“When I was the mistress of the Song residence, I couldn’t even grasp household management. Now that Song Fu has become head of the family, what can I do?”

Madam Song looked helplessly at Song Yao, softly coaxing, “Yao’er, just resign yourself to fate. Live well with Qi Sulun—you’ll eventually make a good life.”

“I won’t resign myself! Why should I have to resign myself?”

Song Yao cried, “Song Wan is a widow yet can become mother of the nation. Why should I have to resign myself? Moreover, the Qi family marriage was selected by Mother for your daughter. Does Mother truly have no guilt or unwillingness in her heart?”

“Father clearly said to discuss the marriage again after he returned from the Shu River. Why was Mother so foolish that you couldn’t understand Father’s implied meaning?”

“Second Sister.”

Song Nian spoke up, frowning as she looked at Song Yao.

“What? What are you going to do? Lecture me again, is that it? What gives you the right?”

Song Yao cried until tears soaked her small face, saying hoarsely, “Is it wrong that I don’t want to resign myself, don’t want to marry into the Qi residence? Why should Mother’s mistake be borne by me?”

“What mistake did Mother make? That day when Father asked if you would agree to the marriage, weren’t you the one who said everything was up to Mother to decide?”

“Enough, Nian’er. It’s this mother’s fault. This mother failed to understand your father’s words. Yao’er is right.”

Madam Song rose crying. She pulled Song Nian and pleaded in a low voice, “Nian’er, you take after your father in temperament and have always been clever. Help Yao’er think of a way to break off the engagement with the Qi family.”

Song Yao was right—she too felt regret.

If she had known early on that Song Lan’an’s trip to the Shu River wasn’t to pledge allegiance to Nanqing, how would she have arranged a match with the Qi family for Song Yao?

That Qi Sulun truly wasn’t a good match!

“Nian’er, think of a way to help your second sister.”

Song Nian pressed her lips together and didn’t answer for a long time.

“Right now, her mind is full of how to latch onto Elder Sister who is the Empress. How would she have any thought to care about my affairs?”

“Nian’er, consider it Mother begging you.”

By now, she could see that everything Song Nian had said in the past was true. If she had listened to Song Nian’s words earlier, perhaps Yao’er wouldn’t have fallen to this state.

Madam Song wiped her tears. “Nian’er, Mother begs you—think of a way for Yao’er.”

Song Nian sighed. “What method does Mother think your daughter could have? Your daughter is just an unmarried maiden. Above, I cannot interfere in household management. Below, I cannot leave this Song residence. What method does Mother think your daughter could have?”

“This…”

Looking at Madam Song with her sunken cheeks, dazed eyes, and lips still tinged with grayish-white, Song Nian felt seven or eight parts aggrieved for the first time in her life.

With reddened eyes, she said, “Mother has never considered your daughter. Your daughter is marrying into Duke Yingguo’s residence, yet Mother has me oppose Sister-in-law at every turn. Mother’s whole heart is for Second Sister. Hasn’t Mother thought that if I, an unmarried daughter, ran around the residence stirring up trouble over my legitimate elder sister’s marriage affairs, and word got out, what would happen to your daughter?”

“In the past, you favored Second Sister and Lan’er. Your daughter never harbored resentment. But now seeing that Mother seems to completely disregard your daughter’s life and death, only thinking single-mindedly about how Second Sister will fare in the future.”

“Mother’s favoritism is truly too extreme, which has raised Second Sister into this character of having high ambitions but low ability, aiming high but achieving little.”

“Mother should rest and recuperate more. If there’s nothing else, your daughter won’t disturb you further.”

After Song Nian finished speaking, she turned and walked out.

“Nian’er…”

Madam Song hurriedly rose, suddenly feeling an unease that she would lose Song Nian. She wanted to get down and chase after her but was stopped by Song Yao.

“Your daughter already said her whole heart now is only to curry favor with the Empress. But she should look at what face she has—how would Elder Sister care about her life or death?”

“Mother, please rally yourself quickly. That old woman from the Qi residence talks every day about her daughter-in-law coming from the Song family. Your daughter truly doesn’t want to be associated with the Qi residence.”

