Chapter 261: Ning Xiaoxiao Was Adopted
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The aggrieved Little Aunt Ning had nowhere to complain. After thinking about it, she went to the prison to visit her family.
Old Madam Ning was on death row and was only waiting to be executed after autumn, so the bailiff did not reject her request. However, when Little Aunt Ning saw her unkempt mother, she did not recognize her at all.
Her mother always cared a lot about her image at home. Even if she did not have the money to buy meat, she had to dress neatly and brightly. No matter who she met outside, her mother would be the limelight. She could make others respect her when she was unreasonable, but now…
Little Aunt Ning looked at the person in front of her who was wearing a prison uniform. Her hair was spread out like straw, and her eyes were turbid and she emitted a stench. She could not believe that this was her mother!
Old Madam Ning was the first to look up and see her daughter. She, who had been living like a wild beast for the past few days, immediately jumped to the cell door, scaring Little Aunt Ning so much that she fell to the ground.
Old Madam Ning asked in a hoarse voice, “Are you here to save me? Can I go out just like your Second Brother in the past?”
Little Aunt Ning could not help but cover her mouth and nose when she smelled the sour stench. She frowned and could not hide her disgust. “Mother, how can I be so capable? Moreover, Second Brother was let go last time because Noble Consort was celebrating her birthday. How can there be any amnesty now?”
Old Madam Ning fell back into her seat and returned to her half-dead state.
Little Aunt Ning didn’t care about her feelings. She simply narrated her grievances. No one answered when she said that she had been beaten up by Ning Xiaoxiao. However, when she mentioned that the eldest branch was relying on new rice seeds to meet high-ranking officials and nobles every day and might be rewarded by the Imperial Court in the future, a sneer came from the cell next door.
“Commendation? It’s good enough that they didn’t kill him.”
Little Aunt Ning turned around. “Third Brother?”
It turned out that Third Brother and Father were also there. They were locked next to Mother.
However, Third Brother and Father’s appearances were not much better than Mother’s. The two of them could be considered to have cheated in the Imperial Examination. They valued this matter very much. The two of them would be exiled in a few days, and they would only regain their freedom from their exile in at least five years. Moreover, Little Uncle Ning would be blacklisted by the officials from now on. He would not even be qualified to be a doorman for an official in the future, let alone an official.
Old Sir Ning looked like he was waiting for death. With his age, it was questionable if he could survive for five years if he went to the mine. However, this was already the result of Old Madam Ning insisting that all the killings were done by her alone and had nothing to do with others.
Little Uncle Ning, on the other hand, looked cynical. It was his dream to become an official and be worshiped by others. Now that his dream was shattered, he could only dig for food like his father in the future. He even had to be despised and scolded. What was the difference between living like that and dying?
He was also not interested in the nonsense that his sister said. What beatings and grievances? Didn’t they get beaten up in the prison? Wouldn’t they feel aggrieved? The people in this prison were all villains. They would punch and kick them if anything went wrong. Who was worse? However, when he heard that his brother’s family had to be rewarded by the Imperial Court, he couldn’t help it at all.
“If others find out about Ning Xiaoxiao’s identity, it’ll be good enough if this family isn’t beheaded, let alone rewarded!”
Little Aunt Ning’s eyes immediately lit up. When the siblings met each other’s eyes, they looked like they wanted to drag them down and perish together. Even Old Madam Ning, who was originally in a daze, sat up straight and said repeatedly, “Yes, go and report them. They might be able to exonerate us! I might not have to die!”
Little Aunt Ning was in a hurry to hear Third Brother tell her about the situation and ignored her mother.
Little Uncle Ning recalled the past and revealed a shocking secret.
“Do you know why he didn’t dare to say a word when I snatched Dalang’s Tongsheng title?”
“Because I have something on him!”
He said fiercely, “Because Ning Xiaoxiao isn’t Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law’s child at all. Their youngest child was a stillborn. Then Ning Xiaoxiao is a bastard child they picked up somewhere!”
Little Aunt Ning was wondering how picking up a child had become a weakness when she heard Third Brother continue, “That bastard was the child of a mountain bandit. He was being chased by the Imperial Court at that time!”
“It was that brat, Dalang, who was bold enough to hide her at home and let her escape!”
Little Aunt Ning’s mouth fell open in shock. “Why didn’t I know about this? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Little Uncle Ning looked at his sister in disdain. “When you were young, you only ate and slept. What else could you know?”
“Why didn’t you say so earlier? Even if Dalang made the first move to save her, if the officials pursue the matter by hiding her in our house, do you think we can escape?” Initially, they were just afraid of being implicated, but at this moment, it was not a loss for them to order the eldest branch around.
“Besides…” At this point, he was not afraid to tell the truth. “Why do you think such a poor family suddenly has the money to send me to school and buy jewelry for you? Do you really think that there’s some family heirloom like our father said?”
The Ning Family had been farming for generations. What family heirloom did they have?
It wasn’t easy for Little Aunt Ning to figure out the ins and outs. She was instantly very smug. “I’ll turn them in immediately! Let them all go to jail!”
Old Madam Ning reminded her, “Remember to tell the officials that we didn’t know about this at first. It was the eldest branch who hid her. We only discovered it later.”
Little Aunt Ning nodded and couldn’t wait to get up and run. Little Uncle Ning thought of something again. “Don’t look for the county magistrate.”
His face twisted. “The county magistrate is in cahoots with them. He must be biased towards them. He might suppress this matter.”
Little Aunt Ning was stunned. “Then who should I look for?”
Little Uncle Ning expected better from him. “Didn’t you say that there have been many officials coming to the Ning Family’s paddy fields recently? Just find anyone who doesn’t seem to have a good relationship with the county magistrate!”
Little Aunt Ning muttered to herself a few times. Because she had a guilty conscience, she looked very sneaky.
Xiaoxiao sneezed at home. Ning Anhui asked nervously, “Sister, have you been too busy recently? You’ve sneezed a few times. Don’t fall sick from exhaustion.”
Xiaoxiao rubbed her nose. “I’m fine. It’s just a little itchy.”
Ning Anhui asked again, “Then are you really not going to take on the job of entertaining those officials?”
Tomorrow was the day of the official harvest. The lords who were interested in the new rice seeds were coming to observe. At the same time, they wanted to confirm the real harvest. At the same time, it would be even better if they could take the seeds away.
Because there were quite a lot of people and it would not end anytime soon, County Magistrate Shen came to the village to ask who was going to volunteer to receive them.
At that time, Ning Anhui was tempted.
With his sister’s culinary skills, she could casually make two dishes and impress those lords? If they were happy, wouldn’t they be rewarded… Hehehehe.
Xiaoxiao glanced at him. “Are you thinking about entertaining people or earning money?”
Ning Anhui said righteously, “Am I the kind of person who falls for money?”
Xiaoxiao said firmly, “You are.”
Ning Anhui was speechless..
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