Ruizhu, who had thought she had stepped into wealth and privilege, was utterly ruined in mere moments. Xuezhu was terrified, her face deathly pale as she knelt on the ground, continuously kowtowing to Old Madam Song and First Madam, her voice trembling wildly: “It has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with me! The injuries on Miss were inflicted by the Fourth Miss of Marquis Pingyang’s manor!”

Fourth Miss of Marquis Pingyang’s manor—Xiao Siniang!

This person was famous throughout the capital for being difficult to get along with, but no one had expected her to be bold enough to dare beat her sister-in-law!

Old Madam Song let out several cold laughs almost erupting from her throat: “What do they take the Earl of Changning’s manor for?! Is the Xiao family bullying us because they think the Earl of Changning’s manor has no one left?!”

Song Chuxuan cried bitterly, finally managing to speak a few broken sentences: “Grandmother, Mother, I originally wanted to endure until tomorrow when I came back to tell you, but the Xiao family wouldn’t let me leave. Elder sister-in-law and the others went to pray at the temple, and I merely mentioned to Mother-in-law about the gifts I should prepare for coming back tomorrow. Mother-in-law slapped me and told me to give up the idea, that I shouldn’t think about coming home. Little sister-in-law even chased after me to beat me!”

Marquis Pingyang’s manor actually bullied the Earl of Changning’s manor to this extent!

First Master was playing cards with Second Master and the others in the flower hall when he received the news and rushed in to encounter this scene, his entire person utterly stunned.

First Madam pulled him to look at their daughter’s injuries, unable to hold back her sobs as she berated him: “Is this how you act as a father? Look at what your daughter has been bullied into?! Are they treating everyone at the Earl of Changning’s manor as if we’re all dead?!”

First Master touched his daughter’s swollen forehead with trembling hands, his entire person shrouded in a layer of cold air.

Going too far! This was truly going too far!

Song Chuxuan had always feared her father. Seeing his face dark with anger, she shrank into Old Madam Song’s embrace, crying and begging Old Madam Song: “Grandmother, I beg you, don’t send me back!”

“Go back for what?!” First Master roared, wanting nothing more than to slam tables and smash chairs: “Who dares tell you to go back—I’ll break their legs! For today’s matter, if the Xiao family doesn’t give us an explanation, I’ll make them eat their words!”

As he spoke, fearing his tone was too severe and would frighten his daughter, he softened his voice and looked at Song Chuxuan: “You just stay at home. Don’t be afraid of anything. Father will definitely stand up for you!”

Not expecting her father, who used to constantly say she came back to her maternal home too often, would actually say this, Song Chuxuan was stunned for a moment, but then cried even harder.

Song Chumi and the others all came forward with tears in their eyes to console her.

Song Chuyi held onto Song Chuxuan’s hem, gently dipping her hand in the ointment to apply it to her forehead.

First Madam finally calmed down and had people arrange Song Chuxuan’s former maiden chamber. After sorting out her emotions, just as she was about to discuss with Old Madam about continuing to pray at the temple, someone outside came to report that people from Marquis Pingyang’s manor had arrived.

Old Madam Song glanced at First Master and asked, “What do you say?”

First Master ordered without hesitation: “Beat them away with clubs! Don’t let them dirty our family’s doorstep!”

Song Jue, who had already caught wind of the situation outside, had long since led people out and beat the servants from Marquis Pingyang’s manor until they fled with their heads covered.

Old Madam Song steadied her emotions and instructed First Madam to still go pray at the temple with Second Madam and the others as usual. She then said to First Master: “Wait until your father returns and makes a decision about this matter. You should still go out. Although no relatives and friends are coming to pay New Year calls today, the dragon and lion dancers will arrive soon. You still need to arrange tea and meals. If any temples come seeking alms, treat them well too.”

First Master agreed, instructed his daughter to rest well, and left with First Madam.

Song Chuxuan was both hungry and exhausted. Old Madam Song had Yushu attend to her meal, then told her to take a nap in the canopy bed.

She herself sat in the circular chair and let out a deep sigh.

Song Chuyi came forward to sit beside her, holding her arm and gently swaying: “Grandmother, don’t be sad. If Second Elder Sister encountered a different brother-in-law, being able to see through things early and cut losses soon would also be good.”

Old Madam Song looked at Song Chuyi’s bright, sparkling eyes and laughed at herself for not being as open-minded as a child. The stuffiness in her chest eased somewhat as she nodded: “You’re right. We Song family daughters won’t suffer their wretched treatment. At worst, your grandfather and I will support your Second Elder Sister for life—we won’t let her suffer like this or be trampled on by people!”

Hearing this from the canopy bed, Song Chuxuan’s tears fell like unstrung pearls, soaking the pillow completely, yet at the same time she felt her entire person relax.

Her maternal family actually thought this way—how wonderful.

That afternoon, Song Chengru returned and heard the news. He first went to Song Chuxuan’s place, who had already moved to First Madam’s courtyard, to look around, then returned to Old Madam’s room with a gloomy expression.

“Have you asked clearly what the reason was?” He sat on the kang, looking at the fruit plate placed on the kang table, casually picking up a few pine nuts in his hand.

Old Madam Song handed him a cup of tea and laughed mockingly: “We asked clearly long ago. If it were our family’s girl’s fault, I wouldn’t have had the eldest beat people from Marquis Pingyang’s manor out. This really is going too far!”

She told Old Master the course of events, then added with a cold laugh: “That Xiao Siniang of their family finds trouble with our Second Girl every few days, even interfering in her elder brother and sister-in-law’s chamber affairs, sending that maid Ruizhu to Xiao Yan’s bed! Tell me, isn’t this infuriating?! Where is this the behavior of a noble family’s young lady—she’s clearly…”

Old Master’s expression grew even uglier. He smiled bitterly and couldn’t help but blame himself: “At the time I thought the Xiao family was good, never expecting they’d be in such chaos from top to bottom. I really misjudged them. Did Second Girl say what she plans to do?”

With Song Linlang’s example, he would truly rather his granddaughter divorce and return home to be supported by the family than have his granddaughter slowly lose her life being tormented.

Old Madam Song sat quietly for a while before saying: “She didn’t say, but looking at her appearance, she seems to still hold some reluctance toward Xiao Yan.”

Old Master made his decision: “Then let’s wait and see. We’ll talk more after the Xiao family sends people. If the Xiao family’s people show the proper attitude, that’s one thing, but if they insist on going down a dark path, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

Old Madam Song also found this feasible, lowering her eyes with unreadable emotions: “Let’s hope they know their limits.”

First Madam returned to her room after praying at the temple, holding her daughter and asking detailed questions all afternoon. The more she asked, the worse her expression became.

Second Madam and the others heard the news and all came to inquire with concern, inevitably sighing for a while.

First Young Madam Li was the most soft-hearted. Afraid of upsetting Song Chuxuan, she held back until her eyes turned red, sitting beside Song Chuxuan and holding her hand, too heartbroken to speak.

In the evening, someone from Marquis Pingyang’s manor came to deliver a message, saying that Xiao Yan had originally wanted to come apologize in the afternoon, but since it wasn’t appropriate to visit people’s homes in the afternoon, he would come the next day instead.

Upon hearing this, First Master only sneered once and tossed the invitation card aside.