Binding Spring Love

"The lady has woken up and says she wants to see the young lady."

Song Wan had just rested on the chaise lounge for a while when she heard these words, so she had no choice but to get up, change her clothes, and go to Jiangxiang Courtyard.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Jiang Xingjian and Lin Jiayue arguing fiercely. However, when they saw her, they both shut their mouths, seemingly in perfect unison.

"You've arrived."

Jiang Xingjian spoke coldly, and Song Wan simply responded softly before entering Jiang's mother's room.

"How exactly do you manage the household? That thing turned the grand banquet in the manor into such a mess, and you didn't know a thing, didn't you care at all?"

As soon as Song Wan stepped into Jiang's mother's bedroom, Jiang's mother leaned on her hips and sternly rebuked her: "The household affairs of the Marquis's mansion are entrusted to you, and this is how you neglect them? You've wasted the trust that the old lady and I placed in you. Tell me, how have you done it?"

"A grand banquet was supposed to be held, yet the guests from all the mansions were forced to dine standing up. The century-old reputation of my Marquis's mansion has been ruined. Can you bear the responsibility for this?"

Song Wan lowered her head and remained silent for a moment.

Jiang's mother had a headband tied around her head, and her face and lips were pale with illness. It seemed that she had just realized the seriousness of the banquet's failure, and she had indeed become somewhat sickly.

"Mother's reprimand is correct; it is Wan'er's incompetence that is to blame."

"you……"

She admitted her mistake so quickly that Jiang's mother was speechless.

After a long while, Jiang's mother said with a sob in her voice, "Yi'er has suffered for many years at the border. He has endured so much hardship these past six years. He finally made it back to the Marquis's mansion. Why can't you all make things easier for him and save him some trouble?"

"If he inherits the title, he will lose face. How will he maintain his position in the court in the future?"

"The man is busy outside, how come you can't even handle this tiny backyard? He works so hard every day, does he really need to worry about and manage things in the backyard?"

"Mother's words are right."

Song Wan stood obediently to the side, no matter what Jiang's mother said, she only said "Wan'er knows she was wrong", which made Jiang's mother feel uncomfortable and unable to breathe.

She was furious and couldn't help but complain to Song Wan: "You're supposed to be a daughter raised by the Song family, yet you can't even handle a concubine properly? The daughters raised by the Song family are nothing special."

"Mother."

Jiang Xingjian entered from outside and overheard his mother mentioning the Song family. He frowned, feeling guilty.

This matter has nothing to do with Song Wan, so where do they get the nerve to try and pin this on the Song family?

Jiang Xingjian wanted to explain, but Song Wan said, "Wan'er knows that Mother is anxious, but Mother doesn't need to worry too much. Although today's banquet is different from the past, Wan'er thinks that Aunt Lin's actions have broken the old conventions and are not clichéd, so they are not boring or tasteless."

"you……"

Jiang's mother frowned, growing increasingly angry.

A few days ago, Song Wan did say that the rules of the household should not be broken, and that was how she replied that she strongly recommended Lin Jiayue to host the grand banquet.

Little did she know that Lin Jiayue would go to such extremes.

Jiang's mother stood up, her face full of anger: "Are you blaming me now?"

"Wan'er wouldn't dare."

Song Wanfu bowed and remained seated for a long time.

Jiang Xingjian took a deep breath, apologized to his mother, and led Song Wan out of Jiangxiang Courtyard.

As soon as she stepped out of the courtyard, Song Wan broke free from Jiang Xingjian's grasp.

"What happened today is none of your business, you don't need to worry about it."

Song Wan nodded: "I understand."

Jiang Xingjian said, "I'll have to trouble you to take care of my third sister's marriage to the Lan family. This marriage with the Lan family must not be called off."

"It seems the marriage with the Lan family is off. Today, my third sister stepped on Madam Lan's face in front of all the ladies. If the Marquis's mansion insists on pushing this marriage, it will not be a marriage but an enmity."

Song Wan's tone was indifferent, which made Jiang Xingjian feel uneasy.

