The nannies from the palace arrived very quickly. Song Chuyi lingered and lingered at Old Madam Song’s place, truly unwilling to return and listen to instructions. The truth was that everything she should know, she already knew. What the nannies taught, Old Madam Song had already taught once. As for what made her afraid, no amount of reasoning could persuade her otherwise.

After dawdling for a while, she was ultimately shooed back to Guanju Courtyard by Old Madam Song. The nannies from the palace had been selected by Crown Princess Lu at Empress Lu’s instruction. They all knew this Sixth Miss was favored by the Empress and Crown Princess, and was also a treasured guest in her family, so they all wore smiles.

Qing Ying secretly told Song Chuyi in private, “Miss, you needn’t panic. His Highness has already given them instructions.”

Song Chuyi stared wide-eyed in astonishment—the palace nannies had come to teach what exactly, and what could Zhou Weizhao have instructed them about?

The nannies eventually brought out illustrations of little figures and explained everything to her in extreme detail, one by one, until even an old hand like Song Chuyi was blushing scarlet. Only then did they stop. They then took out from their bundles two joyful Buddha statues of different designs and placed them in her hands. “Originally, Her Highness the Crown Princess also worried that you were young and thin-skinned, and thought to exempt you from these customs, but…” The other nanny suppressed her laughter and looked at her. “But Her Highness also thought that our master is also a blank slate, and feared that you…”

This was something Qing Zhuo had worried about on behalf of his master and had specially requested from the Crown Princess. What were the original words? Something like—after all, he was raised as a Daoist and brought up by Daoists. Other young masters by this age already had a whole crowd of chamber maids and concubines, but Zhou Weizhao had by his side… perhaps only a female cat? What would they do if both were completely in the dark when the time came?

The two nannies didn’t continue speaking. Nanny Xu on the side was so delighted that even her eyes carried laughter. After seeing the nannies off to eat refreshments, she laughingly took Song Chuyi’s hand. “Originally I always worried that His Highness, with his high position and great power, would inevitably have people around him. Though it’s common for men to have three wives and four concubines, His Highness is different from ordinary men—I feared he would need three palaces and six courtyards at minimum, and I worried you would suffer grievances. But now it seems His Highness is the very best kind. Don’t be shy—what the nannies just told you, you must remember it all…” She then instructed her to use pillows for support, to keep her waist soft, and such things, until Song Chuyi’s face finally looked ready to burst into flames.

She had originally thought that having given birth to a child, there was nothing more to fear. But Old Madam Song, the nannies from the palace, and Nanny Xu were each more experienced than the last, speaking of things she had never heard of. She finally realized it was she who was ignorant and inexperienced.

Nanny Xu was so happy she wanted both to cry and laugh. Zhou Weizhao had actually never let a woman come near him, which made her feel even more at ease. In the future, even if Zhou Weizhao had three palaces and six courtyards, the first woman would always be different.

Song Chuyi gripped the joyful Buddha in her hands, only feeling her heart quailing with fear.

In her past life, no one had come to teach her so much. Nanny Xu had been driven away, Grandmother had been utterly disappointed in her, and how could Li Shi care whether she lived or died? Everything now had an unreal quality to her.

She stood up and softly instructed Nanny Xu, “Nanny, I want to go to the ancestral hall.”

The Song family’s ancestral hall would be opened wide on the sixth day of the tenth month. On that day she would likewise go to the ancestral hall to bid farewell to the ancestors and her mother. But that was different. She wanted to speak with her mother first.

She had many worries and reluctances in her heart, as well as indescribable joy and anticipation. She devoutly pressed her palms together and respectfully closed her eyes beneath Lady Cui’s memorial tablet.

Mother, I have fulfilled the promise I made to you.

I will never do foolish things again, never let my younger brother fall into others’ traps as he did before.

May your spirit in heaven rest in peace soon.

According to custom, there were no guests in the afternoon. The chaotic earl’s residence finally had a moment of tranquility. Song Chuyi had just welcomed Cui Hualuan, who would serve as her bed attendant, when someone from Ningde Courtyard came saying that Old Master Song’s place had sent for her.

Because of such a great joyous occasion in the family, Old Master Song had already taken leave from court. But these past few days Song Chuyi hadn’t actually seen him. She heard that something had happened again at the Imperial Mausoleum. The heir of Marquis Guangping dared not make decisions on his own, so the memorial had been submitted to the Grand Secretariat. Chief Minister Chang was ill, and the new cabinet member selection hadn’t yet been finalized, so Old Master Song still had to handle it.

Today he had finally found some leisure and summoned Song Chuyi to give her two tea mountains in Jiangnan as part of her dowry. After a pause, he added, “Something else has happened at the Imperial Mausoleum…”

Song Chuyi immediately pricked up her ears. Ever since Prince Gong had escaped from the Imperial Mausoleum, the mausoleum had been quiet and peaceful. Now suddenly mentioning trouble at the Imperial Mausoleum again, an ominous premonition arose in her heart.

Old Madam Song couldn’t help but furrow her brow. “At this time?”

Just perfectly—only two days before Song Chuyi and Zhou Weizhao’s grand wedding. If any more disturbances arose, it would inevitably lead to unfortunate associations. She couldn’t help but sigh, feeling again how detestable Prince Gong was.

Old Master Song seemed somewhat weary. Rubbing the space between his brows with apparent disgust, he said, “Didn’t several Imperial Guards, regular guards, and imperial physicians die at the hot springs villa? The matter has come to light.”

Old Madam Song was somewhat puzzled. “This was already announced to the world before, saying it was the work of bandits who were Ma Yuantong’s remaining associates… Why bring this up again now?”

Old Master Song snorted coldly, a disgusted sneer appearing on his face. “That villa collapsed.”

Collapsed?! The villas near the Imperial Mausoleum were all prepared for imperial clan members who went to pay respects every year. The quality was certainly excellent, and there had been no natural disasters or anything. How could it collapse for no reason?

Old Madam Song’s complexion turned ugly.

Old Master Song had already spoken. “Because people had died there before, there were Ministry of Works officials and others inside repainting and renovating. When the building collapsed, they were all buried inside. The heir of Marquis Guangping led people to rescue them and dug out a stone tablet from inside. Now the nearby common people all know about this matter. That stone tablet was carried to the local county seat and then handed over to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.”

The more Old Madam Song listened, the more alarmed she became. She hurriedly asked, “What kind of stone tablet?”

Old Master Song’s gaze was heavy and his expression serious. He glanced at Song Chuyi and said with a cold laugh, “A stone tablet carved with four characters. Those four characters are: Heavenly Calamity Lone Star.”

Heavenly Calamity Lone Star!

Old Madam Song finally couldn’t help but cry out, “What stone tablet! How could there be such a coincidence—this is clearly man-made!”

Heavenly Calamity Lone Star! Hadn’t Master Yuanhui used these very four characters to pronounce Song Chuyi’s fate initially? Now suddenly producing a stone tablet with these words in that place—this was clearly aimed at Song Chuyi! Perhaps it wasn’t only Song Chuyi, but aimed at their entire Song family…

At the Imperial Mausoleum, and in that very hot springs villa where Prince Gong’s incident occurred—to say it had nothing to do with Prince Gong, Old Madam Song would never believe it. At this moment, with Prince Gong fleeing everywhere, he still had the energy to arrange such matters. What exactly was he trying to do?!