Ouyang Kai leaned back on the leather sofa in the hall, his handsome face clearly showing more fatigue, with a considerable amount of stubble.
He appeared much more weathered.
"Uncle."
Su Ding and Jin Ye entered through the main door and called out.
Ouyang Kai raised a hand, gesturing for them to sit down beside him, and then spoke, "Have you gotten used to living here these past few days?"
"Mhm," Su Ding nodded and asked, "How has the situation been handled?"
Ouyang Kai raised an eyebrow and smiled, "With your uncle stepping in, is there anything that can't be resolved?"
Seeing his state of spirit, Su Ding felt reassured.
Ouyang Kai continued, "The influential figures colluding with Ouyang Gong, after my reprimands over the past two days, some confessed without reservation and turned over their illicit gains. Others remained stubborn, and the military has already apprehended them. As for those who were merely stirring the pot, they haven't dared to cause trouble recently."
Ouyang Kai always acted decisively, directly leading military personnel into homes and presenting the gathered evidence to the perpetrators.
Who would dare to argue further? If they argued, they would face immediate execution without even a chance to explain.
It was precisely this style of handling matters that greatly intimidated those elder figures who had grown accustomed to privilege in their positions of power and had lost sight of their own status.
These individuals had followed Ouyang Zhenfeng for many years, becoming spoiled. To them, it didn't matter who was the head of the family, as long as they received benefits. Now, after being frightened by Ouyang Kai, none of them dared to rebel.
"Have any of them been apprehended?" Jin Ye asked.
"Yes."
Ouyang Kai stated plainly, "They have already been arrested and sent to Yin Xue."
Su Ding, upon hearing this, expressed some concern.
"Won't this make others uneasy?"
"Uneasy?"
Ouyang Kai chuckled softly, "That's exactly what we want. If they know that some people were controlled by Ouyang Gong, who else would dare to betray the Ouyang family in the future?"
Su Ding then nodded thoughtfully.
Jin Ye asked again, "Has Ouyang Gong been captured?"
A hint of helplessness appeared on Ouyang Kai's face. "Last night, I attacked Yin Mountain, and Ouyang Gong was no longer there. We don't know where he's hiding now. However, you don't need to worry. I've already informed Father about this, and a full-scale search is underway for Ouyang Gong's whereabouts."
"Uncle, thank you for your hard work on this," Su Ding said softly, looking at Ouyang Kai's slightly weary face.
"It's not hard work. There's still one more thing I haven't told you."
Ouyang Kai smiled, glancing at Jin Ye again. "Ouyang Gong's forces stationed on Li Jing Island have been completely eradicated. As the little princess of my Ouyang family, it's time for you to return and be recognized."
Confusion flickered in Su Ding's eyes. "Ah?"
Ouyang Kai smiled, "Tomorrow evening, Father will host a grand banquet at Huang Tian Bao to officially announce your identity to everyone."
Su Ding was astonished. She had thought it was already wonderful that her maternal grandfather was willing to acknowledge her, but she never expected him to grant her an official status.
Grandfather had completely forgiven Mother.
"Alright, now come with me. The elder is waiting upstairs."
Ouyang Kai stood up and led the way.
Su Ding and Jin Ye followed with a sense of wonder. The elevator ascended to the top floor, and upon exiting, they were greeted by a spacious area. The clear moonlight cascaded down, imbuing the scene with a quiet beauty.
Ouyang Zhenfeng was still seated under the small pavilion.
Seeing them approach, he slowly rose and said in a deep voice, "Follow me."
Ouyang Kai seemed to recall something, and a gentle light appeared in his eyes as he said softly to Su Ding, "Let's go."
Su Ding felt a strange feeling and obediently followed.
They walked through winding paths amidst dense woods, listening to the gentle murmur of flowing water. The scene before them gradually unfolded.
"This is..."
Su Ding looked ahead, her eyes widening slightly.