Song Mo didn't know how he got back.

  He received news of his mother's death on his way back in Xinglong.

  He traveled day and night for six days and five nights, rushing back home.

  The guards around him were left far behind, and only Yu Jian followed.

  The moment he jumped off the horse's back, his two legs went soft, and if it wasn't for Yu Jian and the doorman who supported him, he might have fallen to the ground.

  "Prince! Prince!" The voices were filled with sobs and joy at seeing him return, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

  Song Mo's eyes were filled with tears as he rushed towards the mourning hall along the floating funeral streamer.

  "Brother!" Song Han, who was wearing a hemp garment and had just finished paying his respects in front of the coffin, threw himself into Song Mo's arms. "Why did you only come back now?" His voice was filled with fear and complaint.

  "It's all brother's fault!" Song Mo hugged his younger brother tightly, tears streaming down from his eyes that were filled with bloodshot, "It's all brother's fault... came back too late..."

  Song Han burst into loud sobs: "Brother, brother!"

  Song Mo led his younger brother to kneel in front of the coffin.

  "Mother, I'm back!" He knocked three heads to his mother with tears all over his face.

  Someone beside him said: "Tianci, put on your mourning clothes."

  It's the voice of Big Brother Song Qin.

  Song Yichun took good care of his family members. He found a job as a secretary for his elder brother Song Maohua in the Linhe government office, and after a few years, he managed to squeeze out the head of the Linhe government office and let Song Maohua take over. His younger brother Song Fengchun served as deputy envoy at the Chongwen Gate Taxation Bureau, while another younger brother Song Tongchun served as deputy envoy at the Neiku Yiziku warehouse. Although the head of the Linhe government office was only a eighth-grade official, the deputy envoys of the Chongwen Gate Taxation Bureau and the Neiku Yiziku warehouse were not considered high-ranking officials, but they had rich benefits - the Linhe government office handled the annual tribute of fruits, the Chongwen Gate Taxation Bureau collected taxes on wine entering the capital, and the Neiku's Yiziku warehouse belonged to the Ministry of War, managing the fur coats, battle boots, and military uniforms of various guards. Although their official positions were low, they were all members of the Song family, so even high-ranking officials like Shilang and Shaolings would give them some respect. Whenever there was a benefit from above, they wouldn't be left out, and they also had ancestral properties to rely on. Their days must have been very comfortable.

  So Song Yichun has a high prestige in the Song family, and it's not an exaggeration to say that his words carry great weight.

  Song Qin is seven years older than Song Mo, and they became relatives last spring.

  Before the wedding, Song Mao Chun brought his son to see Song Yi Chun, hoping that Song Yi Chun could find a good job for his son. However, he was scolded by Song Yi Chun: "You are short-sighted! Jing has already passed the imperial examination and is about to obtain the qualification of being an official. He should focus on studying instead! If he can pass the imperial examination, I will be able to speak up for him in front of the emperor, and even if I don't get him a normal seventh-rank position as a director of a government office, I will at least get him a eighth-rank position as an administrative assistant. His future prospects will be much better than yours! You can't spend your whole life being a low-ranking clerk like you are now! If Jing doesn't have the luck to pass the imperial examination before he is thirty years old, it's not too late to find him a job then." He also said, "Our family has few people, so we must stick together. Even if someone has three heads and six arms, without the help of relatives, it's all in vain. Don't be content with small wealth. If you can let the children take one step forward, you should try your best to let them take another step!"

  Song Maochun was deeply moved and tearfully thanked him again and again.

  Song Qin was also very grateful and felt that Second Uncle was very sincere towards him.

  He had always treated Song Mo and Song Han as his own brothers, so he was even more affectionate towards them.

  Jiang's passing is a major event for the Song family, like half of a big building collapsing. Everyone in the Song family came to help out, and Song Qin was particularly diligent, hardly sleeping at all during the first seven days after Jiang's death. Only in the past two days did he get some restful sleep.

  Song Mo's expression was dull and he let Song Qin help him put on mourning clothes.

  Song Qin saw Song Mo looking very thin and pale, his complexion tired, so he went to help him: "You go wash your face first! Second Uncle has been in the inner room of the upper house. You should also go take a look."

  Song Qin's younger brother Song Dang happened to walk in from outside.

  He is four years older than Song Mo. Like all second sons, his personality is more lively.

  Seeing Song Mo, he shouted "Tian Ci" and also said: "You go rest quickly! The past is already gone, you should take good care of yourself. There are still many things waiting for you in the future!"

  Song Mo didn't expect him to say something like "the deceased is gone", if it weren't for the deep pain in his heart, he might have raised an eyebrow and smiled.

  Looking at the two brothers, both with tired faces, he knew that they had helped a lot in recent days. He grabbed Song Dang's shoulder and said to Song Qin, "Thank you."

  "My own brother, what's the point of saying these things!" Song Qin said humbly.

  Song Mo nodded slightly.

  Song Han pulled on his brother's sleeve: "Brother, I want to go with you."

  The death of his mother must have been very frightening for this eight-year-old brother who still wanted to sleep with his mother!

  A flash of pain and regret flickered in his eyes as he thought of his father in his mother's room, and if his brother were to leave, there would be no one to thank him. He steeled himself and said in a low voice to Song Han, "Mother can't cut people off here, I'll come right away!"

  Song Han nodded with tears in his eyes, repeatedly reminding his brother: "You must come quickly! You must come quickly!"

  "Alright!" Song Mo patted Song Han's head and was about to return to the Yizhi Hall when he ran into Lu Zheng, his father's personal attendant.

