The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

After some polite exchanges, Song Lingsu and Song Lingjie sat down and chatted with the family about their experiences during the exams and the dangers encountered during the disaster, making everyone gasp and put their hands together in prayer.

Song Zhiyuan also asked the two about the scenes at the exam venue and the acquaintances they visited along the way.

Song Ci noticed that although their replies were proper, their faces showed signs of fatigue, and said, ”Su’er and the others have just returned to the residence, and the long journey by carriage is exhausting. I had already asked Lin Qing to prepare a formula for strengthening the body and relieving fatigue, so the servants in your quarters must have already cooked the medicinal soup. Go back to your courtyards to bathe and change clothes, and relieve the fatigue. We’ll talk during the family banquet tonight.”

Song Zhiyuan also said, ”Yes, go ahead.”

Song Lingsu and Song Lingjie then got up, bowed to everyone, apologized, and left.

Mrs. Jiang saw this and stood up as well, saying, ”Mother, I’ll go to Jie’er’s courtyard to see what needs to be prepared.”

The first madam of the Song Family watched her sister-in-law leave, feeling a bit envious, and stood up, smiling, ”Mother, I’ll go to the main kitchen and check on the preparations for tonight’s meals.”

With the two sisters-in-law gone, Mrs. Lu also felt it inappropriate to stay, so she stood up and said, ”I’ll go help my eldest sister-in-law.”

In the room, only the two elders and the three Song brothers remained, with the younger ones having been sent out.

Song Ci said to Song Zhiyuan, ”When is the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony scheduled? Will Jie’er still be entering the palace as a study companion?”

Song Zhiyuan replied, ”It’s scheduled for the first day of November. After the Crown Prince is appointed, he will move to the Eastern Palace, and Jie’er will naturally accompany him. From then on, he will likely reside in the Eastern Palace with the Crown Prince.”

Song Ci nodded, ”Then you must thoroughly explain the rules to him, so he doesn’t unknowingly commit any taboos and cause trouble.”

”Don’t worry, Mother, I will remind him.”

Old Master Song chuckled derisively and glanced at Song Ci, saying, ”You’re worrying over nothing. The eldest son is a dignified Prime Minister; do you think he wouldn’t know such things and need a mere woman to remind him?”

Song Ci got annoyed and retorted, ”A mere woman? I’m a woman who’s better than you as a man. What do you have to say about that?”

”You!”

”What’s wrong with me? Do you want to lecture me?” Song Ci spat at him.

Old Master Song, extremely angry, glanced at the expressions of his sons, felt a bit embarrassed, snorted, and flicked his sleeves to leave, ”Only women and petty people are difficult to deal with. I am a dignified man, so I won’t argue with you, an old lady.”

Song Ci thought, I should thank you for that.

Song Zhiyuan watched his father leave, then counseled Song Ci, glancing at the idle Song Zhiqing, and his eyes flashed as he said, ”Old Third, today I noticed that Wei’er has an old nanny with her?”

Song Zhiqing sat up and said, ”Big Brother, you didn’t see wrong; indeed, that is the case. That Huang Nanny retired honorably from the palace last year and is an old acquaintance of Mrs. Shen. I discussed it with Mrs. Lu, and Wei’er is almost twelve, soon to be at marriageable age, so we thought of finding a nanny from the palace to teach her etiquette. Mrs. Shen happened to know such a person and introduced her.”

Song Zhiyuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, saying, ”You didn’t mention, so I wasn’t aware Wei’er was of marriageable age. Is there an agreeable family?”

Song Zhiqing’s heart tensed, and he cautiously said, ”Not yet! She’s still young, and she’s my only legitimate daughter, so I’m reluctant to marry her off early. Keeping her for a few more years isn’t urgent.”

Song Ci glanced over, thinking, do you realize your words contradict each other?