Song Chuyi couldn’t help but feel somewhat dazed. She recalled her previous life—after Ran’geer had drowned and they needed to summon a physician, He Shi had also been sitting high up on the couch just as she was now, while she herself had been crawling on the ground weeping, clinging to He Shi’s hem, begging her to use her connections to summon the imperial physician.

At that time, she had still been kept in the dark, only feeling that the physician Song Chuning had summoned was taking unusually long to arrive. Unable to see Shen Qingrang or Song Chuning, she could only weep pitifully, begging He Shi to save her son.

After all, he was He Shi’s own grandson. Even though He Shi had come to detest her immensely by that later time, she still used her connections to summon the imperial physician—though by the time the physician arrived, Ran’geer had already breathed his last, his body already grown cold.

Memories surged toward her like tidal waters. Her mind wandered, and only upon hearing He Shi’s crying did she manage to distinguish between past and present lives. She straightened her posture and smiled faintly. “You ask me to show mercy? Why doesn’t Madam go beg Marquis Wuning Manor instead? Madam is a clever person—you know who is behind directing those moneylenders to cause trouble for your household now.”

Marquis Wuning Manor currently only wished the people of Duke Yingguo Manor were dead. If she went there, she would probably be immediately beaten out. He Shi’s heart went half cold, and she sat dazedly in her chair, somewhat dispirited.

She didn’t understand why her husband had turned their good days into this. If they hadn’t harbored evil intentions from the start, hadn’t boarded Prince Duan’s ship, hadn’t schemed against the Song family—if even one of these “ifs” had come true, Duke Yingguo Manor wouldn’t be in such straits. But Shen Xiaohai just couldn’t be satisfied, still wanting towering wealth and honor, yet he lacked the capability. Now he had sent the entire Duke Yingguo Manor down a dead end.

He Shi’s heart was like dead ash, her eyes completely dimmed.

Song Chuyi curled her fingers and tapped lightly on the table. Seeing He Shi look toward her, she smiled casually. “However, it’s not entirely without solutions…”

He Shi grabbed onto this like a drowning person clutching at straws. Her eyes suddenly lit up again, like dead embers reigniting. Desperately trying to seize this opportunity before her, she almost immediately followed up with a question: “What other solutions are there?!”

The matter was growing bigger and bigger. That Emperor Jianzhang and Her Majesty the Empress were turning a blind eye was probably still out of consideration for the face of the old Duke Yingguo and Shen Huiyi, who had been enfeoffed as a princess and married off with an escort. If these exploitative moneylenders came to cause trouble a few more times, the Emperor and Empress certainly couldn’t sit by and ignore it. Now even Grand Consort Dowager Zhuang was avoiding them. Apart from sending out some medicine to help Old Madam recover from her injuries, she refused to see anyone from their family.

“Then I’ll speak plainly and openly.” Song Chuyi smiled as she looked at He Shi. Seeing her concentrate intently, holding her breath and watching her closely, her lips curved in a shallow smile. “Madam and I both know very clearly why Duke Yingguo Manor has fallen to its current state. I’ll tell you honestly—the matter is far from over… This time it’s fortunate that you came. If you hadn’t come…”

He Shi broke out in a cold sweat, enduring her headache as she listened carefully to Song Chuyi speak, not daring to let her attention waver even slightly.

“If you hadn’t come…” Song Chuyi continued, “I would have had no choice but to treat Duke Yingguo Manor as still being Master Yuanhui’s ally and deal with you accordingly.”

Making Emperor Jianzhang declare before all under heaven that ghost and spirit talk was absurd, making Yuanhui’s death prediction into a joke—this matter wasn’t finished yet? Song Chuyi—no, rather the entire Song family’s revenge against Yuanhui wasn’t complete yet?!

A young girl of only twelve years old spoke so cautiously, not revealing half a word, yet actually had said everything. He Shi once again felt grateful that she had mustered the courage to force her way here. Like a chicken pecking at rice, she kept nodding continuously, signaling Song Chuyi to continue.

Old Madam Song leaned against the soft cushions, supporting Song Chuyi’s position, her eyes narrowed into slits until one might almost think she had fallen asleep.

Song Chuyi’s gaze was clear as she looked toward He Shi. Strangely, even though she was smiling, He Shi’s shoulders remained rigid, not daring to relax in the slightest.

“I’ll only say this once. Whether to do as I say or not is entirely up to the heir and the Princess Consort yourselves.” Song Chuyi was extremely patient. Seeing He Shi nod repeatedly, only then did she laugh. “Since the heir is on such good terms with Master Yuanhui, I wonder if he could invite Master Yuanhui out for a cup of tea?”

After all, Shen Xiaohai had followed Yuanhui for many years. Their friendship had been established back in their early days at Prince Duan’s side. Although Yuanhui didn’t consider Shen Xiaohai particularly useful, ordinarily he was willing to give him some face.

He Shi looked at Song Chuyi somewhat uncomprehendingly, not understanding what Song Chuyi meant by these words. She shook her head somewhat helplessly. “But given our family’s current situation…”

Initially, Shen Xiaohai had gone to beg Yuanhui, but Yuanhui simply had no time to pay attention to them.

Song Chuyi nodded gently toward her. “Princess Consort need not worry. Master Yuanhui previously had to deal with the Prince and was busy framing me, so he was very occupied and didn’t have time to attend to the heir’s matters. Now that the dust has settled on the matter, he will agree to give the heir this face.”

He Shi had already vaguely sensed Song Chuyi’s meaning. She stared with shocked, wide eyes, somewhat hesitant. She had come to beg Song Chuyi to give up her revenge against the Shen family, not to throw herself into the trap and actively become the blade in Song Chuyi’s hand.

Now Song Chuyi’s meaning was clearly to use them to set a trap to strike at Yuanhui… She bit her teeth, not knowing whether she should agree, and couldn’t help but feel somewhat bewildered for a moment.

If she did as Song Chuyi said, they would completely offend this difficult-to-offend great monk. But if she didn’t do as Song Chuyi said… He Shi thought about the days Duke Yingguo Manor was living now—the New Year was almost here, yet every few days debt collectors still came to the manor. Even in the streets and alleys, everyone was laughing at their Shen family…

Outside, First Madam Song had sent Nanny Qiu to inquire, saying that the meal had finished and asking whether to invite the guests back to Ningde Court again.

Old Madam Song opened her eyes at the right moment and glanced at He Shi. “Does the Princess Consort have other matters?”

If she didn’t agree, she could leave now. He Shi bit her teeth, finally steeling her heart and nodding as she looked at Song Chuyi. “I’ll follow Sixth Miss’s instructions entirely… I… I’ll go back and discuss it with the heir, and definitely persuade him.”

“That would be best.” Song Chuyi seemed not at all surprised, nodding matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, if something goes wrong in the middle… both our sides will suffer disaster. Don’t you agree, Princess Consort?”

Such a young girl, yet every sentence she spoke required savoring several times to understand its deeper meaning. He Shi took a deep breath and nodded firmly.

Only then did Old Madam Song begin to smile, instructing Nanny Qiu who was waiting outside for orders: “Have First Madam lead the guests to the flower hall for tea first. I’ll be there shortly.”