Half a month ago, when she mentioned the future of the Marquis's mansion, she was still worried and concerned. How come after just a few days, her attitude towards Jiang Jing has become so cold?

Jiang Xingjian was puzzled, but could only suppress his unease and ask, "If the Lan family doesn't work out, which prefecture in the capital do you think would be a better match?"

"Have you forgotten, my husband...?"

Song Wan raised her eyes, staring into Jiang Xingjian's eyes, and said, word by word, "I have already said that I am powerless to help my third sister with her marriage, so why must my husband force her to do something she cannot accept?"

Are you upset?

Jiang Xingjian pursed his lips, unsure how to face Song Wan in this state.

In his heart, Song Wan had always been obedient. Even though she was somewhat cold-hearted, she was always reasonable and generous in important matters and never acted childishly. Especially when it came to his and the Marquis's future, she was always cautious and careful.

"What does my husband think is the reason for Wan'er's anger?"

Song Wan chuckled softly, her eyes growing cold as she looked at Jiang Xingjian's pale and flushed face.

He delayed consummating their marriage, making her the laughingstock of the servants and causing Jiang's mother to look down on her because of his lack of respect. Jiang Man, a married woman, held considerable power in managing the household affairs, and not only did no one in the Marquis's mansion object, but they also protected and indulged a concubine who interfered in her family's affairs.

Jiang Xingjian knew perfectly well that Lin Jiayue was frivolous and incapable of properly managing the grand banquet at his residence, yet he still allowed her to take charge of the inner quarters. Her painstaking efforts to arrange Jiang Jing's marriage were ruined by a few words of manipulation, all because of his casual remark that the marriage with the Lan family couldn't be called off…

Now, he's asking her if she's upset.

Song Wan almost burst out laughing as she thought about it.

"Wan'er has something to attend to, so she won't bother her husband any longer."

Ignoring Jiang Xingjian's reaction, Song Wan turned and left without a trace of regret.

After the grand banquet, both Madam Jiang and Jiang's mother fell ill.

Old Madam Jiang's health was not good to begin with, and everyone in the mansion kept the matter of the grand banquet from her. She was unaware that Lin Jiayue had caused a great disaster, and Jiang's mother fell ill because Jiang Xingjian was impeached.

An imperial censor accused him of behaving erratically, arbitrarily altering rituals, ruining the reputation of his family, feigning integrity while actually associating with treacherous individuals, and engaging in embezzlement and reckless advancement.

It is said that Consort Jiang originally petitioned the Emperor for a substantive post for Jiang Xingjian, but after being impeached, the Emperor bestowed upon Jiang Xingjian the position of Director of the Imperial Garden.

The supervisor of Shanglin Garden was in charge of raising cattle, sheep, and pigs, feeding chickens, ducks, and geese, and planting flowers, fruit trees, and seasonal vegetables. It was an extremely leisurely and unemployed position.

On the day the imperial edict was issued, the main kitchen in the manor did not prepare any meals, and the entire manor was quiet except for some noise coming from the Xiuyan Pavilion.

Song Wan simply couldn't be bothered with it; she was busy with other things right now.

Because she had previously sought out people to establish a connection between Jiang Man and Lin Jiayue, Huanyanzhai's business was surprisingly good.

It wasn't because Lin Jiayue's rouge and face powder were particularly good, but rather because most people wanted to use this opportunity to curry favor with Consort Jiang.

As Hengzhi reported the accounts of the outer courtyard, Song Wan smiled but remained silent.

"Then Huanyanzhai's revenue is almost catching up with that of Bingpu."

"It's alright."

Song Wan smiled faintly: "The bigger this business is, the better."

Just as Song Wan was planning when to find an opportunity to introduce the two ladies of the Bai and Lan families, she heard weeping and wailing coming from outside the courtyard. It turned out that Aunt Zhou had come to plead for mercy again.

Song frowned, and after a moment said, "Let them in, mother and daughter."

Xiangcao went outside to announce their arrival, and soon Aunt Zhou and Jiang Jing walked in, followed by Lin Jiayue with a cold smile on her face.