  "Master Shizi," he said, seeing Song Mo and wiping away tears. "You've finally come back! The Duke hasn't eaten or drunk for days, worrying us all to death. I heard you're back and was told to bring you to the main house!"

  Song Mo thought of Song Qin's words and didn't hesitate, immediately following Lv Zheng to the upper house.

  Song Yichun sat cross-legged on the large kang in the inner room of the upstairs, with the furnishings inside the house just like when Jiang was alive. Even the rouge and powder on the dressing table were arranged as Jiang had been accustomed to. A ivory hair comb inlaid with gold threads and flowers that Jiang often used was casually placed on the table.

  Song Mo's eyes turned red, and his vision became somewhat blurry. However, he heard his father's slightly hoarse voice beside him: "You're back! How did things go? Your mother had been thinking about this before she passed away!"

  "I've seen the King of Liao." Song Mo bowed respectfully to his father and sat down across from him at his father's gesture. "The King of Liao had already known about the Jiang family affair, after Third Uncle's injuries worsened, it was actually the King who helped invite the doctor - we were just thinking with a small mind and measuring others by our own standards."

  Song Yichun nodded slightly, sighed and said: "If your mother had heard this news before she passed away, it would have been great!" He also said: "You go to your mother's grave later and tell her about it."

  Song Mo nodded in agreement.

  Song Yichun looked at her dusty son and said, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll get the kitchen to prepare something for you. You should also clean yourself up, your mother loved cleanliness, if she saw you in this state, who knows how heartbroken she'd be!"

  Song Mo's tears couldn't help but fall as he lowered his head and replied with a "yes".

  Lv Zheng came over to serve him in washing and bathing, afterwards a maid came to report that the meal had been arranged according to Guo Gongye's instructions in the inner room of the upper house.

  "Master Guo must be looking for you to have a talk!" Lv Zheng said gloomily, "Master Guo has been having a hard time lately!"

  Song Mo was even more heartbroken after hearing this.

  On the kang table by the window in the inner room were placed several vegetarian dishes, a large plate of steamed buns and a large bowl of noodles.

  "Hurry up and eat!" Song Yichun sat beside her son, watching as he ate quickly but with a few elegant and composed movements.

  "In the blink of an eye, you've all grown up." He sighed, a hint of melancholy flashing in his eyes, "I've also gotten old!"

  Song Mo did not make a sound.

  He's not good at comforting people. Can't help but think: If Tian En were here, it would be great. Tian En is the best at making people laugh. From childhood to adulthood, as long as Tian En was around, there was never an awkward atmosphere.

  He quietly used chopsticks.

  Song Yichun sat quietly there watching her son eat.

  The room was quiet, with only the faint sound of porcelain gently colliding, making the room even more serene.

  After Song Mo finished eating, the maids brought water for him to wash his hands and served him his usual tea before quietly withdrawing.

  Song Yichun looked at Song Mo, his expression was somewhat complicated, and he still didn't speak.

  Song Mo waited patiently. Quiet and composed.

  A strange color flashed across Song Yichun's eyes.

  He said in a low voice: "Do you still remember Mei Rui, the big maid beside your mother?"

  "Remember." Song Mo didn't understand why his father suddenly mentioned the senior maid beside his mother, but he still replied calmly. "She is the most capable senior maid beside Mother."

  "After your mother passed away, I had planned to let go of the people who served her after the 49th day," said Song Yichun, picking up his tea cup and lowering his eyelids. His gaze fell on the green tea leaves floating in the tea like small boats. "But on the evening of the 27th, Mei Rui suddenly crashed into the pillar and killed herself in front of your mother's spirit."

  Song Mo's face changed slightly.

  "It was fortunate that it happened in the evening. There were not many people, and Lv Zheng handled it properly, so this matter did not spread wildly." Song Yichun said, "I arrested all the servants who served your mother," he said here, suddenly raising his eyes, his gaze towards Song Mo was as sharp as a sword, "Guess what Lv Zheng found?" Before Song Mo could answer, Song Yichun's face had already turned iron-green and continued to say, "That maid is actually four months pregnant and has already started showing!"

  "How is this possible?" Song Mo exclaimed, his expression revealing an uncontrollable shock.

  The child is obviously not his father's. Otherwise, with the mother's temperament, she would have made arrangements before her death, and Father didn't need to explain it to him, let alone be so angry.

  Although the mother is very strict, or maybe it's because of the influence of the Jiang family, she's not a stubborn and stingy person. If Mei Rui has taken a liking to someone, with her mother's fondness for her, she can directly tell her mother, there's no need to do something that will bring shame and ruin.

  Whose child is it?

  If this gets out, Mother's reputation will definitely be affected.

  His eyes flashed, shooting out a cold light. However, his father's voice came from beside his ear: "Lv Zheng went to search her room and found several pieces of this year's Jiangnan weaving and embroidery, as well as some exquisite ornaments. Among them, a jade pendant made of top-quality Hetian jade was carefully carved with cloud patterns on all four sides and a large peng bird spreading its wings in the middle..."

  Song Mo was shocked.

  When he was born, his grandfather gave him a jade pendant like this!

  It is said to have been passed down from the ancestors of the Song family.

  Song Yichun suddenly burst into anger: "You scoundrel! You've done a great job!" A slap was slapped towards Song Mo.

  ※

  Sisters and brothers, this is a supplementary update for March 31st.

  It was exhausting to write this passage, I became a character in the story, experiencing great joys and sorrows.

  Let me take a rest and then I'll write today's update.

  Let's put it on hold for now!

  ~~~~(_

  ※