Chapter 59 That Silly Big Sister
The full moon hung high, illuminating Yong'an City.
The towering imperial city, standing at the northernmost edge, was brightly lit with hanging candles and lanterns, as distant and unreachable as the high-hanging moon.
At this moment, a long line of carriages emerged from the city gate and headed out along the wide road, which stretched for hundreds of meters, towards their respective residences.
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. There is no curfew in the city, and the streets outside are bustling with people. Vendors selling glutinous rice balls and dumplings are calling out their wares, and vendors pushing paper fans and lanterns are constantly on the move. Even the fortune tellers are working the night shift...
This is just a corner of the streets of Yong'an City; one can only imagine how bustling the dedicated, prosperous areas are.
As the carriage came to a stop, Song Jin quickly lifted the curtain, looked at the brightly lit and bustling street ahead, and turned her head to confirm again and again: "Mother, are you really not going? It looks so lively."
Niu Tielan leaned against the car, his eyes half-closed, too lazy to even lift his eyelids.
Her health wasn't better than most people's to begin with, and after practicing etiquette every day for the past two days, plus that ordeal at the palace, all she wanted to do now was go home and sleep.
Her voice was a little hoarse: "Go play by yourself, don't cause trouble. Come back early when you're done playing, and take that thing off your head."
People come and go outside. Specialized thieves train from a young age; with a flick of the wrist, hundreds of taels of silver are gone. It's not worth it.
Song Jin gave an "oh," obediently removed the hairpin from her head, and sat there staring at her mother with a naked, bright gaze.
Niu Tielan raised his eyes, looking sleepy: "What?"
Song Jin chuckled, blinked, and said cautiously, "I'm just going like this? I'm a princess now, a princess should..."
For example, give her some money, she's short of cash.
Niu Tielan's eyelids twitched, and she picked up a water glass from the side and threw it at him, saying irritably, "So what if you're a princess? Just because you're a princess doesn't mean you're so great. Even if you were a princess, you'd kneel down to me. Go play somewhere else and stop making a scene."
Song Jin put down the teacup, said "Oh," and turned her head, narrowing her phoenix eyes with a fierce threat: "You all keep a close eye on my mother. Hmph, things are different now. I'm a princess now. If you dare to do anything reckless, you'll lose your heads."
With that, she jumped off the carriage with a triumphant air, and disappeared in no time, vanishing to who-knows-where.
At the beginning, the three brothers would have only worried about his safety; now, they are simply mourning silently for the others.
Hopefully, those people have some sense and won't mess with this little tyrant.
As soon as she left, Niu Tielan, still half-asleep, opened her eyes. She sat up straight, looked at the three handsome young men, each with their own unique charm, and spoke softly.
"The three of you should know that she and Prime Minister Song are not related by blood, they just look alike, right?"
a long time
Looking at the bustling streets outside the carriage, Song Shunzhi murmured, "Blood ties aren't actually that important."
Song Anzhi ran his hand through a strand of hair, his face flushed from the alcohol, and said lazily, "Once you enter the Song family, you're a member. That's for sure."
Song Qingzhi twirled a small abacus, smiling broadly, "The Song family is large and wealthy; we can afford to raise just one little sister. Madam, you don't need to worry."
Niu Tielan leaned against the car, looking at the three of them with genuine expressions, and closed her eyes: "Whatever you say."
That brat, she was fearless when she was a country girl, and now she's given this title...
If you like to suffer, then suffer the consequences yourself.
...
As the carriage set off, Song Jin jumped down from a tree, holding a bright red persimmon in her hand. The persimmon, hanging on the branch like a small lantern, caught her eye at a glance.
In the moonlight, her eyes shone like a cat's eyes as she took a bite of a persimmon.
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!"
What a terrible persimmon! It's so astringent.
With a speechless expression, Song Jin threw down the persimmon, wiped her tongue with a handkerchief, and staggered towards the other side of the street.
This is the West District Commercial Street, usually the busiest area in Yong'an City. Now, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, it's even more so; even late at night, there are people on both sides as soon as you walk over.
The entire street was lined with shops selling all sorts of trinkets: lanterns, decorative lanterns, bamboo crafts, wood carvings, kites…
The prices aren't too expensive; the cheaper ones are just a few coins, and the more expensive ones are only a few hundred coins.
