A few days later, news came that Cen Biliang had decided to open court and try Song Yi’s case.

Song Chuyi had already reported to Old Madam Song about requesting people from the Cui family, so this time she smoothly attributed everything regarding Song Yi to them. “They’ve all served in the military and rolled through the mud before. They’re capable and clever, so they quickly investigated Estate Owner Huang’s family background thoroughly. If there are no accidents, once this trial is over, everything will be fine.”

Old Madam Song recited “Amitabha” and pulled Song Chuyi close to tell her, “When your father comes out, we must have him properly open those blinded eyes of his and see who his real daughter is.”

Song Chuyi didn’t take up this topic. She had saved Song Yi entirely out of consideration for herself and Song Yan, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with Song Yi himself. She brought up the matter of going to Huangjue Temple again. “Earlier, eldest aunt mentioned going to Huangjue Temple to light an eternal lamp for little nephew. I wonder if you’ve chosen an auspicious date?”

Old Madam Song, having resolved a major matter weighing on her heart, felt relaxed and showed some smile on her face. “Speaking of this, I was just about to tell you. Three days from now, they’ll strike the cloud board. According to custom, unmarried girls who pass away are considered to have died young, and there’s nothing worth broadcasting widely. When the time comes, we’ll just inform the Li family.”

The death of a girl or two in the inner quarters was originally a common occurrence. Moreover, the word about Song Chuning’s illness had spread early on. Now that it had dragged on for nearly two months, if they said she had died, no one would have anything else to say.

Old Madam Song continued, “We can also borrow her name to say we’re going to Huangjue Temple to have the masters perform a Buddhist ceremony.”

Just as they were speaking, First Madam Song entered. Her face beamed with smiles as she paid her respects to Old Madam, then brought up the matter. “The Qingxu Temple sent over several names for us to choose from, all selected according to the ancestral hall’s generational characters and birth dates. My thought is, once Father returns home and decides which is best, that will be the one. Afterwards, we’ll take the young master to Qingxu Temple for a thanksgiving ceremony.”

Old Madam Song unfolded the paper and looked. Indeed, following this generation’s character of the Song family, several names were written, all looking favorable. She smiled with satisfaction. “We were just talking about going to Huangjue Temple to light an eternal lamp, and you arrive at just the right moment. In any case, your father won’t return for another half month. It’s not too late for us to go to Huangjue Temple first.”

First Madam Song breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile. “Then this daughter-in-law will go make arrangements. Last time we said the fourteenth for going up the mountain—why don’t we set it for the fourteenth? All the things needed for the trip are ready-made.”

Going on the fourteenth, the fifteenth would be perfect for inviting the masters down the mountain to perform a ceremony. All the relatives, friends, superiors, and subordinates would come calling. Old Madam Song thought for a moment and nodded. “In that case, strike the cloud board tonight.”

First Madam Song also brought up the Li family’s matter. “When you weren’t home, people from the Li family came several times. Now, without letting them see anyone, she’s gone. I’m afraid they might cause some trouble.”

Old Madam Song sneered coldly. Thinking of that night in Song Chuning’s eerily cold room and that pile of white papers covered with curses of the Song family members’ names, anger rose in her heart. “Cause trouble? I’d like to see what trouble they can cause.”

Song Chuyi took the opportunity to excuse herself and breathed a sigh of relief—the Li family probably wouldn’t be able to cause trouble even if they wanted to.

Today the Ministry of Justice was holding the trial. The Li family likely had people implicated as well. Where would they have time to come bring bad luck to the Earl’s household over Song Chuning? Most likely they were coming to plead for mercy and apologize instead.

By lunchtime, sure enough, word came that dishes had been smashed at Ningde Courtyard.

Xiang Mingzi came down to find her, her complexion also not very good. She pulled her aside and just sighed. “Never would have thought the Li family could be so black-hearted. Regarding the matter back then, instead of saying Li Shi did wrong, they actually held a grudge against Second Uncle. Together with Madam Fang, wife of Fang Deng who had a previous feud with our family, they directed Estate Owner Huang to frame Second Uncle. However, they refuse to admit it now and only pushed out a steward to take the blame.”

How could someone as unwilling to admit defeat as Song Chuning be content to lose to herself in terms of maternal family? Since she could connect with Prince Duan’s network, naturally she would eagerly want the Li family to rise even higher. Song Chuyi had long expected the Li family to have a hand in this matter. Hearing this, she didn’t find it surprising. After accompanying Xiang Mingzi in sighing for a while and seeing her off, she turned to ask Ziyun, who had just hurriedly entered. “How is it? Is there news?”

Having Ma San and Ma Yongfu investigate Song Yi’s matter was only incidental. Her real intention was not to have them do only these things.

Ziyun had walked quickly and took a while to catch her breath. After drinking a sip of tea, she told her, “Miss, don’t worry. Word came from Ma Wangkun saying that the young servant who always follows Young Master Han, who seems to be called Wei Yanjun or something, has a residence in the suburbs of the capital. He got close to the old gatekeeper through repeated interactions and learned that originally no one lived in this residence, but recently the master has been coming and going frequently. I heard that some time ago they even transported something there. For this purpose, they specifically bought several maids from nearby households and specially requested a physician from Yangzhou.”

Among their group, Ma Wangkun was the most meticulous person. On the surface, he appeared utterly ordinary, but when gathering information, he was remarkably patient and steady. He had been assigned by Song Chuyi from the beginning to track Wei Yanjun and Han Zhi, only now sending back news, but this news was extremely useful.

After hearing this, Song Chuyi showed no reaction but instead asked Qing Tao, “After that incident a few nights ago, you’re certain it was transported away from the house that very night?”

Old Madam Song and First Madam Song found it inauspicious and also wanted to cover it up, so that very night they ordered people to transport everything to the villa overnight. They said that if others asked, they would just say it was rubella, which was contagious, and during the ceremony they would burn it all in a fire.

Qing Tao put down her work. She had always been attentive to Song Chuning’s matters, and moreover, the situation in Song Chuning’s room that night had been so frightening that the memory remained fresh. Hearing this, she nodded. “Indeed it was transported away that very night. Nanny Jin specifically had several women go to the back street to wake their masters and transport it out of the city overnight. I heard it was taken to some temple.”

Four corpses—it wouldn’t do to keep them at home, and burning them would create who knows how much commotion. Transporting them to a temple to keep was the best solution.

Song Chuyi thought for a moment and instructed Qing Tao, “Go find out clearly who transported things to the temple that day, then ask which temple it was. After you’ve asked clearly, tell Ziyun. Ziyun, you then have Ma Wangkun go take a look at that temple.”