When Songmo arrived at Jiyun Lane with his master's gifts, he was immediately stopped outside the residence.
"Go inform Miss Song that I am a servant of the Lu family, sent by my lord to visit her," he said.
"Our lady is unwell and is not seeing visitors," the person at the gate replied.
Songmo widened his eyes. "I’m from the Lu family!" Yet the man remained unmoved, blocking his way with a blank expression.
"What do you mean by this?" Songmo's face darkened. As Lu Zhinian’s personal attendant, he had grown up in the Lu household, and despite being a servant, he was respected wherever he went in the capital. But this man before him seemed indifferent to both him and the Lu family, ignoring his words and fueling Songmo’s anger.
"Do you not know who I am? I’m from the Lu family, the family of the Minister of Revenue. My lord is Lu Zhinian, the eldest son of the Lu family and the future husband of Miss Song. Their wedding is set for next March."
"Miss Song and my lord are very close. I am here on his orders, and if you keep me out, Miss Song will surely blame you!" The man at the gate acted as though he hadn't heard a word, standing motionless with downcast eyes.
"You...!" Songmo fumed. "Move aside, I have urgent business with Miss Song..." Realizing that reasoning with this man was futile, and seeing him stand there like a statue, Songmo decided to push his way in. In his mind, given Miss Song's affection for his master, she wouldn’t mind his abrupt entrance once she saw the gifts sent by his lord.
But as soon as he tried to step over the threshold, he felt a sharp pain. Instinctively, he stepped back, only to see a long sword slam into the doorframe beside his leg with a thud.
Songmo turned pale, looking up to see a figure emerging from within the residence.
"Who... who are you, and how dare you harm others so casually?!" Songmo stammered, both shocked and angry.
The man, Hang Ling, glanced coldly at the frightened Lu family servant. "This place belongs to the Tang household. By order of the Overseer, no stranger is allowed here without permission. Anyone who dares trespass will lose the leg they step in with." His gaze fell on Songmo’s leg, causing him to back up several steps in fear.
"I wasn't trespassing. I was sent by my lord to check on Miss Song, who was injured. My lord is very concerned about her, but he couldn’t come himself, so he sent me instead," Songmo explained, trying to keep his composure. "Even though you’re under Overseer Xiao’s command, this is still Miss Song’s residence. Whether or not I can see her should be up to her..."
"Let him in," came a woman's voice from inside. Songmo looked up and was thrilled to see the figure standing at the entrance. "Huawu!"
Huawu ignored him, turning to Hang Ling instead. "Brother Hang, the lady wishes to see him."
Upon hearing this, Hang Ling stepped aside. "Let him in."
Songmo hadn’t expected to encounter people from the Overseer’s residence here, let alone that the rumors were true—that Overseer Xiao had indeed recognized Miss Song as his adopted sister and not only brought her back to Jiyun Lane but also assigned people to guard the residence. The men standing at the gate didn’t seem like ordinary guards; they looked like they’d seen battle. Especially the one who had just attacked him—the sword was aimed directly at his leg. Had he not dodged quickly, his leg would have been cut off by now.
As Huawu led Songmo into the courtyard, he couldn’t help but glance back at the men guarding the gate and then said to Huawu, "Why would your lady associate with such rough people? Xiao Yan is infamous, and his men are like vicious dogs that bite anyone. Aren't you afraid they’ll hurt you?"
Huawu remained silent and kept walking.
Songmo, still shaken, continued, "Did you see how those men acted just now? They were insufferable, daring to harm me. When I see Miss Song, I’ll be sure to tell her how rude Xiao Yan’s men are. If his subordinates are so disrespectful, what kind of person could he be..."
"Shut up!" Huawu suddenly stopped and spun around, causing Songmo to almost bump into her. He stumbled back a step. "What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?" Huawu snapped, her face stern. "A gentleman should not block others’ virtues, nor speak ill of them. Lord Lu always criticizes my lady for lacking decorum and behaving recklessly. But what do you call this?"
Songmo froze, his face stiffening.
"The Lu family prides itself on being noble and upright, with strict family discipline. Yet here you are, speaking ill of others behind their backs. Don’t you even understand that this is improper?"
"I..."
Before Songmo could retort, Huawu continued, "This is my lady’s residence, not the Lu family’s. The people here are not yours to judge. If your lord sent you to see my lady, you should know how to conduct yourself properly when visiting. If you don’t understand that, you should return to the Lu family."
Songmo’s face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. He watched as Huawu turned and walked away, without the usual deference she had shown him in the past. Though he was angry, a sense of unease crept into his heart.
