The Nie family of Pingyang Garden was extremely fond of Song Chaoyu after the previous incident.
Upon seeing Song Chaoyu arrive, she happily welcomed her into the residence.
It was also the first time she met Song Xiuxiu, who was exceptionally warm. "I should have come to pay my respects to my elder cousin and his wife earlier, but I was ill the other day and feared I might bring my sickness to Pingyang Garden. So, I specifically waited until I recovered before coming today. Please don't mind me, sister-in-law."
Nie Shi disliked illegitimate daughters, but Song Chaoyu had changed her mind.
Although she didn't particularly like Song Xiuxiu at this moment, she smiled kindly and said, "I heard that Miss Tang had a long journey and caught a cold, making her unwell. It's good that you've recovered now. It's hot outside, let's go inside to talk!"
She led Song Chaoyu and Song Xiuxiu into the house. Seeing how warm the sunlit room with open windows was, Nie Shi also said to Song Chaoyu with emotion, "It's all thanks to you. That Physician Fan is also very dedicated. Your elder brother's condition improves day by day. He wasn't awake yesterday, but using the method Physician Fan taught me, I managed to get him to eat some small cakes! Your elder brother's complexion has improved a lot these past two days, and I'm increasingly confident that he will wake up soon."
Hearing this, Song Xiuxiu also smiled and placed the food box in her hand on the table. "In that case, the peach cakes I made today are just in time! Sister-in-law, please try them and see if they suit your taste. I'm clumsy and don't know what to bring. I thought sister-in-law might like peach cakes, and if my brother could eat some, it would be my blessing!"
Song Xiuxiu always knew how to lower her status.
Indeed, it made Nie Shi cover her mouth and laugh. "Before, there was a fourth girl who always came to amuse me. Now, there's Miss Tang. I never felt that my courtyard was so lively! Look how exquisite these peach cakes are made. Let's eat first. We can give the leftovers to your elder brother. He always makes me angry by not waking up!"
The silver bell-like laughter of the women seemed exceptionally bright in the sunlight.
Song Chaoyu also ate Song Xiuxiu's peach cakes for the first time, and they tasted really good.
However, just as she swallowed the first piece, the First Madam's shouts suddenly came from outside: "Quick, quick, surround this courtyard! No matter who tries to harm my Yang'er today, I will not let them off easily!"
As she spoke, her footsteps hurried into the room.
Inside the room, Song Chaoyu and the other two women all put down their peach cakes. Nie Shi looked outside in astonishment. "What's wrong with Mother now? What is she making a fuss about?"
The First Madam almost rushed into the room from outside. Seeing the peach cakes placed on the table, she swept them to the ground.
With a "bang," the peach cakes scattered on the floor.
Accompanied by the First Madam's angry roar: "Don't eat! There's poison in them!"
Song Chaoyu quickly stood up, and Nie Shi also covered her nose and mouth in surprise. But she glanced at Song Chaoyu and Song Xiuxiu, noticing that neither of them seemed scared.
Although surprised, she still stepped forward and held back the furious First Madam. "Mother, what's wrong?"
Without a word, the First Madam stepped forward and slapped Song Xiuxiu across the face. "You wretched slut, you've only been here a few days, and you're already thinking of harming the Song family's legitimate eldest son?!"
"What are you saying, Mother?!"
Nie Shi was extremely surprised and quickly shielded Song Xiuxiu behind her. "Why would Miss Tang want to harm our Yang Ge'er? Has Mother heard something else?"
Unexpectedly, the First Madam glared at Nie Shi with anger. "How many times have I told you, why don't you have any sense?! Can you give anything sent by anyone to your men to eat?! If Yang Ge'er has an accident this time, I will skin you alive!"
Hearing this, Nie Shi felt even more wronged. "Mother, what you're saying makes no sense! What did I give Yang Ge'er to eat? He is my husband, how could I let anything happen to him? On the contrary, Mother came in and caused such a scene, what exactly are you trying to do?"
The First Madam pointed at the peach cakes scattered all over the floor. "These peach cakes mixed with oleander powder are evidence that they were meant to harm Yang Ge'er! You can't recognize people and still don't admit your mistake? Speak! How much of these peach cakes did you give to Yang Ge'er?!"
Nie Shi felt extremely wronged.
She stared at the First Madam in surprise and confusion. "These peach cakes were made by Miss Tang for me to eat. I haven't given them to Yang Ge'er yet. What does Mother mean? What oleander powder?"
Hearing that Song Jiayang had not eaten them yet, the First Madam breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked Nie Shi up and down, and seeing that Nie Shi showed no signs of poisoning, her brows furrowed tightly. "Didn't those peach cakes contain oleander powder? Don't you know what oleander powder is? After eating it, people will die! How much did you eat? Hurry and spit it out!"
"Aunt, I would never dare to do such a thing!"
Song Xiuxiu, feeling wronged by being slapped, also knelt before the First Madam. "Those peach cakes were just made by me for sister-in-law to eat. Just now, my fourth sister and I also ate a piece. Could it be that I wanted to harm myself and my fourth sister? That makes no sense!"
She cried like a pear blossom in the rain. "Besides, Aunt, you say I want to harm Yang Ge'er, but why would I want to harm Yang Ge'er? Now that my brother and I are staying in the Song family, I am grateful. What benefit would it bring me to harm my elder brother?"
She even disregarded her status as Miss Tang and grabbed the scattered peach cake crumbs from the ground, stuffing them into her mouth while explaining, "If Aunt doesn't believe me, I can eat all these peach cakes now for Aunt to see."
"Oh, no!"
Nie Shi felt heartbroken seeing Song Xiuxiu like this and quickly crouched down to knock the peach cake crumbs from her hand. "How can you eat things that have fallen on the ground?"
She raised her eyes to look at the First Madam, whose expression was unpredictable. "Mother, I have served Yang Ge'er for a long time and know some pharmacology. Oleander is a deadly poison, but when ground into powder, it is very bitter. When I ate these peach cakes just now, there was no bitterness at all. I know Mother is doing this for Yang Ge'er's good, but you can't come and make a scene every few days, disturbing Yang Ge'er's peace, can you?"
In the past, Nie Shi still thought the First Madam was a dignified mother-in-law. Now, as one incident after another passed, she began to dislike her impulsive mother-in-law.
How could the First Madam tolerate being spoken to like that?
"You are presumptuous!"
She stepped forward, about to get angry.
"Shut your mouth!"
But the voice of the Old Madam of the Song family suddenly sounded at the entrance of Pingyang Garden.
Song Chaoyu also did not expect the Old Madam to return.
The Old Madam was also carrying a food box and stood sternly behind the First Madam. "What are you fussing about again? This courtyard is never peaceful. Do you still want Yang Ge'er to recover properly?"