The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 27 - Standing Firm

The room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

Neither Song Chengru nor Old Lady Song spoke. Li Shi was already hurriedly pulling Song Chuyi aside to see if she was hurt.

Third Lady observed the atmosphere for a while and thought that Song Chengru and Old Lady Song were displeased with Song Chuyi, so she covered her mouth and chuckled, raising her voice slightly, "Little Sixth has always been so hot-tempered. This time, I'm sure that girl must have annoyed you? Or did you find your mother's gift too trivial and dislike it? Look at this little girl's pitiful state; just forgive her!"

Third Lady Yun was someone who held grudges. In her previous life, because of her pretending to be ill, Song Chumi was punished, and she held that grudge for her entire life, seizing any opportunity to strike back.

But in this life, Song Chuyi thought that everything had changed after the Old Lady Song's visit.

Li Shi paused, noticing the increasingly unkind expression on Old Lady Song's face, and felt a sense of vindication, though she maintained a kind expression: "Third Sister-in-law, what are you saying? Chuyi isn't so unperceptive. She has changed her impulsive ways."

Old Lady Song disliked when her daughters-in-law played tricks on each other, and even more so when adults used underhanded means against children.

Last time in Ningde Courtyard, the Third Lady had looked at Song Chuyi with a frown, losing the tenderness expected of an aunt.

"Enough!" Old Lady Song said with an unusually serious expression, looking at Third Lady with disappointment in her eyes. "Is it worth your time to discipline a servant for not knowing better? Your father and I are not dead!"

Third Lady had often faced reprimands for her bluntness, but they were usually mild, and never before had Old Lady Song scolded her in front of so many people. Her face flushed red, and she was so anxious that tears almost spilled from her eyes.

Having chastised Third Lady, Old Lady Song turned her attention to the flustered Huang Yao, scolding her, "Aren't you going to leave?! If you're so clumsy in the future, be careful!"

Huang Yao hadn't expected Old Lady Song to immediately attribute the blame to her own clumsiness. She had prepared a retort but found herself shocked and fearful as she glanced nervously at Li Shi.

Li Shi's smile momentarily stiffened—anyone could see that Huang Yao's shocked and aggrieved expression was directed at Song Chuyi. However, Old Lady Song didn't seem to suspect Song Chuyi at all, and such favoritism was excessive.

Thinking about this made Li Shi somewhat apprehensive, and she looked at Song Chuyi with a mix of vigilance and scrutiny.

The room fell silent after Old Lady Song reprimanded the Third Lady. Everyone was hesitant to embarrass her, and no one dared provoke Old Lady Song's displeasure, so no one spoke.

Just then, the First Lady and the Eldest Young Mistress (wife of the First Lady's son, Song Jue) led a group of young ladies into the room, bustling in to greet Old Lady Song and Old Master Song.

The Fourth and Fifth Young Ladies were charming and delightful, while the Seventh and Eighth Young Ladies were naive and innocent. The Ninth and Tenth Young Ladies, held by their nursemaids, reached out for Old Lady Song to hold them, instantly shifting the atmosphere.

Old Master Song loved his granddaughters, smiling affectionately. Among them, he particularly favored Song Chuning, the daughter of Li Shi—five-year-old Song Chuning was much more obedient and well-behaved than troublemaking Song Chuyi.

As usual, Song Chuning leaned against him, smiling as she asked, "Grandfather, grandfather, I just saw Sister's maid Huang Yao leave crying. Did she cause trouble?"

Li Shi felt a pang of panic; she didn't know if Song Chuning would say something shocking. But she feared Old Master Song and didn't dare interrupt. Holding her breath, she nervously watched Song Chuning.

Old Master Song had no time to consider a servant's mistake and was instead focused on the words Song Chuyi had just spoken. He nodded, saying, "She knocked over something your mother sent for Xiaoyi; it was too careless!"

He unconsciously began to refer to Song Chuyi as "Xiaoyi," a shift that had occurred in just a few hours.

Song Chuning frowned slightly. Although she felt confident, everything had been going contrary to her expectations for several days, making her a bit restless.

Third Lady felt her reputation was somewhat restored by the arrival of these young ladies. Suppressing her bitterness, she took a purse from a maid and smiled at Song Chuyi, saying, "Little Sixth, you're moving today, and I don't have much to give you. Here's a rose gold ring; keep it as a toy."

Third Lady still harbored resentment over the incident with Song Chuyi's mother. Though it had been cleared up later, Third Lady was aware of what had truly transpired and still held Song Chuyi accountable, giving her only a gold ring as a gift.

This present was rather meager for a household like the Marquis of Changning's.

In the past, Song Chuyi would have reacted with anger—having lost her mother, she felt inadequate despite Li Shi's affection, always sensing something was missing. She was often as sensitive as a hedgehog, quick to bristle at the slightest provocation.

But this time, she calmly stepped forward, respectfully receiving the unremarkable purse with both hands, her smile genuine and grateful. "Thank you, Third Aunt."

Her expression of gratitude was evident to all and was not feigned.

Old Master Song recalled how Song Chuyi had knelt before him, eyes filled with tears, promising to cherish her current life and not be overly ambitious.

She wasn't trying to win anyone's favor; she was genuinely living that way. With her thoughts and actions aligned, Old Master Song felt an even deeper fondness for Song Chuyi.

Old Lady Song glanced at the Third Lady, smiling as she beckoned Song Chuyi to her side. She said to the Eldest Young Misstress, "Your mother's gift has not been delivered yet, you, as a daughter-in-law, must make up for it!"

Eldest Young Mistress, being the legitimate daughter-in-law of the First Lady and also her niece, had always been close to her. Hearing this, she quickly stood up, her face a bit shy. "I prepared a gift as soon as I heard the news; Mother must have arranged something even better."

The First Lady was usually cautious yet clever, her actions meticulous. In contrast, Eldest Young Mistress was soft-spoken and gentle, known for her kindness and warmth.

Everyone in the household liked her, and Old Lady Song valued her.

Now that she had mentioned it, Old Lady Song smiled, "Your gifts have always been good; let me see what you brought."

The Eldest Young Mistress quickly stood up, her hair ornaments swaying, which highlighted her delicate and fair face. She unveiled the red cloth covering a tray brought by a maid and smiled, "A few days ago, when my husband was appointed to the Yulin Guards, he received a piece of beautiful cloud gauze as a reward. I thought the color was lovely, so I made a set of clothes for Sixth Sister."

As she spoke, Nanny Xu had already brought the clothes over for Old Lady Song to inspect.

The fabric was the color of blue sky after rain, seeming smoky and misty under the light. The collar was adorned with a circle of pearls, making the slightly plain garment radiant and stunning.

Old Lady Song couldn't help but exclaim, "The stitching is exquisite, probably not inferior to the palace's work. Ah Zi, your hands are truly skilled!"