Chapter 209 - Bitterly Disappointed

“Lady of Yan!” Madam Chang was the wife of the eldest son of the Sikong Family, and the sister-in-law of Sikong Yiluo and Princess Consort of Liang. She always served as the go-between for the Sikong Family and the people of Duke of Yan’s mansion, but this time, she was sent here alone for a specific reason, “When Princess Consort of Liang’s matter was spread to our home, Grandmother and Mother immediately fainted on the spot! Now our family has become a mess. I… I’ve thought it over and decided to ask you for a favor!”

Speaking of that, Madam Chang shed tears from the depth of her heart. Of course she would cry!

Back then, Great Grand Princess Zhenyang went all out to beg the Empress Dowager to arrange such a marriage for her granddaughter, hoping that her granddaughter could become a princess consort and then provide support for the Sikong Family. Nevertheless, she was married less than one year and yet, made such serious trouble!

She was definitely not supporting her family but destroying them!

“I know why you came here!” Song Yixiao also felt sorry for the Sikong Family. The carefully nurtured legitimate daughter was gone and the concubine’s daughter was a reckless trouble-maker. If she were in the Great Grand Princess’s shoes, she would faint too. However, “I only heard a little when I was paying condolences at Prince’s Yi’s mansion just now. Yet, since Xubai is not back yet, neither do I know how the situation is now.”

Madam Chang said bitterly, “Before I came here, my mother-in-law stayed sober temporarily, saying that the Sikong Family didn’t claim to be a notable family but still valued the family’s reputation very much.”

Since they valued the family’s reputation, they would clean house for sure.

This decision was not surprising to Song Yixiao at all. After pondering for a while, she said lightly, “I’ll send word to Xubai for some business and your message will be delivered to him too.”

Anyway, it was the Crown Prince who Princess Consort of Liang undermined this time, so how to dispose of her must be decided by the Crown Prince.

Madam Chang came to Song Yixiao just because Noble Consort Cui was being grounded. The Empress Dowager was tied up with inquiring about the matter while Great Grand Princess Zhenyang, as the grandaunt of the Crown Prince, would feel ashamed to bow to the Crown Prince. Therefore, after deliberate consideration, only a person of Duke of Yan’s mansion was the most suitable buffer.

After seeing off Madam Chang who was very grateful, Song Yixiao ordered a servant to deliver the message to the Eastern Palace. Then she thought of the fact that she and Jian Xubai specially had paid a visit to Elder Lady Duanmu this morning, and sent someone to Jian Limiao’s residence, telling him that the house where Elder Lady Duanmu and her grandchildren lived now not suitable for recuperation. After she finished all the things, at nightfall, Jian Xubai was finally back.

When he was back, he was not in a bad mood. He even brought some salted crispy chicken, saying that it was the special of a time-honored restaurant near the Ministry of War.

While Song Yixiao was unwrapping the oilpaper, she asked in surprise, “I thought you were in the Eastern Palace. How come you went to Yamen afterwards?”

“I went to the Eastern Palace only to ask about the matter of Princess Consort of Liang. Since the Sikong Family are sensible, there is no need to talk much.” While taking off the fur coat, Jian Xubai sent all the servants out. Now he poured some tea for himself and said, “Just send Princess Consort of Liang back to the prince’s mansion for recuperation and then let the Sikong Family send someone to accompany her through the hard time. As to the future, the Crown Prince will let nature take its course!”

By accompanying her through the hard time, it surely meant getting rid of Sikong Yihan when the situation eased.

“In fact, I don’t think it is necessary.” Song Yixiao put a piece of chicken into her mouth casually, focused on thinking about the wording quickly, “Her Highness Great Grand Princess Zhenyang introduced her granddaughter to Prince of Liang just because she had faith in the Crown Prince. However, Yiluo passed away early. The current Princess Consort of Liang is not the carefully cultivated legitimate daughter. Therefore, inevitably, she may not be able to behave properly. Nevertheless, the Sikong Family really hope to get along well with the Crown Prince. Otherwise, why did they ask Yiluo’s sister to consume the arranged marriage even after Yiluo passed away?”

