The Abused Novel Heroine Became a Clingy Sweetheart [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 43.2

Moreover, since she hadn’t returned last night, the Grand Tutor would surely lecture her a few more times.

Grand Tutor Song was eating his breakfast. He ate lightly and frugally, having only a bowl of plain congee cooked, which he sipped slowly and methodically.

Hearing the servant’s report, he finally lifted his aged eyes and focused his gaze on Song Yaozi.

“You’re back,” Grand Tutor Song said.

Song Yaozi lowered her eyes and nodded, calling out: “Grandfather.”

“Come and sit down,” Grand Tutor Song gestured vaguely to the spot beside him, indicating for Song Yaozi to sit there.

The Grand Tutor married only one wife in his lifetime. After she bore him a son, she passed away.

He meticulously raised his child, watching him gradually enter the court, marry, have a child, and live a happy and fulfilled life.

Unfortunately, good times did not last.

At the time, a prefecture suffered a severe mountain flood. The Grand Tutor’s son, unable to bear the suffering of the common people, volunteered to go for disaster relief.

A large group went, but the only one returned was a child just learning to speak.

That was the young Song Yaozi.

He had taught his child too well.

When the mountain flood suddenly erupted, his son sacrificed his life to save others, leaving his life entirely in that foreign land.

His daughter-in-law was not spared either.

Lucky and yet unlucky, Song Yaozi was the sole survivor of that devastating disaster.

Grand Tutor Song never expected that in his old age, he would have to face the sorrow of a father outliving his son.

He took on the heavy responsibility of raising Song Yaozi, viewing the child as the continuation of his own flesh and blood.

Sometimes, through Song Yaozi, he could faintly see traces of his son.

Song Yaozi was obedient, diligent, and hardworking. While still very young, her reputation for talent had already spread throughout the capital.

Grand Tutor Song was proud of her in his heart, but he was also worried for her.

“The Phoenix Maiden of the Song Family, the one who obtains her will pacify the world.”

This prophecy, whose origin was unknown, had become a nursery rhyme sung by even three-year-old children on the streets.

Grand Tutor Song often wondered, why was Song Yaozi a daughter?

He didn’t look down on women, but the world was inherently difficult.

Societal views naturally placed invisible shackles on women.

To achieve the same things, women had to put in several times more effort than ordinary men.

Song Yaozi’s status as the Grand Tutor’s granddaughter was already a noble position unattainable for common people.

Even though the Grand Tutor’s Manor was honest and upright, this status could guarantee Song Yaozi a lifetime of peace and a marriage into a noble family.

If she were a young lady content to wait for marriage in the women’s quarters, this would indeed be a life that could reassure the Grand Tutor.

But Grand Tutor Song knew this granddaughter, whom he had raised himself, too well.

Song Yaozi looked delicate, but her heart concealed an incredibly tough spark.

She was a south-flying wild goose; her ambition was not confined to these square inches.

Thus, this very identity became a potential burden for Song Yaozi.

Although Grand Tutor Song did not frequently attend court due to his health.

He was not yet at the point of being blind or deaf. He knew that Song Yaozi had already become a desirable asset that the various princes were vying for.

The deep palace was a man-eating place that spat out no bones; it was not a good place to stay.

Since Song Yaozi stayed in the palace for a whole night this time, Grand Tutor Song couldn’t help but worry.

“Did anything unusual happen during your attendance at the banquet this time?”

Song Yaozi shook her head: “Replying to Grandfather, no.”

Grand Tutor Song looked at her intently, “Then why did you not return for the whole night?”

The last four words were emphasized, carrying a heavy sense of pressure.

Song Yaozi’s expression did not change, but the fingers hidden beneath her long sleeves were nervously twisting together.

She forced a normal smile, looking a little embarrassed: “Last night, His Majesty had new tribute wine served. Your granddaughter, not knowing her limits, indulged in a few extra cups.”

“I was truly too drunk to walk, so I found a side hall of an acquainted concubine to rest for the night.”

Song Yaozi said calmly: “Ying’er knows about this too.”

