"I don't know what you're talking about. What tiger? I've never seen one!" Song Hong snorted, his eyes filled with cold light as he looked at Chu Siyuan.

Chu Siyuan gave a forced smile, "If that's the case, then I'll have someone search for it."

"Chu Siyuan, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're an official now!" Song Hong said angrily.

"It's all the orders of your esteemed sir; I'm just following orders." Chu Siyuan glanced at the soldiers behind him. "Search! There will be a hefty reward for anything found!"

"You! This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"

Song Yunzhi walked over and helped Song Hong up, then looked at Chu Siyuan and said, "Sir, you should think this through. If we don't find anything today, I will go to the government office and sue you for trespassing!"

"Cousin, you should go back inside, lest you get hurt." Chu Siyuan's lips curled slightly. "If I wasn't confident, do you think I would bring people with me?"

Song Yunzhi gave the other party a cold look and helped Song Hong sit down next to her.

After searching the mansion, someone came to report within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn: "Sir, we found no trace of the tiger, only three cats."

"Useless trash, go search again!" Chu Siyuan stood up and ordered.

"Yes."

Song Yunzhi watched this scene calmly. A while had passed, and Erhuang and the others should have run far away by now.

“Uncle, you’d better tell us yourselves, lest the important person punish you,” Chu Siyuan said as he walked up to the two men.

Song Yunzhi stood up, looked at the sinister smile opposite her, and slapped him without blinking.

"My lord! Protect the lord!" someone nearby immediately shouted.

Chu Siyuan immediately shouted, "Stop!"

Song Yunzhi withdrew her hand. "Chu Siyuan, you're only seeking revenge because my family rejected your marriage proposal. You're wasting manpower and resources. If the county magistrate knew about your despicable thoughts and petty nature, would he still trust you to work under him?"

"You, you mustn't talk nonsense! I'm here on important business!"

"Alright, then who told you there was a tiger in your house? We, as the hosts, didn't know, but you did?"

"Everyone in your household knows this!"

"What a joke! They call three cats three tigers, and then claim it's not fabricated out of thin air, just an opportunity for revenge?"

Song Yunzhi pointed to the three captured cats and said, "If the noble person likes them, then take them back. There is really no need to make such a fuss. People who don't know better might think they are bandits from the mountains."

"Sir, besides a dog and three cats, we haven't found anything else," a servant ran up and said. "Should we take them back?"

Chu Siyuan's expression changed several times. "No need, give it back to them!"

"Uncle, I was on official business today, so please forgive me if I have offended you."

"Get out!" Song Hong spat out a single word coldly. "Having to be stuck with a heartless bastard like you, I really want to vomit the food I ate yesterday on you, ptooey!"

Chu Siyuan: "..."

“Cousin Yunzhi, the previous marriage still stands. I am now working under a powerful figure. If you follow me, your future will be bright.” Chu Siyuan raised his hand to touch his slapped face. “Cousin, you slapped me well today.”

Song Yunzhi was instantly disgusted. Even though she used the powerful tool in the system to slap the person, she still felt like she had swallowed a fly.

How can there be such disgusting people in this world?

Song Hong's face darkened, and he grabbed a broom from the side and swung it at her, "You're good at fanning, aren't you? I'll fan you a little more, you ungrateful wretch, you're worse than a pig or a dog!"

After a few moments, Chu Siyuan had several red marks on his face. He called out to his uncle as he and the others retreated.

Song Yunzhi went back to her room to wash her hands and saw the ball of yarn next to her, which reminded her of Xie Xuan.

I wonder if they have anything to eat right now.

Back mountain.

Xie Xuan had just caught a rabbit, and the three siblings had a hearty meal.

"Big brother, when can we go back? I miss my sister and dad." The second brother smacked his lips. "Nobody calls me Mimi anymore."

"I want to too," Xie Yuan muttered. "Rabbit meat isn't as good as the jerky that Sister Xiaoman makes."

"In a few days." Xie Xuan bent down and lay face down, looking towards the direction of the Song residence.

He misses his sister too.

Usually at this time, his older sister would play with him, making yarn balls and reading storybooks to him.

As night fell, the three tiger cubs continued deeper into the jungle to find their own territory.

Ever since a distinguished person came to the county, the government has begun to hunt in the mountains on a large scale, digging out the hearts of the prey.

He even declared that whoever caught the tiger would be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver.

As a result, many hunters went up the mountain every day to hunt and search for tiger tracks.

Song Yunzhi is now a little afraid of sleeping, because as soon as she falls asleep, she is prone to dreaming about Xie Xuan and the others.

