Song Chuyi still didn’t sleep well that night. She dozed fitfully, dreaming for most of the night. When she woke the next day, her spirits were rather poor. Nanny Xu felt deeply distressed watching her. After much thought, she concluded that Song Chuyi had been frightened by the incident with Song Chumi and began preparing things to call back her soul that evening.
Song Chuyi hooked up the corner of her mouth, wanting to laugh but unable to—she was afraid that instead of calling her soul back, Nanny Xu would end up waking her from this current beautiful dream.
As they were talking, Hong Yu lifted the curtain and entered, saying softly: “Miss, the lamps have already been lit at Old Madam’s quarters.”
Song Chuyi nodded and let Nanny Xu help her put on her cotton jacket. Leading Hong Yu and Qing Tao, she headed toward Ningde Courtyard.
Yulan had been on night duty. When Song Chuyi came out, she happened to run into her. Dark circles ringed Yulan’s eyes and her complexion was somewhat haggard—clearly she hadn’t rested well all night.
Song Chuyi felt somewhat puzzled in her heart. Being a senior maid in Old Madam’s quarters was the easiest position, with matrons helping during night watch. How could Yulan look as if she hadn’t slept at all?
Seeing her, Yulan was very happy. After coming forward to pay her respects, she looked Song Chuyi over carefully and smiled: “I heard Sixth Miss was ill. I worried for quite some time. Seeing you today looking so much better—how wonderful.”
She had taken leave to go home a few days ago and had only returned yesterday.
Song Chuyi smiled and let her look: “It wasn’t any serious illness. I’m completely recovered now. Sister Yulan, why does your complexion look somewhat poor?”
The smile on Yulan’s face faded slightly. She smiled lightly, downplaying it: “Old Madam asked for tea several times during the night.”
Asking for tea several times meant Old Madam had barely slept that night.
As they were speaking, another senior maid named Ziyun had already lifted the curtain and come out, smiling: “Sixth Miss has arrived? Please come in quickly—Old Madam was just mentioning you!”
Only the smile on her face seemed somewhat forced.
Although among the four senior maids by Old Madam’s side, Yushu was the most favored, the other three were also quite capable. Why did they all today have worried expressions they couldn’t hide?
Song Chuyi carefully recalled, and memories suddenly flooded her heart, making her sigh involuntarily. She remembered now—in her previous life, it was around this time that a letter came from Qingzhou saying that Song Linlang’s health seemed to be failing.
Song Linlang was Old Madam Song’s only daughter. When the news arrived, Old Madam Song was ill for quite a while. With great difficulty she recovered and made a fuss about going to Qingzhou to see her daughter, but before she could go, news of the funeral came from Qingzhou…
Old Madam was leaning against the kang, wheezing and gasping for breath. Her eyes were red. Seeing Song Chuyi, she immediately pulled her into her embrace and asked: “Why didn’t you eat before coming over? Although it’s past the Beginning of Spring, it’s still cold. What if you freeze?”
“I wanted to come eat together with Grandmother.” Song Chuyi looked up at Old Madam Song with some doubt and confusion: “Why are Grandmother’s eyes so red? Did someone make you angry?”
Nanny Huang hadn’t slept all night—Old Madam Song’s precious darling was in poor condition, and Old Madam followed suit, worried and distressed. She had consoled her all night and had barely managed to see Old Madam improve somewhat. Now hearing Song Chuyi ask this question, her heart felt uneasy and she quickly waved her hand discreetly at Song Chuyi.
Old Madam Song’s worried expression indeed deepened. She sighed deeply.
Before Old Madam Song could speak, Song Chuyi’s small hands had already grasped Old Madam Song’s hands. She looked at Old Madam and consoled her with genuine sincerity: “Old Madam, please don’t be sad. No matter what, you still have me to keep you company, don’t you?”
The small girl’s feelings of filial devotion were ready to burst forth. Her watery eyes were clear as crystal.
Old Madam Song seemed to see Song Linlang from years ago, still waiting in her boudoir, her eyes bright as she said she would never leave her. Her heart suddenly softened completely. Holding Song Chuyi, she almost couldn’t hold back her tears.
First Madam happened to enter to pay her respects. Seeing this scene, she couldn’t help but be startled.
She knew that Sixth Miss Song had considerable standing before Old Madam, but in recent years, because Song Chuyi had been spoiled to excess, Old Madam Song hadn’t been this intimate with her for quite some time.
Just because she was a bit more sensible yesterday… could it really have such an effect?
Seeing First Madam, Old Madam Song released Song Chuyi.
“What did he say?” Old Madam Song looked at First Madam, her face seemingly holding a few threads of hope.
First Madam hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping. After a long pause, she shook her head with some difficulty: “Master has been very busy lately. The hunt in April will arrive soon, and Master is on the accompanying list as well… It’s not that he doesn’t think about Fourth Sister…”
Old Madam waved her hand, cutting off First Madam’s words, her expression extremely displeased.
“You may go back.” Old Madam Song didn’t even glance at First Madam: “I understand.”
First Madam’s complexion also looked somewhat poor. She knew Old Madam was unhappy in her heart. But she truly couldn’t help with this matter, so she could only mumble her farewell and leave.
Song Chuyi roughly knew what had happened. Her aunt Song Linlang had married Xiang Yunzhang, the Prefect of Qingzhou, eleven years ago. She had only given birth to a daughter in the fourth year after marriage and had no other children since.
Starting two years ago, she’d had no choice but to stop giving contraceptive medicine to the concubines. Last year, a favored concubine of Xiang Yunzhang’s had already given birth to a son.
Meanwhile, Song Linlang’s health deteriorated day by day. Every message that came back was worse than the last.
This time seemed especially serious. Song Chuyi narrowed her eyes and thought carefully—in about three or four months, someone from Qingzhou would come to report her death.
In her previous life, Old Madam Song had asked First Master to go see Song Linlang—actually, it wasn’t simply to visit. Song Linlang had been married into the Xiang family for eleven years but hadn’t given birth to a legitimate son. One could imagine what kind of life she led.
Old Madam Song felt sorry for her daughter and wanted her eldest son to go support her daughter and give her face.
First Master had no time. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to go—he truly had no way to manage it.
But because he couldn’t go, he missed the chance to see his sister one last time. First Master in her previous life had always regretted this. Once, Song Chuyi had even seen him wiping away tears before Old Madam Song—a man nearly fifty years old, crying so very sorrowfully.
Old Madam Song had also suddenly seemed to age ten years, her vitality consumed beyond measure.
Thinking of this, Song Chuyi stood on the arhat bed and raised her hands to massage Old Madam’s temples, her voice soft: “Does Grandmother miss Auntie?”
Old Madam Song sighed heavily. Her little granddaughter’s fingers were soft and tender, with just the right amount of pressure. Her heart felt both comforted and pained. She patted Song Chuyi’s hand without speaking.
“If First Uncle can’t go, can’t Eldest Brother go either?” Song Chuyi widened her eyes looking at Old Madam Song: “Eldest Brother won’t report to the Yulin Guard until after the New Year…”
Old Madam’s eyes lit up—that’s right! Old Master was impossible—after all, he was the father, and there was no precedent for traveling such distances to see a junior. First Master had matters to attend to, Second Master was just rushing home from Cangzhou, Third Master was still at his posting and hadn’t returned. But she still had grandsons!