“Miss, something terrible has happened!”
“Speak slowly,” Song Yunzhao said, putting away the letter and the banknote, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked at Qian Cao.
Qian Cao took a deep breath, steadied herself, and then said, “I went to the laundry room to get something and overheard Hongying talking to someone. She said that Third Madam plans to send you to the Cai family to accompany the Old Lady to the temple to pray, and you’d have to stay there for ten days to half a month. Miss, if you really go, how can you participate in the selection? If it’s true, Madam is really too cruel.”
Song Yunzhao was also taken aback; she hadn’t expected Cai Shi to come up with such an idea.
She hadn’t even come up with a countermeasure when Zhao Momo from Cai Shi’s side arrived, smiling broadly. “Third Miss, Madam asks you to come over.”
Song Yunzhao hadn’t expected Cai Shi to be in such a hurry, and Qian Cao’s expression was hard to hide.
Song Yunzhao wouldn’t accommodate her mother, knowing that her intentions were not good. Going to her would be like voluntarily walking into a trap.
Filial piety?
A mother must be kind for a daughter to be filial!
“Zhao Momo, your timing is unfortunate. Father has just given me something to do. Please inform Mother that I’ll come to pay my respects once I’m done,” Song Yunzhao said, directly sending her away.
Zhao Momo’s smile stiffened. She hadn’t expected Third Miss to respond like that, and she wasn’t sure if Third Miss was telling the truth. However, she still remembered how the Master had scolded the Mistress over Third Miss’s affairs before, so she didn’t dare force her to go over now.
“Third Miss, Madam just has a few words of advice for you. Why don’t you go over for a bit?” Zhao Momo was persistent.
Yunzhao glanced at her, her smile fading, and said slowly, “Since it’s just some ordinary advice, it shouldn’t be too important. I’ll hear it when I return. Zhao Momo, you may go back.”
The servant left in a huff and, upon returning to the Mistress, added her own embellishments to the story.
Meanwhile, Song Yunzhao wasted no time and immediately headed out. As she walked, she instructed Qian Cao, “Go tell Luo Momo to have her son find my Father. I’ll be waiting at the teahouse on the street outside his office.”
To suppress Cai Shi, she needed her Father’s intervention.
If Cai Shi decided to forcefully send her to the Cai household, she wouldn’t be able to resist if a few servants pressed her.
Later, Cai Shi could hypocritically tell her Father that the Old Lady of the Cai family missed her, using filial piety as a reason. Her Father wouldn’t be able to argue against it.
Song Yunzhao moved swiftly, and by the time Cai Shi sent a second group to forcibly take her away, she had already boarded a carriage and escaped.
Speaking of which, if Song Jinxuan wanted to leave Chuihua Gate[mfn]referring to the mansion [/mfn], she couldn’t take a step outside it without Cai Shi’s approval. But Song Yunzhao was different; with Third Master’s prior instructions, she could move freely.
Power, truly a wonderful thing—whoever wields it, benefits from it.
Just thinking about Cai Shi and Song Qinghan hopping mad at home gave her satisfaction.
She wasn’t a brainless supporting character; why wait until things become irreparable?
Luo Momo’s son was quick. As Song Yunzhao sat down and ordered a pot of tea at the teahouse, her Father arrived before she had even taken a few sips.
Seeing his daughter sitting there safely, Third Master first breathed a sigh of relief. Then, after having his attendant close the private room door, he sternly said, “Didn’t the message say you couldn’t live any longer? You seem just fine to me.”
Day after day, she does nothing but scare him!
Being the father to a house full of children wasn’t as exhausting as being her father.
Song Yunzhao hadn’t expected Luo Momo’s son to be so capable, which explained why her Father arrived so quickly.
“Father, I’m just holding it in. If you say that, I’ll cry for you.”
Third Master: …
Please spare me.
“Tell me, what’s the matter this time?”
“You make it sound like I’m always causing trouble. Tell me, have I ever given you any real problems over the years?”
Third Song Master sighed. He’d say one thing, and this child would have a hundred responses waiting.
“Father knows you’re a good child. Can you tell me now?” Seeing his daughter’s eyes redden, he felt pity. She had been scared recently and only started feeling better these past few days.
Song Yunzhao lowered her eyes slightly, her voice tinged with a bit of a choke, as she made an effort to suppress her emotions before speaking, “Father, Mother wants to send me to the Cai household to stay with Grandmother at the temple for a while.”
“What?” Third Master didn’t quite understand the seemingly nonsensical words.
“Father, you know that the court has opened the selection process.”
Of course, he knew, but he hadn’t given it much thought. Seeing his daughter’s demeanor and recalling what she had just said, he finally understood.
However, he remained silent, just looking at his daughter.
Song Yunzhao could feel her Father’s eyes on her, but she pretended not to notice. Speaking softly and slowly, she said, “Ever since the news spread, I haven’t stepped out of the courtyard. I didn’t plan to participate in the selection. I thought by doing so, Mother and Sister would understand my intentions. But… I never expected that in order to prevent me from participating, they would think of having Grandmother take me to the temple to pray. Father, I am so wronged. I just want to ask you, what do I mean to Mother?”
Third Master’s chest heaved with anger. He couldn’t believe that his wife would do such a thing.
Song Yunzhao buried her face in her hands, crying softly. To Third Master, she looked so weak, helpless, and pitiful, adding even more to his anger towards his wife and eldest daughter.
“Zhao Zhao, tell Father what you truly think. Do you want to go?” Third Master asked, looking at his daughter.
Song Yunzhao shook her head, “I don’t want to go. The palace isn’t a good place. But, being pushed step by step by Mother and Sister, I’ve gained the courage to ask, why can’t I go? The more they don’t want me to go, the more I want to.”
Third Master couldn’t help but laugh and cry at his daughter’s words. He took out his handkerchief and handed it to her, “Stop crying. You’re all grown up now. If someone sees you, they might laugh at you. Wipe your face, and let’s have a good talk.”
Song Yunzhao looked up and took the handkerchief from her Father. Upon closer inspection, she noticed it was sewn by Concubine Che.
Tsk, no wonder Concubine Che’s children could hold their ground. She was truly skilled.
She dabbed her face with the handkerchief, her voice tinged with a bit of indignation, “Father, what do you want to tell me? If you are going to say I can’t participate in the selection, then don’t say it. I’ll fight for my dignity until the end. When pushed to the limit, even a clay bodhisattva will show some defiance[mfn]even the most gentle people will stand up for themselves when pushed too far[/mfn].”
Clay bodhisattva?
Third Master recalled the previous conflicts between his younger daughter and his wife. If she was a clay bodhisattva, he’d never dare look at the word “bodhisattva” the same way again.
“Father doesn’t want you to enter the palace. As you said, the palace isn’t a good place. Your sister wants to go because she is willing and her temperament is more stable and enduring. Even if she doesn’t achieve wealth and success, she can still protect herself. But with your temper, Father isn’t assured.”
