Chapter 26: He Was Wrong from the Very Beginning
“Lord Cui,” Song Shilan knelt before him, sobbing, “Please don’t believe my elder sister’s nonsense. Things aren’t as she says.”
She was deeply alarmed. It was already strange that Song Shiwei had learned of her and the concubine’s connections with the Qin family, yet Song Shiwei also knew about the Cui family’s affairs.
Where had Song Shiwei gotten all this information?
Cui Jing had despised her since childhood and was well aware of the malicious deeds Song Shilan had committed.
“Song Shilan, I know exactly what kind of person you are,” he said with a cruel expression, gripping her neck with one hand. “You don’t need to play the victim in front of me; that trick won’t work.”
Song Shilan nearly lost consciousness under his chokehold.
She coughed a few times and frantically struck Cui Jing’s hand. “Lord Cui, it’s not like that. Please listen to my explanation.”
“I’m willing to listen,” Cui Jing said, his eyes widening oddly as he slowly glanced toward Song Shiwei.
Just now, he had said similar words to Shiwei.
Now hearing Song Shilan say the same, he suddenly realized how wrong he had been.
Explain what?
What could possibly be explained?
The damage was done, and it was he himself who had caused it.
If the roles were reversed—if he had been betrayed and exiled by his fiancée—how could he possibly forgive her?
“Shiwei...” Song Shiwei ignored him, took her father’s hand, and continued on with the family.
She had no time for idle chatter with Cui Jing here.
She wanted to cover as much ground as possible before the day grew too hot.
Song Mingting raised a fist in greeting to Cui Jing as he caught up to Song Shiwei.
“Little sister, you...” He paused, then asked, “Does your foot still hurt?”
He decided not to mention Cui Jing, not wanting to worsen her mood.
But Song Shiwei was actually in good spirits.
Seeing Cui Jing’s pitiful and miserable state had lifted her spirits considerably.
Indeed, tormenting one’s enemy brought great satisfaction.
“After a night’s rest, it’s much better. Walking hardly hurts today,” she said truthfully, a testament to the efficacy of the doctor’s medicine.
---
When the matter was brought up, Song’s mother and others chatted excitedly.
“The medicines given by that female doctor really work. After resting all night, I saw this morning that some of the wounds were already scabbing over.”
“Yes, yes! My foot hurt badly yesterday, but today it hardly hurts at all, and I can walk normally.”
“Fortunately, we bought plenty of medicine, so we don’t have to worry about anything happening on the road.”
Hearing this, Song Shiwei felt somewhat reassured. As long as her family was safe, the rest could be dealt with.
Meanwhile.
Cui Jing’s gaze on Song Shilan was sharp with murderous intent. “Song Shilan, since you can’t behave on this exile journey, I’ll see you off properly.”
He could no longer keep this nuisance around to continue harming Shiwei.
Song Shilan could tell he was serious, trembling like a leaf in the wind. “No! No!”
“Lord Cui, you can’t do this!” she cried out. “Auntie, save me!”
Qin Auntie wanted to help but dared not. She could see how deranged Cui Jing had become.
“Lord Cui,” she swallowed nervously and spoke cautiously, “Let’s talk this through.”
Cui Jing glanced at her with a sinister smile. “Qin Auntie, don’t worry. Soon it will be your turn.”
“I’ll make sure you and your daughter remain mother and daughter even underground.”
His words terrified Qin Auntie into a piercing scream. “No, no!”
She tried to leave but feared for her daughter’s life at Cui Jing’s hands.
Ignoring her, Cui Jing turned toward Song Shiwei. “I’ll see you on your way first.”
As he was about to order his guards to deal with Song Shilan, a man on horseback suddenly appeared before him.
“Lord Cui, the princess commands you to return immediately,” Duan Bin said arrogantly, looking down on him.
Duan Bin looked like a pale scholar but tall and sturdy, one of the types that young ladies favored.
Therefore, he was one of Princess Anning’s most favored companions, often abusing her name to act lawlessly.
Cui Jing seemed not to notice him and ordered his guards, “Deal with Song Shilan and Qin Auntie—leave their bodies to the wild dogs!”
“Lord Cui, the princess has said to spare the lives of Qin Auntie and Song Shilan,” Duan Bin replied condescendingly. “If you don’t want the Cui family to become the second Song family, you’d better obey.”
He had little respect for Cui Jing, seeing him as a hypocrite posing as a chaste and righteous man.
Song Shilan and Qin Auntie both breathed a sigh of relief; their lives were spared.
Cui Jing dared not gamble.
He knew all too well how difficult it would be to save Shiwei and the Song family without his clan’s support.
He flung Song Shilan aside but had no intention of truly letting her go.
---
Unable to deal with Song Shilan openly, he could still handle her in secret.
Song Shilan hurriedly knelt before Duan Bin, begging, “Please, please take me to see Princess Anning.”
“I’m willing to do anything for Princess Anning, just save my life.”
She had to seize this chance.
Qin Auntie knelt before Duan Bin as well, pleading for her own life.
Duan Bin looked down at them with arrogance and triumph. “The princess has said that you mother and daughter are to stay with the Song family and await her orders.”
“If you do well, you will not be without reward. Otherwise, you know the consequences.”
When Song Shilan tried to beg further, Qin Auntie quickly covered her mouth.
Qin Auntie sweetly reassured, “Please rest assured, we mother and daughter will do as instructed.”
Clearly, if they disobeyed Princess Anning, their fate was death.
...
Song Shiwei caught sight of Song Shilan and Qin Auntie upon their return, a dark gleam flashing in her eyes.
She suspected the mother and daughter would not run away and guessed they had struck some kind of deal with Princess Anning.
In some ways, this was beneficial to her, making it easier to monitor the princess’s movements.
“Oh? You mother and daughter didn’t take the chance to escape?” Song Mingting sneered as he approached Qin Auntie and Song Shilan.
They were exhausted and hungry.
Having eaten nothing all day yesterday, tormented throughout the night, and dealt with so much early this morning, they truly had no energy to respond.
They ignored Song Mingting, wondering how much longer until they could rest.
Once rested, they wouldn’t refuse food or drink again.
Song Mingting had no intention of letting them off so easily.
He pushed Song Shilan hard, his voice filled with displeasure. “Didn’t you hear me when I spoke to you?”
He wanted to torment Song Shilan and Qin Auntie, to make their journey unbearable, to let them taste the bitterness of a life worse than death.
Angered, Song Shilan ran to her father to complain, “Father, look at my second brother. He’s gone too far.”
She was sure her father would help her.
This time, it was Song Mingting who was in the wrong, not her.