Tiao Hong did not explain, but brought the chicken shred and ginger slice congee, which had been kept warm, to Song Chaoyu's bedside.
Seeing Song Chaoyu frown at the ginger slices, Tiao Hong said, "A good girl shouldn't frown! The old madam said that ginger slices were specifically added to this. Qiu Qing also said that it is beneficial for you, and you must not leave a single slice behind. Only by drinking it all can you get better!"
Song Chaoyu chuckled slightly, "Why are you all coaxing me like a child?"
Tiao Hong mumbled again, "Doesn't your pickiness make you just like a child?"
Song Chaoyu finished the bowl of congee according to her grandmother's wishes. Her grandmother also entered with the First Madam.
The First Madam was not genuinely concerned about Song Chaoyu, but she had to put on a show: "Fourth girl is finally awake. You scared us all these past two days! Fortunately, there was Qiu Qing, otherwise, we wouldn't have known how to cure your poison!"
Song Chaoyu nodded to the First Madam, considering it enough to maintain appearances.
However, she said to her grandmother, who genuinely cared for her, "Grandmother, please let everyone outside get up! We are guests in Jiangzhou after all, and this does not look proper!"
Her grandmother, who had lived a glorious life, did not want to be criticized by others for this matter.
Unexpectedly, the old madam was very resolute this time: "Get up? They wish! It's not just about this matter. Since we arrived in Jiangzhou, how many dirty deeds have they committed? Now they are kneeling here, begging me not to report them to the authorities. But if I don't report them, they must find the person who poisoned you! Otherwise, not only will I report this to the authorities, but I will also escalate it to the capital."
Her brows furrowed, but she looked at Song Chaoyu and sighed, feeling pity, "Fourth girl, you don't need to worry about this matter. Just focus on recovering from your illness. I have already sent someone to inform your father by express letter. You are now the legitimate daughter of the Song family, and also the future Princess Chang. I will not let them gloss over this matter!"
Song Chaoyu understood that her grandmother likely wanted to take this opportunity to clean up the messy family traditions of the Jiangzhou Song family.
She finally nodded and said no more.
---
Perhaps hearing the commotion in the room and seeing people coming and going.
As Song Chaoyu was talking with her grandmother and the First Madam, Ning Shi's knock came from outside: "Second Aunt, is Fourth Miss awake? May we come in to see her? Truly, Buddha bless us, heaven has protected us!"
At the grandmother's signal, Tiao Hong opened the door, allowing Song Chaozong and Ning Shi to enter.
As soon as Ning Shi entered, she plastered a smile on her face towards Song Chaoyu: "Oh, truly heaven has protected us! Fourth Miss is finally awake! Our Song family is saved!"
She looked earnestly at the grandmother, "Second Aunt, since Fourth Miss is awake, this matter... can we drop it? From today onwards, no matter what Fourth Miss wants, or what Second Aunt commands, we will certainly comply. This is our apology to Fourth Miss!"
"You wish!"
This time, the grandmother coldly sneered at Ning Shi with finality: "I repeat myself. If you do not hand over the person who poisoned Fourth girl for us to deal with, I will immediately report it to the authorities. If you have the ability, then block the gates of the Song family indefinitely! In any case, I have already sent someone to the capital with a letter. If you don't want this to become common knowledge, then hand over the person!"
Upon hearing this, Ning Shi's face turned extremely ugly: "Second Aunt, why is this matter being escalated to the capital? Please reconsider! Fourth Miss is fine now, isn't she? We are all of the Song family lineage, why must you be so relentless?"
"Fine!"
The grandmother seemed unwilling to say more to them: "Now that she is awake, and you are still stubborn. I have nothing more to say. My mind is made up. If you have come only to try and gloss over the matter, then you may leave. In any case, if we cannot return to the capital on time, someone will come looking for us! At that time, it will not be the poisoner's problem, but your Song family's crime of harboring them. I'll see how you deal with that!"
Seeing that her approach with the grandmother was not working, Ning Shi looked at Song Chaozong and shook her head at him.
---
Indeed, by evening, they came again.
This time, they brought Song Yanyan with them!
As soon as Song Yanyan entered, she knelt on the ground.
Although she said nothing, her weeping with her face covered was enough for Song Chaoyu to understand that the person who poisoned her was likely her.
"Why?"
Song Chaoyu truly did not understand and looked at Song Yanyan, "We have never interfered with each other. You tried to kill me, what did you gain?"
Song Yanyan's eyes reddened, and she suddenly looked up, staring at Song Chaoyu with eyes full of jealousy, "Why? You, a庶女 (shu nu - daughter of a concubine) born to an outside mistress, are living better than me, a嫡女 (di nu - legitimate daughter) of the Song family?"
She knew she had no way back.
So, she poured out all her resentment to Song Chaoyu: "Why? Ever since you returned, you've only seen me make a fool of myself? Before, when I married into the Song family's yamen, everyone praised me and fawned over me! But after you returned, everyone revolves around you!"
She clenched her fists, filled with hatred, "Even that little slut Song Jiaojiao knows to follow you back! When I talk to her, she, a庶女, dares to ignore me! Isn't this all your fault?!"
So... it was jealousy that drove her to try and kill her?
Song Chaoyu chuckled slightly, "Will killing me make you feel better? Will your life improve? Will your husband treat you better?"
"Ridiculous!"
Song Chaoyu felt a sense of relief from surviving, but more so, a helplessness towards Song Yanyan, "Your life is not difficult because of me."