Chapter Sixty-Four: Double Standards or Grandmother's Double Standards

Returning to the Prime Minister’s residence, Song Ci stopped Song Ruqi just as she was about to get into the carriage.

Song Ruqi was startled, thinking she would be reprimanded like her cousin. She instinctively straightened her posture, visibly nervous.

“Ruqi, though you are a lady of the Prime Minister’s house, you are only the second young miss. If you ever meet Zhao Mingyao again, remember that she is a county princess. She holds a rank and a title, whereas you have none; she outranks you.” Song Ci spoke gently, “You’re about to come of age, and your marriage can’t be delayed much longer. It’s unnecessary to jeopardize your reputation over marriage arrangements by acting without regard for rank, speaking sharply, or trading insults. If she were to slap you, you’d have no grounds to complain.”

Song Ruqi felt wronged, her eyes reddening.

“Respecting her status doesn’t mean you must humble yourself. It’s simply a reminder to be cautious, so you don’t give anyone leverage against you—it gains nothing and loses much.”

“But you said, if someone bullies me, I should fight back. Is this still fighting back?” Song Ruqi couldn’t help but argue.

Song Ci blinked. “If you can’t win, just run. If the other party is stronger, what’s the point of fighting? Of course you run. If you don’t, you’re only inviting trouble by acting tough.”

Song Ruqi: “……”

Double standards, truly you are the master of them—never consistent.

Seeing her puffed-up expression, eyes red like a little rabbit, Song Ci couldn’t help but reach out and pinch her cheek. “Don’t be upset. If you must fight, use the right method.”

“What method?”

Song Ci paused, then replied mysteriously, “Guess. I’m tired today. I’ll teach you about life another time. Let’s go.”

Without waiting for the young girl’s reply, she patted the oil-papered carriage and urged it forward.

Song Ruqi stared in bewilderment as her grandmother made her escape. Once the carriage was out of sight, she turned to Granny Gong, asking, “Granny Gong, do you think Grandmother hasn’t fully recovered yet?”

Her behavior was odd, nothing like the grandmother she remembered. And she called her Ruqi? What nonsense!

Granny Gong watched the distant carriage, her eyes flickering. “Perhaps. The Grand Lady has forgotten many things.”

Song Ruqi’s heart thumped with anxiety.

Granny Gong curtsied to Song Ruqi, ordered someone to help her into the carriage, and quickly followed Song Ci.

Song Ruwei returned to Plum Garden in silence, threw herself into Lady Lu’s arms, and burst into tears.

Lady Lu was surprised and quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Weren’t you out shopping with your grandmother? Why are you back crying?”

“Mother, Grandmother surely hates me now, sob, sob.” Song Ruwei was nearly gasping from how hard she cried.

Lady Lu was alarmed and pressed for details, but her daughter only wept. She had to summon Ruwei’s maid, Jade, for answers.

Jade didn’t know what happened in the carriage, so she could only share what she knew. It was Song Ruwei herself who produced the hairpin and explained to Lady Lu.

“Mother, do you think Grandmother hates me now? Is she blaming me for embarrassing her?”

Lady Lu held her daughter’s arms. “Tell me, was your grandmother right? Did you truly want that hairpin but pretended to be generous?”

Song Ruwei froze, her face showing panic. “I—I… She’s a county princess. I just didn’t want to offend her. Yet Grandmother said I was after a reputation.”

“You were right not to want to offend her, but you shouldn’t have contradicted your grandmother in front of everyone. You could have sent the county princess the hairpin afterwards. Now, as things stand, you’re neither here nor there—the one embarrassed is you.” Lady Lu scolded gently.

“So, I was wrong?”

Lady Lu replied, “You weren’t wrong, but you handled it poorly. Next time, take this as a lesson. Don’t let yourself end up in an awkward position; always think things through.”

Song Ruwei lowered her head. Yet, perhaps Grandmother’s words held some truth. She hadn’t wanted to yield, but for the sake of reputation, was yielding truly the right choice?