"Big Brother!"
Song Shulan's eyes were red as she tried to step forward, but suddenly hesitated, her hands twisting the edges of her dress in an anxious, shy manner that made her appear especially pitiful.
"You... I thought you would never come to see me again..."
As she spoke, her eyelashes fluttered, and tears welled up in her eyes, giving her a look that was full of sorrow and fragility, making her even more pitiable.
After waving away the two women guarding the door, Song Jinxiu entered the room and quietly watched her. As he observed her weak demeanor, which seemed to be an act of pitifulness, she slowly began to lose her composure under his unblinking gaze. Finally, he spoke.
"Lan'er, you've regressed."
"Before, when you faked being pitiful with red eyes, your tears were more convincing, and they softened people's hearts. But now, you're too eager, and it feels too calculated."
Song Shulan's feigned weakness immediately stiffened, and the tears in her eyes couldn't conceal her embarrassment and anger: "Big Brother, are you deliberately humiliating me?"
Song Jinxiu replied, "How could you think that of me? I’ve said I would take good care of you, how could I humiliate you?"
Suddenly, Song Shulan remembered the scene in the prison, when this person had almost strangled her by the neck. Back then, his words of "Big Brother will take care of you" had caused her nightmares for days.
She trembled, her face turning pale, and the anger was replaced by fear. She remembered that the person before her was no longer the naive eldest son of the Song family whom she had once deceived with ease.
He was a madman!
Song Shulan no longer dared to pretend, and nervously said, "Big Brother, I’ve been obedient... I haven’t done anything..."
"I know, Lan'er has been very good."
"..."
Song Shulan trembled and instinctively took a half step back, feeling that the current Song Jinxiu was terrifying.
Seeing this, Song Jinxiu smiled and sat down on a nearby chair, speaking softly: "This place seems too small. I’m sorry it’s making you feel uncomfortable."
Song Shulan was about to protest, but she suddenly froze.
"Do you want to leave?"
"Big Brother?" Song Shulan looked at him in confusion.
Song Jinxiu raised his eyes and looked at her: "Don’t be afraid. I know what you were hoping for when you returned to the Song family. But now that the Song family is gone, your dream of being a daughter of the Duke’s residence is over. However, there is still a chance for you to return to the life you once had in the Duke's residence. Do you want it?"
Song Shulan's heart skipped a beat, but she hesitated when she heard these words coming from Song Jinxiu’s mouth: "Big Brother, what do you mean?"
"The seventh son of the Duke of Yongshun will meet someone at the West Suburbs' Tongyue Lake in two days, to row a boat and enjoy the lotus flowers."
Song Shulan's eyes widened in shock.
Song Jinxiu’s expression remained calm: "I remember when you fainted on your way to Lingyun Temple, Lord Luo, the seventh son, saved you. He seems quite fond of you."
"When the Song family fell, he even sent someone to check on you. You always know how to make men feel soft, and you know how to manipulate these noble sons of wealthy families. I think it shouldn’t be hard to make Lord Luo rekindle his feelings for you if given the chance."
"Big Brother, you..."
Song Shulan stared at Song Jinxiu, unable to believe what she was hearing. He was actually telling her to seduce the illegitimate son of the Duke of Yongshun—this was the same Song Jinxiu, the one who always adhered to propriety!
She was shocked, but also tempted. Seeing Song Jinxiu’s calm demeanor, she hesitated before speaking: "But Luo Yunping would never marry me."
"Of course, he wouldn’t marry you."
Song Jinxiu’s words were brutally honest: "You are the daughter of a traitor, and your reputation is tarnished because of your involvement in Tang Ning’s downfall. With your mother’s background, you can never marry into a prestigious family again. Not even as a concubine. No one would take the risk. Lord Luo wouldn’t be foolish enough to bring you into his household, and turn the Duke of Yongshun’s estate into a laughing stock."
"Then why..." Song Shulan was furious at his words.
Song Jinxiu looked at her: "You can’t become a wife or a concubine, but if you want to live as a kept woman, with your looks and skills, it should be easy for you."
"Song Jinxiu, you’ve gone mad! You actually want me to become someone’s mistress?!" Song Shulan glared at him in anger.
Song Jinxiu remained calm: "What’s wrong with being a mistress? Didn’t your mother once live as one? Yet she managed to keep my father thinking about her for years, and in the end, he gave up the entire Song family for her. I’m sure you’ve learned something from her."
Seeing the flush on Song Shulan's face, he spoke gently:
"After you returned to the capital and seduced Lu Zhiyuan, you tempted Xie Yin, and caused a rift between me and Tang Ning, all for wealth and power. But now, with your reputation, no noble son from any powerful family would marry you, let alone even want to associate with you."
