could anyone say that about your father?"
"What are you doing?" Jian Ning glared at Tian. When he was about to pick up Ma Xiaolu, Qiao Feng ran over and picked him up. With a "thump", Ma Xiaobing fell to the ground again. The little guy kicked his legs and rolled over while howling: "I want daddy, I want daddy..."
Ma Xiaolu also cried loudly with his mouth wide open. After a few sobs, he angrily shouted at Tian: "It wasn't me who said that. It was my third brother who said that Daddy passed away!"
Tian raised her hands with tears in her eyes, about to hit him, but was held back by Jian Ning. Ding Youtian also picked up Ma Xiaobing, who was rolling on the ground, and said, "Uncle, I'll let you ride a big horse. Don't cry anymore."
The child was easy to coax. In no time, the soldier was riding on his neck and laughing.
"Your brother Bao has never ridden on your uncle's neck since he was a child. So far, only you and your third brother have ridden on your uncle's neck. You two brothers are really lucky." Ding Youtian laughed and shook him with his shoulder.
Back when Dingxian Village was still called Dingjia Village, Ma Xiaodou was beaten to tears by Ma Xiaomai, and it was Ding Youtian who held his neck to make him laugh. Qiaofeng recalled this as if it were just yesterday.
Jian Ning chatted with Tian for a while, and before leaving, she told Qiao Feng, "The night before your wedding, your master will come to pick you up. On your wedding day, Bao'er will carry you out. From now on, you will be the eldest daughter-in-law in Prince Wu's mansion. Take good care of your mother-in-law and your younger brothers-in-law. Although it will be tiring now, when your younger brothers-in-law grow up, they will not forget the kindness you have shown them, and will respect you as their eldest sister-in-law for the rest of their lives."
"But don't overwork yourself. After we move, we'll need to hire some people to help with the household chores. Even poor families need some work to supplement their income. We'll hire some hardworking and kind people to work with us. If you have any difficulties, or if Xiaomai does something wrong that makes you sad, remember that you have your own family. If your mother-in-law can't control Xiaomai, come to me and your master. Do you remember that?"
"Master!" Qiao Feng's eyes suddenly turned red. She threw herself into Jian Ning's arms, but carefully avoided her belly. "I remember every word Master said. I'm not alone. I have Master, my father, my brothers Bao'er and my sister Shu'er, and even the little brother in Master's belly. I know everything. Master, don't worry about me."
Jian Ning stroked her black hair, feeling the same reluctance as a daughter about to be married off. "Alright, don't cry. My Feng'er is going to be the little princess, and will be the proper mistress of Prince Wu's mansion. Your grandfather and your parents would be pleased if they knew. Burn some incense and tell them before you get married, so they can be happy too."
"Yes." Qiao Feng raised her tearful eyes, "Feng'er has already told Grandpa and Mom and Dad. I'll tell them again after I take a bath the night before my wedding."
"Okay, your mother-in-law is a good person, and she will love you sincerely. Master will leave her to you. Take good care of her and make sure she takes her medicine on time. Master will be leaving today. If you have time, you can bring your brothers-in-law to visit me."
When Jian Ning and Ding Youtian returned to the mansion, they saw that Xu Dali and the housekeeper had led people to change the plaque on the gate to "Ding Mansion", and the staff in each room of the mansion had also been properly placed.
"Sir, Madam, the houses of the two brothers Ding Yang and Erlangzi have been cleaned up, but the job of Ding Yang's wife has not been decided yet." Xu Dali and the housekeeper followed Jian Ning and the others, telling them as they walked.
Ding Yang's family wanted to go to Beijing with Jian Ning and the others. Master Ding San was afraid that Ding Jian would feel bad, so he didn't let his family go with Jian Ning and the others. His family would come later.
As for Erlangzi's family, Princess Pingnan had ordered someone to buy them a house, but Erlangzi had also said that he would not live there. After his family arrived in Beijing, Duan Xinyan was anxious to see Xinping, because Xinping and her son happened to have returned to her parents' home these few days, so their family stayed in the palace temporarily and would have to wait a few days before returning to Jian Ning.
Jian Ning trusted Xu Dali, Tong Bajin, and the others, including Uncle Liao, the housekeeper sent by her parents. Uncle Liao had been a messenger under the Pingnan Prince's command. Because he was alone and had lost an arm, he had been working as a gatekeeper at the Pingnan Prince's mansion. He was a loyal and hardworking man.
"Okay, no rush." Jian Ning said to Xu Dali, then smiled and looked at Uncle Liao, "Uncle Liao, it won't be too late to arrange a job for Brother Ding Yang's wife when he arrives. There's no need to arrange anything for Miss Pei."
Among Ding Youtian's several attendants, except Ding Yang who still needs to gain experience, the other three who have military merits will sooner or later be sent to military camps in various places. Although Pei Zitong was deposed, she was once a princess of a country. Jian Ning thought that there was no need to arrange a task for her. She could do it if she wanted to, and not force her if she didn't want to.
At night, Jian Ning asked Ding Youtian to go to Dabao's room. She had to warn Dabao about Ah Man's matter. When the servant who followed Dabao saw them coming, he hurriedly bowed and greeted them, then went to report to Dabao.
"Dad, Mom, what's the matter?" Dabao asked as he came out of the study.
"Mother and father want to come in and talk to you about Man'er. Is that okay?" After Jian Ning finished speaking, Ding Youtian glanced at her sideways. "Madam, why are you so humble? Father and mother have something to say to him, so how can he decide whether to agree or not?"
As Ding Youtian spoke, he stepped in.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com