The news from Song Yichun's side soon reached Song Mo's ears.

  "Is that Mr. Tao?" Song Mo's mouth curled up in a slightly sarcastic smile as he instructed Xia Xuan, "Have someone send out these letters."

  There are those for the three princesses, those for the Lu family, and also those for Zhang Xueming, the third master of the Jingguo Gongfu, and Ma Youming, the deputy general of the Shenji Camp.

  Xia Lian departed at the sound of his voice.

  Song Han accompanied by Ye Li Bai came to visit Song Mo.

  "Brother, take good care of yourself at home," he said sensibly. "I'll go keep vigil for Mother."

  Song Mo murmured: "There are still three days, it's mother's 21st day after death, right?"

  Song Han nodded.

  The mourning period is seven days, and a sacrifice must be made on each seventh day.

  Song Mo is the eldest son and should be in charge of the sacrifice.

  If he were really beaten motionless as his father wished, on the seventh day after his mother's death, as the eldest son, he was not present. What would those relatives and friends think?

  Song Mo smiled coldly and asked Song Han in a warm voice, "Have you had breakfast?"

  "I've had enough." Song Han said cleverly, "This morning I ate a stir-fry with mixed vegetables, eggplant in sauce, vegetable-filled buns and a big bowl of noodles."

  Jiang often asked him, and he would answer in this way.

  Song Mo was listening and his tears were about to fall.

  He sent away Li Bai and whispered to Song Han, "I wasn't even at home when Mother passed away. Tell me about her, okay?" A look of deep longing.

  Song Han did not suspect that there was anything else, and he rubbed his eyes and choked with sobs: "Not long after you left, mother fell ill. At first, she just felt weak and had no energy, but gradually she couldn't get out of bed. Father asked Yang Xiu-shan to come and diagnose mother's illness, but after taking several doses of his medicine, there was no improvement. Father then changed to Huang Zhong-li, but mother's illness became even more severe. Just as the Empress Dowager came to visit mother and recommended Ren Cong-ming, mother again used Ren Cong-ming's prescription, but it still didn't work. Father took charge and changed back to Yang Xiu-shan..."

  Huang Zhongli and Ren Chongming were both renowned imperial physicians. One was accustomed to treating the Emperor, while the other was accustomed to treating the Empress Dowager. Huang Zhongli was also the head of the Imperial Hospital. If there was a problem with Yang Xiu's prescription, it is unlikely that neither of them would notice, and it is also unlikely that Father could simultaneously manipulate all three imperial physicians into writing prescriptions according to his will.

  In other words, Mother is really ill...

  Song Mo thought for a moment and asked Song Han: "Mother is ill, who is attending to her by her bedside?"

  "It was me." Song Han said. "Zhu Jun and Qing Li took turns helping my mother decoct medicine, I served by the bed." As he spoke, he seemed to remember something interesting and smiled with his mouth pursed up, "It turned out that my mother and I were both afraid of bitterness, every time we drank medicine, if not added a lot of rock sugar..." As he spoke, his eyes filled with tears, "Every year during the Spring Festival, my mother would personally make new clothes for me, and also give me golden beans as lucky money..."

  He let out a "wow" and burst into tears.

  Song Mo's eyes were also moist at the corners.

  He used a handkerchief to help his brother wipe away tears: "Okay, Tian'en, don't cry! In the future, big brother will give you golden beans as birthday money, let..." Who can replace mother to make new clothes for Song Han? He didn't even have a wife... Suddenly, in his mind appeared the image of Duan Zhao squatting in the flower field digging chrysanthemums.

  Generous, natural, and unaffected by glory or shame... If it were her, how would she comfort her younger brother?

  Song Mo didn't have time to think carefully, and this idea flashed by in an instant.

  He coaxed Song Han: "Brother will let Pear White make new clothes for you. Is that okay?"

  "I don't want new clothes!" Song Han sobbed, "I want Mother... I want Mother..."

  Song Mo's expression turned gloomy, and he silently wiped away Song Han's tears.

  Song Han cried for a while. As his emotions gradually calmed down, he said to Song Mo: "Brother, I don't want new clothes or golden beans anymore."

  A few words made Song Mo's heart even more sour and bitter.

  He gently patted his brother's hand.

  The two brothers stood silently facing each other for a long time before Song Mo spoke in a low voice, "Did Mother entrust you with anything before she passed away?"

  Song Han shook his head: "Mother was unable to speak before she passed away!"

  Song Mo was shocked.

  Mother was strong all her life, even if she couldn't speak before her death, and had been bedridden for a long time. She must have made some arrangements beforehand. It's impossible that she didn't leave any last words for the two brothers before passing away like this.

  "What's going on here?" He couldn't help but burst into great anger, although he knew he shouldn't lose his temper in front of his younger brother. With great effort, he suppressed this emotion deep down, but the indignation that flashed out from his eyes still gave Song Han a big fright.

  "That day, the weather was good, and Shie Aunt brought the maids to make a lot of Osmanthus cake...". He stuttered, "Father accompanied Mother to sit under the veranda to appreciate chrysanthemums. I went to help Shie Aunt carry the Osmanthus cake, and when I came back, Father and Mother were both expressionless and not speaking. Mother forced herself to eat a mouthful of Osmanthus cake and said it was a bit cold outside, asking Li Bai to take me back to change clothes...I knew they must have something to say and didn't want me to hear it. I walked halfway and then turned back...Shie Aunt and the maids serving Mother were all standing in the courtyard...I took advantage of Shie Aunt's carelessness and ran up to the veranda...Mother and Father were quarreling...quarreling fiercely! Before I could make out what they were saying, I was scooped up by Shie Aunt under the grape arbor...Shie Aunt also warned me that no one could mention Mother and Father's quarrel..." He said this far, looking at Song Mo with terror, "Brother, I didn't tell anyone!"

