Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 349 Brother-in-law, can you write a poem for me? (Thank you for being the Alliance Leader, Yong Su)
The Lantern Festival, also known as Yuanxiao Festival, falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is also called Yuanxi, the Lantern Festival, or Little New Year. People enjoy lanterns, ward off illness, eat glutinous rice balls (yuanxiao), welcome the Purple Maiden, solve lantern riddles, and perform dragon and lion dances.

In ancient times, this was perhaps even more lively than the Spring Festival.

According to Ningguo custom, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, every household hangs up lanterns.

After nightfall, the lights are like dragons, creating a scene of bustling prosperity that rivals even the daytime.

In some homes, a few family members sit around a low table, eating sweet dumplings and praying for a family reunion in the coming year; others stroll through the night market, surrounded by the clamor of vendors; young gentlemen and scholars, waving folding fans, enter brothels and teahouses to attend poetry gatherings; and acrobats and performers, already donning heavy coats, perform dragon and lion dances…

The streets of the outer city were packed with people. Even Chang'an Avenue, which was quite spacious, was now teeming with people.

The inner city was relatively peaceful, yet filled with a festive atmosphere.

However, neither the celebration nor the festivities had much to do with the Ministry of Works' residence. Only a handful of people were in the main hall: Song Jincheng, Song Huai, Song Mingzhou, and Song Mingyu; the atmosphere was unusually oppressive.

Song Zhe was sentenced to death.

Moreover, given Song Zhe's appearance after receiving twenty lashes and being covered in blood, he probably won't live to see this autumn. We might hear the news of Song Zhe's death in the dungeon today or tomorrow.

Song Jincheng's expression was solemn. He hadn't said a word since returning, sitting motionless in his chair, and no one dared to disturb him.

Song Huai's face was grim, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes from time to time, as if he wished he could rush to Song Yan and tear him to pieces. In Song Huai's eyes, Song Yan was an utter ingrate. He had only suffered a little hardship in the Duke's mansion as a child, yet he showed no brotherly affection whatsoever. Although Song Zhe had instigated Zhao Feng to try and kill him, he was unharmed, not a single piece of his flesh was missing. Why was he so petty, wanting to put someone to death?

Although Song Huai wished he could tear Song Yan to pieces, he also knew that Song Yan was not an easy opponent. If he really rushed at him, he would most likely be no match for him. Currently, he held no official position and had no power, so he could only place his hopes of teaching Song Yan a lesson on his second uncle. The Minister of Works held a high position and had cultivated deep roots in Dongling for many years; his methods were ultimately far beyond what Song Yan could match.

As for Song Mingyu and Song Mingzhou, they already disliked Song Zhe and Song Huai, so they weren't particularly saddened by Song Zhe's death. However, since they were cousins, the blood relation made them feel a sense of shared sorrow.

crackle.

A spark flew from the charcoal brazier.

The warm air dispelled the winter chill.

No one spoke, and the hall was very quiet.

Song Jincheng squinted his eyes. He had been in this position for a long time. In Song Jincheng's mind, there was always a thought: He was always careful every time he met with Yang Miaoqing, and he would not leave any evidence. How could Song Yan know about such a secret matter?

How much did Song Yan learn about this?
Most importantly, now that Song Yan knows about this, could there be others who do?

In this era, reputation is still highly valued.

Especially among the scholar-officials, although they all secretly indulged in all sorts of scandalous affairs—siblings, sisters, uncles and aunts, brothers' wives, and even more perverse relationships—they outwardly maintained the facade of upright gentlemen. Once his affair with Yang Miaoqing became public knowledge, he would instantly become a disgrace among the scholar-officials, a laughingstock to all literati. If the censor impeached him on charges of immorality, Emperor Ninghe could immediately strip him of his position as Minister of Works.

Whenever he thought about these things, Song Jincheng felt restless.

What was Song Yan's purpose in telling him all this?
What exactly does he want from me?
Could it be that he simply wants to make a deal with me, exchanging my non-interference in Song Zhe's affairs for his confidentiality?

