tallest building

Chapter 48 Slander
Gong Xu has been detained at the Ministry of Justice for several days, but has only been summoned once.

He was sitting idly in prison that day when Song came to bring him food again.

"Why are you here again? Didn't I tell you to avoid places like this? You're pregnant now, you should be resting," Gong Xu said to Song Shi with concern.

The sight of Song's haggard appearance revealed how worried she was about herself.

"Master, please don't stop me anymore. I can't eat or sleep if I don't see you for a day." As she spoke, Madam Song put down the food box and handed the dishes inside to Gong Xu one by one.

Song would bring Gong Xu three meals a day, and she would always come once a day.

"It's all my fault for making you worry." Gong Xu couldn't help but blame himself. "Then once a day is enough. Don't keep making such a fuss, or you won't be able to handle it."

Madam Song nodded: "The old lady is back, but she doesn't know about this yet. I shouldn't go out too often, lest she become suspicious if she finds out."

“Mother is back,” Gong Xu murmured. “Don’t let her know yet. She’s getting on in years and can’t handle this.”

"I know, I have repeatedly instructed my subordinates not to let this information leak out," Madam Song replied.

"Then... did the old lady see her too?" Gong Xu didn't name names, but he and Madam Song both knew who he was referring to.

Madam Song lowered her head and remained silent for a long while before saying, "I saw them. The old lady felt sorry for the fourth young master, but since the master had already kept them, there was nothing more to say."

"I was planning to explain to the old lady when she came back, but who would have thought I'd be locked up here again?" Gong Xu was very annoyed. "I can only wait until later to talk about it."

What will happen in the future? He doesn't know.

Perhaps it will be released without incident, or perhaps it will be implicated.

"Master, don't worry about these things. Take good care of yourself. Eat quickly! Don't wait until the food gets cold." As she spoke, Madam Song poured another cup of wine and gently handed it to Gong Xu.

Gong Xu didn't actually have much of an appetite, but he forced himself to eat a bowl of rice because he was afraid that Song would worry.

Then he urged her, "Go back quickly! This place is damp and dark, it's really not a place for you."

"Master, I'll head back now and come again tomorrow." Madam Song said reluctantly.

When she returned to the mansion, Granny Yang rushed over to her, as if to claim credit, and said, "Young Madam, the other courtyard knows about our master's matter."

Upon hearing this, Madam Song raised an eyebrow: "Really? Where did Wen Mingqian go?"

"I don't know what she's been doing these past few days. She goes out early and comes back very late," said Granny Yang. "She doesn't seem to care about the master's affairs at all."

"Then I must go to that courtyard to see how anxious the old lady is." Madam Song turned and walked eastward, as she naturally wanted to go there to buy some goodies.

As expected, after hearing about her second son's accident, Madam Gong was both shocked and worried, which triggered her dizziness.

Madam Wei immediately sent someone to fetch a doctor, and then questioned, "Who told the old lady about this? How could they be so ignorant of etiquette?"

No one dared to utter a sound.

Madam Gong said, "Why bother with this? There are no secrets that stay hidden forever. I'll find out sooner or later." Madam Wei quickly reassured her mother-in-law, "Don't worry, it's just a questioning. It has nothing to do with the Second Master."

"You don't need to try to persuade me, I'm not senile yet. Right now, we need to find a way to extricate the second son from the situation, but unfortunately, his elder brother isn't home. What good are a bunch of women and children all alone?" Old Madam Gong sighed repeatedly.

Although Gong Er wasn't the main culprit, the fact that she was already detained in the Ministry of Justice meant she was connected to him. If things went wrong, she could be sentenced, which would severely damage his career.

The doctor arrived shortly after, took his pulse, prescribed medicine, and instructed him not to worry or overwork himself, but to rest quietly.

Just as the medicine was brewed, Madam Song entered the room.

He approached the old lady's bedside and said humbly, "Grandma, please take care of yourself. You are the backbone of us all."

Madam Gong, who had been lying there resting with her eyes closed, lifted her eyelids to look at her after hearing her words and said, "You also have a son. If something happens to your son, how can you, as a mother, take care of yourself?"

“What the old lady says is true,” said Madam Song, who was always good at being humble. “I just returned from delivering food to the second master. He repeatedly told me to try my best not to let you know and not to worry you.”

"Is he alright inside? Has he suffered any hardship?" The old lady was naturally worried about her son and asked Song Shi.

"Don't worry, Madam. Although the Second Master is locked up inside, he hasn't been tortured. He's only been questioned once," said Madam Song. "I go there every day. I've taken care of everyone in the prison, and they deliver hot meals and clean clothes to him every day."

"Yes, you've always been very dedicated to this, and it must have been hard on you." It's said that love extends to everything connected to the person you love, and although Old Madam Gong didn't like Song Shi, she still thought a bit of good things about her because of how meticulously she cared for Gong Xu.

"This is all I should do, but I have a favor to ask, and I would like to ask the old lady to make the decision." Madam Song seized the opportunity.

"What is it?" asked Madam Gong.

"The Second Master has been there for many days, but Madam has not visited him even once. I feel this is not quite right."

Why not take this opportunity to have your wife deliver meals a few times, which could help mend their relationship? Wouldn't that be a good thing?
Besides, even if that's not the case, we should at least keep it from outsiders. After all, Madam is back now, and it wouldn't look right to outsiders." Madam Song began to badmouth Wen Mingqian.

"Hasn't Mingqian gone? She's been going out every day these past few days," Madam Wei couldn't help but ask.

“Madam does go out every day, but she doesn’t go to see the Second Master. I don’t want to ask her where she goes, lest I worry too much and cause her unhappiness,” said Madam Song.

In truth, she knew perfectly well that Gong Xu had no desire to see Wen Mingqian, and that even if she went, she would be kicked out.

However, in Madam Gong's view, as a wife, Wen Mingqian should stay by her husband's side when he is in trouble, otherwise she would be failing in her duties as a wife.

Therefore, although he didn't say anything, his face showed displeasure.

Granny Yang added fuel to the fire, saying, "Our aunt can't eat or sleep every day; she's always sighing or crying. You saw it, old lady; she's become so haggard."

However, the second wife showed no sign of worry. Every day she would dress up carefully and go out, only returning after dark.

They say that true friendship is revealed in times of trouble. Now that you're facing some difficulties, how do you feel, Second Master?
Although I am a servant, I still find it rather distasteful that the Second Madam is so indifferent…

"Shut up, Madam Yang! Who gave you permission to talk nonsense in front of the old lady? Aren't you just causing her trouble?" Madam Song snapped. "Get down here now!"

(End of this chapter)