Binding Spring Love

Lin Jiayue felt quite pleased after speaking, thinking that everyone would look at her differently. However, Jiang's mother only glanced at her and then made no further comment.

"Grandmother, Mother, it's time to take your seats."

After Song Wan entered, the group of people, along with their mistress and maids, left. Only then did Lin Jiayue let out a cold snort, her face flushed red.

When Jiang Xingjian's maid came looking for her, Lin Jiayue followed her to the main hall.

The wealth of the Marquis's mansion was beyond her imagination; a single family banquet featured hundreds of delicacies and countless gold, silver, and porcelain dishes.

She clicked her tongue inwardly, but couldn't help but mutter a few curses about their extravagance and debauchery.

"Miss Lin, please come this way."

"What's your name?"

The maidservant respectfully answered with the name Huaisu, and then invited Lin Jiayue to the table.

Jiang's mother sat to Jiang's left and Jiang Xingjian to Jiang's right, while Song Wan did not sit next to him, but instead sat down next to Jiang's mother.

Seeing that Jiang Xingjian was alone, Lin Jiayue sat down. However, she was immediately noticed by everyone, and hundreds of eyes stared at her, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Huaisu blushed as well, completely unprepared for Lin Jiayue's lack of manners. She leaned down and whispered in the other's ear, "This is Second Master Yan's seat. Miss Lin, please follow me."

Lin Jiayue paused, then turned to look at Jiang Xingjian.

Jiang Xingjian might indulge her in minor matters, but these ethical rules were not to be broken even by the matriarch of the household, Old Madam Jiang. Jiang Xingjian frowned, revealing his displeasure. Lin Jiayue had no choice but to get up reluctantly and follow behind Huaisu.

Just when she thought she should sit next to Song Wan, Huaisu led her to a seat almost opposite the main seat. Even if she didn't understand the rules of the Marquis's mansion, she knew that this was almost the lowest-ranking position.

Lin Jiayue gritted her teeth, her face turning completely red, whether from anger or embarrassment, it was hard to tell.

When they arrived at their destination, she wanted to sit down, but Huaisu stopped her. She turned around, about to explode, but then she saw Huaisu wink at her.

Lin Jiayue looked up and saw that everyone was taking their seats according to their status and position. Her heart tightened and she gritted her teeth until the person next to her sat down before she sat down herself. Before she could even sit down properly, Huaisu gently tapped her back.

Having held her breath all night, Lin Jiayue felt she was on the verge of collapse. She suddenly twisted her body and shook off Huaisu's hand.

A girl of about ten years old next to her glanced at her in surprise.

Lin Jiayue knew that her actions would be considered outrageous by these rich young ladies, but she simply couldn't be bothered to care.

She picked up her chopsticks to eat, but hesitated. She looked up and observed the people at the table and found that, apart from her, none of the dozen or so masters at the table had touched their chopsticks.

She felt a jolt in her heart and awkwardly withdrew her hand.

Only after suffering many losses do people begin to wonder how others act.

After observing the surroundings, she felt even more uncomfortable.

She first noticed the young girl beside her, who was sitting only slightly on the edge of the chair, her face not facing the plate in front of her, but slightly turned towards the direction of Old Madam Jiang.

No wonder Huaisu pointed behind her as soon as she sat down; it seems there was something wrong with her posture.

Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the same for everyone.

Lin Jiayue pursed her lips, her face icy cold, but in the end, unable to resist her inner turmoil, she leaned forward and gently sat down on the edge.

There were a dozen or so masters and servants dining in the Hou Mansion, along with their personal maids, wet nurses, and other young maids serving the dishes. No fewer than a hundred people moved back and forth in the main hall, yet not a single cough or the sound of bowls and plates clattering could be heard.

The quiet dining environment made Lin Jiayue feel extremely awkward.

Moreover, she hadn't learned all the rules from a young age, and after sitting for a while, she felt sore back and dizzy. In addition, she had been traveling with Jiang Xingjian for several days, and when she arrived at the Marquis's mansion, she suddenly heard that he had a wife at home. After all the trouble, she was exhausted both physically and mentally. Now, looking at the table full of delicious food in front of her, she couldn't help but feel hungry.

She stole a glance at Song Wan and saw that she was eating. Relieved, she picked up her chopsticks and took a bite of a dish in front of her that she couldn't tell if it was pork hock or pork knuckle.

Just as she put the food into the bowl, the little girl next to her looked at her with undisguised surprise.

That one glance almost made Lin Jiayue jump up in anger.

"There's no need to follow so many rules when eating with family; just enjoy yourselves."

When Old Madam Jiang spoke, she didn't feel comforted; instead, she felt a sense of shame at being exposed.

Lin Jiayue gritted her teeth and hesitated for a moment before forcing herself to put the chopsticks into her mouth, barely managing to save face. The meat was tender and flavorful, with a unique taste, but to her, it was like chewing wax.

After taking one bite, she couldn't eat anything else, focusing all her attention on observing Song Wan.

From the start of the meal, Song Wan did not touch any of the dishes. Each dish was served to Old Madam Jiang first, and only after she had tasted it would the other maids serving their mistresses use exquisite silver chopsticks and spoons to pick out three or five dishes and place them in the small bowls in front of each mistress.

Apart from the maid who served the dishes and Lin Jiayue herself, no one else picked up any food. Lin Jiayue watched as all the women ate only three to seven bites before putting down their chopsticks, as if there were rules about how much food they could take.

She felt as if a thorn was stuck in her heart, especially when she saw the servants serving all the dishes to Old Madam Jiang, ignoring the one she had picked up. This shame and indignation reached its peak and did not dissipate until the end of the meal.

"Grandma uses tea."

After the meal, Song Wan stayed by Madam Jiang's side, serving her tea, while Jiang Xingjian, along with Jiang Yan and other illegitimate brothers, saw off their uncles and elders in the West Mansion.

Once the male relatives left the main hall, the atmosphere in the room immediately became more relaxed.

Madam Jiang took a sip of the tea Song Wan handed her and smiled, saying, "Is this tea brewed with plum blossom water?"

Jiang's mother replied, "The old lady is truly amazing; I didn't even taste it just now."

"This is indeed plum blossom water. It was collected by Wan'er from the snow on the plum blossoms in the courtyard last winter. It not only carries the fragrance of plum blossoms when used to make tea, but it is also clearer and smoother than ordinary spring water."

Old Madam Jiang knew that Lin Jiayue had been a widow in the past, spending her days reading and praying to Buddha with nothing else to do. She had no children and could not usually leave the courtyard, so she could only do these things to pass the time. The thought of this made her feel sorry for her, and seeing Lin Jiayue following closely behind Jiang Xingjian, she couldn't help but feel unhappy.

She turned to her head maid, Baozhu, and said, "Go and have the storeroom send the red candles and wedding quilts to Lan Courtyard. That place is all dusty and drab, it's disgusting to look at."

After giving her instructions, Madam Jiang said to Song Wan, "Now that Yi'er has returned, your mother and I will never let you suffer any more grievances. Today, you and Yi'er will consummate your marriage. If you have a son or daughter in the future, you will truly be in charge of this Marquis's mansion."

Upon hearing this, Song Wan's face flushed crimson. She was initially embarrassed, and then she frowned slightly.