Chen Jia didn’t know what to say.

It was no wonder that Li Liang, who was already in his thirties, had achieved nothing; he always liked to blame others for his misfortunes. Chen Jia silently glanced at Li Liang.

Song Mo, however, was uninterested in hearing about family matters. He directly asked, “Whose child is Yi Gui?”

Li Liang suddenly looked up, his face filled with disbelief as he stared at Song Mo. “Of course, she’s a child of the Song family!” He then appeared to have an epiphany and hurriedly added, “That despicable and shameless little man, Song Yichun, must have told your family that Tiao Niang died, right? Back then, the old Duke personally brought people to give Tiao Niang an abortion pill.

She bled heavily and indeed fainted. But heaven has eyes; the old Duke brought several big men who, upon seeing that Tiao Niang had served that beast, Song Yichun, didn’t dare to look too closely. They checked her breath and, finding none, retreated. My mother tirelessly cared for Tiao Niang for over half a month, feeding her ginseng and bird’s nest as if money were no object, exhausting my maternal grandfather’s dowry to save Tiao Niang’s life.

We feared that if you found out she was still alive, you would immediately sell the ancestral home and falsely claim that my sister had fallen ill. A Taoist priest said that the yang energy in the capital was too strong and that her life was in danger, so we moved her to my uncle’s home in Yuanping for two years before Tiao Niang could finally get out of bed.”

“Who knew your father would come looking again?”

“Poor my sister, who was infatuated with your father, wholeheartedly wanting to serve him, only to be deceived and used.”

As he spoke, he gritted his teeth in anger.

“Your father is truly heartless.”

“The next day, he sent my sister back and then vanished without a trace.”

“Yet my sister became pregnant.”

“The doctor said that since she had previously suffered, she couldn’t have an abortion and had to carry the child.”

“I secretly went to find your father.”

“At first, he avoided me, but when he finally saw me, he only asked how much silver I wanted.”

“I was so furious that I almost slapped your father. I took my sister and mother to move to Shizi Hutong outside the city to ensure my sister could find a midwife when she gave birth.”

“Unexpectedly, when the child was nearly seven months old, your father came looking again. He said your grandfather was ill and not as strong as before. Tiao Niang was carrying a child of the Song family, and your grandfather would surely not be as stubborn as before. He wanted Tiao Niang to return with him, thinking that perhaps your grandfather would allow her to enter the family for the sake of the grandchild.”

“I thought it best to wait until Tiao Niang gave birth. If it was a boy, the Song family would acknowledge Tiao Niang and the child. If it was a girl, what use would the Song family have for a daughter?”

“My mother and Tiao Niang, however, believed it was a good opportunity. Ignoring my objections, Tiao Niang went with your father to the British Duke’s residence. In a fit of anger, I went to my uncle’s house.”

“A few days later, my mother sent someone to inform me that the Song family not only refused to acknowledge Tiao Niang and the child but also drugged Tiao Niang, causing the child to be born prematurely, and Tiao Niang’s life was hanging by a thread.”

“I rushed back to the capital overnight.”

“On the way, I encountered my mother and Tiao Niang escaping from the city.”

“Tiao Niang was on the verge of death, but the child was healthy and lively. Although just born, with the umbilical cord still attached, she was delicate and fair, incredibly beautiful, unlike other newborns who looked wrinkled and like little red monkeys.”

“I immediately took a liking to her.”

“So when my mother insisted on giving the child away, I decided to keep her.”

“I named her ‘Yi Gui,’ hoping she would benefit from the Song family’s status and have a smooth life, eventually marrying into a good family.”

“Tiao Niang was weak and had no milk, so I made rice porridge for Yi Gui every day.”

“Tiao Niang hated Song Yichun and didn’t want to see Yi Gui, so I used the money I saved for ink and paper to hire a wet nurse for Yi Gui.”

“After I got married, Yi Gui stayed with my wife.”

“I treated her like my own daughter. Whatever my children had, she had too; whatever they lacked, she would be prioritized.”

“I raised her with great care until she was in her teens, but who knew that at a critical moment, I would harm her…”

Li Liang covered his face with his uninjured left hand and began to cry again.

Chen Jia couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

He believed everything Li Liang said was true. Otherwise, Yi Gui wouldn’t have hurriedly followed him upon hearing he was acquainted with Li Liang, nor would she have bowed her head for Li Liang just moments ago.

But what good would it do if it were true?

Even if Yi Gui were truly Madam Jiang’s daughter, no matter how much Li Liang had sacrificed for her back then, with Song Mo’s temperament, he wouldn’t let Li Liang off the hook now.

Li Liang would be better off finding a way to ask Yi Gui to plead for him in front of Song Mo. No, Song Mo hated the Li family so much now that the more Yi Gui helped the Li family, the deeper his hatred would grow.

Throughout the journey, Chen Jia’s peripheral vision never left Song Mo. Whenever Song Mo felt uncomfortable, he would reach for Madam Dou’s hand, indicating her importance in his heart.

Rather than seeking Song Mo’s help, Yi Gui would be better off asking Madam Dou.

Moreover, Madam Dou was an outsider and would likely be more level-headed about this matter than Song Mo.

But there were only three people in the room: him, Li Liang, and Song Mo. How could he send a message to Madam Dou?

Chen Jia felt a bit anxious.

