After the Dog Days of summer, the osmanthus fragrance gradually wafted through the residence. The pervasive floral scent drilled into people’s noses with the wind, as if even the air carried a sweet taste.

Young maids had already gathered in small groups of two or three in the Second Branch’s Qingyi Garden to pick osmanthus flowers—some to make osmanthus cakes, others to save for making hair oil. Their cheerful voices and laughter were constant.

First Madam hurried through the osmanthus grove, leading people into her room. Unprecedentedly, she lost her temper at the maids. “I suppose because I’ve always been good-natured, you’ve all been indulged into having no rules! Today, those who abandoned their posts to pick osmanthus flowers—all of you are fined half a month’s wages!”

She had always been tolerant and kind to servants, never losing her temper like this. For a moment, the people in the room looked at each other in bewilderment, unable to make heads or tails of it. Each lowered their heads, not daring to raise them.

Jin Ling secretly glanced toward Nanny Jin, only to see both Nanny Jin and Nanny Zou hurriedly waving and shaking their heads.

Once First Madam took her seat, Jin Huan quickly brought tea and carefully smiled apologetically. “Madam has worked hard all the way. Although autumn has arrived, there’s still the autumn tiger. Shall I have the little maids bring up an iced dessert?”

First Madam pushed it away with slight impatience and directed Nanny Jin, “Go to the Old Madam’s quarters and check. Ask Yushu if the Old Madam’s anger has subsided somewhat.”

Nanny Jin acknowledged and hurried out to Ningde Courtyard to find Yushu.

Seeing First Madam willing to speak, Nanny Zou’s heart relaxed. She stepped forward and gestured with her mouth toward Jin Huan, then gently and carefully massaged First Madam’s temples herself. “What happened? How did the Old Madam get so angry for no reason? This has never happened before.”

Old Madam Song wasn’t a势利person, much less a difficult mother-in-law to get along with. When First Madam née Li married in, her family background wasn’t considered good—matching with the Earl of Changning’s residence was definitely reaching far above her station. Yet after marrying in, Old Madam Song had never made an issue of this, much less used it to trip up First Madam. Even when Second Madam née Cui from a prominent family married in later, Old Madam Song had never shown favoritism or distinguished between the two daughters-in-law.

Over all these years, this was probably the first time Old Madam Song had given First Madam a hard time.

Bringing up this matter made First Madam’s heart even more agitated. She sighed, feeling stifled and vexed, closing her eyes not knowing what to do.

Today Old Madam Song had flown into a great rage. She had only offered a few words of persuasion, yet was actually rebuked by the Old Madam several times—this was the first time in nearly thirty years since she’d married into the Song family. She truly felt she’d lost all face accumulated over half a lifetime.

Someone outside was looking for them. Jin Ling went out once and came back in, reporting to First Madam in a low voice, “The Eldest Young Madam’s side sent someone to ask if we’re setting out the meal.”

Though First Madam’s heart was vexed, she still cared about her grandson. Hearing this, she quickly softened her expression and instructed, “Go out and tell her there’s no need to come eat today. The weather is hot—don’t move about casually, lest you catch heatstroke.”

Seeing First Madam’s expression ease, Jin Ling nodded as if granted amnesty and turned to leave with light steps.

Nanny Zou immediately followed up with persuasion. “You shouldn’t be too anxious and upset either. The Old Madam was probably just agitated for the moment. After all, some matters children don’t understand, but we must know the stakes. If we truly act according to our Eldest Miss’s wishes, then Sixth Miss’s situation would become precarious. The Old Madam values Sixth Miss highly after all, treasures her like the apple of her eye. It’s natural she couldn’t get past it for a while.”

“I also know Little Sixth is lovable and endearing, and know Little Sixth has become capable recently. Both the Old Master and Old Madam protect and favor her.” First Madam’s tone was dejected. “But so what? She’s ultimately just a little girl. Her Ladyship in the palace has difficulty at every step. In the end, isn’t it because the Empress Dowager resents our family for what happened to the Wang clan…”

Having said this sentence, First Madam fell silent. After stopping for a while, she sighed again. “Though it was the Wang clan who first acted wrongly in this matter, ultimately it was Little Sixth who made it public. If not for Little Sixth bringing it to light, the Old Master and Old Madam wouldn’t have dealt such a harsh blow to the Wang clan. Now what has Her Ladyship become in the palace? Can’t she even speak a truthful word to the Empress Dowager?!”

There was one sentence First Madam held back from saying—besides, so what if it wasn’t Song Chuyi’s fault? A consort lady in the palace versus a nine-year-old girl—anyone would know how to choose.

Previously, she had thought that Song Chuyi being more scheming and clever wouldn’t obstruct the First Branch’s affairs or harm the First Branch’s interests, but now it seemed this wasn’t the case at all.

Old Master Song and Old Madam Song’s favoritism toward Song Chuyi was truly excessive—they could actually fly into such a rage at Consort Lady for her sake, fly into such a rage at herself.

Their selfishness prevented them from seeing the current situation, from seeing Consort Lady’s difficulties, and from seeing the predicament of both Consort Lady and the Song family—they actually wanted Consort Lady to continue bearing the Empress Dowager’s fury, wanted Consort Lady to swallow this grievance herself.

But this wasn’t merely some small rewards or some jewelry and accessories, or some usual indulgence and favoritism—this concerned her own daughter’s interests! First Madam could not watch such a thing happen.

First Madam set down the iced bowl in her hand and instructed Nanny Zou in a low voice, “Go find the familiar Eunuch Xia and have him pass word into the palace. Tell him to inform Consort Lady to proceed according to what Consort Lady said. As for the Old Madam’s side, I’ll help persuade her. Tell her not to worry.”

Nanny Zou dared not delay. She acknowledged, then asked, “His appetite is quite large. Last time when he came fishing for benefits, he wanted two thousand taels of silver. This time we’re asking him for a favor…”

“Prepare two thousand taels of silver, and give him that promissory note from last time as well.” First Madam sneered. “These kinds of people only have eyes for money, don’t they? Just feed him until he’s full.”

The Old Master and Old Madam had selfish motives—so did she.

No matter how good Song Chuyi was, she was still the Second Branch’s daughter. What connection did she have to their First Branch? If the family divided in the future, she would at most call her “First Aunt”—nothing more than that relationship.

They wanted to protect her, but she herself couldn’t let her own daughter take the blame for her because of this.

Nanny Jin carefully entered. Seeing First Madam resting with closed eyes and Nanny Zou gone from the room, she pondered briefly, then walked to her side and said softly, “Yushu says she’s quite angry. Today at lunch she only ate a few bites before stopping. She also has a servant boy from the outer courtyard waiting—as soon as the Old Master and Elder Master return, they’re to tell them to go to Ningde Courtyard.”

First Madam still kept her eyes closed without moving. Only after a long while did she raise her hand slightly to indicate she understood.

She wants to discuss this matter with the Old Master and Master, right? Though she didn’t open her eyes, her heart was far from calm.

The Old Master was after all the head of the household—he surely wouldn’t act emotionally like the Old Madam, right? As for the Master, there was even less to say—between his own biological daughter and his niece, he would certainly know how to choose.

Though she said this, she still made up her mind that she couldn’t play deaf and blind later—she still had to make a trip there.