Ying’er, standing behind her, quickly nodded along: “Miss is right! That’s exactly what happened!”

Grand Tutor Song’s gaze swept over the mistress and servant, eventually withdrawing slowly.

He put down his spoon, looked at Song Yaozi, and said: “It was because of my sudden illness yesterday that I had to send you on an errand. In the future, if there’s no urgent matter, try to avoid running to the palace.”

Song Yaozi obediently nodded: “Understood, Grandfather.”

“If there are no other instructions, Grandfather, I will retire to my room now.”

Grand Tutor Song waved his hand: “Go on.”

Song Yaozi stood up, bowed to the Grand Tutor, and walked away with a straight back and graceful steps.

Once out of Grand Tutor Song’s sight, the tight string she had been holding finally relaxed.

A thin layer of cold sweat couldn’t help but break out on her back.

She kept her fingers tightly clenched all the way back to her room. After asking Ying’er to step out, she finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Clearly, it was just an accident, yet it made her constantly tense up to cope with it.

After closing all the windows one by one and latching the door bolt, Song Yaozi felt safe enough to take off her dress.

Her room held a full-length copper mirror, an item of Western origin given as a tribute long ago.

Emperor Ning Jing bestowed it upon Grand Tutor Song, who, having no use for it himself, moved it into Song Yaozi’s room.

The dress slipped down, pooling at her feet.

She covered her chest. For a long time, she slowly moved step by step toward the mirror.

Song Yaozi’s skin was very fair; any mark stood out clearly.

She bit her lower lip, seeing the faint red marks imprinted on her chest. Her ear tips immediately flushed.

Her fingertips gently brushed over them, as if she could still recall the posture the person used to leave those marks.

Just one night completely shattered Song Yaozi’s understanding of the past ten-odd years.

It turned out that between women, it could also… also…

The intertwined images surged into her mind, finding every gap. She dared not think any further, quickly fled from the mirror, and swiftly put on her undergarments.

Having tidied up, she sat on the bed, lost in thought for an uncharacteristically long time.

After a while, she slowly closed her eyes.

The matter ends here, she thought.

This incident was merely an accident.

No one would ever know, and no one would care.

There would be no further connection between her and Princess Shun’an.

Song Yaozi had planned well, but she hadn’t expected to see You Ting again so soon.

A few days later, a formal invitation was sent from the palace to the Grand Tutor’s Manor.

The invitation was specifically for Song Yaozi.

Song Yaozi held the gilt-edged invitation, her delicate brows furrowed for a long time.

Ying’er glanced at her and asked: “Miss, are we really going?”

“This clearly… this clearly harbors ill intentions!”

Ying’er suggested: “How about, Miss, you claim to be ill.”

Song Yaozi sighed softly, “The Empress Dowager’s invitation is not so easily refused.”

“Grandfather is already old; I don’t want to cause him more trouble.”

The Empress had not only sent an invitation to Song Yaozi but also to all the well-known young ladies of noble families in the capital.

The nominal reason was a flower appreciation banquet, but everyone knew in their hearts that she was scouting for a wife for her son.

The Empress had two children, a boy and a girl twin.

The Second Prince, He Changsi, and the Seventh Princess, He Yujiao.

He Changsi was similar in age to He Zhige, but in terms of political achievements and public support, he couldn’t compare to even a single finger of He Zhige.

If it weren’t for his status as the Empress’s legitimate son, few people in the court would support her.

He Zhige’s return to the capital this time, and Emperor Ning Jing hosting a grand banquet for him, clearly posed a huge threat to the Empress.

The Emperor’s mind was like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Even after years as a couple, the Empress still couldn’t fathom what Emperor Ning Jing was truly thinking.

If he favored He Zhige, he only allowed He Zhige to fight wars outside.

He Zhige was never allowed to touch any court affairs in the capital, regardless of size.

If he favored He Changsi, he seemed to only let this son wander freely, without real power.

Emperor Ning Jing had so many children; no one could clearly tell who he was truly satisfied with.

