Binding Spring Love

The maids in the courtyard all turned their heads away, but Lin Jiayue cried and said, "I didn't know it would be like this, I really didn't know it would be like this."

Vanilla glared at her fiercely, then strode back into the house.

Inside the room, Song Wan was still holding the golden tiger tightly, while Hengwu stood to the side with red eyes, not daring to say anything to persuade her.

"Miss……"

Hengzhi brought over a nanmu wood box containing small quilts, cloth bells, and other items that Song Wan had sewn by hand. Each item had the three characters "Golden Tiger" embroidered on its edges.

Jiang Xingjian saw a room full of maids calling him "Miss" and "Miss," and although he was displeased, he didn't say anything.

He could also imagine what kind of life Song Wan had been living for the past six years.

A woman in her late teens should be enjoying the care of her father and brothers, and the love of her husband, but instead she is left alone as a widow, with only a beast by her side. It must have been quite difficult for her.

"Don't be sad, I'll find you an exact replica later."

It would have been better if Jiang Xingjian hadn't said those words. As soon as he did, Song Wan couldn't help but turn her head away and refuse to look at him again.

After a long while, she held the stiff and cold body, her voice choked with sobs, and said, "Send the old man out."

Having been told to leave, Jiang Xingjian had no choice but to stand up and walk to the carved window, where he saw Lin Jiayue sitting outside, covering her face and crying bitterly.

Jiang Xingjian stopped and said in a low voice, "Jia Yue didn't mean it. I asked the little girl who delivered the medicine, and she misunderstood Jia Yue's meaning and went to the stable to ask for medicine to deworm the horses..."

"Sir, you've had a busy day. Go back to Xiuyan Pavilion and rest."

Hengzhi stood in front of him, blocking Jiang Xingjian's entire view.

Jiang Xingjian raised an eyebrow, seeing that all the girls in the room had red eyes, and could only force himself to suppress his anger.

After he left, Song Wancai, comforted by Xiangcao, put the golden tiger into the nanmu box.

"Miss, please don't cry."

Granny Zhao, her eyes also red, said, "The return of the young master is a joyous occasion, you must not shed tears in front of others. At best, you'll be seen as ungrateful, at worst, you'll be burdened with bad luck. If word gets to the ears of the old lady and madam, it will be even worse."

Those who know say that Miss is kind and benevolent, while those who don't might make up stories about how you don't like the master's return to the mansion.

"Granny, let Miss rest alone. You all stay with me."

Hengzhi gestured for everyone in the room to leave the bedroom, and only when they were alone could Song Wancai finally let her tears flow freely.

She packed the Buddhist scriptures and eulogies she had written for the golden tiger, along with the little guy's toys and freshly dried fish from the kitchen, into a box. She also put in the little jacket she had been sewing but hadn't finished a few days earlier.

It wasn't until it got dark that Zhao Mama urged her to have her meal again before she finally closed the box and instructed Hengzhi to bury the golden tiger in the flower bed under her window.

Song Wan leaned against the window, watching blankly as the two sisters filled the hole with soil.

Looking up, she saw the remaining eleven wooden carvings and casually grabbed three and threw them out the window.

The next day, Song Wan waited at the courtyard gate early. Jiang Xingjian saw that she looked normal, except that her eyelids were slightly red. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly that she was indeed a girl raised by the Song family.

"Please go first, my husband."

Song Wanfu gestured for Jiang Xingjian to go first. When they were almost at Fuhe Hall, she suddenly asked, "The other day my husband said he wanted Miss Lin to learn more about etiquette. Was he really sincere?"

"nature."

Lin Jiayue's lack of manners and the resulting embarrassment were truly unseemly, even to him.

"Wan'er understands."

Song Wan accompanied Jiang Xingjian into Fuhe Hall. After the two paid their respects to Old Madam Jiang and Jiang's mother, Old Madam Jiang first brought up the Golden Tiger: "It's such a tragedy... It's a pity about that little thing. It's gone now. You two only had these few years of fate together. Wan'er, remember not to be too sad. Take good care of your health."

