The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 54 - An Explosion

Song Chuning rarely encountered things she couldn't control, and whenever she did, Song Chuyi was usually involved. Sitting by the window, listening to her father Song Yi's excited voice, her thoughts drifted out to the snow-covered landscape beyond.

The palace was looking for study companions for the princesses, and all eligible young women from the Song family were required to return to the capital for selection. On the surface, it was a perfectly legitimate request, yet Song Chuning sensed a deep malice behind it.

She vaguely remembered this elder sister who had risen to become Noble Consort. In her dreams, she'd still been a young girl, and this elder sister had treated her no differently than anyone else, though she had a particular disdain for Song Chuyi, the daughter of Lady Cui, while regarding Song Chuning herself with little interest.

Back then, she felt both embarrassed and angry, vowing that one day she'd make Noble Consort Song regret looking down on her, showing her who would truly bring shame to the family. She'd make her pay for her scorn.

And she did eventually succeed, bit by bit turning Song Chuyi into someone detested by everyone in the capital, a complete joke. She even watched as Noble Consort Song suffered the misfortune of losing her child to an untimely death.

Now, however, with Noble Consort Song suddenly asking her to be the Eleventh Princess's study companion, she dared not go.

After all this time away from the capital, who knew what stories those two old foxes in the Song family had fed to Noble Consort Song? And Song Chuyi was surely closer to the consort now. Perhaps this was a trap orchestrated by Song Chuyi to remove her entirely.

She thought for a moment and looked at Song Yi, his face full of apprehension and helplessness. "Father, I'm afraid to go... Grandfather and Grandmother in the Marquis's household don't like me, and my sister even more so... If I return, I may never see you again."

Her pitiful expression was a mirror image of Li Shi's, and Song Yi shuddered. Suddenly, he couldn't shake the memory of those testimonies—the stark black ink on white paper detailing how she had schemed to harm Cui Shi.

He felt both horrified and uneasy, turning his head away, unable to meet Song Chuning's eyes. If what his parents had said was true, and a terrifying, sinister heart lay beneath Li Shi's delicate appearance, then what about Song Chuning, raised by her?

But he quickly brushed aside this worry—Song Chuning was clearly gentle and obedient; there was no way she could be like that.

Steadying himself, he smiled and reassured her, "If the family wants you to enter the palace to be chosen as a study companion, how could they dislike you? I've been writing home to explain things often; I'm sure your grandfather and grandmother's misunderstandings have eased a lot. Don't frighten yourself unnecessarily."

From his words, it was clear he supported the idea wholeheartedly.

Song Chuning inwardly scoffed. Song Yi might claim to adore and cherish her, but wasn't he still swayed by the influence of the Marquis's household in the capital? At the first hint of reconciliation from there, he was eager and thrilled.

When Song Yi didn't hear her respond, he couldn't resist turning back to look. She sat by the window, eyes brimming with tears, lost in thought. He sighed inwardly and softened his tone even further. "I mean no harm. But after all, you belong to the Marquis's family, and one day, you'll marry from there as well. It can't be just your father by your side. Your grandparents can't be cast aside, either. This is a chance for you to show your filial respect and resolve any misunderstandings. That way, I won't have to worry so much about you. Don't you agree?"

Could he really disown his parents for his daughter?

He might be able to hold on for a year or two, but three or four? Even if other people's gossip didn't drown him, he'd die of shame. The two elders of the Song family had painstakingly raised and taught him; could he really bear to be an unfilial son?

Originally, he'd already planned to return home by year-end to apologize to his parents, and now that news from the palace was so favorable, it was truly perfect timing—how could he refuse?

Song Chuning inwardly sneered—how could she have forgotten what kind of man Song Yi really was? Whether in her dreams or reality, he was just a coward who avoided responsibility, lacking any sense of duty.

Before, he'd harbored resentment against the Cui family, struggling with his conscience and forcing himself to believe that both Lady Li and she were wronged. But now, with the Song family hinting at a potential reconciliation, he was eager to send her back. In truth, he'd been avoiding trouble from the start. Now that the two elders of the Song family had calmed down after their anger had passed, he wouldn't dare offend them, while she, his daughter, seemed wronged yet was expected to go back and fulfill her filial duty.

Suddenly, she understood why Song Chuyi had chosen this strategy—she had seen Song Yi's weak, indecisive, trouble-averse nature all too clearly and used it against her.

Thus, for the first time, Song Yi saw the terrifying side of the daughter he'd always considered to be a gentle, harmless little lamb.

When she looked at him, her eyes were empty and soulless, as if she were looking at a tree or a flower, something entirely indifferent. Her ink-black pupils reflected his face, causing an involuntary shiver to run through him.

With a faint, cold smile, Song Chuning turned her gaze out the window. She seemed suddenly unbothered by the chill, reaching out her hand to catch the mix of falling snow and rain. After a long moment, she spoke, each word deliberate: "Do you really want me to go, Father?"

Though her tone was calm, it seemed laden with a buried resentment. Song Yi hesitated for a moment before replying, somewhat uncertainly, "It's an opportunity for you. Returning to the household could clear up misunderstandings. If you're fortunate enough to be chosen as a study companion to a princess, your status will rise, benefiting your future marriage prospects as well. Why wouldn't you go?"

Song Chuning, still facing away from him, nodded, then pushed the door open and strode out.

Though she'd never liked Song Yi, he had once saved her, given her a place to stay, and placed his complete trust in her. Granted, she had influenced him, but he had shown her genuine affection.

She had thought of sparing him for that.

But now, this father insisted on courting his own destruction.

If it hadn't been for his lack of restraint while already married, Lady Li wouldn't have been cornered, and Lady Cui wouldn't have been killed. She wouldn't have been raised in such a warped and stifling family, unable to receive Song Yi's full love, let alone Lady Li's.

Often, she felt that Lady Li had carried and birthed her merely as a bargaining chip to secure Song Yi.

Her father and mother had never truly wanted her in this world, nor had either of them sincerely cared for her.

In that case, they might as well all die.