Hou Manor was in chaos.
Qu Cheng, who had been surrounded by warmth and soft fragrance, was startled awake by the steward’s voice outside the door: “We managed to save her, but she’s not breathing. My Lord, you must come see.”
Consort Miao hurriedly helped Qu Cheng dress.
Her hands trembled violently.
“Don’t be afraid,” Qu Cheng grasped her hands and said softly, “This has nothing to do with you.”
Consort Miao looked up, her eyes filled with trust and dependence.
Yet for some reason, she felt that the deep affection in the Marquis’s gaze wasn’t truly directed at her.
Qu Cheng quickly finished dressing and headed for the Main Courtyard.
The servants had frantically rescued Song Shi and carried her to the bed.
Song Shi lay with closed eyes, her face pale, showing no signs of life or death.
Qu Lianzhi had also been released and was kneeling by the bed, clutching Song Shi’s hand and weeping: “Mother, wake up. Don’t frighten your daughter like this. Please wake up.”
Song Shi’s two sons had also learned of their mother’s attempted hanging.
They rushed to Song Shi’s room, their hearts filled with both anguish and fury.
“I’m going to kill that woman!”
Qu Yi declared, already moving to fetch a blade.
He believed his mother’s suicide attempt was entirely due to his father taking a new concubine.
“Don’t act rashly!” Qu Heng, more composed than his brother, stopped him. “Saving Mother is what matters now.”
He calmly issued orders: “Send word to the Song Family. Have Grandfather request an Imperial Physician from the palace.”
The Old Madam arrived supported by Qu Ling, her steps hurried. Her heart raced as she asked: “How is she?”
If Song Shi were to die under such unclear circumstances in Dingxiang Hou Manor, there would be serious consequences.
“She’s breathing! She’s breathing!” Qu Lianzhi cried out loudly. “Mother is breathing!”
The servants gathered around the bed reached out to check – indeed, there was breath.
Everyone was overcome with relief.
The heavy atmosphere in the room lightened considerably.
The Old Madam’s anxious heart finally settled.
Only then did she realize her legs felt weak.
“Grandmother, don’t worry,” Qu Ling supported her firmly. “The Lady has children, status, position, wealth and honor – why would she give it all up so easily?”
She wouldn’t be willing to die.
Just as Qu Cheng entered and overheard this, he frowned: “What kind of talk is that?”
He felt both angry and somewhat uneasy, directing these mixed emotions at Qu Ling: “I’ve been far too indulgent with you.”
His attitude was worlds apart from just a few days prior.
“She was trying to comfort me,” the Old Madam spoke up for Qu Ling. “Why are you scolding her? Go check on your wife immediately.”
As Qu Cheng moved further in, Qu Heng and Qu Yi knelt before him, choking back tears: “Father, even if Mother made mistakes, they don’t warrant death. We beg you, considering all her years of hard work, please don’t blame her anymore!”
Qu Lianzhi added her voice: “Father, Mother has lost all hope, even willing to give up her life. However angry you are, it should be gone by now.”
Qu Cheng looked at his three children, his feelings complex.
“Father, the Lady must realize her mistakes by now,” Qu Ling’s eyes reddened. “If anything happens to her, it’s my younger siblings who will suffer. I lost my mother young – they shouldn’t lose theirs too.”
Qu Lianzhi’s heart jumped in surprise.
She didn’t believe for a moment that Qu Ling had such good intentions.
From the bed came a low moan from Song Shi, drawing everyone’s attention.
“My Lord,” Song Shi spoke weakly, a tear tracing down her cheek from the corner of her eye. “I failed to raise our daughter properly, letting her commit such acts. All these years… I’ve been terribly wrong.”
Qu Lianzhi quickly straightened her kneeling posture and cried: “Mother, it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have ruined Consort Miao’s happy occasion.”
She turned in another direction and kowtowed to Qu Cheng, wiping her tears with her sleeve as she said, “Father, I was wrong. I’ll go apologize to Auntie…”
Qu Ling quietly hid behind the Old Madam to watch the drama unfold.
