Chapter 5 Wishing you all your dreams come true

Song Zhimian returned at the same time as before, without any abnormalities.

After learning that Song Zhimian had returned, Ding asked the person who had been secretly following her in detail.

"Just like yesterday, I went to the Department of Inspection. Because donating jewelry is different from donating silver, it's in the next room."

"I saw with my own eyes that the young lady went to the room where the jewelry was appraised," the person following her whispered.

"Didn't you go anywhere else?" Ding pressed.

"No! I've been following along the whole time. I even went to Chun Bu Wan yesterday, but I didn't go to Chun Bu Wan today," the person following him quickly replied.

Ding nodded, indicating that the person could leave.

“Madam, what about down there…” Ding’s mother leaned closer again.

"That Deputy General Wu should be arriving in the capital soon, right?" Ding asked softly.

"It'll probably be about ten more days. I heard that Vice General Wu is rushing back on horseback!" Mrs. Ding said with a light laugh.

Ding nodded, then reached out and picked up the teacup on the table.

"Send some fabric over to the young lady."

Now that the birth chart has been changed, it means you have a family, so you can't go out and wander around anymore!

Let the young lady sit in the courtyard and do her needlework in peace!

"For example, her future husband's shoes and socks, his undergarments, etc., wouldn't all of these have to be made by the future general's wife herself?" Ding said calmly.

Mrs. Ding immediately understood what Mrs. Ding meant.

That evening, the steward of the Song family delivered a batch of fabric to Song Zhimin's courtyard.

Song Zhimian didn't say anything, but gestured to Cuiguo to take all the materials.

"Madam...you're going too far!" Cui Guo's hands trembled with anger as she looked at the fabrics.

Song Zhimian, however, felt it was nothing.

"She can give it away as she pleases, but I might not even need it!" Song Zhimian said with a smile.

“But…” Cui Guo looked at Song Zhimin’s calm and unwavering eyes, and was so anxious that she didn’t know what to say.

Actually, these past few days, Cuiguo has been secretly looking for opportunities whenever she goes out.

She wanted to know where the carriage rental shop was, how much it would cost to rent a carriage, and which way to go after leaving the city gate...

Although the green fruit was small, it truly cared for Song Zhimian.

Originally, she wanted to persuade Song Zhimin not to donate those jewelry pieces, but to pawn them at a pawnshop and get some money to carry with her.

Then, secretly find an opportunity to escape from the capital and settle down in any small place.

One hundred taels of silver could buy an ordinary courtyard in the countryside.

The slightly better land was only eight taels of silver per mu.

As long as they can escape the capital, the young lady and she should be able to survive. Even if they live in poverty, it's better than marrying an old widower who has lost several wives!

But……

After spending two days with Song Zhimin outside, Cuiguo finally understood why the madam would feel comfortable letting the eldest young lady come out.

The Marquis controls the patrol battalion, and the people guarding the city are his subordinates. It's too difficult for the young lady to leave the capital!

Seeing Cui Guo staring at her with a melancholy expression, Song Zhimian smiled and then reached out to touch Cui Guo's hair.

"Cuiguo, when did you come to my yard?" Song Zhimian asked.

Cui Guo thought about it carefully before speaking.

“When I was seven years old, my grandmother passed away and the madam took me in. She had me do some chores like watering flowers in your yard.”

Song Zhimian hummed in agreement.

The lady Cui Guo mentioned was her own mother, and Cui Guo's grandmother was her mother's wet nurse. Later, for some unknown reason, Cui Guo's grandmother suddenly fell seriously ill.

Later... her mother also passed away from a serious illness, and the people she left behind disappeared from Song Zhimin's sight one by one.

In the end, only this one green fruit was left.

Perhaps, in those people's eyes, Cuiguo was insignificant, someone who could be easily dismissed by finding fault with her...

"Cuiguo!" Song Zhimian suddenly grabbed Cuiguo's hands tightly.

Cuiguo paused for a moment, "Miss, is there anything you need me to do?"

Song Zhimian nodded, and then touched Cui Guo's tender face again.

"I want to eat Ma Ji's pastries. Everyone says that their osmanthus red bean cake, which is baked at 9 am every day, is the most fragrant and sweet."

Cui Guo nodded immediately.

"Okay, I'll go buy it first thing tomorrow morning."

Oh, right, I'll go tell the butler I'm leaving early tomorrow morning, so I don't have to argue with the servants and delay the pastries from baking.

As she spoke, Cuiguo hurriedly went to find the housekeeper.

Song Zhimian watched Cui Guo's departing figure, sighed softly, and then casually flipped through the fabrics that the housekeeper had brought.

Oh well, there are still a few days left, let's just go through the motions!

