Chapter 47 Helping the Little White Rabbit Out of Trouble

Qingzhu followed her gaze and whispered:

“Young Miss, have you forgotten? That’s the fourth young lady of the Ruan family of Feizhi Pavilion, Ruan Tianxin.”

"When you were a child, at the old lady's birthday banquet, there was a little girl who played the piano very well and was also very pretty. You thought she was beautiful and insisted that she be your younger sister, which scared her to tears that time."

Song Yiqiu: "..."

I do have a somewhat vague impression.

Bai Mei gasped in astonishment:

"So she's the daughter of the owner of Feizhi Pavilion. No wonder she can afford this smoky gauze... Wait, who's that girl next to her wearing something similar but in a brighter color?"

Qingzhu looked at it carefully and lowered her voice:

"Oh, that... is Miss Ruan's elder sister, Ruan Jiawen."

Song Yiqiu frowned:

"Elder sister? I remember Ruan Tianxin should be the eldest legitimate daughter, when did she have an elder sister of similar age?"

"Miss, you are unaware of this,"

Qingzhu lowered her voice, tinged with a hint of regret.

"Miss Ruan has a hard life. After her birth mother died early, her father quickly remarried and made the woman who was originally a concubine his second wife. What's even more outrageous is that, by some unknown means, Miss Ruan's status as the legitimate daughter was transferred to the name of the deceased concubine, making her 'illegitimate daughter'."

"And the daughter brought by the concubine, who was older than Miss Ruan, became the legitimate eldest daughter, Ruan Jiawen. This 'reversal of legitimate and illegitimate status' was quite a strange story in the capital back then."

"I heard that Miss Ruan Jiawen is actually the offspring of her father's philandering when he was young, and now she's usurped his place."

Upon hearing this, Bai Mei curled her lip in disdain:

"Tsk tsk, when this man gets cold-hearted, he really is..."

While they were whispering amongst themselves, the mockery from the social elites was reaching its climax.

Led by Song Sangyu and Ruan Jiawen, the group surrounded Ruan Tianxin, exchanging sarcastic remarks with utmost sarcasm.

Ruan Jiawen covered her lips with a round fan, her laughter tinged with disdain:

"Sweetheart, your outfit today is quite beautiful. It's made of fine silk, they really went all out. It's a pity that your overall demeanor doesn't suit such luxurious fabric. Wearing it on you makes you look like a sparrow that has stolen a phoenix's feathers, timid and cowering, only making you a laughingstock."

A noblewoman's response:

“Sister Jiawen is right. There is a difference in status between legitimate and illegitimate children. The difference in bloodline cannot be bridged by clothes bought with a few taels of silver. Some people are just not born to be legitimate daughters. Even if they once had a legitimate title, so what? They are ultimately hopeless.”

Song Sangyu affectionately linked arms with Ruan Jiawen, seemingly trying to smooth things over, but her words were actually piercing to the heart:

"Oh dear, don't say that about Tianxin. She's pitiful. She lost her mother's protection, and her father loves Jiawen more. There's nothing we can do about it."

"After all, in this world, whoever truly receives their father's love is the real golden branch and jade leaf. What use is merely having a title?"

She turned to Ruan Tianxin, her smile sweet yet sinister.

“Sweetheart, don’t you think so? Oh right, I see you can’t get a word in edgewise standing here, why don’t you go over there and bring us some tea, fruit and snacks? It would make you seem more sensible, and don’t waste this… um, ‘good’ outfit.”

Surrounded by them, Ruan Tianxin was pale, her fingers tightly gripping her sleeves, her body trembling helplessly, her eyes red-rimmed but she bit her lip hard to stop the tears from falling.

His surrounded appearance made him seem even more isolated and helpless.

Not far away, Fu Langxing was standing with several young masters, his gaze sweeping over this side indifferently.

He witnessed the argument, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, but then relaxed, his eyes revealing a habitual indifference.

In his view, the disputes between legitimate and illegitimate children in high-ranking families, and the quarrels and comparisons among women, were commonplace and not worth his interference.

He even felt that if Ruan Tianxin had been sensible and avoided the situation on her own, none of this would have happened.

Song Yiqiu took in all of this and gently straightened her cuffs.

Just as Ruan Tianxin was feeling utterly humiliated and tears were about to spill from her eyes, a figure calmly stepped between them, standing in front of Ruan Tianxin.

Ruan Tianxin felt the light dim in front of her, and when she looked up and saw the person's profile, her tear-filled eyes suddenly brightened:

"Yi... Sister Yiqiu?"

Song Yiqiu didn't look at her immediately, her gaze sweeping indifferently over the group of exquisitely made-up ladies in front of her:

"This bamboo grove is serene and secluded, with a babbling mountain spring; the scenery is truly beautiful. But I wonder if you're all gathered here to admire the scenery, or... to admire the people?"

When Song Sangyu saw Song Yiqiu, she was first taken aback, then her face showed undisguised disgust:

"Song Yiqiu? What are you doing here? Who sent you?"

Her tone was sharp, as if Song Yiqiu were some kind of filthy thing that would defile this elegant place.

Song Yiqiu then slowly turned her gaze to Song Sangyu, raising an eyebrow:

"My third brother brought me here. What, is there some rule at this poetry gathering that forbids me, Song Yiqiu, from even stepping inside?"

"you!"

Song Sang was speechless, then snorted coldly and turned her face away.

A noblewoman who was on good terms with Ruan Jiawen couldn't help but speak up for her:

“Miss Song is kind-hearted, coming to stand up for a concubine’s daughter. But the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children is a matter of etiquette and rules, and should not be confused. Since she is a concubine’s daughter, she should abide by her proper place. Wearing such over-the-top clothes will only make her a laughing stock.”

Upon hearing this, Song Yiqiu softly said, "Oh?", her tone rising slightly.

"The hierarchy of legitimate and illegitimate children? I didn't know that a person's worth was determined entirely by their birth?"

"If we follow this logic, then if the soldiers who kill the enemy and make meritorious contributions on the battlefield come from humble backgrounds, are their achievements worthless? Nowadays, the court is gradually valuing talent and learning rather than solely relying on family background when selecting officials."

"You all keep talking about legitimate and illegitimate children. Do you think that the rules passed down from our ancestors are superior to the current emperor's wisdom?"

These words carried great weight, and the noble ladies dared not respond for a moment.

Song Sangyu played to her true colors, triggering her passive ability and attempting to muddy the waters:

"Sister, why go so far afield! If you say that legitimate and illegitimate children are useless, then if it's based on ability, wouldn't everyone be qualified to inherit the title and the business?"

"Could it be that I might also be allowed to compete for the title that rightfully belongs to you?"

Her words, seemingly self-deprecating, were actually a trap set for Song Yiqiu, implying that she was denying her right to inherit.

Sure enough, a murmur arose from the crowd, mostly favoring Song Sangyu:

"Miss Sang Yu is truly outspoken, daring to say anything; she certainly has a genuine personality..."

“I think so too. Although it’s blunt, it makes sense. If you’re so capable, give up the title. You’re just being hypocritical after getting something for nothing.”

"Exactly. If we don't distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children, wouldn't everything in the world fall into chaos?"