Chapter 121 is indeed not simple.
"Huang Huang, come here, bark once."
"Mmm~"
"No, no, it's 'woof'!"
"Mmm~"
...
In the courtyard, Song Jin sat leisurely in a bamboo rocking chair, legs crossed, one hand holding a cup of hot tea to warm her hands, the other hand stuffed with snacks.
In front of her, several cubs surrounded the golden tiger, stroking its fur and massaging it. They were small, but incredibly audacious, trying to use these small favors to get Huanghuang to change its mind.
Song Jin clicked her tongue, picked up the beef jerky in her hand, and threw it, hitting the little flowery boy riding on Huang Huang's back squarely on the head: "It's a tiger, not a dog, don't push your luck!"
Surrounded by its four kittens, Huanghuang lay there, covering its ears with its paws, enduring its constant chattering the whole way. Realizing Song Jin was speaking up for it, it rolled over, its round ears bristling, and its bright golden eyes darting around.
It shook itself, leaped away from the four cubs, and ran to Song Jin's legs, sitting and lying down. Its slender paws gently patted her legs, looking pitiful.
"Mmm~"
Song Jin put her foot down, stepping on its big paw, and tossed the jerky she was holding to it: "Alright, alright, we won't argue with a little brat. You're a kitty, not a dog."
Huang Huang rolled over: "Meow, meow~"
It has been staying at the Song residence these days. The backyard is spacious, and it eats and drinks well every day. It has become noticeably rounder, and with its exceptionally golden fur, it is incredibly cute, making it hard to associate it with a ferocious beast.
That means she's still here.
Song Jin sat in the rocking chair, one foot on the yellow tiger's head, the other kicking forward to stop Xiao Hua, who was still trying to pounce. Her narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes stared intently at the person.
That's enough.
Xiao Hua, who had been playing too excitedly, instantly sobered up. Her grinning mouth gradually closed, and she stood there obediently. Xiao Ning, Brother Fu, and Brother Sheng also quieted down one by one.
Song Jin nodded in satisfaction and waved her hand: "Alright, don't provoke Huang Huang. If you really do, I'll slap your heads off. Go play somewhere else."
Little Flower nodded her head, her eyes fixed on Yellow.
Ningning also treaded over and sat down at Song Jin's feet, saying in a childish voice, "We won't provoke Huang Huang, we'll be good."
Ningning has always been well-behaved and obedient, at least on the surface. Brother Fu and Brother Sheng are older and more mature, but Xiaohua is just a wild child. She can lead a group of people around by herself, and when they get together, they go wild.
Even Boss Cao couldn't control people.
While Song Jin and the others were out, the head of the orphanage in Shangyang Village even came over and gave them a dressing down, but that was about it; they only took action intermittently.
However, in Song Jin's eyes, even a tiger has to behave, let alone a few cubs.
She nodded her chin: "Go play somewhere else."
If you're not allowed to play, you're not allowed to play; there's no room for negotiation.
Ningning and Xiaohua hung their heads, sighing, turning back every few steps, but Song Jin's heart was as hard as iron, so they had no choice but to give up and squat down in the snowdrift on the other side. Being young, they soon put aside their disappointment and excitedly played in the snow, building snowmen.
Brother Sheng followed Little Flower around like a shadow, completely obedient to her, unable to tell who the real underling was.
Song Jin shook her head, drank another cup of hot water, and turned her head again. Brother Fu was still standing there, hesitant. She wondered, "What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
The kids have all settled in at the liquor store now. With that support, they help with getting and delivering liquor, and also do some handicrafts to earn extra money. They're living a decent life.
I was just delivering alcohol to this area today, so I came over to visit her.
Song Jin found them rather agreeable and didn't mind taking them out to play—being with them was much more fun than gatherings with the noble ladies.
Looking at Song Jin's calm and relaxed demeanor, Fu Ge clenched his hands, hesitated for a while, and whispered, "The princess said last time that she would talk to you about Ningning later. When exactly?"
Song Jin: ...
When did this happen?
Oh, it seems to be about her last time in jail. At that time, she was already in a lot of trouble herself, and her mother was about to start practicing Gu poison, so she didn't have time to deal with these other people's business.
Now
Song Jin thought about the plan for the future.
Her mother's condition stabilized, and with Qu Maoze around, she didn't interfere at all.
The family business has stabilized, and she doesn't need to do anything anymore.
