Chapter 71 - 70: Taking Office
Early in the morning, Song Yu prepared some gifts and went to the Song Residence with Zhao Huaiming, who happened to have a day off, to congratulate her younger brother on his further advancement in his career.
Song Changming also congratulated Song Yu on her pregnancy.
Since the eldest and second brothers passed away, the relationship between the sister and brother has been very good.
They have looked out for each other since childhood, without any barriers.
Today, it was rare for the family to reunite for a meal.
"I really didn’t expect that the timid and weak Changming of our childhood would today become the Patrol Captain at the Public Security Bureau in the County City." Song Yu smiled at her younger brother, full of emotion.
Now married, her hair was pinned up. Although not very old, she had matured significantly, and the slightly rebellious youthful aura of a few years ago had vanished.
Both Song Changming and Song Yu have changed a lot over the years.
"That’s why once a person opens up their spirit, everything changes. The past is past, the present is now, and the future is yet to come..." Father Song chuckled while sipping his drink.
These days, he couldn’t stop smiling.
In his view, Song Changming suddenly opened his spiritual acupoint, only then did he begin to become extraordinary.
In the past, Song Changming avoided trouble, but now he is clearly more ambitious and aggressive, daring to fight for progress with steadiness.
These changes, as the people closest to Song Changming, they naturally noticed and felt gratified by.
Everyone had an enjoyable meal, except Zhao Huaiming seemed to have something on his mind and drank a bit too much, getting slightly tipsy.
Song Changming noticed and went to the courtyard after the meal to find Zhao Huaiming sobering up.
"Brother-in-law, is something troubling you?"
Song Changming also had some matters he wanted to discuss with Zhao Huaiming privately, so he took the initiative to ask.
"Changming." Zhao Huaiming sat by the stone table, letting out a breath of alcohol, nodded, and said, "You saw right through me, I’ve indeed been worried about something recently."
Song Changming listened quietly without pressing further.
"I want to remarry your sister as my wife, but my father is firmly against it, and I can’t convince him..."
Listening to this, Song Changming’s heart moved, and he roughly understood Zhao Huaiming’s thoughts.
It’s undeniable that this is rather a bold decision.
In the past of the Da Han Dynasty, wives and concubines were strictly different; a wife was a wife, and a concubine was a concubine.
A woman who had become a concubine seemed to carry an indelible mark and could not change her status.
If the status was overstepped, both the woman and her husband’s family would face legal consequences from the government.
It is precisely because of these legal stipulations that for a long time, the distinction between wives and concubines in the Da Han Dynasty has been deeply ingrained in people’s minds.
Even though this law has been repealed, and a woman’s label as wife or concubine is no longer a lifelong determinative, and concubines can nominally become wives again,
The old mindset still persists, and truly daring to make such a change is extremely rare.
Zhao Huaiming is challenging this deeply entrenched mindset.
Zhao Dezhi, considering this old mindset, believes it would be humiliating and thus leaves no room for discussion.
Perhaps speaking with the honesty brought by alcohol, Zhao Huaiming shared a lot with Song Changming, expressing frustrations and seeming to hold some resentment towards his father.
Some words, once spoken, go against the mainstream values of loyalty, righteousness, and filial piety of this era.
If it weren’t for Song Changming being a more open-minded time traveler, this might have landed him in trouble if said to others.
"I don’t care about wife or concubine, in this life, I only want Yu’Er!" Zhao Huaiming said, slapping the stone table.
Song Changming noticed Song Yu behind the room door listening to Zhao Huaiming, deeply moved, smiling yet crying.
He also recognized this brother-in-law, who never neglected his third sister over the years and never took another wife or concubine.
Among the Zhao Family, he only had a good impression of this brother-in-law.
In fact, he had also considered resolving his third sister Song Yu’s lifelong matter once he obtained some power after going to the General Department.
His idea was similar to Zhao Huaiming’s, wanting the Zhao Family to honorably remarry his third sister as the primary wife.
Even if the Zhao Family refused, he was prepared to use his power to coerce them!
In the past, when the Song Family was in dire straits, and he was too young to decide on his third sister’s marriage.
Now, the Song Family is no longer the family of those days, and he can now stand up for his third sister!
He no longer wanted this matter to be delayed.
"To be honest, I originally had this thought as well. Since brother-in-law agrees, I will go talk to Captain Zhao." Song Changming said slowly.
Zhao Huaiming was taken aback, sobering up a bit by what Song Changming said, nodded seriously with a clear mind, "Changming, I leave this to you. It would be for the best if it succeeds."
He thought that perhaps Song Changming’s current status and power might have some influence, and it might really work.
That evening, after Zhao Huaiming sobered up, Song Changming accompanied him to visit the Zhao Residence.
In Zhao Dezhi’s study room.
The two met without a third person present.
Song Changming glanced at the traditionally decorated study, with writing utensils complete on the table and numerous books neatly arranged on the shelves.
It was only the few long swords hanging on the wall that slightly disrupted the scholarly atmosphere.
Though the two families were related by marriage, it was the first time in the Zhao Residence that Song Changming and Zhao Dezhi met privately without wearing official uniforms.
"I didn’t have a chance to congratulate Patrol Guard on your transfer to the General Department. I wonder what brings Patrol Guard here tonight?" Zhao Dezhi first congratulated Song Changming with a complex expression, then asked.