“I wonder what plans Master has?”

Song Lan’an frowned. “You seem to have nothing to do today. Have all the rear courtyard matters been completed?”

Madam Song smiled awkwardly. “There’s nothing amiss at home. It’s just that this concubine is concerned about Yao’er and her sisters. Master also knows Yao’er will soon reach her hairpin ceremony age. This marriage has been delayed again and again. If it’s not settled soon, I fear it will be difficult to find a superior family in the future.”

“Didn’t Master also greatly value the marriage arrangement with the Cui clan before?”

“The Cui family’s Twelfth Young Master just passed the imperial examination, and his scholarship is exceptionally excellent. The Cui clan isn’t an ordinary wealthy family—they’re a proper family with poetry and books passed down through generations, each with true capabilities.”

“Lan’er is now past three years old and about to begin his education. This concubine was thinking of the Cui family…”

Song Lan’an’s brow furrowed tightly. “No matter how good the Cui family is, what use is it if they’re dissatisfied with Yao’er? Have you ever seen marriage negotiations between two households where the woman’s side rushes to marry off their daughter?”

“Moreover, what does Lan’er’s education have to do with the Cui clan? Can you send him to the Cui family school?”

“And I said I have other plans for Yao’er and Nian’er’s marriages. Can’t you understand?”

“Master misunderstands. How would this concubine dare?”

Forcing a smile, Madam Song ladled the warming tonic soup for Song Lan’an. After Song Lan’an ate, she personally cleared the bowls and chopsticks before leaving with a smile.

However, as soon as she exited the study door, the smile on her face froze.

“Madam, Master said he has arrangements for Second Miss’s marriage. What arrangements exactly?”

Madam Song’s eyes reddened slightly. “Arrangements? When has he ever cared about Yao’er or Nian’er? This marriage with the Cui family—I begged and pleaded with such difficulty to negotiate it. The entire Cui family is of distinguished nobility. How many court officials have emerged from three generations?”

“Such a family naturally values propriety and observes proper etiquette. Previously, I exhausted myself to catch Old Madam Cui’s eye. Now look—a marriage that was all but certain ultimately fell through.”

“Before, when that Song Wan made such a spectacular scene with the Chengyang Marquis’s household, the entire capital knew about that mess of ugliness. Lady Cui the Third dropped hints several times, and I could only smile and gloss over it.”

“Song Wan, as the Song household’s legitimate eldest daughter, now privately fled the residence shouting about severing ties with her husband. How could a family like the Cui clan look favorably upon such behavior?”

Throwing her handkerchief to the ground, Madam Song said, “Truly what one fears comes to pass. She’s caused the entire family to be in turmoil. Now the eldest master has even privately arranged a residence for her outside—what kind of situation is this? The Song household’s conduct is increasingly lacking in propriety. If I were Lady Cui, I too would look down on such a family.”

“You go inquire around—among all the families of higher birth in the capital, which household has such a legitimate eldest daughter? If even a household’s legitimate eldest daughter acts so absurdly, how can one blame others for looking down on us?”

The nanny serving by her side said, “Madam, don’t be anxious. Perhaps Master truly has better plans.”

“Even if there are good ones, they won’t benefit Yao’er or Nian’er.”

Madam Song’s voice carried a sobbing tone. “You’re not unaware of how partial that man is. In all these years, has he ever cared for the three children I bore? His thoughts are biased who knows where. Look at those two’s names, then look at Yao’er, Nian’er, and Lan’er—so petty and common.”

“All these years, haven’t all the good things in the household gone to the eldest first? He’s the household’s legitimate eldest son—we can’t compare, can’t compete. I accept that.”

“But what about now? Master, someone who values propriety above all, actually said we can’t send our daughter to the Marquis household to be mistreated.”

“The Marquis household can’t mistreat her now, but my children are implicated to the point where marriage proposals can’t even be discussed. Does he have no heart?”

“Madam, please don’t think this way. Master must have his plans.”

