After Jiang Xingjian returned to the estate with Minister Sun, the gatehouse should have had someone come receive them, but he had alighted from the carriage for quite some time without seeing any servant to welcome or guide guests.

“Ahem, Minister Sun, Madam Sun, please come with me.”

The couple exchanged glances, Madam Sun gripping the handkerchief in her hand, her heart full of worry.

Recently, many rumors about the Marquis Estate had circulated in the capital. If it were only some anecdotes spread by people with ulterior motives, that would be one thing, but even some secret matters from within the Chengyang Marquis Estate’s inner chambers were described in vivid detail, making one inevitably wonder whether the Marquis Estate was truly as the rumors claimed—that its foundation was exhausted, unable even to maintain its internal affairs.

If this were true, she absolutely could not let Xiuxiu marry into the Marquis Estate.

“Madam Sun, Minister Sun, please sit. I’ll return shortly.”

Jiang Xingjian left the main hall for receiving guests with a somber expression, but unexpectedly, after searching for quite some time, he couldn’t find a single servant or matron.

With great difficulty encountering a menial matron hurrying past, the gloom on Jiang Xingjian’s face had reached its peak.

“What’s going on? Where have the servants on duty at the gatehouse and tea room gone?”

The matron replied anxiously, “Reporting to the Marquis, everyone is busy.”

“Absurd! What could be more important than receiving guests? Go summon those on duty at the tea room. Also send someone to notify Madam and Second Master. Have Second Master come find me in the outer courtyard, and have Madam prepare to receive Madam Sun.”

Forcibly suppressing his anger, Jiang Xingjian propped up his weary body to go out and attend to the guests.

He exchanged pleasantries with the Sun family couple for quite some time. Even after Jiang Yan appeared, they still hadn’t seen a trace of the maids who should have come to serve tea.

Madam Sun looked at Minister Sun and finally sighed.

It seemed the rumors circulating outside were not groundless.

“Paying respects to Minister Sun and Madam Sun.”

Upon entering, Jiang Yan greeted the two, but when his eyes fell on Jiang Xingjian, his gaze was extremely complex, the subtle emotions within leaving Jiang Xingjian quite puzzled.

“Second Young Master Jiang cuts such a fine figure—truly remarkable.”

Madam Sun thought highly of Jiang Yan. Not only did this person appear gentle and refined, his conduct was proper and measured. Even now, no excessive rumors had emerged from his quarters.

“This servant apologizes to the Marquis. This servant deserves ten thousand deaths.”

Before Madam Sun could observe Jiang Yan further, an eleven or twelve-year-old young maid rushed through the door. Having said only one sentence, she knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to rise.

Jiang Xingjian’s expression was stern, his thin lips pressed into a straight line. Had there not been guests present, he surely would have exploded in fury.

Seeing he remained silent, Jiang Yan spoke up. “Go pour tea for the guests.”

The little maid scrambled up in a panic and stumbled out.

Madam Sun sighed and shook her head disappointedly at Minister Sun.

“I came today to tell the Marquis that my young daughter truly cannot aspire to match your distinguished household. The marriage previously discussed shall be cancelled. Henceforth, when men marry and women wed, we shall be unrelated.”

Jiang Xingjian frowned, about to speak, when Jiang Yan preempted him. “It is this youth who lacks talent and cannot match your esteemed household’s young lady. Minister Sun’s magnanimity in protecting this student’s reputation—I truly dare not accept such grace.”

Seeing this, Madam Sun’s heart filled with even more regret and pain. She glared at Jiang Xingjian with hostile eyes.

“…”

Completely baffled, Jiang Xingjian was still trying to salvage the marriage alliance between the two families when he heard Madam Sun say, “Second Young Master Jiang is refined and elegant, his future prospects limitless. It is my daughter who lacks the fortune…”

Having spoken, Madam Sun pulled Minister Sun away in quick steps, as if the Marquis Estate were some filthy, inauspicious place.

Jiang Xingjian furrowed his brow tightly, looking at Jiang Yan. “Why did you so easily push away the Sun family marriage?”

Jiang Yan lowered his eyes, but his mind kept flashing through the inner chamber secrets he had heard these past days.

After a long while, he finally lowered his gaze, concealing his emotions. “The Marquis might ask Concubine Lin in his quarters.”

Having spoken, Jiang Yan bowed and departed.

