Seeing Song Yunzhao's stunned expression, Xie Linlang assumed she was just surprised by the news and lowered her voice. "My younger brother is in the Capital City doing business with our family's elders. He's gotten to know a lot of people. He had my older brother pass a message to me—some ministers at court want to petition His Majesty to hold a large-scale imperial selection."
'So it really is about that,' Song Yunzhao thought, seeing the Xie family in a new light.
The Xie family was far more capable than she had imagined—and far more than the book's brief, one-sided mentions had led her to believe.
Song Yunzhao forced herself to look shocked. "Is this news reliable?"
Xie Linlang replied, "It should be. My brother says the Dingnan Bo Mansion is trying to hog all the benefits this time, and many people are privately unhappy about it. Over the past few days, Ding Nan Bo has been impeached by the Imperial Censors several times. However, out of respect for the late Consort Chu, His Majesty has simply set the petitions aside without taking action."
"You're really well-informed," Song Yunzhao said. She felt like she might have just found a walking encyclopedia of the capital's affairs.
"Of course. For a business family like ours, the most important thing is to keep an eye on changes in court laws and the movements of its officials. It's not easy for merchants. We can't afford to offend a single one of those bureaucrats, so we can only tread carefully and curry favor. Doesn't that mean we have to be extra diligent in gathering information?"
'In the future, merchants hold high status. Money is king,' Song Yunzhao mused. 'It's the complete opposite of this era.' She looked at Xie Linlang, who didn't seem the least bit resentful or wronged, and finally understood why she would rather enter a noble house as a concubine than be a first wife elsewhere.
She was trying to pave the way for her brothers, the scholars of the family.
In that moment, Song Yunzhao found herself admiring the younger girl. She herself had transmigrated and had two lifetimes of experience, which was why she could remain calm and steady. But Xie Linlang didn't have that advantage.
"Now I understand why you're willing to be a concubine," Song Yunzhao said with a soft sigh.
Xie Linlang pressed her lips into a smile. "Third Miss..."
"Just call me Yun Zhao."
Xie Linlang froze for a second, then recovered with a grin. "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony! And you should stop calling me Young Lady Xie—just call me Linlang. To have you as a friend who doesn't look down on me... I'm the one who has truly gained."
Song Yunzhao laughed, sensing the sincerity in Xie Linlang's words, but also the hint of sorrow behind them. 'Such is life,' she thought. 'Things rarely go perfectly.'
"Yun Zhao, as for the Dingnan Bo Mansion affair, I think you should just wait a few more days and not rush into anything."
Song Yunzhao gave a slight nod. 'I wasn't in a hurry anyway. In this life, I have no intention of giving Song Qinghan the chance to frame me with some scheme at the Dingnan Bo Mansion.'
"It's a shame we can't leave the mansion. Otherwise, I'd show you all around the Capital City," Xie Linlang said wistfully.
Song Yunzhao wanted to go out for a walk too. "I can go out once my father gets back."
Mrs. Cai couldn't stand her and would never allow her to leave the mansion. Back in Nanyu, her father had always had her back, so she could go out as she pleased. Even though Mrs. Cai would try to stop her five times out of ten, she still managed to get out the other five for a breath of fresh air.
But now that her father wasn't in the Capital City, there was no one to restrain Mrs. Cai, who naturally couldn't bear to see her enjoying any freedom.
Within two days, Song Yunzhao noticed Mrs. Cai's agitation; her temper had soured along with it. Every morning, when Yunzhao went to pay her respects, the woman would try to find fault with her. 'But how could an old fox like me give her an opening to lash out?' she thought. Her act of being a meek little grandchild these past few days had been perfected to an art form, but it also left her seething with suppressed rage.
The moment Song Yunzhao woke up this morning, her right eyelid began to twitch uncontrollably. She had a feeling something bad was about to happen.
