Chapter 208

Chapter 208: Exile Song Shulan shoved the girl aside, while Gao Jingzhi had already taken the other girls behind the screen for his pleasures. The sounds rising and falling one after another made Song Shulan's mood irritable. "Don't touch me!" Song Shulan staggered to the door, called for Qingshan, and only then boarded the carriage back to the Marquis Mansion. The next morning, when Gao Jingzhi woke up and learned that Song Shulan had left early, he rubbed his brow and said, "Your girls aren't up to par. We brought the man right to you—how did you fail to keep him?" The madam had scolded the girls the night before, but upon learning that the problem lay with Song Shulan, she didn't say it directly. "Different flowers appeal to different eyes. Perhaps our girls simply couldn't satisfy your friend. The girl said your friend showed no interest in her." "No interest?" Gao Jingzhi was puzzled. "That can't be. I picked her according to his preferences." "Then we wouldn't know," the madam said. She was used to such matters—many men were worn out from excess, or suffered from congenital deficiency; such cases were especially common. But she could be certain that the gentleman from last night definitely had a problem. No man could remain soft when skin was pressed against skin. Gao Jingzhi found it strange. He stretched lazily, left the illicit establishment, and went to the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion. He found Song Shulan and assumed Song Shulan was afraid of being discovered. "You're far too cautious. Any place I take you is guaranteed safe. I'm telling you, many nobles and aristocrats go there too. It's a shame you left early—that girl was so fresh and tender!" Song Shulan was already vexed, and hearing Gao Jingzhi describe the girl in such detail made him click his tongue in annoyance. "Enough, stop talking about it. All you think about day and night is eating, drinking, and having fun—never doing anything serious. The Emperor has made it clear he wants reform and renewal. Who knows when he'll replace us." "He might replace me, but you have the Rong Prince Mansion backing you. No matter what, it won't come to you," Gao Jingzhi said. "Speaking of which, the Emperor does protect his own. Even after what County Princess Rongjia did, he still preserved her dignity as County Mistress. If it were anyone else, they'd have been dragged out for a beating and sent into exile long ago." That was indeed true. So Song Shulan needed to cling even tighter to the Rong Prince Mansion's coattails and must not neglect County Princess Rongjia because of this. While the two were talking, a servant came to deliver a message, saying there was a matter in the second branch's quarters and asking Song Shulan to come over. The servant didn't specify, which meant it was a family matter. Song Shulan left Gao Jingzhi behind and went to the second branch himself. When he arrived, Madame Jiang's hair at her temples was already in disarray. Song Shucheng had been stripped of his office and was to be exiled to Bashu. Old Madame Song, heartbroken for her son, wanted Jiang to accompany him. How could Jiang agree? "Liuge'er is still so young. The journey is long and treacherous. If something happens to him while I'm carrying him along, what would we do?" Having finally given birth to a son, Jiang would never allow any mishap to befall him. Old Madame Song was equally displeased. "You are Shucheng's wife. How can you enjoy comfort in Bianjing while he is exiled?" "How am I enjoying comfort?" Jiang was bursting with pent-up anger. "The Second Master has lost his office and committed crimes. Everywhere I go, people mock me. The Old Madame says I'm enjoying comfort—what comfort exactly have I enjoyed following the Second Master?" She had come from a good family, yet because her stepmother was unkind, she had been matched with a scoundrel like Song Shucheng. What Jiang resented most now was Song Shucheng himself. If Song Shucheng had merely been mediocre, that would have been tolerable. But he had stirred up such a huge mess—how was she supposed to live the rest of her life? When Song Shulan entered, he heard the two quarreling. His first reaction was to rebuke Jiang. "The Old Madame is also concerned about Second Brother. You are Second Brother's wife—shouldn't you two be of one heart? Is that not the proper way?" "The Marquis speaks lightly. Then what about Liuge'er?" Even if not for her son, Jiang was unwilling to follow him to Bashu. She had long known how Song Shucheng treated her. If she had family to support her, how could she have ended up like this? "Liuge'er stays behind, to be raised by