The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 160 - The Persuader

The bamboo in the pavilion rustled in the wind, and a faint fragrance of osmanthus wafted in, filling the air with a sweet scent. Luyi smiled as she brought a delicately crafted snack box to Song Chuyi. "Miss, come and see these pastries. They are exquisite and beautiful; even I can't help but drool when I look at them."

"Where did these come from?" Song Chuyi set down her book and glanced at the colorful snacks in the Eight Treasures box. They were indeed vibrant and appealing, with the osmanthus cake shaped like a rabbit, making it incredibly tempting.

Song Yan had already tossed aside the kite in his hand and couldn't help but exclaim in delight. He picked up a piece of pea cake and smiled after taking a bite. "This must have come from my aunt's side. Only the chefs from the Cui family can make pastries this good."

Luyi smiled as she arranged the small boxes, praising, "The Fourth Young Master has quite a discerning palate; you guessed it right. But can you guess who sent this box?"

Song Chuyi didn't particularly like sweets; after tasting one milk bun, she set it down and looked at her, asking, "Who sent it?"

"It was sent personally by Nanny Jin from the First Lady's quarters," Luyi replied with a smile. "She's outside talking to Ziyun right now."

Song Yan glanced at Song Chuyi—when they had paid respects to the Old Lady Song earlier that day, the Old Lady had a rare moment of anger, and it was directed at the First Lady. His sister's expression also seemed a bit strange...

Song Chuyi's expression also grew a bit odd. After a moment, she raised her chin and said, "Why did Nanny Jin come to deliver it personally? Didn't you all think to invite her in? Quickly, ask her to come in."

Luyi put away the box in response and hurried out to invite Nanny Jin in.

"Nanny Jin is here to pay her respects to Sixth Miss." It was rare for Nanny Jin to visit, and she beamed as she respectfully greeted Song Chuyi. She settled onto a small stool that Luyi had brought and began to chat amiably, "The Princess (First Lady Cui) is quite concerned about you and the Fourth Young Master; even snacks like these were specially sent from the East City."

Song Chuyi smiled and motioned for Luyi to bring the snack box over for Nanny Jin to choose from. She lowered her head and chuckled softly, "Aunt didn't bring my cousins to the capital, so don't these treats just benefit us? It's quite troubling for you to bring them over on such a hot day; I feel a bit embarrassed."

Nanny Jin's hand holding the pastries trembled slightly, unable to grasp the meaning behind Song Chuyi's words. However, since she was sent by the First Lady, she naturally couldn't leave without saying anything, so she shook her head, feeling somewhat troubled. "Miss, you don't know; the Lady has been in a bad mood since she returned at noon. She woke up from her nap complaining of a headache and is now just forcing herself to hold on."

Song Chuyi had almost guessed Nanny Jin's intention for coming.

However, she felt a surge of anger, unsure if it was due to spending too much time in the palace. How could Noble Consort Song's heart be so cold, trying to pin Wang Jinsi's matter on her?

To say it was slander wasn't entirely accurate; she had indeed played a significant role in Wang's death. But why didn't Noble Consort Song consider that if Wang Shi's scheme had succeeded, the entire Song family would be in a dire situation?

"How could this happen?" Song Chuyi widened her eyes in surprise, then shook her head. "This won't do. Have you reported back to the Old Lady?"

Nanny Jin hurriedly shook her head, appearing somewhat anxious. "You know what happened this morning. If we go back to the Old Lady and ask for the physician, won't it just make it obvious that our Lady is angry because of her words?"

"So, does this mean...?" Song Chuyi neatly arranged the books on the table and handed them to Ziyun, looking at Nanny Jin with a calm demeanor. Her voice was gentle. "Is there anything I can help with?"

As soon as she said this, the smile on Nanny Jin's face deepened, and her voice grew even softer. "No wonder the Lady sees you the same way she does with the three young ladies; Sixth Miss is truly a considerate person."

After saying this, Nanny Jin mentally reviewed her words and smoothly began to persuade her. "Sixth Miss is a sensible child. Today, in the Old Lady's room, you heard the rumors from the palace... Our eldest young lady is caught in a difficult situation, receiving pressure from both sides. You know how the Empress Dowager is, don't you? How can our eldest young lady endure this? Even the little princess is affected; she isn't favored by the Empress Dowager either..."

Hearing this, Song Yan sensed something was off and frowned as he tugged at Song Chuyi's hand, shaking his head at her.

Song Chuyi smiled and squeezed his hand, then turned back to Nanny Jin. "Grandmother didn't allow me to hear about this. After the First Lady left, she drove us out... So, what does Nanny want me to do?"

"I wouldn't dare to say that," Nanny Jin replied, though her next words were quite bold. "I know you have a good heart and a kind temperament. Our Lady has treated you well; she has never regarded you as an outsider over the years... To put it bluntly, it's just a matter of entering the palace. The Old Lady is worried that you'll feel wronged, but you're so clever; how could you possibly be wronged? Once this matter is settled, both our eldest young lady and our Lady will be grateful to you!"

Indeed, she knew how to avoid the main issues. She was worried that even tonight, the Old Master and the Old Lady would still not agree with Noble Consort Song's actions, so they sent a persuader in advance to advise her. After all, if those directly involved agreed, the Old Master and the Old Lady couldn't overly oppose it.

She could understand a mother's selfish love for her daughter, and she understood that Noble Consort Song would want someone to shield her when she felt suffocated. But she couldn't be that person.

She understood Empress Dowager Rongxian's temperament better than anyone. The incident involving Duke Cheng had long been a thorn in her heart, and the only remaining descendant, Wang Jinsi, was even more precious to her.

When Wang Jinsi was in the Song family, she treated Noble Consort Song and the Song family very well. Now that Wang Jinsi had been abandoned by the Song family, her resentment toward them and Noble Consort Song had only deepened.

If she really followed Noble Consort Song's suggestion and went out to bear Empress Dowager's wrath, her outcome could only be one of two things: complete ruin of her future or loss of her life.

"I understand," she replied softly, lowering her head before asking Luyi to see the guests out.

Song Yan hurried over and grabbed her hand, saying somewhat indignantly, "Sister, you can't go! Since the Old Lady is so angry, it means Aunt and Elder Sister must have done something wrong. What will you do if the Old Lady gets angry at you for following their instructions?"

Even a child could understand this logic, yet Nanny Jin and the First Lady seemed to think she didn't know. It wasn't that she felt foolish; it was more like they were using threats and emotional manipulation to demand a return.

The First Lady probably thought that because she was so good to her and Song Yan, if they had any sense, she would step forward to take on this difficult matter for Noble Consort Song.