Her own Elder sister was a soldier, and although he hadn't achieved any rank, she used to look down on him. But now, for him to help her, it was enough.
Ning Qian's mind finally settled as her Elder sister arrived.
Recalling the embarrassing sight of her Elder sister coming to Gu City for the first time to borrow money from her, she suddenly turned her tears into laughter.
Later, her Elder sister visited twice more, ignored by her brother-in-law, scorned by her younger brother-in-law, and even teased by Li Protector. Thinking about it was quite amusing.
Of course, she didn't lend him money that time.
It's not a bad thing for young people to suffer a bit; she was old and couldn't endure any hardship.
Ning Qian seemed to finally find some warmth in a pair of strong, powerful arms.
After crying for a long time, she finally opened her blurry eyes. Her face was a mess, with stove ash smeared all over it from her tears.
She, who once had some beauty, now looked like a painted-face actor on a stage.
Ning Yue involuntarily turned his face away.
Perhaps he had eaten too much earlier, and now he suddenly felt a bit nauseous.
"Oh! Elder sister, is this... a promotion?!" Ning Qian only then noticed that her Elder sister's clothes today were different from usual.
Yes, it was a promotion after confiscating your family's property.
Ning Yue said nothing, just smiled and nodded.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, not bad, truly not bad," Ning Qian circled her Elder sister, examining him carefully. "I used to hear your dead husband say that wearing a silver robe means you're a Ninth-Rank official. Although your rank is a bit low now, you are at least an official. From now on—"
Her Elder sister, following her old habit, had just started to comment on him when her voice abruptly stopped.
Ning Yue had risen step by step, from a minor official to a Xiaoqi officer, and now to a Ninth-Rank Zongqi, while she...
She was no longer the once glorious Madam Zhang.
Only at this moment did Ning Qian clearly realize that the gap between them seemed to have widened too much.
Their statuses had completely reversed. Just looking at the minor official beside him, he was now swaggering, scolding a few ruffians and scoundrels as if they were his grandsons.
The few people who had been acting arrogantly at home these past few days, seeing the gleaming blade, all cowered and hid, their eyes full of fear, like fattened pigs being slaughtered.
Of course, even when the Zhang family was still intact, one had to be respectful towards an official, let alone now.
However, Ning Qian felt fortunate, thinking: Good thing, the ungrateful little one got promoted, but his initial intentions haven't changed; he still remembers to come and visit her.
At least he still has some conscience.
It's good to have a conscience. With a conscience, her Elder sister couldn't be blamed for manipulating him.
Ning Qian's eyes darted around, and a plan came to mind. She hugged Ning Yue's arm and shook it, saying, "A'Yue, when I was little, I doted on you the most. Now that you're doing well, you can't treat me shabbily."
Ning Yue shook his head firmly, "Of course not."
"Then take me to your residence to settle down first. This place is dilapidated. I haven't slept well these past few days. Look, I have dark circles under my eyes." Her Elder sister smiled broadly, then suddenly frowned and glared, leaning towards Ning Yue.
A sour, unpleasant smell assailed his nostrils, and Ning Yue couldn't help but pinch his nose. "Elder sister, how many days has it been since you bathed?!"
"Ah? Oh, oh." Ning Qian suddenly seemed to realize something, feeling an itch all over, and finally took two steps back, creating some distance.
Tears suddenly streamed down her face. Ning Qian squatted down in a wronged manner, crying and saying, "It's inconvenient to do anything here, and even the house is drafty. A'Yue, I really can't stay here anymore..."
"Oh, oh, oh, what's wrong, Elder sister? Didn't your younger brother come?" Ning Yue quickly helped his Elder sister up.
Ning Qian, at this moment, clutched Ning Yue's arm as if grasping the last straw, asking expectantly, "Then why don't you hurry and take me away? I want to sleep at your place tonight!"
Ning Yue shook his head: "I'm afraid that won't work. To be honest, Elder sister, I'm still sleeping in the military camp right now."
Ning Qian was stunned. Only then did she remember that her Elder sister had just taken office and probably hadn't had time to embezzle money yet. A residence was a big item, so it was normal that he couldn't afford one.
"Then just help me rent a courtyard. Remember to make it spacious, preferably a two-courtyard house, and then find four or five servants, that's enough. No need for too many, too many are noisy." Madam Zhang, after experiencing the dramatic changes in her life, finally understood how to be frugal.
Ning Yue said with difficulty: "I'm afraid that won't work either. To be honest, Elder sister, I've just been promoted, and my salary hasn't increased yet. Before, to save Zhang Er Gongzi, I even spent a lot... So for now—"
Ning Qian grew anxious: "This won't work, that won't work. You ungrateful little thing, are you looking down on me now that your Elder sister is down and out?"
"I don't believe it, you, a dignified Ninth-Rank official, don't have any extra money usually?!" The angry Elder sister thrust her half-black, half-white face in front of Ning Yue, questioning him.
"Ugh!!!" Ning Yue's stomach churned, and he finally couldn't hold it in.
His Elder sister was covered in vomit, stunned for a moment, then finally screamed, and without caring about anything, she scrambled into the woodshed.
Clattering sounds rang out, followed by the somewhat annoying cries of the little niece.
......
"Cough, cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!"
Liu Song was trying hard to suppress his laughter, but when he turned his head, he saw the few people lined up against the wall, already red-faced and red-necked from holding it in. Even Zhang Er Gongzi, who looked like a pile of mud, managed to twitch the corners of his mouth twice.
"Scram! Scram! Scram! All of you, scram!" Liu Song roared, starting to drive them away.
Brother Wang and the others scattered, while Zhang Er Gongzi actually propped himself against the wall and slowly sat up.
He forced a smile and sneered, "Ning Yue, oh Ning Yue, I didn't expect that even though you've become an official, you're still as useless as before. You can't even produce this much silver. What's the point of you getting this promotion?!"
Ning Yue didn't even turn his head, and commanded, "Slap him!"
"Slap!" Liu Song's slap woke Zhang Er Gongzi from his dream.
"Slap!" After two slaps, Zhang Er Gongzi, as if on a rocket, plummeted from the clouds to the ground.
Whether official or commoner, the difference in status between different classes in the Great Yuan Dynasty was fully evident at this moment.
Zhang Er Gongzi frantically covered his face and hid his head in his sackcloth.
His muffled pleading voice came through, "Stop hitting me, stop hitting me, Ning Yue, good younger brother, good Elder sister, you win today, alright?"
Liu Song heard this and hesitated for a moment, looking at his leader, who always 'treated relatives and friends kindly.'
Ning Yue, however, still had his face turned away, his clear facial contours like a sharp paper cutter, separating light and shadow.
"Who told you to stop?!"