CHAPTER 104: CHAPTER 102 QUESTIONING

Madam Rong waited until dark, leaning against the soft couch, drowsy, when she heard a clamor.

She opened her eyes and saw the steward entering the room together with Song Yu.

"What happened?" Madam Rong asked urgently before Song Yu could speak.

She wanted to know the current situation, whether Song Xian had been captured.

As Song Yu approached, Madam Rong saw the panic on his face and her heart sank.

"Mother," Song Yu, as if he’d lost his soul, softened his knees and knelt before Madam Rong, "Please save my Third Brother; he was taken away by Song Xian."

As if a thunderclap exploded in her mind, Madam Rong nearly fell back onto the couch as she stood up.

"What did you say? What happened to your brother?" Madam Rong asked, trembling, "Didn’t the troops your brother took capture Song Xian? And your father, did he send troops to chase?"

Faced with Madam Rong’s questioning, Song Yu opened his mouth but didn’t know how to respond.

"Speak," Madam Rong urged anxiously, "Where is your father?"

"Father," Song Yu’s lips trembled, "Father tied up Third Brother, and after Song Xian arrived, he took Third Brother to the government office and Father followed."

Madam Rong looked at Song Yu in disbelief. She couldn’t comprehend a word of what he said: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Song Yu said, "It’s true, Father said Third Brother stole the token to summon troops. Chang Shan beside Third Brother confessed that Third Brother had dealings with the Liao people. Those warhorses and furs from the Liao were brought into the Central Plains by Chang Shan from Juma River."

Upon hearing the words ’stolen token’, Madam Rong couldn’t help but tremble all over, and after hearing Chang Shan’s confession, her whole body went limp, unable to hear any further words from Song Yu.

The crime of colluding with the Liao people, originally meant for Song Xian, now fell upon Song Min.

After a while, Song Yu said, "With evidence like warhorses and furs, it’s irrefutable... I’m afraid Third Brother... This time Third Brother..."

Madam Rong felt ice-cold, knowing all about the token, warhorses, furs.

Song Yu wiped the tears from his face and continued, "Song Xian might have long suspected Third Brother was out to get him, so he sent a message to Li You. Li You suddenly returned with troops, ordering Song Xian to arrest traitors and spies for the Liao people. Song Xian had documents from Shangguan, suppressing the troops brought by Third Brother.

Now Song Xian has apprehended all the generals involved in the matter and sent people to Juma River to arrest the garrison commander who allowed Chang Shan passage."

Madam Rong felt as if a heavy stone pressed on her chest, unable to breathe. She knew well that Chang Shan’s visit to Juma River was true, and the Liao spies were real. To trap Song Xian, Song Min and she went to great lengths, but now all these had become the evidence to send Song Min into prison.

They failed to harm Song Xian, but instead harmed themselves.

Madam Rong was all too aware of the gravity of the crimes of treason and unauthorized troop mobilization; with these two charges, the court wouldn’t investigate Song Min using troops to kill Song Xian.

"Mother, come with me to Zhenzhou," Song Yu said, "Plead with Father to save Third Brother at any cost."

Song Yu finished speaking and went to help up Madam Rong. She rose with Song Yu’s strength but nearly fell to the ground after taking just one step.

Seeing this, Song Yu quickly instructed, "Prepare the carriage."

Song Yu said this with reddened eyes looking at Madam Rong: "Mother, let’s not rush; we can think of a way on the way."

"Who else," Madam Rong asked shakily after a while, "Who else was caught?"

"Vice General Qiao is missing," Song Yu said, "Father sent people to find him, but it’s uncertain whether he can be found."

Vice General Qiao had been privately in contact with Song Min all along. If he really got caught, then it would all be over.

Madam Rong broke out in cold sweat, yet Song Yu was anxious to drag his mother away. Nearby, Mrs. Zhao stepped forward and said, "Second Master, please wait outside for a moment. Let me serve Madam to tidy up and calm her mind before leaving."

Seeing Madam Rong’s state, Song Yu had no choice but to agree: "I’m too impatient. I’ll wait outside for Mother."

