“Present tea to Mother.”

Jiang Su wore a brand-new silver thread clustered flower pattern cloud brocade robe. Together with the delicate and refined young lady beside him, they knelt to present tea to Lin Jiayue.

The two had just married yesterday. The young lady was nearly ten years younger than Jiang Su. Today her face was filled with blushing shyness, yet her eyes brimmed with admiration and affection.

Looking at the two of them, Lin Jiayue smiled with curved lips.

She actually had never imagined Jiang Su would marry a girl so much younger than himself.

“Good child, quickly stand up.”

Su Qingluo stood up somewhat nervously and moved to the side, not daring to speak.

Her mother-in-law was a formidable person—a First Rank Old Dowager Lady to whom even the current Emperor had bestowed a plaque by imperial decree.

Setting aside how she had single-handedly supported the marquis manor for decades, causing the Chengyang Marquis Manor to turn around overnight and return to the pinnacle of power, just speaking of her general stores spread throughout the realm—over these years, they had aided countless people in difficulty.

And the women’s obstetrics clinic established by her and the Retired Empress, along with the thousands of midwives they had trained, had saved the lives of countless women. Throughout this entire capital city, there was not a single young lady who did not revere and respect her, who did not wish to become like her.

Even though many slanderous voices had been raised against her, after His Majesty bestowed the plaque, these unpleasant words gradually dissipated, leaving no trace.

Su Qingluo looked at Lin Jiayue and nervously twisted the hem of her garment.

“Good child, what are you afraid of? Can I eat you?”

Lightly tapping her gilt chiwen-topped cane on the ground, Lin Jiayue laughed.

In her youth, her appearance had been delicate and gentle, but now that she had aged, having spent many years constantly occupied with the manor’s trivialities and the livelihoods of the common people, not only had this face aged severely, it also lacked half a trace of gentle kindness.

Sometimes when Lin Jiayue looked in a bronze mirror, she would be startled for a moment by the person reflected there.

But she never regretted it.

After all, a kindly-faced old lady could not support such an enormous marquis manor, not until now.

Looking at Jiang Su, who had grown into a handsome and distinguished man with sharp features, Lin Jiayue’s heart softened and she forced out a bit of affection.

“About that matter at the Old Prince’s Residence…”

She had only just raised the topic when the color instantly drained from Su Qingluo’s face.

Lin Jiayue sighed: “You needn’t be nervous. What I wanted to say is that our manor doesn’t value those empty reputations. Since you’ve already married into the Chengyang Marquis Manor, from now on you need not live each day clutching worry about this matter, fearing when someone might dig it up to humiliate you.”

Speaking of which, this Su Qingluo was actually a descendant of old acquaintances.

Her father was the son of Jingshan Academy scholar Su Xie. This young lady came from Song Wan’s maternal family. When Lin Jiayue first heard of such a person, she felt three parts pleased even before meeting her.

Originally, this young lady had been betrothed in a marriage arrangement, but some time ago at a banquet held by the capital’s Old Prince’s Residence, somehow during the feast, a seven or eight-year-old girl fell into the pond. None of the young ladies present moved, but her foolish daughter-in-law had jumped into the water without hesitation with a splash.

What followed was the same old tired tricks she had already seen enough of.

The family betrothed to the Su Family seized upon the claim that Su Qingluo had lost her virtue. The very next day, they made a great production of breaking off the engagement.

Thinking of the moment she heard this news, Lin Jiayue’s hand holding the teacup still trembled violently.

Perhaps when people grew old, they always recalled old matters. Lin Jiayue cleared her throat lightly and continued: “You did the right thing. In my eyes, your disregard for your own safety to save a life is the epitome of goodness. Only those foolish goods would use this to attack you for losing your chastity and speak such laughable words.”

Jiang Su turned to look at his young wife with her childlike features, then looked at his mother, and smiled gently.

He also felt his mother was right—his little wife was brave and kind.