“Now that Princess Consort of Liang has made a mistake, the Sikong Family immediately show their willingness to clean house. Evidently, they don’t want to estrange from the Crown Prince!”

“In this case, it won’t be a good thing if Princess Consort of Liang is disposed of. No matter how bad the princess consort is, she is one of the Sikong Family. Moreover, there are not many girls in the Sikong Family. When a thing is rare, it becomes precious, doesn’t it?”

Therefore, “Why not spare her life and let her still be the princess consort? Just tell the outsiders that she is ill and then in private, teach her how to behave. In this case, if she corrects her mistakes, it will be a delightful outcome; if not, just dispose of her then and the Sikong Family won’t grumble about it anymore. After all, they will consider the kindness of the Crown Prince. What do you think?”

Jian Xubai heard her and rubbed the edge of the bowl for a while, saying, “You want to save her?”

Song Yixiao felt a bit embarrassed about being seen through, hedged and said, “For one thing, Yiluo was my friend and Princess Consort of Liang is her only sister. How can I leave Princess Consort of Liang in the lurch? For another, she is outraged by the injustice against her sister to kick up such a row. Of course, I am not saying that the Crown Prince owes her anything but… I feel kind of sympathetic about her!”

“After all, she will need some time to recover. I’ll find a chance to talk to the Crown Prince!” Jian Xubai was not disgruntled. He disliked Princess Consort of Liang but he didn’t loathe her so much that he must kill this distant cousin. Song Yixiao was his beloved wife. Since she asked for the favor, it was fine to please her. However, “We have been too busy recently. The Crown Prince and Prince of Liang are both furious now. I cannot bring it up until some time later.”

Song Yixiao felt relieved and approached him to give him a kiss on his cheek in return.

Then Jian Xubai held her waist and pressed her against his knees. Playing with her soft fingers, he continued to talk about the origin of the salted crispy chicken, “Prince of Yi has just passed away when the concubine stood out to disclose the mistress’s scandal. After discussion, we all consent that since Grandmother has interfered, it will be somewhat a disguise if we run about at the moment. Therefore, we may as well act aboveboard!”

Since they decided to act aboveboard, there was no need for them to gather in the Eastern Palace anymore. Thus, after they left, they all returned to their positions to serve the Great Rui as if nothing had happened.

“On the way back home, I saw a group of people queuing over there so I asked a guard to inquire about it. He told me that this was delicious. I thought that you girls all liked snacks, so I bought some for you,” Jian Xubai kissed his wife’s forehead gently and said regretfully, “Prince of Yi has just passed away. Your birthday which is tomorrow cannot be celebrated. And if this matter is not well taken care of, I’m afraid that I cannot take time out to make it up to you!”

Song Yixiao thought that his buying the salted crispy chicken was only a spur-of-the-moment action. By now she realized that her husband was trying his best to make it up to her for failure to celebrate her birthday. She lived two lives in a different way but in neither of her lives, she was not qualified to have a big celebration of her birthday. She had been used to ignoring it. Neither did anyone care about it. Unexpectedly, now that the Crown Prince got into trouble one after another, Jian Xubai still attached high importance to it to this extent instead of forgetting it.

She felt so sweet, just let her husband kiss her for a while, and then said with a bright smile, “Your words are so sweet that I’m fine with not celebrating birthday anymore!”

The couple spent a lovely night this day. The next day was the 9th day of the 2nd lunar month, which was Song Yixiao’s birthday.

Actually, even if the feast was not held, her close friends and relatives like Nie Wuying, Wei Chan and Yuan Xue’e would come and congratulate. However, due to the death of Prince of Yi, even Madam Liao who specially asked Qiaoqin about Song Yixiao’s birthday only sent a gift to her without coming on her own.

While reading the gift list, Jinxun told Song Yixiao secretly, “The death of His Highness Prince of Yi happened at a good time. Otherwise, it would be too hasty to prepare the celebration for your birthday, even in the form of a family feast only!”

“If you dare to talk like this again regardless of danger, I would rather send you away from the imperial capital as soon as possible!” Song Yixiao didn’t know what to do about her. As a saying went, like master, like servant. She herself always talked in a measured way! Ms. Zhao who was responsible for teaching Jinxun, dragged into trouble by her daughter You Qingchun before, also acted with caution.

