"I remember it all very clearly: at the Shen family banquet, Song Mao forced the Third Miss to admit her mistake in order to protect the Second Miss Song."
"Selfish and heartless, it's no wonder the princess is heartbroken."
"Luckily, he's not my biological child."
As one derogatory remark after another reached his ears, Song Mao's face turned pale and then flushed. He gritted his teeth and said, "I was also deceived back then, but the princess never gave me a kind look. Now that her own son has returned, she's throwing a grand banquet and making such a big fuss. Isn't this all just for show?"
"Mao-ge'er!" Fan Lianyi panicked and quickly tugged at Song Mao's sleeve: "Don't talk nonsense."
Song Mao's eyes reddened with anger, and he said recklessly, "For the past thirteen years, I have been the subject of gossip in the Duke of Jingguo's mansion. I have never even seen my own mother. I finally managed to bring her back, but she is unwilling to cooperate with my wedding ceremony. I am still a child, what wrong have I done?"
Song Mao had been keeping these words in his heart for a long time, and today he was going to take this opportunity to expose Princess Jia Hua's hypocrisy.
"Ever since you came back, you haven't given me a single kind word. You only know how to pamper Song Yue. Have you ever thought that I was also a child who grew up step by step? Don't you owe me anything?"
Song Mao shouted in a hoarse voice.
Song Yue could only frown upon hearing this. How could there be such shameless people in the world? She tried to move, but Princess Jia Hua held her down.
"Are you finished?" Princess Jiahua asked back.
Song Mao, with great emotion, shed tears, his eyes red as he looked at Princess Jia Hua with a wronged expression.
Princess Jiahua cleared her throat: "You were already seven years old when you came to the Duke's mansion. You were old enough to remember things. You took my son's place without a care in the world and enjoyed wealth and luxury for thirteen years. My youngest daughter was almost burned to death in the other courtyard. She was starving and cold. What's wrong with me protecting her more after I came back?"
"On the day I returned to the manor, it happened to be your wedding day. I ask you, how did you treat me when I, your own mother, was present?"
Princess Jiahua angrily rebuked: "You sit in the main hall, and my seat has been taken by someone else. You remain indifferent. I didn't want to make things difficult for you, so I didn't pursue the matter. In the end, you even accused me first. For so many years, you have had no worries about food and clothing and have been taught by famous teachers. Have you ever thought about going to the other courtyard to see what kind of life your own sister is living? You recognize the enemy as your mother, protect your half-sister, draw your sword against your own sister, and open your mouth to slander. Isn't this the truth?"
"If I had not found my son today, I would never have allowed such an ungrateful and shameless person as you to inherit the Duke's mansion!"
Princess Jia Hua had kept these words to herself for a long time.
She laughed: "When I learned that you were not my biological child, I was overjoyed and grateful that God had been kind to me."
These words are absolutely devastating.
The reason I look down on Song Mao has nothing to do with whether he's my biological son or not; it's because Song Mao has character flaws.
Song Mao's face turned deathly pale.
"You monopolized my dowry and bullied my younger sister. I have tolerated you countless times."
“But she’s just a woman, how can she compare to me?” Song Mao blurted out the question.
Princess Jia Hua sneered repeatedly: "Still so stubborn! You're beyond saving!"
As soon as he finished speaking, news came from outside that Prince Jing had arrived.
The crowd quickly made way for them.
A man in a black robe, whose face bore a striking resemblance to Princess Jia Hua, approached step by step. His expression was tense, and anger surfaced in his gentle eyes.
"This is Prince Jing!"
"As expected of the princess's eldest son, he is indeed handsome. Just standing there is enough to make everyone else pale in comparison."
Song Mao stood there. He had always been proud of his appearance and had always wanted to compare himself with Song Zhen. But as soon as Song Zhen appeared, Song Mao knew he had lost.
It has nothing to do with identity.
Song Zhen's every move exuded elegance and nobility, the air of a refined young nobleman.
As for appearance, Song Zhen is extremely good-looking and stands out from the crowd.
"Mother," Song Zhen called out, cupping her hands in greeting.
Princess Jia Hua personally helped the person up, saying, "My son, there's no need for such formalities."
Song Zhen straightened up, his gaze level with Song Mao's.
One is like the bright moon in the sky, gentle and elegant, while the other is furious and like a clown; they are simply incomparable.
“You…” Song Mao was about to speak when Song Zhen ignored him.
Song Zhen's gaze fell on Song Kaifeng.
When Song Kaifeng saw Song Zhen, he was not happy, but looked like he had seen a ghost.
"It's not surprising that people look alike. How can the princess be so sure that this is her own son? Don't let it turn out that she's mistaken again." Song Mao snorted.
Princess Jia Hua looked at Song Mao with venomous eyes, which made Song Mao's legs go weak. He subconsciously took two steps back and muttered fearlessly, "I was just reminding the princess. After all, the princess didn't realize I wasn't her biological son back then."
Song Zhen smiled slightly: "I started my education at the age of three. My mother personally taught me the Four Books and Five Classics. When I was four, I was naughty and fell off a rockery, leaving a scar on my arm."
He lifted his sleeve, and sure enough, there was a crescent-shaped mark on his slender arm.
The old lady exclaimed excitedly, "Yes, it is indeed a crescent moon mark."
Song Zhen continued, "When I was six years old, I entered school and was taught by the head teacher. The first article I wrote was about parting."
Song Zhen's gaze fell on Song Kaifeng: "You said that it's not a good thing for a young child to be so worried, and advised me to be more magnanimous. When I was seven years old, my mother left the mansion. I knelt in the Moyuxuan for three days and three nights, begging you not to send my third sister away. You found a Taoist priest who said that my third sister's fate was unfortunate and extremely difficult to raise. She needed to be sent away from the mansion to be raised. You had someone pull me out and lock me up. I was worried, so I crawled out of the dog hole and followed her all the way, taking my third sister away from the other courtyard. I was caught, and you made me kneel in the ancestral hall for a whole month to wear down my character. I talked back to you, and you believed Yuan Shi's words and wanted to send me to the other courtyard. It was Aunt Han who pleaded for me, so I was allowed to stay in the mansion for the time being. But later, I fell ill."
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