The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Song Ci got emotional again.

She eloquently fed these naive children a large bowl of chicken soup, moving them to tears before she finally stopped speaking.

Too much chicken soup can make one nauseous; it’s best to stop when it’s about enough.

”Madam Song, we have guests coming.”

Song Ci looked at Cui Shiniang and said with a smile, ”You are the Mountain Master of this charitable school. From now on, everything about it depends on you to manage. Let’s go meet the guests; you’ll get to know them. After all, if the school needs donations in the future, you can’t be out of contact.”

Hearing this, it sounded like someone was trying to shirk responsibility, as if the old lady had set up the school and was planning to wash her hands of it, right?

Cui Shiniang laughed teasingly, ”If I can’t find anyone, I can always find you, Madam.”

Song Ci waved her hand, ”Everyone dies eventually. If I were to ascend to the clouds, could you still rely on me? At best, I’ll leave a modest business to support this charitable school. As for the rest, it’s up to you.”

Cui Shiniang, somewhat remorseful, said, ”Today is the inauguration ceremony for the school. Let’s not speak of such inauspicious things. Come, let’s go greet the guests.”

...

For the opening ceremony of Song Ci’s Charity School, Song Ci did not organize a grand event. She only sent a few invitations to some noble ladies to support the event: Princess Anping, Madam Guan, Madam Qi, the matriarch of the Gu Family, the Countess of Anle, and, of course, the female relatives of her own family and the married grand-aunts.

Even so, there were some who came uninvited. After all, this was a charitable school organized by the old lady of Prime Minister Song’s family. Showing up to support the event might lead to connections with a couple of noble individuals.

Thus, the road in front of the school was almost blocked by carriages from various residences. Fortunately, Song Zhiyuan had the foresight to send the two younger ones, Song Lingsu and the others, to help host the event. They arranged for the Five Cities Military Department to maintain order and coordinated house guards, household servants, and the school’s guards to help block the curious onlookers.

This way, even if ladies brought their daughters, they wouldn’t be jostled.

Song Ci, accompanied by Cui Shiniang, introduced Princess Anping and others as they toured the inside of the school.

As they toured, Princess Anping couldn’t help but express amazement at the charitable school, which was somewhat different from other academies and schools. She said to Song Ci, ”You always say it’s just a small charitable school, but I see this school’s scale is not small at all. There are classrooms, dormitories, and cafeterias. This is more than a small school; it’s a sanctuary that provides them shelter from the storm.”

Song Ci gazed at the children, big and small, not far away and said, ”I just do what I can to provide them with support. The school has just started, so we dare not begin too grandly; we can only accept fifty students for now. Once it’s on track and settled, we can plan to expand and admit more students.”

”That’s how it should be.”

Song Ci smiled again and said, ”At that time, we will need the support and donations from Princess and all you benevolent pillars.”

Princess Anping immediately said, ”Such a virtuous and charitable act, of course, I will support it without worries.”

”Indeed.”

Song Ci and Cui Shiniang then led them to a stone tablet and said, ”This is the donation wall. In the future, anyone who donates silver or resources to the school will be registered, and their benevolent name will be inscribed here for the students to admire. These are all merits. Of course, if someone were to directly donate a dormitory or teaching building, it would be named with their honorific title.”

When everyone looked up, they saw several names already inscribed, among them the title of Princess Anping, which warmed their hearts.

Madam Song’s charitable school is exceedingly well-organized indeed.