Song Jincheng felt it was very likely, but also felt it wouldn't be that simple.

As for Song Zhe, he didn't think about it anymore.

Song Zhe was intelligent, and he did indeed dote on him, but when Song Jincheng abandoned him when he was no longer of any value and might even bring disaster to the Song family, he would not hesitate. After a long while, Song Jincheng's heavy breath finally broke the silence in the hall, and in an instant, everyone's gaze fell on Song Jincheng.

"Mingzhou...go and find out who those two peasants were this afternoon. Deal with them cleanly, so they don't find any evidence against you."

A book of history is not something that just anyone can ride on.

Song Mingzhou nodded in agreement, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time such a thing had happened.

Song Huai frowned and couldn't help but ask, "Second Uncle, how should we resolve Sixth Brother's situation? He's currently imprisoned in the government dungeon. If we can think of a way, there might still be a chance to rescue him from the dungeon."

This matter involves Song Yan, a so-called member of the royal family. Song Zhe basically has no chance of overturning the verdict. Therefore, the only way to rescue Song Zhe is to try to find a way out of the dungeon. Although the dungeon is heavily guarded, there is no absolutely secure place in this world. As long as they are willing to pay enough benefits, it is not difficult to get Song Zhe out. They can even find someone of similar height and build in the dungeon to be beheaded in Song Zhe's place.

Although Song Zhe may have to live in anonymity for the rest of his life, at least his life is safe.

Song Jincheng shook his head: "During this period, no one is allowed to enter the dungeon to visit Song Zhe." As he spoke, Song Jincheng gave Song Huai a warning look: "If anyone disobeys and secretly meets with Song Zhe, don't blame me for writing to my brother to have him expelled from the family."

Since he had already given up on this son, Song Jincheng would not have any lingering feelings; if he was going to cut ties, he would cut them off completely.

Song Huai's breath hitched, and his expression turned somewhat awkward. These words were clearly directed at him. He gritted his teeth: "Are we really just going to abandon Sixth Brother?"

“Manage? How do you expect me to manage this?” Song Jincheng lowered his eyelids: “After all, this matter involves the royal family, and it will be extremely troublesome to handle. Moreover, Emperor Ninghe is already dissatisfied with me. If Emperor Ninghe seizes another opportunity, I am afraid I will not be able to continue as the Minister of Works.”

"Besides, your father has already expelled Song Zhe from the family genealogy. So, Song Zhe can no longer be considered a member of the Song family. There's no need to continue to worry about Song Zhe."

Song Huai's face was gloomy, and he remained silent. In the current situation, it would be useless for him to say anything more.

However, I still couldn't help feeling a little resentful.

After a brief pause, Song Jincheng spoke again: "Mingyu, Mingzhou, in the next couple of days, you two should go to the Fang residence and deliver an invitation to invite Song Yan to come and visit. Although there have been some minor conflicts, we are still family after all, and our relationship should not be so distant."

"Song Yan is both a prince consort and the Marquis of Champion, highly valued by Emperor Ninghe. There's no harm in cultivating a good relationship with him," Song Jincheng said calmly, as if he hadn't been the one who had recently clashed with Song Yan in the government office. He was an extremely cautious person, and he wouldn't do anything before figuring out Song Yan's intentions.

Song Huai clenched his fists for a moment, then gradually loosened them. To Song Jincheng, Song Zhe was just a nephew, but to Song Huai, Song Zhe was his own brother from the same father and mother... Only now did Song Huai finally understand what it meant to live under someone else's roof.

After pursing his lips, Song Huai stood up and said, "Since Second Uncle has made the arrangements, then I will go back and rest now."

Song Jincheng nodded, and Song Huai walked towards the door. No one could see that Song Huai's face was ashen and his eyes held a frenzied, eager look.

Second Uncle made it clear that he had no intention of getting involved in this matter anymore, and with his own abilities, it was basically impossible for him to rescue Song Zhe from the dungeon... However, what he couldn't do, others might be able to do, for example... Song Jing.

The third of the eight sons of the Yang family.

