As Song Ci returned to the mansion, she was immediately invited by the old woman waiting at the gate to go to Fanghua Courtyard.
Amber nervously said, "Eldest Miss..."
"What's there to panic about? Just come with me to see Mother."
Song Ci's calm gradually eased Amber's tense expression, and she obediently followed behind her.
Inside Fanghua Courtyard, Madam Fang sat upright in the master seat, her expression cold.
Granny Hua was kneeling on the ground at that moment, hair disheveled, clothes wrinkled, held down by two coarse old women, unable to move.
Song Qianqian sat silently to the side, tears falling, her sobs full of grievance.
Song Ci raised an eyebrow. What act was this supposed to be now?
She stepped forward to pay her respects.
"Daughter greets Mother..."
Before she could finish her words, Granny Hua suddenly broke free from the old women's grip and screamed hoarsely.
"Madam, yesterday the Eldest Miss also went to the Flower Appreciation Banquet. She deliberately set up the Second Miss to be embarrassed in public and ruin her reputation. You must seek justice for the Second Miss..."
"Shut up!"
Madam Fang roared angrily.
Granny Hua immediately cowered.
Madam Fang turned her gaze to Song Ci, her voice icy cold.
"Ci'er, what do you have to say?"
A trace of mockery flashed in Song Ci's eyes. Killing the chicken to scare the monkey.
Her gaze passed over Madam Fang and landed on Song Qianqian's face, which was drenched in tears like rain on pear blossoms.
Was she planning to use this insolent servant to slander her?
Did they really think she was a soft persimmon to be squeezed?
"Mother, Second Sister and I are sisters. When one prospers, we all prosper; when one suffers, we all suffer. How could I ever harm Second Sister?"
Song Ci stepped forward and slapped Granny Hua across the face.
Smack!
Ah...
Granny Hua was shocked: "Eldest Miss, you hit me?"
"I'm hitting you, this insolent servant. You keep insisting that I harmed Second Sister. Let me ask you: how exactly did I plot? Where is the witness? Where is the evidence?"
Granny Hua instinctively looked toward Song Qianqian.
Song Ci's gaze was icy.
"Mother, I have a few questions for Granny Hua."
"Ask away."
Granny Hua hadn't expected Madam Fang to be so protective of Song Ci, so she could only answer truthfully: "Yesterday... it was Eldest Miss who deliberately lured Young Master Gu to the lotus pond, harming the Second Miss. This old servant saw it with her own eyes."
"Is that so?
If you saw it, why didn't you stop it? A servant who doesn't protect her master—what use is keeping you? You are a witness, but where is the evidence? And also... where was Second Sister's maidservant? Didn't you deliberately send her away too?"
Song Ci's eyes blazed as she pressed aggressively: "What exactly are you plotting, trying to sow discord between us sisters and stir up trouble in the Marquis's Mansion?"
"This old servant wouldn't dare. Eldest Miss is unjustly accusing me. I didn't make it in time, and the evidence was already destroyed by you."
Song Ci sneered: "You didn't make it in time? Then what clothes was I wearing yesterday? What jewelry? What people were by my side?"
"This old servant... can't recall."
Granny Hua's eyes darted away.
"Oh? I have another question. Gu Mingyuan is a living, breathing person, and the Tanhua of this year's imperial exams—why would he listen to me? Also, he and I are betrothed. Why would I frame him and Second Sister and cuckold myself? Am I crazy?"
Song Ci's words, each like a gem, struck Granny Hua's face.
Granny Hua opened her mouth to explain, but the words stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single one.
"Mother, I am done asking."
Madam Fang's face darkened as if it could drip water. She picked up her teacup and hurled it.
"Insolent servant!
I gave you face because you are the Second Miss's wet nurse, but you dare to bite back at your master? Looks like you're tired of living!"
"Madam, forgive me!"
Granny Hua's face turned pale: "This old servant is utterly loyal to the Second Miss. It's truly that the Eldest Miss is jealous of the Second Miss being favored and deliberately harmed her..."
Wah wah...
Song Ci picked up her handkerchief to wipe her tears. Who couldn't pretend to be weak?
"Mother, see clearly! If I were vicious and cruel, would I have voluntarily broken off the engagement? This dog slave is sowing discord between us mother and daughter, and between me and my Second Sister's sisterly bond—she deserves to die!"
Madam Fang's face darkened immediately.
Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, Song Qianqian immediately jumped out to explain.
