Chapter 104 - The Song Family in Jiangnan

Song Yixiao felt headache to hear the suggestion, “Jian Xubai has no problem with that? Absolutely not!”

He just told her to stay away from Su Shaoge the other day. He even ordered to give the malus spectabilis hairpin that Su Shaoge compensated her to a maid. If he learnt that she had a meal with Su Shaoge, how could he have no problem with it?

However, the Su sisters didn’t know her difficulty. Both of them believed that it was a good solution.

At the moment, Su Shaoling nodded her head, “If Madam Song can do me the favor to agree, we can ask our brother to pay for the meal!”

“The best way to show respect is to obey!” Song Yixiao had owed Su Shaoge one before. Now that Su Shaoge’s legitimate sister even talked of “do me the favor”, she was too embarrassed to decline. Hence, she could only make up her mind and say with a smile, “But please allow me to pay for the meal. I haven’t thanked Mr. Su for his favor regarding Yiluo’s matter!”

Su Shaoling hurried to exchange pleasantries on behalf of her brother while Su Shaomo said, “You guys talk here and I will go to ask Brother to come here!”

However, she was away for a long time. Song Yixiao and Su Shaoling had ordered several dishes but she still didn’t come back.

Song Yixiao inevitably felt puzzled, “Isn’t Mr. Su in the Taoli Restaurant?”

“My brother is chatting with his friend in the book store in the next street.” Su Shaoling hastened to explain, “Shaomo was too impatient to wait for him there, so she dragged me to come here first. Now she must have gone to the book store for him. It will take some time to take a round trip. What about asking the waiter to serve the dishes first so that we can eat first?”

“You’ve got me wrong!” Song Yixiao hurried to wave her hand, “I was thinking if Mr. Su was in the Taoli Restaurant and your sister was away for such a long time, she might be impeded by something.”

No wonder Su Shaomo dared to dash inside and expel her just now. It was only because her brother was not with her. Otherwise, in light of Su Shaoge’s disposition of nobility and politeness, how could he allow his sister’s discourtesy?

However, despite a gentle and cultivated brother like Su Shaoge as well as a thoughtful sister like Su Shaoling, Su Shaomo could still be so bossy and arrogant. After all, it took all sorts to make a world.

“Don’t worry about it. Our men are guarding down there and they will escort my sister when she goes out.” Su Shaoling said smilingly, “If anything happens, someone will send words to me. Supposedly, they must be on the way back.”

Song Yixiao was about to speak when the door was suddenly pushed open. Su Shaoling walked into the room with a red face, grabbed Su Shaoling’s half bowl of tea and had a drink, saying, “It’s late in autumn now, but I still feel very hot after walking under the sun for a while!”

“You didn’t go there by carriage?” Su Shaoling said helplessly, “No wonder we were kept waiting for long!”

“I thought that the book store was not far away. It would be better for me to walk there than to wait for the carriage.” Su Shaomo explained and then said to Song Yixiao, “When my brother and I arrived at the downstairs, we happened to encounter Duke of Yan’s elder brother. My brother talked with him and learnt that he didn’t have lunch yet, so he was also invited to join us. Do you mind?”

Song Yixiao thought to herself that if she said yes, she would be believed to loathe her brother-in-law!

Nevertheless, she had an increasing feeling that Su Shaoge was more than cautious, “Just as the Su sisters said, with them here, no one will gossip about this meal if it leaks out. Yet, he still asks Jian Yiyou to join us, which can completely eradiate the possibility of gossiping!”

After all, no matter how distant the Jian brothers were, Jian Yiyou wouldn’t watch his sister-in-law cuckold his brother. With him at present, it would be no different from Jian Xubai being here.

After a while, Su Shaoge and Jian Yiyou entered the room, both of whom were dressed like a scholar. Yet, they were in different styles. The former one looked as warm as the sunshine in spring, who acted like a decent gentleman while the latter one was just a man of few words just like the day of Tea Ceremony. Even if he spoke, he only talked to Su Shaoge.

Song Yixiao made a curtsey to him and yet in return, Jian Yiyou only glanced at her with a nod.

Under the circumstance, Su Shaoge made a prompt decision to ask the waiter to serve the dishes that Song Yixiao and Su Shaoling ordered before in order to ease the tense atmosphere.

