Chapter 88

Chapter 88

On the way back to the Song family, Jiang Chun was chatting and laughing with Zhong Wenjin, but in her mind, she was pondering how to bring up the matter of Fan the Butcher with Song Shi'an.

She considered that reacting passively wouldn't suffice. Since she suspected that Fan the Butcher had ties with the Cheng family, why not directly inform Song Shi'an and let him send his men to investigate thoroughly?

It would be foolish not to make use of the available resources. To insist on handling everything herself when there was a useful tool at hand—wasn't that just stupid? Being strong doesn't mean doing everything alone.

However, she still needed to think carefully about how to broach the subject.

Song Shi'an was great in every aspect, and usually, he was extremely easygoing. No matter how she acted up, he would accommodate her.

But there was just one thing—he couldn't bear hearing about other young men. At the mere mention of one, he would fly into a rage.

He was, without a doubt, the most jealous person in the world.

And Fan the Butcher was, by most people’s standards, a handsome young man.

If her explanation lacked persuasiveness, it could backfire.

But in fact, upon returning to the capital, Song Shi'an borrowed personnel from his brother-in-law, the Crown Prince, and ordered them to keep an eye on Fan the Butcher.

Initially, he hadn't suspected the Cheng family.

After all, in his previous life, aside from Cheng Wenyuan, his former fiancée who had refused to marry anyone else and insisted on waiting for him, the rest of the Cheng family had been relatively well-behaved and hadn't caused any trouble.

And Cheng Wenyuan, a young lady infatuated with him, had little impact on him, so he ignored her.

Because there were simply too many ladies infatuated with him for him to manage. In his previous life, after Jiang Chun was drowned in a pig cage, these ladies boldly asked their elders to arrange marriages for them.

Unexpectedly, after Jiang Chun beat up the wife of the Cheng family doctor’s nephew, the Crown Prince’s secret guards discovered that Fan the Butcher had connections with the Cheng family.

To be precise, Fan the Butcher was actually a pawn planted by the Cheng family to target Jiang Chun.

After the Cheng family paid to help Fan the Butcher buy the Mu family's residence next to the Jiang estate, Song Shian understood their intentions fully.

After all, they had done something similar in his past life.

And succeeded.

This filled him with rage and frustration.

Furious at the Cheng family’s audacity and despicable behavior.

Frustrated that he had never suspected anyone was backing Fan the Butcher in his previous life, assuming that Jiang Chun had simply taken a liking to him.

In his previous life, Jiang Chun had despised him, labeling him a 'pretty boy,' and rarely bothered to speak to him. She admired men like Fan the Butcher for their burly and robust nature.

Admittedly, a fly won't land on a clean egg, but had he been more vigilant in his past life, he might have spotted the trickery, and Jiang Chun in his past life wouldn’t have died.

Or, had he not been so devoted and loyal, he could have divorced Jiang Chun in his past life, even if it meant being labeled as 'ungrateful' or 'betraying others after success.' Thus, the Song and Jiang families wouldn’t have turned from benefactors into enemies.

But in this world, there are no 'what ifs.'

However, Song Shian didn’t dwell on the past. After his initial rage and frustration, he immediately began formulating a plan.

Killing Fan the Butcher would be as easy as squashing an ant for him.

But if he let Fan the Butcher die so easily, how could he alleviate the resentment of being schemed against in both lives?

Although Fan the Butcher’s life was worthless, it still had some value.

Song Shian sneered.

Since the Cheng family chose Fan the Butcher to make advances on Jiang Chun, they clearly held him in high esteem.

Wouldn’t it be perfect for him to become the Cheng family’s prized son-in-law? They would surely be overjoyed.

After settling on his plan, Song Shian, after an early court session, headed straight to the Eastern Palace to see his brother-in-law, the Crown Prince.

"What did you say?"

Crown Prince Li Xinghang, upon hearing his wife's younger brother's request, couldn't help but laugh in anger: "You wish to scheme against Miss Cheng, and you've chosen my maternal uncle's family of all places?"

Song Shi'an said calmly, "If I choose another family, I won't be able to control the situation. But if we choose the Marquis of Anyuan's household, you just need to inform them, and they will cooperate with me.

