Binding Spring Love

Song Wan was very troubled.

She had originally planned to let Lin Jiayue use her minor weakness to extricate herself, but now that she had caused such a big problem, it was not easy to handle.

After thinking for a long time, Song Wan picked up a writing brush from the table, dipped it in ink, and blacked out the phrase "descendant of the eunuch".

"It's still early. The Marquis will definitely come to ask about the Jinxiang Marquis's residence once he gets up. Don't mention it. I'll tell him myself."

Hengzhi and the others nodded in agreement, while Song Wan sat at her desk, pondering how to pass the hot potato to Lin Jiayue.

At dawn, Jiang Xingjian found the main courtyard of Lanting.

He was not currently staying in the Lan Courtyard, but was temporarily residing in a guest room in the outer courtyard. Therefore, he heard early in the morning that people from the Marquis of Jinxiang had come and caused a great disturbance, and that two old women had been invited into the inner courtyard by Song Wan.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingjian knew that Lin Jiayue had probably gotten into some trouble again.

Thinking of Lin Jiayue, a strange sense of irritation swept over him, yet he had no choice but to force himself to convince himself that it was his failure as the head of the family that he had not fulfilled his duties.

"What's going on at the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence? I heard from Songyan that they started making a scene before dawn and have been there for quite some time."

"That's exactly what I was about to tell you."

Song Wan had Hengzhi prepare breakfast and invited Jiang Xingjian to sit in the room.

"The day before yesterday, I asked Aunt Lin to send the eulogy for the Marquis of Jinxiang’s residence along with the funeral invitation to the rites office. Who knew that she would write her own eulogy and slip it in there and send it to the Marquis of Jinxiang’s residence as well."

As she spoke, Song Wan took a thin piece of paper from the table and handed it to Jiang Xingjian.

Jiang Xingjian's gaze was first drawn to the black ink dot. He frowned slightly, and when he came to his senses and saw the whole page filled with Lu Gongren, his forehead throbbed incessantly.

The man pressed his long, slender index finger to his brow, but instead of dispelling his vexation, it only added to his frustration.

He didn't know why he suddenly felt a little wronged.

Given Song Wan's abilities, such disgraceful incidents shouldn't have occurred in the household. Jiang Xingjian would never believe that Lin Jiayue could act so recklessly without Song Wan's indulgence.

If she wanted to, she could protect the entire Chengyang Marquis's mansion like an iron barrel.

But why are there so many mistakes now?

Jiang Xingjian frowned slightly, not daring to delve into the reason behind it.

"Let's have our meal first."

Looking at the breakfast that Hengzhi had served on the small table, and then at Jiang Xingjian's expression, Song Wan inexplicably felt a little more hungry.

Because Jiang Xingjian was also there, extra portions were prepared for breakfast today, including four kinds of snacks: red bean paste cakes, butterfly rolls, eight-treasure steamed buns, and treasure cakes. The small kitchen prepared abalone porridge and jade porridge. Looking at the bright green vegetable leaves floating on the milky white rice porridge, Song Wan suddenly felt a strong urge to eat and had Xiangcao bring it to her.

Seeing her calm expression and the fact that she seemed only interested in eating, Jiang Xingjian said with a hint of grievance, "You... knowing that Jia Yue is impetuous, how could you let her go and deliver that damn eulogy? Even if she wanted to go, you should have stopped her."

"..."

Song Wan put down her jade chopsticks, her appetite ruined by his words.

Hengwu sneered from the side: "If you ask me, being the head of a household is like being a marquis, so much less troublesome."

"If you promote an arrogant person and stir up trouble, it's because you have keen insight and appoint people based on merit. If you cause trouble, it's because our grandmother failed to supervise properly and did not know that the person was impetuous."

"How come when the household management was handed over to her, you didn't know she was impetuous and slow-witted?"

After being bombarded with insults, Jiang Xingjian pursed his lips, his initial anger turning into utter fury.

Song Wan lowered her head, thought for a moment, then picked up her chopsticks again, picked up the spicy and sour chicken in front of her, and put it in her mouth. The chicken had a spicy and sour taste, which was very appetizing on this summer morning.

