Song Tangning's refusal to be appeased, the Black Armored Guards watching them intently, and Gu Helian, who was eager to take action, made the Song family finally relent.
The Song family opened their ancestral hall, and with a grim expression, Song Fourth Master erased the second branch of the Song family, Song Xi's line, from the family tree. However, when Tangning handed over the severance letter for Song Tan and asked him to include the name of Song Ru, Fourth Master Song replied:
“She doesn’t need to.”
Tangning narrowed her eyes, thinking he was trying to make things difficult for her.
But to her surprise, Fourth Master Song continued, “Song Ru was never added to the family tree.”
“What did you say?” Tangning was stunned. “Even a concubine’s daughter should be added to the family tree…”
“Normally, yes,” Fourth Master Song replied. “Song Ru was indeed a legitimate concubine’s daughter. Although her name was not fully included, she should have been listed as Song Tan’s daughter in the family register, with her surname and position, but…”
He glanced at Tangning. “Back then, Xue’s family entered the Song household under less than honorable circumstances. Though she was a legitimate concubine, she passed away after giving birth to Song Ru. Furthermore, Song Tan himself rejected her, saying…”
“What did he say?”
“He said Song Ru’s mother came from a bad background and was unworthy of entering the Song family register.”
In truth, what Song Tan had said back then was much harsher. He had called Song Ru the illegitimate child of a shameless prostitute, a stain on the Song family. Had it not been for the fact that everyone’s attention was on the Duke’s residence at the time, he would not have allowed such a ‘bastard’ to live.
Concubine daughters were usually only listed with their surname and status in the family tree, not as noble as the legitimate daughters. Song Tan had refused, and no one dared to speak out against him.
Tangning looked at Fourth Master Song, noticing his hesitation. She realized that what he was saying was likely a softened version of the truth. Given how relentlessly and maliciously Song Tan had slandered Song Ru over the years, there was no way he would be so diplomatic now.
Tangning’s expression grew cold. She felt that she had been too soft-hearted with Song Tan today.
She put the severance letter away, took a deep breath to suppress her anger, and said to those in front of her, “Please, Fourth Master, send someone to guide us to exhume the graves.”
Since the ancestral hall had already been opened, the Song family knew they could not stop Tangning tonight. Rather than risk a complete fallout, they decided to let her have her way. However, the Song family members were furious at the person who had “forced” Tangning to come here.
Fourth Master Song instructed people to lead Tangning and the others to the Song family’s ancestral graves outside the city. They found the tomb of Song Xi and his wife, buried deep inside among the legitimate descendants. They did not let the Song family intervene.
Canglang personally took up a shovel, opened the gravestone, and dug into the tomb. He found that the coffin inside had turned somewhat blackened.
“Lift it out, carefully.”
Canglang ordered people to set up a wooden frame, and several Black Armored Guards tied ropes around the coffin, pulling it out from the earth. Just as they were about to set it down on flat ground, Canglang suddenly stopped them with a worried tone.
“Wait, don’t put it down!”
He walked quickly over to the coffin and saw something stuck to the bottom. When he got a closer look, his expression changed.
Xiao Yan and Tangning, who had been standing not far away, noticed. Xiao Yan raised his head. “What’s wrong?”
“Sir, there’s something under the coffin.”
Xiao Yan’s brows furrowed slightly, and an uneasy feeling rose in his heart. But before he could stop Tangning, she had already walked over to see for herself, so he hurried to follow her.
Gu Helian, curious as well, followed and commented, “What’s all this fuss about? Is it the resurrection of the Rong family’s elder sister?”
His words suddenly died in his throat when he saw what was under the coffin. His face instantly darkened.
Gu Helian stepped forward and angrily tore off the discolored and corroded talisman paper stuck to the coffin. “Who did this?!”
Xiao Yan, upon seeing what it was, quickly stepped closer. He saw not only the bottom of the coffin but also pieces of the corroded talisman paper on the edges of the coffin. There were even scattered talismans in the dirt around the grave.