The first scene shows them snuggling in their arms, and the next scene shows them being grabbed and disemboweled.

Every time I wake up, I'm covered in a cold sweat.

She can't get any other information except for staring at the blackening value.

No news is for the best; at least they are all safe and sound for now.

Song Hong has been very worried lately; he has never seen such a large-scale mobilization.

How long have you been surrounding those mountains and forests? Are you keeping them there for the Lunar New Year?

But he was just an ordinary rich man, and there wasn't much he could do.

"Daughter, do you think Mimi will starve to death? When he was in the manor, all he did was eat; he couldn't even catch a mouse."

"The two Huangs are here."

"Erhuang, even Erhuang can't catch mice. He's as cowardly as a cat," Song Hong said quite frankly.

Song Yunzhi remained silent; these words made her even more worried about the three tigers.

I should have let them go back to the mountains sooner.

Hopefully, they'll go hungry less often.

Time flies in the mountains. Since entering the mountains, Xie Xuan has gradually forgotten the days. He only knows that his younger siblings are growing bigger and bigger and gradually turning into big tigers.

He was, of course, a fiercer tiger than them.

Although they had grown accustomed to life in the mountains, the three tigers would still often get together to think about the people and events of the Song family.

There are still many people outside searching for the tiger's tracks. The group of them have hidden in the deepest part of the forest. Fortunately, it's so big that people can get lost there, so they're not afraid of being caught.

Unless their lives are in danger, they all remember Song Yunzhi's words and will not easily hurt anyone.

"Brother, I'm so bored, let's grab someone to play with."

Xie Xuan glanced at the second brother expressionlessly, and growled, "Believe it or not, I'll give you a big bump on the head?"

Mimi: "......"

Xie Yuan returned from outside, a twig with many fruits hanging from it in her mouth.

"Big brother, second brother, time to eat fruit."

The second son walked over, bent down and sniffed the fruit; it didn't smell very sweet.

The three of them went out these past few days and, quite in unison, brought back fruit, but they didn't see a single piece of meat.

Xie Yuan lay down beside her. "I don't know what attracted the prey in the mountains. I used to be able to find some, but today I searched for most of the day and didn't see any live animals."

"Hold on a little longer, I'll go out to hunt tomorrow," Xie Xuan said in a slightly somber tone.

"No, brother, those people outside are specifically here to arrest us. If you go out, that's... hey, what was Father-in-law saying again? Something-something road?"

Xie Xuan raised his paw and slapped his head, then glanced at his younger brother with disdain, "You're courting death."

“Yes! Big brother, you don’t need to go. We can just eat fruit. We’re all grown up, we won’t starve.” The second brother said with great enthusiasm.

Xie Yuan nodded, "Big brother, sister is waiting for us to go back, we can't let anything happen to us."

Only after you've left home to fend for yourself do you realize how good your life was back in the Song family.

Xie Xuan let out a deep breath. "I understand."

He bent down, picked up a fruit, and went to eat it in his nest. It was so sour that it brought tears to his eyes.

It feels like it's been ages since I last saw my sister. I wonder if she has a new kitten now.

As darkness fell, the three tigers quickly finished their fruit, snuggled together, and fell fast asleep.

In his dream, Xie Xuan felt as if his whole body was on fire, his limbs were immobilized and he could not move. The intense pain made him roll on the ground uncontrollably and roar out loud.

He struggled to wake up from his sleep, breathing heavily, and raised his paw to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

The two tigers beside him were also roaring, as if they, like him, were having an incredibly terrible nightmare.

Seeing them writhing in pain, Xie Xuan rushed over and cried out, "Second brother, third brother, wake up!"

"Roar!" The two tigers each slapped their paws at him.

Xie Xuan didn't take it seriously. His younger siblings were never as strong as him. He stretched out his claws to block, but was sent flying far away in the next instant.

He crashed heavily to the ground, a look of bewilderment flashing across Xie Xuan's eyes, before he witnessed an unbelievable scene.

......

As the year draws to a close, red lanterns are hung inside and outside the Song family mansion, and festive paper-cut window decorations are pasted on the windows.

Today she was going to sweep her mother's grave, so Song Yunzhi got up very early and changed into a simple dress.

"Xiaoman, have you packed the peach shortbread I made yesterday?"

"It's all done, Miss, don't worry." Xiaoman helped her with her makeup and said with a smile, "Miss, Madam will be very happy to see you."

"Hmm, is Father up yet?"

"Get up and look at the portraits of the young masters in the study."

Song Yunzhi pursed her lips and said nothing.

With so many suitors coming to propose marriage lately, Song Hong finally realized that his daughter was old enough to find a husband.

