Song Jue was the next successor the Song family had devoted all its efforts to cultivating. He was outstanding in every respect. Once a situation showed some direction, he could quickly find the most reasonable solution.
First Madam thoroughly agreed with her son’s arrangements and immediately set about mobilizing all available personnel. She dispatched two capable nannies from her side to oversee matters at Song Chubin’s and Song Chumi’s quarters respectively, and also sent Jin Ling to Li Shi’s side.
After doing all this, she still felt somewhat uneasy. She asked Song Chuyi whether it would be better to gather everyone together for easier protection.
Song Chuyi shook her head. With the current situation unclear, if everyone gathered together and didn’t rest, it would instead arouse Madam Fang and the others’ suspicions. It was better to continue as they were now, with some vigilance in their hearts.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Song Jue returned saying people had been sent off separately. In the meantime, several monks from the temple had come out to inquire, asking why they needed to use horses. Song Jue had made up an excuse on the spot to muddle through.
“It seems there truly is someone working with them inside this temple.” Song Jue’s heart felt somewhat heavy: “Their audacity is truly frightening—to actually be scheming inside Huangjue Temple.”
“Elder brother, I think we should still send people to watch Madam Fang and the people Madam Xiao brought with them first, to prevent them from causing other incidents.” Song Chuyi glanced at the female official who had been gagged and bound and thrown to one side, then asked: “How many of the people you brought are still available?”
To know one’s enemy and oneself ensures victory in every battle—they should indeed first probe the enemy’s situation. Song Jue immediately agreed: “I still have thirteen or fourteen people at hand. I’ll have a few go watch the people they brought. That way we won’t be like the deaf and blind without any preparation.”
Around noon, the guest monk from the temple came to say that the meal was ready, asking whether they would go out to eat or have it delivered to their individual rooms.
First Madam naturally wanted to have all the food sent to each room to make do with a meal, to avoid any further incidents. But someone just wouldn’t take the hint—the guest monk had barely left when someone reported that Madam Fang and Madam Xiao had arrived.
They wouldn’t even let people eat a meal in peace! First Madam’s patience was nearly exhausted. In the end, she still heeded Song Jue and Song Chuyi’s advice, agreeing to go outside and eat with Madam Fang and the others, which was better than alerting the enemy.
Madam Fang and Madam Xiao still wore smiles all over their faces. First Madam couldn’t very well continue keeping a stern face. She gently asked why they had come over again so quickly, then suggested eating the vegetarian meal together.
Madam Fang and Madam Xiao naturally couldn’t wish for more. Madam Xiao even smiled and told a few amusing anecdotes: “Speaking of which, Second Daughter extremely enjoys the temple’s vegetarian meals. Every time she comes, she insists on having lunch or refreshments before she’ll return home.”
Hearing her mention her own daughter, First Madam’s heart felt alternately sour and bitter. With Madam Xiao acting this way now, who knew where Song Chuxuan’s future path lay.
She blamed Madam Xiao even more in her heart, but maintained her composure even better. Even if just for her daughter’s sake, she had to handle this matter properly so her daughter could earn some sympathy from Song Chengru and his wife in the future.
During the meal, Madam Fang seemingly casually asked a few questions about Song Chuyi. First Madam acted like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube, hastily unburdening herself: “Don’t even mention it—around noon, a female official came from the palace saying she came under orders from His Highness the Grand Prince to ask our Little Six about matters. Our Little Six is clumsy with words and can’t explain clearly. We couldn’t presume upon that female official either, so we plan to bring her along when we descend the mountain, and first consult with Father and Mother before deciding what to do.”
Madam Xiao’s heart immediately leapt, her complexion turning rather ugly as she glanced at Madam Fang—Madam Fang had originally disagreed with sending someone to extract information. It was she herself who hadn’t given up, thinking that if they could avoid deploying forces and hurting people that would be best. She had planned to treat it as a last-ditch effort to see if they could extract some words from Song Chuyi, or even simply trick Song Chuyi into coming out… She hadn’t expected that now their person had been captured too.
Fortunately, that person was a trusted confidant by her side, so she didn’t worry about betrayal. Otherwise, this truly would have ruined everything.
Madam Fang looked back at her with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, seemingly unconcerned as she steered the topic elsewhere. She actually chatted quite congenially with First Madam, not separating again until rest time.
Madam Xiao, conscious of having done wrong, no longer dared raise any other opinions and followed step by step behind Madam Fang.
Madam Fang walked on alone for a long stretch before suddenly whirling around and, as if unable to control herself, viciously slapped Madam Xiao across the face.
Madam Xiao was struck senseless. She was, after all, a marquis’s wife! And Madam Fang, no matter what, was merely the wife of her husband’s subordinate! Someone without even a noble title dared strike her, a first-rank lady with an imperial mandate?!
It took her a long while to react. She flung off Madam Fang’s hand and raged: “Have you gone mad?!”
“You’re simply hopelessly stupid!” Madam Fang’s eyes were round with rage, looking at Madam Xiao as if she wanted to devour her: “How many times did I tell you not to act on your own, but you just wouldn’t listen! Now you’ve alerted the enemy. If they discover something’s wrong, I’d like to see how many lives you have to answer to the prince!”
She spoke with stern words and aggressive manner. Madam Xiao’s belly full of resentment instantly vanished into nothing. She retreated again and again, without a trace of a marquis’s wife’s bearing.
Madam Fang couldn’t be bothered talking to this hopeless case. She turned back to order people to watch the Song household’s every move. She also told Madam Xiao to quickly contact Marquis Pingyang Xiao Ding, telling him he must bring people to provide support when the time came.
When it came down to it, there was no other path to take. If they couldn’t seize Song Chuyi today, everything would be ruined. Today they would either succeed or die trying!
Madam Xiao went off with a mournful face. She now lacked the courage to not follow Madam Fang’s instructions.
Madam Fang looked toward the side rooms where the Song family people were, her eyes burning with raging flames.
At the same time, Song Jue and First Madam finally received a letter from Song Chengru.
After reading the letter, First Madam first breathed a long sigh of relief, then asked with some worry: “Didn’t they say there are people working with them in the temple? Won’t we be discovered doing this?”
Song Jue pondered for a while, asked Song Chuyi’s opinion, and both felt the plan was feasible.
Huangjue Temple was, after all, an imperial temple. And since Song Chengru had arranged things this way, he naturally had his reasons. As long as they were careful and cautious, it wouldn’t be difficult to achieve deception.
Moreover, Song Chengru had designated a specific person—this person must be trustworthy.
Song Jue made a prompt decision, had people keep close watch on Madam Fang and Madam Xiao’s every move, and went himself to request an audience with Master Yuanjue, the temple supervisor.
At this time, Madam Fang and Madam Xiao still didn’t know that while they waited for the mantis to catch the cicada, the oriole had already spread its wings behind them and bared its fangs, only waiting for the opportune moment to catch the turtle in the jar.