Binding Spring Love

"Miss……"

Song Wan had just gotten up when she saw Hengzhi standing by the embroidered couch with a grim expression. She glanced at the maids in the room, who were trembling with fear, and asked with a smile, "What happened to Master?"

"Last night, the master had Lingyun send her personal belongings to Xiuyan Pavilion. This morning, he also moved her bedding and personal maid there."

"Miss……"

Hengwu's eyes reddened, and large tears welled up in them, but she dared not cry.

"That old man... he's bullying us too much."

Her young mistress was the legitimate wife of the Marquis, carried in through the main gate in a grand sedan chair, and had properly paid respects to the ancestors and heaven and earth. The Song family hadn't even fallen from grace yet, so how dare the Marquis's family humiliate them to this extent?

Although there are families in the capital who dote on their concubines like treasures, I have never heard of any man in a household who refuses to consummate his marriage with his wife for the sake of his concubine.

If this were to get out and be known to outsiders, they would think that their young lady has some terrible disease and is extremely ugly.

"Miss, what does the master mean by this? Is he preventing you from giving birth to the Marquis's eldest son, so that the throne can be made available to that little harlot's child?"

"Miss……"

"Alright, Hengwu, you're giving me a headache."

Song Wan smiled and comforted her, but her face was terribly pale.

Hengzhi's eyes were also red, and her voice was filled with resentment: "That day in the palace, the master clearly said he wanted to consummate his marriage with the young lady, and even said he wanted to hang up that painting of the Two Immortals of Harmony. What is he doing now? Did Aunt Lin say something to the master that made him act this way?"

Xiangcao gritted her teeth and said, "No, we can't let them continue like this. I'll go find the old lady, and if she doesn't listen either, I'll go back to the manor to find the master today..."

After Xiangcao finished speaking, she tried to run out, but Song Wan called her back.

"What should we say to the old lady?"

"Am I supposed to let the old lady force him to consummate our marriage? Wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?"

"Miss, what should we do now? What will you do if that harlot gives birth to a son born out of wedlock?"

"The eldest son born out of wedlock also has the character '庶' (shu, meaning illegitimate or concubine), so at worst we can adopt a child from the clan."

Seeing that both of them had red eyes, Song Wan smiled and said, "Get ready, or you'll be late."

Four maids, their eyes wide like rabbits, were doing her hair and makeup. Song Wan had been smiling, but when she realized that they weren't paying attention to her, she looked a little flustered.

The book says that the husband is Heaven.

Heaven cannot be defied, and one cannot leave one's husband, yet he never said what to do in her situation.

Her mother had never taught her, and she dared not tell her aunt about these things. Although her father and brothers treated her very well, there was no reason in the world for a daughter to return home and complain about her bedroom affairs.

She was dressed in white when she married into the Marquis's mansion. On her wedding day, no servants told her how to get along with her husband. Everything was up to her.

Song Wan looked at the person in the mirror and pursed her lips slightly.

After dressing up, Song Wan and Hengzhi Hengwu came out of the house. Jiang Xingjian was waiting for her in the courtyard as always. But for some reason, she suddenly remembered the scene when she took his hand that day, only to be shaken off.

A familiar sense of shame swept over her, and Song Wan felt her limbs stiffen and her throat tighten.

She had lived for eighteen years and had never felt so ashamed of her actions that day.

Walking two steps behind Jiang Xingjian, Song Wan lowered her voice and remained silent, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Please go first, my husband."

Looking at the distance between the two, Jiang Xingjian frowned almost imperceptibly.

He took a step forward, and Song Wan quickly took a step back.

Jiang Xingjian suddenly felt a little uneasy.

"you……"

"Grandmother is probably already waiting; it wouldn't be good to be late."

After speaking, Jiang Xingjian stood behind him, paused for a moment, then turned and went to Madam Jiang's Fuhe Hall.

Although Song Wan is now in charge of the household affairs, the real power in the Marquis's mansion still lies with Old Madam Jiang.

Matters with established practices in the household can be handled according to the old rules, but matters such as increasing the monthly allowance for servants and releasing servants back home still require the approval of the Old Madam. Song Wan had given prior notice on these matters, but in practice, she still needed to inform the Old Madam Jiang.

Before long, time had been wasted. Jiang Xingjian stayed by her side and, seeing that her mouth was dry from talking, handed her a cup of tea.

Looking at the man's palm, Song Wan was stunned for a moment, but did not raise her hand to take it.

Jiang Xingjian raised an eyebrow, and after a moment's thought, placed the teacup on the coffee table. Song Wan didn't want to drink it, but seeing that Old Madam Jiang and Jiang's mother were both staring at her, she blushed slightly and took a small sip.

"What are you thinking about? Why are you so lost in thought?"

Seeing that Jiang Xingjian seemed distracted after returning from Fuhetang, Lin Jiayue couldn't help but ask him.

Jiang Xingjian snapped out of his reverie but didn't say that he found Song Wan's behavior today strange and unpredictable.

"You've been looking at the ledger all morning, is there something difficult to solve? Why don't you tell me, and I can give you some advice."

Jiang Xingjian thought that she usually had some clever ideas, and he wanted to amuse her and pass the time, so he gave Lin Jiayue a brief account of the recent situation in the mansion, and also mentioned the results of Song Wan's handling of the matter a few days ago.

After listening, Lin Jiayue took the account book and found a thin charcoal stick wrapped in several layers of cloth in the room, and quickly began to calculate on the paper.

"My goodness, the Marquis's mansion is now living beyond its means. How can such a small income support such a large expenditure? If this continues, we'll probably be running out of money in a few years."

Jiang Xingjian smiled faintly: "That's true."

Lin Jiayue smiled slightly: "I have a way to turn things around, do you believe me?"

"Do you have a solution?"

"Of course, but... I won't tell you."

Lin Jiayue tossed aside the charcoal stick in her hand and said with a half-smile, "Anyway, I'm not in charge of the Marquis's mansion now. Since the old lady and madam trust the one in the main courtyard so much, let her figure it out herself."

Jiang Xingjian smiled faintly and remained silent.

"What, you don't believe I have a way to turn things around? Or do you think Song Wan did a great job?"

Her voice rose slightly, and Jiang Xingjian said, "You're not fully recovered yet, go and rest some more."

Lin Jiayue rested her chin on her hand, blinked her round eyes, and looked at Jiang Xingjian with a smile: "Do you know what 'increasing revenue and reducing expenditure' means?"

"A wise ruler must carefully cultivate harmony, regulate the flow, open up the source, and consider things carefully at all times..."

Jiang Xingjian put down the account book in his hand and asked, "This saying comes from Xunzi's 'Enriching the State,' why are you suddenly bringing this up?"

"..."

Lin Jiayue paused, somewhat surprised.

She had always thought that the idea of ​​increasing revenue and reducing expenditure came from later economics, but now, hearing Jiang Xingjian say this, she felt somewhat embarrassed.

Then, Lin Jiayue snorted, "You know that Song Wan doesn't, right? If she did know, why would she come up with such a stupid idea? Instead of cutting costs, it's better to increase revenue. Besides, look at how little she saves; when will she ever be able to plug the hole in the Marquis's mansion?"