Chapter 47: Uncle San is Uncle San, and A Ru is A Ru
Song Ru felt as if she had fallen into a beautiful dream. She ate piece after piece of cake, and her hungry stomach became fuller.
Song Tangning knew that she usually ate little, so she didn't dare give her too much. After the two small plates of snacks were empty, she saw the tea boiling on the small stove. She scooped some into the cup and placed it in front of Song Ru: "The snacks are too dry, drink some tea to moisten them."
"Thank you, Second Sister."
Song Ru's cheeks flushed slightly, making her look less pale.
Holding the teacup, she stole a glance at her second sister across from her. She had medicine on her face and her dress was not as gorgeous as before, but for some reason she seemed much closer to her than the second sister who was laughing and making noises when she saw her through the corner of the wall before.
"Second sister, your face..."
"My face is fine. It will be fine after taking some medicine."
Song Ru said "oh" obediently when she heard that.
Tang Ning looked at her: "How is the mansion now?"
Song Ru hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Grandmother has had a persistent high fever since returning from her injury the day before yesterday. She was feeling better yesterday, but then my eldest aunt started making a scene in the mansion because of my brother's demotion. Grandmother also learned that His Majesty had revoked her imperial decree, and she had another attack last night."
She seemed afraid that Tang Ning would think she was useless, so she held the cup with a gloomy expression.
"I couldn't go to Grandma's house, and my father wouldn't let me attend to her, so I don't know how she's doing right now. I just saw from afar that the courtyard was in chaos, and several doctors had gone. My uncle was smashing cups in the house and scolding my aunt until she cried."
She didn't dare ask anything else.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ning was not surprised that the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau went to the Song family. After all, the fact that Xiao Yan did not allow anyone to treat the Song family had even reached the court. He only wanted a hand from Old Madam Song, and would not give others a chance to talk about him. The people from the Imperial Medical Bureau were all smart people, and they knew that even if the matter was brought to the emperor, they would not offend the Song family openly again.
"Second sister..." Seeing her deep in thought, Song Ru hesitated and asked, "Will you go back?"
Tang Ning raised her eyes and looked at her: "Why do you ask?"
"I..." Her lips moved: "I saw my brother go to your yard."
Tang Ning frowned: "When did it happen?"
Song Ru whispered, "Last night, I couldn't sleep and wanted to digest my food, and then I met my brother and elder sister."
"My brother had drunk quite a bit of wine and was calling your name drunkenly. Then, my eldest sister said something that got him angry and started arguing with her. I was a little worried about them getting into trouble, so I followed them for a while and saw him and my eldest sister go to your yard."
Tang Ning looked at the skinny Song Ru and didn't believe that she would get up in the middle of the night to digest her food. It was most likely that Song Ru had her food withheld again and went to look for food at night, and ended up running into Song Jinxiu and the others.
But what were Song Jinxiu and Song Shulan doing in her Shi'an Garden?
Song Ru obviously didn't often speak ill of others and was very timid. She seemed afraid that Song Tangning would ask further questions, so she put the teacup back on the table after she finished speaking.
"Second sister, I've been out for a long time. It's time to go back."
"I'll ask someone to take you back..."
"Need not."
After Song Ru hastily refused, she saw Tang Ning frowning and quickly explained, "I came out secretly, just to see if Second Sister was okay. The mansion is in chaos right now. If they knew I was in Jiyun Lane, Second Sister would be in trouble."
"I'll be fine if I go back by myself. Second sister, take good care of yourself..." She paused and said, "Thank you for the snacks, second sister."
The little girl spoke in a whisper, and if you didn't pay close attention you wouldn't even be able to hear the thank you she said at the end.
Song Tangning felt that she was too timid and originally wanted someone to send her away, but Song Ru said she was unwilling to do anything. In the end, Tangning had no choice but to let her go.
After Hua Wu sent the person back, her face looked a little strange: "Miss, the Third Lady actually walked here alone, without even a servant by her side."
The Song family is a duke's mansion after all, and all the men and women in the mansion are accompanied by servants. Just like Song Tangning, she originally had two maids, but they were driven out by Song Shulan because they sold their masters to please her. But at least there is still Hua Wu left.
But Song Ru was lucky. There was no one around her.
Song Tangning frowned: "Did anyone follow you?"
"I have told Guard Hang that he will send someone to escort Miss San back. Don't worry, young lady."
Hua Wu helped Tang Ning back to her residence in the backyard. After she took off her coat, she couldn't help but ask:
"Girl, what on earth did the Third Lady come to see you for? We didn't have much contact with her in the past. When you lived in the mansion, you never saw her come to your house. We barely spoke to each other all year round."
The courtyards of the third and second houses were quite far apart, and Song Ru seldom went to other people's courtyards. Hua Wu had only seen Song Ru from afar once during the Mid-Autumn Festival last year.
She reached out to wash the medicine off Tang Ning's face, and while reapplying the medicine, she said, "Could it be that Third Lady is here to help the mansion gather information?"
"Probably not."
Feeling a little stinging on her face, Tang Ning took a breath and said, "She must have heard what people said outside and thought I fainted from vomiting blood, so she came to see me."
Hua Wu's movements were careful, but her expression was filled with doubt: "Would the Third Lady be so kind?"
After applying all the medicine on her face and waiting for the stinging sensation to be covered by the coolness, Hua Wu checked carefully to make sure there were no omissions. Then she came over with a basin of water, wrung out a handkerchief, and helped Tang Ning wipe her face, still muttering to herself.
"The eldest lady was brought back by the Third Master. If the mansion hadn't been in such a mess, the Third Master wouldn't have been in such a mess. It's good enough that the Third Lady didn't help the Third Master, but she even came all the way to see the girl?"
Now the old lady has lost her first-rank imperial title and is only left with the lowest-ranking rank of Ruren. Any woman of noble birth in the capital can be one rank higher than her. The eldest son is even worse off. He was said to have been sent back to the Hanlin Academy to cultivate his character, but His Majesty did not give him any official position.
The Hanlin Academy was where the emperor's heart was, but the eldest son had no place to stand. If he went to the Hanlin Academy, he would have nothing to do and be ridiculed. If he didn't go to the Hanlin Academy, it would mean that he was dissatisfied with the emperor, and he would be humiliated whether he went or not.
Governor Xiao ruined the eldest son's future for his own girl. The Song family probably wants to tear the girl apart now.
Song Tangning said, "Uncle San is Uncle San, and A'ru is A'ru. Besides, she didn't just come to see me."
"Ah?" Hua Wu was confused.
Song Tangning pursed her lips. In her previous life, she had barely gotten along with Song Ru for a while, and she knew her personality.
Song Ru is cowardly and timid. She never dares to go against the wishes of Song Qin and others, but she is also truly kind-hearted.
Just like she knew that she was harmed by Song Jinxiu and others, and they didn't dare to let her out, but they could secretly send her food without telling anyone so that she could live well. She must have seen something when she came here today, and she didn't dare to tell her directly, but was afraid that she didn't know.
Song Jinxiu and Song Shulan probably didn't do anything good when they entered her yard in the middle of the night, or they probably said something bad during their drunken argument.
Song Ru didn't dare to tell her, and was afraid that something might happen to her, so she could only remind her indirectly.
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