When she arrived at the main courtyard to pay her respects to Mrs. Cai, she saw the First Madam was there as well, along with Song Yexi.
Song Yunzhao took a deep breath. 'What's coming will come.' She stepped inside and walked forward to offer a proper greeting. "Daughter pays her respects to Mother and First Aunt."
Mrs. Cai didn't even bother to lift her eyelids. She was already irritable, and the sight of her younger daughter's sullen face only made her angrier. "So your manners have become quite refined, haven't they? So refined you make your elders wait for you."
From her tone, how could Song Yunzhao not know Mrs. Cai was looking for trouble? 'My eyelid was twitching this morning for a reason,' she thought. 'I knew today would be unlucky.' To avoid a sudden disaster, she had specifically come to the main courtyard earlier than usual.
"Mother, how is it that Eldest Sister isn't here yet? Is she also making the elders wait?" Song Yunzhao immediately tossed the accusation back. 'Your precious favorite daughter isn't here, and you have the nerve to find fault with me?'
Mrs. Cai's face darkened with rage. Just as she was about to lash out, the First Madam spoke. "Third Sister-in-law, I know you've always favored Qing Han, but you can't just treat Yun Zhao like dirt. When our Third Brother gets to the Capital City and hears about this, his heart is sure to ache for her."
Hearing the First Madam's words, Song Yunzhao gave her a silent thumbs-up in her mind while putting on a perfectly timed expression of helpless sorrow.
Mrs. Cai: ...
Song Yunzhao walked over and sat down in the seat below Xie Linlang. Song Jinxuan was beside her, but both of them were standing as still as wooden statues on guard duty.
She had just taken her seat when Song Qinghan arrived. Before Mrs. Cai could even open her mouth, the First Madam hurled the same words right at Song Qinghan. "Qing Han, as the eldest sister, you are supposed to set an example for the others. How can you arrive so late and make your elders wait for you? What kind of behavior is this? Thank goodness we're in our own home. If word of this got out, people would think the Song Family's discipline is sorely lacking."
Song Qinghan hadn't slept well. She had returned from the Dingnan Bo Mansion last night fuming. Chu Yuying had deliberately invited several friends to the Uncle Mansion and, knowing full well she was there, had publicly humiliated her. She'd had to grit her teeth and bear it, then spent half the night venting her anger after returning home. Naturally, she was late this morning.
How was she to know her First Aunt would be here today?
A sideways glance revealed that Song Yunzhao, who was usually late, had actually arrived early today. Qing Han felt a fresh wave of internal injury. 'Mother was right,' she fumed. 'This sister of mine was born to be the bane of our existence.'
Song Qinghan suppressed her anger and apologized. "You are right, First Aunt. I will be more mindful in the future."
Mrs. Cai immediately jumped in to defend her daughter. "Eldest Sister-in-law, the Dingnan Bo Mansion hosted a banquet yesterday. Qing Han was helping her aunt entertain the guests, so she's naturally exhausted. That's why she was late today."
The First Madam grew angry at these words. An opportunity like that was only ever for Song Qinghan; her own daughter never got to reap any of the benefits. She retorted, "Third Sister-in-law, if Qing Han had been generous enough to bring her sisters, she would have had people to help her. Then she wouldn't have had to work so hard, would she?"
Mrs. Cai looked at the First Madam, suppressing her own flustered heart. She took a moment to compose herself before replying, "Eldest Sister-in-law, the Dingnan Bo Mansion has very strict rules. It's not up to me. They only invited Qing Han. What could I possibly have done?"
"Was there nothing you could do, or did you just not want to find a way? Third Sister-in-law, Madam Ding Nanbo is your own sister!" The First Madam was getting truly desperate. If things went on like this, her daughter wouldn't get so much as a taste of the leftovers. That was why she had come today to force the issue in front of all the girls.
She was ready to tear away all pretenses. Let's see how Mrs. Cai could possibly try to shirk responsibility now.