“Get up,” Qu Cheng said. “Don’t let it happen again.”
Just as Qu Lianzhi breathed a sigh of relief, he added, “Linjian Courtyard isn’t suitable for you to live in. Move to your mother’s place and let her discipline you. You’re grown now, you can’t act so recklessly.”
Qu Lianzhi was stunned, unable to believe what she was hearing.
“Father…”
“Since Lianzhi will be staying with me, let Hou Manor take charge of A Heng’s upbringing personally,” Song Shi interrupted her, struggling to sit up while gasping for breath. “He’s the legitimate eldest son of Hou Manor. A mother with questionable character like me would only hinder his future…”
She broke down in tears, triggering another bout of violent coughing.
Qu Yi, who had remained silent, clenched his fists tightly.
His elder brother was the legitimate eldest son, deserving of Father’s guidance. His sister was the only daughter, also worthy of careful nurturing. But what about him?
The jealousy and gloom in his eyes didn’t escape Qu Ling’s notice.
Qu Ling let out a soft sigh.
Having too many children really wasn’t a good thing.
Parental favoritism inevitably drove siblings apart.
“A Ling, I’ve wronged you…”
Lost in thought, Qu Ling jumped when suddenly addressed, her heart trembling.
“Before, I was blinded by foolishness. I thought of ending my life, but the King of Hell wouldn’t take me—probably because my sins are too heavy…”
She wept uncontrollably.
Qu Ling felt complicated.
How was she supposed to respond to that?
“Madam… there’s no need for this…” Qu Ling managed to force out.
Song Shi’s sincere expression made Qu Ling’s hair stand on end.
With a gentle smile and an unusually soft tone, Song Shi said, “I should make it up to you.”
“I’ve decided to divide my dowry into two equal portions—one for you and one for Lianzhi. Whatever Lianzhi gets, you’ll get the same.”
Qu Ling smiled faintly, maintaining a respectful distance. “Thank you, Madam.”
She had no reason to refuse.
Regardless of any schemes, no one would turn down money.
“Speaking of dowries, Madam has been safeguarding my mother’s dowry all these years, hasn’t she?” Qu Ling’s bright eyes sparkled like stars in the sky. “Please hand over my mother’s dowry to me.”
Though Xu Zhaoyue was an orphan, her deceased parents had left her quite a fortune.
Her close relationship with the Princess had ensured these possessions remained intact—and they were far from insignificant.
The Old Madam frowned slightly and suddenly interjected, “When you marry in the future, your mother’s dowry will naturally be part of your trousseau. It’s improper for an unmarried girl to manage her own dowry.”
She couldn’t understand why Qu Ling had brought this up so abruptly.
Song Shi’s mind raced. “Since A Ling is under the Old Madam’s care now, I think it would be best to entrust the late Madam’s dowry to the Old Madam for safekeeping.”
“When A Ling marries, we can take inventory and add it to her trousseau then.”
This arrangement pleased the Old Madam.
Those belongings of Xu Zhaoyue’s had been tightly guarded during her lifetime and fell into Song Shi’s hands after her death.
The Old Madam had never been able to get involved.
An elderly maid brought the dowry list and presented it to the Old Madam.
No one asked for Qu Ling’s opinion.
“A Ling, what do you think of this arrangement?” Song Shi asked with a cheerful smile.
She was curious to see how Qu Ling would respond.
Would she confront the Old Madam directly, or would all her efforts come to nothing?
Did she really think reclaiming the dowry would be that easy?
“That would be wonderful,” Qu Ling leaned affectionately against Old Madam, beaming with a radiant smile. “The portion Madam promised me should also be entrusted to Grandmother for safekeeping.”
Song Shi felt her heart pounding erratically in her chest.
Yet Old Madam beamed with delight and drew Qu Ling into a tighter embrace.
Truly, this was her most cherished grandchild.