“Xun’er, come pay your respects to the First Madam.”

Yang Pianzi laughed loudly as she called Yang Xun over. Yang Xun kept his head lowered, frowning tightly.

His aunt had married the most worthless Third Master of the Song family, and over these years her behavior had become increasingly mad. Now she was actually hatching such a despicable scheme.

Feeling secretly angry, he stepped forward a few paces to pay his respects to Madam Song.

Song Wan observed his behavior and knew this person was unaware of the plot, so she turned her face away.

Madam Song said, “We’re all family—no need for such formality. You haven’t seen Third Sister-in-law in quite some time and must miss her dearly. You two should go catch up properly and needn’t mind us.”

Yang Xun replied gently, “Today I’ve seen my aunt and know she is in good health, which puts my mind at ease. I was just about to leave the residence.”

After bowing to Madam Song again, Yang Xun turned to leave.

Yang Pianzi kept calling after him from behind. Seeing she truly couldn’t stop him, she hurriedly chased after him.

“Are you stupid? Such a good opportunity today to let you view the Song residence’s legitimate daughter, and you’re running away?”

Grabbing Yang Xun by the arm, Yang Pianzi frowned. “Do you know that young lady’s background? She’s Song Wan. If not for her being cast off by the Marquis of Chengyang, how would it ever be your turn to see her?”

“Aunt, please mind your words.”

Yang Xun’s face flushed red with anger. “Your actions today are truly improper. You…”

Unable to reproach an elder directly, he could only grit his teeth, fling his sleeve, and leave once more.

“You stop right there.”

“If not for elder brother asking me before he passed to look after you more, I wouldn’t even want to bother with this mess. What’s your meaning today? You look down on Song Wan? Even though she’s damaged goods…”

“Aunt!”

Yang Xun’s face turned cold. “Don’t forget that Zhao’er is also a young woman. Before you act and speak, please leave some dignity for Zhao’er, and leave some dignity for the Yang family as well.”

Having said this, Yang Xun pulled back his sleeve and fled outside.

“What nonsense? Her mother is willing to bring her for you to see, and you’re putting on airs? Truly incomprehensible.”

Yang Pianzi was so angry she wished she could press Yang Xun’s head down and have him bow in marriage to Song Wan right then and there. On Song Wan’s side, however, everything remained calm—she didn’t even show half a trace of unusual expression.

Madam Song looked at that seemingly translucent smile on her face and for some reason felt her heart tighten.

She pressed her lips together and laughed dryly. “Your Third Aunt is truly outrageous, actually leading her own nephew to wander about the inner courtyard.”

Seeing Song Wan didn’t respond, the servant by her side tried to smooth things over. “It’s all this old servant’s fault for being old and muddle-headed, not noticing the commotion from the front courtyard. If this old servant had paid more attention, the Eldest Miss wouldn’t have been intruded upon just now.”

“Indeed.”

Song Wan laughed softly. “If Wan’er remembers correctly, Nanny Sun has been serving by Mother’s side for over twenty years now, hasn’t she?”

Neither Nanny Sun nor Madam Song understood what Song Wan meant by this. Madam Song frowned slightly while Nanny Sun nodded blankly.

Song Wan said, “She’s loyal. No wonder Mother values you so highly.”

“Yao’er and Nian’er are back. Mother, please.”

Seeing Song Yao and Song Nian return carrying the Huanhua brocade, Song Wan raised her hand toward the embroidery room, indicating Madam Song should go first.

Madam Song looked into her eyes, her heart clenched with unease as she headed toward the embroidery room.

After remeasuring all three sisters and explaining the sizes and styles to the servants in the embroidery room, Song Wan finally returned to her own courtyard.

“Miss, are you saying Madam has conceived the idea of marrying you off to the Yang family?”

Heng Wu bit her teeth, so angry her eyes hurt.

Even if they truly wanted to arrange a match for their miss, there was no need for such methods. What was this now? Were they afraid the man’s family would look down on their miss, so they hastily dragged someone over to show her off?

What kind of noble family arranged marriages this way? This was clearly done with the intention of humiliating someone.

Heng Wu was about to say more, but Heng Zhi pulled her back, stopping her from speaking.