Once Song Yu left the room, Mrs. Zhao brought a cup of tea to Madam Rong: "Don’t panic, Madam. At times like these, losing your composure will only lead to even greater consequences."

Upon hearing Mrs. Zhao say so, tears instantly fell from Madam Rong’s eyes; Mrs. Zhao was brought from her maternal home, and back when Song Yu and Song Min were caught, Mrs. Zhao was kidnapped by the Liao people while trying to rescue them. When escaping with the children, she was almost killed by a sword blow from behind. Since then, Madam Rong trusted Mrs. Zhao even more.

Mrs. Zhao said: "You mustn’t admit to handing the token to Third Master; just say you told him where it was. And regarding the warhorse matter, rest assured I won’t speak even if it costs me my life, nor will Third Master divulge."

Madam Rong gazed blankly at Mrs. Zhao: "Are you suggesting I push everything onto Min?"

Mrs. Zhao shook her head: "Not to push it onto Third Master, even if you admitted the wrongdoing, it was Third Master who took the token and mobilized troops, and it was Third Master who dealt with the Liao people. Can he escape? You’re simply dragged into it unnecessarily. If you also ended up imprisoned, who would handle things for Third Master?

You must plead for Third Master before the Master! And besides, you have Second Master; if you committed wrongs, what would happen to him? Without his mother’s protection, what fate would await Second Master? You know well that Song Xian is the legitimate eldest son, with numerous military achievements and a good rapport with the Master, are you not aware? We cannot let Second Master follow in Song Xian’s footsteps."

Mrs. Zhao’s few words pierced Madam Rong’s heart like knives, causing her to clutch her chest, unable to breathe from the pain.

Mrs. Zhao continued: "Remember, you are the wife of the National Guardian General, who wholeheartedly oversees the household duties without any faults. If Third Master errs, you must support him, or else Third Master is doomed."

Madam Rong closed her eyes, tears flowing continuously, she bit her lip fiercely, unconsciously biting it open, with blood flowing into her mouth, after a while she cried out: "This is fatal."

...

Song Qizheng returned to Zhenzhou once more, and upon seeing Song Xian’s flag, the garrison soldiers opened the city gates without awaiting orders.

Song Qizheng stared at Song Xian leading the troops into the city, absent-minded, and only after a moment did he urge the horse beneath him.

Outside the Zhenzhou Prefecture government office, many people stood.

Song Qizheng’s gaze swept across and vaguely saw several familiar faces. During the papermaking workshop case, he met the people from Chen Family Village, and now those people stood here again.

However, the previous case differed from this one.

It was his inability to properly guide his son, allowing Song Min to err time after time.

Song Qizheng dismounted, seeing Li You coming out from the government office.

Li You was indeed here; seeing Li You caused the last of Song Qizheng’s hope to vanish completely.

Song Qizheng stepped forward to greet Li You.

"General Song." Li You’s expression was even more solemn than before.

Song Qizheng bowed: "I failed to teach my rebellious son, allowing him to commit such deeds, I have no face to see Mr. Li."

Li You sighed: "General Song has made remarkable achievements in the North, protecting the people of Daqi. I never expected your troops would turn against innocent civilians to frame others."

Song Qizheng couldn’t help but be startled; aside from collaborating with the Liao people and mobilizing troops, what else had Song Min done?

Li You led Song Qizheng into the second hall of the government office, where Song Qizheng saw several deputy generals kneeling.

Li You sat in his chair, his voice was more authoritative, with anger in his expression that could no longer be concealed: "If I hadn’t witnessed it myself, I wouldn’t have believed these people colluding with spies, deceiving people from Chen Family Village into the mountain, attempting to shoot them with arrows to ensure no evidence remained.

After interrogating them, I learned this was all secretly planned by Song Min."

Li You finished speaking and looked intently at Song Qizheng: "General Song, there’s one thing I don’t understand: Song Xian is your legitimate eldest son, who has battled alongside you for years, repeatedly jeopardizing his life for Daqi, and you should be proud of that. Why did you stand by and watch such internal conflicts happen?

Does General Song have any indescribable dilemma?"