The visitors from Jing City had just been sent away, and Song Jinyao was sitting before the bronze mirror, removing her hairpins and ornaments.
In the flickering candlelight, the mirror reflected her weary yet sharp eyes and brows.
Baishuang entered quietly. “Madam, Qiu Ling requests an audience.”
As if she had long anticipated Qiu Ling’s arrival, Song Jinyao replied impassively, “Bring her in.”
“Old Madam—”
Qiu Ling stumbled in, carrying a strong scent of blood. Her right cheek was badly swollen, and a dark red gash had congealed on her left cheek. Her hair was slightly disheveled, a trace of blood still lingered at the corner of her lips, and her skirt was stained with blood at the knees, with a few shards of porcelain still embedded in the fabric.
So badly injured?
Even though she was well aware of Qiao Shi’s temperament.
At the sight, Song Jinyao couldn’t help but furrow her brows.
Her fingers paused, and she frowned as she scrutinized Qiu Ling from head to toe. “Did Qiao Shi take her anger out on you again?”
Qiu Ling fell to her knees with a thud, tears splattering onto the brick floor. “Old Madam promised this servant that once Third Master and the others leave the estate, you would not hand me over to Qiao Shi.”
With porcelain shards still embedded in her knees, kneeling like this would only drive them deeper.
Song Jinyao couldn’t help but sigh deeply, feeling a newfound appreciation for this maid.
She’s a tough one. Even Song Jinyao, who had seen her fair share of suffering, found the sight excruciating, yet the girl hadn’t so much as flinched.
“Get up. What I promised you still stands.” With that, she gave Baishuang a meaningful glance. Understanding her mistress’s intent, Baishuang carefully helped Qiu Ling to her feet and handed her a jar of medicinal ointment.
Only then did Song Jinyao continue, “Endure it for a few more days. They won’t be staying in the estate much longer.”
Alas!
What could she do? Several elders of the clan had sent word, granting those ungrateful wretches a month to move out.
She could understand this—after all, they needed time to arrange new accommodations. Forcing them out immediately after severing ties would only invite criticism that the Lu clan elders were heartless.
Still, it meant enduring another month of annoyance.
Hmm, what a headache!
Song Jinyao retrieved two ingots of silver from the bottom layer of her dressing case and signaled Baishuang to hand them over. “Go see a physician for your injuries. A young girl like you shouldn’t risk scarring. Don’t hesitate to spend the silver—if it’s not enough, come to Baishuang for more. Once they leave the estate, you may serve by my side.”
Tears of gratitude streamed down Qiu Ling’s cheeks once more. “Thank you for your kindness, Old Madam.” As she spoke, she handed over the letter Qiao Shi had entrusted to her.
“Third Madam ordered this servant to deliver this letter to the Qiao residence overnight—”
Song Jinyao took the letter, opened it by the candlelight, and after reading the contents, a cold smile curled at the corners of her lips.
She refolded the letter exactly as it was and handed it back. “Do as she says.”
After Qiu Ling withdrew, Baishuang could no longer contain herself. “Madam, Third Madam, she—”
“It’s nothing more than a couple facing disaster, each trying to save their own skin.” The flickering candlelight cast a mocking glint in her eyes.
She wondered whether Old Master Qiao, who had always prided himself on moral education, would agree to his daughter’s actions.
With that, Song Jinyao trimmed the wick, picked up a book, and leaned back on the couch to await the reply.
She needed to know how the other party would respond.
Upon hearing this, Baishuang’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Could it be that Third Madam intends to divorce Third Master?”
Surely not?
Qiao Shi is about to give birth. How could she seek a divorce at such a time?
What about the child?
Haven’t they always been a loving couple?
Song Jinyao smiled faintly without speaking. What loving couple?
With someone as vain and greedy as Qiao Shi, even if there was affection, it was all an act.
Now that Lu Yue had lost all possibility of entering officialdom and was utterly useless—unable to carry a load or lift a hand—he was practically a good-for-nothing. How could Qiao Shi not have second thoughts?
