It was dark at night. Yu Luo sat next to Ding Tingxun in his room and softly recounted the results of the two days of searching: "Dad, my daughter still hasn't found him. If we don't save him that day, he will be killed by people from Lijiazhuang."
My daughter couldn't sit back and watch as he was beaten to death. But after he escaped, he disappeared and I thought it would be extremely difficult to find him again."
Ding Tingxun was silent for a moment and sighed softly: "If you can't catch fate when it comes, you won't have another chance when fate goes away."
Ding Yuluo also fell silent, and after a long while he said softly: "Dad, he...he is really suffering this time. Doesn't dad now believe that he is not the traitor who sneaked into his sister-in-law's room late at night? Why do you
He asked me to follow him, and also said that someone would kill him. Could it be that..."
Ding Tingxun didn't answer, and after a while he asked: "What does the government say about this human life case?"
Ding Yuluo said: "The Liu and Li families came back and spread the news everywhere, saying that the government had accepted the case and sent a police officer to arrest him. However... my daughter bribed a small official with money, but she found out that the current Bazhou representative
Mr. Zhao, the general judge, said that there was no solid evidence and that more careful investigation was needed. The person sent was not the arrester, but a squad leader. The squad leader had eaten at Liu's house and Li's house in the past two days. He was drunk all day long but was not doing business.
I haven’t done anything at all. The people who are looking for Ding Hao’s whereabouts are all members of the Liu and Li families.”
Ding Tingxun smiled, and Ding Yuluo continued: "After the murder of the Dong family, the second brother secretly lurked Zhuang Ding everywhere in the house every night, hoping to wait for him to come and catch him. Ding Hao is not Chengye Sanhe
If our enemies come in unexpectedly, my daughter will not know how to deal with herself."
"He won't come."
Ding Tingxun closed his eyes and shook his head slightly: "Dad traveled around a lot when he was young, and he once saw the prairie wolf that the Khitan people admired most. The wolf was not big in stature, and looked like a harmless dog from a distance, but its
It is ferocious but frightening. Especially its forbearance. If it is not sure, it will follow the enemy hungry for three days and three nights, until it finds the most suitable opportunity, it will give the enemy a fatal blow... Now
Ding Hao is like a wolf, and the most dangerous kind - an injured wolf."
Ding Yuluo said nervously: "Then he...will surely come sooner or later? If he insists on looking for his father and revenge on his second brother, what should my daughter...my daughter do?"
Ding Tingxun looked at the roof and murmured: "It's hard to say whether he will come or not. When he will come is even more unpredictable. If... he can rise to the top and be confident enough to turn my Ding family into dust, he will
I will come, take the wind and thunder, and take revenge."
Ding Yuluo said worriedly: "Dad, if that happens..."
"Haha, are you afraid that he will never let go of my Ding family?"
Ding Tingxun smiled: "Daughter, you really think highly of him. Speaking of which, so does your eldest brother. You brothers and sisters didn't have much contact with him before, but after a little contact, you agree unanimously. You are very compatible with him. It's really unusual.
."
He breathed a sigh of relief and said with emotion: "Dad has been a very successful businessman in his whole life, and he has built this family business with his bare hands; he has also been a very successful gentry in his whole life, and he can own the place he has today in Bazhou.
But...Dad is not a successful father or a successful head of the family. This is his biggest failure. Fortunately, I still have a good son and a good daughter..."
He raised his hand, with kindness in his eyes, gently stroking Ding Yu's hair, and said with relief: "To succeed, a person needs real ability, and even more luck. A person without luck, no matter how great his ability, will not be able to succeed."
Success means either... dying in confusion without fulfilling your ambition; or, you are obviously talented, but you are suppressed and excluded, and you will be depressed all your life.
Dad has seen too many people like this in his life. Among the people he met as a young man, there were countless people who were amazing and talented, a hundred times better than your father, but they always struggled to get ahead, and ended up being mediocre and impoverished their whole lives.
He, Ding Hao, wants to have the power to overthrow my Ding family, which is easier said than done. He comes from a humble background and has never studied literature or practiced martial arts. To get ahead, the right time, the right location, and the right people are all indispensable. Maybe... he will never succeed in his life.
