High-class maid

Bai Mo's expression was inscrutable, and he almost lost control of his emotions.

The butler stepped forward at the opportune moment and advised, "Young master, you know how stubborn the master is. He has been full of energy for many years, and it is only natural that he does not want people to see him looking old. You should go back to the shop."

After saying that, he stepped forward and gave the doctor a silver note, then bowed to him apologetically.

"Alright, alright, don't worry, I will definitely cure your asthma!" Bai Mo gave himself a way out, quickly adjusted his emotions, and said with a smile.

"Hurry back to the shop. Instead of wasting time on this, you should think about how to open another shop," Master Hou said, glaring at Bai Mo.

"Yes, then I'll take my leave." Bai Mo wasn't angry at all, as if he was already used to the old master's temper. He smiled apologetically at the divine physician and led him out again.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you to come all this way for nothing. Please accept this banknote. My father is old and has a rather eccentric temper. Please don't take it personally."

Bai Mo said as he walked.

The doctor shook his head and sighed, "Alas, if only my son were half as sensible as Young Master Bai."

Bai Mo smiled but didn't say anything, seemingly quite pleased with how others described him.

At noon, Shen Kun returned home dejectedly.

He saw Wang kneading dough and Shen Xing'er tending the fire; the mother and daughter's harmonious scene dispelled the gloom that had troubled Shen Kun for so long. Never mind.

What's past cannot be undone, but the future can still be shaped. Since they are not destined to be together, there's no need to dwell on it. Instead, it would be better to carefully consider what to do after leaving the manor.

"Father, why are you back so early?" Shen Xing'er turned around and saw Shen Kun, overjoyed.

"Oh, the errand was already finished when I got there. I rushed home as fast as I could." Shen Kun composed himself and returned to his usual self.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness, I was a little worried about you. I just heard from Sister Yuan next door that there are bandits in the capital again." Wang patted her chest and said, relieved that she had escaped unharmed.

"Bandits? Didn't we just execute Duan Laohu? How come there are bandits again?" Shen Kun was unaware of the rumors and was therefore puzzled.

"The Song family of the capital..." After Wang finished speaking, she looked around and then lowered her voice to say, "It was Young Master Song's stepmother and grandmother who went to the temple to worship Buddha yesterday, but they were ambushed by bandits and died tragically in the chaos!"

"What?!" Shen Xing'er and Shen Kun asked in unison.

"Young Master Song, your life is too tragic..." Shen Kun thought of that sunny young man, who was approachable and had helped them time and time again.

He didn't regret the deaths of the two men, but felt sorry for Song Wenyang who would have to face the gossip alone again.

“Yes, his stepmother died and that was that. It just so happened that his grandmother died too… Now that his grandmother is dead, he really has no one to take care of him.” Madam Wang also expressed her regret.

"Oh dear, the fire's too big! Xing'er, why are you adding more firewood?" Wang Shi called out to Shen Xing'er as she looked at the bubbling pot.

But Shen Xing'er seemed not to hear, and continued to add firewood into the room while she stood there in a daze.

Madam Wang and Shen Kun exchanged a glance, both understanding that their daughter was also worried about Young Master Song. Shen Kun sighed, took the firewood from Shen Xing'er, and told her to sit aside while he added more firewood.

"How come everything is different from the book? Could it be that the Grand Scholar in the book is not Young Master Song, but someone else?" Shen Xing'er was puzzled. Where exactly did things go wrong?

Enough, enough, I won't think about it anymore. My family will soon be freed from slavery, won't we? Everything is different from what I read in the book.

Shen Xing'er shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but found that Wang Shi and Shen Kun were looking at her with concern.

"Father, Mother, why are you looking at me like that?" Shen Xing'er said with a laugh.

"It's alright, don't be too sad. We sympathize with Young Master Song's situation, but... we are outsiders after all, so let's not let the family affairs of outsiders affect our own mood." Madam Wang patted Shen Xing'er's hair and comforted her.

“I know, Mother. I was just thinking that it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to go to the Song residence to offer condolences, but Young Master Song has helped us a lot, and it wouldn’t be right for us not to express our gratitude,” Shen Xing’er said, expressing her doubts.

“Xing’er’s thinking is right. Here’s what we’ll do: after we finish eating, I’ll go to the courtyard to check on things. If Young Master Song is busy, we’ll take good care of Uncle He for him. It’s just a token of our appreciation,” Shen Kun said.

Shen Xing'er nodded, and the family ate a somber lunch.

However, unlike the somber mood of his family, Song Wenyang was drinking with Uncle He in the courtyard.

"Young Master, please drink less. You still have to go back to the Song residence to pay your respects the day after tomorrow!" Uncle He said with concern as he looked at the drunken Young Master Song.

"Uncle He, I'm so happy! I never imagined that my grandmother was the murderer who killed my mother. Hahaha, how ironic!" Song Wenyang poured himself a drink, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Alright, alright, she's already gotten her comeuppance. Go to sleep now." Uncle He helped Song Wenyang back into the house.

He looked at the sleeping Song Wenyang, his heart aching. If his young master hadn't secretly returned to the capital, he probably would have gone to the Song residence to offer condolences today. Now everyone thought his young master was still studying in Jinling, which gave him some time to adjust.

Regardless, in his eyes the young master was still just a child. He Bo sighed and went to clean up the mess on the table.

Chaos reigned in the Song residence. The two mistresses of the household had died tragically, and upon hearing the news, Song Yanjiang coughed up blood and collapsed, unable to get out of bed. Now, the head of the Song household was a concubine.

"Aunt Sun, the Second Young Master is making a scene in the hall," a maidservant came to deliver the message.

Madam Sun rubbed her aching brows, sighed, and resignedly walked towards the hall.

"Get out of my way! Don't stop me! I'm going to see my father!" Before Madam Sun even reached the hall, she heard Song Wenheng shouting.

"Young Master, are you trying to anger the Master to death?!" Madam Sun was furious and spoke rudely.

Song Wenheng turned around and saw that Aunt Sun, who was usually inconspicuous, was now managing the Song household. He said with even more dissatisfaction.

"You're just a concubine, what right do you have to tell me what to do? Don't think that just because my mother is dead, it's your turn to run the Song family. Tell them to let me go!" After saying that, he struggled a couple of times, but he was usually neither good at literature nor martial arts, and now, under the attacks of his mother and grandmother, he seemed even more vulnerable.

"The mourners are all outside the mansion now. If you don't want to be laughed at by outsiders, then shut your mouth. After this matter is over, the master will make arrangements. Don't worry, I don't care about what's not mine." Madam Sun rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to waste words with him.

"You, you..." Song Wenheng was speechless after being rebuked by her, but if he didn't listen to her at this moment, he, who usually only knew how to eat, drink and have fun, didn't know what to do.