Binding Spring Love

"Manager Liang."

"Reporting to Madam, this old servant is here."

Seeing the worry in her eyes, Song Wan asked, "I heard that your elderly mother fell ill a few days ago and hasn't recovered yet. Is that true?"

"My lady, my mother is in good health. I have not been home recently, but I have not neglected my duties..."

You misunderstood me.

Song Wan took the red velvet cloth handed to her by Hengzhi and casually opened it: "I have half a ginseng root that is over fifty years old in my room. It was originally given to me by the old lady. If you don't mind, you can take it back to your mother to replenish her qi and blood."

Granny Liang bent her knees and knelt directly on the ground.

"Thank you, Madam. This old servant thanks you on behalf of my parents."

Hengzhi stepped forward and helped the person up, saying, "Don't do this. Our grandmother knows who has worked hard in the past, and you will always get what you deserve."

Jiang Fu's wife's face turned ugly upon hearing this.

She was the head steward of the inner quarters. Although Song Wan didn't say a bad word about her today, her previous actions were all slapping her in the face. However, she was convinced and couldn't hold a grudge.

"Granny Zhou."

"This old servant is here."

Seeing that she bowed respectfully to her, Song Wan said gently, "I heard that your grandson could recognize over a hundred characters at the age of five?"

Granny Zhou nodded, and Song Wan said, "This child has some talent. I think we shouldn't waste his talent. Why not send him to our clan school so he can start his education with the young masters in the manor? Who knows, he might even become a little scholar in the future."

Grandma Zhou cherished her grandson dearly. If the child had only been mischievous, it would have been fine, but now that Heaven had blessed him with some extraordinary talents, she naturally had some aspirations.

If my grandson can become a top scholar in the imperial examination in the future, I would be willing to die right now.

Granny Zhou knelt before Song Wan and kowtowed three times without saying a word.

"Please have mercy, Madam. This old servant will follow your lead and serve you with utmost loyalty from now on."

Song Wan helped the person up and laughed, saying it was a trivial matter and not worth making such a fuss about.

"As you all know, the Lan Courtyard is in a state of disarray. In the past, the courtyard was quiet, so there were naturally fewer maids. Now that the master has returned, and new maids have joined the courtyard, we are short-handed. I am not yet familiar with the people in the manor, so I will need a few of you to select some well-behaved and clever maids to come over."

"If you have any capable women, or if your daughters or granddaughters are suitable, you can also send them to Hengzhi for a consultation."

The old women looked at each other, their hearts filled with joy.

The master's courtyard is not easy to enter, especially the Lan Courtyard.

Once inside the Lan Courtyard, one has the opportunity to serve the master closely, and if one is clever, one might one day find oneself serving in the master's room.

They were all born into the household, serving as slaves and maids in the Marquis's mansion for generations. Which family didn't have daughters and granddaughters?

If even one person can get close to an old man, the whole family will ascend to heaven along with him.

Several old women were eager to try and were already considering who to choose.

Seeing this, Song Wan's smile deepened: "The maids and servants in the manor have the hardest work, but their monthly wages are a bit low. I'm thinking of adding fifty coins to these girls' monthly wages, one set of cotton-padded clothes for November, December and January in winter, and one set of thin skirts for June, July and August in summer. In addition, I'll give them two extra strings of cash for winter and summer so they can buy some fruits and charcoal."

"Grandma is kind..."

A group of old women rushed to flatter Song Wan, but she only smiled faintly and didn't take it to heart.

"Jiang Fu's wife."

"Yes, madam, what are your orders?"

Song Wan showed no dissatisfaction, but instead looked apologetic: "I'm sorry to have troubled you these past few years without the master."

"Grandma, you're too kind. It's all what this old servant should do."

"What's there to be expected about?"

Hengzhi handed over a wooden box, which Song Wan then gave to her: "You and Uncle Jiang have worked hard for the Marquis's mansion your whole lives, and in the end, it is the Marquis's mansion that owes you."

Jiang Fujia opened it in a daze, only to find a letter of recommendation inside.

"Your youngest son, Jiang Youcai, grew up with the eldest uncle. Now that the eldest uncle has returned, he should be kept by your side. But the old lady and I both feel that he is not good enough, so we asked someone to write a letter of recommendation, recommending him to be a deputy director of the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau."

"The position is a bit low, but it is still an official position."

Jiang Fujia held the recommendation letter, her eyes bloodshot.

"Grandma...this old servant..."

Song Wan smiled gently and patted her hand.

With nothing else of importance to do, Song Wan gave a few brief instructions and then let the old women leave. Once the room was quiet, she noticed Jiang Xingjian standing in the corner, having been there for who knows how long.

Song Wan was slightly lost in thought: "Is there something you need, husband?"

Jiang Xingjian shook his head and sat down next to her.

Actually, he came here today because he was worried.

He thought that if Song Wan was harassed by the wicked servants, he could step in to support her. But to his surprise, in less than half a day, she had subdued those old women and made them obedient and speechless.

First, he established his authority with a severe beating, then he dismantled the collusion among the servants in the mansion and rebalanced the distribution of power. After dealing with those in the inner courtyard who were lining their own pockets, he brought them into the Lan Courtyard.

If they want their daughters to be valued by their masters, they naturally have to be obedient, serve them, and willingly be won over and driven by them.

As for bestowing favors upon the lowest-ranking maids and servants in the household...

Jiang Xingjian smiled faintly, thinking that it wouldn't take half a day for all the nearly one thousand servants in the Marquis's mansion to know that the eldest mistress of the mansion was a kind and benevolent person.

Jiang Xingjian rubbed his fingertips together, thinking to himself that even if he were to manage this household, he wouldn't be any better than Song Wan.

He had never seen Song Wan, who was decisive and ruthless in her conversations, before. Now, meeting her for the first time, he couldn't help but have his previous impression of her overturned.

"you……"

"Grandpa, Grandma."

Xieyi entered from outside, bowed to the two men, and said, "Master, Concubine Lin of Xiuyan Pavilion is ill and would like to invite you to come and see her."

Jiang Xingjian pursed his lips, suddenly remembering that he hadn't seen Lin Jiayue for several days.

He glanced at Song Wan beside him and saw that she had her eyes half-closed, looking sleepy and half-asleep.

"Madam, please rest for lunch. I will come again later."

Song Wan opened her eyes, smiled distantly, and returned to her bedroom with Hengzhi and Hengwu.

After the two men helped her to rest, they tiptoed out of the house.

The rose-scented pillow under her neck emitted a delicate fragrance, clear and pleasant, a soothing aroma. Song Wan used to love this scent, but today it bothered her, and she couldn't calm down for a long time.

She sat up before she had even lain down for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

It rained last night, so Hengzhi put the zodiac wood carvings on the window back inside. Now the eight wood carvings are placed neatly on the edge of the embroidered couch.

With reddened eyes, Song Wan touched each item one by one, her expression growing increasingly bewildered.