Before her marriage, Song Wan had thoroughly read all the books in Song Fu’s study.

She had believed that managing Chengyang Marquis Estate and handling household affairs would be as simple as drinking tea or tasting delicacies. Yet she never imagined that simply managing these household matters would exhaust her to this extent.

In the past, she prided herself on her calm temperament, but ever since encountering Lin Jiayue, she had become increasingly volatile and irritable, her state of mind unstable.

“You two may leave first. I’ll register Xiang Mei tomorrow.”

“Thank you, First Madam…”

Jiang Xingjian’s earlier demeanor had terrified Concubine Zheng and Xiang Mei. Seeing their major matter resolved, the two fled from Lanting Courtyard as if flying.

Lin Jiayue still wanted to obstruct them, but was also frightened back by a single look from Jiang Xingjian.

“As for Concubine Zhou and Third Sister… the Lan family has already selected a new candidate. You needn’t persist with the Lan family anymore. I’m also powerless regarding Third Sister’s marriage prospects. In a few days, I’ll ask Madam to help arrange viewings for Third Sister.”

Concubine Zhou was about to tearfully complain when Song Wan said: “Heng Wu, see the guests out. Until Third Sister’s marriage is settled, I will not receive Concubine Zhou again.”

Only Jiang Xingjian and Lin Jiayue remained in the room. Song Wan contemplated briefly, then said with cool features: “Taking people into chambers for the estate’s males is an old custom, unrelated to Fourth Young Master’s character. Whether young masters, young ladies, concubines, or maids in the estate, monthly stipends are all fixed. Elevating her to chamber maid status one day earlier means Concubine Zheng’s courtyard can receive an extra estate stipend one day sooner.”

“Once requested, unless the demands are excessive, any mistress of any household would agree.”

“As for your talk of harm, that’s even more preposterous.”

Song Wan frowned, her face slightly flushed after a moment: “From when a young man of an aristocratic family… reaches sexual maturity, chamber maids or personal female attendants are arranged for him.”

“First, it allows the estate’s young masters to understand matters of desire and pleasure, so they won’t in the future become obsessed with courtesans outside the estate or sink into romantic dalliances. Second, it ensures they have the ability to continue the family line.”

“Third, once a male has a chamber maid, he changes from being a minor and is no longer presented as a child.”

“What you obstructed wasn’t simply a chamber maid, but Jiang Ang’s right to assume clan and estate positions.”

These matters—any young lady from an aristocratic family would know them, even if she were a concubine-born daughter or even a favored maid.

If Lin Jiayue hadn’t dodged quickly, Concubine Zheng’s hairpin wouldn’t have only pierced her arm. With a few more words exchanged, she might have been stabbed into a sieve by Concubine Zheng.

After saying these few sentences, Song Wan felt utterly exhausted.

Lin Jiayue had wasted an entire day of her time, yet the miscellaneous and troublesome matters in the estate wouldn’t disappear. Just thinking about it was vexing enough.

“Whether Concubine Lin is dissatisfied with Fourth Young Master taking someone into his chambers, or dissatisfied with Fourth Young Master assuming an estate position—neither is something I, an inner household woman, can comment on. Now that the Marquis is here, you may ask him yourself.”

“Today has been busy. You two should return to your courtyards and rest early.”

Bowing respectfully to Jiang Xingjian, Song Wan entered her dressing room.

Lin Jiayue’s shrill voice continued from outside. Song Wan removed the jade hairpin from her head and tossed it onto her vanity.

“Miss, I had the small kitchen stew lily bulb soup for you. Won’t you eat a bite before resting?”

Heng Zhi brought over the sweet dish. Song Wan silently shook her head, indicating she had no appetite.

Lv Zhu sympathetically helped undo her hair. Song Wan closed her eyes and said: “I don’t want to follow behind Lin Jiayue every day cleaning up the messes she creates, or explaining nonsensical ‘rules’ and ‘estate customs’ to her.”

