The night is like thick ink splashing, and the bright moon is hidden in the clouds.
Young Tang Ning huddled in the corner with her hands and feet bound, like a wounded cub, pale and weak.
"She can't stay. If she lives, Rong Zhen's affairs cannot be hidden from Rong Qian'an, and he won't let it go."
"But if she dies suddenly, the Rong family will hold her accountable."
"For such a big child, you can find any excuse, whether it's drowning, falling to death, or catching a cold and a high fever all night..."
"no!"
Mrs. Song flatly refused: "The Rong and Song families rely on marriage, so the Rong family will always take care of the Song family. Your success in the court is all due to their help. Rong Qian'an has a special status in the court. Rong Yue It’s Princess Cheng again, don’t you know how much they love Tang Ning?”
"Rong Zhen is dead. If Tang Ning also dies in the Song family, they will definitely hate you. Without the help of the Rong family, what will happen to you and Jin Xiu's future?"
Song Hong, however, felt sorry for him, thinking of his younger siblings who were suffocated to death with frightened expressions on their faces: "But mother, Tang Ning saw what happened to Rong Zhen with her own eyes. If even the slightest bit is leaked, the Rong family will fight to death..."
Mrs. Song's tone was cold: "All the servants who knew about this have been killed, and Rongzhen's bones have been faked. Now she and your second brother have been buried. Rong Qian'an is seriously injured and ill, and Rong Yue has to take care of her." With the medicine in hand, I will take Tang Ning to stay here for a while on the pretext that she lost her mother and is sick."
She glanced at the little girl who was tied up and struggling behind the Bisha cupboard, and recalled the time when she was crying and clamoring to see her mother-in-law and go to the Rong family. Her tone was like a demon stalking someone.
"She is just a child. There is always a way to make her obedient. If it doesn't work in one month, it will be two months. If it doesn't work in two months, it will be half a year. I can always teach her to be sensible."
Song Hong felt an inexplicable chill running down his spine: "Mother, you..."
Mrs. Song said: "You don't have to worry about Tang Ning's affairs. Just go do what you should do. If the queen doesn't find what she wants, she will definitely be dissatisfied. Why don't you look through Rongzhen's belongings and talk to the Rong family?" Don’t show any traces there.”
"As a last resort, let King Cheng help you. It's best to let Rong Qian'an be sick for a while and have no time to take care of Tang Ning."
The sound from outside came in, and the young but smart Tang Ning heard it clearly.
Seeing her uncle turning around and leaving, and her loving grandmother walking towards her, she was so frightened that she shrank back. Tears fell heavily as she pressed her back against the wall, and she looked at Mrs. Song with hatred.
"Grandma doesn't like the look in your eyes."
Mrs. Song touched her face and said in a gentle voice: "Grandma likes good children, Tang Ning must know the rules."
Then, little Tang Ning was dragged into the small and cramped "little dark room".
There was nothing in the room. The surroundings were sealed and not a trace of light could be seen. There was no sound around. The only thing that could be heard was the little girl's frightened cries.
She cried until her voice became hoarse, cried until she fainted, and was still inside when she woke up.
The small dark room became Tang Ning's place to eat, drink, and litter. Every few days, someone would throw some food in. Tang Ning wouldn't eat at first, and would make noises and cry when he saw people. Every time, he would be taught a lesson. .
The finger-long ox hair needle fell on the skin, and the invisible soft flesh was covered with pinch marks. She screamed in pain, but the woman who held her down never stopped until she fainted from the pain.
After splashing cold water on her to wake her up, they would open her mouth and stuff something in. When she cried and vomited it out, they would mix the filth with food and force her to swallow it again...
The door of the small dark room was opened and closed, and no one was cleaning the filth inside. Young Tang Ning's body exuded a strong stench.
The aura in her eyes gradually faded away, she became unable to speak, and became like a frightened bird.
Every time there was light outside and someone came in, those tormenting pains would appear. She began to be afraid of those people, afraid of seeing the light, and afraid of seeing everything outside.
It seemed like a long time later, when the door was opened again, someone came in from the outside.
Tang Ning subconsciously hid in a corner, but this time she was not beaten. The man walked up to her and looked at her condescendingly, with a loving smile on his face for a while.
"Tang Ning."
Tang Ning looked at her blankly for a while and said, "Grandma...mother..."
She didn't speak for a long time, and it was difficult for her to speak.
Mrs. Song said softly: "Good boy, do you miss your grandma?"
Tang Ning trembled subconsciously: "I think..."
Mrs. Song smiled. She was not beaten that day.
Things got better gradually in the little dark room, and the maid who took action would still show up to teach her "the rules." When she "disobeyed", the finger-long needle could prick her into fainting.
But as long as Mrs. Song came over, they would not beat her. Occasionally, if Mrs. Song praised her once, she would get clean clothes and a warm meal.
Later, her brother came to see her, and her brother from the Lu family also came. When they saw her, she was let out of the house for two days, and she didn't have to learn the "rules". She didn't dare to cry or speak, and listened to the guards around her. The sitting mama said to my brother and the others with pity.
"The girl lost her father and mother. She cried day and night and became weak. She often didn't even want to talk to anyone for the whole day. The old lady was extremely distressed..."
Tang Ning just looked out the window blankly, with a pale face, grabbing something hanging around her neck and saying "I'm sick". She was trembling and didn't dare to say a word, so she numbly called "Brother" and "Brother Lu"... …
Then, she really fell seriously ill, her face turned red with fever, and she whispered "Aniang" in her sleep.
The doctor said that she was too young and weak to be saved.
Rongyue suddenly arrived at Zhuangzi for some unknown reason, and regardless of Mrs. Song, she summoned the imperial physician. After waiting for a day and a night, the fever subsided and the little girl woke up faintly on the bed.
In Rong Yue's eyes, which were full of surprise and tears, and Mrs. Song's frightened eyes.
Tang Ning's voice was sweet and soft: "Aunt, grandma~"
Tangning forgot, she forgot everything about Rongzhen's death.
…
The sound of insects could be heard from time to time outside Zhuangzi, and the little girl on the bed kept crying.
She whispered "Aniang" and stretched her hands as if she wanted to grab something. Her eyelashes kept trembling when she closed her eyes tightly, and her little face turned red.
Xiao Yan reached out to hold her hand, patted her again and again, and looked up at Madam Qin: "What's wrong with Tang Ning? Why did she suddenly have a high fever?"
Madam Qin twisted the silver needle in her hand: "She was frightened."
Xiao Yan suddenly remembered the "ghost pulse" that Mrs. Qin said when Tang Ning fainted at the Qian family last time. She also said that Tang Ning had a frightened nightmare that caused convulsions, and... the Song family!
He held Tang Ning's palm as hot as charcoal fire, murderous intent rising in his eyes as his eyes dimmed.
"Lord Governor, someone is coming from the palace."
Xiao Yan's eyes turned cold and he raised his head to look at Madam Qin.
Madam Qin said: "The Empress Dowager took medicine to rest at night. With Ling Yin accompanying her, I will stay here to guard Tang Ning."
Xiao Yan said "hmm" and lowered his head to tuck the quilt for Tang Ning. When he stood up, his whole body was filled with fear.
