The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 62 - Seeking Advice

On the fourth day after Song Yi left, Li Shi finally composed herself and went to pay her respects to Old Lady Song. She explained that her mother, Old Lady Li, was feeling unwell and asked to return home to visit.

Old Lady Song pondered for a moment and agreed, then asked if Li Shi planned to stay for a few days or return the same day, so that the First Lady could make the necessary preparations. In her heart, she hoped Li Shi wasn't returning home to complain but was truly concerned about her mother's illness.

Li Shi hesitated for a while, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Finally, she gritted her teeth and forced a smile. "I need to see how serious Mother's illness is... You know, my sister-in-law doesn't handle things well, so I may need to stay a few extra days..."

Her husband had just left for an official post, and now the daughter-in-law was asking to go home for a while. People who didn't know better might think Old Lady Song was mistreating her daughter-in-law. The dissatisfaction Old Lady Song felt toward Li Shi slowly accumulated, but she didn't show it. Casually, she instructed Yushu, "Since that's the case, go inform the First Lady and have her prepare the carriage and gifts to send the Second Lady back home for a short stay."

Li Shi breathed a sigh of relief, nervously twisting her handkerchief as she took her leave from Old Lady Song.

With the prospect of returning to her family, the tension Li Shi had been feeling gradually eased, and she let out a heavy breath, smiling at last.

As Nanny Yu supported her through the garden, she hesitated for a moment but still mustered the courage to ask, "Just now, when you spoke to Old Lady Song, you didn't mention bringing Miss with you..."

At the mention of Song Chuning, the irritation Li Shi had just pushed down resurfaced. She furrowed her brow, thinking it over. She felt an instinctive reluctance to deal with her daughter.

"I won't take her," she sighed lightly. "Even if I go back, I'm afraid the Old Lady will still be displeased with me. What's more, if I bring her along?"

But Song Chuning was still young, living alone in the side courtyard... Nanny Yu felt concerned but dared not voice her worries.

That evening, when Song Chuning came to Li Shi's room, she found out her mother had already left that afternoon. She sat in a daze in the main hall, watching nervously as the maid, Suxin, shakily poured tea for her.

Leaving for her family at a time like this—wasn't that just asking for suspicion?

Song Chuning suppressed the rising feelings of abandonment and loneliness, curling her lips into a scornful smile.

After so many years of maintaining appearances, Li Shi was suddenly making mistake after mistake. It seemed she was losing her composure.

Slowly, Song Chuning stood up and walked toward the door. Her small figure gave off an inexplicable sense of pity.

Suxin, feeling a bit guilty, hurried after her and asked, "Miss, where will you have dinner tonight? Sister Yulan mentioned that you should go to Ningde Courtyard..."

Song Chuning glanced in the direction of Ningde Courtyard and then coldly turned back to the chattering Suxin. "I'll eat in my own room. I'm not going anywhere. Tell the kitchen to send my meal there."

She had no intention of accepting anyone's kindness or charity.

Meanwhile, after getting off the carriage, Nanny Yu was still worried. "Miss is so stubborn. She definitely won't go to the Old Lady's for dinner. It's getting late; I wonder if she's feeling scared..."

Li Shi didn't care. She rushed into the main courtyard and into Old Lady Li's embrace, instantly choking up with tears.

Old Lady Li frowned, a bit puzzled. "Why did you come back without sending any word first?" She glanced behind Li Shi and, not seeing Song Chuning, became annoyed. "Why didn't you bring Ning'er along?"

Li Shi paused, wiping her tears with her hand.

Suppressing her anger, Old Lady Li dismissed the attendants, leaving only a few close servants behind. Li Shi then recounted everything in detail, eventually breaking into sobs. "What kind of life am I living? On one hand, they pressure me with talk of a son, saying I've been married for five or six years and still haven't given birth to one. On the other hand, they refuse to let me go with them. What do they think I am—a goddess from the heavens who can just produce a child on her own?!"

"What's even more infuriating is how they humiliated me in front of my sister-in-law..." The more she spoke, the more agitated Li Shi became. "And my husband! He didn't speak up for me, not even a word. They told him to bring a concubine, and he just did it without even consulting me. How did I end up marrying such a wooden man..."

Old Lady Li listened with furrowed brows, and in the end, she could feel the anger rising inside her. Unable to hold back, she snapped, "Shut up!"

Li Shi immediately stopped talking, staring at her mother with a mix of grievance and surprise.

"How can you be so foolish?!" Old Lady Li poked her daughter's forehead, hitting her a few times in frustration. "You've become less aware than even a child! If your mother-in-law didn't want you to go and your husband didn't speak up for you, then you should've just stayed home! I've taught you for so many years to be patient and accommodating, but it's like everything goes in one ear and out the other!"

Li Shi hadn't expected her mother to not only refrain from defending her but also to scold her. She burst into louder sobs, angrily swiping at the tea set beside her, knocking it to the floor. "Yes, it's all my fault! Everyone—young and old—is more capable than me, and I'm the only fool here!"

The tea set, newly purchased that year, shattered on the ground, rendering the rest of the set unusable. Old Lady Li winced in pain at the loss, her anger flaring even more. "How are you not a fool?! If you weren't so foolish, you would've gladly agreed to your mother-in-law's wishes, cheerfully seen your husband off, and coaxed your mother-in-law into changing her attitude! You wouldn't be worried about not being able to go to Changsha! But no, you had to come back and make a scene. If it weren't for Ning'er being clever enough to cover for you, and if your mother-in-law had overheard your outburst, would you still be crying for life or death?"

Li Shi stared blankly, her eyes wide with confusion. Then, she began to cry again. "She's too clever—so clever it's frightening! Ask Nanny Yu if she's terrifying or not. She's not my daughter; she's practically my ancestor!"

Old Lady Li raised her hand and gave her daughter a few hard slaps on the back. "You're an adult and a mother yourself, but you still don't think before you speak! If she's not your daughter, then whose daughter is she?!"

Li Shi collapsed onto Old Lady Li's lap, feeling overwhelmed by a mix of grievance, shame, and anger. She choked on her tears and cried out, "Go ahead, hit me! Just beat me to death already!"

"Oh, you!" Old Lady Li's chest rose and fell with emotion, but eventually, her tone softened. "People would give anything for such a clever daughter, and here you are... What did I tell you last time? Others may lack vision, but you mustn't. If your daughter is clever, isn't that a good thing? With both of you working together, how could you not deal with those bastards?"

Hearing her mother soften, Li Shi felt slightly better and wiped her tears, though she continued to complain. "Do you think I don't understand that? It was because I listened to her advice that I pushed for my husband to go to Old Lady's place and get rid of Nanny Xu. But Ning'er isn't just smart—she's ruthless too. You should've seen how she threw that kitten..."