On both sides of the street, there were occasional opera singers and street performers, as well as beggars holding bowls; various opera tunes, erhu performances, and acrobatics were constantly playing.
Having just received several hundred acres of fiefdom and an annual salary of one thousand taels, Song Jin was 'generous' in his spending. He would toss a few or ten coins into the bowls of anyone he liked, and in no time, the few strings of cash he carried were gone, replaced by a pile of trinkets on his person.
Song Jin staggered along the way, entering with an empty head and neck. By the time she was halfway there, her head was adorned with various wooden and ceramic hairpins, her neck was covered with woven jewelry, her left hand held a golden tiger-shaped wooden lantern, her right hand held a string of colorful small lanterns, and she was chewing on two small glutinous rice balls.
If Niu Tielan had come along, she wouldn't have been able to act like this.
She swaggered along, intending to first go to the river to release a long string of lanterns. As she walked, someone appeared in front of her. She chewed on a donkey roll, looked down at the little girl in front of her, and gestured with her hand.
It reached about her thigh?
The little girl looked to be about four or five years old. Her hair was neatly combed, tied with a red ribbon, and adorned with a wooden hairpin. Her clothes were faded from washing, and she carried a wooden basket. She looked up at her, her big eyes seeming somewhat familiar.
Song Jin chewed: "What?"
Without waiting for a reply, she reached out, took a few copper coins, tossed them into the wooden basket next to the little girl, and continued swaying past the people.
Before he'd taken two steps, the little brat caught up with him again.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, put down two copper coins, and continued walking. After a few steps, another person appeared. She stopped, clicked her tongue, picked him up, and threatened through gritted teeth, "Behave yourself. Don't be so greedy. Go play somewhere else. Go home when you should, and stop wandering around outside."
The little girl, suspended in mid-air, stammered, "I, I, I'm not a beggar."
Song Jin's lips twitched. She put the girl down and watched as the little girl earnestly picked up the money and handed it over. She didn't take the money but instead looked at Song Jin with a bitter and resentful expression: "Then why are you following me?"
The little girl tilted her head adorably, stretched out her short little finger behind her, and said in a sweet, childish voice, "Selling, selling little people!"
It has to be said, it's quite strange for a little brat like her to call out like that.
Song Jin looked in that direction and noticed several boys around ten years old standing about three meters behind her. They were dressed in tattered clothes, which were a little dirty, but they looked energetic and lively, carrying wooden baskets and cloth bags.
She picked up the little girl who was tiptoeing and reaching out to return the money and walked over. Raising her eyebrows, she picked up a grass cricket and examined it. It was quite well woven. She asked, "Did you make this yourselves?"
The oldest boy, a 10-year-old, nodded: "We made them ourselves. Girl, would you like one? Besides crickets, there are birds and butterflies too. Small ones are two coins, big ones are five coins, and wooden figures are three coins..."
Wooden figurines, wooden hairpins, straw-woven crickets, sachets, handkerchiefs...
This little rascal has made a pretty convincing peddler.
The children looked young, but their craftsmanship was quite solid. Each little trinket was exquisitely made, and the expressions were vivid. Song Jin didn't think much of it, casually flipping through them and picking out a few straw-woven birds and crickets that caught his eye. He then found two wooden tigers, and after thinking for a moment, he pulled out a few handkerchiefs—these things were basically disposable for him, so buying more wouldn't hurt.
As she rummaged through the basket, she found more and more, so she simply took the wooden basket from the little boy who was clearly in the lead, stuffed her small belongings into it, and contentedly took out a tael of silver from her pocket and handed it over.
"Alright, stop looking."
Before the children could even speak, she hummed a tune, picked up her wooden basket, and strode quickly away.
The children selling things were stunned for a moment, then looked at each other in bewilderment.
The little girl, still clutching a coin in her hand, tilted her head and looked at them, asking in a childish voice, "Brother?"
The boy in the lead frowned, grabbed the coin, and was about to step forward when his expression quickly changed. He picked up the little girl and retreated to the side, the other three children following suit. The five of them hid beside the stall, watching the people passing by with some worry.
"Brother Fu, what should we do?"
Brother Fu, who was in charge, gritted his teeth and whispered, "Boss Shi and the others have seen us. We can't go out anymore."
