The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Just as Yuan Liren said, with Prime Minister Fan mourning, the number of people wanting to curry favor with Prime Minister Song did not decrease but increased. As a result, the annual banquet at the Song Family in the 23rd year of Shengping was more lively than before, welcoming guests with great excitement.

Fortunately, Madam Song was well prepared. The performance troupe was booked long ago; aside from hiring outside performers, those kept by the family were also ready to take the stage at any time, to ensure that guests felt perfectly at home. As for the banquet, more food and drinks were prepared to avoid any embarrassing shortfalls.

Even so, with so many guests, Madam Song and several of her sisters-in-law were bustling like tops, having no time to sit and accompany the guests, let alone exchange a few words with some of them.

At times like this, having daughters-in-law proved beneficial. Song Ci, an Old Lord, simply enjoyed the compliments, listened to the music, and watched the plays, savoring it all like cracking melon seeds.

It was fortunate that the Song Family also had daughters who were married off. Except for Song Ruqi, who was not well, Song Ruqian and the senior Song Zi were there on this day, helping Madam Song and others to entertain guests or do what they could.

Song Zi and Song Ruqian were both skillful in diplomacy, able to exchange some words with everyone, glossing over small awkwardness easily.

”You’re truly blessed, with capable and filial daughters-in-law, even the already-married daughters are adept at managing affairs and entertaining guests,” a matron laughed, flattering Song Ci.

Another person chimed in, ”Exactly, Old Madam, do share your secrets with us, don’t keep it to yourself.”

Song Ci wore a dark purple ru yi cloud-patterned brocade skirt with gold and silver, a Five Phoenixes Facing the Sun Red Gemstone Hairpin, and an Eight Treasures clustered golden hairpin on her head. She did not wear a headband, only lightly applied some makeup, looking both noble and youthful with a spirited demeanor.

Now being complimented, her eyes curved into a smile as she said, ”As the saying goes, one does not become a patriarch without being deaf and dumb first. I’m just a woman with long hair and short insight, what good teaching skills could I have? It’s merely about constantly reminding myself to turn a blind eye and not meddle in the intimate affairs of my sons and daughters-in-law.”

Someone flushed slightly after hearing this.

Many present were already mothers-in-law, who more or less couldn’t help but act like one, using various excuses to interfere with their sons’ private matters. To them, it was not improper; after all, wasn’t that how all daughters-in-law came through it?

Thus, when it was their turn to be mothers-in-law, they also adopted that demeanor, set rules for the daughters-in-law, and placed people in their sons’ rooms, not feeling it was wrong.

Yet, with Song Ci saying this...

Well, did they come for advice thinking the performances on stage were mundane and uninteresting, making a fool of themselves instead?

Some faces felt a bit red.

Some couldn’t stand to see Song Ci’s smugness and jokingly said, ”Come to think of it, among the Old Madam’s sons, except for Lord Song San, who has several beautiful concubines, the rest live solely with their Official Wives. Old Madam, isn’t this showing favoritism?”

This ”favoritism,” based on the speaker’s nuanced tone, was obviously derogatory.

Song Ci had three legitimate sons and none had concubines, only the third son, Song San, a son of a concubine, had both wife and concubines. Outsiders might suspect she couldn’t bear to see tranquility in the concubine’s house and deliberately indulged him in taking concubines, thus tarnishing the concubine’s face in case of any disgrace.

Oh, that would be killing with kindness.

Song Ci could clearly detect the sarcasm in these words. She grinned and said, ”You say I’m being partial; I don’t agree. Remember, you can’t make a cow drink by forcing its head down. I can’t personally stand guard at my son’s room to see how the couple lives, right? Courtesy, duty, integrity, and shame — see no evil — even someone as crude as me understands that.”