Moreover, the Marquis of Anyuan's household is your wife's natal family. Even if something happens to Eldest Miss Cheng there, the Cheng family wouldn't dare to break ties with the Marquis of Anyuan's household."

Li Xinghang pointed at him with his finger, completely losing the good temper he usually displayed in front of outsiders, and said angrily, "Well, Song An, you sure know how to play your cards well. It won't be your Song family losing face, will it?"

Song Shi'an sat back in the grand teacher's chair, looking perfectly at ease, and said, "I was implicated because of you, my brother-in-law, and was tortured in the Heavenly Prison for half a year. My body was completely broken.

If my father-in-law hadn't bought me back and my wife hadn't drained the family's savings to pay for doctors and medicine, I'd be long dead by now, with three feet of grass on my grave. How could I be here annoying you so much?"

His words of playing the suffering card made Li Xinghang guiltily retract the hand he had pointed at Song Shi'an.

The Crown Princess dotes on this younger brother. If he had really died, even if she didn't blame him, there would still be a knot in her heart.

But Song Shi'an didn't continue to play the pity card. Instead, he snorted coldly, "If they were only scheming against me, I might not even bother dealing with them.

But they made a grave mistake by targeting my wife.

If they don't receive a painful and unforgettable lesson, they'll likely continue to cause trouble and offend my wife.

Furthermore, other families might follow their example.

My wife came to the capital with me to live a good life, not to be schemed against and disgusted by others.

If you, my brother-in-law, refuse to help, I have other ways to deal with them.

But those methods won't be as lenient. If they unfortunately implicate you, my brother-in-law, then I can only apologize in advance."

Li Xinghang: "..."

When playing the pity card and reasoning failed, he resorted to threats, huh?

He hadn't refused to help, so why the urgency?

This younger brother-in-law had always been steady and composed. In many matters, he was even more mature than his older brother-in-law, who is ten years his senior.

But after a major disaster, he became a henpecked husband who lacked authority with his wife.

In other important matters, he remained the same, but when it came to his wife, he became more impulsive and reckless than a hot-headed youth!

He said grumpily, "You, a henpecked husband who can't assert himself!"

Song Shian gave a cold hum and retorted, "Why can't you even take a secondary wife or a concubine?"

Hearing this, Li Xinghang immediately responded with a firm expression, "Your sister cared for me without ever abandoning me during the two years at the imperial mausoleum. If I were to betray her, it would go against heaven's principles."

Song Shian curled his lips slightly, because he knew his brother-in-law was devoted to his sister, he dared to talk back.

When he was still Crown Prince, he was like this, and even now as emperor, he remained the same.

Song Shian was confident that in the history books of future generations, when it came to the love between an emperor and his empress, the loving imperial couple—his brother-in-law and sister—would be prominently featured.

He hummed softly, "Brother-in-law, if you put yourself in my position, you’d understand why I need to scheme against Eldest Miss Cheng, right?"

Li Xinghang fell silent.

After a moment, he sighed helplessly, "There’s really no dealing with you."

This was clearly an implicit agreement to Song Shian's request.

Song Shian pursed his lips and gave a small smile, "Thank you for your help, brother-in-law. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure my wife speaks highly of you to my sister."

Li Xinghang chided with a laugh, "Your sister and I are deeply devoted to each other as husband and wife; why would we need your wife, an outsider, to say good things about me?"

Song Shian looked up and stared at him with his sharp, phoenix-like eyes, smiling coldly, "You really don’t need her to?"

Li Xinghang felt a chill down his spine as he was stared down by a pair of eyes so similar to the Crown Prince's Consort's.

He coughed lightly and backtracked, "Good words are never too many; a few more won’t hurt."

Song Shian curled his lips, knowing this would happen.

＊

Jiang Chun thought for several days but couldn’t find a way to ask Song Shian for help without making him jealous or upset.

Meanwhile, Lady Zhuang received an invitation to a chrysanthemum-viewing banquet at the Marquis of Anyuan’s residence.

The third wife, Qiu Shi, took the invitation and scrutinized it several times before saying, "A chrysanthemum-viewing banquet? And it’s in three days? In three days, it will already be the eleventh month of the lunar calendar."

