"Good heavens, what is all this commotion?!"
Song Chaozong couldn't help but step forward and roughly pull Guo Haixia, "So what if you're a scribe from Jiangzhou Prefecture? Don't you know how high up your second aunt's family is in the capital?!"
These words utterly stunned Guo Haixia.
He had always looked down on the Jiang family, so he hadn't even bothered to inquire about the situation of the Jiang family's second branch.
Moreover, for so many years, the Jiang family's second branch had remained in the capital, keeping a low profile and not being particularly close to the old family in Jiangzhou. It was natural for Guo Haixia not to know.
"Hic—"
At this moment, Guo Haixia let out a long alcoholic burp and still sneered dismissively, "What kind of high officials can they be in the capital? Look at how down-and-out your Jiang family is, how can they be good officials?"
He turned back and gestured with his chin at Song Yanyan, "You tell me, what are they in the capital? Let me hear it, see if they're as impressive as my father!"
Song Yanyan also felt ashamed, her eyes reddening as she said to Guo Haixia, "Second Uncle is a third-rank Minister in the capital. My cousin is even—"
"Wh—what?!"
Before Song Yanyan could finish, Guo Haixia suddenly stood up straight, staring at Song Yanyan in disbelief, "What did you say?! Your Song family's second branch has a third-rank Minister in the capital? You... why have you never told me?!"
Song Yanyan felt even more wronged, "I wanted to tell you, but you never listen to me! You always look down on our Song family. Last night I wanted to talk to you, but you said you were sleepy and didn't want to hear anything, right?"
"I—"
Guo Haixia's speech became a little incoherent, "I thought your Song family only had a bunch of poor relatives mooching off others?!"
Guo Haixia, who had been so dismissive of the Song family just moments ago, now had a complete 180-degree change in his attitude.
He turned back, bowed, and smiled obsequiously at the old lady, cupping his fists, "Auntie, I am truly sorry! I didn't know your identities, and I was too disrespectful just now! Auntie won't blame me, will you? We are all from official families, Auntie must forgive my behavior just now, I was drunk and confused!"
Song Chaoyu had seen many smooth-talking people in the capital, but she had never encountered anyone as slippery as Guo Haixia.
The old lady snorted coldly, naturally not having any good feelings towards Guo Haixia, "I'm afraid the person you need to apologize to is not me."
She pointed to Song Chaoyu beside her, "This is my fourth daughter. The Emperor has bestowed upon her the title of Princess Chang, married to Prince Chang. I brought her back this time to amend her identity in the family registry. And you just tried to grab her hand, that is a crime of great treason, do you understand?"
"Pr—Princess Chang?!"
Guo Haixia was so scared that he stumbled backward, tripping over something and staggering, falling onto the ground with a thud!
Song Yanyan quickly stepped forward, wanting to help him up, but his legs felt weak. He repeatedly apologized to Song Chaoyu, "Fourth Sister, I'm sorry! I really didn't know your identity, it's my fault! The Song family never told me about your identities either, please be magnanimous, Fourth Sister!"
His spineless demeanor was truly unpleasant to behold.
Song Chaoyu looked sympathetically at Song Yanyan beside her, then turned to the old lady, "Grandmother, you see—"
Seeing an "out," Song Chaozong also quickly stepped forward, eager to kneel before the old lady, "Second Aunt, the Guo family knows they were wrong! The Song family was negligent today, please forgive us this once, Second Aunt! I will definitely teach Yanyan to properly guide her son-in-law in the future!"
He clapped his hands and then hastily called out to the stunned Song family servants who didn't know what to do, "What are you all standing there for?! Quickly clear away this table of food and bring a new one! Second Aunt and the others have traveled a long way and are tired, how can we not even let them eat a bite?"
Even Ning Shi stepped forward, fawningly supporting the old lady, "Second Aunt, please come inside! If you leave today, our Song family's reputation will truly be lost! We beg Second Aunt for forgiveness!"
Their attitude made it difficult for the old lady to continue to be stern.
After all, the old lady sighed and then pointed to Song Chaozong, "You people, I don't know how you live your lives!"
Only then was she willing to sit down. Guo Haixia, seeing that it seemed to be alright, wanted to step forward again, intending to sit next to the old lady.
But he was glared back by a sharp look from the old lady.
The old lady smiled coldly, "I, this old woman, dare not sit with your esteemed son-in-law of our Song family, lest I tarnish your status! If the Guo family has further matters, esteemed son-in-law, please proceed, you don't need to accompany this old woman."
Guo Haixia understood this was an invitation to leave.
But he dared not show his displeasure in front of the old lady.
He merely turned back and glared fiercely at Song Yanyan, "It's all your fault! You didn't tell me such important matters, must you make me anger the old lady like this?"
As he spoke, he also grabbed Song Yanyan's arm, "Let's go! I'll deal with you when we get home!"
As he dragged Song Yanyan out the door, Song Chaoyu also saw what appeared to be bruises on Song Yanyan's wrist.
After Song Yanyan left, Song Yanyan's mother from the third branch, her eyes reddened, "This wicked man, I'm afraid he'll beat her again when they get back! My poor Yanyan! How could she have chosen such a scoundrel after all her efforts?"
Although her words were from the heart, Song Chaoyu noticed that she kept glancing at the old lady as she spoke, as if she wasn't really speaking to them.
The old lady seemed to have noticed this as well, so she pretended not to hear anything, turning instead to the other people standing nearby, "It's been a long time since I've returned to Jiangzhou, I've forgotten whose children you are. Introduce yourselves, so my fourth daughter can recognize you, lest you meet again and not know what to call each other."
The younger generation stepped forward and introduced themselves to Song Chaoyu. Song Chaoyu was finally able to distinguish their identities.
The Song family was now sparsely populated. Looking at their clothing, it was similar to ordinary families in the capital, not much silk or satin, appearing exceptionally simple, indicating that they likely weren't living very well in Jiangzhou.
The youngest, the fourth branch's orphaned child named Song Jiaojiao, was a concubine's daughter and was now under the care of the first branch. Song Chaoyu could clearly feel that in Jiaojiao's eyes, there was extreme envy.
It was as if... in her previous life, she had looked at Song Yanjiao and Song Yanrou in the same way.