Her grandparents have also been found; both are high-ranking and powerful, so there's nothing to worry about.
She can't go to her enemies for the time being, and the others have their own plans; she can't worry about that.
Thinking about it carefully, aside from taking care of Teng Qianxuan, her future sister-in-law, she doesn't seem to have much to do lately.
Song Jin put down her teacup: "Then tell me now."
She also wanted to find something to do.
Brother Fu asked in surprise, "Really?"
Song Jin: "You speak first, I'll listen and then I'll see."
Those large families have many shady dealings; often, things are impossible to investigate, and even if they are, they are difficult to uncover.
People are very fragile these days. A cold or a wound can easily take an adult's life, let alone a little kid like this.
When Song Jin lived in town, she heard of two or three people dying every year due to various accidents. She looked at the two little ones happily playing in the snow, their faces pressed together, and gently shook her head.
Putting everything else aside, the fact that they, as orphans, have survived to this age is quite remarkable.
"That was five years ago. I was about Ningning's age then. I was so hungry at night that I stole someone's chicken and went into the woods to roast it and eat it." Brother Fu didn't think too much about it. He had kept it to himself for so many years, and now that he finally had someone to talk to, he eagerly began to recount the events of many years ago.
It wasn't a pleasant memory. Life as a beggar was tough. The orphanage was full of all sorts of children, and being small like him made things difficult. He offended the ringleader and was bullied every day. Unable to bear it any longer, he secretly ran away and survived by begging and petty theft.
That day was the same. He went begging during the day and was severely humiliated and slapped by the man. That night, he sneaked into the man's house and stole the fattest old hen. He went to a secluded spot where no one was around to try and roast the chicken, but he never expected to run into someone even more suspicious than himself.
They left the body on the ground and discussed whether to bury it or throw it into a mass grave.
Five-year-old Fu had never seen anything like this before. Hiding through the crack, he watched the murderer's back and listened to the faint, dying cries. Hesitantly, he still secretly carried the person away.
This hug lasted for four years.
Fu Ge swallowed hard, recalling the harrowing experience. "Ningning was so small then, her face all red. I didn't think much of it at the time; I just carried her and hid her in a remote, dilapidated temple. I don't know who offered her anything there, but she lay there in a daze for a few days. Now that I think about it, Ningning must have had smallpox during the plague in the capital that year."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, and couldn't help but exclaim, "You guys are really lucky!"
This is smallpox! He's incredibly resilient; no wonder he managed to save money even while homeless.
Brother Fu scratched his head: "I didn't think that much back then. I was abandoned when I was little, all alone. Anyway, life was just like that, and death was just that."
Song Jin rested her chin on her hand, her phoenix eyes looking at him quietly: "And now?"
Brother Fu smiled somewhat embarrassedly, "Ningning, Alu, and Lao San are still young. I'm the eldest brother, so I have to live well and prepare their betrothal gifts and dowries in the future."
Song Jin ruffled his hair and praised, "You have ambition; you can definitely do it!"
At such a young age, he is courageous, resourceful, responsible, hardworking, knows how to leverage resources, and is sincere. Now he has a place to live and can continue learning his trade. With everyone working together, they will surely own their own house in a few years.
Brother Fu took a deep breath and nodded emphatically: "I will work hard to give Alu and Lao San a good life. As for Ningning, I overheard a bit that she was secretly abandoned, and her mother doesn't know. I... I still want to find out about her."
Ningning is beautiful and intelligent; it's truly pitiful that she has to suffer like this with them.
If possible, Brother Fu still wants her to be able to go home, to be able to read and write, and to wear gold and silver.
Song Jin seemed thoughtful, then asked, "Do she still have her clothes and jewelry from that time?"
"They're all here, I hid them well, it's just..." Brother Fu said, a little embarrassed, scratching his head, "...after so many years, some are worn out, but I've kept this one safe."
As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out what he had prepared beforehand.
A very ordinary red string
The red string was quite old; the color had faded considerably, turning a dull pink. The lines were torn and frayed. Although the pattern was still clear, it was utterly ordinary.
Song Jin could easily find hundreds of these on street stalls if she just went out; it wasn't unusual at all.
She picked up the red string and examined it closely, trying to find something different. She looked and looked, then suddenly asked, "Is this all? Is there any gold or silver on it?"
"This is all we have," Brother Fu shook his head, then looked expectantly at Song Jin: "Does Your Highness think we can find something else?"