"Other families hold their chrysanthemum banquets in October, but the Marquis of Anyuan's household is only holding theirs on the second day of the twelfth lunar month. It's amazing their chrysanthemums are still in full bloom."

Second Madam Li had been pretending to be ill for several days, eating bland, watery gruel suitable for the sick. When she could no longer keep up the pretense, she had to join everyone for meals in the main courtyard.

She remarked in a mild tone, "The Marquis of Anyuan's household hasn't held a chrysanthemum banquet in previous years. Why are they suddenly holding one this year? Are they trying to copy the Jinxiang Marquis’s banquet because it was so lively?"

As she spoke the words "so lively," she deliberately looked up at Jiang Chun, her intention clear.

Rather than feeling embarrassed, Jiang Chun proudly puffed out her chest. "If anyone dares to badmouth my husband at the Marquis of Anyuan's banquet, I’ll beat them up without a second thought."

Madame Zhuang immediately glanced up and glared at her.

Noticing this, Jiang Chun quickly added with a smile, "Of course, if anyone dares to badmouth Mother, I’ll beat them up too."

Madame Zhuang replied with some irritation, "I appreciate the offer, but it's really not necessary."

"Necessary, necessary, necessary!" Jiang Chun reiterated emphatically, "Mother, not only are you the matriarch of the Song family, but also the mother-in-law of the Crown Prince. Your dignity is above all. Anyone who insults you is slapping the Crown Prince in the face. Even if I don’t defend your honor, I must defend the Crown Prince’s honor, right?"

Her words were so convincing that Madame Zhuang found herself momentarily at a loss for a rebuttal.

Seeing how she had defended his mother, Song Shian smiled contentedly.

Unfortunately, the main focus of the Marquis of Anyuan's banquet would be Eldest Miss Cheng and Fan the Butcher, leaving little room for his wife to shine.

However, his wife, besides enjoying using force, also loved watching drama, and the more dramatic, the better.

Being able to witness the spectacle involving Eldest Miss Cheng would surely make her very happy.

＊

On the first day of the twelfth lunar month, Jiang Chun was trying on the clothes she would wear to the Marquis of Anyuan's household banquet the next day when Guihua hurried in.

She reported, "Madam, I heard from Elder Sister Amber in the main courtyard that Second Miss has returned. Would you like to go and see what’s happening?"

"Second Miss has returned?" Jiang Chun was taken aback.

The Second Miss was the daughter of a concubine, Madame Zhuang’s maid Bixi, who had accompanied her into marriage.

However, Bixi fell ill and passed away not long after giving birth. Lady Zhuang brought the Second Young Miss to live with her and raised her as if she were her own.

Though not her biological daughter, she treated her as if she were her own.

If Jiang Chun hadn't known about the Second Young Miss's return, she might have ignored it, but now that she knew, she felt compelled to visit her in the main courtyard.

But why was everyone making such a fuss?

She was about to reprimand Guihua for spreading rumors when Guihua leaned forward and whispered, "Madam, when the Second Young Miss returned, she had her hair styled like a married woman."

Jiang Chun's eyes widened in surprise.

Could it be that the Second Young Miss was already married?

She drew a sharp breath.

The situation seemed troubling.

Given that the Second Young Miss had been sold as a government slave, could she have possibly married into a respectable family?

Only a poor villager unable to find a wife would likely consider marrying a government slave.

If the Song family had declined, at least the Second Young Miss would have a home, unlike Song Shiying, who was sold to a brothel.

But the Song family was rehabilitated.

The situation of the Second Young Miss, now married, became complicated.

A divorce would make her appear mercenary and immoral.

Without a divorce, it would be inappropriate for the Second Young Miss of the Song family, the sister-in-law of the Crown Prince, to remain married to a rural villager.

It was a real quandary.

Upon arriving at the main room, she realized her concerns were unfounded.

The Second Young Miss Song Shichu had not been married off, but rather sold to the residence of Magistrate He Shuyu of Huang County, Dengzhou Prefecture in Shandong to be a slave.

Due to her beauty, she was raped by He Shuyu after he had too much to drink, and she became his secondary wife.

This time, the men dispatched by the Crown Prince tracked down her whereabouts and went to the county government office in Huang County to fetch her. It was only then that He Shuyu realized that the secondary wife he had been favoring for over two years was actually someone of noble lineage.

