The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 94 - Fox

How dare Li Shi scheme and use tricks right under Old Lady Song's nose, even utilizing Song Yi as a shield! She was truly lawless!

Thinking about how Li Shi shamelessly seduced Song Yi and ended up pregnant before marriage, Nanny Xu couldn't help but scold, "What a vile creature! It's disgusting! It turns out the so-called educated young lady from a scholarly family is actually so wicked inside!"

Tears streamed down Lianyi's face.

"Miss, you must seek justice for Lianyi..." Nanny Xu knelt before Song Chuyi, refusing to get up. Tears and snot flowed freely from her, a scene of utter loss of composure. Before Song Chuyi could respond, she bowed her head to the ground again, "Seek justice for our lady... Miss, let's tell the old master, let's tell the old lady! Let them see what the second wife, who pretended to be virtuous for all these years, is really like under their noses!"

Lianyi held onto Song Chuyi's hand, shaking her head repeatedly. When she saw Song Chuyi looking over, she hurriedly picked up the paper and pen to write the two glaring characters: "No!"

Song Chuyi carefully helped Lianyi up and gently guided her to sit on a chair, nodding softly.

She understood what Lianyi meant.

After all, the man Li Shi had an affair with and became pregnant before marriage was Old Lady Song and Old Master Song's own son. No matter what, part of the responsibility for Lady Cui's death falls on him.

And this part of the responsibility was like a thorn lodged in the hearts of Old Lady Song, Old Master Song, and even Song Yi.

"Rest assured," Song Chuyi looked seriously into Lianyi's eyes. "The justice you deserve, I will return it all to you. I will make sure that Li Shi gets the punishment she deserves!"

Her last sentence was so resolute that even Qingtao, standing beside her, shivered.

A glimmer of hope appeared in Lianyi's once-clouded eyes, and she nodded repeatedly with tears brimming.

The new Nanny Xu was already so shocked she didn't know how to react. When she finally snapped out of her shock, she realized that cold sweat had soaked through her clothes. Throughout the entire process of Song Chuyi questioning Lianyi, nothing was hidden from her; she had been openly and fully exposed to a dramatic revelation.

But she knew that this revelation wasn't free—Song Chuyi had completely drawn her into her camp, leaving her with no way out.

Although the new Nanny Xu didn't fully understand everything, she knew that Song Chuyi always had her reasons. She wiped her tears and walked to stand next to Lianyi. When she noticed the bruises on the back of Lianyi's neck, her eyes blurred with tears again as she asked Song Chuyi, "Miss, how will you arrange things for Lianyi...?"

Lianyi was currently pregnant, making it unsuitable for her to travel long distances. After a brief thought, Song Chuyi made up her mind. "Nanny, I don't trust anyone else to take care of Lianyi. It's best if she stays with you. But you must be extremely careful—don't let anyone else find out."

The old Nanny Xu, now a village matron, could easily explain Lianyi's presence as a distant relative seeking refuge, settling her in a different manor. In a few days, when Song Ren and Song Jue returned to the capital, they would have more freedom.

Only then did Hongyu speak up, "If they find out that Lianyi is missing over there, won't they make a fuss?"

Lianyi shrank back a little, gripping Nanny Xu's hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

It was clear just how much suffering she had endured in Li Shi's manor over the years.

"They dare!" Song Chuyi sneered, her voice cool as if submerged in water, making it feel a bit heavy: "Who knows better than them what kind of person Li Shi is? If she finds out that they hid Lianyi for the sake of their son and that she was then taken away by someone else, will they still be able to live?"

Anyone who could secure a job under Li Shi was not a fool. Now, they were likely busy covering their tracks and wouldn't dare to create any disturbances that might raise suspicion.

After being anxious and frightened all night, Lianyi gradually appeared a bit worn out, prompting Song Chuyi to ask Nanny Xu to take her to rest. She then instructed Qingtao to find some medicines for invigorating blood circulation, like a bruise ointment and nourishing pills, to send to Lianyi.

Outside, the sun grew brighter, casting light through the gaps in the phoenix trees and onto the ground.

But Song Chuyi's heart felt as if it were soaked in cold water.

Suddenly, she didn't know how to face her gentle grandmother or her father, who had once felt distressed and restless when she was sick. These two people had provided her with the best protection, yet now they felt like the heaviest burden.

This goodness was not hers; it was a bit of guilt and pity bought with her mother Cui Shi's life.

She sat alone by the window, lost in thought for a moment when Qingtao entered with a strange expression and reported, "Miss, the Heir Apparent sent someone to relay a message. He wants you to bring the cook from Guiyan Tower to prepare a dish for him."

Where did this cook from Guiyan Tower come from?

Song Chuyi blinked, feeling a bit of a headache.

This Heir Apparent was truly inscrutable; he clearly knew there was no cook. Was he trying to confront her directly?

She stood up and had Qingtao assist her in changing into a different outfit. After thinking it over, she decided to bring Nanny Xu along as a stand-in for the cook and made her way through the long corridor and small courtyard to see the Heir Apparent.

For some reason, the Heir Apparent's courtyard, which should have been heavily guarded, was surprisingly sparse, with only about seven or eight people stationed around.

As soon as Song Chuyi entered the courtyard, a half-grown boy dressed as a Taoist came forward to invite her in.

Could someone who has been a Taoist for so long really take up this role as a hobby? Why were all the attendants dressed like Taoists? Song Chuyi felt a bit skeptical but didn't dare to show it, following the young Taoist inside.

The Heir Apparent sat at the desk, spinning a bamboo tube between his fingers. Upon seeing her, he smiled and glanced over her shoulder, asking, "Is this the famous cook from Guiyan Tower who can prepare pufferfish?"

As he spoke, he stood up, dressed in luxurious attire that did nothing to overshadow his presence, making it impossible for anyone to look away from his face.

Song Chuyi tilted her head to glance at the bamboo tube on the table, suddenly smiling. "Heir Apparent, it seems you're asking on purpose. Where would a cook from Guiyan Tower come from?"

"Oh? Isn't she the cook from Guiyan Tower?" Zhou Weizhao raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised as he looked at Song Chuyi. "But there's no record of such a person among the staff. Is it possible that Jingchuan is trying to fool me?"

Hmm, he resembled a fox, not at all like a Taoist who had been meditating for years.

Song Chuyi decided to speak frankly. "Thank you for saving me this morning, Heir Apparent. To be honest, that isn't a cook that Young Master Ye invited. It's an old friend that I asked Young Master Ye to bring back."

Zhou Weizhao's lips curled into a slight smile as if he was deep in thought. "An old friend? I didn't expect you to have an old friend of such age at only eight years old."