Hearing Lin Jiayue’s name, Jiang Xingjian only felt a fishy sweetness in his throat, an oppressive knot in his chest that wouldn’t ease. Having not rested for an entire month, now returning to the Marquis Estate he only wished to find a peaceful place to rest briefly. Who would have thought even such a small matter would become a luxury?

“Someone come.”

The Marquis Estate was utterly silent. The groups of maids, matrons, and servants who usually attended everywhere were now nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Xingjian forcibly suppressed his anger and said to Song Yan beside him, “Have all the stewards of the outer courtyard died off? Go, have them all wait for me in the small study.”

Having just finished these instructions, he strode into the inner courtyard of the Marquis Estate.

But the inner courtyard was hardly better than outside. Only after walking all the way to Lanting Courtyard’s entrance did Jiang Xingjian see two matrons sitting in the covered walkway, laughing and talking.

“Madam has been angered by Concubine Lin into illness for many days. She appears useless. In the future we’ll still have to rely on Concubine Lin.”

Another matron pursed her lips. “You and I have been in the Marquis Estate for how many years—have you ever seen such household management? Though our purses are full, what suffering for the Marquis Estate’s ancestors. If the Jiang family ancestors have spirits underground and learn such a calamity has appeared, they’ll probably crawl up from below to strangle… the Marquis!”

The matron hadn’t finished speaking when she was so frightened she tumbled from the walkway with a thud, falling before Jiang Xingjian.

Jiang Xingjian’s fury blazed, his voice stern. “What’s going on? I’ve only been away from the estate for just over a month, and the Marquis Estate has become such chaos? And what is this about Madam being gravely ill that you two mentioned?”

Kneeling on the ground, the matron trembled. “Reporting to the Marquis, it was… some days ago First Madam tried to stop Concubine Lin from selling servants. As a result, Concubine Lin produced Madam’s authority token. Pressed by filial duty, Madam dared not object and fell ill from anger.”

“Selling servants? Since my Marquis Estate’s founding, there has never been a precedent for selling servants. Whom has she sold?”

“Sold… sold nearly a hundred. This old servant doesn’t know who all they were. Only Concubine Lin has the list…”

Jiang Xingjian’s vision went black. Song Yan hurried forward to support him.

No wonder, no wonder when he left court today Minister Yu and Minister Sun were so strange, Yu Shiquan’s words frivolous and utterly disrespectful.

Nearly a hundred servants sold…

Jiang Xingjian didn’t dare imagine what consequences this would trigger.

He steadied his mind, barely managing to support his body, before heading toward Lanting Courtyard’s main residence.

Song Wan heard from servants that Jiang Xingjian had returned to the estate, so early on she had Heng Zhi fetch the prepared emetic powder to brew.

Emetic powder was bitter and cold, slightly toxic.

“Miss, the Marquis has walked to the courtyard entrance and will soon come to Longxiang Retreat.”

Song Wan unhurriedly blew on the emetic powder tea in her cup and slowly drank it down.

The moment Jiang Xingjian pushed open Longxiang Retreat’s door, he saw Song Wan wearing plain clothes, her fair face without powder or rouge, so plain and simple it evoked pity.

But now her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her lip color also pale, appearing sickly.

A thousand words surged up from his tongue, only to be pressed down again by Jiang Xingjian.

“I heard from estate servants you were ill? Are you feeling better?”

Song Wan nodded with a pale face, appearing quite uncomfortable.

Jiang Xingjian’s thin lips parted slightly. He wanted to ask Song Wan how the housekeeping authority had fallen into Lin Jiayue’s hands again, also wanted to ask why his mother had given Lin Jiayue the authority token. He also wanted to ask if she knew about the estate selling servants, but looking at Song Wan’s complexion, he couldn’t ask a single question.

After a long while, Jiang Xingjian said, “Do you have somewhere I could rest briefly?”

Song Wan raised her eyes in puzzlement, as if never expecting Jiang Xingjian would say such words.

She pondered a moment and nodded, pointing to the arhat bed in the room and indicating for Heng Zhi to tidy it up for Jiang Xingjian to rest.

Having the maids bring him hot water, after Jiang Xingjian washed his face and lay down, he fell into deep sleep in mere moments.

Song Wan sat on the embroidered stool, enduring her discomfort, slightly vexed.