Chapter 613 - 391: Burned to Ashes
When news of the Ning’an Bo’s ennoblement reached Shouci Palace, the Empress Dowager was so furious she nearly fainted. An Shutong reacted swiftly and caught her.
"Aunt, are you all right?" An Shutong was startled. ’Nothing can happen to the Empress Dowager.’
The Empress Dowager allowed An Shutong to guide her to a seat. ’Her plan had backfired spectacularly.’ She had intended to scheme against Song Yunzhao, but who would have thought the Song Family would end up with a new Ning’an Bo because of it?
The Empress Dowager waved her hand at An Shutong. "I am fine."
She clearly wasn’t fine. An Shutong quickly poured a cup of tea and said softly, "Aunt, please have some tea to soothe your throat."
The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea. Seeing the panic on An Shutong’s face, she patted her hand. "You should return for now. I have Nanny Yao with me."
An Shutong shook her head. "But you look so pale. We should summon an Imperial Physician to take a look."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager stared at An Shutong. "Summon an Imperial Physician now? Are you trying to make sure everyone outside has a reason to laugh at Shouci Palace?"
Stunned by the rebuke, An Shutong quickly rose to her feet. "You are right, Aunt. That was foolish of me."
"Just go back for now."
This time, An Shutong did not insist on staying. She curtsied and withdrew.
After the others had left, the Empress Dowager looked at Nanny Yao and seethed, "This is all because of that pack of fools from the Tao Family!"
If the Tao Family hadn’t been so incompetent and allowed the Ling Family to discover their plot, none of this would have ever happened.
She refused to believe Song Yunzhao hadn’t had a hand in it. The thought only enraged the Empress Dowager further. ’Look at how the Song Family operates, then look at the Tao Family and Gu’en Houfu. There’s simply no comparison.’
They had clearly held every advantage, but in the end, all their efforts only served to benefit the Song Family.
The Empress Dowager had suffered plenty of setbacks in her life, but very few had been this devastating.
’Utterly useless, like trying to plaster a wall with mud. The Tao Family is truly incompetent.’
「Meanwhile, at Yaohua Palace」
The atmosphere was utterly joyous. Song Yunzhao couldn’t believe it. Feng Yi had given them such a huge compensation, and she hadn’t even said a word to complain.
’See? This is the difference between someone having you in their heart and not. Her position in the Emperor’s heart was now so secure that she got what she wanted without having to intervene, and it was even more generous than she could have hoped for.’
Song Yunzhao had always felt guilty. When her father was ennobled as a Marquis, her eldest uncle’s wife had worked tirelessly on her behalf but gained nothing from it. This finally put her heart at ease.
’In the future, as my eldest cousin makes his way toward the Capital, and when my son is eventually named Crown Prince, my eldest uncle’s and my father’s titles are sure to rise even higher.’
Many people came to Yaohua Palace to offer their congratulations, keeping Song Yunzhao busy all day. Her thoughts turned to Feng Yunjin, who had helped so much this time, yet Song Yunzhao still hadn’t had a chance to request a title for her, which made her feel she had truly let her down.
After mulling it over, Song Yunzhao went into her study to write a letter to Feng Yi. His travel schedule was secret, so Yun Zhao rarely wrote to him. This time, however, was for Feng Yunjin. She sat under the lamplight and laid out the entire sequence of events, clearly detailing Feng Yunjin’s crucial role.
Once she finished writing, Song Yunzhao reread the letter several times to ensure nothing was missed. Only then did she seal it and summon Zhang Maoquan, instructing him to deliver it to Taixi Hall.
Feng Yi had told her he had people stationed at Taixi Hall, and any letter delivered there would find its way into his hands.
The Ministry of Industry once again got to work, this time preparing a residence for the new Ning’an Bo. Fu Shiyin sought out Song Nanzhen, his expression complex. ’Just look at the Song Family’s luck.’