That their miss would be remarried by the master upon returning to the residence was inevitable—their miss was not unaware of this. But for Madam to dare use such crude and unseemly methods now showed it must have the master’s approval.

Without the master’s consent, how would Madam dare act this way?

“Miss, this… the residence is being far too hasty…”

Heng Zhi pressed her lips together, her tone carrying a sobbing quality from anger.

Being so hasty, how could they possibly select a good family for Miss? In the end, it would probably be even worse than the Marquis of Chengyang’s residence.

Moreover, what was the Yang family?

Yang Pianzi could only arrange a match with the Song residence because not only was Third Master a concubine-born son, but he was also a worthless wastrel who had nothing.

If not for the capital truly being unable to find a candidate back then, why would they have sought out Yang Pianzi, who had some distant connection to the family? Under normal circumstances, she probably couldn’t even enter the Song residence’s main gate to pay respects to their miss.

How could such a family be presented before their miss?

Biting her lip until it bled, Heng Zhi held back her breath to keep from crying out loud in front of Song Wan.

“Why cry? I don’t even care.”

Lightly shaking the letter in her hand, Song Wan smiled and handed it to Heng Zhi. “Deliver this to Uncle Su.”

Madam Song was after all her elder—she couldn’t do much to her. But that didn’t mean Madam Song could manipulate her at will.

After sending that letter out, Song Wan never mentioned that day’s events again.

Several days passed. While Madam Song grew angry and anxious over Yang Xun’s lack of cooperation, she also felt vaguely uneasy. It wasn’t until she saw that Song Wan had been calm and quiet these past few days that she gradually set aside her apprehension.

“If this old servant may say, Madam worries too much. No matter what, you are still the Eldest Miss’s mother. For you to arrange her marriage and seek a husband’s family is perfectly justified. Even if it’s somewhat hasty, what of it? The Eldest Miss won’t do anything to you. Could she dare commit such an outrage as to report you to the master?”

“Moreover, even regarding that matter of you sending the Eldest Miss back to the marquis’s residence last time, she only spoke a few words. This small misstep now—even if the master knew about it, he’d be too lazy to care.”

“Please set your mind at ease, Madam. Don’t worry so much.”

Madam Song pressed her temples and shook her head lightly. “I also know she can’t do anything to me, but somehow, I just feel inexplicably uneasy.”

As the two were conversing, a young maid in an embroidered red brocade jacket entered from outside.

“Madam, Madam Su has arrived. The Eldest Miss sent this servant to inform you that if you’re free now, please come to the Eldest Miss’s courtyard to meet her.”

“Madam Su?”

Madam Song’s eyelid jumped, and she instinctively gripped her handkerchief tighter.

Even Nanny Sun beside her caught her breath, suddenly feeling alarmed.

“Why would my sister-in-law come over for no reason? Wan’er really…”

She looked at Nanny Sun and forced herself to calm down. After carefully tidying her clothing and hair, she walked out with a grim face.

As soon as the two arrived at Song Wan’s courtyard, they saw Madam Song’s legitimate elder brother’s wife—Song Wan’s legitimate maternal aunt Li Zhen—standing in the center of the courtyard.

Upon seeing Madam Song, Li Zhen immediately laughed cheerfully. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen Seventh Sister. I never expected you’d change so much. You’re no longer like that timid girl before marriage who could barely speak properly when meeting people.”

Madam Song’s face tightened. Forcibly suppressing her anger, she said her sister-in-law had been well.

Li Zhen smiled in acknowledgment, then said, “Come inside and sit. What are you standing there for?”

“Wan’er, quickly pour tea for your mother. Your aunt and I must have a good chat today—chat about what’s happened at the Su residence and Song residence all these years.”

Song Wan obediently stood to the side, poured tea for them both, then quietly stood behind her maternal aunt.

Seeing this, Li Zhen’s eyes showed approval. She turned to face the expressionless Madam Song and curved her lips in a smile. “I didn’t come today merely to reminisce. Actually, I’ve brought something for Seventh Sister. You…”

As she spoke, she paused and pointed at Nanny Sun beside Madam Song. “If I remember correctly, your surname is Sun?”

Nanny Sun’s eyelid twitched, inwardly thinking this was bad. She finally understood why Li Zhen had come today.