Chapter 223: Chapter 223 - Peel off Your Skin!

Gu Shao smiled and said, “Good girl, by ‘being swayed by emotions’, I didn’t mean the blood relation between you and your father! Do you think that it is blood relations that bothers your father?”

“As a senior and the backbone of the country, how can you be such a gossipmonger?” Song Yixiao thought about it and then took a tumble. What bothered Song Yuan was the love between husband and wife. It turned out that Gu Shao was reminding Song Yixiao implicitly not to follow the example of Song Yuan and get indulged in the love of Jian Xubai!

Song Yixiao only felt that Gu Shao had intervened too much before but now she was really angry. As a result, she couldn’t be bothered to show respect for him. In full fury, she asked, “What has my husband done when he received you with the Commandery Prince that offends you? If so, please forgive him leniently. I will tell him when I go back home and he will come and apologize to you by himself!”

Did he really think that he could willfully drive a wedge between a couple and make them suspect each other?

Song Yixiao sneered in her heart, “Does he really regard me as an idiot?”

She was bristling with rage when Gu Shao still said in an amiable voice, “You and your husband are a perfect couple. Why would I break you up? I just don’t want to see you fail to prepare for a rainy day because you are in love, just like your father!”

Then he grinned, “I did have a grudge against the old Duke of Yan, but I won’t transfer the anger on his grandchild! Moreover, I’ve just agreed to teach Commandery Prince Zhongling and Duke of Yan is a significant supporter of the Crown Prince. If I set against him, it will do harm to me as well.”

“I am a woman only. I’ve no idea how to prepare for a rainy day as you suggest.” Given his free and easy attitude, Song Yixiao just wouldn’t believe him, but as she was about to blurt out rageful words, she hesitated and then held back her anger, asking calmly.

With a satisfied and appreciative glint in his eyes, Gu Shao stroked his long beard and said grinningly, “A straightforward person doesn’t resort to insinuations. Since I agree to teach Commandery Prince Zhongling, I must be a supporter of the Crown Prince. Regarding this, I take the same stand as you and your husband, do I?”

As Song Yixiao nodded her head, he continued with a smile, “However, Commandery Prince Zhongling is not the only son of the Crown Prince!”

“But he is the eldest legitimate son of the Crown Prince!” With her heart beating abruptly, Song Yixiao subconsciously said, “Moreover, the Crown Princess is the daughter-in-law chosen by His Majesty, who is deeply favored by both the Empress Dowager and His Majesty! Commandery Prince Zhongling is even known for his smartness. Most importantly, you just went to the imperial palace and met His Majesty yesterday. It’s said that His Majesty is gradually getting better.”

The Crown Prince was still in the center of the struggle for the throne and Gu Shao had started to worry about Commandery Prince Zhongling’s future?

In shock at the moment, Song Yixiao admired the Crown Prince most rather than Gu Shao. What a good teacher she found for her son! The teacher had considered how the student would be more than ten years or even tens of years later before the ceremony of acknowledging the teacher was held!

How responsible he was!

How precautionary he was!

“His Majesty doesn’t look well,” Gu Shao stroked his beard leisurely, “Only you and I are here. I don’t mind saying something that may offend His Majesty to you. Even if His Majesty is well now, he is more than 40 years old now! But the Crown Prince is not 30 years old yet. Most importantly, the Crown Prince is much healthier than His Majesty!”

Emperor Xianjia should have been healthy but due to the hardships during the fight for the throne back then, his health got worse due to the delayed treatment.

However, the Crown Prince had been living a satisfying life, protected by the Empress Dowager and Emperor Xianjia, and elaborately nursed by the imperial doctors. He had never done anything harmful to his health. How could he be unhealthy?

“His Majesty affirmed the heir back then because he was not well and the Crown Prince is the eldest son.”

“Commandery Prince Zhongling is the eldest legitimate son, who is even more prestigious than the Crown Prince!”

“But the Crown Prince is rather healthy. The Commandery Prince’s mother’s maiden family, the Wei Family doesn’t have overwhelming power in its hand, but it can’t be overlooked. You are a smart girl. Do I even need to talk frankly about the predicament that Commandery Prince Zhongling may face in the future?”

Song Yixiao rubbed her forehead. Indeed he didn’t need to speak frankly!

Throughout the history, if the emperor lived a long life, his elder sons, especially the one established as the crown prince, basically wouldn’t come to a good end!

