"I suspect that Xiao Lin's trip to the outer courtyard, Nanny Hai's request for you to work there, and even Baochun's visit to the eldest young master's courtyard, are all due to the Bai family."
Song Chengze put down the teapot and asked, "Are you saying that these were all ideas from the Bai and Lin families?"
"Well, I guess so. Otherwise, how could Xiao Lin and Madam Hai, who used to have a bad relationship in the inner palace, become so close now? I heard that Xiao Lin would go to the eldest young master's yard every now and then to check on him, and Madam Hai would always accompany her. I think the prince knows a thing or two about how Xiao Lin treated the eldest young master in the past, especially when he was still living in Huamu Garden. I'm afraid she treated him with more care than concern, right?"
Seeing Song Chengze's obvious self-blame, Meng Qi added, "Of course, maybe I misunderstood. It's not that the prince doesn't care about the eldest young master, it's just that Xiao Lin hid it too well."
Song Chengze smiled bitterly and shook his head. "You don't have to explain. I know all this is because of me. To be honest, if you hadn't married in and reminded me of Brother Mo's situation, I probably wouldn't have taken it seriously and would have thought of moving him to the outer courtyard after he turned ten. But just looking at how much Brother Mo has improved in just a short time, and how different he is from the past few years, I know this is the right thing to do. I really trusted Xiao Lin too much in the past."
He chuckled coldly, "Actually, I'm truly incompetent. Whether as a husband or a father, I've been able to offer them too little. Just like the ones you've discovered, from Li Mancang to Ms. Zhang, and now the Bai family. Haha, I used to think the inner quarters of this palace were relatively peaceful. I always thought that by feeding and clothing them well, I was doing them justice. I never imagined that I was actually a failure, at least in some aspects."
Meng Qi suddenly felt a pang of pain in her throat as she looked at Song Chengze's clean, white right hand, placed on the table. His fingernails shone with a healthy sheen in the candlelight. She remembered the feeling of Song Chengze holding her hand with that hand: so dry, so warm, so strong, yet so gentle.
As if by some strange coincidence, Meng Qi reached out and held Song Chengze's hand. Song Chengze paused for a moment, a throbbing sensation he had never felt before washing over him. He looked up in surprise, meeting Meng Qi's bright eyes, which were filled with deep worry and heartache.
"It's not your fault. Even if you are, it's because your situation doesn't allow you to focus more on the inner chambers. The premise for you to ensure they are well-fed and well-clothed, without any worries, is that you have to work hard outside, calculating, maneuvering, and even pretending to be a snake. It's already very difficult for you to manage the palace to this point. You have no help, and everything has been achieved step by step by yourself, and you have to walk steadily and forcefully. Only in this way can you have followers, and only in this way can they follow you with confidence.
"So, you've done well. We've said before that people are all made of flesh and blood, and their hearts can change. Whether it's the temptation of profit or the helplessness of being forced, we can't expect everyone to maintain their original intentions, especially when your abilities are not strong enough, or when they haven't seen your true strength. You have to allow yourself to make mistakes and allow yourself to be imperfect. Fortunately, whether it's Li Mancang, Ms. Zhang, or the Bai family, these are all things we can control and even use."
Song Chengze looked into Meng Qi's sincere eyes and listened to her words without any sarcasm. Suddenly, he felt that the depression he had just felt disappeared.
Song Chengze turned his palm up and clasped it tightly with Meng Qi's. He lowered his head and stared at the two clasped hands, saying softly, "I understand what you mean. There are disappointments and sadness. I believe I have done my best for all of them, no matter which one. Since they chose to betray me, I will not be soft-hearted. You can plan with confidence. If you don't need it anymore, just tell me and I will handle it. Don't let them dirty your hands."
Meng Qi felt warm in his heart, but at the same time he sighed slightly. After all, he was the emperor's son, and he had come through blood and rain. The sigh was only for a moment, and he would not be soft-hearted when making a decision.
Meng Qi felt that Song Chengze was holding her hand a little too tightly. She tried to break free, but failed. Seeing that he was still looking at their hands, Meng Qi gave up the idea.
"There's another person, I'm afraid he might have problems too."
After hearing this, Song Chengze collected his wandering thoughts, said "oh" and did not respond. It seemed that he was no longer as surprised as he was at the beginning about the monsters and demons that Meng Qi kept discovering in the inner house.
Meng Qi thought for a moment and said softly, "I'm afraid this person will surprise you even more."
Song Chengze felt Meng Qi's strength in wanting to withdraw her hand, and after thinking for a moment, he gently let go. "You said, I can bear it."
"Yes, it's Madam Hai."
"What?" Song Chengze raised his head suddenly. "She? How could it be? Who does she belong to?"
"I don't know who she belongs to, because I just found some clues, but it is true that she must be doing something for someone else." After Meng Qi finished speaking, she looked at Song Chengze's stunned expression and slowly told him what Wang Chenghai had found out in the afternoon.
This time, Song Chengze was completely upset. He trusted Madam Hai more than Xiao Lin, and even the Lin and Gong families. He had never doubted Madam Hai at all.
She, Li, and Zhang Chengde were the first to serve him. No one knew better than these three how difficult his life was in the palace. Whenever he was bullied by his brothers, especially when he came back injured, Nanny Hai would cry and apply medicine to him, cursing those who bullied him but feeling powerless to do anything.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