“If it won’t work, Mother, please enter the palace to petition Elder Sister. Your daughter can only count on you.”

Song Yao knelt crying before Madam Song, continuously urging her to enter the palace to see Song Wan.

Madam Song had no choice but to agree to have someone send a calling card to Song Wan. If Song Wan would see her, she would speak up and ask.

“Your daughter will fetch brush and ink for Mother.”

Crying, she brought over brush and ink. Madam Song took up the brush and wrote a few characters, having Song Yao send them to the gatehouse.

Song Yao pulled Qiu Shui and hurriedly went to find a woman of the residence, wanting to send out Madam Song’s calling card. Just as they reached the hanging flower gate, they happened to see Nanny Song carrying Ming Xiang’s reply letter to Song Wan, as well as things from the residence to be sent into the palace, walking out.

“Nanny Song.”

“Does Second Miss have business with this old servant?”

“Looking at the format of the things in Nanny’s hands, they’re to be sent into the palace? It happens that Mother has a letter here. Could Nanny trouble yourself to send it into the palace along with the others for Mother?”

“Very well.”

Nanny Song took it and opened it right in front of Song Yao. Seeing this, Song Yao clenched her fists, pressing her lips together tightly in anger and resentment.

Her mother should have been the mistress of the residence, yet now she was constrained everywhere by an old servant. How could anyone be willing?

“Second Miss may return. This old servant will send the card into the palace.”

It only said that Madam Song wanted to enter the palace to see Song Wan. Nanny Song knew that at this moment, Song Wan wouldn’t see her. She did her a favor by placing the card together with Ming Xiang’s reply letter and walked out.

Song Yao watched her back, her heart full of anger and anxiety.

The letter and things sent from the residence didn’t reach Song Wan’s hands but were first delivered before Shen Qianyu.

Since Song Wan became pregnant, Shen Qianyu appeared relaxed but actually strictly supervised the harem. Now as soon as these things entered the palace, he opened and carefully examined them one by one. Only after seeing no danger did he carry them back to Changle Palace.

“Things sent from the Song residence. I just happened to meet a eunuch bringing them here outside, so I brought them over for you.”

Song Wan said, “They should be from Sister-in-law.”

The items were all objects with auspicious meanings—no food or personal items. Song Wan played with them for a while then set them aside, opening two letters.

Ming Xiang wrote some congratulatory words. After reading them, Song Wan smiled and opened the other one.

Shen Qianyu said, “I just looked at it. Madam Song wants to enter the palace to request an audience. Does Wan’er want to see her?”

Though he was asking Song Wan’s opinion, when mentioning Madam Song, his face full of distaste couldn’t be hidden.

Song Wan looked at him with a faint smile. “I won’t see her.”

“I know why she wants to see me—it’s just about Song Yao and the Qi family marriage.”

How could she use the Song family’s reputation that Father had exchanged with his life to satisfy Song Yao’s selfish desires?

“Reply that I currently have no time to attend to her.”

Hearing this, Heng Zhi nodded. Just as she was about to leave, Shen Qianyu suddenly said, “Her jumping around like this is truly vexing you. Let me issue an imperial marriage decree for her to completely solidify this marriage. Then she can die to this idea early.”

Shen Qianyu summoned Ji Rong, having him draft an imperial marriage decree to be sent to the Song residence. After completing this matter, he embraced Song Wan to accompany her to dine.

Since Nanny Song left, Song Yao had been waiting foolishly beneath the hanging flower gate. But she never expected that instead of waiting for an imperial edict summoning Mother into the palace, fulfilling her wish to escape that unsatisfactory marriage, she instead waited for an imperial marriage decree.

After the edict was read, she remained kneeling on the ground for a long time, unable to regain her senses.

Seeing this, Song Fu repeatedly thanked His Majesty’s great grace before putting away the edict.

Ming Xiang looked at Song Yao with her face full of despair, standing in place swaying as if about to collapse, and said coolly, “Congratulations, Second Sister. After the mourning period passes, Sister-in-law will certainly have you marry in grand style.”