"Cough, cough!"
The old lady spoke first with a light cough, "They are all with their parents, so you can rest assured. The wet nurse will take good care of them."
The old lady smelled the alcohol on Song Yuan and frowned, "Why are you drinking during the day? You've been neglecting yourself more and more these days! If Yu Ya Tou hadn't returned today, you probably wouldn't have either, would you?"
Song Yuan rubbed his nose and explained with some embarrassment, "I was supposed to return after the morning court. However, a few colleagues suggested we go for a drink, so I accompanied them for a few cups. I didn't drink too much, please don't worry, Mother."
"Hmm—"
The old lady picked up the teacup beside her and brought it to her lips, "Yu Ya Tou also came today. She and her daughter have something they want to tell you. You should sit down first. Consider it a major event for our Song Manor, and handle it with urgency."
Only then did Song Yuan realize the source of the unusual atmosphere. He noticed that there wasn't a single servant boy or maid in the hall.
So he waved away his own attendant and looked suspiciously at Concubine Liu, "Did you cause trouble at Prince Chang's manor again?"
At a time like this, he was still thinking about that?
Even Song Chaoyu felt a little helpless and shook her head at Song Yuan, "How could Concubine cause trouble? Father is being too suspicious."
Song Yuan then breathed a sigh of relief, "Then what is this major event that has put such expressions on all your faces?"
As they spoke, Concubine Liu walked towards Song Yuan and then knelt before him.
The way she knelt, so gentle and obedient as always, made Song Yuan's heart sink heavily.
He reached out, about to help Concubine Liu up, "Eleventh Sister, what are you doing?"
He rarely called Concubine Liu this way. He only used to call her that when they were young.
He remembered that whenever Song Yuan called her this way in the past, Concubine Liu's heart would be filled with warmth.
But now...
Concubine Liu found that she could remain unmoved by this address.
She did not get up, and even firmly pushed away Song Yuan's hand that was trying to help her, "This concubine has something she wishes to say to Master, and wants to ask Master for one thing."
"What are you doing?"
Song Yuan looked at the old lady with increasing confusion. The old lady merely lowered her head and continued to drink tea.
He then looked at Song Chaoyu. Song Chaoyu was also looking down at Concubine Liu, not paying attention to her father's gaze.
Song Yuan had a bad premonition, "Between us, there's no need for such politeness. Just say what you have to say!"
So Concubine Liu took a deep breath.
For some reason, Song Yuan's heart skipped a beat.
Then Concubine Liu slightly raised her eyes, not looking at Song Yuan, but staring at his hands resting on his knees, "This concubine begs Master to divorce this concubine and allow this concubine to leave the manor. This concubine will be eternally grateful to Master!"
"..."
Silence filled the main hall.
Song Yuan felt his head go "boom," as if he couldn't even comprehend what Concubine Liu was saying.
After a long moment of thought, as if he had just realized, he frowned fiercely and clenched his fists, "What did you say? You want to leave the manor? You want me to divorce you? Why should I divorce you?"
At this moment, Song Yuan still did not understand Concubine Liu's intentions.
He instinctively assumed that Concubine Liu had made a mistake, "What, did you do something wrong? Tell me first, and then I'll see how to deal with it. You suddenly asking me to divorce you is simply unbelievable!"
However, the more he said this, the more despair Concubine Liu felt.
Even the old lady sighed and shook her head, as if she knew with certainty in her heart that Song Yuan could not keep Concubine Liu.
They were all like this, which made Song Yuan a little scared, "Why are you all sighing? What exactly happened, tell me!"
"Nothing happened."
However, Concubine Liu's tone was as calm as ever, "This concubine has not made any mistakes. It is precisely because I have not made any mistakes that I dare to ask Master. Please grant this concubine a letter of divorce and let me leave the Song Manor. This concubine will surely be eternally grateful to Master!"
This time, Song Yuan was completely bewildered.
He lowered his head and could see Concubine Liu's eyelashes trembling slightly, as if she were also a little nervous.
Song Yuan continued to ask, "Since you haven't made any mistakes, why do you want to leave? Can anyone tell me what is going on?"
His gaze still fell on Song Chaoyu, "Yu Ya Tou, what's wrong with your concubine? Why is she suddenly like this? Has anything happened these past few days?"
"No."
However, before Song Chaoyu could answer, Concubine Liu finally raised her head firmly and gave Song Yuan a sad smile, "This concubine is just... tired. I don't want to serve by Master's side anymore, nor do I want to serve in the Song Manor. I also regret it, regretting that perhaps I shouldn't have returned to the Song Manor from the beginning. Master, this concubine has given birth to two children for you."
Her eyes, filled with a hint of sadness, held a sense of relief, "Yu Ya Tou is obedient and sensible. She has now become the Princess Consort of Prince Chang and has given birth to a young heir for Prince Chang's manor. I have no worries about her life. She is a sensible child and will surely be able to live her own life well."
Seeing Song Yuan's still bewildered eyes, Concubine Liu continued, "This concubine also gave birth to Xiao Qing'er for Master. Master always says that the Song family has few male heirs, and there is only Yang Ge'er, who is also frail. Xiao Qing'er is different; he is a healthy child. He will surely be able to be filial to Master in the future and live peacefully in the Song family. As long as he is safe and sound, and Master has descendants, this concubine can be completely at ease."
Although Concubine Liu's eyes held a touch of sorrow, they also held a sense of liberated candor, "Just for the sake of these two children, Master, please let this concubine go! In the years to come, this concubine only wants to live her life peacefully alone. I beg Master to give this concubine a chance!"
After speaking, Concubine Liu kowtowed three times to Song Yuan.
Song Yuan's eyes narrowed, and he asked in a low voice, "Have you... met someone outside?"
Even now, he was still thinking about this?
Concubine Liu gave a bitter smile and then shook her head, "Master can investigate as much as you like. This concubine has never done anything to let Master down."
Only then did Song Yuan realize what Concubine Liu intended.
His brows furrowed tightly, "So you just want to leave me, leave the Song Manor, is that it?"
"Yes."
Concubine Liu admitted this frankly, "This concubine wants to leave you, to leave the Song Manor. To go to a place where I can be free and live my own free life."
"Why?!"
Song Yuan, though clenching his fists, surprisingly did not fly into a rage immediately.
He simply stared at Concubine Liu in disbelief and incredulity, "There must be a reason, right? Is there someone in this manor who has made you unhappy? Or has something happened? Eleventh Sister, you've been with me for so many years, why are you leaving now as soon as you say it? You must give me a reason, otherwise, I absolutely cannot agree!"
Even Song Chaoyu found it surprising. Song Yuan seemed to have extraordinary patience with Concubine Liu now.
Concubine Liu's gaze, however, became long and distant, "What has happened? Actually, this concubine cannot say. It seems like everything is good, and yet it seems like everything is not good. This is not the life this concubine wants, nor the future this concubine desires. So, this concubine is tired, that's all."
"Heh!"
Song Yuan sneered, "This is really too strange!"