One person: "That, that silly older woman..."
Fu Ge said irritably, "Going out alone so conspicuously at night, fine. You guys stay here, I'll go check on you carefully. Don't get caught, or if things get bad, run towards the patrol."
He handed the little girl over, and the others immediately nodded, somewhat nervously.
Brother Fu looked up at the familiar faces in the crowd ahead. They looked ordinary and unremarkable, easily overlooked in a crowd, but they were pickpockets who roamed around, not doing anything good, and had even harmed someone last time...
He gritted his teeth
That simple-minded woman bought everything she could along the way, and didn't hide her money at all. She had two strings of coins hanging from her waist, silver in her bag, and didn't even bother to conceal the banknotes in her pocket.
She's careless, naive, and easily fooled, which is bad enough, but to top it off is her striking good looks. Going out alone late at night, did she really think the crowds at the lantern festival meant safety? There are plenty of accidents every year.
Remembering what he'd seen last time, Brother Fu gritted his teeth and carefully squeezed through the crowd, intending to go over and warn them again. Little did he know that in the blink of an eye, he'd been caught in the crossfire.
Several screams followed
When he looked up again, the men all fell to the ground.
Meanwhile, the seemingly simple-minded Song Jin had her foot on the head of the leader, Boss Shi, and was munching on a piece of fruit. The people around her were shocked, frightened, and couldn't help but be curious, and soon they surrounded her.
In less than fifteen minutes, the patrol team arrived.
"You can take him away, you thief. Oh, and this guy..." Seeing the guard hesitate, Song Jin kicked him hard, snapping his arm with a crack. Amidst his screams, she pulled a black token from her waist and tossed it to the guard.
"Keep the investigation going. If there are any problems, come find me at the Song residence. My name is Song Jin."
There are many people with the surname Song in the capital, and quite a few with both given and surname names, but if you mention the surname Song alone, everyone will inevitably think of only one family.
The Song family of the chief minister
With this royal label, it can only be this company.
It's said that the Prince of Qi was brought back by the Prime Minister Song, and the Prime Minister Song's daughter accompanied the Prince of Qi on his journey back. Now it seems the relationship between the two sides is indeed quite special.
The guards exchanged glances, looking at the black token. A black dragon coiled around it, and a golden "Qi" character gleamed brightly beneath its intricate patterns. They respectfully returned it.
"Don't worry, Miss Song, we will definitely interrogate her thoroughly."
Song Jin took the token, thought for a moment, then took out two fruits from her pocket and handed them over. Under their puzzled gazes, she smiled and said, "These were just brought from the palace. You should try them too. You've worked hard all night."
Having lived here for many years, Song Jin, though flamboyant and unreasonable, still understands social dynamics. In Si'an County, he had become acquainted with every inspector. These seemingly insignificant low-ranking officials often proved to be very useful.
And they really do work hard, often patrolling all night long.
Song Jin waved to them and continued walking into the crowd, heading towards the flower river where lanterns were being released.
Brother Fu had already run back when the patrol came. Several people hid to the side, their eyes wide, watching Song Jin's swaggering figure. After hesitating, they quietly followed him.
They were small in stature and familiar with the area, so they followed stealthily along the way, until they went further and further off the beaten path. Then, around another bend, the alley was quiet and deserted, with only the hooting of nightjars echoing from the branches and walls overhead.
Brother Fu stopped, cried out "Oh no!", picked up his sister, and was about to run away when he turned around...
Song Jin sat atop the wall, smiling as she watched them; her foot was practically stomping on their heads.
Brother Fu paused, turned around, and continued running. The group of people, though small, ran quickly and soon disappeared around the street corner.
Song Jin sat calmly on the wall, swinging her legs. After a while, the children came running back in a panic. She got up and landed on the ground.
Brother Fu, holding the little girl, stammered, "I, I, we, we were just curious."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "What are you curious about? Are you curious whether I would abduct a child? You guys are quite bold. What, are there no child abductions in the capital?"
Brother Fu said seriously, "We're too young to work, it's not worth it to kidnap us."
The main problem is the risk is too high. Who would dare buy from a city dweller without proper documentation? Leaving the city is too much trouble; it's better to just go outside and pick them up. As long as they don't leave the city, they're safe.
