The Emperor personally praised Song Ci as a person of great sense and virtue, and also commended Commandery Princess Dongyang, saying she had the demeanor of her father, appointing her to the Right Wing Forward Camp as an Assistant.
While these two received praise, figures like Earl of Xiangyang found themselves utterly humiliated. Although the Emperor did not directly criticize them, his words implied that the family offspring needed strict discipline to avoid bringing disaster upon the family.
Wasn’t it essentially saying that the daughters were not well-managed?
This frightened Earl of Xiangyang and others into trembling apologies. Overnight, they sent their daughters back to their hometowns, under the guise of education and cultivation, but in reality, it was exile.
There was no other option. According to the Emperor’s words and what Commandery Princess Dongyang said, they could no longer stand their ground in the capital, and even matrimonial matters had to be settled outside the capital.
Otherwise, with so many ladies present that day, who in the capital would dare take you as a daughter-in-law, a potential ticking time bomb, risking bringing danger to the family?
Naturally, those who cared for their daughters hoped to return to the capital after the storm passed, but who knew when that would be? After all, they were at the age of discussing marriage, how could it be delayed?
It was heard that Madam of Xiangyang cried until her eyes were swollen, yet there was nothing she could do. Compared to the entire family, a daughter naturally seemed less important, and sending her off they could only secretly curse Song Ci behind the scenes.
Song Ci learned of these families’ actions and remained silent for a long time.
"Is the Grand Madam feeling guilty?" Nanny asked, seeing her expression not quite right, thinking she felt pity for those families, as Song Ci was someone who wouldn’t overly punish even the maids.
"Me? Guilty? How could that be?" Song Ci said, "I wasn’t the one who made them leave, why would I feel guilty?"
Nanny: "I thought you felt pity for those children."
Song Ci took the flower branch handed by her, and with a snap, cut off the excess twigs with scissors, saying, "Do you think I’m a saint? I would feel pity for them? Don’t they understand speaking recklessly brings trouble? Just based on their highly insulting words, had it been another Princess or Commandery Princess, they would have been beaten half to death on the spot. It was just good fortune they encountered Pan’er."
Nanny thought indeed, if they had met someone truly arrogant, even beating them to a cripple would have been in vain.
"This matter, while said to have started because of me, what did I do? I merely spoke some truths and defended my child, or rather, the child I like. Whatever consequences they have to bear, what does it have to do with me?" Song Ci paused and said, "And one more thing, what led to their outcome was the power derived from authority, the rule of this era."
She was indeed a modern person, but she wasn’t foolish enough to preach equality and no rank distinction in this era; here, imperial power was supreme, and the one with more power and a higher status was destined to be above those deemed inferior.
"And what Earl of Xiangyang did is nothing but cutting off the tail to save the body. Just branch of flower, the rotten leaves should naturally be cut off; leaving them on the branch in the vase, what for, to let them rot and stink?" Song Ci cut off a few rotten leaves again.
Nanny felt reassured, Song Ci was no saint.
"Actually, what’s regrettable about them; it’s just returning to their hometown. With their status, if they marry down, they can continue to wield influence and power!" Song Ci scoffed lightly.
"Grand Madam certainly sees things clearly."
Song Ci laughed gently, what was so clear or unclear, living in this era required understanding and adhering to its rules; only then could life be easier.
"Grand Madam, the imperial decree is about to arrive." Hong You hurriedly entered and curtseyed to report.
Song Ci and Nanny exchanged a glance, an imperial decree?