Song Yanrou was startled and trembled, but still raised her head, her eyes filled with humiliation, regret, and fear.
The old lady's gaze fixed on the two lines of tears that involuntarily fell from her eyes. Her body swayed, and she could barely stand steady. "Scoundrel! How dare you do such a thing? You are an absolute scoundrel!"
"Grandmother!"
Song Chaoyu stepped forward to support the old lady, lowering her head and avoiding looking at Song Yanrou and the others. "Grandmother, please don't anger yourself. Perhaps... let Third Sister and the others put on their clothes first before we discuss this? I fear it would be improper if others were alerted later."
Song Chaoyu's actions were naturally intended to preserve the Song family's reputation.
However, seeing Song Yanrou's disheveled state, the old lady grew even angrier. "Put on clothes? Since she has done such a thing, does she still expect to put her clothes back on?"
"Tie them up for me just as they are!"
The old lady ordered furiously, "Send them to the study! I cannot handle this matter. Go and call the master back to personally handle this!"
If Song Yuan were called back, the matter would truly be impossible to conceal.
"No, Grandmother, please don't!"
Song Yanrou was terrified at this moment. She couldn't afford to care about anything else and began to beg the old lady for mercy. "Your granddaughter knows her mistake! I beg Grandmother to forgive me, I will never dare to do it again! I beg Grandmother to forgive me, please don't tell Father, alright?"
"Hmph! Tie them up! Send them to the master's study!"
The old lady paid no mind to Song Yanrou's pleas. She roared at Granny Yin, "Also, have someone surround her room and search it thoroughly! And the same for this young servant, do not miss any clue!"
Song Chaoyu remembered that in her previous life, Zhuzi had caused a similar scene at someone else's home.
She hadn't expected it to be the Song family's turn now.
Although Song Chaoyu had orchestrated this, she still felt an indescribable emotion in her heart.
As she supported the old lady towards Song Yuan's study, she could feel the old lady's body constantly trembling.
Her palms were cold, and she kept holding onto Song Chaoyu's hand.
It wasn't until they were close to the entrance of Song Yuan's study that she looked at Song Chaoyu and spoke, "Fourth girl, have you seen that young servant before?"
Song Chaoyu nodded. "Yes, I have. His name is Zhuzi, and in a way, I am an old acquaintance. He used to serve at the estate and returned to the Song mansion before I did. When he was at the estate, he already had many hidden thoughts. I don't know what kind of spell he cast on Third Sister to make her so desperate to be with him!"
Listening to Song Chaoyu's words, the old lady found some clues. "You said he had many hidden thoughts? What kind of thoughts? You cannot hold back anything now; you must tell me everything."
Song Chaoyu sighed. "To tell Grandmother the truth, the other day when I first entered our family's school, I happened to run into him after class. Afterward, I found a poem in my school trunk... a poem that was disgusting. I didn't want to cause trouble, so I had Tiaohong burn that poem. Thinking about it now, I fear he had designs on our family's young ladies long ago."
Upon hearing this, the old lady let out a cold snort. "But he ultimately didn't manage to scheme against you, did he? In the end, it was Third Sister who didn't value herself. Doing such a thing, if it gets out, won't it make others look down on our Song mansion?"
However, in Song Chaoyu's heart, how much was the Song mansion's reputation worth?
In her previous life, when they sent her to Mu Hansu's side for the sake of reputation, no one had spoken a word for her.
Therefore, even though she felt a pang of sympathy for the old lady, Song Chaoyu would never regret what she had done.
When Old Madam Song took Song Chaoyu to Song Yuan's study, Zhuzi and Song Yanrou had already been sent in.
The old lady stood outside the door of Song Yuan's study. "We'll wait a moment before going in."
Song Chaoyu nodded and stood with the old lady. Soon, they saw Song Yuan approaching from another direction.
He was in a hurry and didn't notice the old lady and Song Chaoyu.
He entered the study directly, and after a short while, Song Chaoyu heard the sounds of things being smashed and Song Yuan's angry curses from inside the study: "You shameless creature! How could you do something so disgraceful to our family? It would be better to beat you to death, you disgrace!"
Then, Song Yanrou's cries could be heard.
Song Yuan became even more enraged. "Crying, crying, you still have the nerve to cry?! Hurry and put on your clothes! What kind of decorum is this?"
That's right, Song Chaoyu had forgotten that when Granny Yin tied up Song Yanrou, she had only draped an outer garment over her.
"What's going on? What happened?"
As she stood outside with the old lady, she suddenly heard the voice of the Second Concubine approaching from a distance.
The old lady looked over, her eyes cold.
The Second Concubine, unaware of what had happened, rushed towards the old lady as if she were a savior. "Old Madam, what is happening? Just now, a group of people came into our courtyard and were searching Third Sister's room. What is going on?"
The old lady seemed unwilling to say more to the Second Concubine, merely rolling her eyes at her. "Don't you know what your Third Sister has done?"
The Second Concubine was even more confused. "These days, Third Sister has been confined to her room. What has she done?"
"Hmph!"
The old lady snorted coldly. "Don't speak of such things to me again; I find it disgusting! You'll know when you go in yourself."
She did not forget to warn the Second Concubine. "Remember, don't make a fuss! The Minister's temper is not to be trifled with right now."
The Second Concubine knew that something major must have happened.
She swallowed, but seemed a little afraid. "Won't Old Madam go in with me?"
The old lady knew that she couldn't hide forever.
So she straightened her back. "Then let's go, let's go together."
She then patted Song Chaoyu's hand. "Fourth girl, come with us. You will always have to face storms in the future, and it's good to see them now."
Song Chaoyu nodded and then followed the two of them into the room.
Although many people had witnessed this matter before, it could not be casually spread. Therefore, the Second Concubine was not aware of it beforehand.
It wasn't until she entered Song Yuan's study and saw Zhuzi and Song Yanrou kneeling on the ground, their clothes disheveled, and practically uncovered, that the Second Concubine realized what had happened!
"My heavens, this is going to kill me!"
She cried out in despair and then fainted!
"Concubine!"
Song Yanrou called out to the Second Concubine.
But she was interrupted by Song Yuan. "You still have the nerve?! Kneel properly!"