“Mother.”

Seeing Jiang’s mother come out, Song Wan bowed slightly, preparing to go see Old Madam Jiang, but was stopped by her words.

“Wan’er, come here. Mother has something to say to you.”

Jiang’s mother pulled Song Wan into the side room. When only the two of them remained, Jiang’s mother said, “Actually, Mother guessed today why you came.”

“Mother knows?”

Song Wan clutched the gold silk powder box in her hand, momentarily stunned.

“Mother also came through your age, so what wouldn’t I understand?”

Jiang’s mother looked troubled. “I also know that Yi’er has been getting close to Concubine Lin, especially since the ice shop and rouge shop opened in the manor—it’s made you even more unhappy. But Wan’er, rest assured, no matter what, in Mother’s and Old Madam’s eyes, Concubine Lin can never surpass you.”

Song Wan was lost in thought clutching Huanyan Studio’s gold silk powder box. Hearing these words, she frowned slightly.

Jiang’s mother saw her movement and sighed lightly. “Although Jiang Man and Yi’er have opened two shops for Concubine Lin, this silver will ultimately go into the public fund and has nothing to do with Concubine Lin herself.”

“Mother, Wan’er is not jealous of Concubine Lin.”

Jiang’s mother smiled. “Mother knows you’re not shallow-eyed, so naturally you wouldn’t be jealous of something that can’t appear in public. It’s just that Mother worries you’ll overthink things and drift further and further from Yi’er.”

Outside the door, Jiang’s mother’s personal maid walked in, clutching a red velvet pouch. Jiang’s mother took it and handed it to Song Wan. “This is a pastry shop on Chunfeng Street. It was part of my dowry. The income is decent—take it for now.”

Stuffing the shop deed into Song Wan’s hand, Jiang’s mother continued, “When it comes down to it, we women simply aren’t as good as men. We ordinarily have little insight. Perhaps we’ve read a couple more books, but before men who have been traveling outside for years, we can only drop a few shallow literary references.”

“But to men, such women are of no use—perhaps not even as useful as the close attendants serving at their side. For a woman to be a wife, the first duty is continuing the family line. The second is managing the inner quarters well so the men have no worries.”

“Look at Old Duke Zhenguo’s wife. That lady came from an undistinguished background—just the daughter of a small border tribe chieftain. But that woman is extremely skilled in medical principles. Even now, sixty percent of the medical shops outside still belong to Old Duke Zhenguo’s family. In all these hundred-some years, who in the entire capital has dared to look down on that lady?”

“So you see, Wan’er—for a woman, birth, appearance, family background, and connections are very important, but what’s more important is what she can bring to her husband.”

“What use is being the legitimate wife if you can’t help your husband with anything and only know how to be jealous?”

“Mother feels that as a woman, one’s vision must be far-reaching. You can’t write two ‘Jiang’ characters with one stroke. No matter who it is, as long as they contribute to the Marquis’s manor, in the end don’t we women still benefit?”

Jiang’s mother took the excessively luxurious gold silk powder box from Song Wan’s hand, smiling as she opened it to look. “Although I don’t think highly of that one from Xiuyan Pavilion, I must admit this is a good thing—something that can help the Marquis’s manor turn things around.”

“Wan’er, what do you think?”

Song Wan was almost amused to anger by Jiang’s mother’s lecture.

She lowered her head. For some reason, she found it both funny and somewhat heartbreaking.

“Mother speaks reasonably.”

Song Wan stood up. After saying she would return to reflect properly, she made to leave. But when she had already stepped one foot out, she heard Jiang’s mother say, “Don’t be angry with Mother either. It’s just that… Yi’er is devoted to her. As a mother, I can’t go against my own child.”

Jiang’s mother stood and walked before Song Wan, saying word by word, “Originally, I also thought that Lin Jiayue was a loose woman with seductive manners who only knew how to entangle men. But looking at her now, she actually has some talent.”

“This woman has her own means of standing, and has won Yi’er’s favor. If you just keep being jealous of her, you’ll only displease Yi’er and disturb the household peace.”

“Mother advises you—as a woman, bend your posture when you should bend it. Don’t always oppose Yi’er, and don’t always stare at others. Think more for yourself. You and Yi’er…”

“Haven’t consummated the marriage yet, have you?”

Hearing this, Song Wan’s face turned deathly pale, her pink lips also becoming bloodless.

Jiang’s mother’s words were no different from stripping her naked and throwing her into a crowd. The young maids of Fuhe Hall, hearing this, all fell silent as cicadas and quietly retreated. But in their hearts, they couldn’t help mocking how pathetic Song Wan was as the Marquis’s wife.

“Mother’s words today…”

“Does Mother still remember that Wan’er currently manages the household accounts?”

“Of course. Why do you suddenly bring this up?”

Song Wan lowered her eyes. “If Mother doesn’t want Wan’er to lose all dignity before the servants, then don’t entangle her here. What Mother said today, Wan’er understands. Wan’er will reflect on herself and contemplate her faults.”

Having said this, Song Wan walked out of Fuhe Hall with a pale face.

Jiang’s mother saw that her eyes were extremely red and felt her words today had been too harsh. When she wanted to chase after her, she could only see Song Wan’s retreating figure.

Song Wan strode forward, her mind completely blank.

She only felt a buzzing in her ears, and the path before her eyes became distorted.

It wasn’t until she crashed into a man’s sturdy chest that she found a trace of reason, her eyes red.

Jiang Yan said in a hoarse voice, “Sister-in-law, are you alright?”

He had been waiting outside Fuhe Hall for a long time. Seeing Song Wan emerge from the courtyard, he had wanted to casually find an excuse to approach and inquire, but hadn’t expected that she would take not a single step to stop, crashing straight into him.

Soft warmth and sweet fragrance entered his embrace. Jiang Yan’s mind went blank for an instant. Then, coming to his senses, he immediately released her from his arms.

His hands grasped Song Wan’s arms and withdrew at once. Seeing her stand steady, he quickly retreated another step.

Though he was extremely reluctant, he dared not be any more intimate.

“Sister-in-law…”

Jiang Yan raised his head and saw that Song Wan’s usually cool eyes were now extremely red. The tears she had desperately tried to suppress could no longer be held back when the two collided, sliding down her cheeks.

Seeing her loss of composure, Song Wan quickly wiped her face and forced out a smile. “I’ve made Second Master laugh at me.”

“It was I who was presumptuous toward Sister-in-law.”

The person before him had flushed cheeks, and her tearful eyes made Jiang Yan’s waist and abdomen tighten, his spine burning hot.

The sudden surging emotion clung to his bones. Jiang Yan seemed to see his own flesh and blood burning and boiling.

Song Wan nodded to him and was about to leave, but was called back by Jiang Yan.

“Does Second Master have business?”

The woman’s soft voice carried barely perceptible grievance and choking, making Jiang Yan feel both pain and itching at the tip of his heart. His hands couldn’t help trembling slightly.

He placed both hands behind his back, clenching them tightly into fists.

“I… I wanted to ask Sister-in-law about my marriage with Miss Sun.”

Hearing this, Song Wan smiled. “Some days ago I was still in contact with Madam Sun. It seems this marriage is settled. Second Master can rest assured.”

Jiang Yan stared intently at Song Wan’s gradually recovering cherry lips, his ear tips burning fiercely.

As for his marriage with the Sun family, he didn’t care at all about its progress.