"Lord Luo is your best, and only, choice. If you can win over the seventh son of the Duke of Yongshun, even if he only keeps you as a mistress, it’s no big deal. As long as you have his heart, you can get anything you want."
Song Shulan’s expression constantly shifted between anger and hesitation. Her face flushed with shame, but also with the stark reality of her situation.
What she wanted had never been to live like this, trapped in such a restricted life. If not, why had she gone through so much to come to the capital and worked so hard to step on Tang Ning?
She wanted wealth and power. She wanted to be above others.
She was even willing to go to any lengths to achieve it.
"Besides, being a mistress doesn’t mean you can’t rise in status. If you play your cards right, perhaps one day, Luo Yunping might even help you take over the Duke’s estate. You might even become the wife of a Duke."
Song Jinxiu's words were like heavy weights pressing down on Song Shulan's heart, making her waver. Seeing the change in her expression, he continued: "This opportunity only comes once. If you want it, I can arrange it for you."
Song Shulan stared at him: "You would be so kind to help me?"
Song Jinxiu replied, "I am your brother."
Song Shulan laughed coldly: "A brother who sends his sister to a man’s bed to be his mistress?"
Song Jinxiu’s expression didn’t change: "If you want to think of me that way, I can’t stop you. I just don’t want to see you waste your life. If you don’t want it, then just forget I ever came."
Though his words seemed dismissive, he appeared certain she would agree, sitting there unmoving.
Song Shulan glared at him for a long moment before gritting her teeth: "What do you want?"
She paused, then sneered: "Don’t tell me, you’re doing this because you have good intentions?"
Song Jinxiu chuckled lightly: "Lan’er is still as smart as ever. Right now, I have no way of moving forward in the court. It’s hard to investigate the Lu family’s case. The seventh son of the Duke of Yongshun is close with the Fourth Prince and must know things that others don’t. If you can help me with the Lu family’s case and gain the Emperor’s favor, you’ll have more protection in the future."
"You want me to spy for you?" Song Shulan’s voice was low.
"I wouldn’t call it spying, I’d say it’s helping you too," Song Jinxiu’s voice softened. "If I succeed, you’ll succeed. Besides, if you make friends with Lord Luo, you might even save his life, and he’ll listen to you."
"Song Jinxiu, you’re shameless!" Song Shulan cursed.
Song Jinxiu wasn’t angry: "So, will you go or not?"
Song Shulan’s expression kept shifting. After a while, she whispered: "I’ll go!"
She didn’t want to stay in this run-down courtyard forever. Besides, if she could climb up by using Luo Yunping, whether or not she helped Song Jinxiu was her own decision. She just needed a way to meet him.
In the future, she would make sure to make Song Jinxiu pay!
Song Jinxiu seemed to ignore the fierce look that flashed across her face, only smiling faintly: "Good. Spend the next few days preparing yourself. I’ll send you there in two days."
After speaking, he stood up and began walking out. After taking a few steps, he added:
"Father and the others will be leaving the capital for exile tomorrow. Do you want to see them?"
Song Shulan’s voice was cold: "What does their exile have to do with me? I barely escaped with my life. If I see them and someone remembers my mother’s identity, how will I seduce Luo Yunping?"
It seemed that after revealing her true feelings, she no longer tried to hide anything from Song Jinxiu.
Seeing Song Shulan's cold indifference toward Song Hong, Song Jinxiu suddenly found it amusing. His father, such a clever and ruthless man, had ruined his entire life for the daughter of his childhood sweetheart.
But who would have thought that the daughter he so cherished was just as bad?
Song Jinxiu turned around and walked out. He gave the two women standing guard some silver: "You no longer need to watch her."
Yin Quan was worried: "My lord, will she run away?"
"No," Song Jinxiu said, "No one can help her in the capital now. If she wants to meet the Luo family, she will stay here, unable to leave."
Song Jinxiu lowered his voice: "How much silver do we have left?"
Yin Quan replied: "Eighty taels."
"Take fifty taels and send it to the officers escorting Father and the others tomorrow. Prepare some clothes, medicine, and food, and send fifteen taels along with it."
Yin Quan opened his mouth, but they only had eighty taels, so if they sent fifty, there would be little left for anything else.
But my lord's salary was still a while away, and my lord had other matters to handle...
Song Jinxiu reassured her: "Do as I say. In a few days, we won’t be short on silver."
Though Yin Quan didn’t quite understand, she still whispered: "Yes."
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You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
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