The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 858 - 813: Two Lives Lost

The letter said, after Wen Wan and the others left Ningzhou, Song Qi kept going to the Liang Family every day. No one knew what he said in front of Song Jiao, but she got so angry that she gave birth prematurely and then had a difficult labor. Neither the mother nor the child survived. Now the Liang Family is arranging a funeral, and Liang Jun wants to report it to the government and have Song Qi arrested. Song Qi is hiding at the Xie Family, too scared to leave despite any persuasion.

Wen Wan clutched the letter, her vision turning black.

That was the girl she raised as her own daughter. She had been married for just over a year and hadn’t even gotten to enjoy the happiness she deserved, and now she was gone!

Tears fell in large drops, and Wen Wan did not know how she made it back to the house.

In the main hall, the Second Lang’s wife and Yun Xia were teasing the old lady, mixed in with the childish voices of Duobao and Qi Bao.

Hearing the laughter, Wen Wan stopped outside the hall and, like a walking corpse, planned to return to the East Wing to be alone for a while.

Just then, Second Lang’s wife happened to lift the curtain and come out. Seeing Wen Wan’s unusual expression, she quickly asked, "Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?"

Inside, the old lady heard the commotion and asked Yun Xia to come out to see.

As soon as Yun Xia came out, she saw Wen Wan’s tear-streaked face and red eyes, and her heart tightened, "Madam, did something happen?"

She then looked at Linglong, who was following behind.

Linglong was also bewildered. Earlier, she had gone with Wen Wan to look at the house, but Wen Wan read the letter alone when it arrived and hadn’t told her what was written. All she saw was her lady crying after reading it, and on the way back, no matter how much she asked, Wen Wan wouldn’t speak.

Second Lang’s wife walked down the stone steps to pull her, "Sister-in-law, if there’s something on your mind, tell us. There are so many people here, surely someone can come up with a solution. Keeping it bottled up inside isn’t good either."

"I’m fine." Wen Wan shook her head, "I just visited my foster father, and I’m a bit emotional."

Second Lang’s wife sighed, "I know you’ve had a rough life, but your biological parents and foster father are all alive and well. Isn’t that something to be happy about? There’s no need to cry. Stop crying and come inside with me. The old lady is teaching Qi Bao to talk, and the little girl is learning so well. You should come and see."

"Second sister-in-law, I’m not in a good mood today. Could you please watch over Qi Bao more? I’m going back to my room to rest." Wen Wan gently pushed aside Second Lang’s wife’s hand and turned back to the East Wing.

Second Lang’s wife muttered softly, "Since when did she become so sentimental?"

Linglong’s eyes flickered. In the entire house, only she knew that Wen Wan hadn’t gone to the Wen Family today, and that all of this was because of that letter.

But she didn’t dare to speak, only telling Second Lang’s wife, "Please take care of our lady, Second Madam. I will go back to watch over the Mistress."

"Go on, don’t let her cry too much." Second Lang’s wife waved her hand.

Linglong went inside and faintly heard Wen Wan sobbing from the inner room. She quickened her pace and went in, only to see Wen Wan lying on her side on the bed, her shoulders shaking with grief, overwhelmed with sorrow.

Seeing her like this, Linglong felt uncomfortable, "Mistress, what on earth happened? Can you tell me? Although I might not be knowledgeable, I might be able to offer some advice."

Wen Wan did not respond; she simply couldn’t speak at the moment. Her throat hurt like it was pricked by fish bones, and she wished she could sprout wings and fly back to the Capital right away to see that poor girl one last time.

Just then, a servant’s voice came from outside, "Master is back!"

Song Wei had gone to visit his old mentor that morning and had just returned.

Linglong was about to go out to greet him when Song Wei already lifted the curtain and came in, sensing that something was amiss. He stepped into the inner room.

When he saw Wen Wan lying on her side, crying on the bed and Linglong standing there at a loss, Song Wei’s expression darkened, and he asked Linglong, "What’s wrong with the Mistress?"

Linglong shook her head. She couldn’t tell Second Madam, but she didn’t dare hide it from the Master. She finally admitted, "I accompanied the Mistress to see the house today, and soon after we bought it, she received a letter from the Capital. And then... then she became like this."

Song Wei’s temples throbbed, and he motioned Linglong to leave.

Once the room was empty but for the two of them, Song Wei pulled a round stool up to the bed, gently placing a hand on Wen Wan’s shoulder, his voice soft, "Wanwan, what’s happened?"

Upon hearing her husband’s voice, Wen Wan’s sobbing paused, she turned to look at him, her eyes misty with tears, her lips trembling twice, yet no sound emerged.

Song Wei took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her tears, "Don’t be afraid. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Wen Wan sat up and threw herself into his arms, crying again. It was a long while before she could speak, "Husband, let’s go back to the Capital tomorrow!"

