"What are you so proud of, you illegitimate child?"
Jiang forcefully pushed Song Zhao away and pretended to be confident as she shouted,
"I am the legitimate wife of the Duke of Protector, the officially titled second-rank noblewoman appointed by the imperial court! My husband and I share deep affection and loyalty. He will surely intercede for me in this difficult time! The Emperor would never decree my death!"
"Perhaps," Song Zhao shrugged nonchalantly, sitting across from Jiang and smiling.
"Originally, Father could have interceded for you, but I sent him a letter long ago, urging him not to act rashly. I told him that there might be a chance for things to turn around, and we should discuss everything when I return. So, these days, Father has been eagerly waiting for my return and hasn't done anything else."
Jiang stared at Song Zhao in horror, trembling uncontrollably, and shook her head desperately.
"It's impossible! This can't be!" She suddenly went mad, clinging to the tightly sealed window crack and shouting outside,
"Master! Master, save me! Master!"
"Save you? Hah..." Song Zhao scoffed disdainfully. "The imperial edict has been issued. Saving you would mean defying the Emperor's command. And do you think you're the only one facing calamity? Hasn't Father also been implicated?"
Jiang turned her gaze back, glaring fiercely at Song Zhao.
"What do you, you illegitimate child, want to say?"
Song Zhao furrowed his brows, his tone turning serious. "I'm not afraid to tell you that the Emperor has already started to suspect. Father was aware of the evil deeds you committed and didn't report them, even participating in some of them. Do you still dare to ask Father to plead on your behalf to the Emperor? Are you trying to bring the entire family down with you? Is that what satisfies you?"
With those words, Song Zhao's features relaxed for a moment, wearing a look of ease. He casually leaned back, spreading his hands and said,
"I don't care. I am already married into the imperial family. Even if the Song family ends up being executed, it won't affect me. But you should think about your own daughter, Yue Er.
She's only eighteen, and she's deeply in love with Lord Ge's son. When you sent me to the palace, wasn't it to help Eldest Sister and Young Master Ge be together?
If you continue to stir up trouble, it would be best if the Song family's celebration turns into a funeral feast! Lord Ge loves Eldest Sister deeply, and perhaps he will collect her bones and offer them in his family's ancestral hall. That would be a beautiful outcome, wouldn't it?"
"Yue Er... Yue Er... No, it can't be!"
Jiang muttered in a daze, then suddenly jolted and grabbed Song Zhao's shoulders with her withered hands, shaking him forcefully.
"I warn you! If you dare to harm Yue Er even a bit, I won't spare you!"
"No one wants to harm your daughter," Song Zhao pushed Jiang away harshly. "The only one who has done harm from beginning to end is you."
Jiang was momentarily speechless, despairingly sitting on the ground.
Survival is a human instinct,
And Jiang wanted to live more than anyone else,
But at the same time, she was Yue Er's mother.
As a mother, no matter how wicked, how many are not concerned for the well-being of their children?
Though Song Zhao's words were unpleasant, they made sense.
Over the years, Jiang had accumulated wealth through various connections, mostly relying on Song Shicheng's reputation.
Now that the truth has come to light, the Emperor is furious. If she doesn't obediently accept death, but instead causes a commotion and turns everything upside down, it will certainly prompt Xiao Jingheng to thoroughly investigate the matter.
In the previous dynasty, among the three thousand courtiers, who could withstand the thorough investigation, which involves being skinned and tortured, by the Inspectorate?
At that time, not only her life would be in jeopardy, but even Song Shicheng and Song Yue might also suffer the same fate.
Jiang struggled within her heart for a long time.
She sat on the ground like a pile of mud, until she cried all her tears, and then she spoke in an almost inaudible voice,
"Bring the things in, I will do as you wish..."
"Are you planning to commit suicide? Tsk tsk..." Song Zhao seemed to have heard the biggest joke, repeatedly sneering, "Are you pretending to be ignorant or are you really foolish? What's the use of committing suicide? The Emperor granting you death is to save face for the Duke of Protector's Manor. But if you really commit suicide, the Emperor's suspicion towards your father will forever remain, and the Duke of Protector's Manor will always be implicated."
Jiang remained silent for a moment, then she bent down and helped Jiang up from the ground.
"You won't be able to escape death either way. Instead of dying comfortably, it's better to leave behind a heap of trouble. It's better to die spectacularly, cutting off any future problems for the family."
Jiang looked at her warily, "What do you mean?"
Song Zhao took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Let Father carry out family law and beat you to death. That way, Father can create an image in front of the Emperor, showing that he knew nothing about these filthy matters and is deeply saddened by your actions. He wants you to die as a result of family law, which is a sincere gesture towards the court and a way to prove his innocence to the Emperor."
Seeing Jiang in extreme grief, her voice choked with tears, Song Zhao knew that she had also been swayed.
With a sigh, she said helplessly, "This method is indeed cruel for you. But no one is forcing you. You can choose which path to take."
Although Jiang was malicious, she had genuine feelings for Song Shicheng.
She knew that she couldn't escape death today. Thinking of her husband, thinking of her daughter,
Even if she had the greatest fear in her heart, she gritted her teeth and accepted that her life would soon come to an end.
She pushed Song Zhao away, wiped the tears from her face, and resumed her previous disdainful and resentful attitude towards Song Zhao, saying,
"Do you think I don't know what you, this illegitimate child, are thinking? You keep saying that it's for the Master, but in reality, you're just afraid that the Song family will suffer and you'll be implicated too. You're plotting everything for your own sake, so why pretend to be noble in front of me!"
Song Zhao casually replied, "I never hide the fact that I do things for my own sake. But whether or not you are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of your daughter, that's for you to decide."
In the end, Jiang decided to follow Song Zhao's suggestion, to choose death by family law.
When Song Zhao returned to the main hall to meet with Song Shicheng and Song Yue, both of them had anxious expressions and asked if there was any hope for a turnaround.
Crying, Song Zhao said, "Father, your daughter is unfilial, there's really no way to save Mother..."
Upon hearing this, Song Yue became extremely agitated and grabbed Song Shicheng's arm, pleading with him to save Jiang.
After a brief silence, Song Shicheng let out a long sigh and said sorrowfully, "Forget it... This matter was decreed by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager together. No one can do anything about it. Yue Er, let's properly send your mother on her final journey."
It was evident from his words that he had already made up his mind to abandon Jiang in order to protect himself.
Song Zhao, being accustomed to men's nature, didn't find it surprising at all.
However, Song Yue went mad, crying and shouting that she must save Jiang and even snatched Song Shicheng's sword. She seemed determined to rush towards the firewood room, ready to face death.
Song Shicheng was momentarily alarmed, afraid that she would cause a disturbance in front of the imperial court and bring trouble upon him. Therefore, he decisively struck the back of Song Yue's neck, knocking her unconscious, and ordered his subordinates, saying, "Bring the young miss back to her room and keep a close watch on her. Without my orders, no one is allowed to let her out!"