the Old Madame," Song Shulan said. Old Madame Song and Jiang both looked at Song Shulan, and neither was willing. Old Madame Song was advanced in years. Having finally earned a peaceful retirement, she had no desire to raise a child. As for Jiang, the child was flesh torn from her own body—how could she possibly leave him with the Old Madame? Exile could last who knew how many years. If Jiang returned after ten years, how could her son ever be close to her? Jiang said no. "No one can separate me from Liuge'er!" Song Shulan grew annoyed. "Then what do you want to do? Sister-in-law, you're being utterly unreasonable. If you despise Second Brother and no longer wish to be a daughter of the Song family, then go back to your Jiang family!" Jiang clenched her teeth tightly. She had grievances she couldn't voice—neither the Old Madame nor the Marquis understood her. After crying for a while, Jiang thought of her eldest sister-in-law and hurriedly sent someone to invite her over. Old Madame Song laughed in anger. "What use is calling Lady Cui over? Surely you don't think she's that kind-hearted?" Jiang pressed her lips together and said nothing. Then what else could she do? She had no one to support her, lacked her eldest sister-in-law's abilities, and her husband was a good-for-nothing. She could only grasp at straws in desperation. Old Madame Song was simmering with rage. Seeing Jiang stay silent made her even angrier—was her authority as mother-in-law truly less effective than Cui Lingrong's? "Just you wait and see—Cui might not even bother to come!" Old Madame Song snorted, then turned to look at her eldest son and asked, "Have you made all the arrangements for Shucheng's journey?" "Mother, I'm not trying to criticize you, but it's your indulgence of Second Brother that has made him what he is today." Song Shulan was also angry. "Second Brother is already like this—he ought to suffer a bit!" "What more suffering do you want him to endure?" Old Madame Song's voice trembled as she spoke. "The journey from Bianjing to Bashu is all on foot—has your brother ever been one to endure hardship? Or is it that you're so capable now that you find your brother a burden and won't even lift a finger to help?" Song Shulan was exasperated. "That's not what I mean, son." "Then what do you mean?" Old Madame Song's tone grew heavier. "I'm only asking you to make some arrangements so your brother can have an easier time on the road. Surely you can't just watch him die halfway there?" Song Shulan saw there was no reasoning with her, so he simply fell silent. After a while, Cui Lingrong indeed did not come herself, but sent Nanny Qiu instead. "Second Madam, the Eldest Madam knows you can't bear to part with Sixth Ger, and she understands that Old Madame is worried about Second Master. Since you wish to remain in Bianjing to care for the children, perhaps you should find a reliable concubine to look after Second Master—someone like Concubine He would do." Nanny Qiu said. But Madame Jiang said He Pingping wouldn't do—if she let He Pingping accompany him into exile, wouldn't that just be letting them run off as a pair of wild mandarin ducks? "Second Madam, you're being foolish. The road is long and the mountains are high—ordinary people can't endure such hardship. If you send an ordinary concubine, she'd only use her charms to seduce him and drain Second Master's health—what would you do then?" Nanny Qiu said. "Concubine He is different. She's educated and knows propriety. Once in Bashu, she could even help Second Master with social obligations. And Fifth Ger can stay with you—isn't that a good thing?" Before Nanny Qiu came over, the Eldest Madam had told her not to press too hard, lest Madame Jiang be dissatisfied later and turn around to blame her. Cui Lingrong's move would not only send He Pingping away, but also weaken the bond between He Pingping and her son. Song Shucheng was a dissolute character by nature. Even if He Pingping endured hardship alongside him, he wouldn't necessarily be grateful or value her more. It was up to Madame Jiang to choose. Old Madame Song was determined, in any case, that someone must be sent to attend to Song Shucheng. If Madame Jiang wouldn't go herself, someone had to. "Second Madam, that's the Eldest Madam's meaning. You should discuss it with Old Madame, and once you've made your decision, send word to Qiushuang Zhai, and the Eldest Madam will arrange for someone." Nanny Qiu finished speaking and withdrew. Song Shulan clearly didn't want to say more, afraid of drawing trouble upon himself. Old Madame Song, however, agreed that He Pingping should go along. "Jiang, yes or no—say the word!"