Chapter 823: Chapter 823: Failed to Steal the Chicken, Lost the Rice Instead
A bolt from the blue.
Sending Bai Shuilianâs children to be raised in the main courtyardâisnât this separating mother and child?
Song Zhiqingâs first thought was that this time it was really over, Bai would probably cry a small lake out.
On the other hand, Lu was stunned but quickly eased her brows.
"Mother, this..." Song Zhiqing was anxious and a bit flustered but quickly calmed down, saying, "Mother, my sister-in-law is currently pregnant, Lu and my second sister-in-law are also helping manage the household, they are already quite busy. If the fifth child and the others are moved to Plum Garden, wonât that disturb her? She wonât have time to manage them!"
Song Ci glanced over indifferently: "The Song Mansion has over a hundred servants, are they not meant to assist the master? Naturally, they should help lighten the masterâs burdens. The fifth child and the others are about the same age as Yuanyuan, many days itâs eat, sleep, and play. Lu can teach them during her spare time."
"But..."
"What, you want to register them under the legitimate motherâs name, isnât that raising their siblingsâ status? Having them raised under the legitimate motherâs care is also an elevation, arenât you pleased? As for Bai, if sheâs clever, sheâll naturally know that raising the children in such a place garners more respect."
Song Ci eyed him and said: "This is an era where the Great Qingâs rules are enlightened, if it were a dynasty with stricter regulations, where is there the rationale for a concubine to raise the children herself? It is entirely the duty of the legitimate mother. A concubineâs duty is merely to serve the master well."
Song Zhiqing was terrified, his lips slightly moved.
Song Ci tilted her head slightly: "Nanny Gong, go personally to Serene Garden to bring the children to Plum Garden and say itâs my instruction. Soon it will be Ghost Festival, have Bai transcribe some volumes of the Rebirth Scripture and Ksitigarbha Sutra for offering at the Ghost Festival."
"Alright." Nanny Gong curtsied and walked out, calling Chun Fen inside to serve.
Song Zhiqing looked ashen-faced; having Nanny Gong fetch them made the decision final.
Song Ci looked back at Lu again: "The fifth child and others are also the Song familyâs descendants, as the legitimate mother, you should treat them equally. After all, they are to call you mother."
To be honest, even Song Ci herself probably couldnât do this.
But as the family matriarch, she had to say the right things. She couldnât admit that sending the children over means you canât treat them like your own, yet you should still be diligent. Their real father is kneeling here, isnât he?
So the right words must be said, as for how Lu acts, can she really monitor it personally?
She cannot.
Lu replied meekly, "Mother, your daughter-in-law understands."
"Since you understand, then withdraw. From now on, I donât want to see this kind of matter again. If you trouble me again, Iâll inform your father to split you up." Song Ci said coldly, "Iâm getting old and hope to live a few more years, I donât want to be angered to death."
Song Zhiqing and Lu hurriedly apologized and made several promises before leaving.
Walking out onto the porch, Song Zhiqing looked at the gray, bleak sky, his mood matching the gloom, thinking of todayâs events, inexplicably feeling like he had shot himself in the foot.
A case of losing a chicken and losing rice.
All thanks to Lu, that shrew, if it werenât for her fierce actions, how could it have ended this way?
Song Zhiqing turned to look at Lu, but saw she had already walked out of Chunhui Hallâs courtyard, her back looking particularly desolate.
Song Zhiqing hesitated for a moment, rubbed his brow, and quickly walked out of the courtyard, he still had to rush to Serene Garden to extinguish the fire.