Binding Spring Love

Just three days after returning from the desolate mountains, Jiang Xingjian was indeed transferred to the Divine Pivot Camp by the Emperor.

Unable to keep the secret of firearms any longer, Lin Jiayue had the process of making firecrackers written down in an endlessly complicated way, and informed Jiang Xingjian of the modified gunpowder ratio.

Having obtained what he wanted, Jiang Xingjian immediately joined the Divine Pivot Camp and did not return home for several days.

Since he left, Lin Jiayue has been sitting in front of the Xiuyan Pavilion corridor in a daze every day. The person who used to be so restless is now frighteningly well-behaved.

Occasionally, when passing by the courtyard, Song Wan would feel quite uncomfortable seeing her like that.

Hengzhi fanned Song Wan, while Hengwu sat beside her embroidering flower shoes. The room was quiet, far from the usual liveliness. Granny Zhao, along with Xiangcao and Lüzhu, were successively sent away from the Marquis's residence. Occasionally, when she thought of the three of them, she would feel a pang of sadness.

"Madam, a young nun from Pingcui Nunnery has arrived. It seems your previous request has been answered."

"I'll go see him."

Song Wan got off the bed and invited Master Lingyu from Pingcui Nunnery in the mansion to come in.

Although Lingyu is a nun, she is not entirely detached from worldly affairs because she is supported by the Marquis's mansion. Therefore, she is very clever and tactful in her speech and actions.

Song Wan asked Hengzhi to brew some tea, and then invited Lingyu to the inner hall before saying, "I wonder if Master Qingshuang has responded to the matter I inquired about a few days ago?"

"Reporting to Grandma, Master instructed Lingyu to give this item to you; Lingyu knows nothing else."

Song Wan opened the thin piece of paper that Ling Yu had given her. Inside was an address for a dilapidated nunnery. As she looked at it, she suddenly smiled.

"Please trouble you, young master. I'll have a maid in the courtyard deliver incense and offerings in a little while."

Lingyu left with a smile, while Song Wan sat on the couch looking rather forlorn.

She had originally intended to seek Master Qing Shuang's help to temporarily escape the world and the turmoil of the Marquis's mansion through spiritual practice, but she never expected that even a nun would bow her head and refuse so decisively and appropriately.

They didn't even offer a word of explanation or any pretext about unfinished worldly ties; they simply told her openly that if she could leave, there would be plenty of places where she could cultivate while still having her hair.

Throwing away the note, Song Wan finally admitted that she had no other way out.

"Never mind, I already knew there was no hope for others."

Having calmed her complicated emotions, Song Wan, along with Hengzhi and Hengwu, began a semi-secluded life in the Lan Courtyard.

Jiang Xingjian went to Shenshu Camp. Old Madam Jiang was seriously ill, and Jiang's mother exempted everyone from the morning and evening greetings, keeping vigil alone in Fuhe Hall. Lin Jiayue sat blankly in the corridor all day, no longer bothering people as usual, which made everyone in the mansion quite bored.

Consort Jiang sent a female official to manage the household affairs with Huaisu every day. This peaceful life gave Song Wan the illusion of returning to her widowed days.

Because she was used to quiet and preferred peace and quiet, she was particularly fond of the leisurely time she had.

Time flies, and once the Marquis's mansion entered August, it was once again filled with busyness. The most important task was to deliver Mid-Autumn Festival gifts to the Grand Eunuch Duan Yiting and to visit the empresses and the Emperor in the palace.

Normally, matters of the court or interactions with court officials should not be related to Song Wan. In previous years, it would simply be the steward of the mansion going to the Duan mansion to deliver festival gifts and exchange a few auspicious words with the gatekeeper. But this year, whether it is a blessing or a curse, the Marquis's mansion has received a message from Eunuch Duan saying that he wants to pay a visit to the old lady in person.

Duan Yiting was originally a down-on-his-luck scholar with some knowledge of classics and history. However, he suffered some kind of blow in his youth and ended up castrating himself to enter the palace as a eunuch. He was meticulous, observant, and very good at manipulating people's hearts. Both the late emperor and the current emperor trusted him implicitly and were highly favored by him.

