The Yun family's neighboring mansion.
Xiao Jinheng sat in the main seat, listening to Kong Xingzhuo's report.
"Master, not only did your subordinate find foundations on the lakeshore, but those wild wolves also had whip marks of varying degrees..."
Kong Xingzhuo mused.
"Your subordinate suspects that someone is engaged in some shady business in the mountains and forests around Dashui Village, and that the wolves and earth dragons are bred by them."
Xiao Jinheng's expression was grave upon hearing this.
Although he was young, his perspective on issues far surpassed that of children his age.
"What is the connection between the foundations and the earth dragons?" Xiao Jinheng murmured to himself.
"Also, what is the connection between Gou Gou Lake and that stretch of mountain forest?"
Was the Daliang Kingdom so chaotic under its rule?
They dared to breed earth dragons and vicious wolves artificially.
Villagers suffered countless casualties, and the government was incompetent.
If it weren't for Xiao Xi Tian from the Yun family, the disaster victims who came to Dashui Village begging for food would not have known how to be arranged.
Kong Xingzhuo said solemnly, "Does the master intend to intervene?"
It was not difficult to find out the truth in the mountains.
It was just that the master was now in a fallen state, precisely to cover his tracks and avoid court disputes.
If he caused any stir, he would inevitably be targeted by those with ulterior motives.
At that time, the entire Dashui Village would be implicated...
"Send out secret guards to investigate. Remember, do not expose your whereabouts. Report immediately if you find anything!"
He wanted to see who was causing trouble in the mountains.
If he hadn't been afraid of his identity being exposed, he would have led people into the mountains to investigate personally long ago.
"Understood, Master!" Kong Xingzhuo cupped his hands and turned to leave.
After Kong Xingzhuo left, Xiao Jinheng took out a syringe and examined it carefully.
This thing was not made of iron, nor was it forged from gold, silver, or fine copper.
At the top, there was a sharp needle.
Such finely crafted items were probably beyond the reach of any country's craftsmen.
On the wall, Xiao Jinheng shouted towards the Yun family mansion.
"Little village child, come out!"
No response.
"Little village child, come out quickly, I'll give you snacks!"
This time there was a response, but it was not Xiao Xi Tian who came out, but Liu Cuirong.
Her eyes lit up, and her footsteps quickened, "Where are the snacks?"
"Oh, it's the child from next door, quickly throw the snacks to Auntie, I'll catch them!"
Liu Cuirong smiled broadly, extending her hand.
This was no different from asking for them directly.
Xiao Jinheng: "..."
Glutton.
Xiao Jinheng rolled his eyes and asked, "Where is the little village child? I want to see her!"
It was quite difficult to see her.
Liu Cuirong stared intently at the basket in Xiao Jinheng's hand, her smile growing greedier.
"How about this, I'll bring Sweetie to you, and you'll share half of the snacks with me!"
Liu Cuirong licked her lips and said.
Actually, the Yun family was not short of money now.
But Madam Gu insisted on saving it for their daughter's dowry.
The family members rarely ate fine grains and pork.
They still mostly ate coarse grain porridge, millet porridge, and sorghum rice.
The flour was also corn flour and buckwheat flour.
How could a glutton like Liu Cuirong not have at least two ounces of oil and water in her belly?
Xiao Jinheng looked at Liu Cuirong as if she were an idiot, with a look of disdain.
This woman truly took him for an ignorant child.
She wanted his snacks? No way!
"How about this, I can't give you snacks, but I can help you with something!" Xiao Jinheng said lightly.
He wanted to see how greedy this woman could be.
Liu Cuirong didn't quite believe it. What could a little child help her with?
She hadn't even grown all her fur, yet she was acting like an adult with a serious expression.
She had heard that the master of the mansion next door was richer than the state, so it wasn't unreasonable to ask for some money.
So Liu Cuirong extended her hand, "Forget about helping with anything, just give Auntie a hundred taels of silver!"
