At Prince Ling’s residence, Song Shuyu looked at the menial maid standing before her.
“What did you say? Someone wants to see me?”
The maid lowered her head. Clutching the silver bracelet hidden in her sleeve, she answered softly, “Your Highness, the woman said she is Lady Song.”
Song Shuyu shot to her feet.
Lady Song?
Was it her mother? Or her grandmother?
“Your Highness, please don’t tell anyone I was the one who informed you. I have to go!”
The menial maid curtsied to Song Shuyu and hurried away.
If Nanny Rong found out that she had secretly passed along the message, she certainly would not let her off easily.
If not for the silver bracelet, she would never have taken such a risk.
Watching the maid’s retreating figure, Song Shuyu began biting her fingernails.
Nanny Rong was in charge of the household now. She definitely wouldn’t readily agree to let her leave.
The maid had said that Lady Song had already been waiting outside for several days.
Song Shuyu found this very strange.
If her grandmother wanted to see her, why hadn’t she asked her Second Uncle to bring her inside?
Song Shuyu guessed that this Lady Song was probably her mother.
But why had her mother come to Prince Ling’s residence to see her?
Ever since arriving at Prince Ling’s residence, Song Shuyu’s life had not been as comfortable as she had imagined.
As the days passed, she began to miss her birth parents.
Although the food, clothing, and daily necessities at Prince Ling’s residence were vastly superior to those at the Song estate, Song Shuyu was still only a child.
What she craved more than anything was the care and affection of her family.
She had received none of that at Prince Ling’s residence.
Even the maid she had finally found to talk to had died.
Song Shuyu missed her family all the more.
Now her birth mother was waiting outside the residence and wanted to see her.
No matter what, Song Shuyu had to go out and meet her.
With that thought, Song Shuyu stood up.
She had to find an excuse to leave the residence!
Just then, the maid who attended to Song Shuyu hurried back carrying a plate of pastries.
“Your Highness, these are the pastries made by the cooks here. I brought them for you!”
Song Shuyu sat down. Once the maid placed the plate beside her, she picked up a pastry and took a bite.
“Ugh!”
She spat it out at once.
“Is this even fit for human consumption? It tastes awful!”
The maid raised her head in surprise and quickly glanced at Song Shuyu.
She had secretly tasted a few crumbs just moments ago, and they had been delicious.
Song Shuyu casually tossed the pastry onto the table.
“Have someone prepare a carriage. I’m going out to buy some!”
The maid hesitated. “Your Highness, perhaps I should inform Nanny Rong and ask her to send someone out to buy them for you?”
“What good things could people like you ever have eaten?” Song Shuyu said arrogantly.
“Could you possibly buy the things I like? Go! Tell Nanny Rong that I intend to choose them myself!”
“The cook here should be replaced too!”
“She makes nothing but these same two things over and over again!”
“They aren’t even as good as the food sold by street vendors outside!”
As she spoke, Song Shuyu started toward the door.
The maid hurriedly stopped her.
“Your Highness, please wait inside for a moment.”
“It’s hot outside. I’ll go prepare the carriage first.”
Song Shuyu understood that the maid intended to report to Nanny Rong.
She nodded.
“Hurry up! If everything isn’t ready within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, you won’t need to serve at my side anymore!”
The maid remembered the miserable fate of the last servant who had been transferred away from Song Shuyu’s side.
She couldn’t help shuddering.
“Yes, Your Highness. Please wait a moment!”
With that, the maid rushed out.
Thinking about meeting her mother soon, Song Shuyu happily went to open the wardrobe and select an outfit.
She wanted to dress beautifully for her mother.
She wanted her mother to know how well she was living now!
Song Shuyu took all her newly made clothes out of the wardrobe and spread them across the bed.
Because she was a princess, and because Prince Ling placed great importance on her, Nanny Rong did not dare neglect her too much.
The latest fabrics and most fashionable styles were all available to Song Shuyu.
After going back and forth between her choices, Song Shuyu finally selected a bright-red ruqun, paired with a green bodice.
She was very pleased with herself.
Then she went to the dressing table and pulled open a drawer. From inside, she took out a heavy gold neck ring and a pair of gold bracelets.
Song Shuyu looked them over and decided they still weren’t enough.
She took out several gold hairpins as well and placed them on the dressing table.
At that moment, the maid hurried back.
Her face was covered in sweat. “Your Highness, I’ve made all the arrangements!”
Song Shuyu pointed imperiously at her clothes. “Help me change!”
The maid glanced at the garments on the bed, then lowered her head.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
With the maid’s assistance, Song Shuyu put on her clothes.
She then had the maid style her hair in the flying-cloud coiffure she had long wanted, and inserted every gold hairpin she had prepared.
Finally, Song Shuyu looked at her reflection, covered from head to toe in gold and silver jewelry, and rose with satisfaction.
“Let’s go! Come with me to stroll around the streets!”
When Song Shuyu lowered her head, the weight of the ornaments nearly caused her to pitch forward into the dressing table.
“Your Highness!”
The maid hurriedly reached out to support her.
Song Shuyu was startled as well. She quickly raised a hand to steady her head.
“Your Highness, perhaps you should remove one or two of them?” the maid asked cautiously.
“Mind your own business!” Song Shuyu lowered her hand and walked out with her chin held high.
The maid froze for a moment before hurriedly following her.
Song Shuyu kept her head raised as she walked. After only a dozen steps, she felt as though her neck were about to snap under the weight.
She began to waver.
But when she imagined the look of envy that would surely appear on her mother’s face when she saw her, Song Shuyu gritted her teeth and continued onward.
Thus, supported by the maid, Song Shuyu left the residence amid the strange looks of the servants.
Madam Song and Song Shuyuan had been hiding in a shady spot, anxiously waiting.
“Mother, do you think that maid took the things and then decided not to help us?” Song Shuyuan asked.
Madam Song shook her head.
“She wouldn’t. Let’s wait a little longer.”
Song Shuyuan glanced at the sky and secretly began to regret coming.
If he had known this would happen, he would have stayed home and read for a while.
That would have been much better than standing here under the blazing sun and being turned away.
If they did not currently need the help of their former sister, Song Shuyuan truly would have left.
Originally, Song Shuzhou had insisted on coming along to see Song Shuyu.
But Master Song had said that Song Shuyu had a better relationship with Song Shuyuan, so he had sent Song Shuyuan to accompany Madam Song.
Song Shuyuan pulled a book from his sleeve. Just as he was about to open it, the side entrance of Prince Ling’s residence opened.
A woman as round as a ball emerged, supported by a maid.
Song Shuyu shook her head in undisguised disdain.
Ugly people really did love to make a spectacle of themselves!
She was so fat, yet she was wearing bright red. She was also decked out in jewels from head to toe. Who knew which concubine’s daughter she was?
What a thoroughly uncouth sight!