“Brother Yiyou is so cold. I can’t understand why Changxing chooses him.” Over the meal, Su Shaomo talked with her sister in a low voice, “Changxing always likes having fun. When she finds out his temperament after getting married, I wonder whether she will regret.”

“The Dried Bamboo Shoots taste not bad. Sister, why don’t you try it?” Su Shaoling stared at her impatiently and took the opportunity of nipping dishes for her to give her a warning look. The private room was this big with no background music. No one was deaf here. Couldn’t her words be heard by others as long as she lowered her voice?

Jian Yiyou, who hadn’t glance at them before, glanced at them just now.

“Su Shaomo is such a big-mouth!” Since Jian Yiyou could hear them, Song Yixiao, who was sitting nearer to them could too. She pretended to drink her soup attentively and found it both funny and annoying, “Doesn’t Duke of Ji educate her before?”

Unexpectedly, just after Su Shaomo’s gossip about Jian Yiyou was interrupted by Su Shaoling, she turned to Song Yixiao, asking, “As far as I hear, you are a descendent of Jiangnan Hall. May I know which clan you belong to?”

Song Yixiao was at a loss, saying, “What is Jiangnan Hall?”

“Brother, do you misremember?” Su Shaomo also got confused and then asked Su Shaoge, “You told me before that Vice Director Song was a descendent of Jiangnan Hall. Why does Madam Song have no idea what Jiangnan Hall is?”

“Long time ago, when the barbarians headed south and occupied the central plain, the Shen Family in Xiliang, Liu Family in Donghu, Duanmu Family in Jinxiu and other major tribes were also invaded and also got exterminated.” Su Shao was leaning against the table. When he heard his sister’s words, he immediately sat up straight and became stern, saying calmly, “The Song Family in Jiangnan suffered similarly. I think Vice Director Song just doesn’t want to bring up this kind of sorrowful thing to Madam Song.”

He seemed to explain for his sister but actually, he helped Song Yixiao out of embarrassment. After all, she didn’t even know about her own ancestors. If this leaked out, she would be notorious for forgetting the origin of her birth.

Then he added, “Jiangnan Hall is the hall name of the legitimate clan of the Song Family in Jiangnan. For example, the hall name of the Su Family in Qingzhou, the clan I belong to, is Fufeng Hall.”

“Likewise, the Song Family in Jiangnan and my family were both well-known families in the West Yong Dynasty.” Su Shaomo puckered her lips and said, “Madam Song, you are the legitimate daughter of the Song Yixiao. Even if your father didn’t tell you, you should have learnt about it yourself!”

“How rude you are!” Su Shaoge put down the silver cup unhappily, “It happened hundreds of years ago. Currently, no matter how senior an official becomes, if he is not selected from the imperial examination, it will be rendered as not justifiable enough. To talk of this will only make oneself a laughingstock of the learned people! Look at Imperial Censor Wei. Do his families always mention the Wei Family in Fengzhou?”

He added, “How Vice Director Song educates Madam Song is the business of the Song Family. It’s not your business to make indiscreet remarks. If you behave so unruly again, don’t request me to take you out next time!”

Su Shaomo flushed with shame. Pushed by her sister twice, she apologized to Song Yixiao through clenched teeth.

Song Yixiao replied politely that she didn’t mind at all, but how could she really feel not angry at all?

Therefore, the atmosphere became very tense. Even though Su Shaoge and Su Shaoling tried their best to make up and pressed Su Shaomo not to talk anymore, the meal didn’t end nicely.

After the meal, Su Shaoge ordered his man to pay for the bill beforehand and then took the opportunity of seeing others out to apologize again.

Jian Yiyou was a man of few words. After he got downstairs and his horse came, he held fists before his chest and got on the horse to leave.

On the contrary, Song Yixiao couldn’t leave for the moment, her hands grabbed by Su Shaoling.

They were still exchanging pleasantries until Su Shaoge saw Jian Yiyou off. Su Shaoge thought for a while and walked to them. He was about to speak when a gust of autumn wind blew by and rolled up the veil of Song Yixiao’s hat. Consequently, Song Yixiao reached out her hands to press the veil.