"What happened?" Song Wei held her slender shoulders, feeling her tremble.

He wondered if the news from the Northern Border about his father-in-law was bad, feeling his own mood grow heavy.

Wen Wan took several deep breaths before she could get the words out, "Jiaojiao, Jiaojiao is gone, mother and child both dead."

Hearing this, Song Wei, who was always calm and composed, was utterly shocked.

The situation on the Liang Family’s side he always knew, though Liang Jun’s mother, Fan Family, has a sharp face, she has never spoken ill of Song Jiao, never pointed fingers at her, especially after she became pregnant, the Liang Family has treated her like a treasure, and Song Jiao herself has been extremely cautious, usually does not go outside unless necessary.

In such conditions, no accident should have happened, "What exactly is going on?"

Song Wei’s tone carried urgency.

Wen Wan already regained some composure, and she handed the letter written by Xie Zheng to him.

After reading it, Song Wei fell into silence.

Wen Wan gritted her teeth in hatred, "If I had known earlier she’d harm Jiaojiao like this, I would have brought her to Ningzhou."

"Saying this now is of no use." Song Wei sighed, his face very serious.

He knows Wanwan’s affection for the eldest niece, and even for himself, having raised her all these years, he is quite concerned; but who would have thought, the girl joyfully sent to her husband’s home would suffer such a calamity within a year.

"I’ll go out now to arrange for things, we must set out for the Capital immediately." He then asked Wen Wan, "Do Mother and Second Sister-in-law know about this matter?"

Wen Wan shook her head, "I don’t know how to tell them."

"While there’s still time, you should rest for a while." Song Wei gently advised, then walked out from the East Wing to the main hall.

In the main hall, laughter continued, Qi Bao was babbling awkwardly, provoking everyone’s laughter.

Song Wei’s steps paused at the door, yet he still pulled the curtain and entered.

Once Granny Song saw him, her smile deepened, "Third son, did you see your mentor?"

Song Wei nodded, "I saw them, previously invited them for a meal in the tavern."

Granny Song thought of what happened earlier and said: "Your wife went out today to see the house, I don’t know what happened, she returned with something off, you’d better go check the East Wing, don’t let anything happen at this critical moment."

Song Wei lowered his lashes, "I just came from the East Wing, already asked her."

"So what did she say?"

Granny Song finished asking, Second Lang’s wife also looked at Song Wei.

Song Wei’s prominent Adam’s apple bobbed as if hesitating.

Granny Song saw his reaction, feeling uneasy.

Third Son’s wife, with her foresight, could it be something serious is truly about to happen?

Second Lang’s wife grew anxious, "Third Son, don’t keep us in suspense, quickly tell us, what happened to Third Son’s wife?"

Song Wei took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and looked sequentially at Granny Song and Second Lang’s wife, "Mother, Second Sister-in-law, Jiaojiao is gone, the letter from the Capital just arrived, two lives lost."

"What?!"

Second Lang’s wife was stunned, "Third Son, you’re not joking, right?"

Granny Song’s face turned ashen.

"The letter written by Xie Zheng was received by Wanwan." Song Wei slowly said, "He mentioned in the letter, after we left the Capital, Qi Qi frequently went to the Liang Family, later spoke something that angered Jiaojiao, leading to premature labor, encountered a difficult labor, couldn’t be saved, now the Liang Family is mourning, Liang Jun, in his anger, wants to report to let the government capture Qi Qi, Qi Qi, terrified, is now hiding in the Xie Family unwilling to come out."

"Oh my goodness!" Second Lang’s wife screamed, her eyes shut as she fainted.

Granny Song could guess with her toe what Song Qi was up to in the Liang Family, she sat stiffly on the couch, saying nothing, Song Wei called her several times without response, he couldn’t help but worry, quickly sent people to invite the doctor.

...

There were still some loose ends to tidy up regarding the ancestral hall construction, Song Erlang accompanied Old Song out, upon returning in the evening only then did he hear the news of Song Jiao’s death.

Song Erlang immediately turned red with anger, "Song Qi, that wretch, when I return to the Capital, I must beat her to death!"

"Enough!" Old Song shouted angrily, "One has already died, another one dies, and you get imprisoned to eat prison food, let wife and children drink the Northwest wind?"

"Father..." Song Erlang sat down, crying loudly, "My Jiaojiao was so obedient, she didn’t deserve to die, shouldn’t have died! I hate it so much, how could I have given birth to such a rebellious daughter, making the household restless and uneasy."

At this moment, Yun Xia hurriedly came over, full of urgency, "Old Master, Second Master, the old lady has fallen ill and developed a fever, doesn’t seem like she can go anytime soon, what should we do?"