Chapter 138: A Helpless Death
The sky darkened earlier and earlier. After eating dinner, Song Xiang lay in bed, his legs aching unbearably, waiting for his medicine.
Their youngest daughter was ill, crying incessantly in Ge Shi’s arms.
Song Xiang was already agitated, and the child’s cries made him even more restless.
“Have someone take her away! Why is she crying in front of me? So disheartening!”
“It’s dark, and she’s not looking for anyone else, only me,” Ge Shi said helplessly. “I’ll put her to sleep now.”
“Are you dead? Can’t you take her to another room? Must it be in front of me?” Song Xiang’s eyes bulged like a bull’s. “You utter fool!”
“I’m just worried about you,” Ge Shi cried, feeling wronged. “You should speak with a conscience.”
Song Xiang was about to say more when an old servant woman entered and said, “Butler Fang is here.”
Butler Fang was the butler of Prince Zhao’s Mansion. It was he who had brought people to escort Song Xiang back that day.
“Wu Ma, take the child away. Chun’er, quickly go make tea,” Ge Shi said, hastily wiping away her tears.
She guessed that the butler from Prince Zhao’s Mansion had come, most likely to deliver silver.
It had been three days since Song Xiang’s accident, and it was time for an explanation.
“Butler Fang, please come in and sit,” Consort Song said as she went out to meet him, noticing several servants behind Butler Fang.
“Sister-in-law, we are here on the Prince’s orders to check on Brother Song,” Butler Fang said with a smile. “We’ve specifically found a medicine that is most effective for bone and sinew injuries. It’s already been brewed and is still warm.”
“Oh, thank you for all your trouble,” Ge Shi said gratefully. “Thanks to the mansion’s care, I, a virtuous woman, truly wouldn’t know what to do.”
“Butler Fang, brothers, please sit. I can’t get up right now, so please forgive my rudeness!” Song Xiang said, propping himself up in bed.
“There’s no need for formalities between brothers. The Prince has been thinking of you and sent us to see you,” Butler Fang said with a smile. “Here, the medicine is ready. Drink it first! Otherwise, it will get cold.”
“This is too much trouble. Why don’t you give us the prescription, and we can brew it ourselves?” Song Xiang said. “It would also save you the trouble of delivering it every day.”
“Elder Brother Song, let me help you drink it,” the servant holding the medicine said, approaching.
Song Xiang reached out to take the medicine but noticed the servant had a knife at his waist. His heart skipped a beat, and he said, “I’ve already taken my medicine. Let’s save this for tomorrow!”
“If Brother Song doesn’t drink it, won’t that be a disappointment to the Prince’s intentions?” Butler Fang’s eyes glinted with coldness.
“It’s not that I won’t drink it, it’s just that I’ve already taken some. If I drink more of this, it might not only be unhelpful but even harmful,” Song Xiang said with a forced smile, but his heart grew more nervous.
“Don’t worry, this medicine packet is sealed,” Butler Fang said, giving a signal to someone beside him. “We went to great trouble to bring this medicine. How can you refuse to drink it? How will we report back to the Prince?”
At this moment, Ge Shi also sensed something was wrong and stepped forward to intervene. “Brothers, he has truly already taken his medicine. Medicine has its own toxicity, and drinking too much is never good.”
Seeing their persistent refusal, Butler Fang sneered, “Song Xiang, you will drink this medicine today, whether you want to or not. Why put up a futile struggle?”
He then said to those accompanying him, “Force-feed him. Not a drop should be left.”
“Why is this?!” Song Xiang struggled and asked. “I have served the Prince for so many years. If I don’t have merit, I at least have hard work, right?”
“Ha, you still have the nerve to say that! The Prince has given you a second life. Otherwise, how could a poor boy like you live such a life? When your leg was broken, the Prince still pitied you and said he would support you for life. I never expected you to do something worse than pigs and dogs!” Butler Fang slammed the table and cursed. “Don’t you know what you’ve done?”
“Gentlemen, please, spare us! He would never dare disrespect the Prince. He is already crippled now. Although he hasn’t brought glory to the Prince, he has done his best,” Ge Shi pleaded tearfully.
“Song Xiang, Concubine Bai has already committed suicide. Do you think you can still live?” Butler Fang said coldly, looking at Song Xiang. “The Prince said that as long as you die, he will not pursue your wife and children. You decide for yourself!”
“Ah?!” Ge Shi collapsed onto the floor. Although Butler Fang hadn’t spoken explicitly, she understood what was happening.
Song Xiang must have had an affair with Concubine Bai from Prince Zhao’s Mansion, and the Prince found out, so he naturally couldn’t tolerate it.
At this moment, Song Xiang was covered in a cold sweat. He knew his life was forfeit.
That Concubine Bai was one of Prince Zhao’s many concubines, naturally young and beautiful. From the day she entered the mansion, the Princess Consort had given her medicine to prevent pregnancy, so she couldn’t be with child.
Prince Zhao had only treated her as a novelty for a couple of days and then paid her no further attention.
Concubine Bai knew that her remaining life would be confined to that deep mansion, living like a walking dead person every day.
But she was still a person, and a young woman at that, so naturally, she wanted someone to console her loneliness.
After a while, she became involved with Song Xiang, who frequently entered and exited Prince Zhao’s Mansion.
Relying on the fact that Concubine Bai couldn’t get pregnant, the two of them naturally became reckless.
Song Xiang hadn’t considered the risks, but faced with such beauty, how could he care about anything else?
It was a perfect example of the saying that lust makes one bold.
He thought he had been very careful, but ultimately, he couldn’t cover all traces. Now, it was too late to regret.
“I have wronged the Prince, blinded by lust. I will drink it now, and I only beg you to spare my wife and children, to give them a way to live.” Song Xiang glanced at Ge Shi. “From now on, you must fend for yourselves.”
“Rest assured, the Prince is merciful. He said you alone are responsible for your actions,” Butler Fang said. “After you die, your wife and children will have three days to arrange your funeral. Then, your family property will be sold, and they will be sent far away, forbidden to return to the Capital City for life.”
Song Xiang opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but in the end, he said nothing. He picked up the medicine pot and drank it all in one gulp.
Seeing him drink it readily, Butler Fang said to those accompanying him, “Let’s wait outside. Let the couple have some time to say goodbye!”
Their purpose in forcing Song Xiang to drink the medicine and then staying to handle his funeral arrangements was twofold: first, to prevent any unforeseen complications, and second, to show outsiders that Prince Zhao had done everything he could.
“You… do you have anything else to say?” At this moment, Ge Shi felt both love and hatred for Song Xiang.
“It’s all my own fault. Don’t cry anymore. After I die, there’s no need for a burial. Just cremate me, take my ashes, and my younger sister’s ashes, and leave the Capital City together.”
Find a small place with simple folk customs to settle down, and bury my sister and me together, so we can be companions!
We were both orphaned from a young age and relied on each other. Even in death, we should look after each other.
You raise the three children well. Tell them not to seek wealth or status, but to live honest and upright lives.
Look at the fate of my sister and me, and you’ll know it’s better not to strive for anything.”
