Song Yanrou paused, then suddenly looked at Song Chaoyu, "What do you mean?"
Song Chaoyu shrugged, "Actually, I can see what you, Third Sister, have been doing all along. Whether it's you or Second Concubine, you're both just pawns in someone else's hands. You're used to dealing with someone or doing something, and you probably never had a say in it, right?"
This was the first time Song Yanrou looked at Song Chaoyu so seriously, scrutinizing her from head to toe.
She had never imagined that Song Chaoyu could see things to this extent.
But she still clenched her fists at her side, "Don't sow discord! Aren't you the one harming me? I've already dealt with all the correspondence between me and Zhuzi! How can you still have it? Are you trying to frame me and then shift all the blame to others?"
Song Chaoyu did not deny it.
She just smiled at Song Yanrou, "Indeed, but... you need to understand that I am not the instigator of this. My actions were a means of self-preservation. If you hadn't provoked me, or provoked Zhuzi, it wouldn't have come to this. Moreover, that letter was just icing on the cake. You and Zhuzi did such things and were caught by the First Madam and the Old Madam, is that also my fault?"
Song Yanrou had been confined to her courtyard these days, and all she thought about was these matters.
She naturally knew Song Chaoyu's predicament.
Song Chaoyu asked Song Yanrou two questions, "Third Sister, let me ask you. Was Second Concubine sent away because of me?"
Song Yanrou shook her head and narrowed her eyes, "It has nothing to do with you. But I didn't expect the First Madam to not help my concubine at all!"
It was good that she knew.
Song Chaoyu continued, "Then what about you? From your confinement until today, have the First Madam or Second Sister visited you even once?"
Song Yanrou shook her head, already understanding Song Chaoyu's meaning.
However, she still wanted to save some face for herself, so she just stiffened her neck and refused to admit it, "So what? If you want me to deal with them now, then you're mistaken!"
"No."
Song Chaoyu really didn't mean that, "If Third Sister could deal with them, then you wouldn't be Third Sister, would you? I just pity you, Third Sister, so I'm reminding you. If you can take my advice, then think carefully. If you can't, I've said what I needed to say. After all, it's not me who is marrying Zhuzi, Third Sister, isn't that the truth?"
These words were like a needle piercing Song Yanrou's heart, making her feel uncomfortable all over.
Song Chaoyu smiled faintly, "Third Sister, among the three girls in the manor, Second Sister is now the Crown Princess, and I will always have Grandmother's protection in the future. Only you, Third Sister, will likely have a difficult time ahead. I don't want to continue being at odds with you anymore; I just thought that in this vast Song family, we could have a companion."
Song Yanrou looked at Song Chaoyu in disbelief, "You would be so kind?"
Song Chaoyu, however, was puzzled, "Then what do you mean, Third Sister? Do you think I must fight you to the death? What good would that do for you, and what good would it do for me?"
Song Yanrou was truly stumped by Song Chaoyu. She opened her mouth, unable to utter a single word for a moment.
Song Chaoyu decided to be even more frank with Song Yanrou, "My goal has always been to live well. If you hadn't gone too far before, I wouldn't have wanted to be your enemy."
For some reason, at this moment, Song Yanrou found herself unable to disbelieve what Song Chaoyu was saying.
Because... everything she said was true.
But in Song Yanrou's eyes, there was only a bitter smile, "What can I do now? I'm utterly useless! Marrying a servant is just a disgrace to the family. I can't even find a way to save my own concubine when she was sent away."
"You are a Song, and that is enough."
Song Chaoyu felt that many things had to be understood by Song Yanrou herself, "Whether your future days will be good or not, you have to try for yourself. Otherwise, should all the beggars on the street commit suicide?"
Song Chaoyu didn't say anything more, "The road is in front of you, and how you walk it is ultimately up to you, Third Sister!"
—
After that day, Song Chaoyu did notice that Song Yanrou had indeed changed.
Even though she was confined, she was no longer as dejected as she had been in the previous days.
Instead, she calmed herself down in her room and often made food and pastries to send to the Old Madam and Song Yuan, which genuinely made them less displeased with her than before.
As the New Year was drawing to a close, and Song Yanjiao's wedding was getting closer.
Everyone in the Song manor realized that the wind in the Song manor seemed to have changed recently!
Before, the most favored person in the manor was Second Concubine. The First Madam also firmly held her position as the matriarch, maintaining a "respectful distance" with Song Yuan.
However, now, Sixth Concubine Rui Ji's influence was growing stronger and stronger.
Song Yuan almost always stayed overnight in Rui Ji's courtyard, and even the Old Madam seemed to favor Rui Ji greatly. Occasionally, when Rui Ji failed to pay her respects to the First Madam in the morning and evening, the Old Madam wouldn't say anything, causing the First Madam to complain about Rui Ji to the Old Madam in vain, only for the Old Madam to advise the First Madam to always be magnanimous.
Besides Rui Ji, there was also Concubine Liu.
Because of Xiao Qing'er, Song Yuan paid more attention to the painting and calligraphy academy, which was understandable.
However, perhaps it was because he noticed Concubine Liu's indifference towards him that he became even more attentive to Concubine Liu.
He even offered to move them to a larger courtyard, but Concubine Liu refused.
As for the First Madam and Fourth Concubine, their situation could be described as "cold as ice."
Fourth Concubine seemed to have grown accustomed to it, as she had always been the least favored among the concubines in the Song family.
After currying favor with Concubine Liu before, she was now currying favor with Rui Ji. She had always been smooth and adaptable.
On the other hand, the First Madam could not bring herself to curry favor with the concubines below her, nor was she willing to bow to Song Yuan.
Therefore, except for the first and fifteenth days of the month, Song Yuan did not set foot in the First Madam's courtyard, leaving the First Madam to sleep alone while also "keeping a closer eye" on the other concubines!
Especially Sixth Concubine, who was being watched by the First Madam, had almost no time to bother Song Chaoyu.
It was then that Song Chaoyu had picked a moment for Tiao Hong to send a letter to the Crown Princess.
As expected, the next day, the Song manor received an invitation.
It stated that the wife of Duke Ao Guo was celebrating her birthday and invited the Old Madam to attend.
Now that Song Chaoyu was the only unmarried girl in the household, the Old Madam naturally had to take her along.
The grandmother and granddaughter left just after the New Year holiday, and Sixth Concubine could not suspect them of anything.