“It’s nothing much,” Song Mo said calmly. “I was just thinking, if I were to kill Song Han and claim it was because the Li family affair came to light, that Song Han panicked and tried to have me killed, that Father rushed over to stop him upon hearing the news but was accidentally injured by Song Han, and that I, in a fit of rage, killed the deranged Song Han… What do you think, Father? Would that explanation suffice?”
Song Yichun bared his teeth in anger: “You wouldn’t dare!”
“What wouldn’t I dare to do?” Song Mo laughed. “Or perhaps you’re planning to adopt Song Qin or Song Duo? If that’s what you have in mind, I’m sure Uncle, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle would all be delighted. However, you might have other plans. After all, you’re still in your prime. If you remarry, you’ll naturally have more legitimate sons. You might not need to adopt Song Qin or Song Duo. It’s just a pity that I’m the vengeful type. Even if I die, I’ll make sure to drag someone down with me. I’d have no choice but to expose the Li family affair from back then. What happens after that, well, who can say?”
Song Yichun glared furiously but dared not respond to Song Mo’s words.
Song Han stared at Song Yichun, his face full of shock.
Song Mo was right.
Song Yichun wasn’t even forty years old yet. If he remarried, he would naturally have more legitimate sons.
The reason he only had Song Mo and himself as sons now was simply because Song Mo was pressuring him, preventing him from remarrying.
Once Song Mo’s pressure was gone, would his father still care about a son like himself who was never favored?
How foolish he had been, blinded by the title of the second young master of Duke Ying’s mansion, thinking that without Song Mo, certain things would naturally fall to him.
It was all just wishful thinking!
He suddenly recalled the words of the imperial censor who had impeached his maternal uncle, the Duke of Dingguo.
“Nurturing the enemy to justify one’s importance!”
If Song Mo grew more powerful, and the rift between him and Father became harder to reconcile… wouldn’t Father become more and more dependent on himself?
Song Han’s eyes sparkled as if he had seen a glimmer of light amid dark clouds.
Song Mo, however, curled his lip, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.
If he wanted to kill someone, why would he waste so much time talking?
Now that he had said so much, if Song Han was still too stupid to have any awareness, then he truly deserved to die!
Song Mo’s gaze turned cold as he addressed Song Yichun: “Father, this is after all our family matter. Why make it known to everyone? I think it’s best to dismiss these guards. After all, Duke Ying’s mansion has already been robbed twice in the span of three or four years. If we were to be robbed a third time, the Shuntian Prefecture and the Five Cities Command of the capital would become mere decorations, and it wouldn’t look good for the Emperor either. Don’t you agree?”
Song Yichun’s mouth twitched in anger.
Who was responsible for the two robberies at the Duke Ying’s mansion?
He dared to bring this up!
And he was even using it to threaten him.
But Song Yichun had no choice but to nod.
He couldn’t carry out another major purge like he did three or four years ago. Some things could be done once but not twice. If taken too far, it would attract unwanted attention. Moreover, today Song Mo had come prepared while he was caught off guard. Insisting further would only make things worse for him.
He nodded slightly to Guard Chang.
Guard Chang and the others, along with Lu Ming and his men, sheathed their swords one after another.
Song Mo then smiled and said, “Father, please wait outside with the guards for a moment. I have some words to say to Song Han in private.”
Song Yichun was stunned and then became furious. He said, “What are you up to now? If you have something to say, say it to me directly. There’s no need to trouble your brother!”
Song Mo sneered, “Very well, then let me ask you this: Did Li Yiaoniang ever come looking for Song Han?”
Li Yiaoniang? How dare he mention that woman in front of so many guards?
Song Yichun trembled with anger, but looking at the room full of guards, he could only nod with a grim face. He shot a warning glance at Song Han, then turned and led his men out of the inner chamber.
Song Mo released Song Han and sat down in the nearby armchair.
Looking down at Song Han, his eyes revealed a hint of mockery: “Song Han, you can choose to tell me now, or you can choose to tell me later in front of Father. However, in front of Father, I won’t be so easy to talk to. I might have to call Lu Ming in to teach you some manners first…”
Song Han knew that Song Mo meant what he said and wasn’t just trying to scare him. His heart suddenly felt cold, and he couldn’t help but shiver.
He slowly sat up, his eyes brimming with tears as he lowered his head and mumbled, “I… I overheard Mother telling Father: ‘I never thought you would sincerely help the Jiang family. I misunderstood you before. Since you still care for Li Yiaoniang and even have a daughter with her, I’m not a petty person. Choose a good day and bring Li Yiaoniang and her daughter into the mansion. If I remember correctly, Li Yiaoniang’s daughter is the same age as Tian’en. Girls mature earlier, and she’s almost at the age of marriage. Bringing her into the family will make it easier to arrange a marriage.'”
Song Mo was stunned.
He had many guesses, but he never imagined that this was how things had unfolded.
