The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

On the second day of the year, it’s the day married women return to their parents’ home. With the incident involving Song Zhiqing, Madam Song could only take Song Lingsu back to the Marquis Mansion by herself, leaving Jiang to help manage the household affairs.

Song Zhiyuan also did not go to the Marquis Mansion to give new year’s greetings. Instead, he and Song Zhicheng drank a table of wine with the two sons-in-law of the Song Family, drinking the younger generation under the table before the brothers went to the study to continue drinking.

”Big brother, be honest with me, did you know about the mess that old third made long ago?” Song Zhicheng asked the question he had been pondering for a long time.

Song Zhiyuan glanced at him and said, ”When you ask like that, I feel underestimated. Old third lives right under my nose; if he sets up a mistress, how could it escape my eyes?”

Song Zhicheng wasn’t surprised, he simply thought to himself, as expected.

Indeed, this elder brother has sharp eyes, how could anything truly escape him?

”But you didn’t stop him.”

Song Zhiyuan sneered, ”If he wants to ruin his future and refuses to change despite being taught repeatedly, why should I stop him? The Song Family doesn’t need another Fifth Rank official; Jie’er and Su’er have already made names for themselves.”

Song Zhicheng’s eyes narrowed; this almost sounded like saying Song Zhiqing was in the way, just as well giving way to the younger generation.

He also understood that while the Song Family could have brothers and even father and son serving at court, having four from one family was unlikely and far too conspicuous.

According to past examples, if the juniors entered the court, often the elders would have reached an age or had no further potential for promotion, especially without real power, and would sacrifice themselves by retiring to enable more promising juniors.

But both Song Zhiqing and Song Zhiyuan are young, retiring would be decades away.

In that case, to make way for the juniors, it would have to be the elders who made a mistake.

See, hasn’t a mistake been made?

But Song Zhicheng also considered a deeper layer, which is the incident of old third’s overturn.

He took a gulp of wine, looked at Song Zhiyuan, and cautiously asked, ”Then this incident of his, big brother, did you...”

Have a hand in it?

Song Zhiyuan held his wine cup, his gaze deep, and said, ”Self-inflicted misfortunes are unfathomable; he ruined himself, he had it coming.”

Song Zhicheng: ”...”

Big brother, we are all in our fifties, can’t you speak plainly?

”The accident spared his life, instead of perishing there, because his surname is Song, luck was in his favor.”

Song Zhicheng’s hand paused while pouring wine, he looked up and exchanged glances with him and instantly understood the hidden meaning.

It means that if I did have a hand in it, so what?

”Yes, indeed, lucky. But big brother, it’s likely he’ll be truly useless from now on.” Song Zhicheng suddenly smiled.

Song Zhiyuan was indifferent, his face full of coldness, ”He’s a Song. As long as he cherishes his blessings henceforth, the Song Family won’t deny him wealth and comfort, it’s just keeping another one like father.”

Indeed, the Song Family can afford it.

”What about the children of the third branch?”

”They all bear the Song bloodline, the future and hope of the Song Family. Just like Jie’er and them, they are all my nephews and nieces. As long as they strive, those worth cultivating will be cultivated. The more people there are who can take on major responsibilities, the more stable the Song Family’s foundation will be, making it harder to shake.”

Song Zhicheng was moved and laughed, ”Big brother is far-sighted, I can’t compare.”

Song Zhiyuan patted him and said, ”Brothers working together, their strength can cut through metal. The Song Family’s current success is also owed in no small part to your efforts, second brother, big brother toasts to you.”

He raised his wine glass to toast Song Zhicheng, whose eyes turned red, picked up his glass, and clinked it with him, muttering, ”I just know, your mouth can sweet-talk people, making them so willing, really sly.”

Song Zhiyuan: ”...”

Can a grown man not be melodramatic?