The former Crown Prince had been deceased for many years, and the Eastern Palace seat remained vacant.

Seeing princes like He Zhige growing stronger one by one, the Empress became desperately anxious.

She rushed to organize this flower appreciation banquet to find a strong backer for He Changsi.

With so many young ladies from noble families in the capital, there must be one suitable for He Changsi, someone who could provide him with the best assistance.

In the Empress’s eyes, the young lady from the Grand Tutor’s family was, of course, the most ideal match.

Talented and beautiful, marrying her meant acquiring the entire Song family’s network of connections.

Grand Tutor Song had numerous students and a deep foundation in the court.

If He Changsi could truly marry Song Yaozi, she would definitely help him gain a firm footing.

Therefore, her first invitation was sent to the Grand Tutor’s Manor.

While Song Yaozi’s conditions were excellent, in the Empress’s heart, her own son was always the best.

She felt that this was already showing enough regard for Song Yaozi, and if the girl were sensible, she should eagerly come forward to declare her willingness.

However, on the day of the flower appreciation banquet, the guests had been seated for a long time when the Song family young lady finally arrived, fashionably late.

A veil covered her face, and she walked with a slight gasp for breath with every few steps, looking so fragile she might faint at any moment.

The Empress was already annoyed by her tardiness. Seeing Song Yaozi’s appearance, her temper flared even more.

She asked loudly and harshly: “What is wrong with Miss Song?”

Song Yaozi coughed a few times, “Replying to Mother Empress, Yaozi recently caught a cold and originally planned to recuperate at home.”

“But since it was the Empress’s invitation, I thought I still had to come to the palace to pay my respects.”

Her voice was soft and gentle, without a hint of insincerity.

If not for the previous banquet celebrating He Zhige, where the Empress had seen her, Song Yaozi might have truly fooled her.

A perfectly healthy person, how could she become so ill in just a couple of days!

The Empress organized this banquet partly to subtly compete with He Zhige. Song Yaozi’s behavior made her feel greatly enraged.

Did Song Yaozi think her son, the dignified legitimate son of the Empress, was inferior to a bastard like He Zhige!

Furious, the Empress momentarily disregarded the Grand Tutor’s Manor behind Song Yaozi and said coldly: “Since Miss Song is unwell, you should be resting properly in your manor.”

“I have heard a method among the common folk: as long as one sincerely kneels and worships the Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva can bless the faithful with freedom from illness and a lifetime of peace.”

“And coincidentally,” the Empress’s tone became sharp, and she forced a smile, “I have just received a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, personally blessed by a master. It will surely be of great use to Miss Song.”

“Oh, right,” the Empress added flatly, “This method is only effective when the sun is at its strongest.”

The Empress turned her head to ask the nanny beside her: “What time is it now? When will the sun be at its strongest?”

The nanny smiled and answered: “How timely! It is precisely this time now.”

The mistress and servant spoke in concert, their intentions transparent.

The young ladies present, all highly astute, naturally understood the implication.

They all cast hidden glances of sympathy toward Song Yaozi.

In fact, everyone understood Song Yaozi’s thinking. After all, if given the choice, who would want a strong-willed mother-in-law like the Empress?

The Second Prince, He Changsi, had a gentle temperament and was quite renowned for his talent in the capital.

But precisely because he had the Empress as a backing, he had not found a suitable match even at the age of twenty.

Ying’er anxiously held Song Yaozi’s arm, asking in a low voice: “Miss, what should we do?”

The Empress clearly wanted to teach Song Yaozi a lesson and make her kneel under the sun as punishment.

Her Miss was always physically weak; how could she endure such hardship?

Ying’er was desperate inside but dared not show it.

She was afraid the Empress would seize on it and hold it against her Miss.

Song Yaozi soothingly patted Ying’er’s hand.

She had already anticipated the possible outcome when she prepared to enter the palace like this.

Compared to enduring a bit of physical discomfort, it was nothing as long as she was ultimately not favored by the Empress and did not have to marry the Second Prince.

