Triumph in Her Rise and Love

After the rain, the bluestone road was wet and slippery.

Song Jiyun had just stepped into her grandmother Madam Zeng's courtyard when she heard her Aunt Madam Li's shrill and high-pitched wailing, "Grandmother, you must save our dear lord!"

"That Registrar Wang is cruel and ruthless, turning his face without mercy. In our Liang County, he covers the sky with one hand; even the new County Magistrate has to give way to him by three points. Our lord has offended him, what shall we do now?"

Song Jiyun curled her lips, not waiting for the servant at the door to report her arrival, and strode in with the curtain lifted.

In the center of the hall, Song Sanliang was covered with an autumn fragrance-colored silk quilt, lying on a slab groaning in pain.

Madam Zeng sat with her eyes closed on the Arhat bed in the Main Hall, her face as still as water as she fiddled with the eighteen Agarwood beads in her hands.

To her left sat a silently sobbing Madam Li, to her right sat a slightly panicked Madam Qian, with a beautiful young girl standing behind her.

It was her cousin, Song Tao.

Everyone in the room turned their heads towards them at the sound.

She exclaimed, "Ah!" as she ran over to Song Sanliang and said, "How did this happen? Aren't beatings in the Yamen supposed to be real or fake? Did uncle not offer enough silver?"

The room went silent.

Madam Qian glanced awkwardly at Madam Li, hurriedly stood up, and pulled Song Jiyun, saying, "How did you get here?"

She did not criticize her for not greeting Madam Zeng and the others first, nor for her improper remarks, revealing a very clear protective intention.

Madam Li was displeased.

Song Jiyun acted as if she hadn't noticed, and loudly said, "Didn't uncle say he would go with me to the Silver House early today to fetch ten thousand taels of silver for Registrar Wang? After Registrar Wang called uncle away, I went to the Silver House as per the arrangement with uncle.

"Who knew I would wait at the Silver House all morning and not see uncle, so I had to come back."

She asked Madam Li guiltily and worriedly, "Auntie, was uncle beaten because he couldn't deliver the silver on time? Can uncle still get up? Is it still feasible to send the silver now?"

"This..." Madam Li's face showed awkwardness.

Nanny Zheng burst in, shouting in a panic, "Old lady, Miss, it's bad!"

Madam Zeng was forced to open her eyes.

Song Jiyun's face darkened as she said, "Shouting and screaming here, do we not have rules anymore?"

Nanny Zheng hastily apologized and, wiping the sweat from her forehead, anxiously said, "Everyone outside is saying that the Third Old Master, under the guise of Registrar Wang, has been swindling and extorting ten thousand taels of silver from others, and he was brought back after being beaten with thirty heavy boards."

"What?!" Song Jiyun exclaimed in shock, glancing at Song Sanliang and then at Madam Li.

Madam Li, unsure whether she was angry or embarrassed, her face flushed red, and she stepped forward and slapped Nanny Zheng across the face.

Song Jiyun pulled Nanny Zheng aside to dodge the slap and said, "Auntie, let's talk things out nicely, hitting is not right!"

Madam Li scolded, "I'll let her spout nonsensical gossip!"

Nanny Zheng defended herself in grievance, "I'm not spouting nonsense. Everyone's talking with crystal clarity, even learning exactly what Registrar Wang asked the Third Old Master."

As she spoke, she cautiously glanced at Madam Zeng and muttered, "The Third Old Master swindled his own family's ten thousand taels of silver!"

"What?!"

Madam Qian was shocked, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

Song Jiyun was similarly astonished, "Uncle, how could you do this?

"I'm your real niece!"

Song Sanliang feigned death.

Madam Li was jumping up and down, shrieking, "Not true! Nonsense! False! If I hear you framing our lord again, be careful, I won't be polite."

Song Jiyun ignored her, looking at Song Sanliang with a deeply pained expression, "Uncle, if you were short of silver, you should have just told me.

"Ten thousand taels isn't too big an amount."

"As the younger generation, we can manage with fewer pieces of jewelry and fewer clothes to save you some money."

"Why did you deceive us? Deceiving us is one thing, but doing so under the guise of Registrar Wang?"

"But by doing this, how can we, the younger generation, face the world?"

These words struck deep.

Madam Li, furious and embarrassed, snapped at Song Jiyun, "Is this how you speak? Is this how the younger generation should act? You have no manners!"

Madam Qian, trembling with anger, stood up and shielded her daughter, addressing Madam Li, "Aunt San, did our child say anything wrong? You bully us, a widow and her orphans, and still think you're right?"

Although Madam Li feared Song Jiyun's father, she wasn't afraid of this meek sister-in-law. She blurted out, "It's your own fault for not being able to give birth to a son!"

Song Jiyun violently overturned the table and retorted sharply, "My father never said a word. Now that my father is gone, do you think you can take charge of our family, Aunt San?"

Caught off guard, Song Tao, who had been silent at the side, went pale and took two steps back before steadying herself.

Madam Qian burst into tears.

Unwilling to back down, Madam Li, with her eyes bulging, was about to retort when Madam Zeng slammed the table and shouted, silencing her, "Enough! What do you all think you're doing? Isn't this shameful enough? I'm not dead yet!"

Everyone calmed down.

Exhausted, Madam Zeng told Madam Qian and her daughter, "You go back first! We can discuss whatever matters once the second son has been taken to the mountains."

Madam Qian nodded through her sobs.

However, Song Jiyun kept her gaze fixed on Madam Zeng.

Those dark eyes seemed to reflect images like a mirror, seeing everything clearly, understanding everything.

Madam Zeng's expression changed slightly.

Song Tao, pale, came forward and bowed to Madam Zeng, saying, "Grandmother, I'll see Aunt Er off."

Madam Zeng grunted in response.

Song Tao and Song Jiyun, one on each side, escorted Madam Qian, along with Nanny Zheng and others, out of Madam Zeng's courtyard.

"Don't take Grandmother's words to heart," Song Tao gently advised Madam Qian and Song Jiyun. "We, the younger generation, should not argue with her about this."

Having had three daughters, Madam Qian was particularly affectionate towards her nieces and, upon hearing this, comforted her instead, "Good child, you were frightened, weren't you? Your cousin is quick-tempered; be patient with her."

Song Tao smiled at Song Jiyun and said, "You go ahead! I need to hide here for a while."

She then meaningfully glanced back at the house where Madam Zeng stayed.

Quite lively and cheerful.

Song Jiyun raised an eyebrow.

This cousin of hers had changed a lot from before.

*

In Madam Zeng's house, Madam Li cried inconsolably, "I said this was unreliable, but he insisted it was fine. Now look, not only was someone beaten, but my dowry calligraphy and paintings were also dragged into this. And to be ridiculed by the younger generation. What are we supposed to do about Registrar Wang?"

"It was that cursed girl Song Jiyun!" Suddenly, Sanliang, who had been quiet by the door, raised his head and exclaimed like he was waking from a deep sleep, "She's the one who betrayed us to Lord Wang!"

Both Madam Li and Madam Zeng were shocked and asked, "What did you say?"

Sanliang clenched his teeth and recounted the incident, adding, "Besides her, no one else knew about this."

Madam Zeng played with her prayer beads thoughtfully.

Madam Li cursed furiously, "Such a young age, yet so vicious. What will happen when she grows up? It's a good thing she's a girl. If she were a boy, how could we, the older generation, even live?"

Sanliang was delighted and called out, "Mom," then hurriedly added, "Exactly, marry her off! Once she's gone, our branch will be headless."