"Dear Aning."
Wei Mingning took Tong Aning's hand and patted it, then gave the nanny a meaningful look.
The nanny ordered two maids who had long been waiting nearby to step forward. Two whole trays of jewels and ornaments nearly blinded Tong Aning.
Wei Mingning said, "I'm a rough sort, with no appreciation for refinement. Now that Aning has become my goddaughter, these are all I have to offer. I hope you won't disdain them."
Tong Aning said nothing, merely nodding over and over.
[Good heavens, who would disdain these?]
[Someone would, Host. Gu Zhenye particularly disdains them.]
[Huh? Is his brain broken?]
[He's a scholar, lofty and aloof. Naturally, he looks down on these things.]
[Ooh, starve someone like that for three days and nights, and he'll behave.]
Wei Mingning actually had starved Gu Zhenye for three days and nights.
She told Du Liu'er that it was all because Gu Zhenye looked down on these things, so she had no choice but to deny her and the child food.
Then she told Gu Zhenye that he had ended up in his present circumstances because Du Liu'er refused to yield.
As for the child, that was even easier. Raised in silks and on fine food, he could endure hardship least of all. With a little instigation from her, he came to hate both his father and mother.
Hearing Wei Mingning say this, Tong Aning blinked. "Godmother, you did such a wonderful job."
Tong Aning's eyes were clear, and a closer look revealed her admiration for Wei Mingning. She truly thought so.
Wei Mingning smiled and stroked the hair at Tong Aning's temples. She asked, "Then these..."
"I love them all. I really, really love them."
Seeing the money-loving look in her daughter's eyes, Su Zhouyue could not help covering her mouth and chuckling.
Su Zhouyue prompted her, "Aning, is that all?"
Tong Aning suddenly remembered. She stood before Wei Mingning, took a small box from inside her clothes, and presented it with both hands. Smiling, she said, "Godmother, this is the gift I prepared for you."
Wei Mingning paused. "There's a gift for me too?" she asked incredulously.
"Yes." Tong Aning looked up at Wei Mingning, her eyes curving in a smile. "Congratulations on your rebirth, Godmother. From now on, the world is wide open, with so much for you to accomplish."
"Good, good."
Wei Mingning's eyes reddened.
When Gu Zhenye was dragged away, he saw that Wei Mingning had made up her mind and began hurling abuse.
But now, someone was congratulating her on her rebirth.
When she sent the nanny to their residence, she had not mentioned taking Tong Aning as her goddaughter. That meant Tong Aning had intended to give her this gift from the very beginning.
Wei Mingning accepted the box and opened it. Inside was a string of Buddhist prayer beads.
Su Zhouyue said, "A few days ago, I took Aning to offer incense, and she asked for these."
Even more moved, Wei Mingning asked, "Does Aning wish for me to stay safe and sound?"
Tong Aning nodded.
[Mainly, there's too much filth around Godmother. These can ward off evil and baleful influences too. Just right.]
Tong Aning was thoroughly pleased with herself. Wei Mingning laughed and told her to visit the Wei residence often.
"All right!"
Wei Mingning personally escorted Tong Aning and Su Zhouyue out. They had only just reached the gates when a carriage stopped. A woman jumped down and stumbled straight to Wei Mingning's side.
"Big Sister, Big Sister, my Qiaoqiao is missing."
Wei Mingning caught her. She was the child of a deputy general, adopted by Wei Mingning's father during his lifetime, and five years younger than Wei Mingning. Last year, she had married the youngest son of Lin Yu, the Minister of Justice, and early this year, she had given birth to an adorable daughter.
Supporting her, Wei Mingning frowned. "How could a child just disappear?"
Qu Huiyan choked out, "Big Sister, I don't know, I don't know. I went out this morning to choose some cloth to make clothes for Qiaoqiao. When I returned, Mother-in-law told me Qiaoqiao was missing. Big Sister, what am I going to do?"
Wei Mingning patted her back gently and told the nanny to gather people from the residence to help search, but inwardly, she felt something was wrong.
Would anyone dare enter the Minister of Justice's residence to steal a baby only a few months old?
Either Lin Yu or Lin Quan had offended someone, or...
Wei Mingning's eyes narrowed dangerously. There was a traitor inside.
She knew how deeply her younger sister treasured this daughter. Wasn't this an attempt to take her sister's life?
[Utterly heartless. Have the capital's human traffickers actually become this brazen?]
[Host, it wasn't a human trafficker.]
The sudden voice made Qu Huiyan stiffen. She looked at Wei Mingning. "Big Sister..."
Wei Mingning held her tight and shushed her, telling her to keep listening.
[If it wasn't a human trafficker, what was it?]
[It was her mother-in-law. She's always hated that Qu Huiyan gave birth to a girl. She's wanted to throw her granddaughter away for ages, but never found an opportunity. As it happened, Qu Huiyan went out this morning...]