He crouched down, touched the talisman-covered coffin, and after inspecting it for a moment, walked a few steps forward. When he stopped, his expression had turned grave.
Tangning, still unaware of what had happened, asked, “Big Brother, what’s going on?”
Xiao Yan’s voice was cold as he said, “This tomb has been opened.”
Tangning froze for a moment, then her expression changed. “Mother…”
Xiao Yan examined the coffin closely, lowering his head and checking the edges. “The coffin has been buried for many years, and the edges are beginning to rot, but the nails are still relatively new. This tomb has not only been opened, but the coffin itself was tampered with, and it likely happened in recent years…”
He turned to Canglang with a cold tone, “Bring the Song family members here!”
The Song family members who had been leading the way had no idea what was happening and were dragged over by the Black Armored Guards. When they were thrown to the ground and heard that the tomb of Song Xi and his wife had been disturbed, Song Wenli, who had been guiding them, looked completely stunned.
“How could this be? After the burial, the only people who came to visit were on holidays or the occasional family members. No one else came.”
The other Song family members were also panicked.
“But Song Xi was a legitimate member of the Song family, from the Duke’s house. We’ve always respected him, how could anyone dig up his grave?”
“That’s right. Are you sure you’re mistaken? They’ve been dead for so many years, whose crazy idea would it be to dig up two coffins?”
They couldn’t possibly be mad enough to dig up a grave, surely no one would dare!
Xiao Yan could tell from the panicked expressions on their faces that they likely didn’t know anything about it. But the coffin had definitely been disturbed.
Not only that, but the talismans beneath the coffin were still intact, and some blackish stains, possibly blood, could still be seen. Even the coffin had been opened.
Xiao Yan’s eyes turned cold as he asked, “Has anyone come to pay respects to them alone in the past few years?”
Song Wenli, flustered, replied, “The tomb holds several of Song family’s direct descendants, as well as some deceased elders. Their birthdays and death anniversaries vary, so it’s not unusual for someone to come pay their respects alone. But…but they couldn’t have dug up their tomb!”
“Has no one been guarding the tomb?” Xiao Yan interrupted, his voice grim.
Song Wenli froze, then suddenly realized, “Yes, yes! There were people guarding the tomb.”
The grave was located far from the capital, and the Song family couldn’t keep a watch over it at all times. Noble families were particularly concerned with feng shui and feared that someone might disturb their ancestors’ tombs. Most would hire someone to guard the graves to prevent wild animals or ill-intentioned people from causing damage.
Song Wenli quickly explained, “There’s a village about ten miles to the west. We left people there to guard the tomb. They inspect the area daily, and if any family members are too late to leave after paying respects, they stay overnight.”
“Are they from the Song family?”
“They’re all from our household, and we also hired a few villagers.”
Xiao Yan glanced at Gu Helian, who nodded, saying, “I’ll take a team and go over there.”
Xiao Yan gave a brief “Mm,” signaling Gu Helian to take them.
Gu Helian, no longer lazy, nodded grimly and immediately led a few of them to take Song Wenli and the others away.
Xiao Yan turned back to look at Tangning, whose face was somewhat pale. “We don’t know the motive behind opening the coffin, nor if anything inside has been tampered with. We need to open it and check if your parents’ remains have been damaged.” He paused, lowering his voice, “If you’re scared, I’ll do it.”
Tangning bit her lip, standing by the coffin with her palms sweating. Though she had no idea why anyone would disturb her long-dead parents’ tomb, she…
“I’m not afraid.”
Father and Mother, she wasn’t afraid.
Xiao Yan didn’t say anything more, just exchanged a glance with Canglang, who then approached, carefully prying open the coffin. Together with the others, they carefully lifted the lid.
The sound of the nails coming undone echoed as the coffin inside was revealed. Tangning clenched her hands, her face tightening in tension.
She was afraid her parents’ bodies had been destroyed, afraid to see the inside in disarray.
In the next moment, someone took her hand.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
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You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
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