People are generally more likely to be beaten and bullied in the city.
Song Jin reached out and tapped his head in annoyance: "Not worth it? I think it's a great deal. You can make things and sell things. Why are you following me around so late at night instead of going home?"
Brother Fu hugged his sister tightly, cautiously saying, "Yes, we'll go back now. Goodbye, young lady."
Song Jin picked up the little girl from his arms and said with a smile, "Where are you going? You've been following me all this way. Just say what you need."
Brother Fu hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "We...we just have nothing to do."
Song Jin clicked her tongue, hung the string of lanterns around the little girl's neck, and carried her forward with one arm.
Fu Ge and the other children immediately became anxious: "What are you doing? Give Ningning back to us right now!"
Song Jinyou: "No rush, right?"
With a candy in her mouth, Ningning nodded her head and said in a childish voice, "Yes."
Brother Fu and the others: ...
Stealing a child, that's what stealing a child really means.
But seeing Song Jin's state, the three of them had no choice but to follow, feeling both frustrated and worried. When they reached the corner again, they stopped, somewhat fearful.
Song Jin's lips curled into a smile, but she ignored them and strode past.
At the corner, Qi Zheng stood by the wall, gazing at the full moon in the sky. He was tall and imposing, with a cold expression and an intimidating aura. Beside him stood Li Qingshan, carrying a knife. He was quite frightening even in daylight, let alone at night.
Song Jin suppressed the smile on her lips and said sarcastically, "Oh, so His Highness Prince Qi isn't back at his residence to rest so late at night, but is he out basking in the moonlight?"
Qi Zheng remained silent for a long time before finally humming in agreement.
Song Jin rolled her eyes: "Then you can continue basking in the moonlight, I'll take my leave first."
She continued walking, carrying the little girl. Fu Ge and his boys hesitated, then hurriedly followed, heads down.
Qi Zheng stood still, withdrew his gaze from the full moon, and slowly followed.
A group of people walked back and forth through several streets and arrived at the flower-filled pond.
The peak season for releasing lanterns has passed; only a few scattered people are releasing lanterns and making wishes along the water's edge, while the water itself is filled with all sorts of lanterns.
There were simple lanterns made from folded leaves, and elaborate lanterns that resembled works of art. They were all equal in size and value, floating together, filled with the wishes and blessings of the people of the capital.
Song Jin put Ningning down, took down the long string of lanterns one by one, and arranged them neatly by the river. She picked out her favorite one, lit it, and raised her chin at the others.
"Here, choose for yourself."
These lanterns are all made of the finest materials and are exceptionally beautiful; they certainly don't look cheap.
Fu Ge and the other kids hesitated
Song Jin ignored them. She took out a tinderbox and lit her lamp. Then, she took out a thick, folded piece of paper, which was almost half her height, and unfolded it. It was covered with dense writing.
At a glance, the crooked handwriting reveals hidden wishes for peace, health, and happiness.
She squatted by the river, closed her eyes, and silently murmured one wish after another until she finished. She opened her eyes, picked up the paper covered in writing, and placed it on the lantern. The flame flickered, igniting the paper until it burned completely.
The lanterns were placed in the flowing water and drifted slowly into the distance.
Her mother must get better.
...
Seeing that she was ignoring them, Fu and the others hesitated for a moment, then cautiously approached the lanterns. Looking at the large pile of beautiful lanterns, they carefully took one and then moved to the other side.
Ningning stood in the middle with her eyes closed, saying in a childish voice, "Get rich, get very rich, buy a big house."
Fu and the others couldn't help but laugh out loud, closed their eyes, and made a wish as well.
'Peace and safety'
"Get rich and buy warm clothes, eat meat every meal"
'Found, found'
...
Song Jin stood at a distance, watching the little brats chattering away in the circle of the city, finding it both amusing and pitiful.
The children looked like orphans.
She turned her head: "Are there so many children like this in the capital?"
Qi Zheng nodded: "More, even more than other places. The Tzu Chi Hospital in the capital will accept children under ten years old. For older children, they will only be provided with simple accommodation and they will have to find their own way outside."
The abandoned children are mostly sick or disabled; they generally don't live more than two years, and even if they do, they face hardship as adults, often resorting to begging for a living.
