Springtime Affairs in a Noble Family

Just as Cui Lingrong finished asking her question, Song Mingjin rushed in, panting.

"Go see your father. Your brother won't be here that early. Listen to whatever he says and don't talk back to him." After Cui Lingrong finished speaking, Ershun finally brought Xuan-ge'er back in the evening.

Upon seeing Xuan-ge'er, Cui Lingrong finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did you see your father?" Cui Lingrong asked.

Song Mingxuan nodded. "I saw him. Father this time..." He pursed his lips, unable to finish his sentence.

"It's up to his own fate," Cui Lingrong said. "As his son, he hasn't done much to wrong you. At times like this, you and Jin-ge'er should take turns serving him. We can't let anyone find fault with him."

"My son knows."

"Also, even if your father can't hold on, it's alright. You're still young, so study for a few years in peace and then take the imperial examination. Don't think too much about it; there's always a way out." Cui Lingrong gave a few more instructions before leaving the Cui residence.

As soon as she entered the room, she saw Xie Yunting lying there fast asleep.

"Since you're here, why don't you go to bed?" Cui Lingrong sat down to drink tea, and Qiu's mother went out to get hot water.

"You told me not to let me into bed without washing up." Xie Yunting opened one eye first, then yawned and said lazily, "Sister is finally back. I thought you were going to stay at the Jiangyuan Marquis's residence."

That's incredibly jealous.

Cui Lingrong glanced at Xie Yunting, patted his leg, and asked, "What's wrong? Are you jealous?"

"Just a little bit. Song Shulan's life or death has nothing to do with you. What were you doing for so long?" Xie Yunting lingered and lay down on Cui Lingrong's lap. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I don't care whether Song Shulan lives or dies, but Xuan-ge'er is going to inherit the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion. Before he arrives, I have to help him maintain appearances. Although the second and third branches of the Song family are incompetent, people's hearts can be tempted. No one can guarantee that they will stay like this forever," Cui Lingrong explained. "I came back as soon as Xuan-ge'er arrived."

She touched Xie Yunting's cheek. "Song Shulan is in grave danger this time. I think it would be better if he died."

"Aren't you feeling unwell?" Xie Yunting insisted on asking.

Cui Lingrong stood up and pushed him away, "If I were feeling unwell, would you still be here cuddling with me? Xie Yunting, you're so petty."

"Yes, I'm very petty. I only think that my sister only loves me." Xie Yunting followed and hugged Cui Lingrong from behind. "Good sister, don't be angry. I just care about you too much. Otherwise, you can punish me. I'll lie down and do whatever you want with me. Even if you hit me or bite me, I won't say a word."

Cui Lingrong was already used to Xie Yunting's shamelessness. "Get out of here, who's going to hit you?"

As they talked, they went to bed.

On the other side, Song Shulan was in a daze, and it was two days later when he regained consciousness.

When Song Shulan opened her eyes and saw Xuan Ge'er lying on the edge of the bed, she tried to speak, but found that her throat hurt terribly, so she could only touch Xuan Ge'er's arm with her hand.

Song Mingxuan woke up with a start. "Father, you're awake. Let me get you a glass of warm water."

There was movement inside, and Qingshan and the others came in, then went to the kitchen.

After drinking some water, Song Shulan finally had the strength to speak, "Brother Xuan, I... will my body ever get better?"

He doesn't want to die.

Seeing his son's silence, Song Shulan gripped the blankets tightly. "Go and fetch the imperial physician from the palace! Even if we have to sell everything we own, we must get him...cough cough...well treated!"

"Father, please don't get agitated. Several doctors have already come to see you. Please take your medicine first, and you'll feel better after you finish it." Song Mingxuan had been staying by his side for two days, unable to eat or sleep properly, and he looked much more haggard.

The medicine was very bitter, but Song Shulan insisted on drinking it all because he wanted to live.

"Has your mother not come to see me?" Song Shulan felt a surge of anger when he thought of Cui Lingrong and Xie Yunting, and he started coughing again.

Song Mingxuan frowned. "You and your mother are divorced, so you're no longer a family. Whether she comes or not is none of your concern. Right now, your most important thing is to get better."

"Yes, I must get better. I have to make those two scoundrels pay!" Song Shulan suddenly grabbed Song Mingxuan's hand. "From now on, you must never trust your mother. She and Xie Yunting have been together for a long time. If it weren't for Xie Yunting, she wouldn't have divorced you and abandoned you and Jin'er. You must remember, Cui is not your mother; she is our enemy!"

"Brother Xuan...cough cough...answer me quickly...say yes!"

Song Shulan had no strength left, but she still grabbed Song Mingxuan's clothes. "You are my son. You will inherit the Jiangyuan Marquis's mansion in the future. You have to stand on my side. Swear to me that you will never acknowledge Cui as your mother in this lifetime."

Looking at his father on the hospital bed, Song Mingxuan wanted to say something, but then swallowed it back.

Although Song Mingxuan was not old, he had learned a lot about the complicated affairs of the Marquis's mansion since his father married Zhao.

Now, hearing his father ask him to swear an oath, Song Mingxuan felt more helpless than anything else.

"Father, you should rest well." At this moment, Song Mingxuan stopped arguing with his father, otherwise he would be rumored to have angered his father to death, and he would have no hope of passing the imperial examination in the future.

"Why aren't you answering me? Are you not listening to me?!" Song Shulan struggled to get up, but lacked the strength and finally fell back down. "Xuan-ge'er, I'm your father. You have to think about me! I can't die wearing a green hat; I'll never forgive myself!"

"But Father, do you really think Mother is that kind of person?" Song Mingxuan shook his head as he spoke. "No, you don't understand Mother. From the moment you decided to marry Zhao, you never understood what kind of person Mother was."

There's no point in saying more.

Song Mingxuan summoned Qingshan and ordered him to serve him.

Song Shulan cursed angrily, "How could I not understand her? I've been married to her for over ten years. Besides me, who else understands her better?"

From the very beginning, he knew that Cui Lingrong also valued power and influence; otherwise, she wouldn't have traveled all the way from next door to Bianjing to meet him.

Are there no suitable people in Suzhou?

They are clearly the same, so why are others criticizing him instead of saying anything bad about Cui Lingrong?

Song Shulan couldn't swallow this insult.

The mere thought of Cui Lingrong having an affair with Xie Yunting made him want to kill that despicable couple.

"No, we can't let them go like this. Absolutely not!" He couldn't die such a miserable death.

Song Shulan kept her eyes open until late at night when Qingshan came to check on her and realized something was wrong.

"My lord?"

Qingshan called out several times, but his master did not respond.

"My lord, don't frighten me!" Qingshan patted his master, but the master's arm was stiff and cold, and goosebumps rose all over his body. "Quick, someone come! The lord seems to have stopped breathing!"