TSNCWEM Chapter 3

Song Yunzhao returned to her own courtyard. She refused to acknowledge Song Jinxuan’s frequent glances, who obviously wanted to say something, but kept hesitating. She got rid of her and went back to the yard. From behind the house, she said to Luo Momo: “Start packing the chests.”

Luo Momo gently placed down the teacup she was holding and said solemnly, “Miss, since something so important has happened, you have to make plans in advance.”

“Momo doesn’t need to worry. Whatever you are told to do, just do it.” Song Yunzhao answered with a faint smile.

Luo Momo sighed inwardly after hearing Third Miss’s  words. There was nothing she could do about her cold and cheerless temperament.

Song Yunzhao casually picked up a book and thought about the body’s original master. In the book, the protagonist wanted to plan for herself, but she ended up dooming herself through her own actions.

There are countless paths leading to the sky, why bother squeezing yourself into the hard one.

A moment of carelessness could kill you. 

Naturally, Song Yunzhao also wanted to take part in the election. In the book, Song Qinghan was very afraid of the original owner’s looks. She deliberately set up a trap so Yunzhao could make a fool of herself in Ding Nanbo Mansion. Then she acted like a good person and begged for leniency on her behalf, pleading for the original owner to enter the palace with her.

However, when they entered the palace for the election, Song Qinghan acted cruelly, destroying the reputation and face of the original owner. After Yunzhao left the palace, Cai Shi felt that she had disgraced the Song family and wanted to marry her at random. The original owner couldn’t tolerate this. She felt so angry that she hung herself with a rope. 

But Song Qinghan stayed in the palace without a hitch, fought with the heroine, with whom she was equally matched, and lived well for several years. How could she care for the life and death of her younger sister?

As far as she’s concerned, the original owner is just a stepping stone and nothing more.

Now that Song Yunzhao is here, she definitely won’t be a stepping stone for Song Qinghan anymore . Moreover, if she wants to get a good marriage and live an easy and carefree life, it is still necessary to stand for the elections.

After all, according to the book, the young ladies who enter the palace and fail to win the election, would still be given marriage arrangements by the Emperor. 

A marriage, granted by the Emperor, was a good opportunity to break away from Cai Shi`s influence. 

As for Song Qinghan, if she dared to plot against her again, humph, she would have to suffer the consequences.

Besides, both Dingnan Bo Mansion and the Song family, still think that they would be the only ones sending their children into the palace. What they aren’t aware of is that in a few days, the Imperial Court would present a petition, asking more beauties to enter the competition in order to appease the emperor’s heart. The Emperor would agree.

At that time, it would be really amusing.

In the evening, Third Master Song returned home, but before he could sit down, he was summoned by First Master next door. Early the next morning, Song Yunzhao got news that the two families would be travelling to Beijing together.

She was really not surprised at all.

As for the Second Branch, Second Master Song was originally born by a concubine. Although Second Master studied, he failed to pass the civil service examination and couldn’t become an official. Later, he married the daughter of a Xuanzhou cloth merchant and started doing business, so the Second Branch had to stay home and couldn’t travel to Beijing.

Jiang Xiang lowered her voice and whispered: “Miss, I heard that Second Madam came to see Madam Cai early this morning, and brought a lot of money with her.” 

Qian Cao came in, holding bamboo boxes in both hands. When she heard those words, she added, “The First Madam has also gone there. The Second Branch`s property is profound, but Second Master isnt an official. Later, when the Young Masters of the Second Branch take the imperial exam, they will still need to rely on First and Third Master. Spending some silver is nothing.

Listening to the words of her two servants, Song Yunzhao suddenly remembered a detail in the book. The Second Madam gave birth to two sons, and even Second Master’s Concubine Zhu couldn’t give him a girl – she still gave birth to a bastard son.

So Second Madam took her niece from her natal family, Xie Linlang, to be raised by her side. This girl was not someone easy to deal with. Later in the book, the Second Madam paid a large sum of money to the First Madam in order to send Xie Linlang to Beijing and to find her a prestigious marriage match. Not long after she arrived in the capital, she fell in love with the eldest son of the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Unfortunately, because of her background, she could only be a concubine.

She was a capable person.

