I dress up as a poor noblewoman, and I bring my whole family home with my literary talent.

Chapter 26 Song Family's Eldest Sister Song Zhirou

"willing!"

Song Lingyi replied hurriedly: "I am just very surprised. I never thought that I could be a female official one day. I am afraid that I will not be able to do the job and disappoint your majesty and the princess..."

"You are quite honest, kid."

"The ladies-in-waiting in the palace have to go through a strict selection process. I am only giving you a chance. Whether you can stay or not depends on your own ability."

The empress patted the hand on her shoulder, indicating that Yu Youzhi didn't need to serve her anymore. Yu Youzhi's hand slowly and gracefully slid down from the empress's shoulder.

Song Lingyi felt a sudden tingling sensation all over her body as she watched the intimate interaction between the two. She couldn't help but think of the Emperor Wu in history, who also had male favorites and even established the Konghe Mansion to gather male favorites to entertain himself in his later years.

At this moment, a eunuch came to report: "Your Majesty, the princess is here."

After a while, the gauze curtain was lifted, and Princess Qi Yang walked over. When she saw Song Lingyi, there was no surprise in her eyes, but she smiled faintly, "Mother, I have just been looking for Miss Song in the front yard for a long time, and I didn't expect that she would be here with you."

In fact, it was the maid who reported that Yu Youzhi had led Song Lingyi to the tower. Princess Qi Yang was always cautious, and although she and Yu Youzhi had kept their distance, this man was very scheming, so she had to be on guard.

Yu Youzhi bowed and said respectfully, "Your humble servant pays his respects to Her Royal Highness the Princess." This time the ceremony was more complete than the one outside the Xuanzheng Hall. In front of the empress, he did not dare to openly disregard Princess Qi Yang.

Princess Qi Yang's father died early, and her father's family was far away in the southwest and had no power in the court.

More than 20 years ago, the empress was still a princess. Even though she was brave and good at fighting and had made many military achievements, the late emperor was afraid that she would become a hen that crows at dawn, so he betrothed her to Princess Qi Yang's biological father Guo Cunli, hoping to trap her in the harem and make her behave herself in the future.

The birth of Princess Qi Yang was another shackle for the empress.

The empress said, "You've come just in time. This little girl said she was lost. Now that you're here, send someone to take her back."

Princess Qi Yang glanced at Song Lingyi and said gently, "Don't blame me, Queen Mother. This is Miss Song's first time coming to the Princess's Mansion. It's all the fault of the maids in the mansion who were careless and didn't know how to follow me properly. I didn't mean to bother you, Queen Mother."

Then he called his personal maid and escorted Song Lingyi out of the building.

…………

The birthday party is over and the guests are leaving one after another
Mr. Song got drunk at the banquet and his steps were unsteady. Madam Song helped him into the carriage with a sullen face.

It must be said that Master Song was a carefree person. It was said that scholars looked down on each other. He came to the princess' banquet without any official position, and it didn't matter if he was not welcomed by the dignitaries at the banquet. He was only thinking about drinking up the two jars of imperial wine.

The four sisters rode in a carriage together. Song Lingyi knew that her lover was also at the birthday party just by looking at Song Xianglan's happy face.

When we returned to the Song family, it was already dusk.

Zhao Xiaoniang was still waiting under the eaves outside the east wing. Just as she was about to pull Song Lingwan into the house to chat, the drunken Mr. Song asked her to serve him. Zhao Xiaoniang was overjoyed and helped Mr. Song into her room.

This night, the Song Mansion was rarely peaceful.
On the afternoon of the next day, someone from the palace came to announce the imperial decree and brought a lot of rewards, ordering Song Lingyi to enter the palace on the eighth day of the next month.

After the leading eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, the entire Song family expressed their gratitude together, but each member had different thoughts in their hearts.

Mr. Song is a stubborn person. He is naturally happy that someone in the Song family can become an official, even if it is a small matter, as it can be regarded as a continuation of the glory of their ancestors. From today on, Mrs. Song will no longer dare to call Song Lingyi a debt collector, but she is arrogant and will never bow her head to please others. Mrs. Zhou is a profit-seeking person. She will please anyone who can bring her benefits. For a while, her relationship with Song Lingyi is even closer than that of her own mother.

