Chapter 52: Forcing Song Shiwei to Become a Concubine

"Shiwei, look, if you don't marry in the future, there will be a lot of gossip. That won't be good for you or the family."

"I am thinking of you, which is why I want you to get married as soon as possible."

She had pondered for days without understanding—she was clearly doing it for Shiwei's own good, so why was Shiwei treating her this way?

Song Shiwei used a glance to stop her father from stepping in for her.

Given her mother's temperament and mindset, the more her father intervened, the more misguided her mother's thoughts would become.

"Then tell me, Mother, along this path of exile, what kind of man could you possibly choose for me?"

Believing that her daughter had finally seen reason, Madam Song's eyes lit up. "Shiwei, as long as you understand this principle, it's all for the best."

"I've thought about it. It would be best if you could marry the Prince of Ding."

"If you cannot marry the Prince of Ding, becoming his concubine will also do..."

"Shut your mouth!" Unable to restrain himself any longer, Master Song barked with a dark face, "Anyone who didn't know better would think you were her stepmother."

"What kind of mother actively pushes her legitimate daughter to become a concubine?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, Concubine Liu and the others looked at Madam Song with completely changed expressions. The Madam actually wanted the eldest young lady to be a concubine?!

Even though their family was now exiled, that was no reason to make the eldest young lady a concubine.

Putting aside how lowly a concubine's status was, the mere torment inflicted by the primary wife alone could torture a person to death.

If they encountered someone vicious, the girl might be killed by the primary wife the very next day after crossing the threshold.

"Master, that is the Prince of Ding, not an ordinary man," Madam Song said, deeply aggrieved. "The Prince of Ding does have quite a few concubines, but he treats every single one of them very well."

"If Shiwei is ambitious enough, she will have the opportunity to become his principal consort in the future."

Master Song pointed at her angrily, "Is your brain filled with water?"

"Even in ordinary families, it is nearly impossible for a concubine to be elevated to the position of primary wife, let alone in the royal family. A concubine can never, ever be elevated."

Those tales in storybooks where concubines casually get elevated to primary wives, or where concubines can live in peace after plotting against the legal wife—those were all false.

"Mother, this is entirely your unilateral wishful thinking," Song Shiwei sighed. "Furthermore, if I were truly to marry the Prince of Ding, would Princess Anning let me off?"

Most importantly, the Emperor would never let her go.

The Emperor had gone to such lengths to exile her family; how could he possibly allow them any chance of a resurgence?

Not daring to vent her anger on Master Song, Madam Song turned her fury on Song Shiwei. "As long as you win the favor of the Prince of Ding, are you afraid he won't protect you?"

"Crack!"

Master Song slapped her to the ground, his anger raging like an erupting volcano, soaring higher and higher. "Shiwei already has it hard enough, yet you are still forcing her to stoop to becoming the Prince of Ding's concubine!"

"Is this how a mother behaves?"

Clutching her face, Madam Song wept pitifully, "Master, I am only considering Shiwei's future..."

"Shut up!" Master Song said, beside himself with fury. "Since you have such thoughts, I will divorce you right now!"

"When the opportunity arises in the future, go ahead and debase yourself by becoming someone else's concubine!"

Horrified, Madam Song shrieked, "Master, I was married to you through proper match-making, and I manage the household chores for you. How can you divorce me?"

"Besides, how could I ever be a concubine?"

Master Song chuckled coldly, gradually calming down. "Weren't you trying to do what's best for Shiwei and the family?"

"Now, the time has come for you to make a contribution."

"As long as you are willing to become some man's concubine to help the family and Shiwei, I will divorce you immediately and grant you this opportunity."

Song Shiwei remained silent, feeling a surge of profound satisfaction.

Wasn't her mother trying to force her to be the Prince of Ding's concubine?

Now, the tables had turned, and her father was forcing her mother to become someone else's concubine—yet her mother was unwilling.

Concubine Liu and the others exchanged glances and went about their respective tasks, having no intention whatsoever of helping Madam Song.

If it were their own children, they would be willing to risk their lives to protect them; how could any of them bear to push their own child to become someone else's concubine?

With her eyes wide in disbelief, Madam Song stared blankly at Master Song. "Master, you are forcing me to stoop to becoming someone else's concubine?"

Master Song retorted, "Weren't you forcing Shiwei to stoop to becoming someone else's concubine?"

Madam Song's expression trembled, and she stammered in defense, "That's different, that's not the same..."

Master Song challenged, "How is it different? Aren't both being forced to stoop and become someone else's concubine?"

After struggling for a long while, Madam Song finally squeezed out, "I am considering the future of Shiwei and the family."

Master Song sneered, looking at her with a trace of disgust. "I am also considering the future of you and the family."

"The road of exile is so bitter and exhausting, and since you are accustomed to a life of luxury and ease, how could you possibly endure it?"

"It would be better to wrong you slightly and let you become some lord's concubine; that way, you can continue enjoying a good life."

Madam Song opened her mouth and said weakly, "I am already old..."

"There are plenty of men who happen to like your type," Master Song interrupted, his tone devoid of warmth. "As long as you are willing, I will arrange it for you immediately."

Panicked and unsettled, Madam Song broke out in a cold sweat. "Master, this sort of thing—this sort of thing is not quite right."

Master Song let out a heavy snort. "So you know this sort of thing isn't right? Then why were you forcing Shiwei to be someone's concubine?"

"Is this the kind of foolish thing a mother should ever do?"

Madam Song could only cry, "I did it all for..."

"Spare me the talk about doing it for Shiwei and the family," Master Song's anger flared up again. "If you dare say another word, or entertain such a thought ever again—"

"I will divorce you and hand you over to someone else as a concubine."

Seeing that he was completely serious, Madam Song did not dare utter another word, though resentment festered ever more deeply in her heart.

She had thought she was looking out for her master, only for him to treat her this way.

He was simply going too far.

One look at her expression told Master Song that she had not repented, so he decided to break her stubborn spirit further.

Once Madam Song suffered through even more hardship and exhaustion, she wouldn't have the mental energy to entertain such notions.

Song Shiwei heaved a soft sigh. Dealing with a mountain of problems was already exhausting enough, yet her mother still insisted on making trouble.

She genuinely could not fathom what was going on inside her mother's head to make her want to arrange marriages for her along the exile route.

Irritated, she shook her head, temporarily putting the matter out of her mind and resolving to keep a closer eye on her mother in the future.

Suddenly—

With a loud "bang," the sound of a human body crashing onto the ground echoed through the air.

Before Song Shiwei could react, she saw Ling Ze appear before her, accompanied by two guards.

"Eldest Miss Song, gather everyone together immediately!" Ling Ze said, clutching his long sword with a solemn expression.

Song Shiwei immediately called all her family members to her side.

Counting them over, she realized that Song Mingxuan and Song Mingyu had not yet returned.

"Ling Ze, my eldest brother and third brother haven't returned yet," she said, highly anxious.

Ling Ze replied, "Do not worry, Eldest Miss Song. People have already been sent to look for Young Master Song and Third Young Master Song."

Just as Song Shiwei let out a breath of relief, a group of assassins dressed in black suddenly materialized before them,

surrounding them completely.

The very next moment, the pack of assassins launched a ferocious attack.