The Empress held herself to her position. Song Yaozi’s actions today were an open affront to the Empress’s dignity.

No matter how perfectly her status and conditions aligned, the Empress would absolutely never consider her as a future Imperial Princess consort for the Second Prince.

This move was fraught with danger, but time was short, and Song Yaozi felt she had no other choice.

Song Yaozi bowed low: “Thank you for Mother Empress’s kindness. Yaozi knows what to do.”

The nanny brought out a statue of Guanyin and placed it directly under the fierce sun.

She looked sidelong at Song Yaozi, smiling: “Miss Song, please proceed.”

The nanny deliberately pointed to the path paved with cobblestones, “Mother Empress said that this spot has the best Feng Shui and is most suitable for the young lady.”

Ying’er’s face showed anger.

This was simply too much bullying!

Song Yaozi gave her an imperceptible shake of the head and smiled at the nanny: “Thank you, Nanny.”

She bent her knees and knelt on the cobblestone path.

The uneven ground painfully pressed into her knees. The dazzling sunlight fell into Song Yaozi’s eyes.

She squinted, thinking, this is the imperial family.

She heard that the former Empress was once a well-known gentle and virtuous lady in the capital. Who would have thought that decades later, she would become a bitter and harsh woman?

For a little bit of power, she had transformed into a complete stranger.

Song Yaozi turned her head away.

The Empress was leading the group of noble ladies, planning to move to the Imperial Garden.

But they happened to run into Consort Li, who was out appreciating the flowers.

The Empress hadn’t moved around much in recent years, but Consort Li could be seen at any time, subtly holding the position of the head of the inner palace.

Consort Li’s maternal family was equally powerful, and the Seventh Prince she bore was one of the strong rivals to He Changsi and He Zhige.

Their encounter was like a needle point meeting a wheat awn.

Consort Li was subtly sarcastic; the Empress was aggressively forceful.

The group of noble ladies all buried their heads, wishing they could instantly go blind.

This scene was both absurd and real.

There was no other entertainment in the palace. The struggle for power seemed to be the only way these women passed the time.

Song Yaozi withdrew her gaze, tightly pursing her lips.

She did not want to become a person like that.

In the disaster of that year, her parents desperately saved her, not for her to marry into this deep palace decades later and waste her life with another group of equally pitiful women.

“Miss,” Ying’er whispered, “How are you? Can you still hold on?”

The sunlight grew stronger. The Empress left a nanny there to watch Song Yaozi.

The flawless white jade Guanyin statue reflected a dazzling light. Faintly, through the veiled eyes, one could see the compassionate smile of the Bodhisattva.

Such a sacred symbol was being used as a means of punishment.

Song Yaozi’s head began to feel dizzy.

She didn’t know how long she had been kneeling. Sweat beaded on her forehead and rolled down her cheekbones. She vaguely felt that her legs had gone numb.

From the initial soreness and swelling to complete loss of sensation.

The world before her was swaying. A sudden sense of weightlessness made her involuntarily lean forward.

In her ear, she heard Ying’er’s cry of surprise, “Ah, Miss!”

Song Yaozi slowly closed her eyes. The expected pain of falling to the ground did not arrive.

She had fallen into an embrace that carried a faint scent.

The strange yet familiar fragrance spread in wisps.

As if not long ago, a similar scent had lingered on her body.

Song Yaozi struggled to open her eyes. In her vision was the woman’s long, slender neck.

The person was backlit; she could only see the finely sculpted jawline, slightly tensed.

It was vaguely like that night she dared not think deeply about.

She was also in this posture, glimpsing that jade-like figure through a hazy red veil.

“Your… Your Highness…” Song Yaozi murmured.

You Ting said: “Close your eyes.”

“I’ll take you away.”

Her last bit of conscious reason told Song Yaozi that this was not a wise choice.

She should maintain distance from Princess Shun’an and never recall the events of that night again.

But the light was blindingly bright, making her mind a vast, white expanse.

In the moment before she fainted, Song Yaozi instinctively clutched You Ting’s collar, answering in a low voice: “Okay.”