“Spending all day being dragged along by others not only wastes time and energy but adds endless vexation. Better to use that energy planning for Elder Brother and Aunt.”

Song Wan pressed her temples: “I need to think of a way to have Lin Jiayue cause a major disaster…”

Best if she could drag down that person in the palace as well—only then could the Song household be truly secure.

With the Song household secure, she wouldn’t need to care what happened to the Marquis Estate. In any case, as long as Father and Elder Brother lived, the Marquis Estate would have to support her. Why suffer needlessly?

Heng Zhi bit her lip: “But after these several incidents, the Marquis probably won’t trust Concubine Lin anymore. With the Marquis watching over her, getting her to cause a major disaster will be somewhat difficult.”

“You speak reasonably.”

Her slender fingers tapped on the vanity. After a moment, Song Wan said: “Being and non-being produce each other; difficult and easy complete each other; long and short form each other; high and low complement each other…”

“All things in the world are mutually dependent.”

“Strength and weakness, advance and retreat, attack and defense, fortune and misfortune—all are prerequisites for one another and cannot be considered in isolation.”

“All things are born from being, being is born from non-being. Fortune contains misfortune, misfortune contains fortune. To make Lin Jiayue cause a major disaster, I must first give to her, elevate her to a high position, launch her into the clouds. Only by climbing high can she fall hard.”

“Her temperament is flamboyant. Once she has power and influence, who knows how arrogant and triumphant she’ll become. And when people become triumphant, that’s when they become dangerous.”

Song Wan propped her chin, saying lazily: “I’ll wait for an opportunity or excuse to hand over all household management to her and let her run wild a bit more.”

Nanny Zhao worried: “If you have no power at all in your hands, would that be…”

“No need to worry.”

Song Wan said: “Lin Jiayue is vulgar and profit-oriented. Though she has some crooked talent, her pride is extremely high. She’s never regarded me seriously. Though I don’t know where this confidence and certainty of hers comes from, I know that even with great power in her hands, she won’t do anything to me.”

“After all, she’s never thought much of me.”

Lin Jiayue’s displayed arrogance and superiority greatly puzzled her. Previously, she’d always thought the other woman acted this way to deceive others, but now she could confirm this person was simply obstinate and arrogant by nature.

“With her temperament, once she gains power, she’ll regard me even less and will most likely make sweeping changes to the Marquis Estate according to her own views.”

“But with her insight, temperament, and that complete lack of reverence, who knows what disasters she’ll cause.”

If Jiang Man had only made things difficult for her, Song Wan wouldn’t so quickly abandon the Marquis Estate. But Jiang Man should never have reached her hand into the Ministry of Personnel.

Moreover, today Jiang Xingjian had asked her, as the principal wife, to explain estate customs to a mere concubine—the greatest absurdity under heaven.

Unable to even show respect—such an in-law family was better discarded.

Song Wan casually gathered up her long black hair, saying carelessly: “I also want to see what Lin Jiayue will turn the Marquis Estate into after gaining power, and to what state she’ll implicate those two in the palace.”

Nanny Zhao and Heng Zhi exchanged glances. Though worried in their hearts, they all trusted their young lady.

“Whatever Miss wishes to do, go ahead and do it. Even if the sky falls, this servant will help hold it up for you.”

Song Wan smiled charmingly: “How could I bear to let you hold it up? Even if I cause trouble, there’s still Father and Elder Brother. At worst, I’ll cut my hair and return to the Song family temple to become a nun. What could the Marquis Estate do to me?”

“Ptui, ptui, ptui! Miss is speaking nonsense again.”

Gently pushing Song Wan, Nanny Zhao saw her smiling brightly but felt sourness rising in her heart.

Her young lady was so wonderful—how had she ended up marrying into Chengyang Marquis Estate?

Song Wan didn’t know Nanny Zhao’s thoughts. All her energy was devoted to pondering what excuse she should find to push household management responsibilities onto Lin Jiayue.

Yet she never imagined that within half a month, an excellent opportunity would present itself.