After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

Duke Tang, with a solemn expression, dispatched two elite troops, one led by Tang Zipan, the eldest son of the first wife, and the other by Tang Zideng, the eldest son of the second wife. After consulting with Tang Wenshu, Tang Qi also led a team to the Wan'an County Magistrate's residence, closely monitoring the surrounding area to prevent any remnants from escaping.

After a long and arduous search, Tang Zipan finally found the remains of the Grand Tutor in a remote location, approximately ten miles northeast of Wan'an County. The Grand Tutor's appearance before him was almost unbearable to look at; he was in the most horrific state possible! His clothing was tattered, as if battered by a violent storm, and the dense, horrifying scars of torture covered his body like hideous demons.

The land resembled a desolate, silent cemetery, permeated by the thick, inexorable smell of death, a chilling feeling overwhelming. Yet, amidst this bleak and desolate scene, besides the grievously injured Grand Tutor, lay three pitiful infant girls, still in swaddling clothes, crying out for food. They resembled innocent flowers abandoned in the wilderness, their fragility heartbreaking. Furthermore, looking around, one could see the bodies of countless deceased infant girls lying in disarray. The scene was truly horrific and unbearable to watch.

Witnessing this scene, Tang Zipan's heart ached, grief and indignation welling up within him. Without hesitation, he issued orders, demanding that the surviving baby girls be safely escorted to the mansion. Meanwhile, with a heavy heart, he carefully carried the battered body of the Grand Tutor on his back. He dared not even glance at it, fearing the horrific wounds would sting his eyes. Nor did he dare to contemplate the suffering and torture endured by the Grand Tutor, for every thought was like a sharp needle, piercing his heart mercilessly. At this moment, all he could do was gallop as fast as he could, rushing to the Grand Tutor's residence to return the cold body to its family.

Meanwhile, Tang Zideng and his team also arrived at a remote corner in the southwest of Wan'an County, where a similarly chaotic mass grave was hidden. Fortunately, they successfully rescued two more poor baby girls.

Upon returning to the mansion, experienced doctors were already on hand. A newborn baby, if cared for promptly, can survive for up to three days without food. However, without water, it can only survive for a day. It was precisely because of this that the five baby girls survived. The doctors first gently fed the girls water, allowing their bodies to adjust before gradually introducing rice soup and other suitable foods. The entire process was meticulous and orderly, with everyone eagerly hoping for the swift recovery of these innocent little lives.

Amidst this eerie mass grave, a living being actually existed! This person was none other than Tang Zipan, rescued from this place of death. She was an elderly woman, tightly cradling a swaddled infant. Tragically, the poor little one's mouth was stained with blood. When the woman saw someone approaching, she remained motionless, as if she had lost all hope and courage. However, just as Tang Zipan and his companions carefully lifted the baby from the mass grave, the woman, who had been silent for so long, finally spoke, her voice trembling and weak, pleading with them to save her child.

Upon returning to the mansion, everyone immediately initiated emergency medical treatment and properly accommodated the surviving elderly woman and baby girl. As night fell, the entire Tang Mansion was ablaze with lights, as bright as day. Wu Yu summoned the elderly woman for questioning. At this moment, the Dehui Hall was bustling with people. The old lady sat at the head of the table, her expression solemn and dignified, while the members of the Tang Mansion's household took their seats below, each one respectful and serious. The old lady closed her eyes, seemingly concentrating on recuperation, seemingly leaving all matters to Wu Yu's care. In reality, once she spoke, no one dared to disobey her orders.

The old woman knelt tremblingly in the middle of the hall and whispered, "My name is Mu Yinglian, and I am the wife of Yang Daniu from Yangjia Village, Wan'an County." At this point, she paused for a moment, as if trying her best to recall the painful past years.

Is it any wonder they abandoned the baby girl after she was born? Tang Wenshu pondered. After all, in ancient society, women were treated extremely harshly. He had read in novels about drowning or suffocating baby girls in ancient times, all done simply to ensure the birth of a son. However, reality is often far more cruel and horrific than one might imagine.

At that moment, the peasant woman suddenly spoke, "I'm a pawned wife." As soon as she uttered these words, the previously bustling Dehui Hall fell silent, so still that even the sound of a pin drop could be heard. Everyone present simultaneously held their breath, as if fearing they might disturb something. Tang Wenshu, bewildered, turned to look at his second brother, who stood beside him. His eyes were filled with anticipation, clearly hoping for a definitive answer.