Song Nanzhen maintained his usual warm and honest demeanor. Knowing Fu Shiyin was there about the mansion for the new title, he immediately said, "I’m sorry to trouble you again, Brother Fu. Please just follow the standard procedures. There’s no need to add anything extra."
Fu Shiyin had to admit he was impressed. ’Any other family that produced a favored concubine would be walking on air by now, impossibly arrogant.’
Fu Shiyin studied Song Nanzhen’s guileless smile for a moment before adding, "By the way, those lake stones you asked for haven’t arrived yet. It might be a little while longer."
Song Nanzhen waved his hand dismissively. "No rush, no rush at all. It’s just a rock. We can add it whenever it arrives."
As Fu Shiyin left the Ministry of Revenue, he had the nagging feeling he’d forgotten something, but when he tried to recall it, his mind came up blank.
’What was I thinking about on the way over?’
’Oh, right! Last time we spoke, Song Nanzhen mentioned the Tao Family, and soon after, they were hit by that scandal. Could he possibly be connected to it?’
But then he pictured Song Nanzhen’s guileless smile. ’I’m probably just overthinking things.’
’The business with the Tao Brothers has become a laughingstock. How could an honest man like Song Nanzhen possibly know about something so sordid, let alone be the one to orchestrate its exposure?’
After seeing Fu Shiyin off, Song Nanzhen rubbed his face. His cheeks were stiff from smiling so much over the past few days.
He felt a pang of guilt thinking about his elder brother resigning from his post to return to the Capital. Recalling the words in his brother’s letter, he knew he had to keep trying harder and give no one any leverage against them.
Song Nanyong’s resignation and the handover of his duties proceeded smoothly. He wrote another letter to his son and then began his journey back to the Capital.
When Princess Fuke learned that her son-in-law’s father had been made a Bo, she naturally came to offer congratulations. Her daughter had been living comfortably since her marriage to Song Buran. Her son-in-law was considerate and attentive, and her daughter’s letters made it clear that the young couple’s relationship was excellent.
With her in-laws celebrating such a joyous occasion, it was only natural for her to come and offer her well-wishes. Princess Fuke was also a shrewd woman, so she made a grand showing of her visit, giving the Song Family a great deal of prestige.
The First Madam was also very pleased with her daughter-in-law. Despite being a County Princess, she was respectful and filial toward her as a mother-in-law. Even after leaving to join her husband at his post, she never failed to send gifts for every season and festival. Knowing of the First Madam’s poor health, she even made her handmade clothes. The First Madam had no reason to be dissatisfied.
’She knows the County Princess might be acting this way because her frail health makes it difficult to conceive, hence her humble posture. But with a mother like Princess Fuke, not just anyone could bring themselves to do this.’
For this reason, the First Madam never asked in her letters if her daughter-in-law was pregnant, lest it upset the County Princess and strain the young couple’s relationship.
The First Madam was a woman and had been a daughter-in-law herself. She knew well the hardships women faced.
She wouldn’t even make trouble for concubines and their children, so long as they showed her, the matriarch, the proper respect. She raised the illegitimate children diligently, and while she certainly considered the value of marriage alliances, she still took great care in choosing spouses for each of them.
’This was even more true for her own daughter-in-law. If the County Princess still couldn’t conceive after a few more years, they would simply arrange for a concubine. Whether that concubine could secure her position would be up to her own wits.’
The moment she arrived, Princess Fuke brought the First Madam a crucial piece of news. "The granary in Yan City has caught fire, and all the tax grain has been incinerated. You must inform Minister Song."
The First Madam was aghast. "It’s all burned?"
Yan City was the hometown of Princess Fuke’s husband, the Prince Consort, so it was no surprise she had heard this news.
Princess Fuke nodded. "The officials in southern Yan City are apparently trying to cover it up to avoid being beheaded for dereliction of duty. Therefore, you must be careful with the tax grain submitted to the Ministry of Revenue."
The First Madam’s mind raced. ’Coming right after the incident with the Tao Family,’ she suspected this might be another treacherous move against the Song Family, orchestrated by the Empress Dowager.