The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 16 - In the Palm

After Wang Shi married into the family, she gave birth to Song Jie in the first year, then gave birth to Fifth Miss Song Chu Bin, and six years later, gave birth to Song Chu You.

Although Wang Shi did not delay in giving birth to children, she also did not delay in making life difficult for her husband and children.

Fifth Master Song Qian was actually very good, in Song Chuyi's opinion, extremely good. He didn't like to talk much, but he had a kind and soft heart. He would sigh for half a day when he saw beggars on the street.

Unfortunately, Wang Shi didn't like him.

Thinking of this, the faint sarcasm in Song Chuyi's eyes turned into deep hatred.

Who did Wang Shi like?

Wang Shi liked the current heir of the Duke Ying's Mansion, Shen Xiaohai.

In her previous life, after she fell into despair, she saw Song Chuning bringing Wang Shi to secretly meet Shen Xiaohai more than once.

Wang Shi had countless connections with the Duke Ying's Mansion and was also related to the downfall of the Cui family.

Thinking of how Wang Shi went to the palace to ask the then Empress Dowager Shunhe to arrange a marriage for Song Yan, the hatred in Song Chu Yi's eyes turned into intense killing intent.

Song Yan's marriage was arranged not long before her death. After she married into the Duke's Mansion, she paid less and less attention to Song Yan, only knowing that he was not doing well, neither in civil nor military affairs, and later gradually took on some family tasks.

But even at that point, Song Yan still cared about her, occasionally sending money through others...

At that time, she was already heartbroken. After her son's death, her only support and comfort was her brother Song Yan. She had a faint hope to make up for her past mistakes, at least to hold on until Song Yan got married.

Until Wang Shi entered the palace...

Wang Shi entered the palace to arrange a marriage for Song Yan. The bride was a dead person—the biological daughter of the Empress Dowager who had been dead for more than twenty years, Princess Shijia.

They easily arranged a ghost marriage for Song Yan, sending him to the underworld to accompany a dead person.

Song Chuyi was lost in thought for a moment, and Fifth Lady's hand was already slapping her face without any care, "You little brat! Who are you calling a dog that can't spit out ivory?!"

Song Jie had been watching Wang Shi closely. Seeing her suddenly attack, he instinctively stepped forward to take the hit for Song Chuyi.

Wang Shi's fingernails were well-maintained, sharp, and smooth like peeled scallions. When she scratched Song Jie's face, it immediately bled.

"Brother!" Song Chu You finally cried out, pulling Song Jie's clothes and sobbing uncontrollably. She looked weakly at Fifth Lady, her face full of cautious flattery and grievance, "Mother... Mother, please stop hitting..."

"Fifth Sister-in-law!" At this moment, the First Lady arrived. Seeing the scene, she frowned, suppressing her inner anger, "What are you doing?!"

She led a group of maids and servants forward quickly, immediately seeing the shocking blood on Song Jie's fair face, which deepened her anger, "How could you hit them?!"

Couldn't they have a few quiet days! Almost every other day there was a commotion, and now she was even hitting her own children.

The First Lady shook her head in shock and anger, decisively instructing Nanny Qiu beside her, "Nanny Qiu, quickly take the Third Young Master, Sixth Miss, and Seventh Miss away!"

Fifth Lady was not afraid of the First Lady at all. Her long, narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and she rudely interrupted the First Lady, "I discipline my children, what does it have to do with you? Even though you are the wife of the heir, you have no right to interfere in the affairs of your brother-in-law's house!"

She didn't even bother to address her as sister-in-law or First Lady.

The First Lady trembled with anger, wanting to leave in a huff, but seeing the pitiful Song Chu You crying, her face turned red, not knowing how to respond.

Fifth Lady lazily smiled, her pointed chin arrogantly raised, looking at the First Lady with disdain, "Don't you know what kind of fallen household you are? What are you pretending in front of me..."

"Nanny Qiu!"

Before she could finish speaking, Song Chuyi raised her voice and interrupted her.

Nanny Qiu, feeling aggrieved for the First Lady, was caught off guard by the shout and didn't react immediately. When she did, she quickly responded, looking at Song Chuyi in surprise, not knowing what she intended to do.

"I remember the Old Master said that anyone in the family who speaks ill of the First Lady's background, regardless of who it is, will be dealt with according to family law!"

Everyone's expressions became strange.

This rule was established by the Old Master a month after the First Lady entered the family. He declared in front of all the elders that since the main wife had been decided, there was no reason to change it. Anyone who dared to speak ill of the First Lady's background would be punished according to family law.

Over the years, the atmosphere in the Changning Marquis Mansion had been very good, and this rule had gradually been forgotten.

No one expected that this rule would be brought up again by a young girl at this moment.

Nanny Qiu's shock was evident on her face, but only for a moment. She immediately composed herself, respectfully responding without hesitation, "Yes! This old servant will go and request the family law!"

Fifth Lady's eyebrows shot up, and she glared fiercely at Song Chuyi, angrily saying, "How dare you!"

"Why wouldn't I dare?!" Song Chuyi felt the First Lady's hand tighten around hers, so she stopped moving and raised her voice mockingly, "Who do you think you are? The legitimate granddaughter of Duke Cheng?! The adopted daughter of Empress Dowager Rongxian?! Do you think you are still a member of the royal family like my eldest sister?!"

This series of questions made Fifth Lady retreat step by step, her face full of shock. The more she listened, the worse her expression became, until she felt as if her clothes had been stripped off and she was thrown into a crowd for everyone to see, standing there in a daze.

"Fifth Sister, Third Brother, and Seventh Sister, they are all members of the Song family, all surnamed Song! The First Lady, as the main wife of the Song family, has the right to educate the Song family children. Compared to you, an unqualified mother, she is more qualified to care for Third Brother and the others. Fifth Lady, have you forgotten this?"

Although the servants didn't dare to make a noise, they couldn't help but gasp when they heard Song Chuyi's words.

"I'll tear your mouth apart!" Fifth Lady could no longer maintain her aloof and arrogant demeanor. She angrily rushed towards Song Chuyi.

Everyone quickly intervened, pulling and blocking, making the East Garden more lively than ever.

The First Lady accidentally caught a glimpse of Song Chuyi's expression and was stunned on the spot.

Did she see it wrong? How could a seven-year-old girl look at all this with such extreme indifference... that kind of cold, indifferent gaze that treated life and death as nothing, she had never seen it on such a young girl before.