The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 1)

Chapter 176 - Winds and Clouds

The autumn breeze brought a refreshing sense of ease, and compared to the unbearable heat from earlier, such a night was always invigorating. The First Lady finally looked much better, but after hearing what Eldest Master Song had to say, she couldn't help but stand up in shock, her face turning pale as she exclaimed, "What?!"

Eldest Master Song recalled his mother's advice before coming over and patiently explained to her, "You don't realize what Chen Xiang's intentions are by coming to propose marriage at this time? Even if you're dull-witted, you should at least be able to guess that the timing of Lady Su and him approaching Miss Chen is not a coincidence, right? With the recent turmoil in the political landscape, don't visit the Noble Consort's place for now. This time, Mother will go into the palace herself; you just stay at home and manage the inner courtyard. Don't stir up any more trouble."

Given the First Lady's perspective, she still couldn't grasp everything clearly. However, she knew well what kind of person Chen Xiang was. Hearing that he had come to propose to Miss Chen and then hastily left afterward left her shocked and speechless. She had no time to concern herself with matters of entering the palace—after all, the Noble Consort had already pushed Song Chuyi onto the Empress Dowager. Because of this, both she and the Noble Consort had drawn the displeasure and disdain of Old Master Song and Old Lady Song, and she had already been treated coldly by her husband for several days. She had done all she could for her daughter; if she stirred up any more dissatisfaction from her husband or mother-in-law, her position would be at risk. She couldn't let things get worse—absolutely not.

"Understood." She gathered her scattered thoughts and regained her usual dignified demeanor, looking up at her husband. "What happened last time was indeed my fault; I shouldn't have been so foolish as to harm Xiaoyi..."

Eldest Master Song cast her a sidelong glance, sighed, and sat in a chair, accepting the tea that Jin Ling handed him. "As a family matriarch, your behavior has been entirely out of line. Mother has never been so angered in all these years; it was once with Li Shi, and now it's with you."

The First Lady felt a jolt at Eldest Master Song's comparison to Li Shi, her brow furrowing as she lowered her head even further.

"Although Xiaoyi has lost her mother, don't forget the Cui family standing behind her," Eldest Master Song continued, unconcerned by her silence. "And don't forget that you are the matriarch of the Song family; you are her aunt by marriage. Don't bully a child who has lost her mother; it makes you seem cruel and frightens others. You've been married into the Song family for so many years and have only made this one mistake, but that single error nearly cost the life of a child in the Song family. Now you're raising the three children of the fifth brother; how do you expect them to view you? And how do you think Jue'er and his wife will see you?"

Eldest Master Song's blunt words caught the First Lady off guard. She felt momentarily unsteady, nearly staggering before managing to regain her balance. She looked at Eldest Master Song in disbelief, her mouth opening several times, but she couldn't form a complete sentence.

"I've said this many times before, and I'll say it again today." Eldest Master Song locked eyes with the First Lady, enunciating each word clearly: "You are the legitimate eldest daughter of your family, representing their lineage. You are also the matriarch of the Song family, representing their honor. You have a complete family and a superior status; I hope you cherish all of this. Don't let a day come when you shatter it. Some things, once broken, can never return to how they were before."

The First Lady listened in a daze for a long while, unable to contain her tears as they brimmed in her eyes. She felt on the verge of crying out loud, helplessly watching Eldest Master Song leave the room without thinking to stop him.

"My Lady..." Jin Ling called her carefully, gathering the courage to advise, "You should rest early; the master has already left."

"No." The First Lady wiped away her overflowing tears with a swift motion, her voice hoarse. "Go to Sixth Miss's place."

Jin Ling and Jin Huan exchanged a glance, nearly frightened out of their wits. Forgetting to prioritize their own safety, they rushed forward to grab the First Lady, all speaking at once: "My Lady, it's already so late, and Sixth Miss lives in Ningde Courtyard... If you go now, you'll inevitably disturb the Old Lady, and if you upset her, it could be serious."

Jin Ling, feeling anxious, blurted out a string of worries: "Besides, Madam, you already missed one chance. The last time you went to find Sixth Miss, the Old Master and Old Lady were still angry with you. The Master and Eldest Young Master have also been much colder to you... Please don't..."

Seeing Jin Ling and Jin Huan in a panic made the First Lady smile bitterly. She merely wanted to go apologize to the Sixth Miss, yet she had frightened these two maids so much. It seemed Eldest Master Song's earlier words had not only scared her but also unsettled those around her.

She never thought she would be treated this way by Eldest Master Song. However, under the circumstances of her own mistakes, even if she wanted to feel resentful, she felt a twinge of guilt. Eldest Master Song was right; Song Chuyi was far more important than she had imagined and was much more favored by the Old Master and Old Lady than she realized.

"Forget it!" She sighed, looking at the flowers on the table swaying in the wind, her eyes feeling dry and sore. Perhaps she had truly struggled too long; she nearly forgot that she hadn't slept well for several nights.

Seeing that she no longer intended to find Song Chuyi, Jin Ling and Jin Huan simultaneously sighed in relief and began to tidy up the bed, preparing to help her sleep.

However, the First Lady called out to Jin Ling, who was about to turn and leave: "It's not convenient to go to the Sixth Miss's place right now, but the Fourth Young Master is living with the Third Young Master. You should go over..."

Jin Ling turned back, surprised, feeling somewhat uneasy and fearing that the First Lady was going to ask her to do something like what Nanny Jin had done to persuade Song Chuyi.

Fortunately, the First Lady did not mean that. She pointed to a few pairs of royal calligraphy ink set on the table and said to Jin Ling, "Take these to the Third and Fourth Young Masters and ask the needlework room to make them some new clothes."

She had been so anxious that she nearly lost her wits, even thinking about going directly to find Song Chuyi. Regardless of whether the girl hated or liked her, she would never show any hints on her face. The First Lady feared that even if she talked herself hoarse, she wouldn't be able to discern what the girl truly thought.

It would be better to show her through actions. By caring for her younger brother Song Yan and catering to his preferences, the First Lady believed that one day, Song Chuyi would gradually forget about this incident.

Of course, if that little girl could avoid the Empress Dowager this time... If not, the First Lady's heart sank, and she closed her eyes, feeling the sting of tears nearly spilling over.