Xiao Jinheng: "..."
Good heavens, asking for money right off the bat.
Did she think he was a benevolent rich man?
Xiao Jinheng was speechless.
He felt that this aunt was not as kind as the little village child.
"I don't have any silver!" Xiao Jinheng snorted lightly.
Liu Cuirong sighed, as if it were strange that he didn't have silver.
Forget it, teasing a child was meaningless, and she still had to go back to feed Xiao Bao...
"I'm leaving, little one!" Liu Cuirong waved her hand and was about to go back into the house.
"Wait a moment!" Xiao Jinheng called out to her.
"What is it now, child?" Liu Cuirong turned back, clearly a little impatient.
Children these days were so troublesome.
Xiao Jinheng hooked his lips into a shallow smile, his deep eyes narrowing slightly, "Do you want to know where Lu Hongxia and Liu Cui Jin are?"
He didn't intend to search for the whereabouts of that mother and daughter.
It was just that last time Kong Xingzhuo went out on business, he happened to encounter the Lu mother and daughter.
Liu Cuirong's expression froze upon hearing this, and she said excitedly, "You know where my mother and Cui Jin are?"
She had been missing her mother especially lately.
Sometimes she would wake up crying in the middle of the night and be beaten by Yun Er Man.
Xiao Jinheng gestured towards the house with his chin, a charming smile on his face, "Bring out the little village child, and this young master will tell you!"
Hmph, you bad aunt, I've got you cornered!
Liu Cuirong dared not delay, and she scurried into the main house.
She scooped up the sleeping Sweetie and carried her out.
"Mm?" Little Xi Tian opened her big eyes.
Seeing her second sister-in-law carrying her out, Little Xi Tian instinctively thought of the scene where the wicked sister-in-law carried the frail sister-in-law to jump into a well.
"No... bad bad!" Little Xi Tian pushed her.
Liu Cuirong's mind was filled with her mother and sister.
She rushed to the door in a few steps, looked up at Xiao Jinheng, and said, "Now you can tell me, right?"
Little Xi Tian: "..."
Tell her what?
Xiao Jinheng glanced at Little Xi Tian and slowly said, "Lu Hongxia and Liu Cui Jin are washing dishes at Xiang Ding Pavilion in the county town!"
Xiang Ding Pavilion was the largest restaurant in Heyang County.
Being able to work there not only solved the problem of basic sustenance.
For the diligent ones, they could even save some money each month.
"Xiang Ding Pavilion? Are you sure? Don't play tricks on me!"
Liu Cuirong glared at Xiao Jinheng with disbelief.
Little Xi Tian had a face full of gossip, her big eyes darting between the two.
So, after the Lu mother and daughter were driven out of Dashui Village, they went to the county town to find work.
Little Xi Tian pouted. If the Lu mother and daughter could earn money by washing dishes and support themselves, it would be a good thing.
At least they wouldn't come to trouble the Yun family anymore.
Xiao Jinheng shrugged, "If you don't believe me, Auntie can go and see for yourself!"
She was truly suspicious.
After pondering for a moment, Liu Cuirong put Little Xi Tian down on the ground and went back into the house.
"Hey, little village child!"
Xiao Jinheng looked at Little Xi Tian and patted the snacks in the basket, "Do you want to eat them?"
Little Xi Tian: "..."
Why did it feel like he was teasing a dog?
"The kitchen just made osmanthus cake, sprinkled with white sesame seeds, it smells so fragrant!"
Xiao Jinheng continued to tease her, "If you want to eat it, tell me, where did this thing come from?"
He casually threw the syringe over, and it rolled to Little Xi Tian's feet.
"Don't know..." Little Xi Tian pouted, not wanting to bother with him.
"You're lying, these strange things, you clearly conjured them out!"
Little Xi Tian snorted and went straight into the house to continue sleeping.
She would never say that those things were taken from the space.
Xiao Jinheng: "..."