To say whom Song Ci fears the most in the Prime Minister's Mansion, it would be none other than the one before her eyes, her eldest son.
It's often said that there's a bond between a mother and her son, and this handsome uncle is well-versed in political intrigue, with a keen and quick mind. Could he possibly see through her true nature?
Well, if he sees through it, so be it. If he can work some magic to send her back to the modern era, she wouldn't mind.
But even with this thought, she still felt a bit anxious at heart.
"Mother?" Song Zhiyuan frowned as he looked at Song Ci, wondering why she was just staring at him without speaking.
Song Ci snapped back to reality, exclaimed, "I'm fine here. You've just come back from court, no need to rush to see me. Go handle your matters."
Song Zhiyuan laughed and said, "I've just come to check on you, Mother. Seeing that you're in good spirits, I'm relieved."
Song Ci thought to herself, if you hadn't come, I'd be more at ease, not worried and afraid of being exposed. In front of you, my son, I'm really anxious!
The more she says, the more mistakes she might make, so Song Ci simply stopped talking, closing her eyes, pretending to be tired.
"Are you tired, Mother?"
Song Ci immediately opened her eyes, "A bit. Are you leaving? Then hurry up."
Song Zhiyuan: "..."
Suddenly, he felt like he was being despised by his mother. What to do?
"Alright, alright, I'll be leaving now. The palace has bestowed a lot of supplements, Mother. Don't save them. Have the small kitchen cook them in different ways for you. If they run out, have Madam Gu send more to you."
"Got it."
Seeing her looking tired, Song Zhiyuan didn't linger. He got up to leave, but before he left, he glanced at Nanny Gong.
Nanny Gong said, "Madam, allow me to escort the Prime Minister out."
The hierarchy was clear, and Song Ci still understood it. Hearing this, she dismissively waved her hand.
Nanny Gong lagged behind Song Zhiyuan by one step, escorting him out of the house. In the courtyard, she shooed away the people following, and they spoke one-on-one.
"Was Madam upset by some fool today?" Song Zhiyuan's tone was calm.
But Nanny Gong shivered slightly, looking with some reverence at the tall and upright man ahead of her.
Even from the back, he carried an irresistible authority.
Nanny Gong said softly, "Rest assured, Prime Minister. No one would dare upset Madam. Madam sees it all as a mere spectacle; those clowns, she doesn't regard them at all."
Song Zhiyuan was the person with the most power in this residence. Every move in this mansion was reported to him, so naturally, he knew whether Song Ci was really upset or not.
"Is there anything wrong with Madam?"
Nanny Gong replied respectfully, "Other than forgetting a few things, everything else is well."
Song Zhiyuan paused, slightly turned his head, his expression somewhat stern, "Forgetting things?"
"The memories are a bit blurry."
Song Zhiyuan pursed his thin lips, saying, "Physician Lu said that with her illness, her temperament might change, and she might not remember things clearly. With time, she might lose her mind. Please pay extra attention, Nanny Gong."
Nanny Gong was shocked and nodded heavily.
Song Zhiyuan left, returning to his heavily guarded study, and summoned the mansion's advisor to discuss his concerns.
"The Emperor has been growing more suspicious these past two years. I fear with Mother's illness, rumors abound; if they reach the Emperor's ears, who knows how he'd take it, and if he'd suspect us?"
Advisor Jun stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, then said, "I don't think it's reached that point yet. The Emperor wants to abolish the old system and reform, and he must rely on you, Prime Minister. However, the distinction between sovereign and minister remains. It's best for you to maintain a certain distance from the Emperor. As long as you're loyal to the Emperor and prioritize him, there's no need to worry for now."
After hearing this, Song Zhiyuan said, "Perhaps I'm overthinking. The higher the position, the more lonely it feels."
Even though he had a bond with the Emperor in their childhood, over the years, they remained sovereign and minister, a distinction he always kept in mind.