Chapter Forty-Six: There Is No Corner That Cannot Be Pried

Song Ci drank two cups of tea in succession before finally turning her gaze to Wu Dan, who was kneeling uneasily on the floor. After letting her wait for a while, the stubbornness Wu Dan had shown at their first meeting seemed to have faded.

"Wu, if you wish to follow this old man of mine, it's not impossible. The Song family is rich and prosperous; you'll never lack for food, drink, or clothing. But that's all you'll get—nothing more."

Wu Dan was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, you encouraged this old man to propose taking you as a second wife. That's out of the question; I refuse." Song Ci fixed her gaze on her. "If you desire wealth, you can only be his concubine, just like the two from the Red Sleeve Pavilion. There’s no such thing as a 'young mistress' here."

Wu Dan's eyes widened, and she shuffled forward on her knees, saying, "Madam, I am from a respectable family, born to honest and scholarly parents, not from some disreputable background."

A plaything and a proper concubine are not the same—she didn’t want to be sold off at a whim.

Song Ci suddenly laughed and looked at Madam Gong. "Madam Gong, you served in the imperial court of the previous dynasty and have seen much. What do you call a respectable woman who, without title or status, enters into an illicit relationship?"

Madam Gong replied stiffly, "Madam, such nameless, status-less intimacy is called a 'runaway of vice.'"

Song Ci’s eyes lit up. "Ah, isn’t that punishable by drowning in a pig cage?"

Madam Gong: "…"

Old Master Song: "…"

No, what was the reason for her excitement and enthusiasm?

Wu Dan’s face turned pale; she could not bear such a term as ‘runaway of vice.’

"Listen closely," Song Ci continued, "I’m giving you two paths: either you become like those women at the Red Sleeve Pavilion, or you take a thousand taels and disappear on your own. A thousand taels can buy you a respectable dowry, find yourself a sensible, honest man to marry, bear a few children, and secure your future."

A certain unfortunate honest man: What did we honest men ever do to you?

Old Master Song was furious. Was this old woman really stealing his woman right in front of him?

But Song Ci was genuinely considering Wu Dan’s welfare. Don’t think she was ruining some honest man’s life—truthfully, with a dowry of a thousand taels, plenty would compete to marry Wu Dan, for such a sum was astronomical among farming families.

At this time, there were plenty of bachelors who couldn’t even hope for a wife. Wu Dan was good-looking, and with a dowry, she could find a caring man, have children, buy land—wasn’t that better than clinging to an aging old man?

It might seem respectable to be a concubine now, but once Old Master Song died, she would be left young, forced to remain a widow for countless years. And if she wished to remarry, what choices would she have?

Fine, perhaps a connection to the Prime Minister’s household might help her remarry, but would she still be young enough to bear children then?

She was being given a choice now only because the plump old man next door moved quickly. Truly, Song Ci was being merciful—if someone genuinely malicious were in her place, Wu Dan’s fate might be far worse.

"You old shrew! Dan is already mine, and you dare tell her to remarry? How vicious you are, you jealous hag!" Old Master Song, unable to contain his anger, pointed at Song Ci and cursed.

Song Ci retorted, "What if she is yours? Giving her a thousand taels isn’t exactly freeloading. She’s still young—she could take the money, find a strong, youthful husband, enjoy happiness every night, bear clever children, become mistress of her own house, and live on her own terms. Isn’t that better than living under someone else’s gaze, scraping by beneath the mistress’s eye?"

"And besides, you’re over fifty—does your back still work? Can you father children? If she remains childless, what will become of her once you pass on?"

Old Master Song was so enraged he nearly died on the spot, cursing, "You wretched old woman! Have you no shame, cursing your own husband?"

One word after another about his back—it was humiliating!

"Everyone must die someday. I am an honest person, discussing matters objectively, considering reality and thinking long-term," Song Ci snorted.

Wu Dan’s eyes darted back and forth; she bit her lip and said, "I’ll take the thousand taels!"

Ah, so there truly is no wall that cannot be pried open.