Chapter 64 The Prodigal Brother (Part 4): The Merchant's Son's Path to Becoming a King of a Different Surname...
"Damn it, utterly despicable! How could I, your master, have given birth to such a wretched child! I think he was born to collect debts!"
After returning to Concubine Wen's room, Master Song paced back and forth in anger, his face contorted with rage. He muttered repeatedly, "Damn it, damn it! That useless old woman! How could she not even handle such a simple matter! And she got caught red-handed! I'm so angry!"
"Oh dear, sir, even if you're angry, you can't take it out on perfectly good things!" A soft, melodious voice drifted from outside. Master Song looked closely and saw that it was Concubine Wen, who had changed into a light pink dress. She scolded him and reached out her delicate hand to take the object that Master Song was about to smash.
"Hmph! What could a woman from a secluded household like you know?" Master Song had no interest at the moment, and waved his hand impatiently, snorting.
Although his wife was generous and proper, she had been guarding against him like a thief for the past two years. He had only lost a few shops, so what? If she were willing to lend him her money to win back his losses, he would have already paid her back ten or eight shops! But now? He had no money and was restricted in every way. A few days ago, he had borrowed eight hundred taels of silver from a friend, but the gambling den they went to that day had bad feng shui, and he lost it all before he could even enjoy himself.
That friend was good-natured; he only made him sign an IOU, agreeing to repay the principal and interest in a month, or else he would be in big trouble.
He'd been so worried lately he'd lost a lot of hair. He'd finally managed to get Zhao Mama to find out where his wife's dowry was. If he could just get his hands on those land deeds and silver notes, pay off the debts, and then quickly recoup his losses, wouldn't the family have everything they needed? He only hated his wife for being so stubborn, foolishly clinging to these properties. And now? He'd thought Zhao Mama would get everything, but who would have thought she'd be so useless, causing such a mess that the whole household knew about!
Seeing Master Song's anger, Aunt Wen remained unperturbed. With a smile, she gently set aside the items in her hands, poured a cup of warm tea, and gracefully walked to Master Song's side. She presented the teacup to him and said coquettishly, "Master, please calm down. It wouldn't be worth getting sick over the young master. In my opinion, although Zhao Mama made a mistake today, it may not be all bad."
Upon hearing this, Master Song snorted coldly: "I think you've lost your mind. What good could there possibly be in this?"
“Master, you’re so confused! After this incident, can’t you see whose scheme this is?” Aunt Wen said softly.
"You mean, this matter is Madam's... no, that's not right. Madam is currently bedridden and weak. How could she have the leisure to meddle in such trivial matters?" After thinking for a moment, Master Song suddenly grabbed Aunt Wen's hand: "You're not talking about that wretched child, are you?"
“Master, why don’t you think about why the eldest young master arrives so quickly whenever the madam mentions catching a thief in her courtyard?” Aunt Wen pulled Master Song to sit on a chair, and leaned against him. “I’ve also heard that the eldest young master has been frequently summoning Steward Wen for questioning these past few days, but I don’t know what they’ve been talking about.”
"No wonder...no wonder Steward Wen arrived so quickly with the guards as soon as the incident happened! I was wondering what such a coincidence could be!" Master Song gritted his teeth, his face grim.
"I didn't say anything." Aunt Wen's actions became bolder. She gently stroked Master Song's chest. "Master, the eldest son is, after all, your eldest son. Please don't let this upset you."
"Could it be... that wretched creature already knows?" Master Song paused, as if struck by lightning, his mind blank, and he murmured unconsciously.
"Master," Concubine Wen whispered in Master Song's ear, her breath sweet as orchids, "what do you know?"
Upon hearing this, Master Song roughly squeezed Aunt Wen's soft waist and said, "That's a matter for us men. It's not your place to ask. Don't pry."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Wen smiled gently, obediently nestled in Master Song's arms, and wisely kept quiet, not pressing the matter further...
The next morning, Song Yu led Le Yun and Le Chun to Song Ce's courtyard. Just then, Steward Wen sent a servant to deliver breakfast, so the brother and sister decided to have breakfast together in the courtyard.
"Brother, this jujube flower cake is Yu'er's favorite. Here, have a taste." Song Yu took the jujube flower cake and smiled, looking up at him.
"Good Yu'er." After eating a small piece, Song Ce patted the top of her head: "Yu'er, go back to your courtyard and play for a while. I'll come to see you after I'm done with my work, okay?"
"Okay! Yu'er will wait for her brother." Song Yu replied obediently.
After the brother and sister finished breakfast, Song Ce personally led Song Yu back and instructed Le Yun and Le Chun to take good care of Song Yu.
After Song Ce returned to his courtyard, Mo Yan quickly ran in from outside, "Young Master, Master said you should go to the main hall of the main house as soon as possible."
"Where is Madam? Is she in the main hall?" Song Ce asked, his mind racing as the events of the previous night flashed through his mind.
“Madam is here too!” Mo Yan replied.
"Walk!"
When Song Ce arrived at the main hall, he bowed to Master Song and Madam Song, who were seated at the head of the table, and said, "Father, Mother, your son has arrived."
"Hmm," Master Song replied indifferently, "Please sit down."
Seeing that all the masters had arrived, Steward Wen gave the order with great tact. Soon, Zhao Mama was bound hand and foot and forced to kneel in the middle of the room.
“Mama Zhao, you have been in this household for many years, and I have never treated you badly. Why would you commit such a despicable act of theft?” Madam Song’s expression was much better than it had been in the past few days. She could not hide her anger as she looked at the terrified Mama Zhao and asked.
