CWTGD Chapter 36 - Old Madam Song is ruined

Song Shulan knelt in front of Song Jinxiu, her large tears falling one after another. Her face, pale as paper, was full of fear. “But Grandmother... Grandmother is like this now. Tangning won’t let me off.” She clutched Song Jinxiu's sleeve, her fingers trembling.

“And Brother, she’s defaming you. Even Grandmother, who pleaded on your behalf, was thrown out by her. The rumors outside must be saying you tried to kill her. She’s going to ruin you...” Song Jinxiu's hand in his sleeve clenched tightly, his jaw stiffening as his lips turned pale.

“Brother, what should we do?” Song Shulan wept as she rested her head on Song Jinxiu’s hand, her fear evident in her sobs.

Song Jinxiu wanted to comfort her, to tell her not to be afraid, but thinking about the rumors swirling around the Song family and his own precarious position, he felt that no words could offer any solace. Behind the screen, their grandmother remained unconscious, and the only sound in the room was Song Shulan’s low sobbing.

Song Jinxiu's lips pressed tighter and tighter together, and just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard Song Shulan’s tearful voice, “Brother, if only Tangning hadn’t come back. If only she hadn’t been saved, and had stayed on that mountain, how much better things would be…”

“Shulan!” Song Jinxiu was shocked. “What nonsense are you talking about?!”

Song Shulan cried with reddened eyes, “I’m not talking nonsense! Why did she have to come back? Why...”

“Song Shulan!!” Song Jinxiu shouted angrily.

Song Shulan’s tears fell rapidly as she gazed at the furious Song Jinxiu and sobbed, “I know it’s terrible for me to think this way, I know I shouldn’t, but Brother, Song Tangning is going to destroy you.”

“Ever since that day at Prince Cheng’s manor, I’ve been having nightmares every night. I dream that she destroys the Song family name, that Uncle loses his title, that you are spat on by everyone. The entire Song family becomes the laughingstock of the capital, with no place to stand. I wake up terrified, but each time I’m relieved it was just a nightmare. But today, Grandmother was carried back covered in blood…” She sobbed uncontrollably.

“Brother, I’m afraid those dreams will come true. I’m afraid she will really destroy you and the Song family…”

Song Jinxiu's heart trembled at her words. It was as if a wild beast had broken loose inside him, shaking his heart with anxiety. His face paled, his hands clenched tightly, trembling beneath his sleeves, but he forced himself to stay calm.

“No, Tangning wouldn’t do that to us. She’s a daughter of the Song family, and I am her brother. She’s not that heartless.”

“Brother…”

“Enough!” Song Jinxiu shouted angrily, “Tangning is extremely soft-hearted. She’s just angry right now, and has been egged on by that eunuch Xiao Yan. In a few days, she’ll realize who her true family is.” She wouldn’t hurt him!

Song Jinxiu didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself or lecturing Song Shulan. His tone grew harsh as he faced her, “Song Shulan, Tangning is your younger sister. You must not harbor such thoughts!”

Seeing Song Shulan tremble in fear, her head bowed, and tears rolling down her pale face, his tone softened slightly. “I know you only thought this way because you were scared, but as your brother, I won’t let you go down the wrong path. The Song family still has Father and me. We will protect you. Tangning is just confused right now. She will come back.”

“Don’t let any dark thoughts ruin you.”

As Song Jinxiu's hand rested gently on her hair, comforting her with soft words, Song Shulan choked out, “Brother…” Yet beneath her lowered eyes, a coldness flickered.

Come back? She sneered silently.

Song Jinxiu still didn’t understand. Song Tangning had made up her mind; she wouldn’t reconcile with the Song family. But Song Shulan had never hoped to convince Song Jinxiu to turn against Tangning in just one conversation.

She knew her brother too well. He prided himself on being a gentleman, adhering strictly to moral principles, to the point of engraving them into his bones. Yet, deep down, he was nothing but selfish.

