Chapter 36 Dying Silently
Jiang Shiyao didn't know what had happened, or why what she saw was different from what everyone else saw.
It's clearly Wu's mother...
No, it's Aunt Wu...
She hugged her knees and curled up on the bed.
Without Fu'er's sweet calls, the room felt strangely empty.
Her chaotic and complicated thoughts made her dizzy and lightheaded.
She closed her eyes and tried hard to recall.
When Wu's mother came to ask her what she wanted to eat that day, was she hallucinating?
wrong.
At first, everyone was sober, and He's mother was clearly referring to Wu's mother.
Her gaze fell on the sewing box, on the cut-out pieces of clothing.
The lunch was wrong, and she was the only one who hadn't slept. It was during that time that the prince's undergarment was made.
The fireworks afterwards were real.
But why is it different again?
Jiang Shiyao suddenly realized that she had fallen into deep doubt.
It seems I really did remember it wrong.
"My wife."
A dark shadow approached the window, and Jiang Shiyao sat up.
Shuangjiang leaned cautiously against the window. "My lady, it is your servant, Shuangjiang."
“Frost’s Descent.” Jiang Shiyao suddenly remembered that night, Frost’s Descent said that the wind was picking up and she needed to go back to get her cloak.
"Frost's Descent, what exactly did you see that night?"
Shuangjiang lowered her voice, "When my wife and daughter were almost drowning, it was Aunt Wu who saved you."
"Everyone around them fainted."
Jiang Shiyao covered her mouth tightly. "Aunt Wu? So, what I said is true!"
Shuangjiang continued, "Now everyone says that my wife has gone mad with jealousy."
"I saw Aunt Wu today when I went to the kitchen to get food for the young lady. I only found out from the head cook that she is Aunt Wu who has been collecting swill for the mansion recently."
Jiang Shiyao's lips trembled, "But now they don't believe me anymore, and Fu'er has been taken away."
Shuangjiang pondered for a moment, then said, "My wife, if anyone wants to force you to your death, why don't you put on a show?"
Jiang Shiyao calmed down, her eyes flickering slightly.
A name popped into my mind.
"During Frost's Descent, find a way to inquire about an old story of the Song family, how the former Aunt Lu of the Song family died."
Song Jiyun wasn't that clever, nor could he have come up with such a way to kill without leaving a trace.
She can't do it.
But someone else can do it.
It's not difficult to find out about the Song family's affairs.
Back then, Song's father favored his concubine over his wife, almost causing his family to be destroyed.
The whole capital city knew about it!
That concubine was strangled by the eldest son of the Song family in the ancestral hall after he returned from his studies.
It is said that the concubine, Lady Lu, acted as if she were insane before her death; some say she was truly insane, while others say she was faking it.
Whether it's true or false, nobody knows.
Anyway, it's an old story from many years ago.
Shuangjiang quietly slipped into the courtyard and told Jiang Shiyao everything she had heard.
Jiang Shiyao seemed to be deep in thought. Last time when she was in the old lady's courtyard, Song's mother suddenly fell ill and mistook her for Aunt Lu.
It seems that Aunt Lu is quite formidable, managing to torment the mistress to such an extent.
Jiang Shiyao clenched her fingers. She wasn't Aunt Lu. When had Zhou Congxian ever favored his concubine over his wife?
Shuangjiang glanced at Jiang Niangzi's face and asked, "Madam, what do you plan to do?"
“If you don’t eat rice every day and only eat pastries, how can you survive for a long time?”
Jiang Shiyao pursed her lips, then leaned close to Shuangjiang's ear, "Spend some money to find some little beggars to go to the Song residence gate..."
Frostfall paused for a moment, then asked, "Will this work?"
Jiang Shiyao handed the expensive and heavy gold bracelet from her wrist to Shuangjiang.
“I don’t know the other members of the Song family, but I do know Song Jiyun.”
Shuangjiang returned the bracelet to her, saying, "My lady, this servant doesn't need it."
"It's just... please take me with you when you leave!"
Jiang Shiyao looked at her.
She pinched her fingertips. "The day you sewed your undergarment, the young master came. When you hid the undergarment, you made a mistake. I saw it and put it back."
Shuangjiang raised her hands and swore, "This servant is now in the same boat as my lady!"
"If someone as smart as you can be harmed like this, then I... I have even less chance of survival!"
Jiang Shiyao opened her mouth and then repeated what She Erniang had told her that day.
"Life outside may not be as good as life here."
Shuangjiang declared resolutely, "If my wife isn't afraid, then I'm even less afraid!"
After saying that, she stood up. "Wait for me!"
*
On the streets, the festive atmosphere of the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration had not yet dissipated.
Every evening, the lights and fireworks are on display.
It was a scene of great prosperity.
Zhou Congxian stood at the crossroads on a tall horse. The princes and envoys were all in the capital, and all the officers and soldiers were patrolling around the clock.
The matter concerning Jiang Shiyao at home is truly strange, but he has no time to deal with it right now.
Wei Xun leaned closer to the prince and whispered, "Your Highness, the capital's yamen says that more than a dozen laborers have died from overwork."
The whole country rejoiced when the Empress Dowager celebrated her birthday.
It also wastes manpower and resources.
A group of little beggars, singing a few lines of lyrics, chased and played as they passed through the bustling city.
Nobody took it seriously.
But the more the song was sung, the more people came, and many theaters began to put up signs and start performing.
