Chapter 564: A Dead Pig is not Afraid of Boiling Water
Song Zhiqing walked out of Chunhui Hall and was led towards the Plum Garden. Along the way, he silently organized what he wanted to say to Madam Lu. Just as he reached the Plum Garden, he paused and inquired about his concubine’s whereabouts.
The guide was Magpie, one of the chief maids by Madam Lu’s side, who responded respectfully, "She is temporarily settled in the South Guest House."
Song Zhiqing’s expression changed slightly, and his eyes became sharp, "Guest House?"
He had been an official for many years, his authority gradually becoming more imposing. At this moment, with a stern face, he seemed rather intimidating.
Magpie nodded, trembling.
Song Zhiqing was somewhat displeased; was Madam Lu deliberately showing him disrespect?
Entering the Plum Garden, he saw the lush calyx trees all around, paused for a moment, not knowing what memories were stirred up, but his expression relaxed slightly.
"Welcome back to the manor, Third Master."
The servants and maids curtsied and greeted in unison.
Song Zhiqing’s brows relaxed, and he raised his hand to waive them off, only to see no movement from the main house, and Madam Lu did not come to greet him, causing him some embarrassment and also a bit of guilt.
If it weren’t for Bai Shuilian, Madam Lu would have come out to welcome him long ago, wouldn’t she?
He walked towards the main house, "Where is Madam?"
Madam Lu stood inside the house. She had been brewing a sense of sorrow, but when that person came into view, she no longer needed to prepare, and tears flowed out, quickly blurring her vision.
Song Zhiqing entered, seeing a slender woman standing silently in the main hall, crying.
To say he didn’t feel both pain and guilt would be a lie. After all, she was his first wife, and he had gone to great lengths to win her. She had married him all those years, bore children, worked tirelessly, and managed the household without a single complaint.
"Xin Niang..." Song Zhiqing’s voice caught in his throat as he stepped forward to hold her hand.
But Madam Lu stepped back.
Song Zhiqing’s hand lingered in mid-air, awkwardly, and he withdrew it with a forced smile.
He looked at Madam Lu’s face for quite a while before squeezing out a sentence, "I’m back. I am sorry to you."
It was he who had not kept his promise.
Madam Lu sneered inwardly and spoke bluntly, "A simple ’sorry’ to offset the guilt you owe us, mother and children? Qing, you once said that your biggest regret in life was not being born from your legitimate mother, and you said you wouldn’t let your children suffer the same conflict of origin. So why, in just over a year, have you been so eager to bring back a pretty concubine and child?"
Song Zhiqing clenched his fists, unable to respond.
"It is all my fault; your resentment towards me is justified, as ultimately I have wronged you."
Madam Lu felt a stabbing pain in her heart, with more resentment.
He spoke too easily, his admission of wrongdoing showed no sincerity, but rather the attitude of a dead pig not fearing boiling water.
How had he become so unfamiliar?
Madam Lu looked at the man in front of her, sharing the same bed for ten years, yet now she realized she never really understood him. He was like a familiar stranger.
Madam Lu felt a chill for a moment.
She closed her eyes, speaking in a weary and disappointed voice, "At this point, what do you want from me?"
Song Zhiqing was taken aback, then said, "Xin Niang, no matter what, you are my wife, and that fact will never change. I just made a mistake for a moment, and now that the mistake is done, Lian’er... the Bai family has also given me a pair of children, as a man, I cannot abandon the three of them. Otherwise, the Imperial Censor’s criticism could drown me."
Madam Lu sneered, "So what then?"