Song Jin pinched the red string and asked in return, "Do you know how many people are in the capital?"
Brother Fu hesitated: "More than a million."
Song Jin rolled her eyes: "That's settled then. With so many people, who could possibly know? I'll go to the shop in a couple of days. Give me her old clothes, and I'll ask around. Don't get your hopes up too high. Even if we find her, her return might not be a good thing. Life in wealthy families isn't as simple as you think."
According to him, Ningning was thrown out of the house, and her biological mother knew nothing about her. But four years have passed; her mother might have had a new child, and she's been living a life of wandering. It wouldn't sound good, and people might not want to acknowledge her. Even if Ningning's biological mother were willing, she might not have much say at home.
Living a good life isn't just about eating well and dressing well.
Brother Fu gave a wry smile: "I know, but what if? She's just a young girl, with her parents by her side. It's better for her than to suffer with me."
Song Jin chuckled: "That's hard to say. Wealthy families are the most ruthless. They might give her away as a concubine to an old man in his fifties or sixties for their own benefit."
Fu Ge: "...Princess, don't scare me!"
Song Jin shrugged: "To be honest, I've seen quite a few of those in the county before."
Fu Ge pursed his lips, his expression gradually darkening, but he quickly raised his head again, looking at Song Jin's arrogant eyes, and said cautiously, "Yes, with the Princess here, it certainly won't happen."
Song Jin chuckled and tapped him on the head: "You're pretty good at calculating, aren't you?"
He really knows how to leverage others' influence; he already knew how to use her connections even before asking her to help find someone.
Fu Ge, in a fit of despair, retorted, "Who told you to be so kind, Princess?"
Goodness
Song Jin's eyebrows shot up, and she raised her hand, flicking his forehead hard with her index finger and thumb, her face beaming: "Considering your excellent taste, this princess won't hold it against you. Alright, I'll ask someone later, you go play with them, or they'll be all ears."
Fu Ge breathed a deep sigh of relief, looked at the three people who seemed to be building a snowman but whose eyes were constantly looking this way, and smiled: "Thank you, Princess."
...
Several people still had work to do, so they left around lunchtime, showing great dedication and responsibility.
With them gone, Song Jin had nothing to do. She fed Huang Huang, then clutched the red string in her arms and walked into the courtyard.
In the summer, Niu Tielan loved to sit under the trees and enjoy the cool breeze. Now, in the winter, she spends most of her time indoors, with a fireplace burning nearby, bundled up in thick clothes, reading, painting, and embroidering...
The days were so fulfilling.
Niu Tielan sat by the stove, a calligraphy brush in her hand, writing and drawing. Her handwriting was delicate and looked quite decent, but because she had never received any guidance, her writing was somewhat soft and sloppy, and her strokes lacked sharpness.
Qu Maoze sat to the side, holding a thick book in his hand. He would read a few pages, then glance at Niu Tielan, occasionally offering her some pointers.
The room was quiet, with incense smoke rising from the burner in the corner. Two people sat there, one writing and the other reading, occasionally exchanging glances. The handsome man and beautiful woman were a sight to behold.
Song Jin opened the door and came in. Seeing this scene, she subconsciously rubbed her arms.
This looks like something from a scholarly family.
Something's not right, absolutely not right.
"Mother, what are you writing?"
Song Jin slammed the door shut, swaggered over, pulled over a chair, and broke the silence of the room with a loud shout.
Niu Tielan paused, her brushstroke heavy, a blot of ink blurring the characters. Her eyelids twitched, and she grabbed a paperweight from the side and threw it at him, annoyed: "What's wrong with you, you brat?"
Song Jin easily took the paperweight, grinning, "What's wrong with me? Mother, why are you getting more and more irritable?"
Niu Tielan's eyebrows twitched. She could tell from her expression that nothing good was going on. She said irritably, "Ningning and the others left?"
Song Jin hummed in agreement, tilting her head to look at her mother: "Mom, why do I feel like you don't welcome me?"
Niu Tielan took a deep breath and looked at the scroll on the table.
She wrote all morning, being extremely careful, and finally managed to write without a single mistake. She was fairly satisfied with all the characters, and soon she could sign them and then carefully keep them.
However, there's now a large, conspicuous black stain at the very end.
Her entire morning's work was wasted again.
Niu Tielan glared at him: "Don't you want to see for yourself?"
