Chapter Seventy-Seven: A Dog Relying on Its Master's Power

As Song Qingming listened, his gaze swept between the weeping Song Shenshi and the righteous Yun Yiniang, and he snorted coldly:

"Hmph! How dare you talk about others? Look at how you run this household! You're not even as good as a concubine!"

"How long has Yunniang been in charge of some affairs? The three girls she trained, Sanchun, Ruoling, and Ziyu, are all well-behaved. If you really can't manage them, you might as well hand over all the power to Yunniang! That way, you won't be able to spoil such a wretched child!"

Song Shenshi was so choked by these words that her face turned pale. She bit her lip tightly and glared at Aunt Yun with resentment, but dared not say anything more, for fear that even the last bit of her rights would be taken away.

Just then, the second brother, Song Wenbin, rushed in in a panic, his clothes disheveled.

His collar was slightly open, and there was an ambiguous red mark on his neck. He exuded a strong fragrance.

He glanced at the scene before him, and was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud, his fat jiggling three times:

"Father! Father, please calm down! My elder brother was just confused for a moment! Please forgive him this time!"

The father was already furious, and seeing his father's expression only fueled his anger:

"Look at you! What kind of behavior is this? You spend all your time hanging around those shady places, your clothes are disheveled, what kind of manners are you!"

Just then, Fourth Brother Song Yutang strolled in from outside. He was radiant and had a smile on his face, clearly having just come from the casino and won another sum of money.

Song Sangye, with her sharp eyes, immediately moved closer:

"Fourth Brother, judging from your appearance, you've won money again?"

Song Yutang patted his chest triumphantly, his voice booming:

"Of course! When has your fourth brother ever lost? I always win a little, hehe."

Upon seeing this, the father became even more furious:

"Win, win, win! All you know is gambling! What else can you do besides that?"

Song Yutang quickly suppressed his smile and said in a serious tone:

“Father, you can’t say that. Gambling… is also a skill! Look, didn’t I win some money? Perfect, didn’t my elder brother embezzle the treasury’s silver? What I won can be used to cover the deficit! I guarantee not a penny less!”

Upon hearing this, Song Tianhan, who was kneeling on the ground, was overjoyed and excitedly said:

"That's great! Fourth brother! You really are my good brother! I still have to rely on you in times of need!"

Seeing this scene, Song Qingming, the father, felt a lump in his throat, unable to breathe.

He's already been punished, he's already been scolded, and now there's a way out. If he insists on imposing a heavy punishment, it would seem unreasonable.

He snorted heavily and didn't say anything.

Song Sangyu's eyes darted around, and she immediately put on a smiling face to chime in:

“Father, since Fourth Brother has this intention and is able to solve the current problem, it's clear that gambling... well, it can sometimes come in handy. Eldest Brother has already realized his mistake and received family punishment, so why not let him make amends and recuperate properly?”

Song Qingming dismounted smoothly and gave the order:

"Since you, Fourth Brother, are willing to cover the deficit, then so be it! But Song Tianhan has behaved improperly, neglected his duties, and disgraced the family. He shall receive ten lashes of family discipline, not one less!"

"After this beating, get back to your own courtyard and confine yourself to reflect on your actions! I will ask the Ministry of War for a month's leave for you. During this month, you should lie in bed and think things through!"

Although he ultimately received ten lashes of family discipline, leaving Song Tianhan grimacing and unable to get out of bed properly for half a month, at least his life and future were temporarily saved.

Song Yiqiu watched this farce with a cold eye from beginning to end, finding their hypocritical display of familial affection both ironic and laughable.

Fourth Brother... the biggest time bomb she planted has now been hoisted by their own hands.

She became somewhat interested, wondering if this harmonious family could withstand the eventual explosion of the thunderbolt.

The father stormed off in a huff, and Madam Song quickly gathered the others to help her wailing elder brother leave.

Song Yiqiu found the farce utterly pointless and was about to turn back to her main courtyard when she heard Song Sangyu's delicate and affected voice behind her:

"Wait a minute, Sister Yiqiu."

Bai Mei immediately stepped forward, blocking Song Yiqiu's path, and looked at Song Sangyu, whose smile concealed a knife, her tone becoming unfriendly:

"The matter concerning the eldest young master has been resolved, and our young lady is tired and needs to go back to rest. If the second young lady has any further advice, perhaps we could do it another day?"

Song Sangyu curled her lips into a smile, deliberately bringing up the very thing she didn't want to discuss:

"My sister is becoming more and more imposing these days. She even has to have her personal maid speak for her. If someone didn't know better, they would think that my sister is so arrogant that even I, her younger sister, am not worthy to speak to her directly."

Hearing her sarcastic remarks, Qingzhu couldn't help but speak up:

"The Second Miss's logic is truly peculiar. It's just an ordinary question, but to the Second Miss, it's like a huge disrespect."

"Anyone who doesn't know better would think that the Second Miss is a princess in the palace, who needs to be fawned over by everyone at all times, and if she says something that doesn't suit their taste, they'll label her as unworthy?"

"How dare you speak to the Second Miss like that!"

Seeing this, Liu Ye, Song Sangyu's personal maid, stepped forward and raised her hand to strike Qingzhu in order to show her loyalty.

Bai Mei reacted swiftly, grabbing Liu Ye's wrist. The sharp pain caused Liu Ye's face to change instantly.

Bai Mei scoffed:

"Oh, this maidservant next to the Second Miss has quite a temper. She wants to hit someone after only a few words? Who gave you that rule?"

Liu Ye cried out in pain in her wrist:

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Song Yiqiu then gave a light scoff and glanced indifferently at Song Sangyu:

“Sister, if you have something to say, just say it directly. If you keep pulling and tugging here, people who don’t know any better will think that you want to set up a stage and put on a show in front of the ancestral hall.”

Master and servant sang in unison, and the group joined in instantly.

Song Sangyu's face turned ashen for a moment, but she quickly composed herself, raised her chin, and adopted a haughty demeanor:

"Sister Yiqiu, you should be more mindful of your image. It's only because of the big fuss surrounding your brother that things have been covered up today. Otherwise, given what you've done, you'd be in for a severe beating from the family! Do you know what people are saying about you now?"

She covered her mouth, but her voice rose.

"Everyone says you, Song Yiqiu, are a lewd and vulgar woman, actually taking your maid to the Nanfeng Pavilion. Is that the kind of place a noble lady of our status should set foot in?"

Liu Ye immediately chimed in, speaking sarcastically:

"Exactly! Our young lady has lived in the capital for so many years, upholding the virtues and precepts of womanhood, and has never set foot in such filthy places. Unlike some people, who, having just returned from the frontier, couldn't wait to rush into those kinds of places, and whose bodies are still questionable!"

As they talked, they started spreading pornographic rumors.

Song Yiqiu's eyes suddenly turned cold. Before she could speak again, Bai Mei received her signal and slapped Liu Ye hard across the face!

Snap!