Song Shichu said through gritted teeth, "That despicable man He Shuyu, after finding out that I am a daughter of the Song family, secretly called me aside and said he was willing to divorce Madam Lu, his first wife, and marry me as his legitimate wife.

He was born into a poor family, and if it weren't for Madam Lu's father, Elder Lu, who saw potential in him and provided financial support to help him study for the imperial exams, how could he have passed the imperial exams and become a county magistrate?

Yet he is completely ungrateful. Not only did he have affairs with all the maids in the household, but he also plans to divorce Madam Lu and wants to marry into the Song family.

As if he deserves to! Even if I become a nun, I wouldn't marry such a heartless and ungrateful man!"

Jiang Chun was furious and scolded, "What kind of lowly scoundrel does he think he is, trying to become our Song family's son-in-law? Do we look like a junkyard?"

After her outburst, she turned to Song Shichu, "Second sister, what are you talking about? If you become a nun, wouldn't that make He Shuyu think you still have feelings for him because you didn't marry someone else?

For such a petty man, all you need to do is marry someone better than him, and it will make him rage and toss and turn in bed all night."

Madame Zhuang, unusually in agreement with Jiang Chun this time, nodded and said, "What your elder sister-in-law says is right. You are still young. Just consider yourself a widow who has lost her husband. It's not uncommon for widows to remarry. I'll help you find a good match later."

Song Shichu, having been raised by Madame Zhuang and more composed than Song Shiying and Song Shiyue, was mentally prepared for the challenges she would face upon returning to the capital. Hearing this, she nodded and said, "I'll listen to Mother and Elder Sister-in-law."

Jiang Chun grinned and said, "Tomorrow is the Chrysanthemum Banquet at the Marquis of Anyuan's household. Second sister, why don't you come with us to relax a bit? It'll also give Mother a chance to look around for a good match for you."

Song Shichu, feigning shyness, pouted and said, "Elder Sister-in-law, I just got back to the capital. I haven't had time to bond with my family yet. Why are you in such a hurry to marry me off?"

Madame Zhuang gave Jiang Chun a sideways glance, gently patted Song Shichu's hand, and comforted her, "Your elder sister-in-law is just joking with you. Don't take it seriously.

There's no rush to remarry. I'll take my time to find a good match for you. If I can't find a suitable one, it's not a big deal. You can stay at home as a spinster, and your elder brother and sister-in-law will support you for life."

Zhong Wenjin softly interjected, "Second Brother and I can also support Second Sister for life."

Madame Zhuang snorted and laughed, "The two of you still rely on me for money and official positions. With the little silver you have, you think you can support your second sister? The two of you can barely support yourselves."

Zhong Wenjin straightened her back and said confidently, "Although Second Brother and I don't have much money now, we are both working hard to improve ourselves. I believe it won't be long before we have more than enough."

Fearing that her mother-in-law wouldn't believe her, she pulled Jiang Chun in to vouch for her: "Even if Mother doesn't trust me, you must trust my sister-in-law's judgment. She has invested all the silver in her possession as dry shares with me."

At these words, Madame Zhuang's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Jiang Chun: "You've invested all your silver into the second son's household?"

"Have you gone mad?"

"If she squanders your silver, and you go berserk, won't you beat the second son's wife to death?"

Though the elder brother and the younger brother haven't quarreled, if their wives were to fall out, and both brothers are weak-willed, it wouldn't be long before they start bickering.

Jiang Chun couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Madame Zhuang, this mother-in-law, was truly amusing; her serious words were unexpectedly so comical.

Madame Zhuang glared at her, not amused: "You still have the nerve to laugh?"

Jiang Chun smiled sweetly: "Mother, please rest assured. I have confidence in my sister-in-law. She will surely earn money for me."

"Even if she doesn't, it's no big deal. After all, my husband can still earn money as an official to support me, right?"

"I've been supporting my husband for two years; it's about time he started taking care of me."

She's no fool.

Willing to invest nearly two thousand taels of silver in Zhong Wenjin was certainly because she was confident that Zhong Wenjin could bring her substantial profits.

