Inside Furong Garden, Song Qianqian paced back and forth anxiously, constantly looking towards the entrance.
"Has Chun Tao returned yet?"
"Not yet, Second Young Lady," a young maidservant replied softly.
Song Qianqian's face was full of indignation.
"Why hasn't she? That girl can't even handle a simple matter."
She was restless and anxious, wishing she could rush out herself to find out what was happening.
The maidservants kept their heads down, holding their breath, afraid of provoking her.
After who knows how long, Song Qianqian's patience was nearly exhausted.
Only then did Chun Tao hurry back, her face pale.
"Second Young Lady, it's bad..."
Song Qianqian's heart skipped a beat. Grabbing Chun Tao, she went back to the bedroom. "What's bad? Explain clearly."
"The Master... was arrested by the Jingzhao Yin, the Young Master's whereabouts are unknown. Madam just received a verbal message; both of them are trapped in prison. Madam asks you to think of a way to save the Master and the Young Master."
"The Zhao Manor is in complete chaos. Madam has fainted several times."
Song Qianqian's face turned deathly pale. "How could this happen? Did Song Ci really predict this?"
She didn't believe it.
Song Qianqian's heart was burning with anxiety. Unable to bear it, her eyes were full of panic and despair.
"What do I do? What do I do?"
Her breakdown frightened Chun Tao.
Granny Hua was already gone; there wasn't even anyone to help persuade her.
The maidservants in this room were all from the Marquis's Mansion; they weren't on the same side as her, who came from the Zhao Manor.
Chun Tao braced herself and tried to persuade her.
"Second Young Lady... calm down. Madam said to go and beg Madam the Marchioness, beg the Eldest Young Master; they are sure to have a way."
"I'll go beg Mother. She will definitely help me."
Song Qianqian's eyes lit up, like a desperate person finding a glimmer of hope, desperately wanting to grasp it.
Chun Tao reminded her.
"Second Young Lady, change your clothes before you go. Don't be rude."
"Saving people is more important."
Song Qianqian thought, the more disheveled she looked, the more heartache Madam Fang would feel, and she would definitely step in to save her father and younger brother.
By the time she rushed to Fanghua Courtyard, Madam Fang had already retired for the night.
Mama Liu blocked her way, her expression troubled.
"Second Young Lady, can't this wait until tomorrow? Madam is a light sleeper; if she's woken up, she'll easily have insomnia."
"Mama Liu, please make an exception. I have an urgent matter, a matter of life and death."
"Second Young Lady, please don't make things difficult for this old servant."
Mama Liu hesitated.
Song Qianqian had no choice but to force her way in.
"Second Young Lady, please stop..."
"Mother!"
Song Qianqian called out loudly, as if afraid Madam Fang wouldn't hear her.
Madam Fang was startled awake, her expression displeased.
"Who's making so much noise?"
"Madam, the Second Young Lady, she..."
"Mother, save me!"
Before Mama Liu could explain, Song Qianqian anxiously interrupted.
Madam Fang furrowed her brows, rubbing her temples. Watching her daughter cry prettily, she swallowed the reprimand that was on the tip of her tongue.
"Go on, what's the matter?"
Song Qianqian quickly recounted the matter of the Zhao family father and son being trapped in prison. She deliberately omitted the part about Master Zhao and Zhao Cheng framing Song Ci, only saying that the Zhao family had fallen on hard times and she was burning with anxiety.
"Mother, the Zhao family raised me. I cannot stand by and watch them die."
Madam Fang's expression turned troubled. "This matter involves the Jingzhao Yin. It's not that I'm refusing to save them, but I am just a wife from the inner courtyards; I have no say in this."
"Beg Father then."
"I cannot make decisions for your father. If you're not willing to give up, you can go beg the Marquis yourself."
Song Qianqian fell silent. She didn't expect that her own mother, who she thought could do anything, would actually refuse her?
Unconsciously, resentment towards Madam Fang arose in her heart.
Song Qianqian left reluctantly, having no choice but to go to the Front Courtyard.
A rift had formed between mother and daughter.
The Marquis Yong'an had already retired for the night in a concubine's room. No matter how anxious Song Qianqian was, she couldn't barge in and wake him up.
It would be improper.
Song Qianqian had no choice but to go to Song Jingwen's courtyard.
Song Jingwen hadn't slept yet, but the moment he heard Song Qianqian had come,
he directly refused to see her.
Song Qianqian was shut out. Her expression was ugly.