Hearing this, Qu Huiyan could not believe it. She screamed, "I'm going back to kill her right now!"
Her hair was disheveled, her eyes bloodshot.
Wei Mingning caught hold of her. Qu Huiyan said in anguish, "Big Sister, don't stop me."
Wei Mingning's face was dark and still as water. "I'm going with you."
They had dared to bully her younger sister. She would show them no leniency!
Wei Mingning looked at the nanny, who understood her meaning and went back to fetch her spear.
Su Zhouyue told Tong Aning quietly, "Wei Mingning is best with spears and staffs."
Seeing Su Zhouyue's nostalgic expression, Tong Aning asked, "Mother, have you sparred with Godmother?"
Su Zhouyue nodded. "We were both in the army camp back then. We were young, and we fought."
"Did you win?"
Su Zhouyue pursed her lips. "No."
Tong Aning: "..."
Wei Mingning took the spear from the nanny. Su Zhouyue said, "Aning and I will come along."
Wei Mingning nodded.
At the palace.
Lin Yu had only just stepped outside the palace gates when his household servant said, "My lord, something terrible has happened! The duchess has stormed into our residence."
Lin Yu: "?"
He frowned. "Has Wei Mingning lost her mind?"
Tong Aobai happened to be beside him. "Madam Wei has her reasons for the way she acts. I recall that her younger sister married your youngest son, Minister Lin. Surely you haven't been mistreating her?"
He had behaved himself for only a few days, and now Tong Aobai was sweeping through all opposition again.
Lin Yu said grimly, "This is my family's private business. There's no need for you to concern yourself, Marquis."
Tong Aobai said, "Don't worry. I won't."
After Lin Yu left, Tong Aobai's own servant hesitated to speak.
Tong Aobai asked, "What is it?"
The servant said, "Madam and Young Miss stormed in too."
Tong Aobai: "?"
Lin Yu, seeing the marquis's carriage heading straight for his home: "?"
Tong Aobai arrived first and stepped out with Tong Yibin. Lin Yu only managed to catch sight of their backs.
The Tong father and son truly had no regard for law or heaven.
Lin Yu gritted his teeth and went inside.
Lin Qiao had already been found.
Qu Huiyan soothed the baby while staring fixedly at He Qinfen, who was calmly drinking tea opposite her.
Wei Mingning said, "Qiaoqiao went missing, then was found at the home of a nanny serving the minister's wife. Have you nothing to say, Madam?"
He Qinfen set down her teacup. "Even if I speak, you must be willing to listen. What household doesn't have a few wicked servants? I just had her beaten to death. What more do you want from me?"
Qu Huiyan said, "Tomorrow, I'll have someone in my service take you deep into the mountains, Mother-in-law, then bring you back and kill that person. How does that sound?"
He Qinfen slapped the table. "Qu Huiyan, what are you saying?"
Qu Huiyan only continued to stare at her.
"What is all this fuss?"
Lin Yu hurried inside. Tong Aobai and Tong Yibin went to stand beside Tong Aning and Su Zhouyue.
Su Zhouyue asked in surprise, "What are you two doing here?"
Tong Aobai said quietly, "Serving as my wife's blade."
Su Zhouyue: "..."
He Qinfen moved to Lin Yu's side. "Husband, you're finally back. You have no idea-these people from the Wei family are trying to overturn the heavens!"
Qu Huiyan said coldly, "My surname is Qu. Don't try splashing dirty water on the Wei family."
He Qinfen: "..."
Lin Yu looked at Qu Huiyan. On his way back, the servant had already told him the whole story. "Since the child has been found, it was merely a false alarm. Why are you still refusing to let your mother-in-law off?"
[Wow. I've seen people take sides while pretending to mediate, but never this blatantly.]
Lin Yu froze. What was that voice?
[Host, do you remember the gossip I told you about his family?]
[Huh?]
Whenever the system had nothing to do, it chatted with Tong Aning. She had eaten too many melons, growing fat in a single bite, and with her memories all jumbled, she could not quite match this one up.
[Is it the one about the person whose love for his superior went unrequited, so he angrily wrote about their romantic affairs?]
[No.]
[Then is it the one about keeping a male lover at the Southern Breeze House?]
[Not that one either.]
[Ah, I remember! The one who did that thing outside, got injured by someone, then found a crooked doctor who not only fleeced him but didn't cure him either?]
[Mm... not that one either.]
Lin Yu's vision went black.
Tong Aning was conducting a grand roll call. Although his name appeared on none of the scrolls, he was not far from death.
With a thud, Lin Yu dropped to his knees before Tong Aning. Weeping bitterly, he said, "Fourth Miss, please rein in your divine powers!"
Tong Aning: ?
Author's note:
Ningning, bewildered: Is this man all right?