"What?!"
Madam Ning could never believe such a thing could happen. "She's not dead?! How could she not be dead?! She—"
But at this point, Madam Ning knew she could no longer hide it.
She couldn't utter the words that followed, letting the tea stain her clothes and grow cold.
Song Chaozong hadn't expected this matter to reach the old madam!
He knelt beside her, cautiously glancing at the old madam.
The old madam sighed, "I don't want to pursue anything else with you now. Song Chaozong, let me ask you one thing: you knew her identity, didn't you?"
Hearing this, Madam Ning knew it was bad. She quickly turned to wink at Song Chaozong, clearly not wanting him to tell the truth.
But Song Chaozong wasn't foolish; he knew in his heart that the matter couldn't be kept secret!
So, he could only nod. "I knew."
"You scoundrel!"
The old madam's hand slammed heavily onto the table beside her. "Knowing her identity and still doing such foolish things, do you want the entire Song clan to be buried with you?!"
Song Chaozong dared not look up. He had almost forgotten about this person.
He turned and glared at Madam Ning. "I told you to deal with her, and you just threw her into the well. Now that things have blown up, what are we going to do?"
Even Song Chaoyu found it astonishing that, at this point, they were still concerned about such trivial matters!
"Bang—"
Without a word, the old madam hurled another cup at Song Chaozong.
Song Chaozong didn't dodge, nor did he dare to. Knowing he had spoken incorrectly, he quickly lowered his head. "Second Aunt, please don't be angry. I was wrong about this, terribly wrong! Please tell me, Second Aunt, what should we do now?"
His attitude was somewhat acceptable, and the old madam shot him a look. "I've already spoken with Ti Le. You two don't need to worry about this matter! She will accompany us to the capital, and I will send her to Princess Ti Ya. After all, although she is from the Southern Kingdom's royal family, her mother's status was low. Her intention is that as long as she can return, this matter will be dropped."
"You people!"
The old madam pointed at Song Chaozong, then at Madam Ning. "If we hadn't come, who knows what this matter would have turned into! Look at yourselves, what has the Song family become now?! And you still pride yourselves on being the direct descendants of the main branch, looking down on others!"
These words were quite harsh, making Song Chaozong feel a bit embarrassed, and he dared not retort.
The old madam finally stood up. "That's enough! I don't want to bicker with you about every little thing! However, this matter has served as a reminder! Since we're here this time, why don't we divide the family! From now on, the Song family of Jiangzhou will be the Song family of Jiangzhou, and our Song family in the capital will be the Song family in the capital. Our two families will then be like water and oil, never mixing."
"No, no!"
Hearing about dividing the family, Song Chaozong was so frightened that he forgot everything else. He repeatedly kowtowed to the old madam. "Second Aunt, how could things have escalated to this point?! We were wrong, we were terribly wrong! We cannot divide the family! If we divide the family, Jiangzhou will truly have no place for our Song family!"
So they knew that their ability to maintain a foothold in Jiangzhou was due to the prestige of the Song family in the capital?
But the old madam seemed resolute. "No matter what you think or how you beg, it's useless now. I will inform the Song clan elders in due course and ask them to be witnesses. From now on, we will go our separate ways on the broad road! But rest assured, we will still look after the children you send to the capital. It's just that from now on, everyone will be well on their own!"
Before Song Chaozong could say another word, the old madam turned and left with a flick of her sleeve.
"Second Aunt!"
Song Chaozong wailed behind the old madam, but ultimately could not say another word.
Since the old madam had made up her mind, she planned to take Song Chaoyu and the First Madam out of the Song residence.
However, they had barely packed their belongings when Song Chaozong, along with many people from the Song family, knelt directly at the entrance of their courtyard. "Second Aunt, we know we were wrong! Please give us a chance, we would never dare to act recklessly again! We will obey all your arrangements, please, Second Aunt, do not divide the family from us!"
Even Ti Le couldn't help but let out a cold laugh seeing Song Chaozong's submissive demeanor when facing the old madam.
At the same time, an old man with white beard and white hair tottered towards the courtyard from outside.
Song Chaoyu didn't recognize him, but upon seeing him, the old madam respectfully stood up. "Why has Uncle-Ancestor come?"
Someone who even the old madam had to call "Uncle-Ancestor" was naturally one of the Song family elders!
The First Madam quickly called out, "Great Uncle-Ancestor!"
Song Chaoyu followed behind them and bowed to the old man. "This junior greets Clan Uncle-Ancestor."
This old man with white beard and white hair, though slow in his movements, appeared to be in reasonably good health.
He waved his hands at Song Chaoyu and the others. "No need for formalities, please sit, please sit!"
He glanced outside and got straight to the point. Though his speech was slow, it was very powerful. "I have heard from Chaozong about the matter. It was his fault that the Song family was plunged into crisis. However, I think the matter of dividing the family can be reconsidered."
He rested his hands on his walking stick. At his venerable age, he possessed a natural aura of authority. "Our Song family is now dwindling in numbers, with only a few branches remaining. To cause a family division again would be a laughing matter, wouldn't it? Of course, I know you have established yourselves in the capital. You are a family of the Ministry's residence, so dividing the family is a minor matter for you, even a good thing."
He looked at the old madam and shook his head. "But one cannot forget their roots. You ultimately came from the Song family, and you cannot abandon the Song family of Jiangzhou just because the Song family made a mistake, can you? Chaozong's intention is that they know they were wrong. Whether you want to beat them or scold them, or even make any demands, they will accept it! As long as the family is not divided, he will never do such foolish and stupid things again. What do you say?"
The old madam sighed. She had been furious earlier, but now she had calmed down. "Since the Song family has invited you, we naturally cannot refuse your request. However, you know many things in your heart. Have you not seen how Jiangzhou has been these past two years?"
Uncle-Ancestor nodded. "I understand! Chaozong told me that there is nothing left of the Song family now. To express their sincerity, they are willing to hand over the deed and title to this grand residence to Fourth Miss as her dowry for marrying into Prince Chang's estate, which can also be considered an apology to you!"
"What?!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Song Chaoyu hadn't even reacted when the First Madam stood up in surprise. "This is the ancestral home of the Song family! They are giving it to Fourth Miss?!"