Chapter 31: Chapter 31: A Father Has to Do Some Coaxing
Song Yunzhao begged to differ. Song Qinghan was indeed a talented actress, but in the original story, she didn’t exactly have a brilliant future, nor could she even protect herself until the end.
She hadn’t expected her father to say such a thing. For a moment, she was filled with a mix of complicated feelings. She did have an incredibly biased mother, but she also had a father who protected her. She supposed it evened out.
"Father, let me be honest with you. Since Mother and Older Sister look down on me so much, I want to prove to Mother that even if she doesn’t like me, I’m still a good child. I’m not any worse than my older sister. That’s why I want to participate in the selection. But if by some chance I’m not chosen, you can’t laugh at me."
Third Master Song looked at his daughter. Although she was smiling, the look in her eyes was incredibly resolute.
’He knew his wife’s mistreatment had hurt their child.’
’As her father, he did his best to protect her, but he couldn’t just stay home all day. It was difficult for him to interfere too much in the trivial matters of the women’s quarters.’
’He knew how wronged his daughter felt.’
But he had his own unspoken troubles. He couldn’t just completely humiliate his wife for Yun Zhao’s sake and strip her of her dignity as the lady of the house. The entire residence would fall into chaos.
Third Master Song sighed. ’In the end, I’ve still made my child suffer. That must be why she wants to compete like this.’
"Zhaozhao, Father hopes you’ll think about this again, seriously..."
"Father, I’ve already thought it through. I hope you will support my decision. If I am not chosen, you must protect me and not let anyone mock me."
’She was certain she would be eliminated. She was just laying the groundwork now so that when she was sent home, her father would shield her from Mrs. Cai’s endless nagging and manipulation.’
Third Master Song put a hand to his forehead.
’What kind of ambition was this? It would have been better if she had none at all. She hadn’t even left yet and was already planning her escape route.’
’Fine. With that kind of spirit, maybe she really could give it a shot.’
"If you insist on going, then go," Third Master Song sighed. ’None of them ever let me have a moment’s peace.’
"What about Mother?"
"Don’t you worry about it."
"Thank you, Father!" Song Yunzhao immediately broke into a wide smile.
Third Master Song saw his daughter’s eyes shining and couldn’t bring himself to say what was on the tip of his tongue. ’So be it,’ he thought. ’A girl like her, who refuses to suffer even the slightest grievance—the matrons in charge of the palace selection all have sharp eyes. They’ll probably weed her out in the very first round.’
’I’ll have to prepare some gifts. Don’t want the child to be heartbroken when she comes back so early. As her father, it’s my job to cheer her up.’
After speaking with his daughter, Third Master Song saw it was still early before his workday was over, so he returned to the government office. When the hour came, he went to the teahouse to pick up his daughter and they returned to the residence together.
As soon as Song Yunzhao passed through the inner gate, she smiled at her father and then darted off.
Third Master Song didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He started walking toward the main courtyard alone, but before he had taken more than a few steps, his personal attendant hurried after him. "Master, a letter has arrived from the First Master."
Third Master Song turned and headed to his study to read the letter. After finishing it, his expression soured.
His elder brother wanted Yun Zhao to participate in the selection, and his reasoning was quite clear. He sighed. Fortunately, Yun Zhao herself was willing; otherwise, he would never have agreed with his brother and forced his daughter to go.
But then he thought of what his daughter had said and smiled. ’My brother is in for a disappointment,’ he mused. ’That girl herself thinks she’s going to be eliminated and sent home.’
Mrs. Cai was sulking because Song Yunzhao had slipped away. Hearing the maids outside paying their respects, she rose to greet him. "My lord, what brings you back so early today?"
Mrs. Cai’s heart pounded with anxiety, but she calmed herself with the thought that he couldn’t possibly know what she had been plotting.
Third Master Song was also sly. He didn’t expose his wife’s prior actions, only saying to her, "A letter came from my elder brother. In our household, besides Qing Han, Ye Xi and Yun Zhao must also participate in the selection. You are to prepare the children well."
The smile on Mrs. Cai’s face froze instantly. Suppressing the rage in her heart, she finally said, "My lord, isn’t sending three girls from our family a bit too conspicuous? If word of this gets out, I’m afraid it will be detrimental to your official reputation. Our family has already split into separate households; one from each branch would be just right."
Seeing his wife’s rejection of their younger daughter, Third Master Song thought, ’No wonder the child is so upset.’ He said impassively, "This is the first official grand selection since His Majesty ascended the throne. Many families in the Capital City are sending all their age-appropriate daughters to participate. According to you, wouldn’t they all be losing face?"
Mrs. Cai immediately said, "That is not what I meant. Besides, how is this the first time? Wasn’t there a selection the year His Majesty ascended the throne? Many daughters of high-ranking courtiers were sent into the palace then."
The late Consort Chu had entered the palace at that time.
"How is that the same?" Third Master Song said. "His Majesty had just ascended the throne then and was very young. The courtiers basically shoved their daughters into the palace. Besides, there was no public decree for a selection across the realm that time, so it doesn’t count as an official one."
’Mrs. Cai didn’t agree. ’If it wasn’t an official selection, how did Consort Chu still get named an Imperial Concubine?’ But since the woman was dead now, it wasn’t worth arguing with her husband over it.’
"My lord, you know Yun Zhao’s temperament. She’s competitive and aggressive, and she refuses to suffer any slight. If someone with a personality like that participates in the selection, I’m afraid she’ll stir up trouble. In my opinion, it would be safer to keep her at home."
Hearing this, Third Master Song grew angry, and his expression became stern. "If you treated our two children more fairly, would Zhaozhao have become so competitive? Besides, my elder brother has already decided this matter. We will do as he says. Just get them ready."
At this point, afraid his wife might try to pull some tricks, Third Master Song added, "Tomorrow, I will inform my sister-in-law and ask her to help out as well."
After saying this, Third Master Song turned and left. If he didn’t leave, he was afraid he and his wife would start arguing again.
As Third Master Song flicked his sleeve and walked away, Mrs. Cai clutched her chest in a rage and leaned back against a soft pillow.
Meanwhile, Song Yunzhao returned to her own courtyard and finished reading the letter she hadn’t completed earlier. ’A "title"?’ she thought. ’Isn’t that just a pen name?’
After some thought, she took a brush and wrote down two words: Bu Guike.
As a transmigrator, she feared she could never go back. The words "no return" in the name perfectly suited her state of mind.
After finishing her reply, she looked at the one-hundred-tael silver note on her desk. She hadn’t expected to receive so much; she had thought it would be twenty or thirty taels of silver at most.
She’d had someone quietly inquire about the going rates. This was basically the price for the most outstanding authors in the field.
Those with less distinguished writing would only receive a manuscript fee of a few taels of silver.
’Is this price based on the rates from Three Yuan Building?’
Song Yunzhao felt it was too much. The book hadn’t even become a hit yet; wasn’t the Xie family afraid of losing their entire investment?
Still, she had confidence in herself. Controversial books rarely go unnoticed.
She had confidence, but the Xie family might not, which was why the manuscript fee felt a little too steep.
She decided to write another one immediately. As long as the first book got on the right track, the subsequent ones would surely be valuable, and the Xie family wouldn’t be at a loss for paying her such a high price.
’Making money isn’t easy,’ she sighed to herself. ’You have to seize on social hot topics, and it’s so mentally taxing.’
She had just spread out the paper for her story and hadn’t yet put brush to it when Song Jinxuan arrived.
Song Yunzhao went to receive her guest and was startled to see Song Jinxuan’s face flushed with delight. ’Did something wonderful happen to her?’
