Upon hearing this, Granny Wu, who was standing next to Song Xizhi, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Looking at the old lady of the Song family, she is actually quite adorable."
Hearing the commotion inside, Song Xizhi couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile.
The pills she holds in her hand now represent her life. How could someone as selfish as Madam Song, who cherishes her life so much, not be lovable?
As Song Xizhi was thinking, he caught a glimpse of Song Juncai kneeling in the corner, his eyes darting around restlessly. He was rubbing his aching thigh and seemed eager to stand up.
Song Xizhi stared at him intently, then raised an eyebrow slightly and walked up to him again: "Father? Grandmother instructed you to stay with her, is it because you can't stay?"
Song Xizhi's words were like a small mountain pressing down on Song Juncai, making him grit his teeth in hatred.
Filial piety is of paramount importance; this was clearly a tactic he had used to scheme against Song Xizhi, yet now she had managed to retort to it in this way.
The key point is that that old hag really only dotes on this wretched girl.
That wretched girl is just a bully, using a trifle as a weapon!
But as an official in the imperial court, he was truly afraid of Song Xizhi's words. So even though Song Juncai felt sore and tired, and was furious and unwilling, he could only speak to her in a kind and gentle tone:
“Girl, didn’t you hear the noise inside? Your father is worried and wants to go in and check…”
Although Song Juncai's face still carried the dignity of a father, he spoke softly and gently, with a kind expression he had never shown in his life.
Song Xizhi nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite: "Oh, so Father is worried about Grandmother..."
Song Juncai's eyes lit up, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He felt even the fatigue in his body dissipate considerably, and he nodded hurriedly:
"Yes, Zhi'er, that's it! Your father and sister will go in together and see if there's anything we can do to help."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Song Xizhi's gentle voice continued: "Father, this is a small matter. Since you are worried, I will go and take a look for you."
Song Xizhi's words made Song Juncai and Song Ruoan's expressions stiffen again.
Song Juncai could no longer bear it. Seeing Song Xizhi turn to leave, he hurriedly reached out and grabbed the hem of her skirt, his tone pleading:
"Zhi'er, I was wrong to you before. I know I was wrong. I will never have any grudges against you again..."
Upon hearing this, Song Xizhi shook her head slightly, her voice still gentle: "When have my father and I ever had any rift?"
These words were so warm and comforting that they brought a touch of warmth back to Song Juncai's weary heart. He pursed his lips and pointed to the chair where Song Xizhi had sat in the distance:
"Go inside and take a look; those chairs are just sitting there empty anyway..."
Song Xizhi nodded in sudden realization: "Oh, so that's what Father meant. You should have said so earlier!"
Song Juncai finally heard what he wanted to hear, and was moved to tears. But then Song Xizhi changed the subject: "Since that chair was empty anyway, let Granny Wu sit on it. It will also be a good opportunity for her to fulfill my grandmother's instructions and keep an eye on Father and Sister."
After saying this, Song Xizhi turned around and went into the inner bedroom without hesitation, while Wu Mama said "I dare not, I dare not" and sat down on the chair in a cowardly manner.
Kneeling on the spot, Song Juncai felt the pain all over his body and was so angry that his eyes were about to burst, and smoke was even coming out of his head.
While rubbing her knees, Song Ruoan felt an overwhelming sense of grievance that threatened to consume her. She spoke with tears welling up in her eyes, "Father, why is Grandmother acting like she's under a spell, doting on my sister so much that she doesn't even care about her own son?"
She really couldn't understand why she was the one being punished to kneel in the Marquis of Anding's mansion. She thought she could trample Song Xizhi underfoot in the Song mansion, but she was the one being punished to kneel.
When Song Xizhi led Siqin to the door of the inner bedroom, they both stopped in their tracks upon smelling the overwhelming stench inside.
The two of them each swallowed a calming pill before slowly stepping inside.
As soon as I entered, I saw Zhao Qianlan holding a chamber pot that she had painstakingly cleaned, her face pale as she stared at the bed, trembling with anger.
Her cuffs were completely soaked, her once neat sideburns were now sticking haphazardly to her temples, and even her ten fingers were frozen red and she couldn't straighten them at all.
When Zhao Qianlan saw Song Xizhi, she trembled even more violently, biting her lips so hard they seemed to bleed.
Today she is determined to poison this old woman, so that Song Xizhi will suffer a fate worse than death and have his reputation ruined!
But now she has to live a life worse than that of pigs and dogs, washing chamber pots and serving excrement in the dead of winter!
She had lived a life of luxury and had never suffered such hardship. These were things that should have been done by a lowly servant like Song Xizhi!
Before she could even speak, she heard a reprimand beside her, and saw Old Madam Song on the bed looking at her with her triangular eyes:
"You don't even know to wash and wipe after you poop? Even an animal doesn't need me to tell it what to do."
The stench was unbearable, but Zhao Qianlan could only wipe away her tears and silently serve Old Madam Song as she cleaned her body, changed into new clothes, and then took the dirty clothes out to wash.
By the time she finished washing these things, it was already midnight. Zhao Qianlan was so exhausted that she could barely stand up straight after washing just a few clothes. She had thought that even if the old woman had a lot of energy, she would be asleep by midnight.
But little did anyone know that Madam Song was deliberately trying to torment her. No one knew what Song Xizhi had fed her, but she was full of energy, her eyes wide open.
Before Zhao Qianlan could even warm up in the inner bedroom, the old lady on the bed started yelling that she needed to urinate again.
Zhao Qianlan's lips trembled as she hurriedly brought over the chamber pot, managing a weak smile: "Mother, the chamber pot wasn't taken away, your daughter-in-law will help you urinate now."
But Madam Song, supporting Song Xizhi's hand, slowly got up from the bed: "This old woman needs to go to the outhouse to urinate."
Zhao Qianlan's face paled, and she looked at her blankly, but Old Madam Song's harsh eyes became even more piercing: "Do you want me to die? Are you deliberately preventing me from even going to the outhouse?"
As she spoke, she slapped her thigh again, complaining, "You want me dead! You want me dead!"
"Zhizhi, tomorrow you go and invite the clan elders and tell them that this wicked woman abused me at my bedside and wanted me to drink the Meng Po soup. I will make her drown in a pig cage! Drown in a pig cage! And I will find Juncai a good second wife!"
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