These healthy children are fortunate. When they were young, the Tzu Chi Hospital provided them with food, so they didn't starve. They could also survive by begging outside. As they grow up, they do odd jobs and rent land. Their lives may not be luxurious, but at least they can make a living.
Even if all else fails, there are brokerage firms. Although being a slave or servant is not a good outcome, it's still better than starving or freezing to death.
That's how cruel the world is.
Orphans in the capital city were generally cared for in special charitable institutions when they were young, and as they grew older, they could find rest in various temples and monasteries. During festivals, families would pool their money and distribute food to ensure they had enough to eat. Even just buying small things to get by was easier than in smaller towns.
Song Jin nodded. No matter the era, there are always pitiful children. These children are relatively fortunate; they live in the capital, have skills, and are clever.
That little girl looks somewhat familiar.
Song Jin tilted her head, unable to think of anything, and then stopped thinking about it. Looking at Qi Zheng beside her, she pouted and said, "His Highness Prince Qi isn't releasing any lanterns, so what's he doing here?"
Qi Zheng's eyelashes trembled slightly: "Let's see the lanterns."
Song Jin snorted lightly, "Then you can have these little brats. I'm going back."
She turned to leave
Instinctively, Qi Zheng reached out and grabbed her.
Song Jin turned her head, glanced at his hand gripping her arm, and asked with a flicker of her phoenix eyes, "Is there anything else, Your Highness?"
Qi Zheng paused, then hastily withdrew his hand, hiding it beneath his wide sleeves. He curled up slightly, looked into Song Jin's exceptionally bright eyes, and pursed his lips: "That..."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow slightly, removing her previous extravagant jewelry and replacing it with various ordinary but patterned wooden and iron hairpins. Paired with her disheveled hair, the previous flamboyance was gone, replaced by an endless wildness, unrestrained and full of vitality.
She said, "What?"
Qi Zheng paused for a moment, then took out a piece of gold-inlaid jade from his sleeve. It was shaped like a gold tiger with a white jade core; it was clearly crafted by a skilled artisan. He pursed his lips: "Here you go."
Song Jin took it; it was icy cold to the touch, a pleasantly cool sensation. She suppressed a smile, her chin slightly raised, her eyes sparkling, and let out a soft hum.
"What are you doing? Trying to bribe me now that I'm a princess?"
Qi Zheng didn't know how to answer, so he just gave a soft "hmm".
Song Jin gave a light snort, put the item away, and said with a hint of smugness, "Since you're so sincere, I'll accept it. If you need anything in the future, this princess will reluctantly help you."
Seeing her like this, a smile flashed in Qi Zheng's eyes. He looked at the jade pendant she was holding and said in a low voice, "This is a magical jade, warm in winter and cool in summer. It's suitable for you to wear in the summer, and it will be good for your mother's health to wear it in the winter..."
He didn't know what Song Jin liked. She didn't care about rare and precious items, nor about gold and silver jewelry; what she cared about most was her mother. This jade pendant was priceless, and it was warm in winter and cool in summer, suitable for both mother and daughter. It was the most suitable piece in the mansion's collection and should ease her anger. It would also be appropriate as a congratulatory gift.
The reason for saying this is to prevent them from feeling uncomfortable about switching between the two, so I explained it in advance to avoid any concerns.
Unexpectedly, after saying that, Song Jin forcefully snapped the golden rope in her hand.
Qi Zheng: ...
What did he say wrong this time?
Seeing his puzzled expression, Song Jin took his hand, stuffed the jade back into his hand, and forced a fake smile: "I thank Your Highness for your concern, but I cannot accept a reward without merit. You are of noble status, so please do not worry about my mother so much, lest you invite unnecessary gossip."
With that, she turned and left.
Qi Zheng looked at her angry back with a puzzled expression.
After only a few steps, Song Jin couldn't contain her anger and stormed back, pointing her finger at him, furious: "You, Qi Zheng, I treated you as a friend, and you actually want to be my father? No hope! I'm telling you, this is impossible. You'd better stay away from my mother, or this stone pillar will be..."
As she spoke, she kicked the stone pier, sending it flying into the river.
Bang!
Song Jin used his lightness skill to leave at lightning speed, and any wild birds, rats, snakes, or insects along the way were all killed in the process.
Go to hell!
Qi Zheng: ...
Let him sort it out.
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