There were quite a few wine houses in the capital, but Jiang Yan and Xiao Jiye were uniquely fond of finding a small boat and drifting on the river.

“Try this.”

Casually tossing over a wine jug, Xiao Jiye said: “Good stuff—you may never have drunk it before.”

Jiang Yan let out a cold laugh and opened the bamboo stopper.

The wine in the jug was clear and had a honey color. A rich, mellow fragrance assailed his nostrils, making one intoxicated before even drinking. Jiang Yan curved his lips in a smile and took out a wine cup to fill it.

“Tsk.”

Xiao Jiye raised his eyebrow slightly, his voice carrying faint mockery: “You’re in quite a good mood. Have you heard the rumors spreading through the capital?”

“I’ve heard that your marquis brother neglects his legitimate wife, and the two still haven’t consummated their marriage…”

Thinking of that startling glimpse from that day, Xiao Jiye shook his head, laughing unrestrainedly: “What a terrible waste of heaven’s gifts.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yan’s expression gradually turned cold: “She is not someone you can casually trifle with or mock.”

“You treasure her like a precious jewel, yet she’s been discarded like worn shoes by another. The affairs of this world are truly amusing.”

Grabbing the wine jug on the table and draining it in one gulp, the honey-colored wine flowed down past his Adam’s apple. Xiao Jiye raised his hand to wipe it away, his movements carefree and unrestrained. Watching him, Jiang Yan suddenly felt envious—envious of the other’s casual freedom, of how he had never taken worldly conventions to heart.

“However…”

After restraining himself again and again, Xiao Jiye still couldn’t hold back. He bent down halfway, his expression unruly: “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Xiao Jiye sneered: “Why put on that false air of an upright gentleman in front of me? I’m not your sister-in-law—I don’t care to see such pretenses.”

The hand with which Jiang Yan held his wine cup tightened slightly, the look in his eyes gradually shifting from clear and gentle to sinister.

“Now that’s more pleasing to my eyes.”

Jiang Yan wanted to lash out but ultimately suppressed it.

When he first heard about his elder brother’s bedroom matters, he hadn’t been without certain thoughts. But compared to obtaining that person, he was more afraid of her looking at him with disgust and hatred.

Jiang Yan lowered his eyes, feeling powerless in his heart, the strength in his hands slowly draining away.

She would never tolerate such thoughts from him.

The mellow wine flowed down his throat. No matter how crisp, sweet, smooth and fragrant the taste was, mixed with his base thoughts and bleak bitterness, it became obscure, sour, and piercing to heart and tongue.

Seeing his dejected appearance, Xiao Jiye suddenly grew curious—what kind of charm did that woman possess to bewitch Jiang Yan to such a state of infatuation?

Leaning back slightly, Xiao Jiye grinned, his eyes full of mockery. He would never be as foolish as Jiang Yan, handing control of his own joys and sorrows over to another person.

“Last time when you borrowed my name to widely purchase shops in the capital, do you know how much silver I lost from all the commotion you caused?”

Jiang Yan said indifferently: “When that shipment from Srivijaya returns, I’ll give you ten percent.”

“How generous.”

Seeing that the wine he’d brought was finished, Xiao Jiye brought up another jar. After the two drank heartily for a while, Xiao Jiye said: “This woman who’s turned the Marquis Estate completely upside down—just who is she? That she could make the Marquis of Chengyang guard his beautiful wife without entering her door?”

Jiang Yan’s brows knitted slightly: “Just vulgar, common rouge and powder.”

He couldn’t even recall that person’s face.

“Other than your sister-in-law, which woman isn’t vulgar, common rouge and powder in your eyes?”

Xiao Jiye laughed wickedly. Jiang Yan shot him a slightly warning glance.

“With your methods, if you wanted to deal with that foolish creature, wouldn’t it be easy? Why did you need to borrow my name?”

“…”

Jiang Yan lowered his eyes mockingly: “What would you understand?”

How could someone who licked blood from a knife’s edge understand feminine charms? Much less matters between men and women.

Taking a gulp of strong liquor, Jiang Yan smiled bitterly: “Even if I have countless methods, what use are they? Should I eliminate her and watch those two become affectionate and intimate?”

“Then you’ll allow that concubine to lord it over your sister-in-law?”

Xiao Jiye didn’t understand. If it were his woman, he absolutely wouldn’t let anyone bully or humiliate her in the slightest. Jiang Yan’s roundabout thoughts were truly impossible to fathom.