“Our manor doesn’t practice that business of taking concubines and bringing people into the household. I see the several dowry maids you brought—they’re all for that purpose, aren’t they?”

“Yes…”

“Send them all back to the Su Family. As long as I live for one day, there will be no others in Su’er’s chambers.”

Su Qingluo raised her head in astonishment, looking at Lin Jiayue with eyes full of tears.

Though the Su Family had reputation and was the Retired Empress’s maternal family, her father devoted himself wholeheartedly to scholarly pursuits. Among literati, he could be called renowned, but ultimately he held no official position. She herself differed too greatly in status from the Marquis of Chengyang.

Moreover, she had the reality of lost virtue before and the humiliation of being rejected by her husband’s family after. Whether in terms of status or reputation, she was far inferior to Marquis of Chengyang Jiang Su.

From when the Chengyang Marquis Manor’s matchmaker came to propose marriage until she entered the bridal chamber yesterday, Su Qingluo hadn’t dared believe she truly could marry into the marquis manor.

Her mother feared she would be mistreated in her husband’s family and feared her husband would disdain her background and the broken engagement, so she had specially selected four maids of outstanding appearance from the household for use in securing favor in the future.

But Su Qingluo had never expected that on her very first day entering the household, her seemingly supremely stern mother-in-law would say such words to her.

The young lady was thin-skinned and pure-hearted. Hearing these words, the worry and fear in her heart suddenly dissolved. Unable to hold back the grievances she had suffered, she began wiping away tears.

“Don’t cry. It’s a joyous day.”

Pulling her before him, Jiang Su gently wiped away the tear tracks on the young lady’s face.

“Mother is right. Having married you, I won’t harbor crooked thoughts. Concubines are the root of household chaos. Send those women back to the Su residence. In a moment, I’ll have someone prepare a carriage. I’ll accompany you back to the Su residence for a visit.”

“But… but today isn’t the day for returning home…”

Lin Jiayue said: “We don’t pay attention to such formalities.”

Watching the young lady’s heart and eyes filled entirely with Jiang Su, Lin Jiayue suddenly thought of herself when she first arrived at the Chengyang Marquis Manor.

At that time, she too had been like Su Qingluo, her heart full of loving feelings for her husband.

Looking ahead, they felt the path before them was filled with flowers, the future bright and brilliant.

How could she have known then that her love affair would result in consequences leaving no one at peace?

Now seeing again a young lady just awakening to love with eyes that could sacrifice everything for affection, Lin Jiayue couldn’t stop the fear rising in her heart.

She truly feared the young lady before her would also be like her—gambling and losing, losing utterly and completely.

Raising her hand to beckon Su Qingluo, Lin Jiayue softened her voice: “Go back today. Speak plainly with your mother, otherwise during these three days she won’t know how to stop worrying. Let Su’er accompany you back together. Whatever concerns she has, seeing Su’er will resolve them.”

Lin Jiayue didn’t dare say she had raised her son extraordinarily well, but she dared say her son was likely the person in this world who best understood respecting women.

Previously, he had been unwilling to take a wife, and she had let him be. That day when she heard of Su Qingluo’s matter, she asked if he was willing to meet this young lady. He had never shown dissatisfaction. After secretly meeting, both families settled the marriage.

In the past, Lin Jiayue felt blind marriages were truly undesirable, but having seen many people and experienced many worldly affairs, she finally understood that whether a marriage could be happy only related to the people involved.

If two people understood propriety and knew when to advance and retreat, with hearts free of calculation and malice, this life wouldn’t turn out too badly no matter what.

Watching the newlywed couple depart, Lin Jiayue leaned on her cane and slowly walked out of Fuhe Hall.

Having just reached the main hall, Lin Jiayue saw Jiang Xing enter with a weary face, followed by seven or eight half-grown children.

“My little stars have returned.”

“We pay respects to Old Madam.”

A group of girls chattered as they came forward, circling endlessly around Lin Jiayue. Lin Jiayue touched each of their tender little faces in turn, greeting each one.