Song Lingyi held the bright yellow silk book in her hands, her heart pounding. She never thought her father would not have the chance to become an official, but she did.

However, all the rewards from the palace were locked up in the storeroom by Madam Song, under the pretext that the princess's rewards were valuable and had to be kept well. Not only could Song Lingyi not touch them, but Master Song, who was waiting to use the money to spend at a brothel, could not touch them either.

The Song family was blessed with a young talented woman, and all of Chang'an knew that the Song family had a talented woman, who was favored by Princess Qi Yang and promoted to be a female official in the palace. In the past few days, many literati and elegant guests came to visit, and various banquets were invited.

During this period, Mr. Song and Mrs. Song were very proud, as if they had returned to the days when their grandparents were still alive and the Song family was always crowded with people. It just so happened that the eldest sister, who had already married, wrote a letter saying that she would go back to her parents' home with her husband to visit her parents, and Mr. Song was so happy that he waved his hand and planned to hold a banquet at Fengxian Tower.

Speaking of the eldest sister, Song Lingyi has been in Daliang for so long but has never seen her once. She only heard the fourth sister mention her occasionally. The eldest sister married Pang Xiucai from the east of the city. The Pang family is not a wealthy family, but fortunately, the eldest son of the Pang family studies hard and passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen. He has been diligent and hardworking for seven years and is waiting to register for the imperial examination in November this year, hoping to pass the imperial examination in February next year.

The Song family had fallen on hard times, so it was thoughtful of Mrs. Song to find this marriage for her eldest sister.

The sun is scorching, the flowers are blooming and the willows are lush

When the eldest sister wrote in her letter about the date of the visit

Madam Song was so excited that she couldn't sleep the whole night. She got up early and urged the servants to clean the house inside and out, waiting for her eldest sister and her husband to come back.

After a long wait, the Pang family's carriage arrived at the Song Mansion before noon.

Song Lingyi finally met the eldest sister of the Song family - Song Zhirou. The eldest sister was as her name suggested, delicate and beautiful. Even in the hot summer, she was still wearing long sleeves and a high collar, and the fabric was thick, but she was not afraid of getting prickly heat.

Madam Song held Song Zhirou's hand tightly, her eyes red with excitement, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." She looked at her eldest daughter carefully again, frowning slightly, "It's only been half a year since we last met, how come you've lost so much weight?"

Song Zhirou smiled and said, "The weather is hot, and I don't have much appetite, so I naturally lost some weight."

Mrs. Song's eyes were filled with pity. After all, she was her firstborn daughter, and she loved her like her own treasure.

Mr. Song leaned his head forward and waited for a long time but didn't see Mr. Pang get off the car. He frowned slightly and asked, "Didn't Mr. Pang come back with you?"

"Yes, yes, sister, doesn't the letter say that your brother-in-law will be coming too?" Song Xianglan echoed.

Song Zhirou's face froze, "My husband was not feeling well before he left, so he couldn't come back with me."

Mr. Song was slightly disappointed and stopped talking.

"I haven't congratulated Lele on her upcoming entry into the palace as a female official." Song Zhirou waved her hand and asked the maid to bring down the prepared gifts. She looked at Song Lingyi with an especially earnest gaze, "Lele has grown up in the blink of an eye. I have heard about the poems you wrote in the Pang family. They are really good. You must have worked hard in your daily life. You have won the favor of the princess. You must have a bright future in the future."

Song Lingyi smiled sweetly and replied, "Thank you for your kind words, elder sister."

The family went to the main hall in a lively atmosphere. The table was filled with delicious fish and meat, which cost at least half a month's food expenses. This was enough to show how much Madam Song valued Song Zhirou.

After lunch, everyone went back to their rooms to take a nap, but they didn't expect that their father and mother in the hall started arguing again.

Song Lingwan didn't dare to watch her father and mother quarreling, but she couldn't resist Song Lingyi's curiosity, so she quietly went to the back door and eavesdropped.

(End of this chapter)