“She’s just a concubine of lowly birth. As long as she can’t give birth to a bastard son for the Marquis Estate, she’s nothing.”

Draining the wine in his bowl, Jiang Yan’s expression turned gentle: “She’s a crystal-pure person, naturally disdaining to use any dirty methods. What she disdains and refuses to do, I’ll do for her. What she thinks and wishes, I’ll also accomplish for her.”

“She wanted to purchase shops early to profit from that foolish woman—I drove up the price of all the shops in the capital for her. She wanted me to marry the Sun family’s daughter—I married her. She didn’t want to continue supporting the Marquis Estate—I forced the Sun family to break off the engagement.”

“Song Fu has been having difficulties at the Ministry of Personnel, and she felt distressed and couldn’t bear it—I scattered all my private fortune to help Song Fu rise in position.”

“I have countless methods, yet I alone am unwilling to break apart Jiang Xingjian and that foolish woman.”

Jiang Yan lowered his eyes: “I’m willing to wish those two a lifetime of harmony. Every day I hope the two of them will be in perfect harmony like lute and zither, like paired wings on linked branches.”

“But I also can’t bear to see her suffering alone for life. I…”

“You’re drunk.”

Xiao Jiye spoke lightly, interrupting Jiang Yan’s words. Jokes were fine in moderation, but it wouldn’t be good if they went too deep.

Jiang Yan’s mouth tasted bitter. He only smiled and drank down another bowl of strong liquor.

The two set aside private matters and spoke a few more words about future business. By the time the boat drifted downstream, it was already past the hour of the Dog. The Marquis Estate’s servant boy was waiting anxiously on shore. As soon as Jiang Yan disembarked, he saw the person attending him say: “Second Master, you’ve finally returned. Something has happened at the estate.”

“What happened?”

The servant boy said: “It’s Third Miss. Third Miss has passed away.”

Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow: “How did she suddenly die?”

After the matter was explained to Jiang Yan in detail, he only frowned lightly, showing no sign of regret, until the servant boy mentioned that the First Madam had perhaps been frightened excessively and had summoned the estate physician upon returning to her courtyard—only then did he show slight alarm.

Just as he was about to bid farewell to Xiao Jiye, he saw him with a solemn expression, lowering his head to speak quietly with someone beside him.

Jiang Yan only caught one indistinct phrase about a cripple not doing well, then saw the two walk away.

“Return to the estate.”

Riding back to the estate, Jiang Yan had just entered the rear courtyard when he saw Song Wan standing most unusually not far from the hanging flower gate.

He was slightly stunned, then his ears flushed red.

Jiang Yan stood by the gate, not daring to approach, afraid his wine-laden breath would offend Song Wan’s nose.

“Greetings to Second Master.”

Heng Zhi’s voice prompted her, and only then did Song Wan turn around.

“Second Master has been drinking?”

Jiang Yan’s ears grew increasingly hot, his heart full of chagrin. After pondering for a moment, he bowed and said: “I did indeed have a few drinks with a friend.”

Song Wan smiled faintly, casually mentioned that drinking harmed one’s health, then moved aside to let him pass first.

Jiang Yan pressed his lips together, reluctant to leave. Seeing that her movements today were unusual—she shouldn’t still be outside Lanting Courtyard at this hour—he opened his mouth to ask: “Sister-in-law, are you…”

“Waiting for Heng Wu. I had her go to Jixiang Courtyard to add a few more paper money offerings for Third Miss.”

“…”

Only then did Jiang Yan remember he’d been summoned back to the estate for precisely this matter.

As if seeing his somewhat intoxicated appearance, Song Wan said gently: “Are you feeling unwell?”

“I was remiss in drinking and neglecting matters. Sister-in-law, rest assured—Yu Chi will never touch another drop of alcohol in the future.”

Having said this, Jiang Yan bowed and left, returning to Yuling Studio to wash, change clothes, and prepare for the funeral.

Seeing him leave, Song Wan said: “Observe one’s actions and know one’s character. Second Master is a great and refined gentleman—his uprightness and honorability are truly rare.”

Thinking of this, Song Wan suddenly thought that if Jiang Xingjian didn’t return and Jiang Yan inherited the title, the Marquis Estate certainly wouldn’t collapse into disorder and ruin like the end times.