The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

Chapter 1019: Chapter 1019: Feeling Off

Song Ci’s words were powerful and forceful, yet they didn’t intimidate Song Zhiqing; instead, a hint of disdain rose within him.

An ordinary woman raising a Prime Minister was already remarkable, but truly making her kill her own children was impossible, even just by thinking about it.

So these words were merely pleasing to the ears.

Song Zhiqing remained silent, and Song Ci also knew that this person didn’t agree with him, so he couldn’t help but feel somewhat disheartened.

”I’m old, and my words are unpleasant. No matter how much I say, it’s all in vain. But there’s one thing you must understand: shared glory brings shared honor; shared loss brings shared devastation. Third son, the burden you carry is not just your own glory or life, but also the small family behind you,” Song Ci said calmly. ”Getting involved in the matter of the Crown Prince’s establishment—can you ensure you can walk away unscathed, without bringing disaster to yourself and your entire family?”

At this point, Song Zhiqing had no choice but to express his position, ”Mother, I really haven’t...”

”Whether you have or not, you should know in your heart. I have only one thing to say: as long as I don’t agree, our family cannot get involved in the matter of establishing the Crown Prince, understand?” Song Ci’s tone carried a hint of warning.

Song Zhiqing’s face showed some embarrassment. In the end, whatever he said was not credible.

”Mother, I understand.”

Song Ci said, ”If there’s nothing else, you may leave.” After a pause, she continued, ”And no matter what, it’s not appropriate to bring a concubine when visiting someone else’s home, especially as a man. If you want to earn the reputation of favoring a concubine over a wife, feel free to keep indulging Madam Bai like this.”

”Mother, actually, Madam Bai is reasonable and understanding. If you spend more time with her, you’ll see,” Song Zhiqing couldn’t help but defend.

Song Ci’s face turned cold, ”I don’t need to understand. People have likes and dislikes, and my dislike for her is well-known throughout the household. What, you want me, a respectable legitimate wife, to lower myself to understand your so-called concubine?”

Song Zhiqing quickly apologized, ”I dare not, Mother!”

”Leave now.”

Song Zhiqing bowed deeply and retreated, only grinding his teeth in frustration and quietly cursing the headstrong old woman once he was a safe distance from Chunhui Hall.

Song Ci rubbed her itchy nose and said to Nanny Gong, ”Don’t be surprised. Right now, the third son is probably cursing me as an old hag somewhere.”

Nanny Gong replied helplessly, ”You’re overthinking it!”

Not only overthinking, but overacting too.

Song Ci sighed, ”This time, I’m really not overthinking it. Just from what I said earlier, do you think he listened? No, he just feels that as his legitimate mother, I’m holding him back from climbing to the top.”

It’s not that she’s paranoid; his expression told her as much.

”The non-biological ones always have too many thoughts, never thinking in a positive direction. If I really were holding him back, how could he have passed the Scholar exam, become a Fifth Rank official?” Although it’s just a Scholar, it’s still a Scholar.

Yet Song Zhiqing doesn’t realize, he’s my only concubine-born son among several sons of mine, and shortly after his birth, he lost his mother. If I had ill intentions, could he have grown up safely to this point, studied, passed the Scholar examination, married, fathered children, and become an official this smoothly?

In the hands of a truly malicious person, peaceably growing up would have been uncertain, especially considering he had smallpox as a child. If I had been more ruthless back then, he would have ended up like his current son, completely ruined.

But he never considers this point, always holding hostility and wariness towards his legitimate mother. Tsk, calling him an ungrateful wretch is not an exaggeration.

”When the eldest arrives, let him come over.” The more Song Ci thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt, so she needed to consult with the sensible elder child.