The Princess Consort of Zhennan and Duke Yingguo’s Princess Consort’s ardent attention these past few days, the Su family’s eldest matriarch’s suddenly emboldened behavior, Chen Xiang’s inexplicable close surveillance—it all turned out to be for this.
With the current court situation at a stalemate, these letters personally written by Xing Fu had become critically important evidence. The Princess Consort of Zhennan’s purpose differed from Xing Fu’s—if Ye Jingchuan and Yuan Hong lacked these letters, they would ultimately be unable to escape culpability. Yuan Hong need not be mentioned; he had only a dead end. Even Ye Jingchuan’s life would likely be difficult to preserve.
Chen Xiang naturally came for Xing Fu’s sake, wanting to seize and destroy these letters so that Xing Fu could rest easy.
But why exactly was Duke Yingguo’s Princess Consort He Shi involved in this matter? Song Chuyi lowered her head in careful thought, suddenly recalling the relationship between Shen Xiaohai and Prince Duan in her past life.
Sanniang curtsied steadily to Song Chuyi once more, her words earnest: “Sixth Miss, it’s not that we harbor ill intentions. It’s truly that this matter is of great importance. Our old matriarch thought these things might never be needed in this lifetime.”
Yet unexpectedly, the Tartar troops had actually invaded Tongzhou, making it known throughout the realm, indirectly causing multiple parties to focus their attention on these secret letters that should have remained unknown.
“Now, I’m afraid the Chen family wouldn’t dare receive our miss anymore.” Sanniang choked up, pausing before struggling to continue: “Since Old Madam entrusted our miss to Old Madam Song, we should rightfully give these letters to her.”
Song Chuyi couldn’t help but want to laugh. Having spent so many years by Old Madam Su’s side, Sanniang had apparently learned quite a bit. This hot potato would likely burn anyone’s hands. Knowing she couldn’t keep it any longer, she simply brought it out, using it to secure a future for her miss.
Song Chuyi raised her hand to stop her, looking at her with unhidden frankness: “I’m afraid I cannot make this decision. You know how important these things are. Now I fear they’re not a talisman for staying alive, but a death warrant.”
Sanniang finally became completely convinced of Song Chuyi’s calm wisdom, while simultaneously feeling unavoidably guilty and afraid. If Old Master Song and Old Madam Song were unwilling to take these things and expelled her miss—then they truly would have only a dead end. Thinking this, she couldn’t help but anxiously try to persuade Song Chuyi to accept these secret letters, speaking with slight urgency: “Sixth Miss! These things remaining with me are probably unsafe. Old Master and Old Madam have seen much and have greater judgment than us. You should still—”
Song Chuyi had already stepped toward the center of the courtyard. Frowning, she interrupted Sanniang: “Right now you’re in the Earl’s household. It’s not so easy for others to take your things. Let me first report to Old Master and Old Madam, then I’ll tell you the decision.”
Seeing Sanniang’s face suddenly turn pale, she sighed: “As for your miss, since Old Madam promised, there’s no reason to go back on her word.”
Seeing Luyi and Hong Yu rush out, she nodded to Sanniang and turned to leave the courtyard.
But the moment she reached Ningde Courtyard, she saw Yushu, Yulan, and the others sitting anxiously at the entrance. Even Nanny Huang sat motionless in the covered corridor.
She was somewhat surprised. Old Madam Song’s room required no one’s service at this moment?
She remembered that Song Chuning had seemed to be coming to Ningde Courtyard just now, and suddenly felt an ominous premonition.
In just this moment of distraction, her hand was suddenly grasped. Looking back, she saw Song Yan standing on tiptoe, telling her in a tone that was far from pleasant: “Elder sister, father has returned.”
Song Yi! No wonder even Nanny Huang had been driven out.
She knew that going in now would only make everyone awkward. After thinking, she shook Song Yan’s hand and smiled: “If that’s the case, then let Ayan dine with elder sister in the covered porch?”
In contrast to the siblings’ indifference, Song Yi was so agitated his face flushed red, veins bulging on the back of his hands. His hands pressed on the table, he shouted at Old Madam Song almost hysterically: “Mother, what are you saying?! What do you mean Li Shi’s nature was fundamentally evil?! She couldn’t possibly be that kind of person! Impossible!”
If Li Shi truly was as Old Madam Song described—not only had she deliberately let Cui Shi discover their affair, but she had also bribed the midwife to cause Cui Shi’s difficult labor and death, and even hired assassins to kill Song Chuyi—then what did that make him?! An accomplice in harming Cui Shi? An enabler in harming his daughter?!
He was even more agitated than the late Old Madam Li had been, his eyes filled with red veins from traveling day and night without rest, staring tightly at Old Madam Song, repeating again and again: “This is impossible!”
He wanted to say the Cui family was framing her, but thinking of the Cui family’s impeccable integrity these past years, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to blame them against his conscience.
Facing Old Madam Song’s tightly pressed lips and increasingly disappointed gaze, he finally spoke recklessly: “It’s Xiaoyi—Xiaoyi must have been dissatisfied with her mother for a long time, so her ideas grew bold. She must have heard some rumors, which made her hate us—”
The events of those years were like a massive stone pressing on his heart, almost constantly suffocating him. He was terrified—terrified that his daughter and son would learn the truth, terrified that his image as a loving father in his children’s hearts would instantly collapse. But no matter how carefully he guarded against it, this day had ultimately come, and come so quickly.
Had Li Shi killed Cui Shi? Even that entrapment at Qingliang Temple had been designed by Li Shi from the start? He suddenly felt his hands lose the strength to support his body and fell back into the chair.
Old Madam Song could no longer suppress her fury. Her chest heaved violently with anger, nearly causing her to spit blood—Song Yi hadn’t been summoned back by them!
Precisely because they knew his temperament, she had specifically instructed Old Master Song to have Song Jue go out and tell Song Yi everything from beginning to end when the time came, then wait another year or so, or simply wait until his term of office was complete before returning to the capital. By then, Song Yi would likely have adjusted his mindset, and the knot in Song Chuyi and Song Yan’s hearts would be somewhat smaller.
Yet Song Yi had learned of this matter ahead of time, and to cover his shame actually pushed everything onto his daughter! She couldn’t help but stand up and fiercely slap him across the face, rebuking: “What are you saying?! Do you know your daughter nearly died in Tongzhou?! To ease your conscience you actually blame her—Second son, has everything your parents taught you been taught in vain?!”
A clear five-finger mark appeared on Song Yi’s fair skin. He covered his face and looked at his mother, suddenly feeling like laughing, and then indeed began to laugh uncontrollably and without restraint.