Jiang Chun dared to do this not only because she knew Zhong Wenjin had the Pinduoduo Mall system but also because she had a strong backing.

Song Shian was her backing.

Apart from being able to collect his monthly salary, she was about to take over eight shops and two estates under his name.

Even if Zhong Wenjin squandered all of her nearly two thousand taels of silver, it wouldn't be a significant loss for her.

Not to mention her own golden finger—the sign-in system.

This was a treasure pot that could continuously provide her with wealth.

At this moment, however, Song Shian suddenly covered his face and began to wail loudly, completely losing his gentlemanly composure.

She didn't cry when He Shuyu dominated her body, nor when the Crown Prince's men arrived at her doorstep. She didn't cry when she saw her mother, who had always treated her like her own.

Yet, she couldn't help herself when she heard her two sisters-in-law fighting over taking care of her.

As an illegitimate daughter, not born to the main wife, she was only their half-sister. This was also her first meeting with her two sisters-in-law.

Yet, instead of looking down on her for losing her virtue and bringing shame to the Song family, they were fighting over offering to support her.

What good fortune did she have to deserve such loving family members?

Just as Jiang Chun was about to speak to console the sobbing Song Shichu, Madame Zhuang raised her hand to stop her. "Let her cry. She's endured too much over the past two years. Crying might make her feel better."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Wenjin silently took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and forced it into Song Shichu's hand, which was covering her face.

Song Shichu was in the middle of crying when Song Shiying's voice suddenly came from outside. "Second Sister has returned?"

Song Shiying had likely already learned from the maids about Song Shichu's marriage. Upon entering and seeing her cry, she blurted out, "Second Sister, don't think you're the most miserable one. I'm far worse off than you. I was sold to a brothel for a year. Which decent family would want a daughter-in-law like me? I'll probably end up staying at home as an old maid, relying on our eldest and second sister-in-law to support you for the rest of my life."

Everyone present: "..."

If one didn't know better, they'd think she had been there all along, the way she had perfectly timed her interruption.

Jiang Chun's attitude toward Song Shiying was completely different from her attitude toward Song Shichu. Upon hearing her words, Jiang Chun scoffed. "Dream on. I'm not going to take care of you. If you want to stay at home as an old maid, fine. Either get more properties and estates from Mother or earn money by painting or copying books. Don't even think about being a parasite. Our Song family doesn't tolerate idleness."

Without waiting for Song Shiying's response, she turned to Song Shichu, speaking gently. "Second sister, don't worry. Just stay at home. Second sister-in-law and I will support you."

Song Shiying was so angry she nearly cried. "Big sister-in-law, you're being unjust. We're both your sisters-in-law. How can you be so biased?"

Jiang Chun lifted her chin, unabashed. "I am being biased. What are you going to do about it?"

Song Shiying was so frustrated she almost lost it. "I don't want to stay in the Song family and be oppressed by you for the rest of my life. I suffered under your thumb for a year, doing all the dirty work and copying books to pay for my meals. I won't let you exploit me anymore!"

Jiang Chun snorted. "I don't want to support a useless sister-in-law. That's that."

The sister-in-law and the wife of the husband's brother started quarreling with each other.

Whenever they had the time, they would engage in verbal sparring, and the rest of the Song family had long grown accustomed to it. However, this was the first time Song Shichu had witnessed such a scene, and she quickly stepped in to mediate, saying, "Big Sister-in-law, Third Sister, please stop fighting. It’s my fault. If not for me, we wouldn't be talking about marriage at all."

Zhong Wenjin patted her arm gently and smiled reassuringly, "Big Sister-in-law and Third Sister are like this all the time, arguing three times a day. It’s not really related to you, Second Sister. You'll get used to it after seeing it a few more times."

Seeing that Song Shichu still looked skeptical, Zhong Wenjin added with a smile, "The last time they quarreled was during breakfast this morning. They argued for a full fifteen minutes over a crystal shrimp ball before stopping."

"Ah?" Song Shichu exclaimed in disbelief, "Is our family so poor that we have to fight over crystal shrimp balls now?"

This remark amused Zhong Wenjin, and she laughed, "Not exactly. They're just bored. Maybe food tastes better when you have to compete for it?"

Song Shichu: "..."

They must be pretty bored.