Seeing this, Jiang Xing smiled: “You truly don’t rest for a moment. Wouldn’t it be better to recuperate more? Why must you come to greet them every day?”

Having asked about Jiang Su and his new wife, hearing that the two had returned to her maternal family, Jiang Xing only nodded. She showed not the slightest displeasure that the newlyweds hadn’t paid respects to her.

Only because she too was now busy beyond measure.

In childhood, Jiang Xing only knew she was unwilling to leave the marquis manor but hadn’t thought about what she could do with her life. Later, finding life in the manor boring, she would occasionally seek out the midwives who came to study obstetrics to learn medical arts. Over time, she developed some interest.

Later still, by coincidence she saved a baby born without breath, and thus completely embarked on this path of saving the dying and healing the wounded.

At that time, many criticized her for practicing medicine as an unmarried woman, but Lin Jiayue scolded them back with just a few words.

Over these years, Jiang Xing had become a famous pediatrician in the capital.

“If people rest too long, they instead develop lazy hearts. Better to move about more.”

Having spoken, Lin Jiayue waved her hand: “Children, let’s go eat.”

A group of little girls followed behind her chattering as they walked forward. Watching them, Lin Jiayue felt extremely comfortable.

These little girls also mostly came from impoverished backgrounds. Since she converted Pingcui Nunnery into a medicine hall specializing in obstetrics, pregnant women who couldn’t afford the silver to hire midwives began deliberately going before the medicine hall when labor started, begging people to deliver their babies.

At first, only a few would come to give birth, but later some pregnant women would simply abandon their babies directly at her place after giving birth.

Over these years, she had taken in quite a few such children.

Now watching these children grow up bit by bit, the guilt in Lin Jiayue’s heart seemed to be smoothed away little by little.

“Old Madam…”

“What is it?”

A delicate-featured young lady fell to the back. She looked up at Lin Jiayue, her eyes seeming to hold words.

“Is something the matter? Not enough pocket money? Want to buy malt candy or silk flowers?”

“Neither.”

The young lady blushed, her eyes slightly red: “Today a couple came to the medicine hall. They said they were my parents and came to take me home.”

Lin Jiayue said: “Then what are your thoughts?”

“I don’t know.”

The young lady wept, her heart unwilling: “I know they’re seeing that I’ve now become capable and want to take me back to exchange me for silver. But in my heart, I both hate and…”

“Have some expectations, don’t you?”

Lin Jiayue stopped walking and said softly: “If your heart holds expectations, then go back and see. In any case, I know where their home is and won’t let you be lost.”

“Go back and see. If they truly treat you well, then stay. If they treat you poorly, come back.”

“I won’t go back.”

The young lady wiped her tears: “I don’t want to be that kind of ungrateful wretch saved by our hall who then bites the hand that feeds. I want to remain at the marquis manor to show filial piety to Old Madam.”

“Foolish child.”

Lin Jiayue touched her head with a faint smile.

Over these years, she truly had encountered many people who received her kindness yet bit back, but she didn’t care about such things at all.

Gently smoothing the young lady’s hair, Lin Jiayue spoke: “If I sought repayment, I wouldn’t do these things. Each person cultivates their own heart—we shouldn’t seek from others.”

“Moreover, if I bestowed kindness expecting repayment, then this kindness need not be bestowed at all.”

“But Madam, when you do good deeds yet are exploited by people, don’t you feel unwilling?”

“If I never sought others’ repayment to begin with, how would I feel unwilling?”

Lin Jiayue smiled gently: “In life, eight or nine out of ten things don’t go as hoped. As long as we can face heaven and earth above and our own conscience below, that’s enough. What you do comes from your original heart, what others do comes from their original hearts. How can we control them, and why should we try to control them?”

“This matter is the same. I know you’re a good child. If you want to go back and see, then go back.”

“If you act against your heart, you’ll certainly regret it in the future. Why suffer so?”

Hearing this, the young lady bit her teeth. Only after a long while did she nod through her tears.