Pressing her handkerchief to the corners of her eyes, Madam Song’s tone was despairing. “Even you probably don’t believe those words yourself. Yao’er’s hairpin ceremony is imminent—how can she afford to wait for him to slowly make plans?”

“No, in this matter I must rely on myself.”

Madam Song wiped away her tears and spoke softly. “In a few days, accompany me to seek out Song Wan.”

The old woman originally wanted to say this wasn’t appropriate—if the eldest master found out, he would certainly be angry. But seeing her madam cry until her eyelids were red and swollen, then thinking of the two implicated young misses, she ultimately swallowed these words back down.

No one knew or cared about Madam Song’s thoughts, and it didn’t affect Song Fu finding time to visit Song Wan at the suburban residence whenever he could.

Previously, when Song Wan was keeping her widow’s vigil at the Marquis household, she fundamentally couldn’t leave the Marquis household’s gates. As her elder brother, it wasn’t appropriate for him to visit his younger sister at her husband’s family home. He could only entrust Madam Song to bring some prepared items during festivals.

But he and Madam Song weren’t birth mother and son—this layer between them made things very inconvenient.

Now, having placed his younger sister under his own watchful care, Song Fu couldn’t help but visit frequently. He could both bring items and check whether the residence was safe.

“The eldest young master has arrived.”

Old Nanny Lang welcomed him in with a face full of joy. Seeing another cartload of items outside the door, she couldn’t help but smile.

The eldest miss attracted affection, but in the family it seemed only the eldest master would cherish her. Feeling pained in her heart, Old Nanny Lang had people place the items at the entrance. After seeing those delivery servants leave, she called for Jinshu.

Jinshu had been strong since childhood. Before long, she had carried all the items from the cart into the courtyard.

Song Fu saw Song Wan standing in the central hall watching him and couldn’t help but smile. “Come see what your elder brother bought for you.”

Holding a brocade box in his hands, Song Fu handed it to Song Wan. “Open it and look.”

Song Wan accepted it and slowly opened it. Upon seeing a box full of brilliantly colorful silk flowers in various hues, her smile froze for a moment.

Song Fu said, “Last time I noticed you liked bright colors, so your elder brother selected some for you. The shopkeeper said these are new goods from the south, not yet available in the capital.”

Song Wan reached out to pick up a goose-yellow silk begonia flower with gold thread and smiling, pinned it in her hair. “Thank you, elder brother. Wan’er likes them very much.”

The enormous silk flower made Song Wan’s pretty face appear three sizes smaller. Seeing this, Song Fu nodded seriously. “Festive and brilliant—very suitable for you.”

Looking down at the box of silk flowers, Song Wan smiled as she arranged them one by one neatly.

“Today Old Nanny Lang made soft-bone fish and shrimp tofu soup, as well as thousand-mile preserved meat and roasted chicken—all dishes elder brother enjoys. Later, elder brother should have several more bowls.”

Song Fu smiled and nodded, then instructed Song Wan that he had prepared silks and satins for her, and in a few days when the weather turned cold, to remember to make new clothes and shoes, among other trivial matters.

As the siblings stood in the central hall conversing, suddenly a commotion came from outside the gate.

The two turned to look, hearing someone continuously pounding on the door outside.

“I’ll go see.”

Having Heng Zhi accompany Song Wan into her room, Song Fu walked out alone.

Old Nanny Lang was bracing against the door bolt preventing those outside from barging in. Outside, someone kept forcefully beating on the door, never responding no matter how Old Nanny Lang questioned them.

“Let me.”

Song Fu stepped forward and withdrew the door bolt. A plump old woman tumbled straight in.

“Aiya, whose servant is so domineering?”

Old Nanny Lang cried out in alarm, but Song Fu frowned and said, “Lady of Duke Yingguo?”

Ming Xiang stood behind Lady Duke Yingguo, pulling at her sleeves continuously in embarrassment and anxiety. Hearing Song Fu speak, she subconsciously raised her head to look, but having just glimpsed that person, she bashfully lowered her head.