"How dare you!"
Amidst the chaos, the old madam's voice suddenly boomed from behind everyone.
She rarely interfered in the affairs of the inner chambers, but her shout now was as imposing as thunder, silencing the surroundings.
Taking advantage of the moment, Song Chaoyu helped Concubine Liu up. Seeing her wave and smile as if she hadn't fallen, Song Chaoyu was relieved. She then took Tiao Hong's hand, her heart aching as she looked at the injured spot on her arm.
Song Yanjiao also quickly stepped forward and helped the First Madam, who was kneeling on the ground.
She whispered something into the First Madam's ear. After standing up, the First Madam stopped shouting, but she still glared at Song Chaoyu and Concubine Liu with hateful eyes.
The old madam frowned and walked forward, reprimanding the First Madam, "You are the legitimate First Madam of this household. What kind of behavior is this? What happened? What happened to Yang'er?"
The First Madam, reminded by Song Yanjiao, knew she had gone too far.
With red eyes, she looked at the old madam and said plaintively, "Someone wants to kill Yang'er! Mother and Father, please come with me to Yang'er's courtyard! They don't want to leave Yang'er any way to live!"
Is that so?
Song Chaoyu remembered that it would be at least two months before the First Madam and others would accuse Concubine Liu of poisoning Song Jiayang.
Moreover, Song Chaoyu was now strictly guarding Concubine Liu, preventing Doctor Zhou from entering and Qiu Pozi from being in their courtyard.
What was the First Madam's new drama?
Song Chaoyu supported Concubine Liu and followed behind them, thinking about how the First Madam had just accused her and Madam Nie of colluding to kill Song Jiayang.
So, it seemed to have nothing to do with poisoning.
Song Chaoyu looked back and saw Tiao Hong still following them. She quickly whispered to Tiao Hong, "Your arm is still injured. Go back quickly and apply medicine. You don't need to follow us."
Tiao Hong's injury was not severe, but her heart felt warm. She curtsied to Song Chaoyu and then turned back to the Huashu Courtyard.
When everyone arrived at Pingyang Courtyard, they saw that half of the bamboo, which had been planted there, had been cut down.
Madam Nie, her sister-in-law, was kneeling in the center of Pingyang Courtyard. Scattered around her were tools for cutting bamboo, and the gardeners and servants were also kneeling on the ground.
Song Chaoyu immediately understood why the First Madam was making such a scene. It seemed she had already caused trouble here.
"What is going on?"
Song Yuan frowned upon entering the courtyard and seeing nearly half of the bamboo cut down. "Yang'er is ill now, and you are making such a commotion? You cut down so much of his favorite bamboo. Nie Shi, what are you trying to do?"
"They want Yang'er's life!"
The First Madam could not bear to see the meticulously planted bamboo scattered on the ground. Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face. "Yang'er has always loved the noble integrity of bamboo since he was a child. Most of these bamboos were planted by him and his grandfather when he was still alive. Now, Yang'er is seriously ill in bed, and they are so eager to cut down this bamboo. Do they want to anger Yang'er to death when he wakes up?"
In fact, this matter was not small, nor was it particularly big.
The First Madam's outburst was merely to vent all the unhappiness she had been suppressing since Song Jiayang fell ill.
However, everyone knew it was a mother's love for her child. Even the old madam's expression softened, and she turned to ask Nie Shi, who was kneeling on the ground, "Nie Shi, what happened? Why were these bamboos cut down?"
Before Nie Shi could reply, the First Madam turned back to Song Chaoyu and pulled Song Chaoyu away from Concubine Liu. "It's this little vixen who gave Nie Shi some idea and bewitched her! I knew it, as soon as they returned to the manor, there would be no good things!"
Saying this, she reached out to hit Song Chaoyu.
"Stop!"
The old madam stepped forward and glared fiercely at the First Madam. "In my Song manor, there is no rule for casually beating and scolding children born of concubines! You, the First Madam, should have some dignity!"
Her frown was stern, and she looked at Song Chaoyu. "Fourth girl, tell me what happened."
Song Chaoyu stepped forward and stood in front of Nie Shi. "When I visited my brother the other day, I chatted with my sister-in-law. I know that bamboo likes to grow in damp and shady places, and I saw that the bamboo blocked all the view behind my brother's room. So, I told my sister-in-law that my brother should get more sun, and let the sunlight in, so that the room would have more vitality and people would feel better."
The grandmother nodded, her eyes softening slightly.
The First Madam snorted from the side, "Why do you say that? Our Yang'er has loved bamboo since he was a child. The bamboo planted in the courtyard has been there for so many years, and he never said he couldn't see the sun. But you came, and you instigated Nie Shi to cut down all the bamboo. What are your intentions?!"
Even Song Yuan did not quite agree with Song Chaoyu's words. "Fourth girl, do you know that these bamboos were personally planted by you and your brother when your grandfather was still alive? You are truly going too far by having your sister-in-law cut down all the bamboo now!"
Song Chaoyu didn't understand why Song Yuan, as a Minister of Rites, would not reason at all.
She just felt a bit sympathetic towards Nie Shi. After taking care of Song Jiayang for so long, instead of receiving gratitude from the First Madam, she was being punished for such a small matter?
The First Madam did not listen to Song Chaoyu's explanation. Seeing that Song Yuan was also on her side, she became even more aggressive towards Song Chaoyu. "I think you should be sent back to the estate, so you don't cause trouble in the manor all day!"
"Mother! Stop making trouble!"
Nie Shi finally looked up. Her eyes were already blurry with tears. "Yang'er is still unconscious inside. What are you trying to achieve by making such a big scene outside? We all just want Yang'er to be well. As long as he can get better, I am willing to do anything! Let alone a few bamboos, even if this Song manor has to be torn down, as long as Yang'er can wake up, I am willing!"
"Slap—"
As soon as she finished speaking, the First Madam's slap landed on Nie Shi's face. "What do you know?! No one can touch Yang'er's things, not even you!"
"How dare you! Take her away!"
Nie Shi was, after all, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Song family. Being slapped in front of so many people, even the old madam could not stand it.
Song Yanjiao also panicked and stepped forward to pull the First Madam. "Mother, what are you doing?! Sister-in-law is devoted to brother, she was just misled by someone. You shouldn't take your anger out on sister-in-law!"
The implication was that it was all Song Chaoyu's fault.
As expected, the First Madam turned her angry gaze back to Song Chaoyu. "Send her back to the estate!"