The marriage between the Lu and Song families had always placed the Lu family in a superior position. Not only other members of the Song family but even Song Tangning herself had always greeted him with a smile, trying to gather information about his lord from him.
Huawu, being Song Tangning’s personal maid, had naturally always bowed her head to him as well. But now, she had suddenly turned against him, speaking bluntly and showing no respect for the Lu family, making Songmo feel increasingly uneasy.
By the time he finally saw Song Tangning, that feeling had only grown stronger.
"Lu Zhinen sent you to see me?" Song Tangning had just seen off Princess Cheng when she heard that someone from the Lu family had arrived.
Seeing Song Mo, she wasn’t surprised at all. In fact, there was a hint of cold sarcasm in her expression, as if she had expected this.
All these years, she had been chasing after Lu Zhinen, and everyone could see her obsession with him. They could also see how much she cared for him, while Lu Zhinen had always treated her with indifference.
He acknowledged their engagement, as if that alone was the greatest favor he could grant her. Between them, it was always her making sacrifices, maintaining a "relationship" that she could barely feel, fueled solely by her passion.
Given Lu Zhinen's attitude toward her over the years, it would be surprising if he actually came in person.
Song Mo's heart skipped a beat when he heard Tangning call Lu Zhinen by his name. He quickly stepped forward:
"Miss Song, let me explain. When the young master heard about your injury, he couldn't sleep all night. He wanted to visit you early this morning, but the Old Madam kept him in the manor for a lecture, and he was punished."
"The young master is still kneeling in the ancestral hall. He can't leave the manor, but he's very worried about your safety, so he sent me ahead to check on your injury. He also asked me to bring you your favorite coral bracelet."
In the past, if Song Mo had said such things, Tangning would have been anxious. She would have worriedly asked, "Why is Brother Lu being punished?" and would have been concerned that his kneeling would hurt his knees. But now, she just sat there, unmoved.
Even hearing that Lu Zhinen was kneeling in the ancestral hall, she remained indifferent, only responding with a faint, "Really?"
Song Mo felt uneasy with her calm demeanor but remembered the young master's instructions.
"Miss Song, you have no idea how gossipy people are outside. First, they doubt the young master's affection for you, then they gossip about your engagement. Some even say that the young master has been unfaithful and has his eye on the illegitimate daughter of the Song family."
"That's absolute nonsense! My young master grew up with you and cares deeply for you. Your wedding is just around the corner, and he cares about you too much to be interested in anyone else." Song Mo was indignant. "Those people are just jealous of your close relationship and trying to stir up trouble. They even dared to insult the Lu family. The Old Madam was so angry when she heard that she scolded the young master for letting you be wronged."
"The Old Madam said that the young master's wife can only be you, Miss Song. She also said that the young master was foolishly led astray, almost causing you harm. She punished him by making him kneel in the ancestral hall until you are no longer angry."
Tangning listened to Song Mo's words, watching his indignant expression and his concern for Lu Zhinen, and suddenly found it amusing.
No one knew better than her how favored Lu Zhinen was in the Lu family. The Old Madam had never spoken harshly to her or made things difficult for her, but Tangning could always sense her disdain.
That Old Madam, with her kind face and gentle demeanor, would constantly tell her how wonderful Lu Zhinen was, how many noble ladies in the capital admired him, and how lucky she was to be engaged to him. She repeatedly emphasized that if the Lu family hadn't kept their word, Tangning, with her background, would never have been worthy of Lu Zhinen or the position of the Lu family's matriarch.
She always found fault with Tangning—her manners weren't graceful enough, her speech and behavior weren't proper enough, her clothes were too flashy and not dignified enough...
Tangning, once lively and cheerful, had gradually been worn down into a self-doubting and timid person. She began to believe that she truly wasn't worthy of Lu Zhinen and that this marriage was a gift from the Lu family.
She clung to Lu Zhinen desperately, trying everything to maintain this hard-won "relationship."
When Tangning looked up at Song Mo, a hint of sarcasm flickered in her eyes.
Given the Old Madam's attitude of considering the Lu family's offspring superior to others, how could she possibly scold Lu Zhinen on Tangning's behalf?
Seeing Tangning remain silent, Song Mo couldn't help but speak up: "Miss Song, it's cold now, and the ancestral hall is damp. I'm afraid the young master won't be able to endure it. The Old Madam dotes on you the most. Could you perhaps persuade her not to stay angry?"
"And how should I persuade her?" Tangning asked pleasantly.