No matter how ambitious they were at the young age, it seemed that all the emperors would instinctively guard against their own children in the prime of their lives when they were old! His suspicion usually ended with the victory of the young imperial male descendent!

That was to say, the future of Commandery Prince Zhongling who was greatly adored at the moment was unpromising!

Generally, a teacher was to the student what the father was to a son. They always shared weal and woe. Gu Shao obviously didn’t hope that his student came to a bad end, so he started to draw over helpers to Commandery Prince Zhongling, “As far as I know, you are on good terms with the Crown Princess and her sister. Since so, why don’t you make your relationship even closer?”

“As you say so, I will speak frankly then!” Song Yixiao composed herself and said, “My husband is the beloved son of the Grand Princess, who has been rather close to the Crown Prince since he was a child. Hence, it is understandable that he gets involved in the fight for the throne. When the Crown Prince ascends to the throne one day, why will he need to worry about that?”

On the night when the couple had a heart-to-heart talk, Jian Xubai told her that he had no other choice but to join the fight for the throne because he needed the power to protect himself. However, by the time when Commandery Prince Zhongling needed to think about cementing his position, Jian Xubai would supposedly be powerful enough to confront Jian Likuang. Why would he put his whole family at risk?

Gu Shao laughed then, “I have just arrived at the imperial capital, but I’ve heard of what happened during the imperial feast of the Lantern Festival!”

“Cui Jianlian courted death by herself, which was the statement made by Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. Her Highness the Noble Consort also thought so.” Song Yixiao was not swayed and then said, “Do you really think such a thing that has come to a conclusion can threaten me in the future?”

“It is not a thought. I’m sure about it,” Gu Shao said amiably, “It was the Crown Princess who caused the death of Cui Jianlian. It was a rumor, but you know, truth is often distorted in the world! The Crown Princess is the legitimate wife of the Crown Prince, so Commandery Prince Zhongling born by her has the great advantage of inheriting the throne. Therefore, if anyone wants to set against Commandery Prince Zhongling one day, he will surely take the Crown Princess as the target!”

By then, how could Song Yixiao, who was closely related to Cui Jianlian’s death, stay safe?

Therefore, “Instead of being caught off guard, why don’t you take precautions from now on so that you can gain the upper hand in the future?”

Song Yixiao puckered her lips and held the handkerchief tightly inside the sleeves. She had to admit that Gu Shao’s words did make sense! Somehow due to various changes subsequent to Cui Jianlian’s death, she was bound up with the Crown Princess regarding this matter.

If anyone reversed the case in the future and suspected the Crown Princess of scheming against Cui Jianlian again, Song Yixiao would surely be labelled as the executor of the Crown Princess’s plan!

That was to say, if the Crown Princess and her son were dragged into the fight for the throne, so would Song Yixiao for sure!

After all, Cui Jianlian’s being favored by the Crown Prince, her pregnancy, her relationship with the Noble Consort and the Crown Prince, and her death were all the good pretexts for attacking the Crown Princess. How could no one use them?

Since she couldn’t stay aside, of course she should take precautions instead of awaiting her doom.

Moreover, Commandery Prince Zhongling’s future might not go smoothly, but he had his own advantages too. Most importantly, Gu Shao was a man of identity, qualification and power. By working with him, Commandery Prince Zhongling could even gain some benefits now.

Song Yixiao didn’t run into Song Yuan when she left the guest’s yard. He must specially avoid meeting her again as they hated each other. Song Yixiao was happy with that too.

However, when she was about to reach the gate, a girl asked in a sweet voice from behind her, “Sister?”

“Bao?” Song Yixiao turned around only to see her half-sister, Song Yibao standing in the corridor nearby. The little girl was wearing a short green blouse and a primrose skirt. Perhaps out of fear for the spring chill, she also put on a dark green short cape embroidered with the pattern of begonia. With widened round almond eyes, she was staring at Song Yixiao curiously. After a while, she raised her hand to cover her mouth, crying in a low voice, “You are really my sister!”

Song Yixiao was surprised to hear that. After all, this younger sister met her only a few times. Besides, they never spent any quality time together. Song Yibao was young. How could she recognize Song Yixiao only by the back?