, until the hatred in my heart is tempered and I become a mediocre farmer..."
Thinking of Ding Hao's past performance, Ding Yuluo shook his head and said: "Dad, in the past, Ding Hao actually had no ambitions. He just wanted to have his own industry and his own family. At that time, it might be difficult for him to
He has become a great person. But now, my daughter believes that he will never be mediocre in his life."
Ding Tingxun smiled and said: "So what? If that day really comes, I'm afraid my father is no longer alive. Just give him whatever he wants. Even if he takes it all, doesn't it belong to my Ding family?"
?No matter whether he changes his surname to Yang or not, he has my blood in his body. This is a fact that can never be changed. Moreover, I don’t believe that he will destroy the Ding family. Because... the Ding family still has you and your eldest brother,
Ding Hao... no matter how he changes, he still values love and justice in his heart."
Ding Yuluo lowered his eyes silently, thinking quietly in his heart: "My confused dad, why can't you figure it out until now? If you had thought this way, how could it lead to such an uncontrollable situation today?
"
Ding Yuluo was filled with sorrow, but Ding Tingxun was open-minded and enlightened. He smiled and said: "Okay, it's getting late, you should go back to sleep. For the sake of this family, my father will try his best to hold on. When your eldest brother collapses,
There, you should go there from time to time to help take care of it. There are many strange people in the world. We are looking for doctors and medicines everywhere. Maybe one day we can revive Zong'er. Alas, now... this is the only thing dad has.
Looking forward to it..."
"Yes, dad, let's take a rest. My daughter has gone back." Ding Yuluo felt sad when he heard him mention her eldest brother. She responded in a low voice, stood up and walked out of the door.
Watching his daughter's back disappearing from the door, the smile on Ding Tingxun's face slowly disappeared. He sat up with difficulty, opened the secret compartment at the end of the bed, took out something wrapped in silk, opened it gently, and opened it from the inside.
Take out a phoenix hairpin.
It was a token of love that he gave to his wife. She left it at his house when she returned to her parents' home in anger. Who would have thought that it would become a relic. Ding Tingxun murmured to himself as he gently stroked the shiny hairpin.
: "Madam, why did you leave so early? If you had helped me raise my children when I was running around for my family business, my business would not be like this.
Madam, both of these brothers are your biological sons, why are their personalities so different? How do you want my husband to make a decision now? In order to fight for the family property, Yeer used a trick to harm Ding Hao, and my husband was worried.
I was angry and angry, but by the time I realized it, it was already too late. It was too late for everything. My husband’s eyes have never rubbed sand in his eyes, but now I have to pretend to be confused. I can’t even let anyone know about this scandal.
People know..."
Ding Tingxun burst into tears when he said this: "Madam, Ding Hao... has abandoned my Ding family and will never look back. Now there is only such a scoundrel in the Ding family who can support me until I die. What do you want me to do with him?" Is that good? My husband wants to clean up the family, but who do you want me to hand over to this family fortune that I have worked so hard for all my life..."
Ding Tingxun became more and more sad as he talked. He wiped away his tears tremblingly and said with trembling lips: "Since the New Year, my husband's health has become worse and worse. Maybe it won't be long before I have to meet you." But... our Ding family was robbed while transporting grain. We haven’t yet found out whether there is a traitor. Zong’er can’t sleep for a long time, but Ye’er can’t live up to expectations. I can’t worry about my husband. My wife has a spirit in heaven. You It’s good to help your husband..."
Ding Tingxun was crying and whispering. Suddenly he felt a slight breeze blowing on his face. He subconsciously looked up and saw Yan Jiu entering the room at some point and standing in front of him. Ding Tingxun was startled and hurriedly wiped it. With tears in his eyes, he said angrily: "Jiu'er, it's so late, what are you doing here?"
Yan Jiu raised his eyebrows and said with a charming smile: "The master is tired and should rest. I'm here to urge you."
Ding Tingxun frowned and said angrily: "There are no rules. I don't want to sleep yet. I want you to talk too much. Get off."
Yan Jiu's smile became even weirder: "Master, you didn't understand what I meant. I mean, Master, you have been working hard for the Ding family for these years. You are exhausted both physically and mentally. You are really too tired. You should rest." Well, keep resting, haha, once you close your eyes, all the troubles will disappear. Are you still so sad?"