As soon as the word was out, people came in droves.

The Song family was wealthy and powerful, and their daughter was exceptionally well-bred, so there were naturally many men who wanted to marry into the family.

Grandpa Song had no sons, only this one daughter.

Whoever becomes this live-in son-in-law will inherit the entire family fortune.

Many people have this kind of intention, but there are also quite a few who come because of its reputation.

Therefore, Song Hong is now focusing on selecting those who are of good character and pure of heart. Of course, they must also be capable, otherwise they will be of little use.

Song Hong has been spoiled for choice lately, but he is not satisfied with any of them. He always feels that there is something wrong with them and that they are not good enough for his daughter.

As a result, Song Yunzhi was less troubled by these matters, since after getting past her father, she still had to get past her.

In her opinion, being alone for a lifetime is perfectly acceptable.

"Miss, it's snowing outside. Please put on another coat," Xiaoman said hurriedly as she glanced outside.

Song Yunzhi nodded, and when she heard the old housekeeper calling her, she got up and went out.

They each left in a carriage, and soon after, a man arrived at the door.

Seeing the other person walking into the mansion, the gatekeeper immediately stood up to stop him, "Hey, who are you?"

"Brother Da Niu, I want to see Sister Song."

"My young lady has gone out. Please come another day."

The gatekeeper looked at the man's attire: an ill-fitting, patched coarse cloth robe with his wrists and ankles exposed, and a tattered blue cloth covering his head. If it weren't for the broken bowl he wasn't carrying, the gatekeeper would have thought he was a beggar.

He immediately waved his hand, "Hurry up and go!"

"Okay." A glint of tears welled up in the man's amber eyes. He looked back several times before leaving.

The gatekeeper watched him walk away, then belatedly scratched the back of his head. "Strange, how did he know my name was Da Niu?"

After offering incense to her mother at the cemetery, Song Yunzhi was sent back to the carriage by Song Hong, who then went back to sit by the grave and talk to her.

The snowflakes fell like goose feathers, bringing a touch of coolness.

Song Yunzhi lowered the carriage curtain and withdrew her gaze.

Every year, Dad would have long, private conversations with Mom, but he wouldn't let her listen.

"Miss, shall we go back first?" Xiaoman asked.

Song Yunzhi handed over the oil-paper umbrella beside her, saying, "The snow is getting heavier, have Uncle Wang take it to Father."

"Yes."

Seeing Uncle Wang return after delivering the umbrella, Song Yunzhi instructed, "Go back now."

"Okay lady."

The road was difficult to travel, and the carriage stopped halfway up the mountain.

"Uncle Wang, what's wrong?"

"Miss, we've encountered bandits." Uncle Wang's voice remained relatively calm.

Xiaoman lifted the curtain and peeked out, her face full of anxiety, "Miss..."

"Don't be afraid." Song Yunzhi patted her hand and said, "Uncle Wang, please be careful."

"Please have a seat, Miss." The words had barely left his mouth when the sounds of fighting erupted, mixed with the slicing of blades through the air.

Xiaoman trembled with nervousness. Sensing someone rushing over from outside, she immediately blocked Song Yunzhi's path, shouting, "Don't touch my young lady! We'll give you whatever money you want!"

A knife came slashing down, and Xiaoman was instantly terrified and cried. Then she saw a face full of scars, looking extremely fierce.

Just as Song Yunzhi was about to pull Xiaoman away, the man in front of her was suddenly grabbed and thrown out of the carriage.

"Sister, don't be afraid."

A man wearing a blue hood came in from outside, his amber eyes looking at her with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. He then reached out and hugged Song Yunzhi, his head nuzzling against her neck.

Xiaoman was stunned for a moment, then immediately reached out and pulled the person away, angrily cursing, "Where did this lecher come from, daring to take advantage of my young lady!"

"Little Man, my dear..."

"Get out!" Xiaoman pulled and tugged, her hands and feet trembling with fear as she tried to push the person out.

Uncle Wang rushed over from outside and helped drag the person away.

Xie Xuan gripped the door frame tightly with both hands, staring intently at Song Yunzhi, as if he wanted to look at her a few more times.

My sister doesn't recognize him anymore.

This man was very stubborn and kept pawing at the carriage. Uncle Wang picked up the knife that the bandit had thrown down and said, "Let go right now, or I'll chop you up!"

"Uncle Wang, stop!" Song Yunzhi snapped out of her shock at Erhuang turning into a human and quickly called out.

Xiaoman looked over in confusion, "Miss, he's in cahoots with those bandits."

"No, sister," Xie Xuan hurriedly said, "I'm the second..."

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