She knew very well that before Qiao Shi married into the Lu family, Old Master Qiao had a disciple whom both father and daughter had favored as a potential son-in-law. Three months ago, that disciple’s wife happened to die in difficult childbirth.
Moreover, she heard that the scholar had channeled his grief into motivation, making significant progress in his studies recently. He now stood a better chance of passing the imperial exams than the third son did before.
What a perfect opportunity to remarry!
Suddenly, Song Jinyao chuckled again. “I’d like to see if Old Master Qiao’s books of sages ever taught his daughter to kick a man when he’s down.”
Heh—
Her third son was probably about to taste the bitterness of betrayal himself.
Midnight.
When the night watchman’s clapper sounded the third watch, Qiu Ling returned with Old Master Qiao’s reply.
Song Jinyao unfolded the letter by the candlelight. The forceful strokes of Old Master Qiao’s brush covered three sheets of paper.
As she read, Song Jinyao burst into laughter. “As expected of an old pedant—so much nonsense!”
“What? Did Old Master Qiao agree?” Baishuang couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked aloud.
“Not sure yet, I haven’t finished reading.”
Baishuang: She hasn’t finished? Then why is the mistress reacting like this?
Song Jinyao was equally exasperated. She had already read two pages and still hadn’t found the main point.
Those two pages were filled with scathing critiques of Lu Yue, his son-in-law. Old Master Qiao had vilified Lu Yue, calling him worse than a dog and reducing him to utter worthlessness.
It was quite satisfying to read. Who would have thought that an excess of ink could be useful? The way he insulted without using a single vulgar word was something she could never have imagined.
After finishing the last page, Song Jinyao’s expression turned complicated.
Who would have thought that on the final page, the old man would suddenly change his tone, writing, “A woman should remain faithful to one man.”
If that were all, Song Jinyao might have praised him for being principled.
But at the end, Old Master Qiao added, “Lu Yue is indeed not a suitable match. Such a man living only brings shame to scholars.” He then inquired whether Lu Yue’s injury was life-threatening and ultimately left the decision to Qiao Shi.
To someone unfamiliar with Qiao Shi’s temperament, this might seem harmless. But given Qiao Shi’s impulsive nature, wasn’t this letter subtly guiding her to take action against the third son?
Or perhaps, by withholding treatment, letting Qiao Shi wait for the third son to die?
Which was better—divorce or widowhood?
Over the years, the third son had accumulated some private assets outside. The answer was obvious.
But if Qiao Shi truly resorted to foul play, this letter could be circulated, and the old man could easily brush it off as “harsh words spoken out of disappointment,” shifting all responsibility away.
That old scoundrel!
Truly, he wanted to have his cake and eat it too.
“What a sanctimonious old fox!” Song Jinyao sneered coldly.
“Madam?”
“Tomorrow, go find a matchmaker and pick ten sturdy maids and servants. Make sure they’re clean-handed and come from decent backgrounds.” Song Jinyao stared at the flickering candle flame, her voice colder than the night dew. “Also, find two women who know martial arts.”
She paused, then added, “Additionally, tomorrow, hire two physicians. Spend more silver to keep them at the estate for a month, and have them attend to the second, third, and fourth sons throughout their treatment.”
She couldn’t let those three ungrateful wretches come to harm within the estate.
Otherwise, the reputation for viciousness would fall squarely on her.
As for what would happen after they left the estate—that was no longer her concern.
Baishuang’s face turned deathly pale, her heart trembling with fear. “Third Madam… would she… harm Third Master?”
Song Jinyao did not answer immediately.
Human hearts are unfathomable!
“It depends on whether Qiao Shi is ruthless enough.”
Song Jinyao snorted coldly.
She wondered how that wretched third son would feel if he read this letter.
He’d probably be furious enough to spit blood.
At this thought, she beckoned to Qiu Ling and whispered a few words in her ear.
Only then did Qiu Ling withdraw.