With no other options, she turned and went to Song Jingwu's courtyard.
Song Jingwu was also startled to see her.
"What are you doing here? My humble abode is too small to accommodate a high and mighty personage like you."
Song Qianqian forced a smile. "Second Brother is joking. Little Sister has a favor to ask."
"What favor?"
Song Jingwu lifted his eyelids lazily.
Song Qianqian quickly recounted the Zhao family matter. After Song Jingwu heard it, he laughed.
"You're begging me? Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll have them released."
"Really?"
Song Qianqian's eyes were full of hope, as if grasping at the last straw.
Song Jingwu grinned mischievously. "Of course. A word from a gentleman is as good as a promise."
"Second Brother, I'm begging you."
"Just standing there and begging? No sincerity at all. If you want someone to do you a favor, you need to have the right attitude."
Song Qianqian was taken aback. "Second Brother, how do you want me to beg?"
"Kneel down, kowtow to me three times, and call me 'Grandpa' three times."
"You're going too far."
Song Jingwu scoffed. "If you can't swallow your pride and still want to ask for a favor, who do you think you are? An ancestor?"
Song Qianqian's eyes reddened with anger.
"If Second Brother is unwilling to help, just say so. Why embarrass me? We are, after all, born of the same mother."
"Save your false sentimentality. I'm not falling for that. Did you ever remember we were born of the same mother when you tattled to Mother and got me kneeling in the Ancestral Hall for two hours?"
Song Qianqian...
She didn't expect Song Jingwu to be this vindictive.
Immediately, her eyes welled up with tears.
"Second Brother, I apologize to you. I didn't say anything. It was all Granny Hua's fault..."
"Passing the blame onto a dead person. Song Qianqian, you really are something. You only want the milk when the baby is dead? If you were truly sincere, why didn't you come to apologize with a birch branch on your back earlier? Get out of here. I'm not going to help you."
Song Jingwu had lost his patience. He simply refused outright, shattering Song Qianqian's hopes.
Song Qianqian bit her lip and left resentfully.
News of Song Qianqian's frantic pleas soon spread back to Fanghua Courtyard.
Madam Fang's face showed worry.
"Qianqian must be so upset."
Mama Liu's eyes darted around. "Madam, if this old servant may speak bluntly, the Second Young Lady's feelings for the Zhao father and son are far too deep. The Marquis's Mansion is her real home."
"Shut up! You have quite the nerve, relying on my favor to gossip about your master? Have you forgotten Granny Hua's fate so quickly?"
"Forgive this old servant, Madam! This mouth of mine deserves a beating. This old servant was just standing up for you."
Mama Liu slapped herself.
"You are the Second Young Lady's birth mother, yet she hasn't shown you any consideration. On the other hand, the Eldest Miss remembered your frequent headaches and had Amber bring over calming incense early on, asking this old servant to keep it ready for you."
Madam Fang's hand, rubbing her temples, paused.
Ci'er is thoughtful.
Compared to Song Ci, Qianqian was somewhat petty and narrow-minded, but she was still her own flesh and blood after all.
Mama Liu secretly glanced at Madam Fang's expression and did not continue speaking.
She knew when to stop, knowing that too much was as bad as too little.
After helping Madam Fang lie down again, Mama Liu withdrew from the inner chamber and nervously touched the banknotes in her sleeve.
The Eldest Miss had instructed that for just a slight mention of the Second Young Lady's faults, she would be given ten taels.
Mama Liu couldn't suppress the smile at the corner of her mouth.
This silver was so easy to earn. Her little nephew could be saved.
In Listening Bamboo Pavilion, Amber looked confused.
"Miss, why did you give that old hag money? One sentence isn't worth ten taels!"
"The words aren't valuable, but Mama Liu is."
Song Ci understood in her heart. Mama Liu had served Madam Fang for thirty years. If she could use her as an informant in Fanghua Courtyard, it would only be beneficial to her.
Greed for money was not a problem; what was scary was someone who coveted nothing. If Fanghua Courtyard was an impenetrable block of iron, how could she gather information?
Ten taels wasn't much, but it added up over time. She didn't believe Mama Liu would be able to resist the corrosion of money.
Even if Mama Liu could resist, her gambling-addicted grandson would not.
Gambling was a bottomless pit.
Thanks to the news her mom had sent, otherwise how could she have so quickly made a move on the people around Madam Fang?
And a key figure like Mama Liu at that.
Cui Zhu rushed in frantically, leaned in and whispered a few words into Song Ci's ear...
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