The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 22

But how can matters in this world be so easily divided into right and wrong? Moreover, if it really were simply a matter of right and wrong, then he would undoubtedly be in the wrong.

But does that mean that because he made a mistake this time, Song Chuyi and Song Yan would no longer recognize him as their father?

Cui Shi was indeed their biological mother, but he was also their father! Who in this world doesn't make mistakes? He had merely made a mistake that all men might make, and besides, he had never thought of how to treat Cui Shi in the first place; he had never even entertained the idea of divorcing her—he came from a prominent family and understood what was permissible and where the boundaries lay.

If Cui Shi had not died in childbirth, then Li Shi would have merely remained his concubine until her death...

Thinking back to those distant past events and recalling Old Master Song and Old Lady Song's admonitions, Song Yi couldn't help but feel a wave of melancholy wash over him.

Li  Shi had indeed made grave mistakes; she had caused Cui Shi's death and turned him into a heartless man, making it impossible for him to hold his head high in front of his children...

Song Yi felt unjustly wronged—Li Shi had kept all these matters hidden from him. Even after Cui Shi's death, he had been forced into marrying Li Shi, as if he had been pushed onto the stage unwillingly—after all, Li Shi had ruined his family ties. He had risked public disgrace to seek Old Lady Song's approval, nearly causing a rift between them before he could successfully bring Li Shi into the household. He believed he had already been fair to both Cui Shi and Li Shi.

Yet in the end, one woman had caused the other's death, and the other was exposed and driven to her demise by the children of the first. It felt as if he had failed both.

He couldn't make sense of this convoluted situation, nor did he want to dwell on it. Often, he would wake from dreams where he saw Song Chuyi as a child being held in Cui Shi's embrace, and he would be left in a lingering melancholy—clearly, Song Chuyi and Song Yan had turned against him. Although Old Lady Song often mentioned in her letters that Song Chuyi and Song Yan missed him, he knew these were just empty words to mask the truth.

The two of them had grown to hate Song Chuning to the extent of wanting to frame her for arson, let alone their father, who could be seen as an indirect murderer in this situation.

He sighed heavily, forcing a smile to comfort Song Chuning. "How is this your fault? No matter what, you shouldn't bear the blame. You are also caught in the middle of the mess created by your mother and me."

Thus, they found themselves in the predicament of being disliked by their grandparents, nearly facing the prospect of being sent to the ancestral temple.

He patted Song Chuning on the shoulder, trying to appear excited as he asked her, "Your Fourth Brother has become a disciple under the great scholar Tang Mingzhao. This is truly a wonderful thing! I was just thinking about what gifts to give his teacher, and since you are always so clever, quickly give your father some advice."

Regardless, he still had only Song Yan as a son; if he succeeded in the future, it would also be his own glory.

Song Chuning couldn't help but scoff inwardly, feeling unexpectedly bored. Over the past half year, she had worked hard to be a caring presence for Song Yi, helping him solve various difficulties and managing the affairs of the rear court so well that even his concubines had become compliant, making him very comfortable. Yet, despite her subtle influence, Song Yi still seemed very concerned about Song Yan and Song Chuyi, the two siblings.

She didn't know if all parents in the world were like this—saying they would absolutely no longer care for their children, as if they had never given birth to them, while secretly and constantly worrying about their well-being.

But on the surface, she could only manage a stiff smile, feigning ignorance as she asked him, "As for the gifts for the teacher, there are indeed established precedents to follow. We can add a few more and find out if Lord Tang has any particular favorites, so we can buy them to give him on behalf of Yan'er, making him pay more attention to him. By the way, has Yan'er mentioned anything he likes in his letters? I remember in the past he always loved pestering father for things... If we know what he's lacking recently, we can also send it to him, so he can be a bit happier."

The rest of Song Yi's words caught in his throat, making him feel a bit awkward.

This news actually came from Old Master Song and Old Lady Song writing to inform him; as for Song Yan, he hadn't written a single letter from beginning to end, let alone tell him something like this or mention any preferences.

He grew increasingly agitated, feeling not only guilt and shame but also a surge of anger bubbling inside him—he was at least Song Yan's father, yet he hadn't heard even a whisper of such important news before, and what was worse, Song Yan had already set off for Shuzhong when he received the message.

Seeing that Song Yi had been silent for a long time, Song Chuning couldn't help but smile secretly.

No one understood Song Chuyi's character better than she did; such a stubborn person, coupled with Song Yi's favoritism, how could she possibly take the initiative to approach him?

The whole idea of sending gifts was just Song Yi's one-sided enthusiasm.

At a loss for words, Song Yi felt increasingly uncomfortable. The more he interacted with Song Chuyi and Song Yan, the more times he felt awkward, to the point where he found it difficult to bear.

It made no sense for him, as a father, to stoop and cater to the younger generation. After a moment of discomfort, he brushed it off, pressed his lips together, and said lightly, "He hasn't written to say what he likes; I figure it's probably just the usual stationery and writing tools. What else could a child like? When you go to the back courtyard later, stop by Concubine Qin's room and ask her to prepare various gifts for me. I'll have someone send them to Shu."

Song Chuning couldn't help but be a bit surprised, her mouth agape. "To Shuzhong? Has Fourth Brother already arrived in Shuzhong?! How come we didn't hear any news before? If we had known, we should have made preparations earlier..."

"What's there to prepare? In any case, they don't regard me as their father, nor have they considered notifying me. If it weren't for Old Master Song and Old Lady Song, I probably wouldn't even know about this."

Song Yi shook his head coldly. "That's not something we can control; the family will naturally have its own arrangements. We just need to do what we're supposed to do. The weather is getting cooler, so be careful on your way back. I have an invitation to dinner with County Chief Zhou tonight, so I won't be joining you for a meal. You can order whatever you want from the kitchen."

Song Chuning seemed as if she wanted to persuade him further, but after thinking it over, she could only let out a helpless sigh, responding in a sorrowful voice, looking quite pitiful.

Song Yi felt wronged for her as well, but after thinking it through, he didn't know what else to do—Song Chuyi and her brother had clearly grown to dislike Song Chuning deeply. No matter how hard Song Chuning tried, it seemed unlikely that this reality would change.