“Miss, the Marquis has come.”

Heng Zhi reported with furrowed brow. Song Wan set down her book and lightly patted her forehead, quite vexed.

She pursed her lips and murmured, “I knew I couldn’t escape.”

She didn’t know why Jiang Xingjian hadn’t asked everything clearly when he came at noon, forcing her to drink that emetic powder tea again and suffer through that vexing taste once more.

When Jiang Xingjian entered, he saw Song Wan’s complexion even paler than before. She was leaning against a stone-blue wool cushion, her brow tightly furrowed in extreme discomfort.

“Have you had an estate physician examine you?”

Song Wan nodded but said nothing.

Seeing this, Jiang Xingjian worried endlessly and quickly had Heng Zhi summon the estate physician.

“No need. The estate physician just examined me during the day. There’s no serious problem.”

Song Wan rose, and Heng Zhi came over to support her.

“Marquis, what brings you here?”

“There are some matters I need to discuss with you.”

Looking down at the list of sold servants in his hand, Jiang Xingjian suddenly found it difficult to speak.

“You may speak freely.”

Song Wan extended her hand, inviting Jiang Xingjian to sit, and poured two cups of hot tea.

Jiang Xingjian’s expression eased slightly. He pushed the list before Song Wan. “This is the list of servants sold from the estate. I’ve already sent people to search for their whereabouts, but there should already be some rumors outside…”

“Moreover, today Minister Sun and Madam Sun came to the estate and withdrew from the marriage arrangement between our two families.”

Song Wan frowned, then quickly recovered her composure.

She had invested much effort in the marriage with the Sun family. She was unwilling to see it come to this end.

“Do you have any way to keep the Marquis Estate from being implicated?”

Song Wan lowered her eyes, concealing the emotions within them.

Jiang Xingjian assumed she was considering countermeasures. Who knew that after sitting for a moment, when she raised her head again, her face was frighteningly pale, clearly enduring pain. Cold sweat gradually formed on the young lady’s forehead, yet she still forced herself to remain composed as she picked up the list to examine it carefully.

“Forget it. Your health is paramount. Rest first. I’ll think of solutions for estate matters myself.”

Pulling the list from Song Wan’s hands, Jiang Xingjian looked worried. “Go to your room and rest.”

Song Wan didn’t insist. She rose with difficulty and returned to her room.

Summer clothing was already light and thin. Only when she turned did Jiang Xingjian discover her back garment was soaked through with cold sweat, clinging to her skin.

Jiang Xingjian pursed his lips, hesitated, then followed.

“I’ll have the estate physician come examine your pulse.”

Heng Zhi said, “These past days the estate physician has come daily to take Madam’s pulse. They haven’t determined what the problem is, only saying she should rest quietly and absolutely not tax her mind or strength.”

“These past days, three or four estate physicians have been taking turns coming. They’ve exhausted Madam so much she has to change clothes many times a day. I see she’s actually become worse than before they came.”

“If the Marquis pities Madam, he should stop tormenting her.”

Heng Wu said coldly from the side, “How can we stop tormenting her? With the estate in such chaos, even if Miss has to crawl, she must crawl out to clean up the mess for others.”

The two chattered on with veiled criticisms. Jiang Xingjian stiffened, only leaving behind a phrase about resting well before departing Lanting Courtyard.

The moment he left, Song Wan curled up and burrowed into the bedding.

“Miss, this servant has filled a hot water bottle for you to warm your body.”

Holding the hot water bottle in her arms, only then did Song Wan relax somewhat.

“Miss is the Marquis Estate’s principal wife. You can avoid housekeeping matters for a time but not forever. You cannot always harm your own body like this.”

Song Wan closed her eyes and sighed softly. “With rumors flying outside, the Song household will surely take action. I want to see… what Father will do.”

She held some hope in her heart. Though she knew it would not be easy, ultimately her heart yearned for it.

Heng Zhi and Heng Wu discerned some of her thoughts and couldn’t help feeling their hearts ache, attending to her even more carefully.

