Chapter 2: Fragrant Tea Overflows

Chapter 2: Fragrant Tea Overflows

Hearing this, Jiang shi and her daughter, realizing they were being implicated, became restless.

Jiang shi cried out for justice, "Master, please see clearly! This matter has nothing to do with me or Yu'er! Song Zhao is about to enter the palace tomorrow, who would dare be careless with matters concerning the imperial presence? Even if I dislike her, I would never gamble with the honor of the Song family!"

Song Yu also said, "Father, don't be fooled by this lowly woman! I bet Song Zhao put the peach blossom pollen in there herself, just to frame me and mother!"

Hearing this, Song Zhao cried even harder, "Why would elder sister think so ill of me? If I wanted to frame elder sister and mother, I could have done so long ago! Tomorrow is the day I am to enter the palace for an audience; would I risk my own future at such a time just to falsely accuse you?"

Turning to Song Shicheng with tears in her eyes, she shook her head, "Father, I have brought shame upon you. I won’t go to the palace! Let me end my life, and you can report my death to the palace tomorrow!"

With that, she truly attempted to dash her head against the corner of the table,

Song Shicheng, quick to react, grabbed her,

"What are you doing? You must not act foolishly!"

Of course, he couldn’t let Song Zhao die like this,

Though she hadn't entered the palace yet, the imperial decree had been issued, and she was already considered a formal court lady.

If she died now, the Song family would be in trouble for failing to present her to the palace as ordered.

To calm Song Zhao, Song Shicheng ordered,

"Doctor Zhang, you and the steward search the mansion to see where these harmful substances might be found!"

After a thorough search, they indeed found some powder under a locust tree in Song Yu’s courtyard.

Presenting it to Song Shicheng, Doctor Zhang said,

"Master, this powder was found in the eldest miss's courtyard, and it has been confirmed to be peach blossom powder!"

Song Yu's eyes widened in disbelief, "No, it can't be! Father, I didn’t do it, I... Ah!"

‘Smack’

Before Song Yu could finish her ‘defense’, Song Shicheng fiercely slapped her, knocking her to the ground.

Furious, he pointed at Song Yu and scolded, "She's your sister! Are you trying to kill her and destroy our Song family?"

Song Yu cried out in protest, "It wasn't me! Truly, it wasn't, Father! I've never done such a thing! Mother, it really wasn't me!"

Jiang shi knelt halfway to the ground, shielding Song Yu behind her, "Let’s discuss this calmly, my lord. How can you strike Yu'er like that?"

Song Shicheng, pointing at the peach blossom powder, angrily retorted, "The powder was found in her own quarters, the evidence is irrefutable. How can you still defend her? Is this the kind of daughter you’ve raised for me?"

Song Yu was at a loss, not knowing how the peach blossom powder ended up in her quarters. Accustomed to a pampered life, she was stunned by the sudden turn of events and didn’t know what to do.

Meanwhile, Song Zhao tearfully asked her, "Elder sister... If I’ve offended you, you could have scolded or hit me! But I’m entering the palace tomorrow, and you’ve left me in this state. How am I supposed to present myself in the palace and survive there?"

She was visibly distressed, and after speaking, she again sought to harm herself, greatly alarming Song Shicheng.

Regardless of her condition, Song Zhao had to enter the palace tomorrow.

Even if she were severely injured, barely clinging to life, she would still have to be carried into the imperial palace, to die within those confining red walls.

But now, feeling utterly humiliated, Song Zhao was intent on suicide and would not listen to reason.

"Zhao'er, Father knows you’re wronged. To make it right, I'll give you justice!"

Song Shicheng, also resentful towards Jiang shi and her daughter for ruining Song Zhao's appearance at such a crucial time, waved his hand and ordered, "Take the lady and the eldest miss to the woodshed for a whipping as punishment!"

Jiang shi and her daughter, filled with a sense of injustice, protested their innocence,

But who would listen to them?

The steward, with a simple apology of 'sorry,' dragged them both into the woodshed,

And then, the entire Protectorate Duke's Mansion could hear the hysterical screams emanating from the woodshed.

Song Zhao outwardly expressed gratitude to her father, but internally she was crystal clear:

For years, Jiang shi and her daughter had bullied her, not just for a day or two,

Previously, Song Shicheng had turned a blind eye, solely because it hadn’t affected his interests.

Now that her face was marred and her prospects in the palace compromised, truly hurting his interests, he put on this show.

People always feel the pain only when the knife's edge cuts into their own flesh.

Later that evening, after Song Zhao had applied her medicine, Song Shicheng reminded her to rest early, emphasizing not to delay the palace entry tomorrow.

Lying in bed, Song Zhao’s face burned painfully,

Soon, her maid Yunshan came in and announced, "Second Miss, Doctor Zhang is here to change your medicine."

"Let him in. I haven’t had dinner tonight, and I'm feeling a bit hungry. Please make me a bowl of porridge."

Yunshan obeyed and left, while Song Zhao got up and approached her vanity, looking at her face in the mirror, the swelling subsiding but still ghastly.

Doctor Zhang stood beside her, bowing, "Second Miss, I am here to change your dressing."

Song Zhao raised her hand to stop him and calmly asked, "How many days?"

"If you follow the prescribed dosage, you should see improvement in three to five days. However, the amount of peach blossom pollen you used was excessive. Although it won't leave scars, a complete recovery will take at least half a month."

"Understood," Song Zhao replied calmly, then took out a silver note from her dresser drawer and handed it to him,

"You've handled this matter well, take this silver. Your younger brother erred in the palace and was punished to work in the Xin Zhe Ku. Life has been hard for him. Once I enter the palace, I'll find an opportunity to have him serve me, so he won't have to suffer anymore."

Doctor Zhang didn't accept the silver note, bowing again in gratitude:

"I haven't done much, just scattered peach blossom pollen in the elder miss's backyard during the search, and said a few words in front of the master as you instructed.

In truth, you risked yourself and are the one who truly suffered. I don't need this silver, I just hope you can help my younger brother when you're in the palace. Our family fell into hard times, and my father had no choice but to send him to the palace in exchange for silver. He has a pitiful background; I can't bear to see him suffer there anymore."

Song Zhao smiled lightly, "Rest assured, as long as he's with me, no one will be able to bully him. As for this silver, it's a reward for your good work, so just take it."

After he accepted the silver note, Song Zhao carefully applied the ointment on her face, her expression a mix of seriousness and amusement:

"When one is beaten, naturally there will be injuries. And injuries need to be treated with medicine."

She then looked up at Doctor Zhang, her eyes playful and smile charming, "Doctor Zhang, you're perceptive. You should know how important my mother and elder sister are to me. So when you treat them, please be very careful."

Doctor Zhang clearly understood her implications and replied with a smile:

"Rest assured, Second Miss, I will 'carefully' treat them and won't disappoint you."