My second brother frowned and said with difficulty, "This is an extremely rare yet extremely vile act in our countryside. Some poor people marry without true love, simply hoping to earn money through their wives' bellies to support themselves."

"What does this mean?" Tang Wenshu still looked confused.

The second brother sighed helplessly and waved his hand, saying, "Ah, you should ask Mother for the details later. I'm not in a position to say more about this matter." Then, the peasant woman slowly spoke again, "I'm already twenty-six years old."

Hearing this, Tang Wenshu couldn't help but screamed: "What? How is it possible! She looks just like an old woman in her sixties!" At the same time, Tang Tian and others couldn't contain their inner surprise and exclaimed one after another.

"Shh!" Tang Zhengrong, his usual lively and informal persona, had transformed into a calm and reserved one. He held his sister's hand tightly, signaling her to be quiet. Seeing her brother's serious expression, his sister also obediently shut her mouth.

"Back then, I gave birth to a lovely son in the second year after I married Yang Daniu. However, the good times didn't last long, as fate played a cruel joke on me. Yang Daniu actually sold me as a pawned wife to a wealthy family just to get money to raise our child. He kept saying that he had no choice, but since then, my own flesh and blood have been separated from me, and we will never see each other again." When she said this, she couldn't help but burst into tears, and tears flowed from her eyes like a broken dam.

"After coming to that wealthy family, I gave birth to three children in succession, but they were all girls without exception. My first daughter was strangled to death shortly after she was born. I was heartbroken and knelt down to beg for mercy, hoping to save this little life. Unfortunately, it was in vain. My second daughter was not spared and was ruthlessly drowned in the water. Faced with such a tragic situation, I almost collapsed. I begged them to let my child go and promised that the next one would definitely be a boy, because only in this way would they agree to let me go home and reunite with my family." When she said this, her voice was choked with sobs and her body trembled slightly with excessive grief.

"However, things went against my wishes and the third child was still a baby girl. When I learned the news, I felt like I fell into a bottomless abyss and was extremely desperate. What's worse is that when I gave birth to my third daughter, it seemed that something came out of my stomach. At that moment, I clearly realized that I might not be able to have children again..." She covered her face with trembling hands, tears flowing freely through her fingers.

I resolutely volunteered to go to that gruesome mass grave, just to be with my daughter during her final moments. During this time, I unhesitatingly fed her with my own blood, hoping to give her a glimmer of life and warmth. However, when she struggled to stretch out her hands, my heart ached—they were covered in horrific scars, clearly ruthlessly cut by sharp stones.

At this moment, I know that I am going to die soon, but I still pray to God in my heart to have mercy on this noble man and save my poor little daughter's life. I feel deeply guilty and feel that I have let down all three of them.

"Mom, since she has been rescued, why does she still mention death?" Tang Wenshu asked with a puzzled look on her face.

Zeng Yuan's face showed neither sadness nor joy. She slowly replied, "Her internal organs have already fallen out. Even if the doctors at the mansion tried their best to save her, she wouldn't survive long. Moreover, with such a broken body, not only would she be unable to care for the child, but she would become a heavy burden to the child."

Wu Yu silently looked at the old lady, and after seeing her nod slightly, he spoke, "Then, please tell me what you witnessed last night?" Mu Yinglian thought for a moment, then slowly began to recount, "At that time, a group of people dressed as servants hurriedly abandoned a corpse and left. During this time, I vaguely heard them muttering words such as 'Don't delay the work'..."

"Are they taking the same route we came from?" Mu Yinglian frowned, lost in thought. After a moment, she gently shook her head in denial. It turned out they weren't returning along the same route, but had chosen a different route. The oxcart moved slowly forward, its oxen moving at a steady pace. Mu Yinglian, free at the time, observed the cart carefully, noting that it didn't seem loaded with much, appearing rather empty.

Seeing this, Mu Yinglian wondered what was going on. Just as she was racking her brains, Wu Yu spoke up, "In that case, the court physician must do his utmost to treat this old woman. Once she recovers, you can arrange for her to do some lighter work within the palace, such as helping to mend clothes for the servants." Her tone was calm and firm, revealing her concern for the old woman.

After receiving the order, the court doctor did not dare to neglect it and immediately began to prepare for treatment, no longer just waiting for her to respond as he had done at the beginning. The lucky woman gradually recovered her health and became a servant in the Duke's Mansion.