The momentary paleness of his face and the subtle tremor in his tightly clenched hand revealed that he was not as unaffected by Tangning’s actions as he claimed to be.

He was simply deceiving himself, unwilling to face the darkness in his own heart.

All she needed to do was plant the seed and wait.

As long as Tangning didn’t return, sooner or later, they would turn against each other. And eventually, Song Jinxiu would come to understand that the only way to save himself and the Song family was to destroy Song Tangning.

...

The Song family had finally called for a doctor. Song Qin had hurried back with people from the Lu family, and the family physician examined the old lady carefully before shaking his head.

“The Old Madam’s wrist is severely damaged, and the person who injured her used a precise technique, shattering her tendons...”

“What do you mean?”

“The Old Madam’s hand is ruined.”

Song Qin’s face darkened significantly.

Song Jinxiu's face also paled. “How can her hand be ruined? It’s just broken. Can’t it be set and healed?”

“It’s not as simple as you think,” the doctor from the Lu family said gravely. “The Old Madam is already quite old, and her bones don’t heal as easily as a younger person’s. Furthermore, the one who hurt her clearly intended to cripple her hand, almost completely crushing her wrist.”

“If you had immediately sought a specialist in trauma when it first happened, there might have been some chance to save part of it, allowing the Old Madam’s hand to function normally. But too much time has passed, and the shattered bone has pierced through the tendons, damaging the main artery. To stop the bleeding, the shattered bone will have to be removed.”

“Once the bone is removed, the tendons in her wrist will be completely destroyed. Not even a miracle worker could save her hand now.”

Song Jinxiu staggered in disbelief.

Song Qin took a deep breath and asked the doctor, “Are there any other issues? Why hasn’t she woken up?”

"Madam Song is in severe pain from her injuries, experiencing convulsions and a high fever, with the bleeding still uncontrollable. That's why she has fallen into a deep, unresponsive sleep. Given her age, if she cannot pull through, I fear..."

"Doctor Li, I know you're the physician for the Lu family, and your medical skills are no less than those of the imperial doctors. Please, no matter what, save my mother," Song Qin's expression had changed drastically, and his tone was humble.

"If you can save my mother, the Song family will forever be in your debt."

Doctor Li responded, "Master Song, rest assured, I will do my utmost. First, I will write a prescription for you to have someone fetch the medicine, while I perform acupuncture to stabilize Madam Song's condition and stop the bleeding from the fractured bone."

Song Qin quickly fetched pen and ink, allowing him to write the prescription. As soon as he had it in hand, he hurried out to the courtyard.

"Steward Chen, take this prescription to the best pharmacy in the city immediately," he instructed, pausing before lowering his voice and addressing the person standing before him.

"Send someone unfamiliar to deliver it. Don’t use anyone from the household, and make sure no one knows it's for the Song family. Also, when the person arrives, have them show the prescription to the pharmacy's doctor under another pretext before obtaining the medicine. Make sure this is done discreetly."

"Third Master?" Steward Chen hesitated for a moment.

Song Qin’s voice dropped further, "The Lu family may try to muddy the waters in the chaos. Madam Song's life is critical to the future of the Song family. If she passes, the entire household will have to observe mourning rites. Naturally, we don't want anything to happen to her, but the Lu family is a different story."

"Madam Song being alive doesn't benefit them much—at most, they could gain a little goodwill from the Song family. But if she were to die because of an attack from Xiao Yan, that would be a major scandal. The Lu family might not hesitate to tamper with the medicine to target Xiao Yan."

Steward Chen’s expression changed instantly, and he gripped the prescription tightly. "Rest assured, Third Master, I understand." The steward hurried off, and Song Jinxiu, who had followed them out, couldn't help but interject, "Third Uncle, the Lu family wouldn’t do that. Lu Zhizheng and I are close friends..." Zhizheng was the courtesy name of Lu Zhinian.

