The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 58

Liang Chengqiu nudged his horse’s belly and rode alongside Xiao Yu. “The carriage is slow. If we speed up, we should be able to catch up.”

Xiao Yu didn’t ask anything else and silently picked up the pace. The purpose of going to the prime minister’s residence wasn’t just to placate the eldest daughter. She also had some questions she needed to get to the bottom of. Otherwise, there would always be a rift in her heart, and over time, she might become a “resentful couple” with her again.

Since there was a rift, she would go and clear it up.

The two horses had only run for one street before they caught up with the prime minister’s carriage. As the sound of hooves grew closer, the coachman looked back and said through the carriage window, “Miss, your husband is here.”

Song Luoning clenched her fingers. It wasn’t entirely unexpected that Xiao Yu would follow her. She was silent for a moment. “Don’t stop, keep going.”

Xiao Yu and Liang Chengqiu caught up to the carriage, riding on either side of it. They passed through the streets and quickly arrived at the prime minister’s residence.

The residence was very large; the houses on either side had been bought and merged to create its current size. The carriage stopped outside the main gate, and the servants waiting outside rushed forward to lower the footrest and help Song Luoning alight.

Xiao Yu jumped off his horse, ready to help his wife, when a small, pink bundle of a child unexpectedly hugged his leg. “Daddy-in-law is here too! Ling’er missed you so much.” In a sweet, milky voice, Xiao Yu bent down. The little one was wearing a pink ruqun today and had big, sparkling eyes. Xiao Yu couldn’t resist pinching Song Ling’er’s cheek, smiling, “Daddy-in-law missed Ling’er too.”

“Ling’er, don’t pester your Daddy-in-law. Come to your mommy.” Li Yan chided. She nodded to Xiao Yu and stepped forward to take the little one’s hand.

“No, Ling’er wants to play with Daddy-in-law,” Song Ling’er pouted, looking adorable.

Xiao Yu’s heart softened, and he picked up Song Ling’er. “It’s alright, Sister-in-law. I like Ling’er very much too.”

The little one was already happy being held by Xiao Yu, but the next second, she saw Song Luoning and giggled, excitedly trying to squirm into her arms. “Auntie! Ling’er missed you so much.”

Xiao Yu held her. “Little girl, didn’t you just say you missed your Daddy-in-law the most? So, seeing your Auntie, am I no longer the person you miss the most?” He said, feigning a look of hurt.

Sure enough, children were the most innocent. Seeing Xiao Yu’s sadness, Song Ling’er immediately said, “Ling’er misses Daddy-in-law too, it’s just… Ling’er misses Auntie even more.” She seemed a little guilty, maybe afraid of hurting her Daddy-in-law’s feelings, and lowered her head, only daring to peek at Xiao Yu.

Song Luoning walked over, reached out, and tapped Song Ling’er’s nose, chuckling softly. “You’re the sweetest.”

“Ling’er really missed Auntie…” Song Ling’er blinked her bright, deer-like eyes, wanting to immediately throw herself into her aunt’s arms to be spoiled. But her two short legs dangled, and she could only look longingly at her aunt from Xiao Yu’s arms.

“Alright, Auntie knows,” Song Luoning said with a laugh.

The anticipation in the little one’s eyes was too obvious, and she couldn’t bear to refuse. Song Luoning curled her lips and opened her arms to her. “Come, let Auntie give you a hug.”

“Little sister, you can’t,” Li Yan called out.

Song Luoning laughed softly. “It’s alright, Sister-in-law. I’m much better now, and our little Ling’er is so cute. Auntie really wants to hold her.”

Song Luoning had been frail and sickly since childhood. She could barely hold Ling’er, and even walking a few steps would make her cough for a while. Even though she said that, Li Yan was still worried, and Ling’er had gained weight recently. It was even difficult for her, the mother, to hold her, so she didn’t dare let Song Luoning do it.

“Little sister, don’t. This little girl has gained a lot of weight recently. It takes some effort to hold her.”

Seeing her say that, Song Luoning knew she was concerned for her, so she didn’t insist. “It seems little Ling’er can only be held by her Daddy-in-law.”