Song Jin glanced at it twice and muttered, "What's the big deal? It's just a little dark, why be so picky?"
Seeing her like this, Niu Tielan clutched her chest, taking deep breaths, but still couldn't suppress her anger. She picked up her teacup and gulped down two more mouthfuls, barely managing to calm herself down before saying irritably, "Speak, what brings you here?"
Song Jin: "Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong? Mother, you've changed."
How come she never knew her mother was this kind of person? She doesn't care about her daughter anymore once she has a man, right?
Niu Tielan, unable to bear it any longer, walked over and grabbed her ear: "Haven't I disciplined you for days, are you itching for a beating? If you keep causing trouble, believe me, I'll hire a few tutors to come back and give you lessons?"
She knew she couldn't give this brat a good look; if she wasn't disciplined for three days, she'd be climbing on the roof and tearing off the tiles.
Hearing the start of class, Song Jin's earache stopped, but her head started throbbing. She instantly became obedient and begged for forgiveness: "Mom, I was wrong. I came here on important business..."
As she spoke, she took out the red string that Brother Fu had given her, and proceeded to explain the whole story, emphasizing...
"Mom, don't you think your daughter is exceptionally kind and righteous?"
Niu Tielan hadn't expected such a background. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she asked herself, if her own child, whom she had gone through so much to give birth to, were treated like this, her heart would clench.
But back to reality, looking at the mischievous child he actually gave birth to, he was speechless: "I think you just love watching the drama unfold, all you do is waste your time doing nothing productive."
Song Jin retorted, "I was patrolling the shops just yesterday."
Niu Tielan chuckled: "I still have a bunch of ledgers here, tomorrow..."
Song Jin immediately changed the subject, pointing to the red rope: "Let's not talk about these trivial things. Mother, take a look at this. This thing isn't anything special, is it? Even if it's clothing material, sigh, there are so many people in Yong'an City, who knows when we'll find it. Even if we do find it, it'll be a lot of trouble. Sigh, Mother, how amazing you are to have raised such a kind and righteous child like me..."
Listening to this, Du Qumaize couldn't help but laugh.
Song Jin glared at him: "What are you laughing at?"
Qu Maoze closed the book and praised Jinjin, "Jinjin is truly a kind and good child."
Song Jin felt a chill: "Shut up, go read your book."
Disgusting
Qu Maoze chuckled softly, put the book aside, stood up, walked to their side, picked up the ordinary red rope, examined it carefully, and seemed somewhat surprised, his expression becoming thoughtful.
Seeing his expression, Song Jin was also surprised: "You know him? What a coincidence?"
Qu Maoze chuckled: "You can't say that. This is a consecrated red rope from the Sanqing Temple, which requires a donation of over a thousand taels of incense oil to exchange for. That little girl's background is indeed not simple."
Song Jin exclaimed in surprise: "Is the Sanqing Temple really this dark?"
Qu Maoze chuckled at this point of interest: "Sanqing Hall does many good deeds and practices. Every year, it receives a considerable amount of silver donations, with records kept of donations exceeding a hundred taels. The use of the money is also displayed, mostly to help ordinary people and children and to spread Taoism. It can't be called anything shady."
Song Jin blinked: "There are records? Then we just need to check the records from four years ago and follow those steps?"
Qu Maoze nodded: "That's true."
That makes things much simpler. Just check the list to see which family had a newborn child die in which year, and you'll get a general idea.
Thinking of this, Song Jin blinked, examined the red string carefully, then quickly tucked it into her pocket and ran off, saying, "Mother, I'm going out for a bit. You guys eat first tonight, don't worry about me."
As soon as he finished speaking, he disappeared.
Rushing about, acting recklessly
Niu Tielan took a deep breath, looking at the mess she had made, her eyelids twitched, and she reached out to twist the twisted Maoze, slightly annoyed: "You still praised her? You clean up this mess."
Qu Maoze chuckled: "Alright, I'll rewrite one for you."
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, picked up the brush, and gently placed it down, as if making a replica, rewriting it in Niu Tielan's handwriting.
His movements are fluid and graceful, his brushstrokes seemingly divine; even the most delicate small characters are rendered with remarkable depth and realism.
They directly turned the tables and made the copy the original.
Niu Tielan bit her lip, looking at her painting that she had initially been fairly satisfied with, and felt slightly annoyed. She went over, picked up the scroll, and turned to leave.
Write it yourself.
Show-off
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