The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Chapter 969: Chapter 969: Too Many Complaints to Voice, Best Left Unsaid

The shrewd son suddenly uttered a statement, nearly causing Song Ci to choke on the tea she had just sipped.

”Why on earth are you criticizing your wife out of the blue?”

Song Zhiyuan replied, ”I was referring to the fact that the Gu family wants Brother Dan to be raised here with you.”

Song Ci remained silent, pondering how to respond. Should she play the role of an evil mother-in-law and disparage her daughter-in-law in front of her son?

Upon contemplation, there indeed seemed to be many things to criticize about Lady Song, but as the saying goes, the critics are many, but words fail; some things are better left unsaid.

Song Ci decided to speak a convenient lie: ”I’ve heard that after childbirth, women sometimes become anxious and emotionally unstable. Lin Qing mentioned it’s called postpartum depression. I don’t understand it, but it sounds like some sort of women’s illness.”

At the side, Nanny Gong, who was responsible for pouring the tea, didn’t so much as blink. If she hadn’t been serving Song Ci daily, she might have recited the same reasoning. Internally, however, she chuckled dryly, silently sympathizing with Lin Qing.

Poor you, always the scapegoat.

Lin Qing: You get used to it after a while. Turning it into a little medical book would be a good way to be remembered forever.

Song Zhiyuan was a bit surprised after hearing this: ”There’s such an illness?”

”It’s a women’s disease, isn’t it? Of course, there are all kinds. It would be awkward for a man to ask too much. Just understand it at a surface level,” Song Ci said vaguely with a cough. ”So, Gu’s emotions towards Brother Dan, might as well be due to that illness.”

”You’re not blaming her, Mother?”

”Why blame her? Why make it hard for women, when it’s just a matter of moving the boy over for me to raise? She herself doesn’t regret it. What have I to say?” Song Ci replied indifferently. ”She still holds a grudge over the difficult childbirth. Later, she may not treat the boy like she treats Su’er. You should be aware that if I’m no longer around, you must protect this child. Parents cannot favor only one child.”

Song Zhiyuan didn’t like hearing that; he frowned and said, ”Mother, everything was fine, why bring up such ominous topics.”

”I give you this advance warning so that, when I get too old to remember, you’ll know. I’m nearly sixty, and I’m bound to go before you, so I may as well say it. I’m not afraid to face death directly.”

Ah, the conversation was veering off again.

Song Zhiyuan quickly said, ”Rest assured, you mentioned before that people love the youngest. I will certainly pay more attention to Brother Dan. In the past, I was too absorbed in my work at the court, neglecting Su’er’s upbringing, which was mostly left to his mother, and you’ve seen the results.”

Song Ci nodded, ”Su’er’s temperament is somewhat gentle and accommodating. Saying it isn’t the worst. It depends on how much he can be influenced by Grand Tutor Fu. Your thinking is correct; the main house indeed has these two brothers. Su’er is gentle, so you must be more diligent in raising Brother Dan. We cannot afford to raise both children to be ineffectual. One is soft, but it wouldn’t do for both to be soft.”

If both were too gentle, the primary house wouldn’t be able to stand firm in the future, and that wouldn’t be good.

It was good that Song Zhiyuan had this understanding.

”Gu being a bit stubborn is nothing. I always say, as long as she isn’t confused about major issues, she can stand firm, and these minor issues can be ignored. You are her husband, and you know her temperament best. You should know how to temper her nature. There’s only one principle for marital relationships: talk things over, so as not to miss important information and cause misunderstandings or friction.”

Song Zhiyuan felt deeply impressed. When his mother spoke of principles, she truly did it with eloquence.