He was also the only one among the eight sons to join the army.

Although he is only a subordinate general now, he still has some people under his command, and the third brother's martial arts skills are also extremely excellent. If Song Jing is willing to take action, it is very likely that he can get Song Zhe out of the dungeon.

Most importantly, there's Song Yan. We can't let Song Yan live too peacefully.

Song Huai had a premonition that perhaps only by eliminating Song Yan could the remaining brothers live well in this world.

……

Holding hands.

The fingers were slender, long, smooth, and slightly cool to the touch.

Such contact is a bit too intimate.

This era was still outwardly conservative; even couples, or even married couples, didn't hold hands when walking down the street. Therefore, upon arriving at Chang'an Street, Song Yan and Luo Tianyi consciously let go of each other's fingers.

Ziyu, watching from the side, pursed her lips: "Brother-in-law and sister-in-law, does Luo Tianxuan really not care?" But considering Luo Tianxuan's forceful push of her to Song Yan's side, making her bear Song Yan's child, perhaps she really wouldn't care. She muttered a few words to herself, but didn't dare to say them aloud.

She followed quietly behind Song Yan, occasionally glancing up at the man's back before quickly lowering her head again, as if pondering something. Although Song Yan sensed Zi Yu's gaze, he didn't pay it much attention.

The sense of security provided by two grandmaster-level experts is unparalleled.

Even though Luo Tianxuan and Hua Lianyue weren't by his side, Song Yan wasn't worried about anything.

As they walked along, Song Yan, Luo Tianyi, and Ziyu stopped at a stall on Chang'an Street and ate some glutinous rice balls. It was a good excuse for them to be together. Looking around, the street was filled with lanterns with all sorts of riddles, making the whole street as bright as day.

These riddles were no challenge for Song Yan. He spent ten copper coins, guessed two riddles correctly, and took a rabbit-shaped lantern and a bluebird-shaped lantern, which he then placed in the hands of Zi Yu and Luo Tianyi. The two girls were both adults, so these lanterns seemed a little childish to them. However, the corners of the younger sister-in-law's mouth never fell into a smile, showing that she was in a very good mood.

This is probably the busiest time of day on the streets, with a cacophony of sounds. Children are running around, occasionally bumping into each other. In this festive atmosphere, no one seems to care about such trivial matters. Only when a child accidentally bumps into a nearby stall does it elicit laughter and scolding.

Unintentionally, you can also hear the sound of firecrackers... At this time, the firecrackers are truly firecrackers, made by burning bamboo to produce a crackling sound, which adds a unique atmosphere to the Lantern Festival.

Occasionally you can even see a large burst of light.

The so-called "big firework" should be considered the earliest type of fireworks.

Gunpowder was actually invented a long time ago, but its purity was insufficient and the proportions were incorrect, so it was not truly used in the military. It was mostly something that Taoist priests tinkered with when they were making elixirs.

It's usually a bamboo tube filled with some special powder. When lit with an open flame, it bursts into a shower of sparks. You see, Taoist alchemists love to add all sorts of strange and unusual things to their furnaces, which occasionally results in multicolored flames, adding a unique festive touch to the Lantern Festival.

Whenever fireworks are set off, they attract a large crowd of onlookers.

After all, for the ancients, this method was nothing short of miraculous, and everyone wanted to see something rare and learn something new, so that they could have something to talk about when drinking tea with friends in the future.

If they enjoyed watching it, they would put a few copper coins into the box.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the riverbank.

The Yi and Luo Rivers flow through Ningguo.

The river was wide, and dozens of painted boats floated on its surface, their lanterns hanging high, their lights reflected on the water, swaying gently. Whether prostitutes or entertainers, they seemed to have forgotten the winter chill, dressed in thin clothes that accentuated their figures, creating a rather beautiful sight.

"That's the boat from Qunyu Garden over there," Ziyu said softly, gesturing towards the river.

