Chapter 141: Chapter 141

Just as Eldest Ya had predicted, the Chen family arrived rather quickly.

Watching the elderly Chen couple kneeling on the marble slabs before the commandery princess mansion, weeping and wailing with theatrical remorse, along with their similarly "shame-faced" family members behind them, An Ning couldn't help but curl her lips in derision as she pulled the furious Chen Daya behind her.

One had to admit - while the Chen family was shameless, they weren't completely stupid.

Knowing full well that given her and her sister's previous attitudes, straightforward family recognition would be impossible, let alone gaining any benefits from it - and that approaching secretly might even risk suppression or threats - they'd chosen to lay everything out in the open.

This society revered filial piety, not to mention the saying that "no parents are ever wrong." Once this familial relationship was publicly acknowledged, even if An Ning was unwilling, these people would still find ways to benefit...

An Ning sneered inwardly. That clever cousin of theirs had probably suggested it. Just the travel expenses for so many people would require no small sum, money that likely only the merchant-born wife of Dalang could afford.

Chen Dalang himself was cautious enough not to show his face.

At high noon, the busiest time of day, and coinciding with a public holiday, a crowd had already gathered before the commandery princess mansion.

"Daya, Commandery Princess - all the blame lies with this old woman! Back then our family truly couldn't put food on the table, so I took it upon myself to sell you girls behind your father's back, thinking anywhere would be better than starving..." Old Madam Chen wailed outside:

"May I be cut into a thousand pieces! But Second Chen is your blood father, Commandery Princess! Look how old your father is now, without a single child to care for him in his old age, how will he live..."

Old Madam Chen, now over sixty, her dark face lined with hardship, hunched over in worn clothes, repeatedly wiped her rough, darkened hands across her face. At first glance, she did appear somewhat pitiful.

Yet among all the onlookers, not a single person stepped forward to "defend justice."

Inside the gates, Daya exploded upon hearing this.

What fucking nonsense!

Bullshit about not knowing! Back then her sister was only four years old, not even reaching an adult's knee height. On the day they were sold, she'd knelt begging this man - this dog who was supposedly their father. She could accept her own fate, but her sister was so young and pretty - being sold would surely mean death!

And what had this man done?

Remembering how he'd worn a pained expression that day yet hadn't moved an inch to stop it, Daya now felt like tearing him apart with her teeth.

Even more than the grandparents who'd advocated selling them, or the uncle's family who'd secretly egged them on, Daya hated this so-called father most of all.

Why? Why had she worked herself to the bone her whole life? Her mother had died in childbirth trying to bear him a son, wrapped in straw matting and discarded. She'd begged so desperately that day, yet he hadn't lifted a finger to spare her little sister.

As if she didn't know - she'd overheard while cleaning eldest aunt's bedding - uncle had promised that if they could just raise tuition for eldest cousin, second cousin would support their father in old age.

Support in old age, huh!

Just thinking about it made Daya's tears of hatred fall.

How could such people exist in this world?

Trembling, she gripped her sister's hand, about to rush out and chase them away, when An Ning gently shook her head. Her cold gaze remained fixed on the scene outside, but she showed no intention of going out herself. Instead, she quietly gave some instructions to the attendants beside her.

"Little sister, let me handle this, you mustn't get involved..."

Fearing damage to her sister's reputation, Daya tried to protest when, moments later, a troop of constables came marching down the street toward them.

In the sunlight, the uniformed guards advanced, their dark armor glinting, the long swords at their waists flashing coldly.

Never having seen such a scene, the Chen family gulped and instinctively stepped back, about to speak when the leader's sword was suddenly leveled at them. His booming voice echoed through the alley:

"Bold bandits! Daring to impersonate the commandery princess's family! Plotting harm against Her Highness!"

Without allowing any defense, the leader waved his hand, and the constables swarmed forward: "Take these insolent commoners who dare overstep their station to the yamen!"

"Mmmph... no... we're not... ugh..."

Completely unprepared for this turn of events, the Chen family struggled to explain, casting desperate glances at the surrounding crowd. To their dismay, no matter how they clamored, neither the stone-faced constables nor any of the onlookers stepped forward to defend them!

This... this couldn't be!

How could these capital city people be so heartless!

Even as they were unceremoniously dumped into the cold jail cells, the Chen family still couldn't comprehend what had happened.

Equally stunned was Chen Daya, who'd been tense throughout:

"Little sister, they just... just..." She stared incredulously at how things had unfolded.

Though the officers had accused them of impersonation, Daya knew the truth better than anyone. Treating one's own father this way... what if later...

"Little sister, if they find out later..."

Her sister's completely unperturbed smile answered her:

"Don't worry, elder sister. As long as I say they're not, they never were and never can be..."

Family? Hah! The charge of impersonating the commandery princess's household and plotting harm would stick to them permanently.

Watching the Chen family's retreating figures, An Ning's gaze grew even colder. Having allowed them to jump around for so long, it was time they served their final useful purpose, wasn't it?

Wait... you... you could just do that?