When Madam Song returned to the main courtyard, Song Zhiyuan was reclining on the Arhat bed by the south window, reading a book. She was somewhat surprised and stepped forward to greet him.
"It's rare for the Prime Minister to return so early today. The Longevity Festival banquet was so lively, I thought the Emperor would keep the Prime Minister in the palace to talk."
Song Zhiyuan looked up and laughed, "Today is the Emperor's Longevity Festival. He always dines with the Empress Dowager on this day, so I returned early. You went to the Duke Zhongyong Mansion to speak with your mother-in-law?"
Madam Song paused her hand, summoned two maidservants to help her remove her hairpins and change her clothes, and said, "Mother wasn't feeling quite well, so I went back to say a few words to her. Actually, it was because of the eldest sister-in-law's antics, but it wasn't much."
"Oh?"