Following Ziyu's gaze, a large ship, thirty or forty meters long, came into view. Even though the Yiluo River was full of painted boats, this was the most eye-catching one. Qunyu Garden was obviously holding a poetry gathering. From afar, one could see many scholars and talented men reciting poems and composing couplets, with bursts of cheers erupting from time to time. Then, one could see a young master constantly bowing to the surroundings, saying humble words like "You flatter me, you flatter me," but there was an undeniable sense of pride on his face.

"Want to go up and take a look?" Ziyu invited. "The pleasure boats at Qunyu Garden are quite nice. With me here, it won't cost you anything."

The distance wasn't too far. The painted boats of Qunyu Garden were moored right by the riverbank, and there were two wide wooden planks laid out on the riverbank. It was only a few steps away. However, Song Yan wasn't very interested in such places of entertainment. Compared to the glamorous prostitutes, the everyday life of ordinary people was more to Song Yan's liking.

Ziyu felt a little regretful, but she didn't insist.

However, both Ziyu and her sister-in-law were stunning beauties. It was rare to see even one on a normal day, so seeing two together drew even more attention, and many on the pleasure boat turned their gazes in their direction. Seeing the two beauties flanking Song Yan, many people cast scrutinizing glances at him, occasionally whispering among themselves, seemingly asking who this man was to have such beautiful companions.

Just then, a young man suddenly stood up, waving a folding fan, stepped over the wooden plank, and arrived at the shore. In his other hand, he held a piece of white paper covered with writing. With an arrogant yet confident smile on his face, he walked straight towards where Song Yan and the other two were.

The man was tall and slender, with a handsome appearance. He wore a feather fan and a silk turban, exuding a refined and cultured air. This was probably the kind of person described in classical literature. This young man seemed to have some status. He completely ignored Song Yan, his eyes fixed on Luo Tianyi, and gave a scholar's bow: "Miss, my name is Xue Yu. I wish to present this poem to you. Would you be so kind as to accept it?"

Upon hearing this, Song Yan's other eyebrow furrowed slightly.

Clearly, the name Xue Yu seems to have a slightly different meaning.

Meanwhile, from the pleasure boat, a series of exclamations arose. Many prostitutes and entertainers cast envious glances at Luo Tianyi. After all, for people like them, receiving a fine poem or lyric from a talented scholar could greatly increase their status.

Many scholars clapped and laughed, and several of them immediately stepped across the plank to the shore.

"Tsk tsk, Young Master Xue's Lantern Festival poem is a rare masterpiece tonight." A short, stout young scholar with an air of nobility nodded and said, "Miss, please accept it quickly. You don't know how many people wanted to ask for Young Master Xue's Lantern Festival poem just now, but Young Master Xue has been reluctant to give away his calligraphy."

“However, this young lady is quite a match for Young Master Xue’s Lantern Festival poem.” Another handsome scholar said with a smile, “Young Master Xue’s poem uses the lanterns to symbolize a beautiful woman, and the young lady is as beautiful as a fairy. It’s a perfect match. Young lady, please don’t refuse.”

"Yes, yes, a talented man and a beautiful woman, it would be a beautiful story if word got out."

Before long, more and more scholars gathered around and started to make a fuss, creating a noisy scene.

Xue Yu wore a warm smile as he quietly stared at Luo Tianyi, seemingly unconcerned that the beautiful girl would refuse his excellent Lantern Festival poem.

He knew very well that these ladies from prominent families were completely powerless against good poetry. Over the years, with his excellent poetry skills, he had been invincible among women.

Song Yan's expression darkened. How was this any different from a group of people in modern society clamoring for "marry him"?
What do you mean? You're trying to steal my sister-in-law right in front of me? Did you even ask my opinion?
Luo Tianyi's expression remained aloof, but upon hearing the commotion around her, her delicate brows couldn't help but furrow. She glanced at the white paper in Xue Yu's hand. She didn't understand the poems or anything, and there were even some characters on it that she didn't recognize.

However, she disliked this jeering atmosphere.

She pursed her cherry lips, and with her slender fingers, gently tugged at Song Yan's sleeve:
"Brother-in-law, could you write a poem for me?"

(End of this chapter)