The next day, Cuiguo went out early in the morning, but didn't return until noon...

Song Zhimian checked the time and thought, "Hmm, I can go and cause trouble for Madam Ding now."

...

"You mean your maid Cuiguo went out and hasn't come back?" Ding was clearly startled.

She didn't ask anyone to do it! Besides, what use could such a young girl like Cuiguo be? It wasn't worth doing it herself.

"Mother, please have someone investigate where Cuiguo has gone."

"Besides the Song residence, Cuiguo has nowhere else to go in the capital. I'm curious, how did a twelve-year-old girl get in other people's way?" Song Zhimian said coldly.

Upon hearing this, Ding's face immediately darkened.

"Is Sister Mian blaming me for this?"

"I don't know if it has anything to do with my mother, but I do know that in the past few years, the maids around me have either died or been sold off, and even the youngest cleaning maid couldn't be kept."

Is the Song family a bottomless pit that devours people?

Mother, I still want to remind you, if you want me to get married, fine! I'll get married!

No matter where you are, life here won't be worse than at the Song family's residence, right?

However, if you push me too far and I'm willing to risk my life to do something, do you think the Song family will be spared any trouble?

For example, I slit my throat in the bridal sedan chair on my wedding day, or I poisoned him in the bridal chamber, or...

"Shut up!" Ding immediately interrupted Song Zhimian.

Song Zhimian gave a cold laugh.

"Mother, you'd better pray that Cuiguo is alright, otherwise, I really don't know what I might do."

Don't think I really have nothing left!

I still have my life! Didn't you want to use me to pave the way for Song Yaoqing?

If I risked my life to do something, would Song Yaoqing still have a future?

Ding's family...

After saying this, Song Zhimian turned and left.

She knew that Cuiguo was definitely safe, but she had to react in some way, otherwise it would be easy for people to suspect that she had let Cuiguo escape...

Soon, the news that Song Zhimin's only maid, Cuiguo, had not returned after going out spread throughout the entire mansion.

Even Song Kaishan's side knows about this.

Song Kaishan specifically asked the patrol battalion to investigate, and they actually found some information.

"Someone saw a little girl being dragged onto a horse-drawn carriage on her way back after buying pastries from Ma's..."

Upon hearing this, Song Kaishan immediately concluded that it was Ding who did it.

"She's getting married in a few days, why are you messing with her only maid? Aren't you just asking for trouble?"

"Also, if you don't like that girl, can't you wait until she gets married and then deal with her slowly?" Song Kaishan was also a little angry that Ding had taken matters into her own hands.

"My lord, it really wasn't me!" Madam Ding felt she had no way to defend herself.

Song Kaishan snorted coldly.

"If it wasn't you, then who was it? Who else could openly kidnap someone and run away in the capital?"

This is a crucial moment, you'd better behave yourself and not cause me any trouble.

Ding's family...

Later, Song Kaishan specifically called Song Zhimian over.

"I will have someone look for Cuiguo. Don't worry, the most important thing for you right now is to stay home and prepare for your wedding."

I'll have someone let you know when the results are in!

"The family I found for you... is very good. They are powerful and influential. When you go there, you will be a general's wife." Song Kaishan wanted to reassure Song Zhimian.

“That’s great! Then let’s give it to my sister! She and Mother will be satisfied!” Song Zhimian said slowly.

Song Kaishan...

"Don't be so disrespectful! Marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers; this is an age-old rule. I told you to marry, so you have to marry." Song Kaishan was furious and embarrassed.

"Oh! Then I'll obey!" Song Zhimian said coldly.

Song Kaishan didn't want to see Song Zhimian, so he casually waved her away.

As soon as Song Zhimian left Song Kaishan's study, she saw Song Zhiqing, who had come to deliver pastries to Song Kaishan.

"Oh! Eldest sister! You've come to see Father too!"

That's true. Every time you see her, it's one less time you'll see her. Once she gets married, she'll belong to someone else's family.

Eldest sister is so lucky! Father arranged for you to be a general's wife!

"Unlike me, I can only stay at home and serve my parents! I also want to be a general's wife!" Song Zhijing said with a grin as she leaned close to Song Zhimin.

Song Zhimin looked at Song Zhiqing's beautiful face and pinched it.

"Then I wish you all your dreams come true!"

Song Zhiqing struggled in pain.

She wanted to get angry, but when she met Song Zhimin's eyes, she subconsciously swallowed her anger.

This useless older sister seems a little different than before...

"Hmph! A grasshopper in autumn!" Song Zhijing glared at Song Zhimin, said this, and left.

Song Zhimian also turned and left.

Yes, tomorrow is the day...