The customs of this dynasty were open-minded, with less emphasis on the notion that men and women could not dine together.
However, with Pei Jingzhe joining them, the family began the meal feeling somewhat tense.
Especially Shen Shi, who came from a merchant family and had never in her life encountered such a high-ranking official. Her hand trembled uncontrollably as she picked up food.
Several times, the food slipped from her chopsticks and fell onto the table.
Seeing this, Song Jinyao shook her head helplessly and placed a portion of food into Shen Shi’s bowl. “It’s just a meal. No one’s going to eat you. What’s there to be afraid of?”
Her voice was soft, but Pei Jingzhe, being a martial artist, had sharp hearing. He picked up a piece of Dongpo pork, placed it in his mouth, and swallowed it unhurriedly.
Then he chuckled lightly and said, “Why is no one eating? Is my presence making you uncomfortable? Should I go back and eat alone instead?”
Hearing this, no one dared to let him leave in the middle of the meal.
Despite their discomfort, everyone suppressed their feelings and began to focus on eating.
Gradually, they grew more accustomed to the situation, and the atmosphere improved. Song Jinyao busied herself serving her youngest son, who was not a picky eater and happily ate whatever she gave him.
Although the child was intellectually impaired, his table manners were impeccable. Every movement carried an air of grace, which even Pei Jingzhe found striking.
He couldn’t help but think that the child had clearly inherited this trait from Song Jinyao.
Just as the meal was halfway through, another incident occurred.
“Old… Old Madam, something terrible has happened! The Third Madam… she… she tried to kill herself!”
A maid in a pink dress rushed in frantically.
Qiao Yingli tried to kill herself??
The news struck like a thunderclap, reverberating through the small room.
Lu Wenhui and Shen Shi were so shocked that their chopsticks clattered to the floor. “Is… is she dead?”
The messenger was Qiu Ling, Qiao Shi’s personal maid. She shook her head. “No, both the mother and the child are fine. But the Third Madam is still causing a scene, threatening to take her own life. She even found a white silk cord and is crying and screaming about hanging herself.”
“Mother, should we go and see?”
Song Jinyao raised an eyebrow, her expression cold. “See what? I’m not a physician. Kind words can’t save those determined to die. If she wants to kill herself, what good would stopping her do? Even if we stop her once, can we stop her a second or third time?”
“Let’s continue eating.”
Lu Wenyin, being the most soft-hearted, hesitated but still urged, “Mother, wouldn’t it be improper if we didn’t go check? Qiao Shi is pregnant, after all—”
“She’s not dead, is she? Let her make a scene if she wants!”
Song Jinyao’s voice was icy. She refused to believe that someone like Qiao Shi would truly have the courage to end her life. It was nothing more than a ploy to manipulate her using herself and the unborn child.
If she went, it would only make Qiao Shi more smug.
“Go back and tell Qiao Shi that her tricks won’t work on me. I’ve already given up on my son—she and the child in her womb don’t even rank.”
“If she really wants to die, let her wait until she moves out and do it in her own residence. If she dies here, no one will bother to collect her body.”
Qiu Ling, having received her orders, felt a surge of delight. She had known all along that Qiao Shi’s performance was nothing but a futile effort.
The power dynamics in the household had already shifted.
Yet Qiao Shi remained blind to the situation.
Then, Qiu Ling leaned in and whispered a few more words into Song Jinyao’s ear. No one could hear what she said, but after listening, Song Jinyao nodded, and Qiu Ling took her leave.
As Qiu Ling walked away, her steps were light and cheerful, completely unlike those of a maid worried about her mistress.
She came this time for two reasons: first, to deliver a message for Qiao Shi, and second, to express her loyalty to Song Jinyao. The look in Qiao Shi’s eyes this afternoon had been unsettling, and she felt she had to warn the Old Madam.
With Qiao Shi carrying on like this, the day she’d be expelled from the estate would likely come sooner rather than later.
Then she, too, would finally be free from Qiao Shi’s clutches.