"Grandmother is right, Wan'er knows that."

Jiang's mother was quite indignant upon hearing this: "Isn't that a sin? How can someone from such a humble family not control themselves? She thinks Wan'er's dress is nice, and she thinks her cat is nice too. I've never seen such a shallow person in my life."

Jiang Xingjian remained silent. Upon hearing this, Song Wan said, "Now that Miss Lin has entered the Marquis's residence, it's not appropriate for her to stay there as an outsider every day. This practice of not giving her a proper title while accepting her into the household is truly undignified. If word gets out, people will only say that the Marquis's residence is improper."

Jiang's mother nodded: "That's a fair point."

"Although my husband has never given Miss Lin a proper status, as her legal wife, I cannot sit idly by and let her continue to be so unruly."

Song Wan raised her head and said calmly, "Logically speaking, since Miss Lin saved my husband, she should be given a high position, but unfortunately, she and her husband did not have a matchmaker, so they made a private vow..."

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Jiang frowned: "A high position? What high position does a lowly woman who has been involved in illicit affairs want? If all women enter the Marquis's mansion through such licentious behavior and can obtain a high position, what kind of place is the Marquis's mansion?"

Jiang Xingjian was caught off guard by Song Wan's sudden suggestion to take a concubine, but he had no way to refute it.

He and Lin Jiayue did indeed have moral failings, and there's nothing more to say about that.

If it weren't for Song Wan, he could have persuaded his grandmother and mother to let him marry Lin Jiayue, but now... talking about it further would only tarnish Jiayue's reputation.

"So Wan'er thought, why not take advantage of the joyous occasion of her husband's return home and handle the matter of taking a concubine at the same time? That would make things more lively."

Song Wan took out two thin slips of paper from her sleeve, on which were written the woman's name and date of birth: "Now that we have taken Miss Lin as a concubine, it is time to give Huaisu his status as well."

Madam Jiang sighed, "Let's just take her in once. Huaisu's wait is no easier than Wan'er's."

In noble families, the girls who serve the men personally usually follow this path.

Song Wan handed the two invitation cards to Jiang's mother, who looked at them with delight: "Wan'er is undoubtedly virtuous, and Yi'er must have accumulated a lot of good fortune in his past lives to be able to marry such a good match."

Jiang's mother continued, "Logically speaking, Huaisu could be promoted to a concubine, but she was born into the old lady's household, so it wouldn't be appropriate to give her such a low status. I'm thinking of promoting Huaisu to a concubine of higher rank. What do you think, Wan'er?"

Song Wan said, "Huaisu is gentle and meticulous, so Mother's idea is most suitable."

Madam Jiang nodded with a smile: "This Miss Lin is lacking in virtue and is truly unfit for a high position. If she were given the position of a concubine, wouldn't that imply that Huaisu is of similar character?"

"No, no, that won't work."

With a wave of her hand, Madam Jiang handed the invitation to the servant beside her: "Promote Huaisu as a concubine of good quality, and take Lin Jiayue as a concubine of low quality. Both of them shall share the same monthly allowance, according to the usual allowances of the household."

"Mother."

Jiang Xingjian looked at his mother disapprovingly, but his mother smiled and said that men should not interfere in matters of the inner courtyard, thus brushing him off.

Women from humble families often think they can rely on a man's favor to overpower the legitimate wife, but they don't realize that marriages between powerful families are not just about one person.

She had previously been too lazy to argue with Lin Jiayue, simply because she felt that although the other party was reckless and unreasonable, it didn't really affect her. It wasn't until yesterday that she realized she shouldn't have been so soft-hearted.

Lin Jiayue's talk of "one life, one love" is shameless and laughable.

Looking at Jiang Xingjian's expression, Song Wanxin felt sorry for him even though he hadn't mentioned his real purpose for today.

Thinking of this, Song Wan spoke calmly: "Grandmother, Mother, Wan'er has another request."