Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Daddy Is Late
Ye Xi was unaware of her mother’s plans. She went to Yun Zhao’s room and saw that her face was still pale. Yun Zhao was already beautiful, but now she looked just like a porcelain doll.
"We’re all named Song, so how did you end up with a face so infuriatingly pretty?" Sitting by the bed, the more Ye Xi looked, the more she felt that Yun Zhao was truly beautiful.
Song Yunzhao couldn’t help but laugh. "How about I peel my face off and switch with you?"
Ye Xi snorted. "Who’d want it?"
Back when they were in Nanyu, Song Yunzhao and Ye Xi didn’t interact much. Their two branches of the family had separated, after all, and they rarely saw each other outside of holidays.
Song Yunzhao could tell that Ye Xi was in a bad mood. A quick thought told her that something must have happened at the Uncle Mansion, so she put on a curious expression and asked, "Ms. Xi, how was your visit to the Uncle Mansion today? A noble family’s home must be different from ours, right? Tell me about it so I can broaden my horizons."
Ye Xi hadn’t been particularly fond of Song Yunzhao before, but after comparing her to Song Qinghan, she suddenly felt that Yun Zhao was beautiful, kind-hearted, and pitiful. Without realizing it, she felt a bit closer to her. "It’s just that their mansion is a little bigger than ours, and they have a few more servants. Nothing much to talk about. When you’ve recovered, I’ll take you to see Jing Garden in the Capital City. Now *that* is what you call magnificent."
’Jing Garden...’
Song Yunzhao knew all about it. In the book, it was the favorite haunt of high-ranking officials and nobles—a place of refined elegance where flowers bloomed year-round and whose various gardens were highly praised, rivaling even the Three Yuan Building. It was a hub for both gossip and trouble.
"Ms. Xi, have you been to Jing Garden before?"
"I went with my mother to visit my maternal grandparents’ home once. My cousins took me there."
The two chatted for a bit longer. Seeing that Song Yunzhao didn’t seem to have much energy, Ye Xi got up to leave.
After Ye Xi left, Mrs. Luo slipped into the room and said in a low voice, "Miss, something happened at the Uncle Mansion today."
Song Yunzhao looked at Mrs. Luo. "Where did you hear this, Mrs. Luo?"
Mrs. Luo recounted a few lines of conversation she had overheard between the First Madam and her daughter. Then she added, "I used the excuse of fetching something to make a trip back to the West Courtyard, and that’s when I found out what really happened..."
Hearing Mrs. Luo’s words, Song Yunzhao clicked her tongue internally. ’Song Jinxuan certainly has some luck. She happened to be standing by the lotus pond, so that man never had a chance to bump into her.’
’I didn’t expect Chu Yuying to still go through with her scheme even when I wasn’t there.’
"Miss, I have a feeling this matter isn’t over," Mrs. Luo said softly. "The quieter things are on Aunt Che’s side, the more uneasy I feel."
Song Yunzhao nodded slightly. "Mrs. Luo, keep a close watch on our people for the next two days. Don’t let them return to the West Courtyard."
"You’re right, Miss. I’ll be sure to watch them closely," Mrs. Luo said with a quick nod. "In that case, Miss, when do you plan to return to the West Courtyard? You can’t stay here forever."
"I’ll wait for Father to return to the Capital," Song Yunzhao said.
"When the Master returns, you’ll have someone to seek justice for you. It’s a good idea to go back then." Mrs. Luo helped her lie down, blew out one of the lamps, and gently lowered the bed curtains. "You should get some rest, Miss," she said from behind the curtain. "Jiangxiang will be on watch tonight."
Song Yunzhao closed her eyes and murmured in acknowledgment. She didn’t sleep well that night. Her dreams were a chaotic mess, but she couldn’t remember any of them upon waking, and her head felt heavy.
Song Yunzhao continued to recuperate. The next morning, after she had finished breakfast, the First Madam came to see her, only to leave in a hurry. Soon after, Yun Zhao received news that the First Madam had returned to her maiden home, taking Ye Xi with her.
