“What’s happened to Madam? Who made Madam so upset?”

Madam Qi’s complexion was pale. Her philtrum had been pinched purple by some woman, and her entire person looked listless, as if breathing out more than breathing in. That woman felt delighted in her heart. After watching the excitement, she stepped aside to let people carry Madam Qi back to her room.

Only when someone ran out to summon a physician did she pull someone aside to inquire what had happened.

“Song family’s Second Young Miss is gone.”

“I heard she fell ill last winter and kept dragging on without recovering. She passed away just the day before yesterday…”

“Oh my.”

Madam Xu’s wet nurse said, “Just when Song Manor was about to emerge from their mourning period and the two families were to become marriage relations—how could this happen so suddenly?”

“Perhaps Lord Song was fond of this daughter and took her away. Who can say?”

Madam Xu’s wet nurse chimed in agreement. After speaking, she covered her mouth with her handkerchief to hide the smile at the corners of her lips. Madam Qi still didn’t know she had been laughed at by her eldest daughter-in-law. She only felt that her youngest son’s path to heaven had been suddenly severed, and the Qi household no longer had any hope of turning things around.

Thinking of all the preparations she had made for Song Yao to marry into the Qi household, as well as the lavishly purchased new items, she felt excruciating pain in her heart. Qi Su Lun looked at his mother, who seemed about to fall into permanent illness, and spoke to comfort her, “It is fate that this son and the Song family daughter had affinity but no destiny. Mother should not be so heartbroken.”

Though he also felt it quite regrettable that Song Yao had passed away, deep in his heart, Qi Su Lun inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

“Su’er.”

“Your son is here.”

Madam Qi reached out her hand, utterly unwilling to give up, and crawled up from the bed. “Su’er, Mother has a solution—listen to it.”

Qi Su Lun frowned slightly but didn’t dare refuse.

“Su’er, our family cannot lose this marriage connection with Song Manor. But now that Song Yao is dead, we will likely lose our connection with Song Manor.”

“But you also know how much His Majesty values the Empress. Moreover, now that the First Prince is born, given the current Emperor’s temperament, he will surely name him Crown Prince.”

“Song Fu’s future prospects are also limitless. There’s a vacancy in the Central Secretariat—nine out of ten chances it’s being prepared for him.”

“So Su’er, this marriage connection cannot be broken.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Su Lun’s expression darkened. “Mother, stop speaking such nonsense. Song Yao has already passed away—how can this marriage connection not be broken? Could it be Mother wants me to marry her memorial tablet?”

“Bah, bah, bah! How can you say such inauspicious words?”

Madam Qi said, “I am your mother. How could I have you do such a thing? Moreover, even if I agreed, your father would not agree.”

“Mother is unwell and should rest first. Father will decide other matters for your son.”

“Wait a moment.”

Seeing Qi Su Lun about to leave, Madam Qi spoke. “Let me finish speaking.”

“Though Song Yao’s death voids this marriage arrangement, as long as we make the Empress or Song Manor feel they owe you something, our two families’ connection won’t be severed.”

“What does Mother have in mind? You might as well speak plainly.”

Madam Qi said weakly, “Mother is thinking this way: if our household immediately seeks another match after Song Yao’s death, it would truly be heartless. And it would also look improper to Song Manor.”

“Since my son cannot discuss marriage in the short term anyway, why not tell the outside world that you are observing mourning for Song Yao, honoring your husband-wife affection? How about that?”

Upon hearing this, Qi Su Lun’s face turned iron-blue. “Has Mother gone mad? Your son has never seen any man in the world observe mourning for a wife who never crossed his threshold.”

“Precisely because no man in the world does this—if my son does it, it will make you stand out.”

Madam Qi looked confident. “Just spread this word—what harm is there in observing one year of mourning for Song Yao? The household won’t arrange a marriage for you that quickly anyway. If you do this, who in the world won’t praise my son’s deep devotion?”

“Moreover, Song Manor and the Empress will also feel they owe you something and will surely look after you more in the future.”

His fists clenched tightly. Qi Su Lun only felt both angry and stifled. To have him, a dignified seven-foot-tall man, use his deceased betrothed who never crossed his threshold to scheme for his future prospects—even if this truly led to his rise to wealth and glory in the future, how could he ever hold his head up?

“Mother, please stop this nonsense. If you act this way and word spreads, the world will only think that I, Qi Su Lun, am single-mindedly scheming, willing to act as a sycophant to curry favor with the Empress’s clan.”

“With such a reputation, how could I ever establish myself at court?”

After Qi Su Lun finished speaking, he bowed to Madam Qi, turned, and strode away.

“You foolish child.”

Seeing that Qi Su Lun had no intention of listening, Madam Qi clutched her chest and fell back down with a thud.

“Madam need not be anxious. If this old servant may say so, Fifth Young Master’s words also have merit.”

“What merit?”

The two servants beside Madam Qi began arguing. “This servant thinks Madam speaks reasonably.”

“Since Fifth Master cannot discuss marriage for the time being anyway, why not go with the flow and simply say he’s observing mourning for that Miss Song? What’s wrong with that?”

“This servant thinks Madam can spread the word herself. This way, even if Fifth Master is unwilling to acknowledge it, he cannot say publicly that he’s not doing it willingly—wouldn’t that be slapping his own face?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

The woman who had spoken earlier glared severely, thoroughly reprimanding the little maid whose eyes were darting about. However, upon hearing these words, Madam Qi’s eyes lit up, and she kept that maid behind.

“Tell me, do you truly think my words have merit?”

The maid said, “Reporting to Madam, this servant thinks what you said has merit. We need to wait a year anyway—it’s merely taking advantage of the situation to sell a favor to Song Manor. Why not?”

“That’s exactly what I think too.”

Seeing the maid’s charming features, Madam Qi suddenly asked, “What is your name?”

“This servant is called Xue Mei. Originally I was in First Master’s chambers, but First Mistress disliked this servant and sent me to Madam’s outer courtyard.”

Today she had also sought many opportunities to get close to Madam Qi. Thinking of Qi Zheng Lun, Xue Mei’s heart stirred slightly. Madam Qi understood all the thoughts of women in the inner chambers. Seeing Xue Mei’s figure and appearance, she knew Madam Xu had become jealous. She lowered her eyes slightly and thought for a moment, then immediately elevated Xue Mei to concubine status and sent her back to Qi Zheng Lun’s courtyard.

Xue Mei’s words spoke to her heart. The next day, two white lanterns were hung at the main gate of the Qi household. Whenever anyone came to inquire, Madam Qi would emphatically describe Qi Su Lun’s deep feelings for Song Yao.

By the time Qi Su Lun finished his duties and learned of this matter, the capital was already abuzz with the news. When Song Manor learned of this news, each person’s reaction was different. The strongest reaction came not from Song Fu or Song Nian, but rather from the Third Branch mistress, Yang Pianzhi.

Yang Pianzhi had some friendship with Madam Qi in the past, and their temperaments were quite compatible. But in the past, because of Song Manor’s Third Master’s notorious reputation, Yang Pianzhi inevitably felt ashamed and was very unwilling to gather with those other madams.

Now, hearing about Qi Su Lun observing mourning for Song Yao, she actually developed some different thoughts. Setting down the calling cards from several households she had been selecting among without being able to decide, Yang Pianzhi went to Song Zhao’s courtyard.

When she pushed open the door, Song Ni was with Song Zhao embroidering flower patterns. Seeing this, Yang Pianzhi said, “You two sisters pause for a moment. I have something I want to discuss.”