Why didn’t Jinxun learn?

Seeing her kneel down in fear and apologize frightenedly, Song Yixiao couldn’t be bothered to say anything more and only turned around to order Qiaoqin, “Didn’t Cuipiao ask me to find a husband for her? Now that the Spring Festival has passed, you can put your hand to it now. Just report to me as long as he fits – not only for her but also for those who are about her age. I don’t want to get in your way in terms of marriage!”

After saying that, regardless of Jinxun’s tearful apology and Qiaoqin’s bashful face, she only asked, “Have you sent anyone to the Song’s mansion to pay respects on behalf of me? Is everything going well with my newly born sister and brother?”

Aunt Yun said the twins should be able to survive if well raised. And the Song Family with few descendants would surely raise them carefully. Nevertheless, they were premature babies anyway. Song Yixiao was still worried about them. She had ordered to send some gifts to them and check whether they were fine.

As she inquired about this, Qiaoqin hurriedly went outside to beckon the one who was responsible for it. The man arrived and told that the twins were healthy and that Madam Lu was in postpartum confinement with relief now. When he saw Song Yixiao’s relieved face, he hesitated.

“What?” Song Yixiao noticed that and then asked.

“Yesterday, when I went to the Song’s mansion, I was honored to meet with the Elder Lady and then she asked me to tell you something!” The man said with reverence and awe, “The Elder Lady said that you were still too young and too occupied with managing the household affairs alone, so you didn’t need to worry about your maiden family anymore!”

Song Yixiao stayed silent for a while and said, “Noted.”

She showed concern for Madam Lu and her newly born twins as a way of compensation, but she still made some effort anyway.

Now it was still tolerable that Madam Pang burnt the bridge after crossing it. However, the two families were both in the imperial capital, and the Song Family had enough servants. Madam Pang didn’t send her own trusted maid to secretly pass the message. Instead, she just asked the servant sent by Song Yixiao to do it. Wasn’t it an act to deliberately make Song Yixiao lose face in front of her husband?

“I’m too naive!” Song Yixiao had taken down Madam Liu since she was resurrected. Although she was disgruntled about Madam Pang and Song Yuan, given the blood relation, she didn’t do anything to them and still treated them seemingly with respect! She thought that even if they couldn’t be close to each other like an ordinary family, they should be able to go on their own way peacefully. Unexpectedly, even though she was willing to let go of them, they just treated her even worse!

She ordered a close maid to fetch some money and give it to the servant who ran the errand. After sending him away, Song Yixiao expelled Jinxun and Qiaoqin out of the room so that she could ruminate on her own, “When the Empress Dowager just announced the marriage arrangement for me, Madam Kong told me that the Song Family were not happy to see me marry Xubai! They haven’t caused any trouble since I got married. Hence, I thought they just gave up as the die was cast! However, it turns out that they just try to make trouble for me if possible!”

Then she recalled that if Jian Xubai hadn’t sent Aunt Yun to the Song’s mansion for her, it would have been hard to say whether Madam Lu and the twins could survive. Now that the Song Family finally had a boy descendent, Madam Pang didn’t feel thankful to her and even tried her best to insult her. It was fair enough to say that Madam Pang was so used to doing this kind of thing and even found it a matter of course!

“She not only ruined my last life but also tries to make me suffer this life?” Song Yixiao was good at tolerating but she was not a pushover. She didn’t come to a good end last life because she was too young when Wei Mengying remarried. Back then, when she was sensible at the age of 12 or 13, Madam Liu had given birth to a boy, which consolidated her position in the family. On the contrary, Song Yixiao was not loved by seniors or supported by outsiders. No matter how smart she was, she couldn’t do anything about it!

But now she was not driven into a corner. She kind of had enough of the Song Family’s repeated ingratitude for favors!

“Somebody come!” After making up her mind, Song Yixiao covered the fierceness in her eyes, slightly adjusted her dress and beckoned Qiaoqin inside, “As to Madam Liao, the wife of Vice Director Ming, a subordinate of Xubai, do you know anything about her?”