Song Linlang had never in her life felt that the person beside her pillow was this terrifying. Crying, she tumbled from the couch, casting aside all the resentment, unwillingness, and pride she had accumulated over these years. Her voice hoarse and desperate, she begged Xiang Yunzhang through her tears: “I beg you, Xiang Yunzhang! Spare Mingzi—she’s your daughter too!”

You once held her hand while she swung beneath the jujube tree, walked back and forth with her on the bluestone roads of Qingzhou as she learned to walk! Clutching at her collar, feeling her insides churning violently, in her agitation she coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Blood splattered everywhere, staining Xiang Yunzhang’s frost-white brocade robe. He froze for a moment—he had always known Song Linlang’s health was poor, but he hadn’t expected it to be this bad. Just today alone, she had already vomited blood twice.

Xiang Mingzi cried out as she broke free and threw herself onto Song Linlang, tears streaming endlessly down her face, an infinite terror spreading through her heart.

Song Linlang paid no mind to the blood stains still wet at the corners of her mouth. She clung tightly to Xiang Mingzi and refused to let go. In a room full of the elderly and infirm, the sick and the young, Xiang Yunzhang suddenly felt somewhat dazed—the courtyard that had once been surrounded by the Song family like an iron barrel was, in truth, already this fragile and vulnerable from within.

Old Madam Song was sprinkling dried longans and red dates into the third-day bathing water when her heart suddenly leaped violently. The longan in her hand flew out and fell into the water, splashing droplets everywhere.

First Madam Song noticed something amiss and quickly stepped forward with a couple of laughs, taking the tray from Old Madam Song’s hands. She instructed the midwife to recite the blessing words and invite the young master.

Old Madam Song took advantage of the situation to release what she was holding. Forcing herself to watch as the wailing newborn splashed about in the water infused with mugwort and peach wood, she stood up and walked outside.

Both First Madam Song and the eldest young mistress looked worried and quickly exchanged glances with Song Chuyi.

Song Chuyi had already stood up and followed. She hurried to Old Madam Song’s side, supporting her hand and carefully helping her down the stairs.

The grandmother and granddaughter remained silent for a long while. After an unknown length of time, Song Chuyi’s hand suddenly felt cold. Somewhat startled, she stared at the moisture on her hand and silently tightened her grip on Old Madam Song’s hand.

“Back then, your maternal grandmother hardened her heart and severed all contact with us until death. Even Brother Yan was picked up by Yingshu—she wouldn’t even spare us a single letter,” Old Madam Song said, her back hunched, another large tear falling from her eye. “I still thought she was unreasonable, but looking back now, the fact that she didn’t come at us with a knife truly shows she was far too kind-hearted.”

Some things, unless personally experienced, can never truly be understood through empathy.

Old Madam Song suppressed the ache in her heart and said heavily: “In the past, we still said we would do our best to make amends, but thinking about it now, what use is any amount of compensation?! I wish Xiang Yunzhang would die without a burial place—I believe your maternal grandmother’s hatred toward Li Shi and toward your Second Uncle could only have increased, never decreased.”

Song Chuyi kept her head lowered without answering. Some harm, once done, cannot be erased with a few words of apology. She could understand Old Master Song and Old Madam Song’s love for their son, but she absolutely could not forget how Cui Shi died in the capital, a thousand miles away from Jinzhong.

Everyone should pay the price for their wrongdoings, even Song Yi was no exception.

“Linlang’s health has always been poor. I don’t know if she can withstand all this mounting pressure now,” Old Madam Song’s expression was pained. Even the joy of a newborn could not diminish the distress in her heart by half. “In the past, when she was obstinate and didn’t know how to turn back, I stubbornly thought I wouldn’t bother with her anymore, letting her taste what it’s like to have no support from her maternal family. But now I can’t help but blame myself for being too heartless. If I had regularly sent people to check on her, the Xiang family might not have dared to treat her so harshly.”

Song Chuyi remained silent for a while. Recently, she had been exceptionally quiet.

Then she raised her head to look at Old Madam Song and slowly shook her head: “Grandmother, people change. All the gods and spirits in this world combined probably aren’t as terrifying as the changeability and greed of the human heart. Uncle’s true feelings were long ago worn away beneath his desire for a son and his filial piety toward his mother. No matter how many times we sent people over, it would likely have been useless. Aunt must have realized this, which is why she wouldn’t allow her natal family to go suffer those indignities or worry on her behalf anymore.”

Yes—Old Madam Song stood somewhat stunned, nodded, and let out a sigh.

Song Chuyi couldn’t have been more right. What in this world could be more terrifying than the human heart? When they like you, they wish to cherish you until old age; when they don’t, they wish to trample you so thoroughly you can never rise again.

First Madam Song settled her natal family’s sisters-in-law and young ladies, then came out. She happened to see the grandmother and granddaughter both leaning against the railing, with the already frozen lake surface beyond them, making their figures appear all the more lonely and desolate.

“Mother, please don’t worry so much.” She stepped forward to gently support Old Madam Song’s hand. After thinking for a moment, she said: “Third Brother just returned today, so let him rest for one day. He can accompany Mother and depart tomorrow.”

Originally, for the eldest great-grandson’s full-month celebration, having the grandmother preside would naturally be best. But urgency called for flexible measures, and besides, how could Old Madam Song possibly wait patiently for over twenty more days?

Old Madam Song patted her hand: “You’ve worked hard.”

First Madam Song quickly shook her head: “There are still so many old nannies at home, and Third Brother’s wife can help me too. How could this be called working hard?”

Old Madam Song paused for a moment, then instructed her: “I’ve already secretly moved Xiao Si and Jinxin elsewhere, to prevent Third Brother’s wife from constantly worrying about them and doing something wrong. When you have time, please counsel her as well. Tell her that Xiao Si isn’t her only child—Yue and the others are still waiting for her guidance.”

This was a suggestion Song Jue had made upon his return. Although the Tongzhou area was good, it was still too close to the capital and crowded with people. Who knew when something might happen?

First Madam Song was somewhat surprised but still complied obediently.

Song Chuyi, however, suddenly turned her head to look at First Madam: “Eldest Aunt, when Eldest Brother returns, tell him to associate less with his friend Wei Yanzhao from the Yulin Guards.”

Only in recent days had she figured out an extremely important matter—this classmate of Song Jue’s was not actually born to the Wei family, and his biological mother was actually a cousin from the Qin family. Once this past scandal was unearthed, it truly implicated a large number of people.

What was unfortunate was that by the time this matter was exposed, it was already too late—Wei Yanzhao had already inherited the title from his deceased father.

And what was even more unfortunate was that by that time, Prince Duan had already ascended the throne, and Wei Yanzhao’s biological mother was among the first batch to receive noble rank appointments under Prince Duan, and was someone extremely close to the Empress.

The Wei family’s title was thus frustratingly taken over by someone of a different surname, with nowhere to lodge a complaint.