Song Qin, hearing this, snapped irritably, "When you were slandered by outsiders and the Song family was in trouble, did Lu Zhinian visit you even once?" Seeing his nephew speechless, he felt even more exasperated.

"Your sister, Tang Ning, is your full-blooded sibling, yet she stood by as your reputation was ruined and allowed others to cripple your grandmother's hand. Do you really think an outsider like Lu Zhinian would treat you any differently? He is a son of the Lu family, raised to prioritize family interests above all else. Song Jinxiu, don't be naïve." Still anxious about Madam Song's condition inside, Song Qin shoved his nephew aside.

"If you have nothing better to do, you should think about how to handle tomorrow’s court session, where Lord Cao will be accusing us again. Stop standing around getting in the way." Song Qin hurried back inside, leaving Song Jinxiu standing in the doorway, frowning deeply.

Lord Cao had already impeached him and his father the previous day, and the emperor had punished them by making them stand in the palace until nightfall. Yet, according to his uncle, more accusations were coming tomorrow...

Song Jinxiu turned to his loyal attendant, Yin Quan. "What’s happening outside?"

"Master..."

"I'm asking you, is something going on outside?" Yin Quan hesitated briefly, but seeing the dark look on Song Jinxiu’s face, he finally spoke in a low voice. "What happened in Jiyun Alley has been seen by others. The young mistress summoned an imperial doctor, and word has spread that Madam Song struck and knocked her unconscious."

"People are now saying that you, Master, conspired to harm the young mistress out of favor for the concubine daughter, and that the Song family is using filial piety as an excuse to oppress the young mistress. They claim that you and Old Madam Song, seeing no one to advocate for the second branch of the family, are bullying the young mistress. They're even saying that Madam Song, failing to force her back to the family, intended to destroy her face and beat her until she vomited blood and passed out..." Yin Quan’s voice grew softer as he saw the color drain from Song Jinxiu's face.

"I went out earlier and noticed a lot of people coming by to 'visit,' and I heard people in the streets nearby gossiping. They're saying the Song family is ruthless and cruel, that you and Madam Song are heartless and ungrateful. They’re even saying..."

"Saying what?"

"They’re saying that the day you were at Mount Liang, you deliberately abandoned the young mistress, hoping to kill her and favor the concubine daughter, seizing the second branch’s property to benefit the Song family." Song Jinxiu's vision blurred, and he swayed on his feet.

"Master!" Yin Quan hurriedly steadied him, alarmed. "Don't be angry, it's all just nonsense. They're making up lies! You would never harm the young mistress..."

But even as he listened to the comforting words, Song Jinxiu’s face remained deathly pale, and a metallic taste filled his throat. He knew it was all baseless lies—he had never intended to harm Tang Ning, nor had he ever coveted the second branch’s estate. But outsiders didn’t know that.

These rumors, like a knife, were tearing apart the good reputation he had spent years building. And no matter how untrue the words, the longer they spread, the more people would believe them. Even if they were eventually cleared up, his and the Song family’s name would be irrevocably tarnished.

Suddenly, Song Jinxiu recalled something Song Shulan had cried out earlier.

"Brother, Tang Ning even hit Grandmother. She won’t stop until she destroys us... She’ll ruin you, and she’ll ruin the Song family..."

"Why did she come back? Why didn’t she stay in Mount Liang..." If only Tang Ning had stayed at Mount Liang, if she had never met Xiao Yan...

The thought had barely formed before Song Jinxiu froze, his eyes widening in horror. It felt as though he had plunged into an icy abyss, his entire body going cold and rigid.

He...

How could he...

How could he even think such a thing?!

Terrified by his own dark thoughts, Song Jinxiu turned abruptly and strode away.

"Master, Master, what's wrong?" Yingquan hurried to catch up, but Song Jinxiu only walked faster and faster until he broke into a run.

As the wind howled past his ears, Song Jinxiu desperately tried to shake off the horrifying thought in his mind. But the phrase "If only Tang Ning had stayed at the mountain" had already taken root deep within him, like a tree with branches that had been cut down only to grow back stronger.

