Binding Spring Love

Song Wan was lost in thought when Hengwu walked in carrying a Xuan kiln porcelain plate.

Behind her followed a maid who set out the food. The group worked quickly and soon had the table full of dishes. Song Wan asked Hengzhi to take care of the cat, while she sat down next to Jiang Xingjian.

On the table were six palm-sized jade lotus leaf plates, two white jade soup bowls, and sixteen small pink and white saucers.

The six main dishes consist of four hot dishes and two cold dishes: stir-fried lamb tripe, braised chicken with bamboo shoots, stewed ham with fish maw, and stewed chicken with wild mushrooms. The small kitchen also prepared cold dishes, including cold pickled vegetables and fresh bamboo shoots stir-fried in chili oil.

Song Wan prefers light flavors, so she made shrimp and bamboo shoot soup for her separately, while the other dish was scallop and pigeon soup made by Jiang Xingjian.

The Ru kiln small dishes were arranged in a set of four, each containing a portion of pastries, dried fruit, candied fruit, and refreshing side dishes.

Jiang Xingjian picked up a piece of crab dumpling and put it in his mouth.

The crab flavor was fresh, sweet, and delicate. Although it was just a small dish, it still showed the chef's skill.

The two ate in silence, their movements light and quiet. Song Wan only took a couple of bites, and Jiang Xingjian knew she had finished eating, but out of courtesy, she could not put down her chopsticks first.

The dignified and courteous manners of those around him were ingrained in their bones. As Jiang Xingjian looked at the table full of delicacies, the image of Lin Jiayue's embarrassment at the Marquis's family banquet on that day came to mind.

Regardless of gender, those born into aristocratic families are taught etiquette and manners from a young age, their clothing, food, and housing always differing from those of commoners. Limited portions, a wide variety of high-quality foods, are rules they adhere to from birth. This is true not only for a noblewoman like Song Wan, but even for the first-class maids in the Lan Courtyard…

Jiang Xingjian suddenly lost his appetite. He put down his chopsticks and took the hand towel handed to him by the maid beside him.

After wiping their hands, Green Bamboo and Fragrant Grass brought in a rinsing bowl.

After the two rinsed their mouths, Jiang Xingjian walked to Song Wan's desk and casually flipped through the household accounts. There were about thirty or forty books, categorized into various types. The more he looked, the more his brows furrowed.

Song Wan said, "Since the Marquis and her husband left, the Marquis's mansion has been in decline. Now, six years later, there are many affairs in the mansion. The expenses are no less than before, but the income has decreased by more than half."

"and……"

Song Wan paused briefly, then pulled a red ledger from under the desk and handed it to Jiang Xingjian.

"Since Consort Jiang entered the palace, the expenses incurred in managing the palace have been enormous. The Marquis's mansion still maintains its facade, but it is not well-supported internally."

Jiang Man, the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, entered the palace as a concubine seven years ago. When Jiang Xingjian left the capital, she was pregnant with the emperor's child. In the past few years, the money spent on managing the inner palace for Consort Jiang and on the funeral of the Marquis has already emptied most of the Marquis's mansion.

The Marquis's family had accumulated some wealth, though it couldn't compare to its heyday, but compared to other official families, it was still doing quite well.

But it's only passable.

The number of servants and masters in the Marquis's mansion far exceeds a thousand. The mere amount of food and drink they consume is astonishing, not to mention the two servants in the palace who cannot be neglected.

When it comes to holidays and festivals when gifts and favors are needed, money flows out like water. If this continues for another three to five years, I'm afraid even the dignity we're barely maintaining now will be impossible to sustain.

Song Wan guessed that the Marquis's family was in trouble, but she did not expect it to be so difficult.

Jiang Xingjian asked, "Why has the income from the estates in the manor decreased so much in recent years?"

"The most successful villagers and farmers have been bribing Eunuch Duan, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, in recent years."

Song Wan spoke with a hint of embarrassment.

The relationship between the Marquis of Chengyang's mansion and the Song family has been rather delicate in recent years. Her aunt is the current Consort Yun, who is currently enjoying great favor. Meanwhile, Jiang Xingjian's elder sister became pregnant with the fifth prince after only one year in the palace. After news of the Marquis and Jiang Xingjian's deaths at the border reached the capital, the Emperor, in order to compensate the Marquis of Chengyang's mansion, promoted Jiang Man from Jieyu to Consort Jiang.

