"Once he collaborates with the Zhou Family and the Zheng Family, how will our clansmen view him?"
"They will certainly see him as a family traitor!!"
"By then, his reputation will be ruined."
"The crucial point is, as his closest relatives, we will also be implicated. If Ji'er performs well in the future, with the potential to ascend to higher positions, he will be eliminated just for being Ning Zhuo's cousin."
"Do you understand?!"
Wang Lan gasped, her face showing signs of panic, and she nodded repeatedly in anxiety, "I understand, husband, I understand!"
"I will do my utmost to persuade Ning Zhuo to return to the Renovation Team!"
"Even if, even if I have to abandon my..."
Ning Ze was suddenly startled, then he heard Wang Lan say, "...dignity, I will kneel to him and beg him to return!"
Ning Ze finally breathed a sigh of relief and added, "If you kneel, make sure to do it publicly. He won't be able to bear it!"
"Also, the most important thing, don't be stingy if necessary, make sure to give enough money."
"As long as I come out, there's hope, and we can recover everything we've lost."
Wang Lan nodded repeatedly, "I understand, I understand, husband, I'm going!"
"You must succeed."
"Got it!"
Watching Wang Lan's departing figure, Ning Ze, still uneasy, added, "If it doesn't work out, we can think of another way, don't do anything foolish."
Wang Lan turned back, forcing a small smile, "Husband, don't worry."
Seeing Wang Lan's dismal expression, Ning Ze felt uneasy, making him even more worried.
Ning Xiaoren was in the study, receiving a detailed report.
Every detail of the conversation between Ning Ze and Wang Lan was recorded verbatim in the report.
Ning Xiaoren nodded slightly, feeling secretly satisfied.
Whether Wang Lan's persuasion succeeded or not, it would heavily damage Ning Zhuo's reputation.
At present, what truly restricted Ning Xiaoren's actions was Ning Zhuo's reputation.
As a victim of unjust rewards and punishments, he evoked strong empathy from a vast number of Ning's branch lineage!
"If Ning Zhuo loathed Ning Ze's family and developed a rebellious mindset, truly cooperating with the Zheng Family or the Zhou Family, that would be a fatal flaw." Ning Xiaoren's eyes sparkled with cold light, and he looked forward to it.
Wang Lan meticulously prepared her appearance, specifically waiting for the moment when Ning Zhuo demonstrated spells to his classmates, when the crowd was at its peak.
She burst into the courtyard.
"Little Zhuo." She walked straight toward Ning Zhuo.
Ning Chen and Ning Yong curiously cast their gazes over.
Ning Zhuo stopped casting spells, "Aunt, is there something you need?"
Under everyone's gaze, Wang Lan walked up to Ning Zhuo, then suddenly knelt down, crying out, "Little Zhuo, your aunt is kneeling to you, I beg you!"
"Please, save your uncle!"
"He is your own uncle, the only family you have left in this world."
Everyone in the courtyard was stunned.
Snap.
Before anyone could react, Ning Zhuo also knelt down.
He knelt on both knees, moved, and said to Wang Lan, "Aunt, please get up! How can I accept such a grand gesture from you!"
"Even though there's no blood relation between us, you raised me to adulthood. I owe you a great debt and must repay it."
"Although Uncle embezzled my cultivation resources for over ten years, he is still my uncle."
"If his life is in danger, I will do everything in my power to rescue him!"
"Ning Chen, Ning Yong!"
Ning Zhuo called out in a low voice.
Ning Chen and Ning Yong immediately stepped out from the crowd, each supporting Wang Lan from one side, helping her to stand.
After Wang Lan stood up, Ning Zhuo then stood up.
Wang Lan sobbed, "Little Zhuo, in fact, you have wronged your uncle. He didn't embezzle any of your cultivation resources. That was a lie made up by the Young Clan Leader, Ning Xiaoren!"
"What?" Ning Zhuo exclaimed, "Aunt, what do you mean by this?"
Those in the courtyard were baffled.
Wang Lan's following speech gradually made everyone understand the situation.
Wang Lan said, "Everything is the scheme of Ning Xiaoren. Knowing your talent and abilities, he wanted to recruit you, so he deliberately framed your uncle, slandering him for embezzling a large amount of cultivation resources."
"But the truth is, he hasn't given you any resources over the past ten years. He just wanted to alienate you from your uncle, so he could step in and successfully win your favor."
"He wants you to believe that he is the only one in this world who treats you well, to gain your endless gratitude, and make you serve him in the future!"
"What?!" Ning Zhuo was shocked, "Aunt, you must not speak carelessly about this..."
Wang Lan shook her head, her attitude resolute, "This matter is indeed true. We were previously too scared of Ning Xiaoren's power to speak out."
"But this time, he went too far!"
"He used your uncle's life to threaten me, forcing me to use my familial ties to push you into returning to the Renovation Team, obediently accepting all unfair treatments."
"I can't endure this anymore, and neither can your uncle! He contacted me secretly, asking me to do this."
"Because what Ning Xiaoren is doing is pushing both you and our family to the brink."
Everyone, after hearing this, looked at each other in shock.
Ning Zhuo lowered his head, frowning deeply. After thinking for a long time, he slowly raised his head, "Aunt, is everything you said true?"
"Honestly, I am very hesitant right now because I don't know whom to trust!"
Wang Lan, already prepared, gritted her teeth and said, "Ning Xiaoren fabricated false evidence to frame your uncle. I have collected quite a bit, and you should have some of it as well."
"In his haste to alienate you from your uncle, he must have done it quite sloppily, and there are many flaws in that false evidence!"
"One more thing, if Ning Xiaoren had indeed been supporting you over the past ten years, there would definitely be traces of it, absolutely not nothing at all."
"You just need to investigate, and you can prove everything!"
"Alright." Ning Zhuo called out in a low voice, "Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and all my classmates."
"I kindly ask for everyone's help, to thoroughly investigate this matter by tonight!"
His classmates, having benefited greatly, and not being on the battlefield, didn't hesitate and all responded affirmatively.
When Ning Xiaoren framed Ning Ze originally, it had indeed been a rush job, not standing up to such meticulous examination.
As the small flaws connected, the truth gradually became clear to everyone.
"The Young Clan Leader, doing such a thing!"
"He has never been a good person. I remember it was him who withheld my grandfather's pension."
"With him around, our clan could never have a clear system of rewards and punishments. Look at A Zhuo, with his talents and abilities, whom we greatly admire. If someone as talented as he is treated this way, what about the rest of us?"
In an instant, the crowd was agitated.
"It's almost time." Ning Zhuo thought to himself.
He decisively made a request, hoping that everyone would help spread the news, ensuring that as many people as possible knew about it.
"This is intolerable!"
"Does Ning Xiaoren really deserve to sit in the position of Young Clan Leader?"
"I will go to the clan's ancestral hall and demand an explanation!"
Ning Zhuo raised his arm and called out.
The others responded, "Let's go, let's go!"