Ding Tingxun was startled, his eyes widened, he straightened his back and said angrily: "Yan Jiu, what did you say?"
Yan Jiu chuckled and said: "Master, we are a master and a servant. I really don't want to hurt your heart too much. But you, a toothless tiger, are too strong to hold on. It is crumbling, and the candle is left in the wind. But even if it falls but does not fall, and is crippled but not destroyed, I really have no choice but to do my duty as a loyal servant and come to give you a ride."
He smiled sinisterly, took a step forward and said: "On the surface, the Ding family looks respectable and beautiful, but what about underneath? It's very dirty. It's time for another owner to clean it up. This old slave is doing this for Ding." Hello, sir, don't you think so?"
Ding Tingxun was furious and shouted: "Come here, come here!"
Yan Jiu said with a smile: "Master, don't shout. All the people waiting around you have been dismissed by the old slave. The old slave is the steward of the inner courtyard. Who of your most trusted people will be suspicious?"
Ding Tingxun said in a deep voice: "Yan Jiu, you are so bold. I have always trusted you. What exactly do you want to do?"
Yan Jiuyi smiled and said: "It is precisely because the master has so much trust in the slave that I don't want the master to be a fool. There are some things that I have to explain to the master now."
Ding Tingxun calmed down and sneered: "What do you want to tell me?"
Yan Jiu raised a finger and said with a smile: "Is this the first time? Over the years, Master, you have really wronged the Yang family. When you were drunk and confused, you had an affair with the Yang family and gave birth to Ding Hao. It was not Yang who told Madam about the sin, but me, the old slave."
"What, you...you you..." Ding Tingxun's eyes widened, and his hands and feet were so angry that they became cold.
Yan Jiu smiled complacently and said: "It was me, the old slave, who persuaded Madam to go back to her parents' house and teach the master a little lesson. Oh, master, don't be angry, the old slave hasn't finished speaking yet. Master, it was actually me, the old slave, who led the victims and bandits to massacre my wife’s family home and killed both my wife and the second young master.”
Ding Tingxun was like a thunderbolt, and he shouted in horror: "What did you say? Second...Second Young Master, that Ye'er...Ye'er, he..."
"Hehe, the current second young master is actually... my son. People often say that a son resembles his mother and a daughter resembles her father. Sir, have you ever noticed that the second young master doesn't look much like the madam, but he looks like the girl who was close to the madam back then? Is Huan Xi'er similar?"
"Xi'er?" If Yan Jiu hadn't mentioned it, Ding Tingxun really wouldn't have been able to remember such a person. The Ding family is so big, and there have been so many maids in the house over the years, so he couldn't remember it.
Yan Jiu laughed and said: "Yes, that Xi'er who was waiting for Madam with Mrs. Yang was discovered by the old slave because she stole Madam's jewelry, so she was kicked out of the Ding Mansion by the Master. This time the Master remembered Is that so? Hey, actually, she didn’t steal Madam’s jewelry, but because she had my son. You are so face-loving and the Ding family’s rules are so strong. Once you find out about the scandal of a male servant and a maid having an affair and getting pregnant, you must do it. How will we live if we are all driven away? So I advised her to find a reason to be kicked out of the house. As long as I am here, she, mother and son can always have food and clothing without worries."
The smile on Yan Jiu's face turned cold: "She is an ignorant little girl, how can she have any ideas? She will naturally obey her words."
Ding Tingxun's throat felt hot when he heard this, and a fishy-sweet smell went straight to his nose. He gritted his teeth and suppressed the mouthful of blood that wanted to spurt out. After a long while, he suppressed the mouthful of blood and said angrily: " Yan Jiu, could it be that... you... you are changing things just to gain access to my Ding family's property one day?"
After asking this question, an even more terrifying thought suddenly flashed through Ding Tingxun's mind, and he lost his voice: "No, Ye'er..."
He said it smoothly, but as soon as he said it, he remembered that the youngest son he loved the most was someone else's son. He didn't know whether he was angry or sad for a moment: "No, he... he is only the second son, even if you replace him with others, you can't take him away." My Ding family’s property, could it be that...could it be that my Zong’er was...by you..."
