The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Chapter 933: Chapter 933: Seeds of Suspicion

Bai Shuilian truly felt a bit of resentment. She couldn’t understand how, since entering the manor, she had hardly seen Song Ci. She never even appeared in front of her, yet Song Ci seemed to hate her as if she had dug up her ancestors’ graves.

Were she to ask, Song Ci would likely shrug with a frivolous and arrogant expression: Liking someone needs no reason, does disliking someone need one?

Bai Shuilian’s words were mere venting, yet unexpectedly, Song Zhiqing took her seriously.

”Your idea isn’t half bad. Why don’t you go to the Guanyin Temple for a while, to pray, copy scriptures, and recuperate? I’ll fetch you back after some time.”

Bai Shuilian was utterly shocked: ”???”

Of all the things I said casually, this is the one you take to heart?

Tears welled up in Bai Shuilian’s eyes, and she forced a bitter smile: ”So, you’ve found someone new, and now I am just an eyesore? Very well, I will go.”

Song Zhiqing hurriedly embraced her and said, ”That’s not what I meant. I just thought since the old Madam dislikes you, if you go to the temple to pray and copy scriptures, she might favor you a bit.”

”Sanlang, if it were that simple, I’d be willing to live in the temple for a lifetime, but would she agree? I even bore you a pair of dragon and phoenix twins—a sign of great fortune—yet still couldn’t earn a smile from the old Madam. What can mere prayer and scripture copying do?” Bai Shuilian laughed at his naïveté, shaking her head, ”It’s futile. From ancient times, the legitimate and the concubine cannot coexist. How could the official wife tolerate the concubine’s offspring?”

These words struck a chord within Song Zhiqing. He replied indifferently, ”That’s not entirely true. Father’s concubines beside him, she never tormented them.”

Bai Shuilian laughed: ”That’s because they couldn’t bear children, thus posed no threat. Doesn’t Sanlang understand?”

Song Zhiqing’s heart was stirred, and he fell silent.

Within him was a battle of emotions, with Song Ci’s heart-piercing words on one side and Bai Shuilian’s provocative words on the other.

Suddenly, he asked, ”Yi’er and the others suffered so much from this ordeal. Do you think it really was all Shuangluo’s doing?”

Bai Shuilian’s heart leapt, seeing Song Zhiqing’s eyes fixed on her. She could not help but display a hint of confusion, asking, ”What does Sanlang mean by this?”

”I’m just a bit skeptical. She’s merely a maid, has only been with you for just over a year since arriving at the manor. No matter how scheming she is, she wouldn’t have many allies. Could she really have accomplished this alone?”

Bai Shuilian was secretly alarmed, yet her eyes showed a flash of cold severity: ”Are you saying someone conspired with her to harm Yi’er and the others?”

”Do you think that’s likely?”

Bai Shuilian pondered, saying, ”This incident happened days ago. I don’t know why Sanlang suddenly thinks of this now. In fact, while I’ve been lying injured all these days, there’s been a lingering question in my heart. Shuangluo resented me, harming Yi’er would have been enough, so why involve Fourth Young Master?”

Song Zhiqing frowned.

He spoke blandly, ”Wasn’t that all just an unfortunate disaster? The clothes I changed into were even found by you. After visiting Yi’er, I went to see Zhou’er, all at your request.”

With this said, there seemed to be another implication.

Bai Shuilian’s expression remained unchanged, but she offered a faint bitter smile, ”You only had two or three sets of clothes in the Quiet Garden. I had only been in the manor a short while and didn’t dare trust others too much. Shuangluo was in charge of my personal things. How could I guard against her? In fact, you’re right, it wasn’t just Shuangluo who harmed Yi’er and the others, I too am at fault. If it weren’t for my carelessness, if I weren’t worried about Madam saying you’re favoring one over the other, I wouldn’t have told you to visit Zhou’er. It’s all my fault, and now with Yi’er like this, I truly have a debt I can never repay.”