Zhou Congxian: "What kind of music is this?"
Wei Xun scratched the back of his head. "I've never seen this play either; I've only heard others talk about it as a love story."
Zhou Congxian shook his head, not taking it to heart.
"Go check on the post station again. That envoy has been coming and going frequently lately. I hope nothing bad happens."
"yes."
A few days after the Empress Dowager's birthday, it was Song Jiyun's birthday.
Although she couldn't have a big celebration this year, she felt that was enough with her older brother and mother by her side.
Most importantly, everyone in the British Duke's mansion now considers Jiang Shiyao to be a madwoman.
Before long, Jiang Shiyao will die quietly, just like Aunt Lu.
"Miss, Aunt Wu is here."
Song Jiyun thought that Aunt Wu had come to deliver good news.
Aunt Wu bowed respectfully. "Miss, they said that Madam Jiang has been very quiet these past two days, only doing embroidery in the embroidery room and not doing anything else."
Inside were the people Song Yitang had planted.
Song Jiyun didn't know who it was, and her older brother wouldn't tell her either.
What's going on?!
She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in anger.
"Where's my older brother?"
Zisu immediately replied, "The eldest young master has not returned yet."
Song Jiyun said indignantly, "Why are we still in the palace at this critical juncture!"
Then she turned to Aunt Wu and ordered, "Tell the people inside not to dawdle like this, just kill them!"
Aunt Wu lowered her head and dared not answer.
Song Jiyun shoved Aunt Wu away, "Are you mute?!"
"Yun'er".
Song's mother was helped in.
Her health has deteriorated significantly since her last illness at the Zhou family's house.
Her older brother also warned her not to say anything carelessly in front of their mother, as their mother's body couldn't withstand any more stimulation.
When Song Jiyun saw his mother come in, he immediately shut his mouth.
If her older brother really doesn't care about her, she will truly be left all alone.
Song's mother asked Xu's mother to give her daughter the birthday gift she had prepared.
“Yun’er, this is the headdress your maternal grandmother prepared for your mother when she got married.”
"These are all top-quality rubies; such a complete set of jewelry is hard to find these days!"
Song Jiyun's mind is now filled with the thought that Jiang Shiyao is safe and sound.
He felt little joy at the jewelry his mother sent him.
Song's mother loved this daughter the most, and she could tell even the slightest change in her daughter's emotions.
"Yun'er, what's wrong?"
Song Jiyun instinctively wanted to ask her mother for help.
"Mother! It's not that one yet..."
"Miss!"
Seeing that her mistress was about to let something slip again, Zisu braced herself and spoke up to remind her.
Song's mother glanced at Zisu beside her, and at the woman who looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place her.
"What happened?"
Madam Xu stepped forward to support her, saying, "Madam, there is a young master in the manor now, so you should just rest and recuperate."
"Young Master, don't you trust him? He will take good care of Miss."
As she spoke, she winked at Song Jiyun.
Song Jiyun could only manage a forced smile. "Yes, Mother, you should go back and rest!"
As she spoke, she belatedly realized that her mother had come to give her a birthday gift.
"Yun'er really likes her birthday gift!"
Song's mother nodded, and then, coaxed by Xu's mother, she slowly walked out.
After walking quite a distance, she suddenly turned back to look in the direction of her daughter's yard.
"I remember now!"
Her hands trembled slightly as she looked at Xu's mother.
With a look of heartache in her eyes, Xu's mother hugged Song's mother tightly, "Madam, don't be afraid, it's all over now, it's all over now."
The Song family.
Song Jiyun felt he was about to reach his limit.
There's been no movement from the Duke's mansion at all; her eldest brother has been so busy lately that he hasn't been home for several days!
He had promised her that he would remove this thorn stuck in her flesh.
But so many days have already passed, and if we wait any longer, the Duke's mansion will probably release her again!
The Song residence is right next to the main street, and the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, which had been noisy for many days, was finally able to quiet down a bit.
They've been arguing again these past two days!
"It's so noisy! What's going on outside?!"
Zisu lowered her head. "Yes, yes, the children outside are all singing 'Laughing and Sending Feelings'."
Song Jiyun frowned. "What do you mean by 'smiling with affection'?"
"It's a short play... It tells the story of a scholar who, after passing the imperial examination, falls in love with Miss Weng, the younger sister of a colleague... The scholar's wife has Miss Weng killed, and the scholar, for Miss Weng's sake, also..."
"What? Can't you even speak properly anymore?!"
"He also threw himself into the well and committed suicide." Zisu spoke quickly, then lowered her head.
This is practically a story about the old man...
However, the master was rescued.
Song Jiyun frowned. "What kind of music is this! Get them all out of here, lest Mother hear it!"
Zisu was somewhat troubled, "Too many people are singing it, we can't just drive everyone off the street..."
"You can't even handle such a small matter!" Song Jiyun was so angry that he went out to check on it himself.
The little beggar under the big tree opposite the Song family saw the gate open and immediately began to chatter loudly with a grin.
"If you ask me, the one who most resembles Xiao Qingji is Prince Zhou! He's unmarried with only one concubine, isn't that just like... Bai... Bai..."
"May we stay together until our hair turns white!"
Song Jiyun leaned against the door frame, her eyes red and swollen. The emotions that had been building up over the past few days made her unable to control herself any longer.
"Prepare the horses!"
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