That night, Song Chaoyu and Mu Changxi were in the room looking at Song Yanjiao's little girl.
The little girl was truly tenacious, having survived such an ordeal.
However, the imperial physicians said that the girl's lung condition was chronic, and her right arm was unusable due to a congenital defect from birth, which could not be cured.
Song Chaoyu said that the girl must be given a name.
According to her status as the legitimate eldest daughter of the Ning Prince's mansion, her name should carry the character "Tao" (洮), signifying feminine virtue.
However, the girl's current status was awkward, and she was being raised in the Chang Prince's mansion.
Mu Changxi suggested giving her the character "Tao" (桃), naming her "Mu Tao'an," hoping for a stable life in the future and wishing for her frail body to grow up safely.
If there was ever a day she could return to her ancestral lineage, changing her name would be convenient.
Since she was given this name, Song Chaoyu began to call the little girl "Little Taozi."
Outsiders would always ask where Little Taozi came from.
Song Chaoyu did not wish for others to say she was the daughter of a maidservant or slave, so she kept the matter hidden for now, believing she would have her own explanation later.
As they were discussing Little Taozi, Tiaohong entered the room from outside: "Princess Consort, you... you might have to go back to your maiden home!"
Song Chaoyu paused, looking at the darkening sky outside: "Go back to my maiden home? Now?"
Tiaohong nodded: "The Ning Princess Consort somehow angered the Ning Prince and was driven out of the mansion and sent back to her maiden home! The Old Madam sent someone to deliver a message, saying that although she knew our Prince had woken up today, a major incident had occurred at home. If the Princess Consort has time, it would be best to go back."
Song Chaoyu glanced at Mu Changxi, who also nodded: "Do you want me to accompany you?"
Song Chaoyu shook her head: "There's no need for you to accompany me. We have to enter the palace tomorrow morning to pay respects to the Emperor, Empress, and my mother-in-law. You should stay in the mansion."
Mu Changxi nodded, then poked the cheek of Little Taozi, whose fever had just subsided: "Then I will take care of Little Taozi here."
Song Chaoyu hurried out with Tiaohong, and Tiaohong said: "The Third Miss said she has already returned, and I'm afraid she's waiting for you!"
—
By the time the Chang Prince's mansion's carriage arrived at the Song family's gate, the sky had completely darkened.
Before Song Chaoyu could alight from the carriage, servants and wet nurses from the Song family had already come forward to greet her.
The people of the vast Song family were now very warm towards Song Chaoyu.
Naturally, a maidservant led Song Chaoyu towards the main hall, which was brightly lit at this moment.
From a distance, it seemed that many people were seated in the main hall.
The Old Madam and Song Yuan were naturally seated in the center.
The First Madam and several concubines stood beside them.
Song Yanrou had also returned but was seated in a guest seat below.
As Song Chaoyu arrived at the entrance, she heard the crying of Song Yanjiao, who was kneeling on the ground: "Wuwu, he, Mu Hansu, is too bullying! I only gave birth to his child yesterday, and today he's driving me out of the mansion! Father, Mother, you must stand up for your daughter! He, this esteemed person, has even disregarded the dignity of our Song mansion. How will my daughter, how will this entire Song mansion, conduct itself in the capital in the future?!"
"Hmph!"
As soon as she said this, the Old Madam was displeased: "Enough! You are the one who caused this trouble, so don't drag the entire Song mansion into it. Do you think we don't know about the things you've said and done in the capital all year? I'm afraid the Ning Prince has long wanted to divorce you, and only because you were pregnant did he spare you. You just gave birth to a child, and you had to stir up another scene with him, how could he not be angry?"
At this moment, looking at Song Yanjiao, not a single person in the Song family had a gentle expression in their eyes.
Coincidentally, Song Chaoyu entered, and when everyone looked at Song Chaoyu, their expressions changed again.
It was Song Yanrou who stood up first and stepped forward to help Song Chaoyu: "Fourth Sister is back? I've already prepared a comfortable chaise lounge for you. Please sit down. You're carrying a heavy burden, and it's hard on you to be running around like this!"
She helped Song Chaoyu to sit down and then asked: "I heard the Prince has recovered?"
Song Chaoyu nodded, a slight smile on her lips, but she looked in Song Yanjiao's direction and asked in a low voice: "What's going on here?"
Song Yanrou gently shook her head, and the Old Madam above also looked towards Song Chaoyu: "Yu'er is back? Have you eaten? The kitchen has prepared some snacks. I'll have someone bring them to you!"
Given the major incident involving Song Yanjiao, it was likely that no one present, including Song Yuan, had eaten yet.
However, the Old Madam had only prepared a portion for Song Chaoyu, making Song Chaoyu feel a little embarrassed as she shook her head: "Grandmother, there's no need! I'm not hungry!"
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Song Yuan also frowned: "How can you not be hungry? Your grandmother told you to eat, so just eat! Don't be so particular. Why are you being so distant now that you're home?"
Nowadays, Song Yuan treated Song Chaoyu better with each passing day.
This made Song Chaoyu feel a little embarrassed as she nodded and finally sat down.
"Master!"
Seeing everyone being so cordial to Song Chaoyu, the First Madam felt a pang of displeasure: "Aren't we discussing the Second Miss's matter today? Why has it shifted to the Fourth Miss?"
"Hmph! How dare you say that?!"
Song Yuan slapped the table: "The Emperor dotes on the Chang Prince the most. If we want to plead for the Second Miss, we can only rely on the Chang Prince and the Crown Prince. It seems the Ning Prince has completely abandoned our Second Miss. Fortunately, we still have the Fourth Sister. She's the one who causes the least trouble. What, you have something to say when I tell her to eat more?"
The First Madam had long lost Song Yuan's favor, and after being reprimanded like this, she could only lower her head.
Song Chaoyu sat down with peace of mind and did not respond to Song Yuan.
She then heard Song Yanjiao's tearful complaints escalate: "Father, what should I do? The Ning Prince can't really divorce me, can he? If he really divorces me, how will we explain it to the palace? I haven't committed any of the seven grounds for divorce!"
"You still say you haven't?!"
Song Yuan was utterly heartbroken by Song Yanjiao: "Jiao'er, didn't I tell you that the Ning Prince was not a good match when you insisted on marrying him? After you entered the Ning Prince's mansion, you dealt with his concubine and caused the death of his unborn children. And now you tell me you haven't committed any of the seven grounds for divorce? Do you know that I was impeached in the court not long ago? They said I was incompetent in raising my daughter!"
Thinking of this, Song Yuan became even more furious: "They even presented evidence before me regarding how you harmed the Ning Prince's mansion's concubines and murdered the two unborn children in the Ning Prince's mansion! If the Emperor hadn't said that our mansion at least had a Chang Princess Consort, and that it couldn't be due to my poor upbringing, I would have been prosecuted! Jiao'er, even now, how can you still say such things?"
The things Song Yanjiao did in the Ning Prince's mansion were not very clever.
It was normal for her to have left behind handles and evidence.
Song Yanjiao lowered her head, knowing she had completely lost the Song family.
Finally, the Old Madam sighed and spoke again: "Enough, enough, what's the use of counting these things now? Aren't you the one who rushed out, my daughter? But since things have come to this point, it must be resolved."
She raised her eyes and looked at Song Chaoyu: "Yu'er, you and the Chang Prince are to enter the palace to see the Emperor tomorrow. Can you speak a few good words for Jiao'er in front of His Majesty?"