Lin Jiayue wore a wide-sleeved jacket in deep amber-brown with gold thread patterns, her hair piled high in an elaborate bun. A pure gold crabapple hairpin inserted beside the bun made her still somewhat youthful face appear rather comical.

She carried a bamboo basket covered with red velvet cloth, accompanied by Jiang Xing, who had grown into a graceful beauty.

After entering the hall, she and Jiang Xing led the half-height young Marquis of Chengyang, Jiang Su, to kneel before Song Wan.

After allowing them to rise, Song Wan granted seats to Lin Jiayue’s party.

“Put me down.”

Shen Shiyan kicked his two little feet, squirming incessantly. Heng Zhi set him on the ground, allowing Shen Shiyan to run to the side of the small Marquis of Chengyang, Jiang Su.

Jiang Su had a lively temperament and had been taught by Lin Jiayue to be sweet-tongued and clever. Seeing Shen Shiyan approach, he rolled down from his chair and crawled over.

“Little brother, be good and call me big brother.”

Little Jiang Su wrapped his arms around Shen Shiyan and leaned in to kiss him.

Seeing this, Jiang Xing quickly reached out to pull them apart, carefully reminding Jiang Su that he should address Shen Shiyan as the First Imperial Prince.

Watching the two chubby little ones clump together, Song Wan couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“The young marquis is truly endearing.”

Hearing this, Lin Jiayue looked at her son, her eyes full of maternal affection.

“Heng Zhi, go accompany Fifth Miss. Don’t let the two little ones get too mischievous.”

Seeing Jiang Su and Shen Shiyan go from playing like brothers to rolling into a ball together, Song Wan directed Heng Zhi to help Jiang Xing watch over them.

Once only she and Lin Jiayue remained nearby, Song Wan smiled and spoke: “I’ve never seen you dressed like this before. Do you find it uncomfortable?”

Lin Jiayue looked down at the clothing that would typically be worn by women in their fifties or sixties and smiled faintly.

“Given my current status, even if I dislike it, I must project the bearing of an old madam. If I don’t present this appearance, there will always be people trying to suppress the Marquis of Chengyang’s estate.”

Song Wan asked: “Are you facing difficulties?”

“There are no difficulties, just occasionally encountering some people whose eyes are covered by ghosts, ill-mannered people who throw tantrums before me.”

“But most are quite manageable.”

As Lin Jiayue said these words, her face carried the faint dignity of one in authority. Song Wan watched, somewhat lost in thought.

Jiang Su was just a small child. Though he held the title of Marquis of Chengyang, the entire estate ultimately relied on Lin Jiayue alone to maintain its dignity.

Over these past two or three years, she had heard quite a few rumors about the Marquis of Chengyang’s estate.

Some mocked the estate for engaging in lowly merchant activities despite its noble status, while others praised the estate for its charitable works—distributing porridge during disasters and providing food to the impoverished.

Song Wan looked at Lin Jiayue, whose face still showed some youthfulness but whose eyes revealed sharp determination, and smiled slowly.

She thought for a moment before speaking warmly: “It seems every time I see you, you’re different from before.”

When they first met, Lin Jiayue was entirely girlish, her heart and eyes full of Jiang Xingjian.

At the Marquis of Chengyang’s estate, the two often clashed, yet unexpectedly during difficult times, she had received Lin Jiayue’s help to escape the estate.

Later when they met, she was like a delicate flower struck by frost—wilted and dejected, seemingly unable to bloom again.

But now, Lin Jiayue had grown into yet another form.

Song Wan saw in her eyes resolute ruthlessness, and behind those rumors, a pure and kind heart wrapped in layers of protection.

“Oh, I brought something for you today.”

Bringing the basket covered with red velvet cloth before her, Lin Jiayue carefully lifted the cover to reveal a basket full of golden, fluffy little kittens.

“Originally, Second Master in the estate kept quite a few cats. After I sealed off Yuling Study, I brought these little ones out.”

Lin Jiayue spoke while sighing: “These little ones usually eat much and sleep much, and they breed prolifically too. I’m busy all day steaming fish and meat, hardly having time for other matters.”

“Now they’ve had another litter. Thinking you liked them, I picked out some attractive ones for you to choose two.”

As Lin Jiayue spoke, she reached out to gently touch those fragile little creatures, her eyes full of reluctance.

But watching this, Song Wan felt her heart twist into knots.

As she reached out to touch that soft, furry sensation, her nose tingled.

“I wronged you. This apology comes very late, but I must tell you in person.”

Cradling several sleeping little ones in her palm, Lin Jiayue said softly: “Many words sound affected when spoken, but I want you to know my feelings.”

“I know.”

Song Wan smiled gently: “I knew from the beginning that you didn’t mean it.”

The Lin Jiayue of that time might have been rash and impulsive, perhaps somewhat unruly and untaught, but from beginning to end, she had never harbored malicious thoughts toward anyone.

Hearing this, Lin Jiayue pressed her lips slightly, a touch of relief in her eyes.

“Do you remember the courtyard in the southeast of the estate called Pingcui Nunnery?”

Song Wan nodded. Lin Jiayue continued: “I drove out all the old nuns from that nunnery and sealed off all the roads around Pingcui Nunnery, opening a separate entrance on South Street.”

“Why?”

Lin Jiayue smiled: “I’ve always wanted to do something in the names of Jiang Jing and Concubine Zhou.”

“But I didn’t know what to do until I gave birth to Su’er, when I finally found a goal.”

“Giving birth to Su’er took two days and one night. Mother and child nearly…”

“But perhaps I still had a mission to complete here, so Heaven wouldn’t let me die.”

“In this era, childbirth for women is like gambling with their lives, relying entirely on midwives alone to assist. But midwives aren’t physicians—when facing difficult situations, they can only watch helplessly as both mother and child perish.”

In this era, though there were physicians specializing in women’s diseases, these doctors were mostly looked down upon by society, as were those in obstetrics. Therefore, medical practitioners studying this field were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

“Women risk their lives, yet when facing difficult labor, they must avoid speaking of it for propriety’s sake, bearing it alone. It’s truly…”

Lin Jiayue wanted to say ridiculous, but the words stuck in her throat.

After a moment she said: “I reorganized Pingcui Nunnery and recruited midwives to learn childbirth-related medical arts for free. It’s already showing initial results, but I’ve encountered a problem.”

Song Wan looked at her and smiled: “Though there are physicians treating minor women’s conditions among the common people, those specializing in childbirth are extremely rare. You want me to allocate one or two people from the Imperial Medical Bureau to help you teach those midwives?”

“Exactly.”

Lin Jiayue smiled sweetly: “I most enjoy speaking with you. You’re so clever—I only need to bat an eye and you know what I want to do.”

“So, can you help?”

“Naturally.”

Song Wan’s tone was gentle: “To establish purpose for the people—this is our honor.”

“To establish purpose for the people…”

Lin Jiayue murmured in repetition, her eyes seeming to find a new goal.

She thought perhaps she wasn’t completely useless after all. Perhaps she could achieve her original dream.

To change this era, in a way this era could accept.

Understanding this, Lin Jiayue felt a weight lift from her heart, her entire being becoming lighter.

“Actually, I came to see you today for another matter as well—something I’d like your opinion on.”