If Tang Ning hadn’t returned, his reputation wouldn’t have been ruined. If she had died at the mountain, his grandmother wouldn’t have lost her hand, and the Song family wouldn’t be in this dire situation.

Song Jinxiu’s lips turned ashen, and he trembled, trying to shake off the endless dark thoughts swirling inside him. But the more he tried, the more they accumulated.

He stumbled, crashing into the steps outside the courtyard, collapsing to the ground. His once-immaculate robe, now smeared with dirt, reflected his desolate state as he curled up, trembling uncontrollably.

Standing by a stone pillar in the corridor, watching Song Jinxiu’s pitiful and defeated figure, Song Shulan suddenly started laughing.

It seemed she didn’t have to wait after all.

…

Tang Ning had no idea what was happening after the Song family left. Right now, she was utterly exasperated, tugging at the infuriated Princess Cheng, whose eyes had gone red with anger, threatening to destroy the entire Song household.

“I’ll kill them!!”

“Hua Wu, Nanny Jiang, hurry, stop Auntie!” Hua Wu rushed to the door while Nanny Jiang hurried to help. They managed to hold Princess Cheng back with great effort.

"Don't stop me! Today, I swear I’ll smash the entire Song family to pieces!" Princess Cheng was trembling with rage. Heaven knew how panicked she had been when Nanny Jiang’s messenger told her the Song family had gone to Jiyun Alley.

She had rushed over with her people, only to hear that the old hag from the Song family had beaten Tang Ning until she spat blood.

At that moment, her vision went black, and she nearly fainted on the spot.

"Who do they think they are, daring to treat you like this? Does the Song family think that just because my sister is gone, the Rong family’s children have no one to rely on?"

"That old hag from the Song family—I want to see which hand she used to hit you! She must’ve had the nerve to try and ruin your face!!" A woman’s appearance was crucial, and that old crone wanted to destroy Tang Ning’s beauty.

Princess Cheng was so furious that she wanted to tear the old lady apart.

Tang Ning glanced at Xiao Yan, who was sitting not far away, and quickly said, "The hand she used to hit me is already gone."

"What?" Princess Cheng’s fury faltered.

Nanny Jiang swiftly pulled the princess back to the bed and pushed her down to sit, saying, "My dear Princess, Lord Xiao has already dealt with the Song family. They didn’t get away easily. They had just left when you arrived, so please calm down and stay out of trouble for now. Just keep Lady Tang company."

Princess Cheng was not satisfied. "Dealt with? How did he deal with them?" She was worried it was just a mild scolding.

Nanny Jiang, understanding her master's thoughts, whispered, "It was a harsh punishment. The old lady from the Song family had her hand broken and fainted from the pain. As for the Lady of the house, she was so terrified her face turned ashen, almost losing her mind."

Princess Cheng’s eyes widened in shock. She turned to Xiao Yan, a glint of admiration flashing in her eyes. "Well done!"

Xiao Yan responded with a slight smile, "You're too kind, Princess. Since Tang Ning is still tied to the Song family, I held back a bit."

Whether it was because of the former Lady or Tang Ning, Xiao Yan didn’t show his usual cold indifference toward Princess Cheng.

Instead of finding Xiao Yan’s words too ruthless or arrogant, Princess Cheng wholeheartedly agreed. “They don’t deserve any better. They’ve been shamelessly clinging to Tang Ning for protection.”

“It’s alright. In a few days, we’ll settle the score properly.” Xiao Yan’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Princess Cheng nodded firmly. “You’re right, Lord Xiao. Sooner or later, we’ll make them pay in full. But next time, remember to take me along.”

Xiao Yan’s smile deepened. “Of course.”

It was only then that Princess Cheng’s face lit up with a satisfied smile.

Nanny Jiang: “…” What’s going on here? Princess, where’s your refined, graceful, and dignified demeanor as a lady from a noble household?



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