Song Han didn’t notice and continued, carefully choosing his words, fearing that Song Mo wouldn’t believe him: “I was very confused, so I went to ask Nanny Xie. Nanny Xie sighed and didn’t tell me anything, only saying that I would know when the time came.”
“But I still learned from Mother and Nanny Xie’s words that Father had kept a mistress outside in his early years. Although they had cut ties over the years, a daughter remained.”
“I was very curious and wanted to see what this little girl looked like, so I found a way to inquire about Li Yiaoniang’s whereabouts…” He stopped abruptly at this point, lowering his head even further.
Song Mo sneered, “Even I had to go to great lengths to find out where Li Yiaoniang lived. How did you manage to find out? I suspect it wasn’t you who found Li Yiaoniang’s residence, but Li Yiaoniang who found you, right? When did you learn that Li Yiaoniang was your birth mother? When you were eight? Nine? Or was it when you were ten and clamoring to be better than me?”
“No, no!” Song Han shook his head frantically, his expression panicked. “I didn’t know before. I accidentally overheard the address when Nanny Xie mentioned it to Mother and remembered it… When I saw Yi Gui, my mind went blank. I was completely stunned. As I was running out, Li Yiaoniang discovered me. She approached me, claiming to be my birth mother, saying she was struggling financially and asking me for money… I didn’t want a mother like her at all, fickle and unfaithful… But I didn’t dare refuse her… She said if I didn’t give her money, she would go see Mother…”
“So you killed her!” Song Mo raised an eyebrow nonchalantly.
“It wasn’t me!” Song Han said anxiously. “She was blackmailing me. I had no choice, so I told Father. Father said he would handle it and told me to act as if I knew nothing.”
“Whether it was you or not makes no difference to me,” Song Mo smiled. “However, I think if Li Yiaoniang knew she was killed by her son, her expression must have been quite interesting, and her feelings quite complex.” He then asked Song Han with interest, “Were you there when she died? Though, given your cowardice, I’m sure you weren’t present. Fortunately, there was Li Dasheng. When she saw Li Dasheng, she must have understood who wanted her dead. Poor woman, she couldn’t escape. If she had, seeking revenge on her son would have been quite an interesting affair.”
Song Han stared at Song Mo with wide eyes, as if looking at a monster, both frightened and panicked.
Song Mo looked at him with contempt.
To think that such a person dared to kill but not to admit it, and still wanted to compete with him?
“Stop trying to shirk responsibility, and stop spouting nonsense in front of me,” he exposed Song Han’s little scheme. “Who do you think Nanny Xie is? How could she possibly discuss such matters with Mother in front of you? Li Yiaoniang must have found you before the incident. You didn’t believe her at first, but Li Yiaoniang showed you A’yan, who looks exactly like Mother, so you became scared. Not only did you frequently give her money, but you also acted cute in front of Mother, fearing she would discover you weren’t her biological son and come to despise you…
That’s why you insisted on marrying the Jiang family’s daughter, especially Cousin Xiu. You were calculating that even if the truth came out, although you might not be the Jiang family’s direct grandson, you would be their son-in-law. Neither the Jiang family nor I could stand by and watch Cousin Xiu become a widow… There’s no need to argue with me. I don’t want to say much about the past. You just need to tell me what Father said to Mother before she died!”
“I don’t know!” Song Han swore, “If I know but don’t tell Big Brother, may heaven strike me down with lightning and may I die a horrible death!”
But Song Mo didn’t continue to question him as Song Han had expected. Instead, he suddenly asked, “Then when you served Mother the medicinal soup, did you know there was poison in it?”
Song Han was speechless for a few moments.
“I didn’t know at first,” he said hurriedly. “When I found out and wanted to tell Mother, Father and Mother were already arguing, and Mother had started coughing up blood…”
Song Mo laughed, “Ha! Indeed, those not born of the same mother find it hard to be of one mind! Why did you need to tell Mother in person? Someone as astute as Nanny Xie would naturally investigate if you just mentioned that Mother’s ink orchid had died. Yet you tell me you had no chance to inform Mother… Truly, dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and rats’ offspring know how to dig holes. While Mother was alive, she treated you like a precious treasure, yet you contentedly served her poisoned soup! No wonder you kept cats in your room and had them taste your food first. Having committed such a sin, you feared the retribution would fall on your head. You’re just as selfish as your birth mother!”
Song Han had always been ashamed of Li Yiaoniang.
He dreamed of being born to Madam Jiang, dreamed of being the genuine second young master of Duke Ying’s mansion, with no connection to that cheap woman who sold her charms.
Song Mo’s words struck right at his sore spot.
His face turned pale with pain.
Song Mo, however, felt that even looking at him for another moment would sully his eyes.
He stood up and strode out of the study.
Outside, Song Yichun was anxiously pacing in the courtyard, while Lu Ming, Guard Chang, and the others stood divided on the east and west sides of the courtyard.
Song Mo stopped under the veranda.
He surveyed the lush grapevine laden with green fruit, his gaze deep and thoughtful.