Chapter 58: Chapter 43: Bastard’s Preaching, Won’t Listen, Won’t Listen
"Miss Zhao, your good intentions regarding another family’s business are more than I can bear. Please, keep them for yourself." Song Yunzhao loathed Song Qinghan, and she also disliked people who jumped at the first chance to play the hero.
’To call her simple-minded in a place like this is to do her a disservice. No wonder she didn’t even have a name in the book. With so little cunning, she’s destined to be cannon fodder. She really ought to be more shrewd.’
Zhao Xiaoyu had never been spoken to so harshly in her life. Mortified and wronged, her eyes immediately reddened.
Song Yunzhao...
’Her tolerance is pathetically low. Anyone watching would think I’d committed some heinous crime.’
"Song Yunzhao, she was only offering a kind word of advice. Do you have to be so cruel?"
Hearing He Lan Yun stand up for Zhao Xiaoyu and call her directly by name, Song Yunzhao knew the County Princess must have investigated her in private.
"Every time I’ve seen you, Your Highness, you were either starting an argument or about to start a fight. It’s quite a surprise to hear such words from you." Song Yunzhao knew He Lan Yun’s temperament. If she backed down even an inch, the princess would take a mile. She had already offended her, so what did one more time matter?
He Lan Yun’s face fell at her words. She glared at Song Yunzhao, trying to think of a retort.
At that moment, Song Qinghan looked on, quite surprised. She had no idea Song Yunzhao even had a history with Princess Ming’an, and from the looks of it, it wasn’t a pleasant one. With a slight shift of her eyes, she turned to Princess Ming’an and said helplessly, "Your Highness, please don’t take offense. Yun Zhao is just a bit impulsive. If she has offended you, I, as her older sister, will apologize on her behalf."
’Song Yunzhao had seen shameless people, but she’d never met anyone as despicable as Song Qinghan. It was one thing to throw her under the bus to curry favor with the powerful, but to toss away her own dignity as well? What kind of creature was she?’
"Song Qinghan, if you want to suck up to Princess Ming’an, go right ahead. But don’t do it at my expense. Besides, while we may be sisters, it was Father who entrusted my care to our Eldest Aunt."
Song Qinghan’s face darkened at Song Yunzhao’s words. She never imagined Song Yunzhao would dare to air their family’s dirty laundry in public.
Song Yexi was also stunned, but she was inwardly annoyed with Song Qinghan’s incessant scheming. Although slightly displeased with Yun Zhao’s bluntness, she still stepped forward to stand beside her. She faced Song Qinghan and said, "Sister Qing Han, my mother is the one handling Yun Zhao’s preparations for entering the palace. You needn’t concern yourself with it. Just focus on taking care of yourself."
Although Song Yexi’s words weren’t harsh, her stance clearly sided with Song Yunzhao, instantly confirming the discord between the two sisters.
The young ladies present had varied expressions. It was rare to see someone air their family’s private disputes so publicly. Every family valued its reputation and would do anything to keep such matters from getting out.
But...
Everyone’s eyes fell back on Song Yunzhao’s dazzlingly beautiful face. Not only was the girl stunning, but her tongue was incredibly sharp. She really would say anything.
’Tsk. What good is being beautiful? A pity she has no brain. She’s no threat.’
In truth, Song Yunzhao’s actions were carefully calculated. At first, she had harbored a sliver of hope that Song Qinghan would have some sense of shame. But seeing her behavior now, she realized the girl likely had no scruples. To climb the social ladder, she would undoubtedly continue to use her as a stepping stone.
There would surely be many more scenes like this in the future, where Qinghan would try to build herself up by tearing her down. The very thought was sickening. Rather than let herself be disgusted by her again and again, it was better to make a clean break from the start.
She didn’t want to resort to a move that would hurt her enemy a thousand but cost her eight hundred. But what could she do? They were sisters, and that was a double-edged sword she couldn’t dodge.
She would rather damage her own reputation than ever let Song Qinghan get a hold over her.
If she actually tried to play the part of a loving sister, she was certain Song Qinghan would find a way to utterly ruin her.
Song Qinghan looked at Song Yunzhao and Song Yexi, her face a mask of humiliation. Her eyes reddened as she put on an expression of utter grievance and helplessness. Just as she was about to speak to try and save some face, Song Yunzhao cut in. "Eldest Sister, you’d best think carefully before you speak. We’ve been sisters for more than ten years. We know everything about each other."
Song Qinghan swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, her face turning pale. She had indeed given Song Yunzhao plenty of leverage over her, and she didn’t dare to take the risk.
He Lan Yun stared at Song Yunzhao in surprise. ’No wonder she’s so brazen with me,’ she thought. ’So she’s a tyrant at home, too—this ruthless even to her own sister.’
Then she recalled what her investigation had uncovered about the relationship between the Song Family and the Dingnan Bo Mansion. A calculating look entered her eyes as she surmised that the sisters’ conflict was likely related to the Dingnan Bo Mansion’s previous attempt to send someone into the palace.