Upon hearing this, Zhao's mother knelt on the ground, her head bowed low. Her body trembled slightly as she cried, "Madam, I was blinded by greed and made a mistake. I beg you, Madam, to forgive me this time!"
Master Song, seated at the head of the table, appeared angry, but a hint of barely perceptible panic lurked in his eyes. He had sent men to check on Zhao Mama before dawn, but both guards turned them away, saying that the madam had ordered no one to have contact with her.
If their indentures weren't out of his hands, he would have kicked these clueless servants out of the manor long ago!
Master Song glanced at Zhao Mama and cleared his throat: "Zhao Mama, tell me honestly, how many times have you stolen from Madam?" From an angle where no one could see, he secretly winked at Zhao Mama. Meanwhile, Song Ce, who had been keeping a close eye on Master Song, naturally noticed as well.
Upon seeing this, Zhao's mother was startled. She subconsciously looked up at Master Song, only to find him staring at her with cold eyes, the threat in his gaze self-evident.
She steeled her heart and kowtowed again, saying, "My lord, please understand. I... I only stole it this once. I usually keep a close eye on Madam's every move, and it took me about a month to find out where Madam's dowry is."
Song Ce smiled: "Then tell me, is someone behind your back instigating you?"
"No...no. Young Master, this was all my own idea, no one else did it," Zhao's mother said anxiously.
When Mr. Song saw that Madam Song's face was not good, he was startled and quickly said with a smile, "Madam, in my opinion, she must have been blinded by money. Even if we interrogate her carefully, we won't get anything out of her." His urgency was actually because he wanted to end the matter as soon as possible, fearing that something else might happen.
"Very well." Madam Song frowned slightly, her gaze shifting between Master Song and Zhao Mama before continuing, "Since that's the case, then let's do as Master says. Last night, Master said how he planned to deal with her?"
Master Song subconsciously looked away, deliberately avoiding seeing Zhao Mama's secretly relieved expression. He turned to Steward Wen and ordered in a tone that everyone present could hear, "Zhao Mama has committed such a heinous act of theft. My wife and I have already decided that we don't need to send her to the authorities. Just give her fifty strokes of the cane as punishment and then kick her out of the mansion."
When he said "there's no need to hand it over to the authorities," Master Song emphasized his words, as if he were stressing something.
But at this moment, Zhao's mother, kneeling on the ground, had no mind to think about these trivial matters. Her mind was filled with thoughts of "fifty strokes." If she really had to take those fifty strokes, would she still be alive?
The more she thought about it, the paler Zhao's mother's face became.
Master Song had been keeping a close eye on Madam Song, so he had no time to concern himself with the scheming thoughts of an old woman. He glanced at Madam Song subconsciously and, seeing that her expression was still not good, gritted his teeth and personally ordered, "Go, summon all the maids and servants in the mansion and let them see for themselves what kind of fate awaits a treacherous and thieving servant."
"Master, where shall the execution be carried out?" Steward Wen asked respectfully.
"Hmph! Right here in the main courtyard, give him a good beating! Fifty strokes, not a single stroke less!" Master Song said.
"Master, you can't do this! If I were to receive fifty lashes, would I even survive? If only..." Zhao Mama tried to plead further, but Master Song directly ordered, "Gag her! Beat her to death!"
Zhao's mother made muffled noises, her hands desperately reaching forward as if trying to grasp at a sliver of life. Master Song took a step back, his face contorted with disgust: "Drag her away! Get out of the way!"
Not long after the servants dragged Zhao's mother away, sounds came from the main courtyard, one painful scream after another, which clearly reached the central hall.
Master Song paced back and forth in the main hall, looking somewhat uneasy, glancing into the courtyard every now and then. Song Ce's lips curled slightly upward as he slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip of warm tea, and then said with utmost respect, "Father, you seem rather agitated. Could it be that you have handled this matter improperly?"
"Hehe." Master Song chuckled twice when he heard Song Ce's words: "What are you talking about? It's just dealing with an old woman who stole something. What's wrong with that?" Although he said that, his hand unconsciously clenched his sleeve.
“What you say is true, sir.” Madam Song got up and went to the main courtyard. She walked up to Zhao Mama, whose face was contorted in pain, and said condescendingly, “According to what you say, if we don’t let Zhao Mama establish our authority today, who knows how many troubles will arise in the mansion in the future. You all open your eyes and take a good look. If you anger the master, this is what will happen.”
Master Song, who had followed them all the way, naturally didn't find anything wrong with these words. He was the head of this household, and these servants should naturally respect, fear, and be afraid of him.
“Mother,” Song Ce, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke up, “For some reason, I feel that there is something strange about this matter.”
Upon hearing this, Master Song glared at Song Ce and said impatiently, "The evidence is conclusive, what else could be strange? Stop worrying about this!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao's mother, who was lying on the bench, seemed to be enraged. Her face turned bright red, and she mumbled something like she wanted to devour someone, struggling with all her might. Master Song seemed startled, then turned away, unable to bear watching any longer.
Just as Zhao Mama was struggling more and more fiercely, Le Yun rushed in from outside the courtyard in a panic and knelt down in front of Madam Song and Song Ce with a "thump," her voice filled with urgent sobs: "Madam, young master, something terrible has happened!"
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Author's Note: Cutting ties with the scumbag father is in progress~ 20% complete~
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