The First Madam's reaction was rather extreme, earning her a glare from the Old Madam. She lowered her head, then muttered, "My meaning is, this is, after all, an ancestral home left by our ancestors. Even if we were to add to Fourth Girl's dowry, there's no need to use this ancestral home, is there?"
The Uncle-Ancestor also glanced at the First Madam and sighed, "The Song family doesn't have much left. Their minds are made up; they say as long as the Old Madam agrees not to divide the family, everything else is negotiable."
In truth, even Song Chaoyu didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.
However, the Old Madam agreed without hesitation: "Since they've said so, it's fine to proceed like this. It saves them from squandering the Song family in the future, leaving not even a house behind! Well, since the Uncle-Ancestor has spoken, what else can we say? Let's proceed as the Uncle-Ancestor intends."
Upon hearing this, the First Madam shot a jealous glance at Song Chaoyu, then withdrew it, plastering a smile on her face, "Since Mother has agreed, then so be it!"
The Uncle-Ancestor smiled and appraised Song Chaoyu, "Fourth Girl is a blessed child. You can rest assured, we will handle well the matters you have recorded under the First Madam's name for Fourth Girl."
Since their objective had been achieved, the Uncle-Ancestor also stood up, "There is one more matter I wish to discuss with you."
The Old Madam looked at the Uncle-Ancestor with confusion. The Uncle-Ancestor then pointed to Song Jiaojiao, who was kneeling outside, "Now that everyone is not dividing the family, we are all one family. Our Song family from Jiangzhou, shamelessly, continues to seek your favor. Jiaojiao is a good child; why don't you take her to the capital as well?"
This Uncle-Ancestor truly wouldn't let them gain any advantage!
Song Chaoyu frowned, feeling he was taking advantage of his age and setting a trap for her grandmother.
The Old Madam's expression also turned grim, "Take her to the capital?"
"Yes."
The Uncle-Ancestor smiled at the Old Madam, "Our family's girls, in Jiangzhou, can never find a good marriage. After all, she is a Song family girl; we can't let her marry beneath her station, can we? So, we thought you could take Jiaojiao to the capital. Let her accompany Fourth Girl; she can also lend Fourth Girl a hand at the Chang Prince's manor in the future."
The implication of this was all too clear.
Song Chaoyu hadn't even entered the Chang Prince's manor yet, and they were already so eager to add new people to the Chang Prince's household?
But as the saying goes, one shouldn't hit a smiling person.
The Old Madam's eyes darkened, and she didn't know how to respond to the Uncle-Ancestor.
The First Madam, however, was unconcerned. Since Song Chaoyu was not her daughter, she only wished for Song Yanjiao's well-being. The fate of others was of no concern to her.
However, Song Chaoyu smiled and said to the Uncle-Ancestor, "Grand Uncle-Ancestor, this might not be appropriate, right?"
She said generously, "No matter what, Sister Jiaojiao is also a daughter of the Song family. If we let her accompany me to the Chang Prince's manor to serve as a servant, wouldn't it make me, as an elder sister, appear unseemly? Moreover, Sister Jiaojiao is beautiful and considerate. Even if she can't find a suitable match in Jiangzhou, wouldn't suitors from other prefectures be knocking down our door? Why must she go to the Chang Prince's manor and suffer the indignity of servitude?"
Everyone knew that their intention for Song Chaoyu to take Song Jiaojiao to the Chang Prince's manor was certainly not for her to be a servant.
But Song Chaoyu's innocent expression made the Uncle-Ancestor uncertain whether she truly didn't understand his intentions or was pretending not to know, trying to brush the matter aside.
The Old Madam also understood Song Chaoyu's meaning.
The Song family naturally did not want to state the matter explicitly, as they still wanted to preserve some semblance of dignity.
So, the Old Madam feigned ignorance along with Song Chaoyu, "Fourth Girl speaks wisely! We are all sisters; how can she take Jiaojiao to the capital to be a servant? It would be truly improper to say such a thing! Moreover, Xiuxiu is also in the capital now; she is the young madam of the esteemed Prime Minister's manor. If this were said, wouldn't her reputation be ruined?"
These words made Ning Shi's expression turn ugly.
She suddenly realized, why were the more accomplished members of the Song family all illegitimate daughters?
Conversely, the legitimate daughters from several branches, though seemingly married into splendor, were actually mired in filth behind the scenes!
Since the Old Madam and Song Chaoyu had clearly refused the matter, the Uncle-Ancestor found it difficult to press the issue.
He could only nod, forcing an awkward smile, "Never mind, never mind. These are all matters for you young people to discuss amongst yourselves. I am old and my health is not good; I should be returning."
He left shakily, and naturally, someone escorted him home.
The Old Madam also looked at Song Chaoyu, "Then we too—"
"Fourth Sister!"
But before the Old Madam could finish speaking, Song Jiaojiao, who had been kneeling, suddenly rushed forward.
With tears streaming down her face, she crawled to Song Chaoyu, "Fourth Sister, I beg you! Take me to the capital! I am willing to be your ox or horse, and His Highness the Chang Prince's ox or horse! I don't mind being a servant or a maid!"
Ning Shi generally disliked these illegitimate daughters, especially since Song Jiaojiao was an illegitimate daughter from the fourth branch.
So, she glared at Song Jiaojiao but remained silent.
Instead, Song Chaozong stepped forward, giving the Old Madam and Song Chaoyu an awkward look, "Second Aunt... this matter, we have discussed it. Since Jiaojiao is the only unmarried daughter of the Song family now, why don't Fourth Girl take her to the Chang Prince's manor to be a secondary consort? It would also bring glory to our Song family and help Fourth Girl quickly establish herself in the Chang Prince's manor, wouldn't it?"
Secondary consort?!
Their idea was so outrageous that even the First Madam couldn't stand it, muttering indignantly, "Shameless! With your status, you still want to be a secondary consort to the Chang Prince?"
Ning Shi heard this and seemed unable to hold back any longer.
Although she didn't care about Song Jiaojiao's fate, she also wanted to gain some advantage from it. Naturally, she looked at the First Madam with dissatisfaction, "Fourth Girl is also of illegitimate birth, yet she can be the primary consort to the Chang Prince, so why can't our Jiaojiao be a secondary consort? Besides, Fourth Girl might not even be as good as our Jiaojiao! She is from an outer chamber—"
"Bang—"
However, before Ning Shi could finish her words, the Old Madam's palm slammed onto the table.
"Good, very good!"
The Old Madam no longer cared about anything else, "tearing off" the hypocritical faces of the couple, "You two have been waiting for this, haven't you? The other day I said I wanted to divide the family, and you called the clan elders and Uncle-Ancestor to appease me. I'm afraid they haven't even reached home yet, and you've already hatched such a scheme? Do you think we are easy to bully?!"
"Grandmother, please don't be angry."
Song Chaoyu, however, felt a sense of calm and coldly looked at Song Chaozong and his wife, "Uncle, Aunt, do you know that a secondary consort to the Chang Prince, although considered a concubine, is not something an ordinary person can decide? It requires an imperial decree from the Emperor or an edict from the Empress Dowager to be finalized. If you can persuade us today, you must also be able to persuade the Emperor or the Empress Dowager! Do you... have that ability?"