Binding Spring Love

After returning to his residence from the Lan family, Jiang Jing fell seriously ill and never recovered.

Song Wan had Hengwu deliver medicine and food a few times, and after consulting with the doctor and learning that there was nothing wrong, she stopped worrying about it. Some things she had to figure out for herself.

After Lin Jiayue had been at peace for a few days, Song Wan finally learned what the thin piece of paper she had given to the old women in each courtyard was for.

"I heard that five or six people have already been sold off, and a few others have been sent out of the manor."

Hengzhi frowned, looking worried: "Miss, the Marquis's mansion has never had a precedent of selling off servants in its hundred years of history. Moreover, now Aunt Lin has brought up some kind of rotation system, which has caused many people to not know what they should do. According to Granny Liang, things are already in chaos, but the masters of each courtyard are still unaware of it."

"Selling out servants?"

Song Wan frowned, her voice filled with confusion.

A family like the Song family, a family of scholars and poets, would never sell off servants who had served the masters of the family for generations, unless their ancestral foundation had been exhausted.

"Is Madam aware of Lin Jiayue's actions?"

"They probably don't know."

Hengzhi said, "Madam gave her the ivory token, and now she's using it to bully others, so none of the servants dare to disobey. Besides, selling off servants isn't something that happens overnight. The thin pieces of paper that Aunt Lin gave us earlier were used to evaluate people's merits and demerits, and those who were rated as inferior would be sold off."

"Those women in charge of management often disagree with each other, and now they've gone mad with malice in their efforts to eliminate dissidents."

"Everyone below was in danger, while those in charge were busy placing their own people in positions. As a result, chaos ensued. Since Aunt Lin couldn't go out much on weekdays, she could only let those old women deceive her."

"I heard from the maid in the laundry room that even the lowest-ranking maids and young girls have become incredibly wicked. They don't dare to cause trouble openly, but they're using every dirty and messy method imaginable in secret."

Song Wan lowered her eyes, frowning in deep thought.

It is true that aristocratic families never sell their servants, which reflects their magnanimous family tradition. However, more importantly, these people are not to be touched, nor should they be touched.

Even among the noble families of a prosperous and enlightened nation, there are bound to be unspeakable secrets. If it involves officials or their families, there are investigations from above and hostile factions watching from below, so one cannot act rashly. Moreover, while Consort Jiang's temperament could not be described as domineering, the word "arrogant" is insufficient to describe it; such a nature has undoubtedly offended countless concubines.

And with the Fifth Prince as a prime target...

If someone with ulterior motives were to seize the servants of the Marquis's mansion and fabricate a few empty shells or scandalous stories, it would truly be a disaster.

In that brief moment, Song Wan thought of many things.

After a moment, she murmured, "I thought she would stir up some trouble, but I never expected her to always manage to cut off the enemy's supply lines and strike at their vital points every time."

"Miss, if Aunt Lin continues to act so erratically, she will surely implicate you."

Song Wan said, "From the day I married into the Marquis's mansion, whether I like it or not, I must live and die with the Marquis's mansion. The Marquis's glory is my glory, and the Marquis's loss is my loss. So how can I talk about being implicated or not?"

"I had expected this day to come when I handed over the reins of the family to Lin Jiayue, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly and so unexpectedly."

Feeling somewhat annoyed, Song Wan rested her chin on her hand, frowning as she pondered her next move.

She had originally considered some countermeasures, but Lin Jiayue's unexpected move was truly astonishing.

If she weren't the wife of a noble family member, she would surely applaud and praise her.

"No, you can't do anything."

Song Wan's tone carried a hint of disdain: "Hengzhi, tomorrow you should spread the word that the Marquis is keeping vigil at the Jinxiang Earl's Mansion for half a month, and that the Madam has given the ivory token to Concubine Lin, giving her full authority to manage the household."

"I would also like to add that the old lady is still seriously ill and I am very worried. I have decided to move into the small Buddhist shrine for half a month starting today to pray for her well-being."

"Hengwu, go and prepare Longxiangzhai. You will all move in with me tonight. As for the main courtyard of Lanting..."

"Seal it off and ignore everyone."

If she can't afford to provoke him, she can always avoid him.

Lin Jiayue made a mistake first, and then Jiang's mother gave her the ivory token. With the Marquis's mansion handling things this way, she stayed in a corner and ignored everything. People would only say that she couldn't bear the humiliation and was living a miserable life in seclusion. Although it sounds a bit cowardly, those people would be lenient with her when they gossiped, so as not to tarnish the reputation of the Song family's daughter.

She no longer cares about her reputation; she just wants to avoid becoming a burden to her father, brothers, aunt, and sisters in the clan.

After Song Wan finished speaking, she hurriedly had Granny Zhao and Hengwu and the others move into Longxiangzhai. After entering, she instructed them not to see anyone in the mansion.

In the following days, I truly felt at ease copying Buddhist scriptures and praying for the Buddha's blessing for the old lady.

Aunt Zhou came to beg Song Wan many times but couldn't see her. Having no other choice, she went to Lin Jiayue to inquire about the character of the Chen family's young master.

Lin Jiayue assured her that Young Master Chen was a gentle and refined gentleman, and definitely not a lazy and spoiled rich kid. Although Aunt Zhou was still worried, she had no choice but to agree to the marriage.

When Song Wan learned of this news, she only sighed and said that if Jiang Jing were to become stronger in the future, he might be able to make a good living and then let it go.

She hid in Longxiangzhai for more than ten days. When Old Madam Jiang was lucid, she was less and less lucid. Jiang's mother was worried that the servants would not take good care of her, so she stayed in plain clothes every day in Fuhetang, fearing that something might happen to her.

Now, with three generations of mistresses—one seriously ill, one caring for patients all day, and the other living in seclusion—the entire Marquis's mansion has truly become Lin Jiayue's domain. She is so busy every day that she has no time to rest, dismissing or selling off the servants, and in just half a month, nearly a hundred people have left.

Song Wan was idly reading the Platform Sutra, while Hengzhi helped her make tea and grind ink. The sound of cicadas chirping outside the window added to the charm.

Xiangcao hurriedly entered the room carrying a bowl of chilled lily and snow lotus soup. As soon as she put it down, she said anxiously, "Miss, the manor is in complete chaos."

"Among the servants sold off yesterday was Granny You's granddaughter."

Song Wan couldn't recall who this Granny You was for a moment, so she casually asked her.

Xiangcao lowered her voice and said, "Granny You was originally a maid in the old lady's room. I heard from the servants in the manor that when the old marquis contracted smallpox as a child, Granny You carried him to the suburban estate by herself and took care of him for twenty-seven days."

"It's just a pity that while the old Marquis recovered, Granny You contracted the disease. In order not to bring the disease back to the Marquis's manor, after she saw the old Marquis off, she set fire to herself and the manor, burning them to the ground."

"The old lady remembered the kindness of Granny You and valued the son she left behind very much. Granny You's son grew up with the old Marquis and served him for his entire life. Later, he and his wife went to the border with the old Marquis and never returned."

"Granny You's son only has one daughter, a simpleton. That girl isn't very bright; she's mentally challenged."

"But all these years, the old lady has been taking care of her, giving the simple-minded girl a job in the main kitchen watching over the fish, feeding her only the fresh, live fish that weren't yet killed in the mansion. Who knew that things would get so chaotic down there, that someone would take over this job of feeding and counting fish, and actually instigate Aunt Lin to sell the simple-minded girl off..."