CHAPTER 17: CHAPTER 17: SHE JUST WANTED TO SCARE HER

Ruan Mian felt a warmth in her heart, knowing she couldn’t refuse him, she didn’t insist further.

At this moment, Ruan Qingsong remembered something, hesitated for a moment, but still asked.

"Mianmian, at the time the person who saved us left, I saw you talking to him about something. Do you know who they are?"

After all, Ruan Qingsong, a top scholar, wasn’t so easily fooled.

But regarding the matters concerning the Prime Minister, Ruan Mian didn’t want to say much, to avoid unnecessary troubles.

So she casually responded: "I just thanked them, after all, it was thanks to them that those beggars were chased away, otherwise we wouldn’t even have had food at that time."

Ruan Qingsong nodded thoughtfully, neither suspecting her nor doubting her words, but couldn’t help but furrow his brows in thought.

"Today’s beggars were unusual. Logically speaking, being near the Capital City, especially since the court already initiated grain relief measures at the start of the year, such a large-scale presence of beggars shouldn’t exist."

"But we just left the city, and encountered them on a small path, it seems rather unreasonable."

He raised his gaze to Ruan Mian, worried about their journey ahead.

"Mianmian, today’s incident might not be coincidental. We need to be extra cautious going forward." He had detected it too.

Connecting to what Qi Lin had done to him, and now she was missing, it wasn’t hard to guess it was related to Mrs. Qi.

While thinking about this, her former mother-in-law appeared before her with a pitiful expression.

She began sobbing and pleading: "Mianmian, I know you have misunderstandings with us, but given the current situation, I, an old woman, have to shamelessly beseech you!!"

She covered her eyes, sobbing: "Linlin is now missing, Nanfeng... he broke his leg, the suffering is unbearable! You were able to cure your brother’s illness, could you show some kindness and help Nanfeng?"

"After all, he was your husband. You can’t just stand by and watch him die in pain!"

Her crying was extremely tragic, and Qi Lin’s disappearance was well-known.

Even Mrs. Zhang couldn’t help but feel pity for her.

Sighing: "Fate toys with people."

If her own child met with an accident, she’d surely be heartbroken like the Liu Family.

Ruan Mian glanced at her expressionlessly.

"Madam, have you forgotten so quickly? Why did I separate from him, why did I fall to this state, isn’t it all thanks to Mr. Qi?"

The Liu Family knew this little harlot would certainly refuse!

Yet she still swallowed her anger, feigning closeness: "You know that it was due to the circumstances at the time. You were at Qi Mansion for three years, we always had a good mother-in-law relationship, Mianmian, you..."

"That’s because you wanted my dowry. If I didn’t have that wealth, would you have treated me so well?"

Ruan Mian gave her no way to retreat, simply ripped off the facade!

"I lived three years as a widow, only to end up being abandoned. Since your son sought better prospects, you should ask for help from those better prospects, not from me."

She glanced at Cui Zhu, and upon receiving the signal, Cui Zhu immediately stood up, unhesitatingly dragged Liu Family out of their territory.

Seeing this, Liu Family couldn’t bear it, produced that wooden hairpin.

"Mianmian, you’ve left something with me. Don’t you want it back?"

Seeing that wooden hairpin, Ruan Mian’s heart ached, and alongside some painful memories of the original host flooded her mind.

It was a relic left to her by her deceased cousin.

The original host’s cousin was adopted into the Ruan Family after both parents died when he was five, during the Ruan Family’s relocation to the Capital City, encountered migrants. To protect Ruan Mian, he was beaten to death by those migrants.

Her mind kept recalling how her cousin was beaten and insulted.

Until her elder brother arrived with soldiers to rescue their family.

But her cousin was beyond saving.

Ruan Mian held his broken body, crying until her vision blurred, panic-stricken and tightly clutching her cousin’s hand, shouting: "Cousin, cousin, look at me! You mustn’t close your eyes! Brother is here to save us, cousin!"

The man in her arms glanced at the sobbing uncle, aunt, brother, sisters, used his last bit of strength to produce a cloth pouch.

Inside were three pear wood hairpins, left for the three sisters.

The one with lilies was left for Ruan Mian.

"Mianmian, this was meant... meant to be your birthday gift, now... I’m afraid I won’t make it to the birthday. You... for brother..."

"Cousin!"

His words were unfinished when the pouch hit the ground heavily, and the cousin closed his eyes.

Liu Family noticed her face was ever-changing, her gaze turned cold.

"Do you really not want it?"

Ruan Mian didn’t expect such an important thing to the original host was left behind?

But now wasn’t the time to delve into it.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent emotions, lowered her gaze and walked up to Mrs. Liu: "Lead the way."

Mrs. Liu snorted coldly, her demeanor no longer as pathetic as before.

Ruan Mian calmly followed her to Qi Nanfeng’s side.

Others were somewhat surprised to see her went to Qi Family’s side.

Ruan Jiao was tending the fire, the flames almost jumped out from her gaze fixed on Ruan Mian!

Amidst her thoughts, a sarcastic and sharp voice suddenly intruded, kicking her away!

"Get up! You can’t even tend the fire. Truly useless!"

The speaker was Mrs. Chen, another concubine from Uncle’s Mansion.

Mrs. Chen was beautiful, and after arriving at Uncle’s Mansion, was favored, causing Ruan Jiao to be neglected by the Princely Heir.

Due to their similar status, they targeted each other everywhere.

Now that Uncle’s Mansion was exiled, with no male members, Mrs. Chen sought every means to curry favor with the mistress Mrs. Wang, and within a short time became sisters with her.

Ruan Jiao’s life became increasingly difficult.

Meanwhile, Ruan Mian arrived in front of Qi Nanfeng, Mrs. Liu held the wooden hairpin, her words were direct: "When you cure Nanfeng, I will return the hairpin to you."

Seeing her smug expression, Ruan Mian just coldly smiled.

"Madam, why not spend more time finding my former sister-in-law. She’s your biological daughter, now suddenly missing in these wilds, aren’t you worried she might be captured by beggars..."

With these words, Mrs. Liu’s expression drastically changed!!

In her panic, Ruan Mian snatched the wooden hairpin from her hand!

"You!"

Mrs. Liu immediately tried to grab it back, yet Ruan Mian unhesitatingly drew a dagger. The silver glow of the blade’s tip frightened Mrs. Liu to a pale complexion.

"Do you want to kill me! I warn you not to act rashly, the Lord is still here! If you dare touch me, you won’t get away with it!"

Ruan Mian was not that impulsive.

She merely wanted to intimidate her a bit.

She merely played with the dagger’s hilt, indifferent laugh escaped, then turned and looked at Qi Nanfeng, who was agitated by Mrs. Liu.

"Now that I have the wooden hairpin, I’m not one to let people die. Where does it hurt?"

Mrs. Liu saw her attitude and her expression changed instantly, she smiled graciously: "I knew Mianmian you wouldn’t stand idly by. I was only forced to use the hairpin to..."

"Where does it hurt?"

Ignoring Mrs. Liu’s words, she asked Qi Nanfeng again.