Because Song Wan was still ill, Jiang Xingjian could only handle the estate’s chaotic affairs himself. He attended to duties during the day, and after finishing work still had to learn to manage the inner chambers like a woman—naturally he couldn’t endure it. Fortunately, Huai Su could help him shoulder some of the burden. Seeing that Huai Su handled matters fairly properly and was familiar with the estate’s steward matrons, he gradually relinquished control to her.

Lin Jiayue was greatly dissatisfied with this, but now Jiang Xingjian avoided her at every turn, leaving her anger with nowhere to vent.

“Concubine, Madam Chen requests an audience.”

“What is she here for?”

Qian Bi shook her head to indicate she didn’t know. Lin Jiayue reluctantly received the guest, but was immediately shocked by what Madam Chen said upon seeing her.

Lin Jiayue listened with a shocked expression. “Ten thousand taels dowry?”

“Indeed. Who in the capital doesn’t now know that the Marquis Estate’s Third Miss loves to read improper and miscellaneous books in her chambers? What family would dare want or marry such an immoral, unruly woman?”

“What miscellaneous or improper books?”

Lin Jiayue looked completely puzzled.

Madam Chen sneered. “The rumors outside… though they can’t really be called rumors, weren’t the servants sold by the Marquis Estate itself? Some servants said the Marquis Estate’s Third Miss, young as she is, most loves reading miscellaneous books, and usually reads them aloud in her room. At such an age her character is already corrupted—such a young lady who knows nothing of chastity, the Chen household is still willing to seek her hand in marriage, already bearing tremendous injustice.”

“But considering our two families have already exchanged betrothal letters, I’ll just swallow this bitter pill. However, as for the dowry, less than ten thousand taels is out of the question.”

Lin Jiayue pursed her lips. Only now did she vaguely understand why both Song Wan and Jiang Xingjian said servants could not be sold.

But still…

“You’re threatening me?”

“Concubine Lin, those words sound rather unpleasant. The Marquis Estate’s young lady doesn’t understand propriety—how has this become our fault?”

Lin Jiayue narrowed her eyes disdainfully. “I’d like to know what improper or miscellaneous books are worth ten thousand taels of silver?”

Madam Chen glanced at her sideways. “Perhaps something like ‘The Story of Yingying’ or ‘The Peony Pavilion.’ How would I know?”

“I think you’ve gone mad desiring silver, using such things to threaten me? Go ahead and tell others—see if anyone will pay you any mind. As for the marriage between the Marquis Estate and the Chen household, marry or don’t marry as you please. I’d like to see whether the Marquis Estate’s young lady, without your Chen family, will be unable to marry!”

“Fine, fine, fine.”

Madam Chen was nearly driven to fall backward in anger.

She abruptly stood, her narrow eyes full of calculating gleam. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you today. Once a young lady’s reputation is ruined, there’s only one path left for her. Have you thought this through clearly?”

“Our Marquis Estate’s young lady, even if her reputation is ruined at home, will not marry into your Chen family.”

Lin Jiayue laughed coldly and turned to leave, only feeling that Madam Chen had truly gone mad.

Just reading “The Story of Yingying” or “The Peony Pavilion” was called losing one’s chastity? If word got out, wouldn’t it make people laugh their heads off?

Already scolded by Jiang Xingjian until her anger blazed, now Madam Chen came threatening her at her door. If she hadn’t wanted to cause more trouble, she definitely would have splashed hot tea all over Madam Chen’s face just now.

Previously she had strongly recommended the Chen family and settled Jiang Jing’s marriage. Now that Madam Chen suddenly turned against them, it really wasn’t good to add fuel to the fire at this juncture. Moreover, she had calculated that the other party was merely coming to the Marquis Estate to kick them while they were down, so she didn’t tell anyone about this matter.

Who knew the Chen family would turn around and brazenly come to break off the engagement, using the reason that the Marquis Estate’s Third Miss wasn’t chaste, that instead of studying the “Biographies of Exemplary Women” or “Four Books for Women” in her chambers, she actually read improper things.