"Mother, Granny Hua only spoke out of momentary urgency to plead for me. Please, for my sake, spare her this once!" Her voice was earnest, and she cried like rain on pear blossoms.
Song Ci didn't look at her hypocrisy.
"Second Sister, a wicked servant like this can bite me today and will bite others tomorrow. What are you keeping her for?
To celebrate New Year?
If Mother lets her off, wouldn't that break the rules of the Marquis's Mansion?
Second Sister is so considerate—how could she make things difficult for Mother?"
Song Qianqian suddenly clenched the handkerchief in her hand, staring fixedly at Song Ci. She opened her mouth but still didn't dare to utter the plea.
Madam Fang valued rules the most. Her face turned heavy.
"Someone, drag this dog slave out and beat her to death! Let all the servants in the mansion go see—this is the fate of those who bully their masters!"
"Madam, spare me! This old servant was wrong! Second Miss... save me! Second Miss..."
Granny Hua kowtowed incessantly, weeping and begging Madam Fang and Song Qianqian.
Song Qianqian watched helplessly as Granny Hua was dragged out of the room. Her vision went black and she collapsed to the ground.
"Qianqian..."
Madam Fang was startled and quickly ordered people to help her into the inner room to rest.
Seeing this, Song Ci stepped forward.
"Mother, you go handle the situation. I'll look after Second Sister."
"I'll trouble you."
Madam Fang patted her hand approvingly, then got up and left.
The maids and old women in the room filed out to go watch the 'excitement.'
In the spacious inner chamber, only Song Ci and Song Qianqian remained.
Soon, the sound of Granny Hua's screams came from outside, one after another, each more piercing than the last.
Song Ci deliberately opened the window wide.
"Second Sister, listen. Granny Hua is screaming so miserably!"
Song Qianqian's body trembled almost imperceptibly.
Song Ci smiled even more brightly.
"Second Sister, Granny Hua died because of you. She screamed so terribly. Can you sleep soundly? Can your conscience... rest easy?"
Song Qianqian bit her lip hard and didn't make a sound, but her trembling eyelashes betrayed her pretense of composure.
Song Ci deliberately leaned close to Song Qianqian's ear and whispered softly.
"Aren't you afraid... that she'll come back to find you in the middle of the night?"
"Shut up!"
Song Qianqian suddenly sat up, no longer able to keep up the act, covering her ears tightly.
"Stop talking... It's all your fault! You killed her..."
Song Ci looked at her hysterical state and suddenly laughed: "You and your servant plotted to harm me, and I exposed you. Still have the nerve to blame me?
Ending up like this—it's all the consequence of your own doing, you and your servant.
Just wait for Granny Hua to come find you in the night!"
Song Ci stopped paying attention to Song Qianqian and walked straight to the window to watch Granny Hua being punished.
The boards landed on flesh one after another, soon turning it into a bloody mess. Granny Hua's screams grew weaker and weaker, gradually fading into silence.
Song Ci remained expressionless throughout. It was much 'better' than an operating table.
After Madam Fang returned, she found Song Qianqian curled up in the corner of the bed, clutching the quilt and trembling, muttering something under her breath.
Her expression was full of heartache.
"Qianqian, what's wrong with you? Don't scare Mother!"
"Mother, Second Sister seems to have been frightened. You should summon the Court Physician to take a look."
"Someone, summon the Court Physician."
Madam Fang took Song Ci's hand: "Good child, you've worked hard. Mother knows you are kind-hearted. Don't blame Qianqian—she is also a victim. Fortunately, that insolent servant has been beaten to death. Go back and rest now. Mother will handle things here."
"Yes."
Song Ci's expression was indifferent as she walked out of Fanghua Courtyard.
The night breeze was cool, and no one was around. Amber couldn't help muttering quietly.
"Eldest Miss, this servant truly feels it's unfair for you. Clearly, it was the Second Miss who harmed you, but Madam wants you not to mind. That's just... too biased."
"It's fine. They've already reaped what they sowed."
She had always followed the principle: I won't trouble others unless they trouble me. But if someone does trouble me, I will certainly not let them off easy.
Song Ci was not the original body, so she didn't care about Madam Fang's affection anyway.
As night fell, Song Qianqian couldn't sit still. She kept feeling there was movement, her eyes bloodshot.
She couldn't sleep all night.
But Song Ci managed to have a rare peaceful sleep.
The next morning, Amber rushed in frantically.
"Miss, something terrible has happened! Something's wrong..."
✦✦✦