“Ling’er knows. Auntie is not well. It’s okay, Daddy-in-law can hold me,” Song Ling’er said obediently.

Li Yan was relieved to hear this. She smiled and greeted them, “Let’s go inside quickly. Father is waiting.”

“Okay,” Song Luoning replied.

Her father suddenly calling her here must mean something was up. Song Luoning didn’t delay and followed Li Yan into the back garden. Song Yunzhou was waiting in the study. To get there, they had to walk through a long corridor. Xiao Yu quietly followed behind them. There were guards at the study door.

Li Yan smiled. “Little sister, Father is inside. I’ll go prepare some tea and snacks and have someone send them over.”

Song Luoning nodded. “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

Li Yan chuckled. “What’s there to thank in a family?” She glanced at Song Ling’er in Xiao Yu’s arms and coaxed her, “Alright, Ling’er, how about you and Mommy go prepare some snacks for your Auntie and Daddy-in-law?”

“Okay,” Song Ling’er agreed obediently.

Li Yan smiled, nodded to Xiao Yu, and reached out to take Song Ling’er. “Ling’er and I will go now. Father is waiting for you both inside.”

Li Yan was once a young lady from a prestigious family. She was intelligent and understood the rules of etiquette. What she needed to know would be told to her naturally, and she wouldn’t ask about what she shouldn’t know.

However, she vaguely sensed that something was about to happen, and it was a big deal.

She didn’t say anything else, took her daughter’s hand, and went to the kitchen, surrounded by maids.

Song Luoning looked in the direction Li Yan had gone and motioned for Cui Zhu to wait outside. The guard at the door stepped forward and pushed the door open. Song Yunzhou was sitting at a desk. The three Song brothers were seated in a semi-circle of chairs, and on the other side, separated by a screen, was a soft couch.

On the desk was a bronze boshan censer, and a faint scent of sandalwood filled the room.

“Come in and talk,” Song Yunzhou said.

Song Luoning stepped inside. Xiao Yu and Liang Chengqiu exchanged a look and followed her into the study. The sound of the door closing echoed behind them. Only then did they see that besides the Song family father and three sons, there wasn’t even a single servant girl to serve tea.

“Sit,” Song Yunzhou said, with a hint of affection on his stern face.

Xiao Yu helped Song Luoning sit down. Song Yunzhou continued, “I called you here today to talk about something.” He paused and then looked at Xiao Yu. “The Imperial Court of Justice encountered a problem while investigating the case in Lin’an County. The evidence and confessions that were reported earlier were all burned. I suspect someone deliberately wants you dead.”

What?

A cold sweat broke out on Xiao Yu’s back. If she couldn’t clear her name, wouldn’t she be throwing her life away for nothing? There was only one person who would be so intent on her death: the male protagonist, Xiao Chengze.

Sure enough, the next second, she heard Song Yanqi take over. “I also investigated what happened today. The group of dancing girls in the palace were presented to the emperor by the Prince of Chang.”

?!

How could Xiao Chengze be so ruthless as to go to such lengths to kill her? Based on the current situation, Yuan Niang was actually someone the male protagonist had arranged to be in the palace.

The question was, did that incompetent emperor have a hand in this?

If he didn’t, it would be fine, but if he did, wouldn’t she be dead for sure? Was it not easy for an emperor to want someone to die?

Besides, did the emperor need to go to such great lengths to kill a nobody like her?

Or was he wary of her father-in-law’s family and could only use this method to kill her, so that even if the truth came out, he could push the blame onto the male protagonist?

Xiao Yu didn’t dare to be careless. What role did her father-in-law play in all of this?

Why did it feel like he knew everything, and everything was so strange?

For example, no matter how trustworthy the Prime Minister’s residence was, they wouldn’t marry their eldest daughter to a scoundrel, would they?

Another example: just as she escaped from Qingzhou, her brother-in-law was already waiting for her in the suburbs of the capital.

So, was it a coincidence that she met Song Yanyu at the Gongchen Gate today, or was he there specifically to pick her up?

And what exactly did the eldest daughter say to Song Yanqi in the study that day?

A series of questions.

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