Song Chaoyu waved her hand, already somewhat annoyed with the two women. "I don't want to get involved in your affairs. But this thing..."
"No, no!"
The two women were so terrified by Song Chaoyu's words that they frantically waved their hands. "We don't want anything, we'll leave now!"
With that, they scrambled out as if afraid of being implicated.
Song Chaoyu watched them go, rolling her eyes with exasperation.
She then walked further inside and saw a small maid, appearing to be only eleven or twelve years old.
The maid wore the uniform of a Ning Wangfu maid, yet no one seemed to bother her. She was likely one of the maids currently serving Mu Hansu and Song Yanjiao.
She timidly stepped forward. "Are you the Princess of Chang Wang? Our County Princess is waiting for you inside!"
It was likely that the close maids by Song Yanjiao's side had already been sent to the Yongxiang for punishment, perhaps even beaten to death.
This maid seemed honest enough. Song Chaoyu followed her footsteps towards the back courtyard. "What's your name? You're serving the County Princess now? Are you new?"
"This servant's name is Cao'er."
The maid blinked and then gave Song Chaoyu a simple smile. "This servant has been by the County Princess's side for half a year, but I used to do rough work. Now that several of the older maids have been taken into the palace, and the County Princess has no one to serve her, I was able to enter the inner courtyard."
Song Chaoyu nodded, observing the decay of Ning Wangfu as she walked. She sighed, "In a few days, you will be following the County Princess to the estate. You must take good care of her."
To her surprise, Cao'er lowered her head. "The County Princess's health... it's not good."
Not good?
When she saw her in the main hall the other day, couldn't Song Yanjiao still cry and shout?
However, from her pregnancy to childbirth, and then this great commotion, it was impossible to say that her body wouldn't be harmed.
But it shouldn't have reached the point of being "not good," should it?
Song Chaoyu quickened her pace and arrived at Song Yanjiao's small courtyard.
Her small courtyard was already in a remote and difficult-to-reach location within Ning Wangfu. Now that Ning Wangfu was in disarray, anything that could be taken had been, making the courtyard even more dilapidated and messy.
In the past, Song Yanjiao would have had at least two maids serving her.
But now, only Cao'er remained.
Cao'er opened the door for Song Chaoyu and then respectfully stood guard at the entrance.
However, as soon as the door opened, a cold aura mixed with a faint scent of blood rushed towards Song Chaoyu.
Although it was daytime, the room was dim and cold, making Song Chaoyu feel uncomfortable.
How could such a room be suitable for Song Yanjiao, who had just given birth?
But as Song Chaoyu approached Song Yanjiao, who was lying on the bed, she was even more astonished—
The Song Yanjiao before her was different from the one she had seen yesterday!
She had gained a lot of weight during her pregnancy due to not paying attention. But now, she seemed to have lost a lot of weight, appearing withered and hiding in the blankets, devoid of any vitality.
Her complexion was too pale, and the arm exposed from the blanket looked deathly white. Seeing Song Chaoyu enter, she managed a weak smile, but it seemed she lacked the strength to even lift the corners of her lips.
Such a state naturally made Song Chaoyu surprised. "Second Sister... how did you become like this?!"
The closer she got to Song Yanjiao, the stronger the scent of blood became.
Song Chaoyu frowned. "What happened?"
Song Yanjiao gave a bitter smile and then shook her head. "After returning from the palace, I've been bleeding. It hasn't stopped, so be it. I suppose... my time has come?"
Song Chaoyu's heart jolted, and she then lifted the quilt Song Yanjiao was covering herself with—
Indeed, from her waist down, not only her clothes but also the bed were stained a bloody red!
Song Chaoyu's throat moved. Although she didn't feel unbearable sadness, she instinctively said, "I'll call for an imperial physician right away."
"Fourth Sister."
Song Yanjiao, however, used all her strength to grab Song Chaoyu's hand. "It's no use! I know I'm not going to make it! After all these days of turmoil, my body can't hold on any longer. I called you here today so that we sisters could have a good talk. I fear there won't be such days in the future, so please grant me this wish!"
In fact, upon seeing so much blood, Song Chaoyu had already realized that Song Yanjiao was likely not going to survive.
She closed her eyes. Song Yanjiao, however, gestured for Song Chaoyu to sit beside her. "He is also afraid. Father Emperor said he cannot tolerate me. So yesterday, he found someone to examine me long ago. I am completely finished. Giving birth to this child has depleted my vital energy. And then, being cut by the scissors like that. In the end, during childbirth, I even made your midwives and wet nurses retreat. I brought this upon myself, and I blame no one."
Song Chaoyu knew a saying: "When a man is about to die, his words are good."
However, she didn't know if this saying was appropriate at this moment.
She could only frown slightly and look at Song Yanjiao. "Do you want to see the child? If you do, I'll have them bring the child back immediately. What do you think?"
To her surprise, Song Yanjiao shook her head.
Tears slowly slid down her cheeks. "I won't see her! If I see the child, I fear I won't be able to leave this world. If a person has something they cannot bear to let go of, they will experience more unhappiness. More unhappiness and desires will lead me to resent this world and all of you. So I won't see her. Fourth Sister, I want to ask you for one thing."
She was clearly on her deathbed, yet she had called her instead of the First Madam. Song Chaoyu guessed she had something to ask. "Is it about Xiao Taozi?"
Song Yanjiao smiled slightly. "Xiao Taozi, a very nice name."
She exerted all her strength and held Song Chaoyu's hand. "Fourth Sister, I know I treated you poorly before. From the time you and your concubine entered the Song residence, my mother and I always made things difficult for you. But I only now realize who you are. Fourth Sister, I beg you. Please help me take care of Xiao Taozi, okay? Don't let her return to Mu Hansu's side, she cannot return to Mu Hansu's side!"
As she said this, Song Yanjiao's emotions became agitated. "Mu Hansu will not treat Xiao Taozi well, just as I did before. Xiao Taozi is a girl, and he wishes she were dead. Moreover... Xiao Taozi has not been a healthy child since birth."
The only light in her eyes was a plea towards Song Chaoyu. "Fourth Sister, please, be kind, won't you? Help me take care of Xiao Taozi. I know you and your husband can take good care of her. I will repay you—"
Her gaze fell upon the makeup box on the table. "Inside... the things inside, I didn't let them take them away. They are all my most valuable possessions. Consider it payment, and then help me raise Xiao Taozi, okay?"
A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Besides these things, I have nothing else, and I can give you nothing else!"
"Alas—"
Song Chaoyu had already made up her mind, but she still sighed. "But you must know, even Father Emperor knows that Xiao Taozi is Mu Hansu's child now. It might be difficult for us to keep her in Chang Wangfu."
"That's why I'm looking for you."
Song Yanjiao held Song Chaoyu's hand, her strength seemingly waning, and loosened her grip. "If it were anyone else, they probably couldn't do it. Only you, only Chang Wangfu, can keep Xiao Taozi. Fourth Sister, I have wronged you. If there is a next life, I will definitely repay you. But Xiao Taozi, she is a pitiful child, she is innocent!"