"With the Marquis and his wife here, how dare you act so wildly?"

Hengzhi pretended to slap Hengwu's arm twice, then had Xiangcao take her away. Seeing that Song Wan had a good appetite today, she picked up a piece of grilled clam and placed it on the small plate in front of her.

Jiang Xingjian was filled with resentment, and his throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. How could he possibly eat anything?

Song Wan, unusually, ate a small butterfly roll the size of a finger and a small bowl of porridge. After rinsing her mouth, she said to Jiang Xingjian, who was still lost in thought, "This eulogy looks like it was deliberately sent to insult them. The Marquis of Jinxiang's mansion should give us an explanation."

"I have come to apologize today and offer incense and bow to the deceased."

"It seems insufficient."

Jiang Xingjian pursed his lips, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

He had never encountered anything like this before and was genuinely at a loss for how to apologize. After all, there was never such an absurd precedent in the entire capital.

Thinking of the eunuch, Song Wan felt so ashamed that her teeth ached. She coughed lightly and continued, "The Marquis's complaint that I didn't stop Consort Lin is not entirely unjust."

"I really didn't want to stop them, and I had no intention of doing so."

Song Wan casually tucked a stray hair behind her ear and said with a faint smile, "I tried to stop them, and what was the result?"

"I stopped Lin Jiayue from taking charge of the household affairs, I stopped her from managing grand banquets, I stopped Third Sister's marriage, Fourth Master taking women into his household—which of these things didn't I stop? But when I stopped them, didn't you wholeheartedly support me, saying that Aunt Lin was very talented and would surely bring glory to the Marquis's mansion?"

Jiang Xingjian lowered his eyes, his heart filled with unspeakable bitterness.

"I know she's frivolous, but how could I have known that simply having her deliver the eulogy to the ceremonial office would cause such a huge disaster?"

"After the grand banquet, my reputation as a member of the Song family was ruined. Now, I have been cursed by the lowly servants of the Marquis of Jinxiang for almost half an hour, during which they used extremely foul language..."

Song Wan's expression grew increasingly cold: "I have always been law-abiding and virtuous as a woman, yet in just over a month this summer, I have become a notorious, incompetent, and foolish woman in the capital, despised by everyone. What more do you want from me? If I continue to cover for the Marquis's family, how will I face my ancestors after I die?"

"Jiang Xingjian, not only will I not stop Lin Jiayue today, but I will never care about her again."

"I cannot and will not be able to hold onto the power to manage the Marquis's household."

"Since Consort Jiang already had an imperial edict, why not let Consort Lin hold all the power? That way, the servants in the mansion won't be confused and won't be unsure which master to listen to."

"A-Wan..."

Upon hearing that Song Wan was going to shirk her responsibilities, Jiang Xingjian suddenly panicked.

Let Lin Jiayue take charge of the household? He didn't even dare to think about it.

"I spoke too harshly just now, but I have no resentment towards you."

"Have you figured out how to explain the matter of the Marquis of Jinxiang's residence?"

"I……"

Song Wan chuckled: "I've come up with a plan for my husband."

"You go to the mourning hall of the Marquis of Jinxiang and kneel for three days. In return, I will relinquish the power to manage the Marquis's household and move into the small Buddhist hall to chant sutras and recite Buddhist prayers for Madam Cheng, hoping that she will forgive the Marquis's household. In this way, we may be able to gain her forgiveness."

"Awan, I..."

Summoning Hengzhi, Song Wan had her bring out the Hou Mansion tokens and receipt ledgers that had been neatly arranged, and then pushed them all to Jiang Xingjian.

Jiang Xingjian then realized that Song Wan was sincere; she didn't want to care about the Marquis's mansion or him anymore.

His mouth tasted bitter, and just as he was about to explain, Lin Jiayue walked in.

Her face was beaming with delight, her smile sweet and gentle: "I heard the Marquis of Jinxiang's mansion sent people to cause trouble all morning? What happened? Could it be... that someone committed some offense?"