Mrs. Ning’s face turned pale, realizing that the situation had been exposed, but she still forced herself to say, "I’m going to see the master right now, let me through quickly."
However, these servants were unmoved, firmly surrounding Mrs. Ning.
Seeing this, Mrs. Ning decided to throw a tantrum.
"Do you intend to rebel against your master? Someone come, take these unruly servants away for me."
She shouted, trying to cause confusion.
Indeed, some of her confidants heard the news and came, creating a standoff with the servants.
But just at this moment, a cold snort was heard.
"What? I’m not dead yet, and you plan to revolt internally?"
"Master!"
The servants quickly stepped back.
Only Mrs. Ning and her few loyal servants remained in the center.
Mrs. Ning’s expression changed unpredictably, but she still forced a smile and said, "Mas...Master, you’re back!"
Ning Shanfeng had no trace of a smile, raising his hand to point at the few old servants.
"Men, take these old women away, break one of their hands, and then expel them from the Ning Family."
These old servants could not believe such an outcome and cried out for mercy.
But Ning Shanfeng remained unmoved.
Once these old women had been forcibly dragged away, Ning Shanfeng addressed Mrs. Ning, whose face was ashen.
"You have been with me for so long, go back to your room and finish it yourself."
"Master!" Mrs. Ning fell to her knees with a thud, kowtowing like a chicken pecking at rice.
"It was just a moment of confusion; I beg you to spare me this time. I will serve you faithfully, just like an ox or horse, and never dare to do wrong again."
Saying this, she crawled forward a few steps, clutching Ning Shanfeng’s leg, pleading bitterly.
But Ning Shanfeng kicked her over with his foot, his expression stern: "I’ll say it again, if you want to retain a final shred of dignity, go back to your room and end it yourself, otherwise, don’t blame me for doing it myself."
Mrs. Ning was frozen in place.
At this moment, Ning Shan rushed over.
Upon seeing him, Mrs. Ning cried out as if grabbing a lifeline.
"Shan’Er, please plead for me; your father wants to kill me!"
Ning Shan was just about to speak.
Ning Shanfeng already said, "Didn’t I tell you to keep Young Hero Zhao company at the front? Why are you here?"
"Young Hero Zhao asked me to come have a look," Ning Shan said softly.
Ning Shanfeng paused, then smiled, "Alright then, it seems Young Hero Zhao wants you to understand some things."
"Then watch closely!"
With that, Ning Shanfeng grabbed Mrs. Ning’s hair, ignoring her cries for mercy, and violently dragged her into the room.
Ning Shan watched in horror, ready to follow, when Ning Shanfeng’s voice came from inside.
"Wait outside!"
Meanwhile, Mrs. Ning’s cries suddenly ceased, as if her mouth and nose were covered, leaving only faint whimpers.
Moments later, the sounds disappeared entirely, and Ning Shanfeng leisurely walked out of the room, addressing Ning Shan, whose face had turned pale.
"I didn’t want you to see this, but since Young Hero Zhao asked you to watch, then watch it."
"Men, carry the lady’s body out and say she hanged herself due to unbearable illness."
"Yes!"
Servants stepped forward to carry Mrs. Ning’s body out.
Ning Shan glanced once before turning her head away in fright.
Mrs. Ning’s face was dark, her eyes wide open, and a deep strangulation mark on her neck, looking utterly terrifying.
"Do you think I’m ruthless?" Ning Shanfeng asked.
Ning Shan didn’t speak, her face filled with panic.
"I know you think so, but compared to what she did, my actions aren’t ruthless at all because if not for Young Hero Zhao, our family and this vast estate would have been wiped out."
Ning Shanfeng’s expression turned solemn.
"Remember, for ordinary people like us to survive in this world, we first need to know when to be respectful and when to retreat, and never engage in things we shouldn’t. But if anyone tries to destroy you, you must cast aside all emotion and fight them to the death."
"This isn’t being ruthless; it’s the way to survive."
Ning Shan nodded thoughtfully.
When the father and daughter returned to the front reception hall, Zhao Ya smiled.
"Is it done?"
Ning Shanfeng also smiled, "Yes, it’s done!"
He then sat down opposite Zhao Ya, feeling utterly exhausted.
After all, he had just recovered from a severe illness and personally strangled his long-time wife, leaving him emotionally drained.
Still, he forced himself to sit up and instructed Ning Shan, "Go to the ancestral hall and bring back the treasured armor."
"Yes!"
Ning Shan turned and left.
Zhao Ya smiled, "Actually, there’s no rush, Shopkeeper Ning."
"A promise must be kept; if we said that whoever helps us retrieve the stolen cloth would get this treasured armor, and Young Hero Zhao has completed the task, how could I delay?"
Seeing Ning Shanfeng’s earnestness, Zhao Ya suddenly felt some admiration.
Whether in decisiveness with his spouse or sincerity now, Ning Shanfeng proved himself to be an exceptionally skilled merchant.
Thus, Zhao Ya raised his teacup, "In that case, I’ll thank Shopkeeper Ning with tea as if it were wine."
Ning Shanfeng was flattered and quickly raised his teacup as well.
"Young Hero Zhao, you’re too polite; it’s what I should do."
At this moment, Ning Shan came in briskly, carrying a brocade box.
When opened on the table, a finely crafted, body-fitting armor was revealed.
Zhao Ya reached out to take it, finding the armor smooth to the touch and extremely lightweight, unsure of its material.
"This armor is crafted by a master armorsmith in Wanshou County; the material is said to be a precious metal from overseas, lightweight yet highly defensive."
"I’ve always kept this armor hidden behind the ancestral plaques in the ancestral hall, not daring to reveal it, but facing an unsolvable crisis, I had no choice but to bring it out."
"But now, this treasured armor, given to a hero, in your hands will surely shine brilliantly, truly finding a wise master."
Ning Shanfeng explained the armor’s background with a sigh.
Zhao Ya said nothing but a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.
He had just secretly exerted fifty percent of his strength to squeeze the armor, yet it bore no mark.
Now, Zhao Ya’s strength, enhanced by three Inner Organ Talents, far surpassed others in the same realm, and even in pure strength, some Fourth Realm Martial Artists weren’t his match.
This fifty percent strength could crush a stone, yet the armor remained unmarked, proving its defense.
Wearing this armor, Zhao Ya felt confident facing a Fourth Realm Martial Artist.
So he didn’t refuse, packed the armor, and prepared to leave.
Ning Shan accompanied him to the door, and just before parting, she said a thank you.
Zhao Ya smiled, "No need to be so polite. Since I’ve taken your armor, it’s only right to handle it properly."
Ning Shan had shaken off her earlier panic, smiling and shaking her head.
"It’s different; you not only recovered the cloth but also exposed the culprit behind it all."
"Not feeling bad?" Zhao Ya laughed.
"Not anymore. Now, I think my father is right; you were considerate, but she showed no hesitation in betrayal."
"And you had me go to the back courtyard for that, right?"
"Haha, Miss Ning, please stay. I’m leaving!"
Zhao Ya did not answer directly, just said goodbye, and left briskly.
Watching his departing figure, Ning Shan brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled sweetly before turning back inside.
Soon, news of Zhao Ya’s retrieval of the missing cloth from the Ning family, which had vanished overnight, spread widely, eventually reaching Shang Luoluo’s ears.