Hearing this, Su Siyuan grabbed Su Yunmo and bolted. Before they could reach the main gate, they saw a large group of people, about fifty in number, swarming towards them, all looking fierce and carrying clubs.
Xie Hongfei’s scalp tingled. "They need fifty people to catch three kids? How shameless!"
Su Siyuan gritted his teeth and stood in front of Su Yunmo, ready to face death. "Mo Mo, run! Third Brother will hold them off!"
Su Yunmo saw his legs trembling.
*Good heavens, don't you dare wet yourself. There are no spare pants for you here.*
"Mo Mo." A clear female voice descended from above.
The fifty-odd burly men parted to make way, and Zhou Wanyou approached gracefully.
"Mother?" Su Yunmo blinked in surprise, her thought of using her powers vanishing instantly. She then ran towards her with her short legs.
"My goodness." Su Siyuan's legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
Xie Hongfei also wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, thinking they would have to perish together with the siblings today.
Zhou Wanyou caught the charging Su Yunmo, lifting her high in the air. "I haven't seen you for so many days, I missed you so much. Come, give me a kiss."
Su Yunmo planted a big kiss on her cheek, hugging her neck and nuzzling. "Why did Mother come?"
Zhou Wanyou pinched her soft cheek and chuckled. "Mother came to help you deal with the rats."
"Get out of the way, all of you!" Su Xingzhe, accompanied by five constables, strode in from outside, exuding an imposing aura.
By this time, the commotion had attracted all the students, young and old, from the academy, forming a sea of people that obscured the fifty burly men.
Zhou Wanyou, holding her child, stood at the forefront, drawing everyone's attention.
Su Xingzhe’s gaze swept over Zhou Wanyou as he saw the mother and child. He paused briefly, then let out a disdainful scoff.
"Fourth Aunt is here too, that makes things even easier. This brat you picked up stole something and doesn't know the rules. She'll come with me."
Su Siyuan and Xie Hongfei, the two children, ran over and stood on either side of Zhou Wanyou.
Su Siyuan pointed at Su Xingzhe. "Mo Mo didn't steal anything. It was Su Yinyin who wanted to harm her. Truly no upbringing!"
Su Xingzhe’s face immediately darkened. "When adults are speaking, what is a child doing interrupting?"
He looked at Zhou Wanyou, his tone devoid of any respect for an elder. "If Fourth Aunt doesn't hand her over, then I'll have to take her by force."
Zhou Wanyou stroked Su Yunmo's hair and glanced at him. "Your mother's affairs are our generation's business. I don't want your generation to hold grudges."
It's better for family members to be harmonious.
Su Xingzhe sneered, thinking that no matter how capable she was said to be outside, she was just a woman. Seeing this scene, she was probably too scared to talk back. "I'm not afraid of harming harmony."
Zhou Wanyou sighed. Since that was the case, there was no other way.
She waved her hand behind her.
In an instant, the fifty burly men surged forward, surrounding Su Xingzhe and his six men. They were stunned.
"Beat them until they dare not appear before Mo Mo."
With Zhou Wanyou's command, the fifty men raised their clubs and struck at the six men.
Before Su Xingzhe could react, he was struck on the back and fell to the ground, immediately crying out in pain.
"Stop, stop! We are officials of the court, how dare you... Ah!"
"Fourth Aunt, Fourth Aunt, we are all family, stop hitting!"
Zhou Wanyou casually found a clean spot to sit, placed Su Yunmo on her lap, and played with her face. "It's alright, I'm not afraid of harming harmony."
The screams intensified.
Su Siyuan also secretly squeezed in and kicked Su Xingzhe twice, then came out happily, spotting Su Sizhuo watching from not far away.
"Big Brother," Su Siyuan called out loudly.
Su Yunmo also turned her head upon hearing the noise and then showed a slight surprise.
The boy around ten years old in the crowd was the one who had helped her when she was dealing with the groundskeeper that day.
Su Sizhuo walked over and pinched Su Yunmo's face, seemingly with a hint of petulance. "Call me Brother."
She hadn't called him that last time, and children shouldn't be so ill-mannered.
Su Yunmo raised her eyebrows and called him this time willingly, "Big Brother~"
Su Sizhuo's tense face finally relaxed. He was satisfied and went to class. As he passed Su Siyuan, he reprimanded him with some displeasure.
"Didn't I tell you? Children shouldn't interfere in adult matters; adults should handle them."
After saying that, he walked away, his merit hidden.
Su Siyuan and Xie Hongfei exchanged glances, their minds suddenly enlightened.
*Big Brother is mighty!*
Su Xingzhe and the others were beaten unconscious and dragged out, then thrown at the entrance as a warning.
Zhou Wanyou glanced at the time. It was almost time for class, so she put Su Yunmo down from her lap. "Go to class, or you'll be punished by the tutor again."
Su Yunmo was slightly taken aback. So, she knew everything.
"Okay~"
It felt good to have a backer.
After coaxing the children to class, Zhou Wanyou didn't leave immediately. Instead, she led the fifty burly men to guard the school entrance.
They didn't cause trouble. Instead, they respectfully bowed to every student entering or leaving the school, a greeting only used among students.
Everyone felt that they didn't seem as fierce as they had appeared earlier, but they certainly wouldn't overlook their strength because of it.
When Su Yunmo went to eat lunch, Zhou Wanyou was still there. She only waved from a distance and didn't come over, strictly adhering to the academy's rules.
She knew Zhou Wanyou was helping her establish her authority, preventing such incidents from happening again. She felt a warmth in her heart.
After guarding for the entire day, no one in the academy dared to show contempt towards Su Yunmo anymore.
The next afternoon, there were no classes, and it was the day she had arranged to visit Zhao Xiaoxiao's home.
Zhao Xiaoxiao was a bit more timid than most children, but after interacting with her more, Su Yunmo found her easy to get along with, mainly because she was easily pleased.
Su Yunmo taught her a simple magic trick she had seen on the roadside a long time ago, which was enough to impress her for a long time.
"Your mansion is so big. Do you ever get lost when you play here?" Su Yunmo observed her surroundings as soon as she entered the Zhao residence.
Zhao Xiaoxiao led her around a large loop, introducing her to various buildings. "No, I don't go everywhere. Just there."
Zhao Xiaoxiao pointed to a pavilion. "That's Father's study. He doesn't let anyone go near it."
"Is that so?" Su Yunmo silently memorized these locations.
"Wait here for a moment. I haven't told Mother you're here yet. Let me go tell her." Zhao Xiaoxiao led her to a courtyard.
Su Yunmo nodded. "Go ahead."
Zhao Xiaoxiao skipped happily into the courtyard.
As soon as Su Yunmo couldn't see her, she turned and headed towards the study.
Time was tight, and she needed to hurry.
Lord Zhao was not present today, and there was no one guarding the study. Su Yunmo easily picked the lock and entered.
On the desk were documents submitted by subordinates, most of which were useless.
There was a painting on the wall, and behind it was a secret compartment. Such mechanisms were child's play for Su Yunmo.
She opened the secret compartment and took out a letter. It was sent by Ye Jingcheng's men and bore the seal of the Cheng Prince's Estate.
Su Yunmo quickly scanned it and tucked it into her sleeve.
"Hurry up! If you get discovered, the eldest young lady will not spare you!" There was movement outside by the wall.
Su Yunmo quickly hid behind the window and looked out through the crack.
Two servants were carrying a sack. There was a human-like shape inside the sack, and it was moving.