It is said that this person had a fierce battle with Eunuch Wan of the Eastern Depot a few years ago and has not appeared in public for a long time. Now, for some reason, he has suddenly become interested in the Marquis's mansion.

The palace eunuchs are different from men outside the palace. Since Duan Yiting said he wanted to pay a personal visit to the old lady, he meant he was going to enter the inner quarters. The Marquis's mansion naturally had to hold a banquet to receive him.

Thus, all the female relatives, especially women like Song Wan, had no way to avoid it.

These past few days, the Marquis's residence has been busy making clothes and shoes for its inhabitants, and cleaning every nook and cranny. Yet, even so, as the day Duan Yiting arrived at the residence approached, Song Wan was still quite anxious.

"Miss, my hair-tying skills are not as good as Green Bamboo's."

"It's alright."

Looking at her heavily made-up self in the bronze mirror, Song Wan slowly gave a graceful and gentle smile.

The smile only lasted for a moment before fading away.

"Miss, Eunuch Duan has been recuperating in the palace for a long time. Apart from paying his respects to the Emperor on the first and fifteenth of each month, he hasn't appeared for quite some time. Why would he suddenly come to the Marquis's residence?"

Hengzhi knelt down to help Song Wan put on her jewelry, but she had some doubts and couldn't help but ask.

Song Wan shook her head: "I don't know either."

Duan Yiting was cunning and suspicious by nature, and his moods were unpredictable. Moreover, he became even more fickle as he got older.

One day they might be laughing and chatting with someone, and the next day they could ruin your family and cause your death. Similarly, there are instances where someone who was indifferent to you before suddenly becomes very fond of you, bringing the whole household to prosperity.

However, neither the former nor the latter is a good thing for Song Wan.

"The rest is fine, but I'm afraid Consort Jiang did something to get Eunuch Duan onto the boat."

Duan Yiting's visit to the Marquis's residence today may be a sign that the Fifth Prince's chances of winning will be greatly increased with his support.

"Where's the silk shawl I asked you to prepare a few days ago?"

"It's ready, I'll go get it."

Hengwu brought over a light and soft shawl. Song Wan lowered her head and gently sniffed it, only to smell a faint floral fragrance.

Years ago, I heard that someone had presented Duan Yiting with two pots of rare peonies, but they caused him to break out in a painful, itchy rash. In a fit of anger, he found a fabricated charge and exiled the person who sent the gift to the south, where he has not yet returned.

To prevent the Marquis's family from getting close to Duan Yiting, Song Wan had been soaking this shawl in safflower water (used for dyeing fingernails) for several days. Whether it would be effective was still unknown, but... it was better than nothing.

Song Wan stood up and had Hengzhi help her get dressed, then she walked gracefully out of the Lan Courtyard.

The Marquis's mansion was bustling with activity today. All the masters and mistresses were present in the main hall, and even Lin Jiayue and Huaisu attended together, accompanied by their maids.

For a time, people came and went, creating a lively scene.

Jiang Xingjian waited in the outer courtyard to greet the guests, while Jiang Yan sat by the door, chatting with several younger members of the family who were still attending the clan school.

Before Song Wan even entered the room, she saw him listening gently to the children chattering and showing off their homework.

The childish words were amusing, but Jiang Yan's eyes were full of seriousness and patience, which made Song Wan smile slightly.

"Sister-in-law..."

As soon as she entered, the younger children bowed and greeted her. After Song Wan returned the greeting, Jiang Yan said, "Sister-in-law, please wait a moment."

"A few days ago, Steward Liu returned from Jiangnan with a lot of exquisite items. My brother has already sent them to each household. This one is for my sister-in-law."

Jiang Yan picked up a stack of books from the table, lowered his eyes and rubbed them a few times before handing them to Qingzhai behind him.

Song Wan glanced at the maids in the room and saw that several of them were holding writing brushes and ink. She then gestured for Hengzhi to take them and said with a smile, "Thank you for your trouble, Second Master. Please thank Steward Liu for me."

Jiang Yan pursed his lips, suppressing the urge to curl his lips and the restlessness in his heart, and nodded gently: "Your younger brother understands."