Outside the window, a bolt of lightning split the ink-black night, illuminating half her face in flickering shadows. In the stifling heat before the storm, Baishuang couldn’t help but shiver.
The next day.
Early in the morning, just after the heavy rain had ceased, Shen Shi went to Lu Xiao’s room to change his bandages.
Lu Xiao had not been charged with the crime of matricide, so he had not been taken to the authorities for corporal punishment and was naturally less severely injured than Lu Yue.
But in the sweltering weather, the whip marks on his back made his temper flare.
Though Shen Shi felt she was applying the medicine gently, Lu Xiao still cursed her in pain.
“Wretch! Are you trying to murder your husband?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lu Xiao slapped Shen Shi across the face, then kicked her to the ground.
The medicine jar in her hand shattered, and Shen Shi’s palm landed squarely on a shard of porcelain, instantly gushing blood.
Not only did Lu Xiao show no concern or sympathy, he shot her a disdainful glance. “If you don’t want to serve me, just say so. Don’t resort to underhanded tricks. It’s not like I have no one else to attend to me.”
“Look at your lifeless face—utterly incapable of pleasing anyone like she can. Disgusting creature, get out!”
Shen Shi knew the person Lu Xiao referred to was his mistress, Wanyue Tao.
She gave a bitter smile, her expression cold. “Since my husband believes she can serve you better, I will bring her here.”
With that, she rose from the floor and called a maid to clean up the mess.
Once everything was arranged, Shen Shi was about to leave to tend to her wound when Lu Xiao suddenly barked, “Stop!”
Shen Shi halted, her back still turned to him.
Her palm continued to drip blood, the pain intense.
Then came Lu Xiao’s hostile voice from behind. “I heard you had dinner at that vicious old woman’s place last night?”
The “old woman” Lu Xiao referred to was Song Jinyao.
Such disrespect—calling his own mother an old woman—displeased Shen Qingmo, who always adhered to propriety. Her eyes filled with profound disappointment.
Heh…
She laughed silently to herself.
Hadn’t she long grown numb to disappointment?
What more was there to despair over?
If a man could treat his own mother this way, how could he possibly treat his wife any better?
She replied flatly, “Yes, Mother did summon me yesterday.”
Although the Lu residence was divided into the main compound and several branch courtyards, the family’s circumstances meant the estate was not large. It was no surprise Lu Xiao knew of this, so Shen Shi did not deny it.
Lu Xiao flew into a rage. “You wretch! Do you think currying favor with her will gain you any advantage?”
“Don’t forget—I am your master!”
“Yes, Second Master is the heavens, and this humble wife is but the dirt beneath your feet.” Shen Qingmo’s sarcastic reply actually pleased Lu Xiao. “Good that you know your place.”
Truly arrogant and conceited.
Shen Qingmo sneered inwardly, clutching his wound as he left.
Not long after, the physician summoned by Baishuang arrived. The elderly doctor prescribed new medicinal ointment for Lu Xiao, handed it to the attending servants, then went to attend to the fourth son, Lu Chuan.
The servants applied the medicine with even less care than usual, yet strangely, Lu Xiao not only refrained from scolding them this time but actually chuckled with smug satisfaction.
He thought to himself with conceited assurance: After all, hadn’t Song Jinyao still called a physician to treat him?
Hmph!
He knew it—that woman must be regretting how she had treated him and his brothers.
Well then, he would continue accepting the benefits as usual while maintaining his cold attitude toward that venomous woman. This time, unless Song Jinyao came to kneel and kowtow before him, he would never forgive her.
He was determined to thoroughly crush Song Jinyao’s arrogance.
“Where has the lady gone?” After Shen Shi departed, nearly noon arrived without any sign of her, so Lu Xiao casually inquired.
“I heard she left the estate to fetch Madam Wan.”
“Hmph! At least she knows her place.” Lu Xiao grinned.
Who could possibly rival his prowess?
To make the principal wife personally go invite her husband’s mistress into the household?