Song Chengru sat behind the round-backed chair, his expression calm and inscrutable.

But his inner feelings were completely unlike his outward appearance. He looked at the inkstone and brush stand on his desk, his mind rapidly replaying Song Chuning’s every action and word from the past, before finally shaking his head in disappointment.

He didn’t know if it was Cui Shi’s spirit at work, but both daughters of the Second Branch had actually had this extraordinary fortune of dreaming about the future. Only Song Chuyi, though she learned of the future, maintained proper boundaries with an upright character. She could keep her mouth shut and control herself, never plotting anything crooked. But Song Chuning was completely the opposite. She dared to kill and set fires, and dared to bewitch Song Yi into defying his parents’ wishes and taking her far away to Changsha. This ability to manipulate people’s hearts—even Song Chuyi would have to step back in comparison.

Throughout his life floating and sinking in the sea of officialdom, he had always held firm to his principles, restraining himself for the sake of this family. He never showed any signs of arrogance toward inferiors or subservience toward superiors, never displayed inconsistency between appearance and reality, and never participated in any factional struggles. He single-mindedly served as a close minister to the Emperor, which was why he had stood firm all these years.

But even with such caution, he had nearly been dragged down by Prince Duan. If not for Song Chuyi’s extraordinary fortune, the Earl’s estate would likely have started suffering disasters from the beginning of the year. The Loyal and Righteous General’s estate was a warning from the past.

In the court, he could still deal with things carefully and manage with effort. But in the inner quarters and back courtyard, he couldn’t spare attention, yet who would have known that the struggles in these inner quarters were no less treacherous than the scheming and plotting in court.

First the Earl’s estate had the matter of Fifth Madam Wang Jinsi, then there was Li Shi hiring assassins to kill, and Song Chuning inciting vicious servants to commit arson—any one of these scandals getting out could make those idle censors at the Censorate rub their hands in anticipation.

How many families had been ruined by instability in the inner quarters? Thinking of these matters, Song Chengru’s heart jumped in alarm. Just then he heard a creak as Song Chuyi pushed open the door and entered.

Recently, the court had been in an uproar over the Tongzhou matter. He was in the Cabinet right at the center of the vortex—Elder Chen was making a fuss insisting on investigating thoroughly, while Elder Zhang insisted the Tongzhou matter was merely the dereliction of duty by garrison commander Yuan Hong. Caught in the middle, he had two heads but couldn’t manage it all, with no time to find Song Chuyi for a proper conversation.

Originally, after the Cui family matter last time, he had wanted to talk seriously with Song Chuyi about future plans, but had been delayed by these matters.

“Sit,” Song Chengru indicated the chair to his lower right, getting straight to the point as he looked at Song Chuyi: “Your eldest brother chased outside the city but didn’t find them. Later when he chased to the dock, he learned they had taken the water route.”

If not for Hong Yu revealing the news so quickly, Song Chuning wouldn’t have dragged Song Yi away in such haste.

At this moment, Song Chuyi’s heart was filled with chagrin and resentment at letting the tiger return to the mountain. She couldn’t help but laugh coldly. Her repeated tolerance toward Hong Yu had now become a knife stabbing at herself.

Song Chengru had never seen such an expression on her face before. After pondering for a long while, he finally said: “I’ll send people to Changsha.”

Song Chuning was a calamity. If this calamity couldn’t be properly settled in a family temple to live out her life in peace and simplicity, who knew what she might do that would be detrimental to the Song family? Though Li Shi’s retribution was well-deserved and her sins merited punishment, she was still Song Chuning’s mother after all. Li Shi died under his and Old Madam Song’s pressure…

Song Chuyi’s mood didn’t improve at all because of this statement. Song Chuning’s scheming was deeper than she had imagined—Song Yi actually obeyed her every word. Under these circumstances, even if Song Chengru sent people to Changsha, it would probably be futile.

“Forget it, Grandfather. Seeing how Father could leave without saying goodbye for her sake, even if you sent Uncle, it probably wouldn’t help.” Song Chuyi shook her head with a bitter smile: “This is all because I underestimated the enemy too much.”

Song Chengru felt this was also an understandable matter. Who could have predicted that Song Chuning would also have such fortune, and possess such a vicious heart and intelligence far beyond ordinary people?

But to do nothing at all—he truly couldn’t rest easy. He couldn’t let the Song family bear such risks.

“You can be a thief for a thousand days, but you can’t guard against thieves for a thousand days. This matter really can’t be blamed on you. However…” Song Chengru changed his tone: “The people under your command really need to be thoroughly reorganized. I don’t need to explain the reasoning—you understand it yourself. This time, if not for Hong Yu at your side…”

She was still too softhearted and merciful, Song Chengru thought, though his expression softened somewhat—someone kind-hearted with attachments was always better than a venomous snake without any feelings.

Song Chuyi nodded solemnly. She had indeed been too indulgent with Hong Yu. If she hadn’t always wanted to give Hong Yu a chance, if she hadn’t always been unguarded toward her for the sake of their previous life, today’s events would never have happened.

Seeing that it was getting late, Song Chengru had no intention of saying more. Today’s events had truly rung alarm bells for him. His determination to reorganize the inner quarters had never been so firm and urgent.

Song Chuyi first accompanied Song Chengru to Ningde Courtyard to check on Old Madam Song. Seeing the Old Madam still hadn’t awakened, she returned to her own side hall. Song Yan was already waiting. Upon seeing her, he quickly ran to her side, grasping her hand somewhat nervously: “Sister, do you also know that Father he…”

Song Chuyi patted his head, knowing this little fellow was probably suppressing his own grievances and resentment to comfort her, and smiled to reassure him: “Yes, I heard.”

Song Yan’s face immediately fell, his expression full of worry as he squeezed Song Chuyi’s hand.

Just at this moment, Hong Yu suddenly emerged from somewhere and abruptly stopped in front of Song Chuyi and Song Yan. She stared wide-eyed with a look of righteous indignation, pointing at Song Chuyi somewhat incredulously: “I already said those things weren’t what Eighth Miss asked me about—I said them all willingly. Why do you insist on forcing her away?!”

Song Chuyi instinctively pulled Song Yan behind her, feeling both incredulous and finding it utterly ridiculous. She looked coldly at Hong Yu one last time.

Then she saw Nanny Xu and several other steward nannies who had followed. Stepping past Hong Yu, she nodded to them: “Take her away.”

Someone like this—Song Chuyi truly didn’t want to look at her a second time.

Hong Yu had already become somewhat hysterical. Even though restrained by several sturdy women at Nanny Xu’s side, she still stared wide-eyed, struggling and turning her head to look at Song Chuyi.

She didn’t understand why, when the chief culprit Li Shi was already dead, Song Chuyi still insisted on moving against a powerless child. Nor did she understand why the young miss she had desperately protected before had become like this now.

Her patience had reached its limit. The pent-up frustration of recent days all surged to her heart. Song Chuyi finally exploded in rage: “Shut up!”