Afterward, a few of the illegitimate daughters from the main branch—Song Lirong, Song Hongjiao, and Song Yunmei—came to visit her. The cousins exchanged a few lukewarm words before leaving.
Song Yunzhao really had nothing to say to them. The First Madam wasn’t particularly good to the illegitimate daughters, but she wasn’t harsh either. Just from their names, it was clear they were destined for marriage alliances. Moreover, the First Madam kept the concubines of the main branch firmly in line.
A few years ago, Song Hongjiao’s birth mother, Aunt Luo, who came from a background as a songstress, was a talented singer and dancer. With her oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and eyes that seemed to have hooks in them when she looked at people, she was greatly favored by Yunzhao’s uncle, the head of the main branch.
Seeing this little seductress getting out of hand, the First Madam immediately selected a talented and educated woman from a fallen Scholar’s family and brought her into the household.
The cultured and the uncultured clashed. One had beauty, the other had talent. The two were evenly matched, and the First Madam could immediately sit back and reap the rewards without lifting a finger.
The Master of the house now had Hong Xiu to add fragrance to his studies and a Beauty to warm his bed. He was exceedingly pleased with his first wife. Thus, the First Madam’s position as the main wife became even more unassailable. No matter what storms the concubines stirred up, she remained as immovable as a mountain.
Song Yunzhao sometimes thought to herself that a woman like the First Madam was the most successful kind of main wife in a feudal society. ’With her dowry in her left hand, her heart is at ease. With her status in her right hand, her position is legitimate. Add in some tactics to control the concubines and coax her husband—as long as she doesn’t invest any real feelings or affection, she’s basically won at life.’
’That’s the path in life I aspire to.’
The next morning, while she was still eating breakfast, Qiancao came running in and shouted excitedly, "Miss, the Master has entered the mansion!"
Song Yunzhao was taken aback. ’So soon?’
’Aunt Che is really something,’ she thought. ’Based on the timing, Father must have traveled through the night to get here. Tsk, tsk.’
She stopped eating and undid her hair. Song Yunzhao changed into a set of old clothes, went into her room, and lay down. Still feeling unsure, she had Qiancao bring over a palm-sized copper mirror. One look in it, and she wished she hadn’t bothered.
’She had forgotten that a copper mirror wasn’t as clear as the mercury mirrors of her past life. Whether your complexion was good or bad, it all looked the same in a copper mirror.’
Song Yunzhao got up again and sat before her dressing table. Her maids hurried to attend to her. She took out some white face powder and carefully applied a layer to her face. She studied her reflection in the mirror, feeling like something was still missing.
Song Yunzhao found her luodai eyebrow powder, used a small silver knife to carefully scrape off a little bit of the powder, and then crushed it with her fingertips. Looking in the mirror, she gently patted it under her eyes.
Jiangxiang and Qiancao stared in amazement. In just a few moments, their mistress’s face looked much more haggard than it had this morning. She now had the perfect appearance of someone still recovering from a serious illness.
Song Yunzhao was very satisfied with her transformation. She lay back down and began to calculate the time. ’Her father would have matters to attend to upon returning to the Capital. The earliest he could get to her would be in an hour.’
’This would give her just enough time to get into the right emotional state to lodge a serious complaint.’
’To escape Mrs. Cai’s control, her complaint alone wouldn’t be enough. But she was lucky. With the incident involving Song Jinxuan at the Uncle Mansion, and with a powerful weapon like Aunt Che on her side, her chances of success were at least fifty-fifty.’
Just as she was reveling in her thoughts, a deep voice came from outside. "Is this where my daughter is staying?"
Song Yunzhao froze. ’That’s the voice of this convenient father of mine, no doubt about it. How did he get here so fast?’
’She hadn’t even had time to work up her emotions yet!’
"Your servants greet the Master."
From behind a curtain, Song Yunzhao heard the voices of Qiancao and Jiangxiang. In the moment she was stunned, a shadow fell over her, and a tall, slender figure stood before her.
Song Yunzhao looked at her father. His eyes were bloodshot and his expression was grim, but the moment their eyes met, all the severity vanished. He bent down to look at her. "Zhaozhao, Father is late. How are you?"
