Song Jiyun felt a twinge of heartache.
She still remembered the joy and high spirits of her parents when her second and third younger sisters were born.
They were never the kind to favor sons over daughters.
But now they had become so cautious, fearful of dragging her down with them.
She hurriedly took her mother’s hand and said warmly, "I know! Everyone told me as soon as I returned. They also said Xiao Si is very pretty and well-behaved, that she looks like she was cast from the same mold as Jiyu."
Song Jiyu also breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She pursed her lips in a smile and asked Song Jiyun, "Big sister, do you want to see Xiao Si?"
She was born during a time when Song Jiyun was acting petulantly and had not spared her more than a glance. By the time Song Jixue was born, Song Jiyun had become aware of her role as an elder sister; she not only held her personally but also often played with her.
Perhaps for this reason, Song Jiyu had always been shy around Song Jiyun and didn’t talk much.
It was rare for her to initiate conversation.
"Sure!" said Song Jiyun with a beaming smile. "I’ve brought back lots of gifts for you all from Nanjing, but they’re all packed in trunks. I’ve asked Xiang Cao to look for them. She will bring them over later."
Song Jixue could hardly wait.
Song Jiyu went in person to carry Song Jisu over.
The tiny infant was wrapped in a bright red swaddling cloth, with pitch-black hair and a little face not yet completely free of a yellowish tint, sleeping soundly with her eyes closed, but her delicate features were already discernible.
Song Jiyun did not tease the child for fear of waking her and causing her to cry incessantly.
She looked at the child in the nurse’s arms for a while and then let someone take the baby downstairs, consoling Madam Qian, "If anyone dares to speak of who should or should not be head of the family now, I will take you all and establish our own household."
Song Jiyun had proven her capability to do so in the past half year.
Madam Qian was filled with both relief and sorrow.
Song Jixue immediately said, "Sister, I will establish a separate household with you."
Song Jiyun smiled and reached to touch her little bun of hair again.
Song Jixue swiftly hid behind Song Jiyu.
Song Jiyu then told her about the fight between her brother Song Tiancong and Song Jixue.
Song Jiyun had not heard about the fight and frowned deeply as she said, "I will handle this," but before she could continue, a young maid ran in to inform her that Ninth Master Song’s wife had come over, "She heard you were back and has something important to tell you."
Was it so urgent?
Song Jiyun had just returned and wanted to spend more time with her family. She hesitated to go see the visitor when Madam Qian said, "You should go see her, find out what she wants to say. After all, she is Ninth Grand Master’s wife, your aunt by marriage. When it was time for Xiao Si’s third-day bathing ceremony, not only did she attend, but she also left a pair of silver bracelets as a gift."
They were relatively valuable.
"Then I will go and return quickly!"
If she was interested in mending relations with their family, there was no need for Song Jiyun to obstinately reject her outright. There are all kinds of people in this world; if water is too pure, it holds no fish.
Song Jiyun went to see Ninth Master Song’s wife.
The wife of Ninth Master Song was a stepmother, and although her seniority was high, she was only a few years older than Madam Qian.
Upon seeing Song Jiyun, she pulled her aside with a look of shock and whispered, "Jiyun, why did you come back at this time? Do you know, your uncle Song Sanliang, he’s been using silver to bribe elders of the Song clan, trying to get them to hold a family council to adopt their youngest son into your branch of the family!"
Song Jiyun hadn’t expected her to say this.
"I had already thought of this the moment I knew I had gained another sister. But still, I feigned surprise and said, "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh my!" Ninth Master Song’s wife said somewhat melodramatically, "You child, why are you not anxious at all? It truly makes one anxious just looking at you."
As she spoke, she took out a piece of paper from her bosom and stuffed it into Song Jiyun’s hand, speaking in an even lower voice, "This is from your Ninth Grand Master. Take it and read it carefully at home. If there’s any issue, you can also seek out your Ninth Grand Master. Though he may not manage the household anymore, he’s clear-headed as a bell. The Song Family will only prosper in your hands, and then the clan members will have good days ahead."
After she finished speaking, she patted Song Jiyun’s hand with a hint of embarrassment, her voice tinged with apology, "In the past, your Ninth Grand Master opposed your inheritance of the family business, thinking that as a girl showing her face in public, it would affect your prospects for marriage. He had no ill intentions; he was just too embarrassed to meet you."
She chuckled and added, "But I’ve also given him an earful. So what if you’re a girl? With you, our Song Family is a hundred, no, a thousand times stronger than with a boy! If not for you, could the Song Clan have its present prosperity?"
"Apart from you, we won’t agree to anyone else being the head of the Song Family Kiln Factory; we will definitely support you!"
"Rest assured!"
This was an unmistakably clear stance!
Without a life-or-death feud, Song Jiyun was willing to leave some leeway for others, so as not to be injured by a cornered rabbit lashing out in desperation.
"You’re being too modest," she replied courteously to Ninth Grand Master’s wife, "The Ninth Grand Master is an elder and has given our family considerable care in the past. Rest assured, I am well aware of what to do, and if I need his help, I will certainly ask him to render me justice."
"That’s good, that’s very good!" Ninth Master Song’s wife left with a cheerful smile.
Song Jiyun opened the note and saw that Song Sanliang had sought help from certain people, what gifts he had given, who had agreed to help, who had accepted the gifts without committing either way, and who had outright sent his men packing.
Among them, Ninth Master Song had sent the men packing, while Eleventh Grand Master Song had accepted the gifts without committing either way.
Song Jiyun couldn’t help but laugh.
A servant boy ran in to say Eleventh Grand Master Song had arrived.
Things were really livening up.
Without even changing her clothes, Song Jiyun met with Eleventh Grand Master Song again in the hall.
Eleventh Grand Master Song said, "You’ve just returned, and by rights, I shouldn’t be seeking you out at this time. But there are those who are restless and wish to adopt a child into your family, and others who are stoking the flames, causing uncertainty. I’m here to ask what your plans are."
This "stoking the flames" must refer to Ninth Grand Master Song, right?
Song Jiyun found this quite interesting.
However, if the Song Clan relatives were united as one, it would be disadvantageous for her.
She smiled and posed the question back to Eleventh Grand Master Song, "What do you think I should do?"
Eleventh Grand Master Song once again unwaveringly stood by her side, "Then let’s call everyone together, hold a family meeting, and lay everything out on the table. He, a disgraced man who has been expelled, has no right to adopt his son into your family!"
This was exactly what Song Jiyun intended.
This matter needed a resolution sooner or later; a late resolution was worse than an early one.
Everyone could then live their lives in peace.
She agreed readily and arranged with Eleventh Grand Master Song to hold the family meeting tomorrow, "Once everything is clarified, we can all enjoy the Lantern Festival in a lively manner."
Eleventh Grand Master Song nodded continuously and said, "Nowadays, everyone’s living well. Who has the patience to deal with Song Sanliang’s nonsense? Rest assured, all of us stand with you."
He didn’t just express his own stance, but also represented a group of people in doing so.
Song Jiyun expressed her gratitude with a radiant smile and personally showed Eleventh Grand Master Song out.
Eleventh Grand Master Song went about notifying all the households with great haste.
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