Binding Spring Love

"Now that we've come this far, I also have something I'd like to say to my husband."

Song Wan said, "The Marquis's mansion is not an ordinary family. Temporary gains and losses cannot solve the root of the problem. Whether it is increasing revenue or cutting expenses, it is not the most important thing in the end."

She hadn't slept for several days, pondering countless possibilities for the Jiang and Song prefectures, and finally came up with a foolproof plan to preserve their foundation.

"People say that wealth and honor are like honey, but I feel that wealth and honor are like frost and blades, even if one is both rich and noble."

As soon as she spoke, Jiang Xingjian immediately understood what Song Wan meant.

Consort Jiang and Consort Yun, along with the three or five princes, enjoyed a seemingly prosperous but ultimately fragile power structure, like flowers in full bloom or oil poured on a raging fire. Their power could crumble at any moment. Whether they could even save their lives was uncertain, let alone what kind of livelihood they could pursue. Furthermore, the Crown Prince had been clinging to life for many years and was at risk of sudden death at any time. A power struggle was imminent, and preserving the foundations of the two princely residences was of paramount importance.

Jiang Xingjian was also anxious about this, but couldn't think of a good solution.

Preserving the very foundation of a clan is no easy task.

He looked up, eager to know what Song Wan was thinking.

"The foundation of a clan lies in the unity of its descendants and the continuous propagation of its finest offspring."

"In this way, even if something really happens to the Marquis's mansion in the future, as long as the foundation and descendants remain, the ancestral bloodline can be considered preserved."

Jiang Xingjian said, "As long as the ancestral tombs remain, the clan will not disintegrate."

"Although the ancestral tombs still exist, it is not good to leave them unattended. If the Marquis's mansion loses this immense wealth, the descendants will probably be unable to afford the sacrifices, and over time, they will gradually become lazy and neglectful."

Jiang Xingjian frowned, knowing that Song Wan was absolutely right.

"Madam, do you have a solution?"

Song Wan said, "Although the Marquis's mansion is gradually declining, it still has the ability to purchase sacrificial land. If the clan has permanent property, it can ensure that the Jiang family bloodline will not be scattered to various places and have nowhere to settle down."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingjian raised an eyebrow and his gaze toward Song Wan became more serious.

While the ancestral fields can certainly ensure the ancestral incense offerings throughout the year, more importantly, the court law clearly stipulates that "graveyard land is not subject to confiscation." Therefore, even if the Fifth Prince is defeated and the Jiang clan is exiled or their property is confiscated, the ancestral fields will not be confiscated. As long as the clan owns land, its members will not starve to death.

Jiang Xingjian's fingertips trembled slightly.

What Song Wan said today was to make final plans for the Marquis's mansion.

"Secondly, we must provide opportunities for the children of the clan to read and write, to learn honor and shame, and to understand right and wrong."

"Clan School"

Song Wan smiled gently at Jiang Xingjian.

Jiang Xingjian felt his chest pounding.

The Jiang family has two branches, east and west, and two main branches, with hundreds of male descendants. As long as one branch can be preserved, providing them with a roof over their heads, enough grain to fill their stomachs, and the men can learn to read and write and understand human relationships, then this family will not be considered to have fallen into ruin, and there may even be a day when they can rise again.

His hands trembled uncontrollably, and his gaze toward Song Wan grew increasingly deep.

Song Wan felt uncomfortable under his gaze, so she smiled faintly and said that she had other things to take care of before leaving.

Jiang Xingjian felt a great weight lifted from his heart and went to find someone to handle the matters concerning the sacrificial fields.

Heaven knows what he's been worrying about these days is how to preserve the foundation of his clan; as for the Marquis's temporary imbalance between income and expenditure, it's not a problem at all.

After leaving Lantingyuan, he headed towards Yulingzhai.

Jiang Yan was somewhat surprised to hear that he had come to visit. Although the two were not exactly at odds, they were certainly not in a brotherly or respectful relationship either.

