When Lin Jiayue entered the palace, she wore plain white everyday attire with not a single hairpin or ornament. Song Wan likewise wore entirely plain white, appearing as austere as when they first met. Due to the national mourning period prohibiting makeup, her face appeared blindingly pale.

The two women locked eyes, first both curving their lips in faint smiles, then in the next instant both shedding tears. Within those tears lay sighs, sadness, and something unclear and indescribable—a sense of fortune at having survived a catastrophe.

Lin Jiayue wiped her tears, saying gently, “You don’t look well.”

Song Wan curved her lips slightly, but this brought down a string of teardrops.

“I suffered some fright, but I’m otherwise unharmed.”

“Huai Su… she’s gone.”

Recounting Huai Su’s actions that day to Song Wan, Lin Jiayue wept again as she spoke.

“There was an excellent young woman in the Eastern Palace who also perished yesterday while trying to save me.”

Both women raised their heads to look at each other, their faces wearing expressions that seemed half-crying, half-smiling.

Only now did Song Wan truly understand the weight of the phrases “vicissitudes of the world” and “tumultuous changes.”

The grievances they once held against each other in the Chengyang Marquis Manor now seemed to have weathered a hundred years of wind and frost, becoming so blurred that without deliberate investigation, one could scarcely recall even half their outline.

“Did you summon me today because you have some matter to discuss?”

Wiping away the tears on her face, Song Wan said, “The national treasury is empty, and there’s nothing left in the imperial coffers. The court now has no military provisions or supplies. I wanted to ask if you have any solutions.”

Lin Jiayue lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, then said softly, “I do.”

“I knew you would.”

Song Wan smiled gently and softly, her eyes seeming to hold falling starlight.

“But I cannot accomplish this matter alone. You must introduce me to several court officials—only with their assistance can it be done.”

“I’ll write you a note. You can seek out my elder brother or my father.”

“Alright, you wait in the palace for my good news.”

Lin Jiayue readily agreed. Her temperament was urgent—once she agreed to something, she wanted to do it immediately. But just as she walked out of Laiyi Pavilion, she turned back to Song Wan and said, “You look extremely weak. Excessive worrying greatly harms the body—try to take things more lightly.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

“Go back now. No need to see me out.”

The young woman turned around. Perhaps due to anxiety, her steps appeared somewhat disordered, yet Song Wan found it rather comforting to watch.

Whether it was because her abundant talents could finally be put to use, Lin Jiayue had at last recovered some of the vibrant appearance from her past that Song Wan had most envied.

At the Chengyang Marquis Manor, Jiang Mother stood before the hanging flower gate wearing mourning clothes. After Huai Su’s death, she had actually placed all her dependence and trust in Lin Jiayue.

Qi Shun’s wife accompanied Lin Jiayue walking back from the outer courtyard. They saw Jiang Mother standing earnestly beneath the spirit wall, looking up expectantly.

These past few days, she seemed to have been drained of all vigor and vitality. More than half her full head of black hair had turned gray-white, and her eyelids drooped, showing not a trace of the proud bearing that had once sustained her.

Jiang Man’s death and Jiang Xingjian’s uncertain fate at the Shu River had left Jiang Mother tormented and wishing for death. Now she had actually weathered into an ordinary old woman.

“Why did Song Wan invite you to the palace? Is there news from the Shu River? Is Yi’er still safe? Has there been any word when the court’s main army will arrive?”

Lin Jiayue shook her head. “The national treasury is empty. The court lacks the resources to support military provisions and supplies. Song Wan asked if I had any solutions.”

“Well, do you have any solutions?”

Jiang Mother paced back and forth before Lin Jiayue. The back that had always been held ramrod straight now bent slightly. She walked in circles around the garden. After a moment, she pointed at Qi Shun’s wife and said, “How much silver does the manor have? Withdraw whatever can be spared.”

“Gather the account books from the several shops outside. After Yin Gong’s sudden death, the manor should have quite a bit saved up…”

As she was speaking, Jiang Mother suddenly burst into tears. “Do you have a way to bring Man’er’s remains back? She always loved cleanliness above all else. In such a desolate place, it won’t do…”

“She was accustomed to living in comfort. In the manor, she wouldn’t eat anything that wasn’t refined, wouldn’t wear anything that wasn’t rare and precious fabric. She won’t be at peace in a poor place like the Shu River.”

