The weather in Qingzhou was far milder than the damp cold of Changsha or the howling winds of the capital. The plum blossoms in the rear yamen of the prefect’s residence burst into bloom overnight, adorning the entire rear courtyard like a celestial paradise on earth.

Xiang Yunzhang stood at the entrance to the main courtyard as he had countless times before, his face bearing numb fury and grinding teeth as he stretched out his leg and viciously kicked the main gate.

It was like this again. Every time he came it was like this. Often he would still be in the long corridor when the doors to Song Linlang’s main courtyard would close. As if he were some filthy flood or savage beast that she couldn’t even be bothered to spare a glance.

But what exactly had he done wrong? Who was it that complained day in and day out before him about his mother’s faults and harshness, causing his relationship with his mother to deteriorate? Who had been married for years without producing any offspring yet always maintained the lofty attitude of a noble lady, looking at him as if he were a dog wagging its tail begging for affection?!

And he had only taken a few concubines to continue the family line so he could face his ancestors and parents after a hundred years!

He had even knelt before Song Linlang crying as he explained his helplessness and difficulties, yet Song Linlang would only dismiss him with a cold indifferent “as you wish.”

He had no legitimate son—did she think he felt good about that in his heart? But Song Linlang never wanted to spare him even a shred of consideration, forever only caring about promises, about vows of eternal love.

Could those promises and agreements be used to live life? Or could they be used to silence those relatives and friends who mocked him for having no sons?! Or could they bring joy to his mother’s knees and ease the old lady’s worries?!

He had already tried his utmost to treat her according to Song Linlang’s expectations, yet she couldn’t change even the slightest bit for him! She couldn’t even tolerate his son!

Xiang Lian was merely the eldest concubine-born son, yet he had become a thorn in her eye and flesh. Whether his mother criticized and scolded her before her face, or spoke pleasantly to beg her favor, or he himself earnestly advised her, she consistently refused to relent and take him into her name to raise.

If she wouldn’t raise him, so be it—but when Xiang Lian fell so ill he couldn’t get out of bed, she actually wasn’t willing to save him either.

Old grievances and new hatreds surged through his mind. He felt the veins on his forehead throb violently and finally couldn’t help but choke out a roar toward the door: “Song Linlang! Open this door for me!”

He was so angry his hands and feet trembled, his shoulders shaking continuously. After shouting this, he felt his head buzz with a ringing sound.

Yet inside there was still no movement whatsoever.

As if his rage just now was merely a clown’s antics, Song Linlang couldn’t even be bothered to give him the slightest reaction.

The long-accumulated frustration and fury finally snapped that string in his heart. He stepped back two paces and looked coldly at the two henchmen behind him, saying icily: “Smash it for me! Smash it hard!”

The witch doctor had said that if they didn’t deal with the disaster star Xiang Mingzi, not only might Xiang Lian die in the future, but the entire Xiang family would suffer misfortune.

Song Linlang could choose not to consider their Xiang family, but he could not. Since Song Linlang was so heartless, she couldn’t blame him for being ruthless.

The expression on his face alternated between ferocious and struggling with difficulty. But thinking of Xiang Lian’s pale face and the streams of tears from several concubines, he finally steeled his heart. As if afraid he would change his mind, he repeated viciously: “Smash it for me! Smash it to pieces!”

Song Linlang didn’t give him face as her husband—why should he give her face?! At worst they could all die together and descend to the Yellow Springs, then it would be over and done with, better than continuing to suffer indignities in this world.

But in the end he wasn’t able to smash that door. Concubine Bai gracefully alighted beside him like a little bird, gently and softly taking out her handkerchief to wipe the sweat he’d worked up in this cold weather, while sighing and choking up: “My lord! Are you trying to force your wife to death? We are all mothers—if it were me, I also wouldn’t have reason to hand over my daughter to make amends for someone else’s life. Why won’t you try to understand her?”

With Concubine Bai saying this, Xiang Yunzhang lost his temper. Thinking in his heart of how Concubine Bai had nearly cried her eyes blind these days for Xiang Lian’s sake, he felt so guilty he wished he could die.

The lover he had loved with desperate passion in his youth had never given him a pleasant expression, had never understood his difficulties. Instead it was this Concubine Bai, whom she accused of having ulterior motives, who never made things difficult for him and always thought of everything for his sake. Although her heart was clearly burning with worry for Xiang Lian, she still kept advising him to think of another way.

Seeing him silent with his eyes staring straight ahead, Concubine Bai sobbed once then quickly swallowed her crying and pulled Xiang Yunzhang toward the outside.

She was still carrying a child in her body and had the kind of constitution that would fall over with a gust of wind. Xiang Yunzhang didn’t dare use force and, being pulled along for a stretch, sighed and stopped.

“Your health isn’t good—why come to provoke this idle anger?” He lovingly stroked the stray hair on her forehead: “If you run into people from her courtyard later, they’ll inevitably say unpleasant things again.”

Tears glistened in Concubine Bai’s beautiful eyes, but she forcibly held them back from falling: “I was afraid you would become anxious and quarrel with Madam. After all, Madam is your first wife and has lived with you for so many years. Don’t always offend her because of us.”

The more virtuous Concubine Bai was, the greater the fury burned in Xiang Yunzhang’s heart. After a long while he finally spat out: “Don’t involve yourself in these matters. Taking good care of Lian’er is the proper business.”

Xiang Lian was still lying in bed unable to get up.

Concubine Bai sighed for a while, then somewhat anxiously pulled out a letter from her pocket and handed it over, stammering: “It’s a letter from Mother. I heard—I heard that Madam’s natal family will soon be sending people. You must restrain your temper and stop making things difficult for Madam.”

Xiang Yunzhang quickly took the letter and skimmed through it roughly, his eyes turning blood red with anger.

No wonder Song Linlang’s arrogance had become even more rampant these days—it turned out she was relying on her backing coming again. A nephew at the beginning of the year wasn’t enough—now she was actually bringing out even the Earl residence’s Old Madam.

Clearly she looked down on the Xiang family’s humble family status and was bullying them with her power.

After so many years of marriage, for the first time Xiang Yunzhang felt from his heart that Song Linlang’s face was detestable, and it was also the first time he regretted marrying above his station and taking a noble lady from a great clan.

“It’s natural that Madam would be angry and complain. After all, Mingzi is your daughter! For Lian’er’s sake you want to hand Mingzi over to the witch doctor…” Concubine Bai tried hard to soothe him: “If I were Madam, I would panic too…”

Xiang Yunzhang finally couldn’t control his fury. He flung off Concubine Bai’s hand and said angrily: “What exactly have I done wrong?! That harbinger of doom brings misfortune to siblings and parents. I was just shouting in anger about expelling her from the clan registry—was that also wrong?! She dares to live together with such a disaster star, but I don’t dare—I value my life!”

Since Song Linlang didn’t care about his face at all, didn’t care about their marital bond, and insisted on using her natal family to oppress people, then they might as well fight to mutual destruction!

[Author’s Note: The rivalry isn’t just with Song Chuning—everyone has seen both storylines. They’re actually progressing simultaneously, so don’t worry. A victor will emerge soon, sending kisses.]