"What advice do you have for me, elder brother?"

After telling Jiang Yan about Song Wan's two matters concerning the sacrificial land and the clan school, Jiang Xingjian said, "These are important matters for the clan, and I was thinking of discussing them with you. These past years, you've been in charge of the Marquis's residence; do you know which branch of the household, east or west, has members of decent character who are capable of managing the finances and provisions?"

Jiang Yan pondered for a moment and understood the importance of this matter.

After carefully considering the men and briefly recounting their lives and deeds to Jiang Xingjian, he couldn't help but sigh, "Brother, your thoughts are profound and your actions are meticulous. I admire you greatly."

"That's not what I expected..."

Jiang Xingjian smiled slightly: "It was your sister-in-law who thought of everything; she told me this today."

Mentioning Song Wan, Jiang Yan's throat moved slightly, and a tingling, itchy sensation rose in his fingertips.

He said in a hoarse voice, "My sister-in-law is intelligent and truly a model of virtue for women."

Seeing Jiang Xingjian's proud smile, Jiang Yan was filled with envy.

That person was too noble and virtuous, so virtuous that even though he thought Jiang Xingjian was ungrateful and despicable, he dared not have the slightest intimate thoughts.

"A-Wan, she..."

A smile reached his lips, but Jiang Xingjian suppressed it. He looked at Jiang Yan and said, "You are of marriageable age this year, and your marriage should be on the agenda. I feel really guilty that it has been delayed because of me."

Jiang Yan's marriage should not have been delayed until now, but because he was born out of wedlock and had previously had the possibility of inheriting a title, the selection of his bride has become a dilemma.

Those from high-ranking families didn't value him, while those from lower-ranking families looked down on him, so things have dragged on until now.

Now that he's back home, this matter is even more troublesome.

"I don't know what kind of girl you like? If you have someone you like, you might as well talk to your sister-in-law. She often deals with women from prominent families these days, and with her help, she can surely handle things properly."

Jiang Yan smiled gently: "If I could find someone like a sister-in-law, that would be wonderful."

Jiang Xingjian was taken aback upon hearing this, then suddenly burst out laughing.

After laughing, he murmured, "A woman like Awan is probably hard to find."

Jiang Yan's smile faded slightly, and his eyes became somewhat deep.

"If you have time, go talk to her. With her help, you can't go wrong."

"My younger brother knows."

Jiang Yan's marriage should not have fallen to Song Wan, but Old Madam Jiang only had eyes for Jiang Xingjian, who had come back from the dead, and Jiang's mother was not one to manage things.

Although Jiang Yan had a birth mother, she was only a concubine, and her status in the mansion was not as high as that of the stewards. This job eventually fell to Song Wan.

So she wasn't surprised when Jiang Yan approached her.

"If it weren't for my elder brother's orders, I wouldn't dare to bother you, sister-in-law. I hope you won't take offense."

Jiang Xingjian went to the clan to discuss the clan school and sacrificial land matters today, and was not with Song Wan. Jiang Yan waited for a long time in the front yard of Fuhe Hall, but did not show the slightest impatience.

"It's not at all like a bother, Uncle, you're too kind."

Song Wan stood to the side, seemingly pondering a suitable candidate for a young lady from a prominent family, while Jiang Yan quietly sat beside her, watching her elongated shadow on the ground with a slight smile.

As he looked at it, he suddenly took a step.

The two figures on the ground overlapped because of his movement, making it look as if the two were intertwined and whispering sweet nothings to each other.

Jiang Yan stared blankly, his smile growing even wider.

"I haven't been to a banquet in a long time. Although I can think of a couple of suitable families, I don't know what kind of people the young ladies are. If you're not in a hurry, please allow me a couple more days to consider and meet them."

"After all, marriage is a major life event and should not be taken lightly."

Hearing Song Wan's gentle voice, Jiang Yan looked up, his eyes filled with tenderness.

He looked into Song Wan's eyes and said softly, "It's entirely up to you, sister-in-law."