Just then, he heard Song Mo say to him, “Go tell Xia Lian to bring Tiao Niang over!”

Chen Jia hurried out to relay the message, and while speaking, he noticed Duan Gongyi nodding toward the side room.

Duan Gongyi understood and nodded in agreement.

Chen Jia sighed in relief, only to hear a loud “thud” from inside the room.

He lifted the curtain and entered the tea room.

Song Mo had somehow moved in front of Li Liang and kicked over the small stool Li Liang was sitting on. Li Liang fell to the ground, unable to move half of his body, curled up like a shrimp, groaning softly.

What had provoked Song Mo this time?

The heir of the British Duke was known for his calm demeanor, but today he seemed genuinely furious, displaying his emotions openly.

As Chen Jia pondered this, he bent down to help Li Liang up.

But Song Mo stepped on Li Liang’s big toe and asked Chen Jia, “I heard that if the big toe is injured, one can never hold a brush again. Is that true?”

Chen Jia was startled.

Li Liang, however, cried out in horror, “What are you doing? Do you have no regard for the law?”

Song Mo smiled faintly, like a gentle spring breeze, and asked Li Liang clearly, “You still haven’t told me, what would be different if it were Song Han?”

Both Li Liang and Chen Jia were stunned.

Song Mo’s foot pressed down harder.

Li Liang let out a miserable scream.

Chen Jia didn’t even need to look to know that Li Liang’s big toe was likely ruined.

Yet Song Mo remained unfazed, stepping on Li Liang’s index finger and asking, “What would be different if it were Song Han?”

Li Liang was sweating profusely from the pain.

Song Mo pressed down again.

Chen Jia heard Li Liang’s scream once more.

He couldn’t help but curse Li Liang in his heart.

Li Liang’s judgment was truly poor; if this continued, he would surely lose his life here.

Chen Jia quickly squatted down to persuade him, “Now that things have come to this, what more can you possibly say? Even if you don’t speak, the heir can still ask your sister, the second master, or even the Duke. But you’re the one who will be ruined. If you don’t think of yourself, at least think of your wife and children…”

He forgot that Song Mo had chosen this moment to deal with Li Liang after he had finished his own business.

In Li Liang’s eyes, none of these people were easy to deal with; compared to them, Chen Jia was somewhat more reasonable. He had helped him out of trouble several times, so upon hearing this, Li Liang’s expression showed some hesitation.

Chen Jia hurriedly said, “You heard just now; the heir’s most capable guard went to fetch your sister. Why must you sit idly by and watch her suffer? The heir has no other intentions; he just wants to clarify the matter regarding Yi Gui. Yi Gui has grown up with you; don’t you want her to recognize her roots and live a good life?”

Li Liang’s gaze dimmed.

He groaned in pain a couple of times before murmuring, “My sister… has never been content since she was young… The British Duke abandoned her, and logically, she shouldn’t give up so easily. Yet these years, she has obediently lived with me… She hasn’t cared much about Yi Gui. When Yi Gui was little, if she didn’t get her way, she would grab a feather duster and beat that child mercilessly. The child often cried for mercy while calling out ‘Mother,’ but she remained unmoved, even my mother, who had always wanted to send the child away, couldn’t bear to see it. Only then did she agree to let the child stay with my wife…”

Chen Jia listened, his face turning pale with fear, and he quickly glanced at Song Mo.

Song Mo stood there with a gentle expression as if he were listening to someone else’s story.

Chen Jia’s heart raced, cursing Li Liang repeatedly.

Even if you have to speak, you should choose your words carefully; this way, aren’t you just asking for trouble?

He wished he could rush forward and cover Li Liang’s mouth.

But Li Liang remained oblivious, continuing in a low voice, “My wife said at the time that she had seen cruel mothers, but never one as heartless as this. She said that although Yi Gui was a premature baby, she was fortunate to have a good foundation; otherwise, after all this torment, she would have been dead long ago… I found it strange at the time; since the Song family knew there was a child lost outside and had taken my sister in to give birth, how could they suddenly abandon both the mother and child? Even if they despised my sister, why would they also abandon the child? Could it be that my sister’s child was something she impulsively brought back from somewhere due to her grief over losing her child?”

“I pressed her for answers, but she said I was overthinking.”

“During those days, she treated Yi Gui much better.”

“I thought perhaps I was just being overly sensitive; she simply didn’t like the child.”

“Five years ago, I caught a cold during a match and had been taking medicine for over half a year without improvement. As I watched our pantry run dry, my mother and wife discussed selling the last ten acres of ancestral land, but she suddenly produced several silver notes, claiming they were her savings.”

“I knew the family’s finances well.”

“In the early years, to care for her health, my mother had spent every last bit of her savings. When she was sent back by the Song family, aside from the clothes on her back, all that was left was a bundle containing two hundred taels of silver for Yi Gui. Over the years, our family faced difficulties; I could only give her five or six taels of silver a year for cosmetics, yet she insisted on the best, wanting new clothes and snacks. How could those two hundred taels not be touched?”

“When I asked her where the silver came from, she stubbornly insisted it was from the Song family.”

“Later, I discovered her annual expenses exceeded my earnings. Not only that, but she also spent lavishly, buying whatever she wanted without a care for the future.”

“I began to suspect she hadn’t completely severed ties with Song Yichun.”