In the early years, the country was weak, so the emperor made the second prince, who came from the worst background, the crown prince. Before he was even five years old, the emperor sent him to a neighboring country as a hostage. After twelve years as a hostage, when he returned to the court, he was just a half-dead body. Now he has been paralyzed in the Eastern Palace for eight years. If it weren't for the fact that stripping him of his title as crown prince at this time would be despised by the people, the emperor would probably have demoted him to a commoner long ago.

The eldest prince was the empress's legitimate son. If it weren't for the hostage incident, the position of crown prince would have been his. Originally, he only needed to wait until the crown prince died to secure the throne. However, the eldest prince was too unbearable and was not capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility.

The third prince was born to her aunt and had just turned nine. The fourth prince died young, and the Song family…

Song Wan lowered her eyes, her hand pausing slightly as she flipped through the account books.

Since ancient times, wealth has been a powerful motivator, let alone supreme power. She didn't believe that the Song family had no interest in that position, and she could tell from her brother's name that her father was quite ambitious.

Song Wan glanced at Jiang Xingjian, and the two of them then avoided each other's gaze.

After a moment, Jiang Xingjian said, "I know you are used to quiet and don't like to deal with these trivial matters, but the affairs of the manor always trouble you."

"As for my dealings with people outside... Now that I have returned home safely, there is no reason for me to bother you with external affairs."

Song said in farewell, "Thank you for your consideration, my husband."

Song Wan carefully found the several red ledgers, organized them, and handed them to Jiang Xingjian.

The so-called external affairs were nothing more than matters concerning Consort Jiang and the Fifth Prince Shen Qianshu, which she was happy to relinquish.

The two were silent for a moment, but Hengwu walked in with anger in her eyes: "Master, Aunt Lin from Xiuyan Pavilion has something to ask you. She has already sent her maid to urge you three or five times. It must be something urgent."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingjian frowned, feeling rather embarrassed. The person in the room had acted inappropriately, and he ultimately lost face.

"Go and tell Aunt Lin that Madam and I have important matters to discuss."

Hengwu curtsied and walked out, flicking her sleeves.

"Since you've mentioned Aunt Lin, I have something to discuss with my husband."

Song Wan said, "The concubines in the manor receive one tael of silver per month, along with two maids in charge of personal clothing and jewelry, and four cleaning ladies. Huaisu is entitled to this allowance, but Miss Lin's allowance will be reduced accordingly. Does my husband have any objections?"

"..."

If Lin Jiayue hadn't repeatedly crossed the line to come to his main room looking for him, he might have been able to say a few words. But now that Jiang Xingjian was asking him to speak, he felt ashamed.

"My wife is acting according to the household's regulations, and I naturally have no objection."

Song Wan said, "Although there are still empty courtyards in Lan Courtyard, it needs to be repaired after being closed for six years before it can be inhabited. Huaisu's status is different from before, and she can no longer stay in the servants' quarters and come and go with the maids. So, I have arranged for Huaisu to stay in Xiuyan Pavilion for the time being. What do you think, my husband?"

"That's not appropriate."

"Then I will give up Longxiangzhai to Huaisu."

"That's even more inappropriate."

Jiang Xingjian frowned.

Song Wan had been widowed for six years after marrying into the Marquis's family, carrying the memorial tablet with her; everyone in the capital knew this. His bringing Jia Yue back to the capital was already an extremely undignified act, no different from openly embarrassing the Song family.

If she were to give up her former widow's residence to another concubine now, even for the sake of the Song family's reputation, the Emperor would hold her accountable upon his return from his summer retreat.

Moreover, he himself could not bear the reputation of favoring his concubine over his wife, being muddle-headed and lustful.

"As you wish."

After Jiang Xingjian finished speaking, he got up and left.

Song Wan is so intelligent that she would not stoop to argue with Jia Yue. She only needs to put the reputation of the Marquis's Mansion and the Song Mansion, as well as his reputation, in the open, and he will abandon Lin Jia Yue.

With just the phrase "one life, one love," she quickly pinned the title of concubine on Jia Yue and sent Huai Su to Xiuyan Pavilion. In this way, Song Wan could easily sow discord between the two of them without using any other means.

She was intelligent from a young age and was adept at striking at the heart of the matter, so she handled the affairs of the inner quarters with ease.

Jiang Xingjian smiled helplessly, but quickly suppressed the smile.