When she raised her arms, a majority of the sleeves rolled down, which rolled until the elbow due to the wind, making most of her arms exposed to air!

Her maids hastened to press down the sleeves. Embarrassed and angry, Song Yixiao hurriedly said goodbye to Su Shaoge and his sisters before getting onto the carriage and leaving in a hurry.

“Shaomo is always so willful, which can be okay at home, but she will offend others when she is out!” Seeing Song Yixiao leave, Su Shaoling told her brother worriedly, “Today, these two persons must harbor grudge against her. Brother, she always behaves like that. What if she gets married? Her husband won’t always cope with the aftermath of her trouble like us!”

Amidst talking, she walked towards Taoli Restaurant and wanted to call on Su Shaomo, who was demanded to stay in the private room. However, she didn’t find her brother come with her. When she looked back in surprise, she found that Su Shaoge was still standing in situ, as if lost in thought. It seemed that he didn’t hear what she said just now.

“Brother?” Su Shaoling felt surprised and hurriedly went to drag his sleeve, “She has left. What you are looking at?”

“Hum?” Su Shaoge came to his senses and couldn’t help laughing, “What are you thinking about? I just happen to find something strange.”

Su Shaoling stared at him suspiciously, saying in a low voice, “Brother, after our father got retired, you are the only one we can rely on! In light of your background and talent, what kind of girl you can’t get? Madam Song is beautiful, but she is married!”

“What are you worried about?” Su Shaoge reached out his hand and touched her hair helplessly, scolding her, “Am I that kind of man?”

Su Shaoling wanted to say something more. He knew that she could keep secrets and yet stubborn. In order to avoid her badgering, he directly dragged her aside and told her, “Just now when Madam Song pressed her veil, her sleeve slid along her arm and her arm was exposed. I didn’t have time to shun from it and happened to see the Shougong Sand on her arm!”

“What?” Su Shaoling shouted in shock, “How is it possible? Is Duke of Yan…?”

“I don’t think so!” Su Shaoge said seriously, “Jinguo Grand Princess always dotes on her children but she loves Duke of Yan most. Otherwise, why did she ask the Empress Dowager to raise him back then? If he is that critically injured, the Grand Princess and Empress Dowager can’t leave the matter at that. However, when our father got retired, they didn’t say anything. Evidently, he did suffer in Wuhuan, but the suffering must be within the tolerance range of the Empress Dowager and Grand Princess!”

Su Shaoling didn’t agree, “If this kind of matter leaks out, can Duke of Yan still stay in office? Compared with his career, how can the Empress Dowager and Grand Princess not bear with it? Moreover, this kind of problem is said to be inherent. Maybe it is not because he suffered in Wuhuan!”

Then she added, “Although Madam Song is pretty, she is not of high birth and her parents are not reliable. Duke of Yan married her probably because he is sure that she doesn’t dare to disclose the secret without the backing of her maiden family?”

“Let me investigate first.” Su Shaoge pondered for a while and ordered, “This is too huge. You mustn’t breathe a word about it, even to our parents!”

Su Shaoling said angrily, “I am not Shaomo anyway. You don’t even need to mention it.” Then she said pitifully, “I feel sorry for Madam Song. She is such a nice beauty. Why is she married to such a man?”

Su Shaoge smiled and said nothing. After all, his sister was a girl anyway, who showed sympathy for Song Yixiao first after learning about the big news. Jian Likuang didn’t like his youngest son. If he learnt that Jian Xubai couldn’t have children, how could he not covet the title of duke?

“Even if Jian Xubai’s title of duke is taken away, with the backing of that person, Jian Likuang cannot get the title of duke and thus probably Jian Yiyou will get it.” Su Shaoge ruminated, “In light of Changxing, to make Jian Yiyou side with Prince of Zhao…”

He had an idea and then ordered his sister, “Go and ask Shaomo to come downstairs. It’s too late now. We should go back home.”

It was too big. He must discuss with his aides and staff well. The one behind Jian Xubai must be carefully dealt with. How could he let go of this good opportunity?

“Madam Song’s disposition is still unknown. If I can instigate her to rebel, it will be more convenient!”

Su Shaoge looked at his two sisters coming out and then decided, “I shall ask Shaoling to hang out more often with her! At least I should give it a try!”