Great Madam sighed with relief and said, "He claimed that he was acting on Song Jiyun’s orders to go to Gratitude Temple to ask for a good prescription for your father. I was worried that Zheng Quan would barge in and ruin our plans, so I had to go to the main hall to see him."
"Who would have known that before Zheng Quan left, Doctor Tang, who was treating your father, came in supporting him."
As she spoke, she remembered her daughter’s repeated admonitions to keep a close eye on Song Daliang, and her face burned with embarrassment and a somewhat defensive tone, "I wanted to stop it, but I couldn’t!"
With so many people at home, they still couldn’t stop Zheng Quan!
What could Song Tao say?
She glanced at her mother expressionlessly and continued to pat her mother’s hand in a pacifying manner despite her displeasure.
Great Madam felt her daughter’s displeasure and shifted her body uneasily before continuing, "Zheng Quan immediately told your father about the opening of the Kiln Factory. He also asked if your father wanted to take Tianbao along. He said that Song Tianbao was not young anymore and should also be brought by his elders to see the world."
"So, after hearing that, my father immediately took Tianbao," said Song Tao with a faint voice, not waiting for Great Madam to speak, "and then Zheng Quan escorted them to the Kiln Factory?!"
"Hmm!" Great Madam nodded, somewhat guiltily.
Song Tao couldn’t help but speak with sarcasm, "How did my father wake up then? What exactly did Doctor Tang do? You know nothing at all?"
Great Madam looked at her, and a nameless rage sprouted in her heart.
Ever since the day they went to Gratitude Temple, her daughter had become a different person. Not only was she suppressing her at every turn, but her words often carried a hint of disdain. Even if she was incompetent, she was still the mother who gave birth to and raised Song Tao. What right did Song Tao have to treat her like this?
She suddenly huffed discontentedly and said loudly, "After all, you are a young lady. No matter what, the family business will belong to your brother. No matter how much you struggle, it cannot become yours. Just listen to me and help your father properly manage the Kiln Factory. If the factory makes money, won’t you have face when you get married? Why must you oppose your father!"
Here it comes again!
Whenever they touched on topics like this, her mother always spoke with this tone and these words.
Song Tao shouted, "Mother!"
Trying to stop her from continuing.
But her attitude not only failed to make Great Madam stop, it even angered her further, making her even more determined to reclaim the dignity of motherhood.
Her face darkened as she said, "You should not take offense at my harsh words. That’s just how the world is. No matter how clever and capable a young lady is, she still has to marry and serve a man in the end.
"Let’s not talk about others. Take Song Jiyun, for example. When your second uncle was alive, she was treated like a precious jewel, afraid of her melting in their mouths or breaking in their hands. But once your second uncle passed away, isn’t she still at the mercy of others?"
Song Tao’s face showed mockery. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Was her mother talking about her grandmother, Song Daliang, and Song Sanliang?
Had they succeeded?
If it were her previous life, she might still have listened, but having lived once before, she now scoffed at her mother’s words.
Great Madam felt her daughter’s rejection and raised her voice, "Don’t disbelieve it! Just wait and see, Song Jiyun may be skipping around merrily now, but once she really marries into the Yuan Family, if they can still tolerate her showing her face in public like this, I’ll write the character for ’king’ upside-down!"
An upside-down "king" still looks like a "king."
Song Tao really wanted to mock her mother, but she just didn’t have the heart to do so.
Song Jiyun was far more formidable than they thought.
In her past life, she had never married. In this life, although Yuan Yunzhong had appeared, based on her understanding of Song Jiyun, there must have been something fishy about this marriage. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find any evidence.
And Zheng Quan, whether in her past life or in this one, always acted according to the looks Song Jiyun gave. Since he had come to take Song Daliang away from their home, it was evident that Song Jiyun knew all about what was happening in her family.
Originally, she had thought that with Song Jiyun in the light and herself in the dark, she could take the opportunity before Song Jiyun discovered her schemes to lay out her plans early and snatch a few opportunities from Song Jiyun. Now it seemed impossible.
Not only that, but they had also come head-to-head!
What should she do in the future?
Song Tao suddenly felt a bit cold and hugged her elbows, throwing on a piece of clothing.
The Great Madam had no idea about her daughter’s thoughts. Seeing her daughter fall silent, she thought she had persuaded her, and she became even more unbridled, picking on and criticizing Song Tao as usual: "I see you are becoming more and more restless! Just listen to your mother, once your father comes back, you should take the initiative to admit your mistakes and promise him that you will devote yourself to helping him manage the Kiln Factory. Given your father’s temperament, he will surely not pursue the matter further.
"And with Tianbao, you will still need your maternal family to support you in the future. If you really offend Tianbao, you will be the one crying later!
"Also, about that Lord Tang, how many benefits have you promised him? I took out fifty taels of silver to deal with him before, but he didn’t even take it seriously. When your father started the Kiln Factory, I asked you to take out the dowry your grandmother left for you, but you said you had greater use for it and coaxed me into using my own dowry. I hope nothing goes wrong now?
"I’m putting the ugliest words up front; that’s the money for my coffin. If your father loses out, you have to compensate me!
"I don’t even know if your father is aware that his previous coma was caused by the medicine that you bribed the Doctor to administer. He is bound to beat you to death. I am a Bodhisattva trying to cross a river, barely saving myself—don’t think I can stop your father."
As she spoke, she became more furious, questioning the matters concerning Song Jiyun: "Didn’t you say it wasn’t worth mentioning? Why is Zheng Quan running over to our house at this time, and taking your father and Tianbao to the Kiln Factory without bearing old grudges? It’s not that you caused some trouble outside and drew Song Jiyun over, is it?"
Song Tao watched her mother’s mouth open and close, seemingly never to shut, and suddenly felt very tired.
Everything is someone else’s fault, everything is her fault, her mother never makes a mistake.
Even if a mistake was made, it was because her mother was beguiled by her, her mother is innocent.
In her past life, why hadn’t she noticed?
Was it because in her past life she could only rely on her to survive, and she had never thought it through carefully? Or was it because in this life she had suddenly acquired this business for the family, and in the face of interest, everyone had revealed their true colors?
Song Tao closed her eyes.
How Song Jiyun persuaded Doctor Tang and how Song Daliang awoke—what could she do now that she knew? What was going to happen had already happened.
She looked at her mother, who went on and on without stopping, recalling Song Tianbao’s shove.
What she needed to do now was to figure out how to climb out of this mire of a home.
Otherwise, one day, she would be dragged down into the mud by these people.
Just like in her past life...
A thought flashed through her mind, and Song Tao shuddered.
Her gaze slowly grew cold.
However, her mother was right about one thing, that Doctor Tang needed to be dealt with in some way.
Her thoughts drifted away.
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