She still wanted to go back and see. No matter what purpose her parents had for abandoning her back then, she wanted to go back and see.

If the truth was unbearable, she could also completely give up and remain at the marquis manor.

“This afternoon I’ll arrange for someone to take you back. If you go against your heart even once, this matter will create a mental demon, and you won’t be able to do anything peacefully in the future.”

Having spoken, Lin Jiayue held the young lady’s hand and walked all the way to the main hall dining area.

The children were still at the age of growing bodies. Each one could eat heartily. Watching these children tired from a whole morning, eating with such relish, Lin Jiayue and Jiang Xing exchanged knowing smiles.

She—in the past, she had always thought about changing this era, making her mark in this era, leaving her name in history.

Now looking at that past self, she only felt naïve.

Picking up the porcelain bowl before her, Lin Jiayue slowly began eating.

Though she couldn’t change the fate of all living beings under heaven, being able to protect those around her was already quite good.

She could protect these girls before her eyes, could guarantee that Su Qingluo who married into the Chengyang Marquis Manor would have a worry-free life, need not compete for favor with household concubines—this was already very good.

Over these years, watching Jiang Xing, watching Song Wan, watching those around her be influenced by her and change bit by bit, Lin Jiayue felt it was worthwhile.

She hadn’t been able to change this era, but she had witnessed an era.

She had changed some people and personally witnessed those people’s love and lives, their confusion and brilliance.

She participated in many people’s stories, accompanying them through life, watching these people perform those splendid and colorful stories. For her, this was enough.

She…

Could also be said to have lived this life without regret—

**The End – Congratulations!**

—

Thank you to all the friends who followed through to the end. Thank you so very much.

That this story could be written to completion owes everything to everyone’s support along the way. Truly, thank you.

Writing to the end, there are some questions everyone has always had that I want to take this opportunity to explain.

**[Because I probably won’t have another chance to write about this later~]**

Many readers’ biggest confusion about this book is probably why Jiang Yan isn’t the male lead yet was written so well, and whether Jiang Yan’s death was to make way for the male lead.

I’ve seen many readers in the comments section mention this issue, so I’ll explain here.

The answer, of course, is: No.

Many dear readers say Jiang Yan is a tool character [no, he isn’t].

Actually, when writing this story, the outline was already set. The overall direction was established at the story’s beginning, and each person’s ending was also predetermined.

For me, Jiang Yan is a complete person. He has love in his heart but also morality.

The author doesn’t like the current viewpoint of [love above all else].

Those who follow my Weibo all know this, so I won’t elaborate here.

The author believes Jiang Yan is perfect precisely because he is a normal human being with adult rationality and moral boundaries. The author strongly dislikes glorifying the viewpoint of love above all [personal opinion, no right or wrong].

Love should never and cannot lose moral constraints. One cannot feel entitled to place oneself above morality and law just by saying “I love you/him/her” [personal opinion, no right or wrong].

So I wrote the character of Jiang Yan.

**[Personal viewpoint expression]**

Secondly, this story’s other criticized point is regarding the character of Lin Jiayue.

Many readers say the author vilifies modern people and glorifies feudal-era dross ideology.

No, it’s not like that! First, I’ve said before in the comments section that one character cannot represent an entire era. How could Lin Jiayue be virtuous and capable enough to represent all modern people?

The author also cannot represent anyone.

**[Sometimes, I may not even be able to represent myself.]**

For the author, Lin Jiayue is a naïve person with passionate blood. What she does is impulsive and inappropriate for the times, but her heart is never cold.

For me, Lin Jiayue is like a newbie entering the workplace—impulsive and passionate, doing those things that stand up for justice that old hands wouldn’t do.

We think it’s very foolish—is it because we’re smart? I don’t think so. I think it may be because we’re too smooth, even possessing some “cunning” of adult life philosophy.

**Third.**

Regarding the characters.

When the author tells a story, I always believe characters are greater than plot. When people come alive, the story becomes compelling. So for the author, I love each and every person in the book very, very much.