TSNCWEM Chapter 26

Song Jinxuan felt very distressed when she thought of her mother’s words. She said she was already old and could not compete with the fresh and bright young girls, but she couldn`t give up, so she must bite the bullet and continue.

Being a concubine is all about one’s looks. When young and beautiful, everything is perfect, but once the beauty fades, there will naturally be newcomers to take over.

Song Jinxuan didn’t want to tell Song Yunzhao these words, so she paused and then casually said, “My mother has no particular thoughts. Madam’s purpose in doing this is to ease her relationship with Father and to suppress my mother. I just think that this is not good news for Third Sister. If the newcomer favored by Madam wins Father’s affection, it might lead to a rift between you and Father.”

Song Yunzhao glanced at Song Jinxuan and then smiled, “Second Sister, you worry too much. I’m not afraid of this.”

Song Jinxuan knew that Song Yunzhao wasn’t easy to fool, but she didn’t say more for now. After all, the message had been conveyed.

When the two arrived at Cai Shi’s courtyard, Song Qinghan was already there, her face flushed with excitement. But as soon as she saw Song Yunzhao, her smile disappeared, replaced by a look of disdain.

Song Yunzhao thought that Song Qinghan was really sick and not just a little bit. She sat down heavily on a chair without a word, her posture annoying Song Qinghan greatly.

“What great airs you have, Third Sister. You’ve gotten better at following the rules.”

Hearing Song Qinghan’s sarcasm, Song Yunzhao didn’t even look at her and directly retorted, “There’s a difference between dreams and delusions. Some people aren’t even close to becoming elites and already show their true colors.”

Song Jinxuan covered her mouth with a handkerchief to hide her shocked expression. Had Song Yunzhao gone mad?

She knew Song Yunzhao had a bad temper and a sharp tongue, but now she was even harsher than before. Definitely someone to avoid provoking.

Song Qinghan was stung to the core by Song Yunzhao’s words, trembling with anger but forced to swallow it down. She thought to herself that she’d let Song Yunzhao enjoy her pride for a few more days. Once she entered the palace, she’d see if Song Yunzhao could still be so sharp-tongued.

The atmosphere in the room became quite tense. Song Yunzhao remained unaffected, while Song Jinxuan seemed very uncomfortable, and Song Qinghan, having been angered internally, pressed her lips together in silence. Fortunately, Song Boyue and Song Boming arrived soon.

Song Boyue, with his handsome features, resembled the Third Master, while Song Boming looked more like Concubine Che. The two brothers were quite a sight when they stood together.

Song Yunzhao felt no emotion. When they greeted her, she just responded without much affection.

Song Boming, being Concubine Che’s son, wasn’t close to her, which was understandable.

However, Song Boyue, her full-blooded brother, had watched her being mistreated by Cai Shi over the years without ever saying or doing anything.

In contrast, Song Boyue seemed to be closer to Song Qinghan.

Family bonds are not something that could be forced.

Song Boyue sat in a chair next to Song Qinghan, listening to her talk about her time at the Dingnan Mansion with a focused and serious attention, occasionally nodding his head.

Song Yunzhao felt bored, knowing that Song Qinghan wasn’t speaking for Song Boyue’s benefit, but rather to show off.

Cai Shi appeared together with the Third Master, not even glancing at Song Yunzhao. She spoke only to her husband, saying, “This time, Qinghan’s matters went so smoothly thanks to my sister’s help. When everything is settled, we must thank her properly.”

Master Song nodded. Just as he was about to speak, the children in the room stood up to greet him, so he swallowed his words and said with a smile, “Sit down. It’s rare that we can have a meal together with our busy schedules.”

Master Song was a master at balancing attention, caring for each child in turn and then asking his two sons about their studies. Finally, he looked at Song Yunzhao, “Did you have fun today?”

Song Yunzhao, being much more obedient and affectionate towards her Father, smiled with her eyes curved and said, “Yes, very much. Beijing is much more bustling than Nanyu. Today, I went to Sanyuan Tower, listened to stories, had tea, and strolled through the market. Next time you have some free time, we can go out together, and I’ll treat you to tea.”

Master Song laughed heartily, “Save your allowance for yourself. As long as you had fun, that’s all that matters. Just remember, the capital is different from Nanyu, and you can’t go out often.”

“Yes, I will listen to you, Father,” Song Yunzhao responded obediently.

Song Qinghan stood aside, her face darkening as she watched the affectionate father-daughter interaction. Steadying herself, she remembered that she had recently angered her father. If not for her mother’s pleading, the selection process might have been delayed. She swallowed her anger and pretended not to see.

She reassured herself that once she entered the palace and gained power, she would regain all the lost dignity.

Madam Cai called for the dishes, interrupting the father-daughter bonding moment between Song Yunzhao and Master Song. Once the dishes were served and the family sat down, she leisurely said, “Master, Boyue and Boming’s studies cannot be neglected. We need a good teacher for them. My father is willing to help, but I will need you to approve of it.”

Master Song, who placed great importance on his sons’ education, nodded seriously and said, “That is necessary. I will personally visit my in-laws to discuss the matter.”

Madam Cai smiled brightly, “My parents have been thinking about you for a long time. They will be very happy if you visit.” She then changed the subject, “Now that Qinghan’s matter is more or less settled, I am thinking of taking her to my parents’ house tomorrow. We are completely in the dark about the situation in the palace, but luckily, my family has some information. By finding out more, we can prevent her from suffering when she enters the palace.”

Master Song nodded, “That’s for the best.” Then he looked at Song Qinghan, “When you visit your maternal grandparents tomorrow, remember not to be arrogant. Be considerate and respectful in your words and actions.”

Song Qinghan’s smile couldn’t hold up any longer. Her Father could be affectionate towards Song Yunzhao, but when it came to her, it was all scolding and admonition. Remembering her mother’s instructions, she nodded in agreement, but this meal was really frustrating for her.

Madam Cai noticed her eldest daughter’s displeased expression, glanced at Yunzhao, then looked at Master Song and said, “Master, although Qinghan is entering the palace, she still needs some money to support herself. This is different from getting married. I was thinking of giving Qinghan twenty thousand taels. What do you think?”

Twenty thousand taels?

Song Yunzhao sneered inwardly, Cai Shi really dared to ask!

When the eldest daughter of the first wife, Song Guiyi, got married, she had a grand wedding but only received a dowry of five thousand taels.

Moreover, in ordinary official families, the dowry for a daughter is usually two to three thousand taels. The Song family is wealthy and wouldn’t be stingy with the dowry, but Cai Shi really dared to ask for twenty thousand taels.

Song Qinghan’s eyes were fixed on Song Yunzhao, wanting to see her jealous and helpless expression. However, after staring for a long time, she didn’t see Song Yunzhao frown even once. Song Qinghan’s eyes shifted, and she spoke as if feeling guilty, “Father and Mother are so considerate of me, I really have no way to repay them. In the future, I will definitely remember the family’s kindness and won’t let you down.”

Listening to these hypocritical words, Song Yunzhao really wanted to spit in her face.

However, it’s overkill to use a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.

Twenty thousand taels?

She’s dreaming!

Tls note: If you spot any mistakes, please let me know! I was in a hurry to post more chapters so I might have messed something up. Are you liking the book so far? 👀