Yan Jiu lightly clapped his hands and said with a smile: "The master is really smart and has already figured this out? Yes, Guangyuan leaked the news when he was delivering food. The traitor... is actually me. It's a pity that your son is destined to die. He is disabled but not dead, but it doesn't matter. He can't pass on the incense, and he's not good at business. Originally, this family business has to be transferred to my son. I just need to do some tricks to let you die early..."
"You...you damn old slave..." Ding Tingxun's eyes were filled with stars, his breath was dying, and he was unable to get up.
Yan Jiu clicked his tongue and said: "Who would have known that your illegitimate son would become more successful at this time? To be honest, he is really connected by blood and is naturally close to him. The eldest lady likes to be close to him, and the eldest young master also lets himself be a compatriot of the same mother. ''s second brother doesn't have to, but he favors Ding Hao very much, and wants him to recognize his ancestor and inherit the family business. It's not a big deal if he thinks so, but you, an old fool, have called your precious son daddy for so many years. He didn't want it, but he still wanted to recruit that little bastard.
You are unkind and I am unjust. There is nothing to say about this. The old slave first poisoned a trusted servant, so that the young master could no longer meddle in his own business. But Ding Hao was still alive and kicking. How could this be a good thing?
?Hehe..., there is a way. As for my son, he is certainly handsome in appearance, and his conversation is also elegant. He knows everything about poetry, songs, music, chess, calligraphy and painting. The eldest young master has been traveling abroad all year round, and the young lady is young and lively.
, being bored in this courtyard and seeing only this part of the world, I actually fell in love with my son for a long time and became a 'husband and wife'."
When Ding Tingxun heard this scandal, his chest heaved violently, but he didn't even have the strength to curse.
Yan Jiu slapped his palms together: "It's done right now. She, a careless young woman, still doesn't obediently submit to the threat of such a scandal. The old slave observed many times and found that Ding Hao only needs to return to the Ding Mansion."
, he only rested in his room every night and never drank with other stewards. So he set up this treacherous plot. With the cooperation of the young lady, You Yeer, Laner and other characters responded, there was no flaw in this good play.
No wonder you don’t believe it, sir.
The old slave originally thought of using your hand to kill your only son who can still support the Ding family. Who knows, this Ding Hao is also a romantic man, and he actually hooked up with a handsome widow and even let her give up.
The local is willing to come out to testify for him, which ruins my good deeds. Fortunately, although he is not dead, his mother was forced to death by you, and because of your old fool, even Mrs. Dong died, hahaha,
This blood feud will never be solved in my lifetime, and I never thought that the most powerful person who could help me to be happy is actually you..."
Ding Tingxun's body twitched violently several times, his jaw clenched, and blood slowly spilled from his lips. His eyes were wide open, staring straight at the roof. If there wasn't the last glimmer of light in his eyes, he would have been dead now.
A dead man.
A trace of pride flashed in Yan Jiu's eyes. He approached with a smile and comforted him softly: "Master, you can go in peace. The eldest young master no longer poses any threat to me. Even Doctor Xu is helpless. Who else can heal me?"
What about him? So... I will take good care of his food and sleep, and I will also seek medical advice for him everywhere. Only in this way will I appear to be brothers and sisters. Only the second young master, the head of the family, can be regarded as a role model for the local people, don't you think?
Now that all the obstacles blocking my way have been cleared, I will not harm the other people in the Ding family. Master, will you be a little grateful to me, old slave?"
Yan Jiu bent down, took a closer look at Ding Tingxun's appearance, extended his palm and waved it in front of his eyes, and said regretfully: "Master, why are you leaving now? I haven't finished speaking yet. You... are also...
The old slave who has been drugged must not be overjoyed or sad, otherwise... no one will notice the difference even after he dies."
He slowly straightened up, with a touch of arrogance on his face: "It's a pity that you still don't know my true identity." He stretched out his hand, gently wiped Ding Tingxun's eyelids, and said calmly: "How noble my identity is.
, for my son to be the head of your Ding family, it is not an insult to you, but a compliment to your Ding family! You have been so decent all your life, don't you feel honored?"