Binding Spring Love

Song Wan frowned: "Has no one told Lin Jiayue about the 'Silly Girl's' identity?"

Xiangcao shook her head: "Miss, you don't know, the manor is in complete chaos now. Aunt Lin made the servants do that stupid rotation system, and everyone is fighting tooth and nail for the lucrative positions in the kitchen and storeroom. Who's going to give her any pointers?"

"Everyone is hoping things get even more chaotic in the mansion. We can't figure out who's missing the money. I heard from the maid that things are going missing every day, but the accounts keep getting bigger and bigger. Now it's all going around in circles, and we don't know who's responsible for the problem. Even a god couldn't figure out this mess."

Song Wan's gaze darkened slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, she said, "Have Granny Lang inquire with the brokers. If they find the silly girl, buy her and send her to my dowry estate."

"The descendants of loyal servants do not deserve this treatment."

Vanilla nodded and turned to do it.

"Hengzhi, go and find some melon stalks for later use. Also, tell the servants to inform me immediately when the Marquis returns to the manor."

Song Wan stood before the carved window of Longxiangzhai, clutching her handkerchief, feeling increasingly bored and listless with her current life. She used to find the most troublesome things to do, such petty and trivial matters, but now she was constantly dealing with them, which was truly annoying.

When did the head maid of the household report matters to Lin Jiayue?

"Around 9 AM tomorrow."

Song Wan nodded, sat back down on the prayer mat, and began reciting scriptures again.

At 1:15 AM the next day, Song Wan led Hengzhi and Hengwu to Xiuyan Pavilion.

Seven or eight old women were gathered in the Embroidered Smoke Pavilion. Some were holding melon seeds, some were eating snacks, and some were spitting out tea foam. The most outrageous one was an unfamiliar old woman standing by the door, picking her teeth with something.

A group of people kept chattering away, making Song Wan frown.

"Grandma."

When the old women saw Song Wan, they suddenly stood up, dropping and scattering melon seeds, making a complete mess.

"Where is Aunt Lin?"

An old woman said, "Aunt Lin went to the small kitchen to make ice cream for us. She said that eating it can cool us down and help us to work more efficiently when we are calm and relaxed."

Song Wan lowered her eyes, looked at the filth all over the ground, and took two steps back.

Seeing this, Hengzhi spoke up, "Where is your semblance of servants? Although Aunt Lin is only a concubine, she is now in charge of the household and can be considered half a mistress to you. Who taught you this outrageous behavior of confusing superiors and inferiors and blurring the lines between master and servant?"

"I told them to do that, do you have a problem with that?"

Lin Jiayue and Qianbi carried a large lacquered tray with several bowls of ice cream on it.

As soon as she entered the room, she heard Hengzhi reprimanding the women in charge.

"I make them do this because we're all human, why differentiate between different classes? Just because you're willing to kneel and serve others every day doesn't mean they are. In my Embroidered Smoke Pavilion, there's no rule about making people kneel to speak or work."

She couldn't stand Song Wan's haughty and arrogant demeanor.

"Servants are people too, just helpers. Why treat them so cruelly?"

"What nonsense are you spouting...?"

Song Wan raised her hand, and Hengzhi immediately fell silent and stepped aside, no longer speaking.

She was impatient to waste time arguing with Lin Jiayue about these useless things; she had only one purpose for coming today.

"I heard you sold off quite a few servants?"

"So what if it is? Do you know that the Marquis's mansion doesn't need that many people at all?"

Song Wan said, "The Marquis of Chengyang's mansion has existed for a hundred years since the founding of the dynasty. There has never been a precedent of selling off servants in the mansion. Are you aware of this?"

Lin Jiayue sneered, "I've set this precedent, so what are you going to do about it?"

Seeing Song Wan's indifferent and unsmiling expression, Lin Jiayue sneered, "It's easy for you to talk without feeling the burden, since you're not the one carrying the burden of the Marquis's household revenue. With so many people in the Marquis's household, wouldn't they be dragged down to death if some of them weren't laid off?"

Lin Jiayue actually thought she was supporting the entire Marquis's mansion? What made her think she had those two so-called profitable shops?

Song Wan found it somewhat amusing. Although she knew this person was arrogant and conceited, she never imagined she would be this arrogant.

But none of this concerns her.

"I'm just here to tell you that servants in the manor cannot be sold. Since there is no precedent for this in the Marquis's manor, you absolutely cannot break this rule here either."

"What gives you the right to tell me this?"

"Because I am the wife of the Marquis of Chengyang."

Lin Jiayue gave a cold laugh, took out the Jiang Mother's ivory tablet from her bosom and threw it on the table. She wanted to say something more, but then she heard Song Wan say, "Are you trying to use filial piety to pressure me?"

After saying that, he turned and left.

All she wanted was that one sentence; once she achieved her goal, there was no need to dwell on it any longer.

Lin Jiayue frowned, puzzled by Song Wanlai's sudden departure. She could only convince herself that Song Wanlai was simply angry and couldn't take it anymore.

"Ignore her, everyone eat first, we can talk business after we finish eating."

The old women exchanged knowing glances. They had almost broken out in a cold sweat when they suddenly saw Song Wan, but seeing that their mistress clearly didn't want to get involved, they were secretly overjoyed.

"Aunt Lin is a kind and compassionate woman. Now, no one in the entire Marquis's mansion has a single bad word to say about you."

"Yes, yes, when have we servants ever had such a respectable time in front of our masters? In other courtyards, we wouldn't even get to sit on a small stool."

Everyone complimented Lin Jiayue, but Lin Jiayue just stared at Song Wan's retreating figure, pursing her lips and remaining silent.

Back in Lan Courtyard, Song Wan said, "Tomorrow, find the family physician to examine my pulse. Tell him that I fell seriously ill after Lin Jiayue pressured me with filial piety at Xiuyan Pavilion."

"This servant understands."

From then on, Song Wan used the excuse of recuperating to escape into a quiet life. She did not see anyone in the mansion again until Jiang Xingjian finished his work at the Shanglin Garden.

Jiang Xingjian was unaware that the Marquis's mansion had been turned upside down. He had just brought the plague under control in the Bureau of Animal Husbandry and went to the court to report on his duties. As soon as he left the court, someone approached him.

"Your Excellency is truly blessed with good fortune, but you lack the ability to cherish and appreciate women, thus wasting your wife's youth."

"What do you mean by that, Lord Yu?"

Jiang Xingjian's face was grim; he was extremely displeased that someone would mention Song Wan in such a mocking tone.

The man chuckled and strode away.

Just as Jiang Xingjian was wondering, Grand Secretary Sun of the Eastern Pavilion stepped forward and asked, "Does Your Excellency have some free time today?"

"What advice does Lord Sun have for me?"

"My wife and the Marquis's wife have previously discussed my daughter's marriage. Although the two families have not yet made a decision, I think this matter should not be delayed any longer. Whether it will work out or not, we must reach a conclusion."

Jiang Xingjian replied, "That's how it is."

"There's no time like the present. My wife is currently in the carriage; why don't I invite her to come to your residence to meet Second Master Yan?"

Jiang Xingjian was slightly taken aback, wondering why the Sun family was in such a hurry, not even waiting to send out invitations and find a better date. However, the Marquis's mansion had already lost its marriage with the Lan family, and it couldn't afford to lose the Sun family as a potential in-law as well.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Xingjian nodded and readily agreed.

Lord Sun raised an eyebrow, gave him a meaningful look, and then nimbly boarded his own carriage.