Wan Xiao looked up, gazing quietly at Jinshu. After a long while, he said in a light voice, “He will be willing.”

Jinshu blushed and smiled sweetly.

“Thank you, Supervisor Wan.”

The young girl curtsied and, as she turned to leave, her face was full of longing and joy for the future.

When she returned to Laiyi Pavilion, the happiness on Jinshu’s face had not yet faded. Song Wan was sitting on the couch conversing with Heng Zhi and Heng Wu. The three saw her walk in with her eyes narrowed in a beaming smile.

“Little Jinshu, what has you smiling so happily?”

Heng Wu stood beside Song Wan and teased her upon seeing this.

“Chenghui, Sister Heng Wu…”

Her face flushed with shyness, Jinshu walked before the group. “This servant has found her husband.”

“Oh?”

Heng Zhi exclaimed in delighted surprise, and even Song Wan’s eyes were tinged with hints of joy.

“Good Jinshu, tell us—how did you find him?”

“It was Supervisor Wan who helped this servant find him.”

Hearing this, Song Wan smiled. “If the Dong Chang helped you find him, then there will certainly be no mistake. Now I can feel at ease letting you leave the palace.”

She raised her hand to beckon Jinshu to her side and said gently, “Did Supervisor Wan say when he would take you to see him?”

“He did. The day after tomorrow, this servant can go find him. Supervisor Wan arranged a livelihood for him. This servant thought it wouldn’t be good to trouble Supervisor Wan at every turn, so I chose a day that was convenient for him.”

Song Wan nodded. “That day, I’ll have Heng Zhi accompany you.”

“Heng Zhi acts steadily, and it can also let him know that you are valued by the palace mistress. Secondly, Heng Zhi’s eye for people won’t be wrong—let her help you assess the situation.”

Although the man was Jinshu’s betrothed from childhood, the two hadn’t seen each other in so many years. Who knew what kind of temperament he had developed? If his character wasn’t good, she would need to think of another way.

Jinshu also understood Song Wan’s good intentions and shyly agreed.

“I’ll go find the sisters in the palace sewing bureau and ask them to help make you a new set of clothes—something plain but also attractive.”

Heng Wu took Jinshu’s hand, and after the two paid respects to Song Wan, they left together.

Heng Zhi watched the two with a gentle smile on her face. Song Wan said, “Speaking of which, your and Heng Wu’s marriage should also be put on the agenda.”

The two had reached the appropriate age. Song Wan had no intention of letting Heng Zhi and Heng Wu waste their good youth. If the two had someone they admired, she would be very willing to help fulfill their wishes.

However, Heng Zhi quickly shook her head. “This servant doesn’t want to go anywhere. I only want to stay in the palace and accompany Miss.”

After six years of widowhood at the Chengyang Marquis Estate, not only had it tempered Song Wan’s character, it had also made Heng Zhi fear those kinds of deep mansion compounds to her very bones. Even though she wouldn’t marry into a prominent noble household like her Miss, the experiences at the Chengyang Marquis Estate had truly made her sick of it all.

She and Song Wan were as close as sisters, so naturally there was nothing she needed to hide. Seeing that her Miss brought up this matter today, she wanted to speak some heartfelt words with Song Wan.

“This servant knows that Miss is thinking of this servant, but this servant truly doesn’t want to leave the palace.”

Heng Zhi curved her lips into a slight smile. “His Highness treats Miss with deep affection. Following Miss, this servant’s status has also risen. The rear palace is also peaceful and quiet. Such a wealthy and leisurely life—even if this servant were to live it for a lifetime, this servant would be willing.”

Hearing this, Song Wan grasped Heng Zhi’s hand, feeling she had somehow wronged her.

But she also knew that Heng Zhi had always been someone who preferred quiet, and with no scheming conflicts in Shen Qianyu’s harem, it was indeed a leisurely place.

“If in the future you wish to leave the palace to see other scenery, remember to tell me.”

Heng Zhi nodded and readily agreed.

Just as the two were conversing, a young eunuch entered the room to report that Old Madam of the Chengyang Marquis Estate had passed away today, asking whether Song Wan wished to bestow any items.

Upon hearing this, Song Wan was first somewhat stunned, then had them handle it according to the palace’s usual old protocols.