Song Jinyao composed herself and was about to continue her meal when she noticed Pei Jingzhe staring at her.
She gave an awkward smile. “I’m truly sorry that Lord Pei has to witness such absurdities every time. The people in my household are simply too troublesome.”
“Hmm.” Pei Jingzhe didn’t elaborate, merely uttering a faint acknowledgment. They certainly were troublesome.
Having too many children was indeed a burden.
After the meal, Pei Jingzhe prepared to leave. Yan Qing, who had earlier been taken by Mother Fang to dine in the side hall, had returned by then.
Everyone moved to see him off, but Pei Jingzhe declined. “Please, all of you, stay. Let your mother accompany me. I happen to have something to discuss with her.”
Lu Yuan, Lu Wenhui, and the others, especially Shen Shi, breathed a collective sigh of relief at his words.
Although Lord Pei was dressed casually today and hadn’t put on any official airs since arriving at the estate, his innate commanding presence was still rather intimidating.
They had endured the meal with trepidation, and that was already their limit. They were more than eager to avoid further time in the company of such a prominent figure.
Pei Jingzhe walked ahead, with Song Jinyao following half a step behind. They proceeded all the way to the estate’s entrance without him saying a word.
Song Jinyao wondered to herself: Didn’t he say he had something to discuss? Why hasn’t he mentioned it now?
Just before mounting his horse, Pei Jingzhe paused, turned to Song Jinyao, and said quietly, “I’ve discovered that your husband is not dead.”
These words were like a stone dropped into the calm waters of Song Jinyao’s heart, instantly stirring ripples.
The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, known as the Living King of Hell, was truly extraordinary—he had even uncovered this?
It seemed nothing could be kept hidden from him.
Song Jinyao remained silent, sensing that since Pei Jingzhe had chosen to tell her this privately, there must be more to follow.
Sure enough, after observing her reaction closely for a moment, Pei Jingzhe stated, “You already knew!” It wasn’t a question but a confirmation.
“So, do you need me to help you capture him? Or—”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but Song Jinyao understood his implication.
He was offering her a backdoor—allowing her to handle the matter herself.
To deal with it as if he were already dead.
After a moment’s thought, Song Jinyao suddenly looked up, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Lord Pei, you jest. My husband is dead—that is common knowledge.”
“And he—can only be dead!” Song Jinyao clenched her fists. If he wasn’t dead, she would make sure that beast died!
Hearing this, Pei Jingzhe suddenly laughed, a genuine laugh.
Well, good. It seemed there truly was no affection left.
His usually stern face, suddenly breaking into a smile, was as fleeting as a night-blooming cereus, nearly dazzling Song Jinyao.
Realizing her lapse, Song Jinyao quickly averted her gaze.
What was wrong with her?
At her age, she had almost been mesmerized by a man.
What a sin—
“In that case, I’ll have Yan Qing prepare a death certificate and send it to you later.”
Pausing briefly, he added, “You might also find time to discreetly visit Xinghua Hutong.”
Xinghua Hutong?
That was where Lu Xiuyuan and his mistress, Tao Shi, had their little love nest.
Song Jinyao: “…Why is Lord Pei helping me?”
“There’s no particular reason. Just consider me a benevolent official who cannot stand the sight of scum and beasts.”
Yan Qing listened on the side, utterly bewildered.
Even after mounting his horse, Yan Qing still couldn’t figure out what kind of riddle those two had been exchanging earlier.
When commoners died, their families rarely took the initiative to report it to the authorities for death certificates. What was his superior trying to accomplish?
Pei Jingzhe, however, was in high spirits. After returning, he ate two more bowls of rice.
Meanwhile, Song Jinyao went straight back to her room after seeing Pei Jingzhe off. She drank several pots of tea before the pounding in her chest finally subsided.
The conversation between those two old foxes was something only old foxes could understand.
What Pei Jingzhe had meant was—allowing her to take action against Lu Xiuyuan?
In other words, even if she killed Lu Xiuyuan now, it wouldn’t be considered a crime. After all, the law didn’t stipulate any consequences for killing someone who was already dead.