With the battle situation dire and the Nanqing army about to rush to the Shu River, how could Jiang Man’s remains be found after such a great battle? Yet Lin Jiayue smiled faintly through her tears and said, “I’ll send people to the Shu River. I will definitely bring the Imperial Consort’s remains back intact.”

Whether the remains brought back actually belonged to Jiang Man wasn’t important. What mattered was comforting this mother’s loving heart.

“As for military provisions and supplies, I already have a solution. I’m now preparing to visit the Song Manor to call on Lord Song. Mother, don’t worry too much.”

Seeing her heavily pregnant with a haggard face, yet with eyes that shone brightly, Jiang Mother’s nose and eyes grew sore. “I had the manor prepare a meal for you. Eat something before you rush off.”

Lin Jiayue nodded. After eating, she then went to the Song Manor.

Song Lan’an had been staying at the Central Secretariat these past few days, so it was Song Fu who received Lin Jiayue.

“You say you have a solution for the supplies and military provisions?”

Lin Jiayue nodded. “Crowdfunding.”

“What is crowdfunding?”

Lin Jiayue explained, “Find the great clans with substantial family wealth in the capital and have them donate money and goods.”

Song Fu’s eyes brightened. He suddenly recalled that day at the palace gates when commoners spontaneously donated silver and supplies. A drop of water cannot make a sea, but if many small amounts accumulate, it can resolve an urgent crisis.

“Song Fu thanks Madam on behalf of the generals at the Shu River.”

Clasping his hands in salute, Song Fu solemnly performed a bow to Lin Jiayue.

“After I return to the manor, I’ll write down the specific details. You can reference the concrete operational methods.”

After briefly giving instructions, Lin Jiayue left the Song Manor.

As she walked out, she suddenly felt thoroughly relaxed.

Looking at the scene of common people hurrying about the streets and alleys for their livelihoods, she slowly curved her lips into a relaxed smile.

It turned out that the value of a person’s life did not come from others’ mouths, nor did it require the whole world to know what one had done.

She thought she could finally let go of past obsessions and live properly in this world—in a way that both protected herself and allowed her to contribute her modest effort for the world’s common people.

Gently stroking her belly, Lin Jiayue smiled tenderly and, with Qian Bi’s support, slowly boarded the carriage.

No more than three to five hours after she departed, the court erected wooden platforms at the palace gates according to Lin Jiayue’s words. Capital officials stood there word by word informing the common people of the court’s predicament, while Song Lan’an, Ming Huaxin, Zheng Yunshan, and several other senior court officials widely distributed calling cards from their manors.

Great clans had accumulated wealth over several generations, and before long they had assembled an enormous sum.

In the Eastern Palace, Song Wan also had Ji Rong send out all her dowry from the past as well as all the Crown Prince’s movable private property.

Ji Rong looked at Song Wan and said tremulously, “Send it all out?”

Song Wan nodded. “If the nation falls, these material possessions will instead be handed over to Nanqing. I believe that even if the Crown Prince were here, he would make the same decision as I.”

“Song Chenghui speaks reasonably.”

The Crown Prince’s private property was truly considerable, especially the wealth he had received from Duan Yiting in the past, which was staggering.

But Song Chenghui was right—if the nation fell, what use would these things have?

“This humble one will immediately send people to collect and organize the treasury’s wealth to supply provisions and military pay.”

The people of the Eastern Palace were taking action, and other great clans and families were likewise exerting their full clan strength to raise military supplies.

Some venerable medicinal halls of the capital purchased countless medicinal materials to send to the court. There were also cloth merchants from Jiangnan who sent messages overnight to have the cloth from their warehouse sent to the Shu River. The three great merchant associations—the Yangzhou salt merchants, Huizhou merchants, and Shanxi merchants—exerted every effort to purchase supplies like grain and horses.

Lan Yunhe even purchased sixty thousand shi of grain with his own resources to send to the military camp.

Yet everyone’s hearts still lacked confidence, only because they didn’t know how long this battle would last, or to what year and month it would drag on before it could end.