  It was as if a huge wave had come crashing down, drenching Song Mo to the bone.

  He knew his brother needed comfort at this time, but he just couldn't bring himself to smile.

  He patted Song Han's head gently and asked in a low voice, "What happened next?"

  Later, I was taken back to the house by Pear White," Song Han said with his head down, tears falling onto his green bat-head shoes. "Then, Qing Li came to call me and told me that my mother was in critical condition, asking me to hurry over... When I ran over, I saw my mother vomiting blood in large mouthfuls..." He buried his face in Song Mo's bedhead and wept uncontrollably, "Father went forward but was pushed away by Mother..."

  Everything in front of Song Mo was blurry.

  It turned out that mother had died of vomiting blood after a quarrel with father!

  What is it that causes such a big gap between mother and father?

  Is it related to your uncles?

  He thought carefully and rejected this idea.

  The matter of the uncles has already been settled and did not harm the interests of the Song family. Mother is a sensible person, even if Father didn't do his best to help the uncles when they were in trouble, or even if he just went through the motions, Mother wouldn't blame Father for it - Father represents the British Consulate, and the British Consulate has always been loyal only to the Emperor, Mother understands this clearly, and it's impossible that she would be so angry about this matter that she would die from rage.

  Is this thing related to being framed?

  What could make a father want to harm his own son whom he had carefully nurtured?

  I wish I knew why Mom and Dad were fighting.

  Now that Shao-yi is gone, those few senior maids have become crucial!

  When the mother and father were quarreling, although they stood in the yard, Song Han said that the mother and father were quarreling fiercely, and they should be able to hear a few words. There are also those who frame themselves, which is also one of these big girls. To say that there is no connection between them, I'm afraid no one would believe it!

  He made a gesture of desperation, wrote several letters to the three princesses and others, asking them to help him smooth out his relationship. He hoped to see the emperor as soon as possible. If his father didn't have a valid reason, he might not be able to pass the imperial court. His father should also understand this point, otherwise he wouldn't have hastily summoned Tao Zhi to come back in an unfavorable situation.

  Once the father decided to compromise, in order not to be caught off guard, the father would definitely silence those "witnesses" who had framed him or been bought by the father.

  At that time, he only needs to send someone to closely monitor his father's subordinates, and he can find out the whereabouts of those few big girls.

  Thinking of this, Song Mo felt it was necessary to remind his subordinates a few more times.

  After comforting Song Han, he called a few guards to escort Song Han and Li Bai to the mourning hall. Then he called Xiaolong in and instructed him to send someone to find several senior maidservants around Jiangshi.

  Xia Lian responded with a respectful tone, "Yes." A guard came in and reported, "Mr. Tao requests an audience!"

  Song Mo's eyelids didn't even lift once as he faintly said "I won't see him".

  "The pottery outside seemed to have known the answer already, and before the guard turned around, he loudly said: 'Young Master, there are no parents in the world who are not wrong. Those guards you killed should be killed, and they should also vent their anger. In a few more days, it will be the wife's third seven-day mourning period, and the dead are more important. You can't let your wife leave without peace, right? I came this time on the orders of the Duke to discuss with Young Master the matter of the wife's third seven-day mourning ceremony. Young Master is angry and resentful in his heart, but looking at his wife's face, he should also get through these few days first. What do you think?"

  Song Mo felt an excruciating pain in his heart as he listened.

  Even now, Father still wants to take advantage of his respect for Mother...

  He took a few deep breaths before he could steady his voice and prevent it from shaking.

  "Come in!" Song Mo said calmly to the figure outside the window.

  Taoyi hurriedly and respectfully bowed towards Song Mo's inner chamber before entering.

  "Please sit down, Mr. Tao!" Song Mo had already regained his former calm demeanor and instructed the guard to serve tea to Mr. Tao, saying "The maids of Yuizhitang are all injured, so I'm afraid we can only inconvenience you."

  "Where, where!" The pottery maker hastily bowed his head and said respectfully, "To say it, this matter was all the doing of a wicked person, Master Guo was deceived, and you were also wronged..."

  "So that's to say, Father already thinks he was wrong?" Song Mo interrupted Tao Qiang's words calmly, his eyes staring intensely at Tao Qiang's.

  The pottery was heavy and he hadn't expected Song Mo to be so sharp, he couldn't help but bitterly smile.

  If he admitted that the British Consul was wrong, they would have to cede territory and pay compensation to Song Mo; but if he didn't admit that the British Consul was wrong... He thought of the sentries posted every five steps and the guards stationed every ten steps on his way here, he thought of the letters Song Mo had sent out, he thought of the corpses piled up in the center of the courtyard yesterday, he thought of the guards surrounding Song Han.

  He somewhat uncomfortably cleared his throat and softly muttered a response of "yes".

  "Well then," Song Mo gazed at Tao Qianhe with a hint of a smile, "I ask Father to maintain my dignity as the young master and behead those petty men to serve as a warning!"

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  Book-reading sisters and brothers, today's update is finally back to normal!

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