Hearing this news, Heng Zhi’s eyes also carried some disbelief.

“When this servant and Miss first went to the Chengyang Marquis Estate all those years ago, Madam was still…”

Song Wan raised her head, also recalling some past events.

At that time, Old Madam was still alive. Although Jiang’s mother paid no attention to anything in the household, she had treated her fairly well.

In those first few days after entering the Chengyang Marquis Estate, Jiang’s mother would send people to Longxiang Studio daily to ask if she lacked anything. At that time, having just left the Song household, her heart had been full of unease and fear. Jiang’s mother had sent her personal senior maid Yun Que to her quarters.

Until Jiang Xingjian returned to the estate, both Old Madam and Jiang’s mother had treated her very generously.

Having lost her mother at a young age, she had once thought that if Mother were alive, perhaps she would have treated her just as Jiang’s mother did.

Song Wan had once genuinely treated Jiang’s mother as a beloved elder. Now hearing that she had passed, her heart couldn’t help but feel somewhat melancholy.

“Madam has finally fulfilled all her wishes.”

Heng Zhi looked at Song Wan and murmured.

Some time ago, Lin Jiayue had given birth to a grandson for the marquis estate. Although Jiang Man and Jiang Xingjian were both gone, the fifth generation of the Chengyang Marquis Estate had been bestowed a noble title immediately upon birth. Having seen her grandson and knowing that the century-old foundation of the marquis estate had not been destroyed, for Jiang’s mother this was perhaps enough for her to rest in peace.

“This servant heard that Lady Lin manages the marquis estate very well. Though more than half the household servants have been dismissed, many burdens have also been removed. Protecting the young marquis to grow up safely should not be a problem now.”

Song Wan nodded. “Her temperament is carefree and innocent. The child she raises will certainly not lose his childlike heart.”

Heng Zhi also nodded. Master and servant looked at each other and smiled. All the confusion and unwillingness of the past completely dissipated.

Two days later was the time for Jinshu to meet her husband. Song Wan gave her the palace exit token early in the morning, while Heng Wu pulled her along to help her dress and arrange her hair.

“Your face is round. I’ll help you arrange your hair in a high bun—that way you’ll look more charming.”

“Though these clothes are plain, I had the female official in the sewing bureau take in the waist for you. Wearing them will show off your graceful figure even more.”

Drawing out a crabapple hairpin from her own makeup box, Heng Wu carefully placed it in Jinshu’s hair.

“Dressed like this, you’re neither vulgar nor lacking in girlish charm. Your husband will surely like it.”

Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, more beautiful than she had ever been, Jinshu couldn’t help but press her lips together, revealing a smile full of shy delight.

When her father was alive, he had been single-mindedly trying to find her husband’s family. Now that only one person remained of her husband’s entire clan, she would inherit Father’s legacy and take good care of him, to honor the childhood bond between their families.

Hanging the engagement tokens of both families on her collar, Jinshu straightened the small rabbit carved from white jade and smiled with pressed lips.

“Sister Heng Zhi, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

After seeing the two off from outside Laiyi Pavilion, Heng Wu watched Jinshu’s retreating figure, her nose tip inevitably reddening.

“Miss, do you think that once Jinshu leaves the palace, it will be difficult to see her again in the future?”

Song Wan softly acknowledged this, but suddenly thought of Song Yuning.

Aunt had been busy these past few days with matters concerning going to Nanqing. She had repeatedly proposed going to Changxin Palace to help, but had been refused by Aunt each time. She knew that Aunt was afraid that seeing her would make her heart reluctant to part, which would not only cause heartache but also delay important matters.

Song Wan raised her head to look at Jinshu and suddenly, like Heng Wu, her eyes grew moist.

Once through these palace gates, with mountains high and roads far, it would not be easy to meet again in the future.

The two continued watching Jinshu’s retreating figure until it disappeared from view before reluctantly returning to Laiyi Pavilion.

Jinshu stood before the palace gates, clutching the token Song Wan had given her, and suddenly stopped.

“What’s wrong?”

Heng Zhi inquired softly, but Jinshu shook her head in a daze.

She didn’t know why, but at this moment she suddenly thought of Wan Xiao.

Looking around and not finding that person’s figure, Jinshu murmured, “Supervisor Wan didn’t come today?”