Song Mo hurriedly replied, "How about you come with me to the Lu family manor?"
"How would I get there? Would you carry me?" Tangning's question made Song Mo's face freeze.
"Look at my legs; they were almost crippled. The Old Madam cares so much about me that she punished your young master. If I were to go and hurt myself further, aren't you afraid that the Old Madam would break your legs?"
Her words were light, but they left Song Mo speechless. "But the young master..."
"Your young master cares so much for me and is so concerned about my safety. Knowing that I was injured at the mountain, how could he bear to have me go to the Lu family with injured legs to plead for him?"
Tangning glanced at the coral bracelet in the brocade box beside her. "Besides, those rumors are just the words of outsiders. What do they have to do with him? As long as he conducts himself with integrity, no amount of gossip should bother him."
"You should also advise the Old Madam. It's just a few harsh words. They say he's heartless and unfaithful, but does that make him any less of a person?"
"Tell the Old Madam not to take it to heart. A few rumors can't harm the Lu family, and your young master won't lose anything. Let those people say what they want. After all, you can't stop them from talking, can you?"
Song Mo's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Tangning.
Tangning found his stunned expression amusing. These were the very words that Lu Zhinen had once said to her.
Back when the Song family had just welcomed back Song Shulan, a "concubine's daughter" suddenly appeared in the second branch of the Song family. In the past, Tang Ning would often compare the love between her parents to her relationship with Lu Zhinen, hoping to grow old together like Song Xi and his wife.
But when Song Xi suddenly gained a concubine's daughter, the love between her parents seemed like a joke. The noblewomen in the capital who disliked her used this to mock her, implying that she wasn't worthy of Lu Zhinen. They insinuated that she was clinging to the Lu family to maintain the marriage and that Lu Zhinen didn't even like her.
Angry, Tang Ning argued with them, causing quite a stir. After being scolded by the elders upon returning to the Song family, Tang Ning sought out Lu Zhinen to cry about it. But Lu Zhinen only reprimanded her, saying she was making a fuss over nothing and shouldn't quarrel with others over such trivial matters. Not only did he fail to comfort her, but he also scolded her, leaving Tang Ning feeling even more humiliated and wronged.
Seeing Song Mo's pale face, barely concealing his shock despite trying to hold it together, Tang Ning couldn't help but laugh bitterly at herself. She couldn't understand how she had been so foolish before, letting the Lu family and their servants treat her like a fool.
"Does Lady Song misunderstand the young master? He really is being punished in the manor, kneeling..."
"Do you think I'm stupid?"
"Lady Song..." Bang!
The previously opened ornate box was suddenly slammed shut, and Tang Ning's expression turned icy. "Or does Lu Zhinen think I'm easy to fool?"
"He abandoned me in the mountains and has been unclear in his relationship with Song Shulan. Now he thinks a bracelet can make everything go away? What does he think he is? Even if he dies kneeling in the ancestral hall, it would be what he deserves."
"Lady Song..." Song Mo tried to speak.
Tang Ning swept the items off the table with a wave of her hand. "Go back and tell Lu Zhinen that I, Song Tangning, don't need him. If he feels our engagement is beneath him, then he can break it off. But don't insult me with these trifles. My life isn't that cheap!"
"Lady Song..."
"Get out!" Tang Ning, looking very much like an angry young girl, stubbornly reddened her eyes. Tears welled up, her face flushed with agitation from the cuts on her face. "Tell him to leave!!" People quickly rushed in from outside, grabbing Song Mo and dragging him out, along with the things he had brought.
Outside, Song Mo shouted, "Lady Song, you've misunderstood. The young master didn't mean it that way. He just wanted to make you happy..."
"Get out!" Inside, a voice mixed with crying and shouting echoed, along with the sound of something crashing to the floor.
"I don't care about his things!!" Song Mo was forcibly dragged away, his mouth covered. Meanwhile, inside, Hua Wu watched as the supposedly sobbing Song Tangning wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, then popped a piece of poria cake into her mouth, chewing with a cold expression.
"Hua Wu, this cake isn't good," Tangning complained, "It's too greasy."
Hua Wu hesitated, "Shall I use less sugar next time?"
"Make sure to add some hazelnuts and walnuts; they give a nice crunch." Hua Wu absentmindedly agreed.
Tangning stuffed the remaining cake into her mouth, finding it increasingly distasteful.
So greasy. Just like Lu Zhinen!
"Forget it, don't make it next time." It was downright nauseating!
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T/N: ST learning how to be manipulative like her ‘brother’
You can read ahead to chapterr 50 here
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