It was said that Pei Jingzhe upheld the law strictly. Why would he make an exception for her?
This was something Song Jinyao still couldn’t figure out.
However, reality didn’t allow Song Jinyao to ponder this further. Just then, Fang Momo entered, looking excited.
“Miss, a messenger sent by your uncle from Jing City has arrived.”
Hearing this, Song Jinyao was overjoyed. “Quick, bring them in at once.”
Song Jinyao felt her eyes grow warm. In her previous life, after the Song Family had been raided and expelled from Jing City, her mother, fearing she would implicate her maternal family, had written a letter severing ties with them before their departure.
Yet her uncles had not abandoned them. Over the years, they had searched for evidence from all quarters in Jing City, attempting to clear the Song Family’s name, and had even sent people several times with silver notes.
A few years ago, when the Emperor issued a general pardon, it meant her family could return to Jing City.
Her uncles had sent people to fetch them.
Unfortunately, by then, both of Song Jinyao’s parents had passed away. Disheartened, Song Jinyao had refused to set foot in Jing City again and declined her uncles’ kind offer.
Song Jinyao clenched the handkerchief in her hand, a fighting spirit igniting in her eyes.
Since Xuanhe had said there was hope for her to clear the Song Family’s name, then in this life, she was determined to give it her all.
After all, this extra life was like a bonus—why not go all out?
Fang Momo led the messenger in and then withdrew.
Song Jinyao and the messenger talked behind closed doors for a long time.
Meanwhile, loud shouts and curses came from the Third Branch’s courtyard.
“Song Jinyao, you vicious woman! How could you be so heartless!”
Qiao Shi had smashed most of the ornaments in the room. A shard of broken porcelain grazed Qiu Ling’s cheek, and she hissed in pain, raising her hand to find it covered in blood.
“You wretched maid! It must be because you didn’t deliver the message properly. Otherwise, why would Song Jinyao refuse to come?” Qiao Shi raged, then slapped Qiu Ling’s other, uninjured cheek.
Qiu Ling seethed but didn’t dare speak up. She could only drop to her knees with a thud. The floor was littered with porcelain shards, and the moment she knelt, a sharp pain shot through her knees.
She lowered her eyes, holding back tears and playing the meek quail.
She had plenty of experience—if she spoke now, she would only be beaten more severely.
She had to endure it. It wouldn’t be long before Qiao Shi left the estate, and then she would no longer have to suffer Qiao Shi’s abuse.
After venting her anger for a while, Qiao Shi ran out of energy.
After all, carrying a pregnant belly was exhausting.
She found an intact chair and sat down, panting heavily.
When Lu Yue was carried back earlier, she had been truly terrified. Although the servant who came to deliver the message said he had been severely beaten, not seeing it with her own eyes had lessened the shock.
But once she saw him, her soul nearly fled in fright.
Was that blood-soaked figure really her husband?
His face was swollen like a pig’s head, uglier than anything she had ever seen. At that moment, she nearly vomited.
She had cried and made a scene, even threatening suicide to intimidate Song Jinyao, but that old woman simply paid her no mind.
In the end, she could only rage helplessly within her own courtyard.
The complete shattering of her dream of becoming an official’s wife was what pained her the most. Qiao Shi was so distraught she couldn’t even bring herself to care for Lu Yue. Her heart raced with panic, uncertain of how to face the days ahead.
Lu Yue was already a broken man—was she supposed to continue living like this?
No!
She refused to accept it!
Suddenly, her eyes lit up. In a fluster, she wrote a letter, sealed it, and with a twisted expression, ordered Qiu Ling, “Go, deliver this letter to my father. Wait for his reply and bring it back to me. Remember, no one must know of this.”
Qiu Ling took the letter and hurried out.
By then, it was completely dark outside. Qiu Ling had no time to change her clothes, nor to tend to her wounds, and thus she departed.
Not long after, the letter found its way into Song Jinyao’s hands——