Song Yunzhao rolled her eyes and suddenly had an idea. She waved Qian Cao over and said, “You go to the Second Aunt’s place…”

Before she could finish speaking, Luo Momo lifted the curtain and came in, “Miss, your cousin from the Second Branch has come. Do you want to meet her?”

It’s like when you want to nap and someone brings you a pillow- a pleasant surprise.

“Please come in.” Song Yunzhao said with a smile.

Xie Linlang was like a pure white flower, which looked pitiful and delicate, like a willow swaying in the wind, with a pair of loving eyes and two curved eyebrows – her charm was truly a deadly weapon.

“Third Miss, Linlang has come over without careful consideration. Did I disturb you?”

Song Yunzhao looked up at Xie Linlang, who was wearing light green clothes. The hem of her skirt was outlined with gold and silver threads. When walking she showed a shimmering golden aura. Truly a beautiful sight. 

“You dont need to be so polite, Cousin. It’s rare for you to come over and talk with me. Please sit down.”

Although Xie Linlang was Second Madam’s niece, her background was too low. Even if she was raised by Second Madam, she wasn’t on the same level as the other young ladies so she had to address them respectfully.

Xie Linlang smiled gently and sat down. She took a rectangular box with embroidered edges¹photo below from the hands of her maidservant and placed it on the table.

“I also just got the news. I know that Third Miss will follow the elders to enter Beijing. After leaving, I don’t know when we will be able to see each other again, so Linlang has prepared some small gifts to relieve Third Miss’s boredom on the road. “

Her words were really fitting, they made people feel comfortable.

However, it did surprise Song Yunzhao that she came to her. According to reason, the most powerful person in the Third Branch was Song Qinghan. If she really wanted something, Xie Linlang ought to have gone to her.

Moreover, this didn’t happen in the original book, so now it had become interesting. 

It seems that after travelling through time, although the main plot remained the same, the small details did change. All her efforts und cautious planning weren’t in vain. Her hard work had paid off. What a relief. 

After the maid served the tea, Song Yunzhao said to Jiang Xiang: “You don’t need to stand here. Take Hua Zhi to drink tea and have a rest. I’ll talk to my Cousin for a while.”

Jiang Xiang grabbed Hua Zhi with a smile and left . Walking out, Huazhi glanced at her own Mistress before following Jiang Xiang outside.

Song Yunzhao looked at this scene and nodded secretly in her heart. Her sister knew how to manage her subordinates well. They were well trained and knew the rules.

“If you have anything to say, Miss Xie, just say it directly. You and I don’t don’t usually have friendly relations. You came here intentionally today so there must be something important.”

Song Yunzhao’s words were so straightforward, that Xie Linlang was stunned at first, and then her eyes flashed. Pursing her lips, she said softly: “Linlang has been longing for the capital for a long time, but she has never had the opportunity to see the majestic Imperial City. If I could enter the capital, it would ease my worries.”

Song Yunzhao chuckled, “This kind of big matter, I’m afraid Miss Xie has picked the wrong person. I might not be able to help.”

Xie Linlang showed a bright smile, “Linlang will be grateful whether you succeed or fail. Not to mention that in Linlang’s heart, Third Miss has always been gentle and kind. You would definitely do your utmost.” She said, and pushed the gift she had brought forward.

Song Yunzhao stretched out her hand to open the brocade box and glanced at it. There was a thick pile of silver notes that were worth at least a thousand taels. There was also a gold hairpin with a red dazzling ruby²photo below ​​on it. She is really worthy of being the daughter of a business family. Her spending is indeed extravagant.

After closing the box, Song Yunzhao looked up at Xie Linlang, “Miss Xie is so sincere, so I will naturally do my best.”

Very good, very good, you contribute the money, I contribute the effort. Everyone gets something and the matter gets handled to everyone’s delight and satisfaction.

As an unfavoured legitimate daughter, apart from her monthly salary, she never got any other income. She was actually very short of money.

This time in Beijing, money was indeed going to be very useful.

On Xie Linlang’s way back, Huazhi couldn’t help but ask, “Miss, the Third Young Lady is not favoured. Isn’t it a waste of money for you to ask her for help? You should have gone to Eldest Miss instead.”

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