Liu Yiniang was somewhat relieved.
She stepped forward, taking Song Chaoyu's hand. "Yu'er, you are different from before, but Auntie feels that you are very good like this! If you go to the Prince of Chang's manor in the future, who knows what mountains of knives and seas of fire you will have to brave! Auntie worries about you and pities you. If it were the old you, you probably wouldn't have been able to get through it?"
Yes... the old her, falling into the end of her life, would have nothing else.
Therefore, at this present moment, such an outcome was already very satisfying to Song Chaoyu.
However, what Song Chaoyu did not expect was that in the evening, when the Fourth Auntie's carriage was about to be sent away, Tiaohong entered the room. "Miss, Fourth Auntie says she wants to see you."
Song Chaoyu raised her right eyebrow. "What else is there for me to say to her?"
Tiaohong lowered her head and said softly, "She said... she has something about His Highness Prince of Chang that she wants to tell you."
Song Chaoyu had already begun to undress, intending to lie down. Her hand paused at this moment. "His Highness Prince of Chang? What connection could she have with His Highness Prince of Chang?"
Tiaohong shook her head. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to ask you. It would have been enough to send her to the manor alone."
Perhaps this was Fourth Auntie's scheme, but what else could she do to her?
Song Chaoyu made up her mind in an instant. "Let's go, then we'll go and send her off on her final journey."
Song Chaoyu tidied her clothes and then followed Tiaohong out.
Now, within the Song family, no one dared to stop Song Chaoyu.
The carriage at the back gate, sending off Fourth Auntie, was about to leave. Upon seeing Song Chaoyu arrive, it stopped.
Song Chaoyu got into the carriage and signaled the driver to slow down. She sat in the carriage, watching the Fourth Auntie who was about to be sent away.
At this moment, Fourth Auntie was in an extremely sorry state.
Her hands and feet were bound, but because she did not cry out, her mouth was not gagged.
Seeing Song Chaoyu arrive, she raised her head and smiled at Song Chaoyu. "I knew you would come as long as it was about Prince of Chang."
Song Chaoyu sat opposite her and tidied her clothes. "Stop being mysterious. If you have something to say, just say it directly."
Fourth Auntie smiled and looked at Song Chaoyu, speaking mysteriously. "Don't you want to know a big secret of Prince of Chang? Knowing this secret might cost you your head! But you are his Princess Consort, don't you want to know?"
A big secret?
The biggest secret about Prince of Chang that Song Chaoyu could think of was his identity.
But...
Would Fourth Auntie know Prince of Chang's identity?
Song Chaoyu frowned slightly. She couldn't let Fourth Auntie see her curiosity, so she merely said in a calm tone, "If you don't want to say it, you don't have to. Don't try to scare me with talk of losing your head. Who should be afraid now, you or I? I think you know that well."
She put on an impatient look. "I do care about Prince of Chang, because I am about to become his Princess Consort. Isn't it normal to care? But if you try to use my concern to threaten me, I'm afraid I won't accept it. Do you know what the manor you are going to is like?"
Fourth Auntie realized that she seemed to have no possibility of "turning the tables" now. No matter what she said, she would be suppressed by Song Chaoyu.
She closed her eyes, only to hear Song Chaoyu continue, "I had people take away all the things that my aunt and I used when we lived on the manor before. So what you are facing now is just an empty shell of a house. You cannot leave the manor, and you will have to tidy everything in that house yourself. But I think that won't be difficult for you."
She lowered her head, playing with the handkerchief in her hand, her tone becoming colder. "Of course, you are not without servants. The maids and old women you have now cannot be taken with you; they are at the manor. But guess how our Song family usually punishes maids and old women who have made mistakes?"
As a hint of fear gradually appeared in Fourth Auntie's eyes, Song Chaoyu continued, "They are sent to the manor. How do you think those maids and old women, full of resentment, would treat you if they saw a disgraced aunt of the Song family?"
Having lived on the manor for so many years, Song Chaoyu understood those people better than anyone. "Of course, perhaps you have your ways to get along with them. But you will spend the rest of your life on that manor. You will be alone, experiencing the cold of winter and the heat of summer. I hope Fourth Auntie can enjoy that feeling of freedom well."
She stressed the words "freedom" with great emphasis.
She also knew what Fourth Auntie wanted to say. "But if you want to exchange what you call Prince of Chang's secret for a chance not to go to the manor, then I'm sorry, I cannot agree. Since it is Prince of Chang's secret, you certainly wouldn't dare to speak it out. Otherwise, you would be the first to die. I think before doing something that harms others without benefiting yourself, Fourth Auntie should think carefully about what good this matter would bring you."
Song Chaoyu's mind was as clear as a mirror. "So, Fourth Auntie, you should think about it yourself."
However, Fourth Auntie's heart was instead confused. "Since you don't want to know Prince of Chang's secret, nor do you want to be threatened by this matter, why did you come to see me today?"
Song Chaoyu sighed. "I used to think Fourth Auntie was also a smart person. Otherwise, you wouldn't have caused such a stir in the Song mansion without anyone noticing. How is it that I now realize Auntie doesn't use her brain to think properly?"
She frowned slightly. "I also want to know how much threat your so-called secret carries. What kind of impact it will have on the future Prince of Chang's manor. Therefore, I think Auntie can exchange this secret for something of equivalent value with me."
Fourth Auntie's heart seemed to fall into an ice cellar. "I never realized before that you are actually so smart. You are smarter than San Yatou, even much smarter than Er Yatou! I underestimated you! Tell me, what is something of equivalent exchange?"
Song Chaoyu smiled slightly. "You tell me this secret, and I will ensure you don't have to worry about living on the manor."
She sighed softly. "People... they always have to live, don't they? The kind of life you choose to live, you have to work for it yourself. It's the same for Auntie and me, but the prerequisite for this effort is not to climb up by stepping on others' blood and flesh. Now Auntie has what I want, and I will give Auntie what I can give. Do you acknowledge this kind of equivalent exchange, Auntie?"
Fourth Auntie knew in her heart, did she have any better options now?
The answer was no.
In this mansion, who else would care about her?
She was actually persuaded by Song Chaoyu. With a hardened heart, she said, "Alright! I'll tell you, and you must do as you say!"