“Bao, why are you here?” She looked around and didn’t find Zhang Cuiniang. Currently, Madam Lu was still in confinement so she wouldn’t go out of doors for sure. However, Zhang Cuiniang was not the only one of the maids of Madam Lu who had met Song Yixiao. Maybe another maid gave a reminder to Song Yibao?

Then she was relieved and waved at Song Yibao with a smile, saying, “Long time no see. You look much taller.”

Influenced by Madam Lu, Song Yibao was still willing to be close to her. Then she gave a smile and intended to run to her happily. Suddenly, a girl dressed in white walked from behind the pillar and pressed her shoulders, saying with a sneer, “Second Lady! The Elder Lady asks me to keep an eye on you. You shouldn’t run around!”

Then she glanced at Song Yixiao viciously and uttered coldly, “Particularly, how can you approach those messy people? What if they pass the bad luck to the Elder Lady through you?”

Song Yixiao instantly stopped smiling. She narrowed her eyes and looked this girl up and down. Compared with her memory of the previous life, the girl was much thinner and the fierceness in her eyebrows got stronger, which slightly affected her beauty.

However, she was a beauty indeed. No wonder Ji Mingfei had to spend a few days in raising enough money to buy her. This girl was Liu Zhijin indeed.

They gazed at each other for a while. Song Yixiao suddenly burst into laughter.

She walked over at a brisk pace and stroked Song Yibao’s head, gesturing to her that she didn’t need to panic. Then she patted away Liu Zhijin’s hand on Song Yibao’s shoulder, “How dare you be so rude to the second lady of the Song Family in front of me?”

Facing Liu Zhijin’s angry eyes, Song Yixiao, with a glint of disdain in her eyes and a faint smile on her face, poked the girl’s cheek neither softly nor harshly, “Are you angry? Are you unreconciled? You don’t want to resign yourself to fate? Humph!”

Liu Zhijin felt pain in the face for being poked by her. She didn’t want to show her fear so she bore the pain reluctantly and didn’t retreat, but after a moment, she only felt her cheek prickling. She wondered whether her skin was broken. As she was worried about being disfigured, regardless of her dignity, she subconsciously retreated and snapped, “Your Highness, please mind your behaviors! Even though I am a maid now, I belong to the Song Family! You are married. How can you have the right to point fingers in your maiden family?”

She had backing too, “Especially, I am the maid of your grandmother! Do you have any respect for Elder Lady Pang when you behave like this?”

Unexpectedly, right after she finished talking, Song Yixiao gave her two slaps in the face!

“Elder Lady Pang? Since you know you are a maid of the Song Family and still dare to address my grandmother with her family name, apparently you must be disloyal! It is a matter of course to teach you some rules!” Seeing that she was eager to rush forward and fight with her, Song Yixiao sneered, “And do I have the right to point fingers at you…”

She suddenly approached Liu Zhijin’s ear and whispered, “You don’t know who asked me to come here today? Have a guess. If I tell Granduncle Gu to give you to me, will he decline my request for a maid? As to your backing—my grandmother, will she disregard Granduncle Gu for the sake of you?”

Song Yixiao took a step backwards and to her satisfaction, she saw Liu Zhijin’s face turned pale. Then she tidied up her collar and sneered, “If I find that you requite kindness with enmity and bully my siblings stealthily again, I will peel off your skin. If you dare to stare at me with such a cubbish look, I will rip out your eyes!”

Song Yixiao stared at Liu Zhijin walk away stumblingly, “Grandmother is so kind! She treats the daughter of a sinful official bought by her at a high price even better than her own granddaughter. Bao, you are too young now. You should stay close to your mother or Madam Zhang and avoid being with this maid as much as possible! Otherwise, you will suffer losses and even have no one to turn to for help!”

Madam Lu was not Wei Mengying. As long as nothing serious happened to Song Yibao, even if she loved her daughter dearly, she wouldn’t dare to complain to Madam Pang.

“I had better owe one to Granduncle and ask for the woman!” Thinking of that, Song Yixiao lowered her head to look at her younger sister’s childish face, pondering, “I may take it as compensation for my stepmother… After all, she is too soft-hearted. Even though she has given birth to a son, she still fails to protect her daughter well!”

If Song Yixiao’s birth mother, Wei Mengying were in her shoes, she would fight with Madam Pang fiercely even without giving birth to a son. If Wei Mengying bore a son of Song Yuan, Madam Pang wouldn’t even be able to fend for herself, not to mention allowing others to bully her granddaughter.