Old Madam Song looked at the jewelry still glowing with light, sighed heavily, coughed once, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, and after a long while said decisively: “Accept it! Since the Empress has graciously bestowed these upon us, we dare to wear them!”

As for any meaning behind it—who knows? In any case, she knew nothing about it. She only knew that imperial grace was vast and mighty, only knew that this was the Empress’s compensation to Song Chuyi, feeling that Song Chuyi had been wronged by Yuanhui.

Song Chuyi understood Old Madam Song’s meaning and smiled as she handed the items to Ziyun behind her to put away. Then looking at Old Madam Song, she asked: “Has Grandmother thought about settling on a match for Elder Sister Mingzi?”

Because of Yuanhui’s matter, and also because of the covetous attention from Han Zhi and others, Old Madam Song and Old Master Song had instinctively focused most of their attention on her. Xiang Mingzi’s matter had gradually been pushed aside instead. But Xiang Mingzi was not young anymore either and should be settled early, to avoid getting entangled in affairs like the Wei family’s later and becoming prey in others’ eyes.

Old Madam Song held Song Chuyi’s hand with some emotion: “Speaking of it, you two truly are kindred spirits. She worries about you, and you worry about her. Don’t worry, I’m already looking for matches for her. After the New Year, I’ll observe a bit more, and if things look suitable, I’ll settle it.”

This matter hadn’t revealed even the slightest hint before. Song Chuyi couldn’t help but be somewhat curious, pestering Old Madam Song to ask exactly who had been chosen: “How is it that I’ve never heard you mention this to Eldest Aunt before, yet now you suddenly say it’s about to be settled?”

Xiang Mingzi herself probably still didn’t know anything about it. Old Madam Song’s actions were truly swift enough.

“After that incident with the Wei family, I began to worry anxiously about this matter for her. Just as I told you, whether a woman’s latter half of life is fortunate or disastrous depends entirely on her husband. Marry the right person and naturally everyone is happy. If you entrust yourself to the wrong person, the final outcome will be much like your aunt’s.” Old Madam Song lowered her voice: “I was also thinking that I must find her someone considerate and caring, a good person from a decent family that’s getting by well. After thinking and thinking without any ideas, it was only later when Xintong married and I saw the Li family’s Third Young Master at their home that I felt he was a ready-made candidate.”

She had actually set her sights on Li Yu’s son. Song Chuyi was somewhat surprised and looked up at Old Madam Song to ask: “Do Madam Li and Elder Sister Mingzi know?”

Old Madam Song couldn’t help but smile and tap Song Chuyi’s forehead, gently chiding her: “What silly talk is this? How could your Aunt Li not know? Could it be that I’m some kind of matchmaker who can just say who should be together and they’ll be together as I wish? Your Eldest Aunt has already sounded her out long ago, and Madam Li is more than willing. That’s why I set my heart on it. Otherwise, no matter how good the family, if the mother-in-law is unwilling, I wouldn’t dare marry Mingzi over there. You must know that if mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relations aren’t good in the future, it’s mostly the daughter-in-law who suffers.”

Song Chuyi hadn’t met that Third Young Master of the Li family. In her previous life, she had known very little about the Li family’s later circumstances. But she supposed that since there had been no major incidents, it counted as good. Moreover, Old Madam Song cherished Xiang Mingzi to the extreme. If she said it was good, then it must certainly be good. So she nodded: “No wonder I’ve heard you and Eldest Aunt mention this matter less recently. So there was already a plan.”

Old Madam Song touched her hair and smiled: “We can’t have every family matter stirring up a commotion and attracting attention. Eleventh Princess is about to be betrothed to the Shen family again. Our family could be called cooking in boiling oil. Right now His Majesty thinks well of us. But we ourselves must not become arrogant first, otherwise when the day comes that we fall, who knows what state we’ll end up in. I don’t hope for anything else, just hope that Mingzi can meet someone who treats her sincerely and is ambitious, with in-laws who are easy to get along with—a good family will do.”

She paused and looked at Song Chuyi for a while, then said: “Speaking of which, it was originally supposed to be the day after tomorrow. Your Aunt Li should be bringing him to our house for a banquet, but unfortunately you’ll be going to Jinzhong tomorrow and won’t make it.”

The two spoke for a while longer. Song Chuyi saw that Old Madam Song was somewhat tired, so she tiptoed out, just in time to run into Song Jue and Song Yan.

These two, one big and one small, suddenly came face to face with her and nearly collided in a full embrace, almost startling her.

Song Yan held up a pinwheel in his hand and happily presented it to her: “Elder Sister, this is what I picked for you.”

When the wind blew, the pinwheel spun around whoosh-whoosh-whoosh, its brilliant colors like rapidly spinning butterflies. Song Chuyi smiled as she took it and asked them: “Is it done?”

Song Jue glanced behind her, saw Ziyun holding a box, raised his eyebrows and asked her: “Is this the Empress’s reward?”

The news spread truly fast. In just this brief moment, probably all the ladies who came to Qingxu Temple knew about it. The Empress probably had exactly this intention. Song Chuyi nodded and lightly described Old Madam Song’s words: “Grandmother said that since Her Majesty has graciously bestowed these, she wants me to wear them properly.”

Song Jue felt the same way. In any case, they couldn’t control what the Empress ultimately meant. They only felt this was the imperial family’s compensation because they felt the Song family had been wronged in Yuanhui’s affair.

If the time came when the Empress truly pressed urgently and forced the Cui and Song families to take sides, and the Cui and Song families had no other options left, there would naturally be more suitable young ladies—for instance, the Cui family’s legitimate eldest daughter currently far away in Jinzhong.

Song Jue patted Song Yan’s head, and Song Yan pulled out a sheet of paper from his sleeve. On it in black characters on white paper was written: Third Master Chen borrowed twenty thousand taels of silver from the Lu family, plus a residence in the capital’s suburbs.

What a lion’s mouth. Song Chuyi just smiled. She had always thought Third Madam Chen was someone who would fish money even out of a hot oil pot to spend, but hadn’t expected Third Master Chen to be no less impressive. No wonder these two people had been lovingly devoted for so long—they were clearly the same type of people.

With this item, the Chen family wouldn’t be able to run away in the future. The trap was now dug. Third Master Chen had consciously brought the entire Chen family into the trap ahead of time, just waiting for the day it would be discovered.

Now only one final kick at the door remained. Song Chuyi looked at Song Jue and smiled: “I heard Lu Bingyuan has already arrived in the capital. Does Elder Brother have a way to connect Third Master Chen with Lu Bingyuan, and then have Lu Bingyuan visit the Chen residence to pay his respects?”

Actually this wasn’t difficult at all. While Third Master Chen truly didn’t have the ability to do other things, introducing and recommending Lu Bingyuan was something he could still accomplish. Having taken people’s money, he had to at least accomplish one proper task for them, right? Moreover, it didn’t even need his introduction really. With Lu Bingyuan’s talent, he would become Elder Chen’s honored guest regardless.