After accepting the items, Song Wan entered the main hall with Heng Zhi. Since Old Madam Jiang and Madam Jiang were not present, she held the highest position in the inner residence. From time to time, junior family members came forward to pay their respects to her, and she responded to each with a few words. Having already seen the person he most wanted to see, Jiang Yan lost all interest in placating those youngsters. He withdrew behind the sandalwood screen, gazing at Song Wan with both restraint and tenderness.

Before long, a servant woman from the outer courtyard came to report that Duan Yiting’s sedan chair had arrived at the entrance of the marquis residence. The crowd in the main hall instantly fell silent, and Song Wan led everyone outside the hall to receive him. After the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, a small sedan chair could be seen being carried from the distance. After the sedan chair stopped, everyone bowed their heads in greeting.

Song Wan only saw a pair of black official boots emerge from the sedan, followed by a slightly shrill and hoarse elderly male voice: “Rise. What are you all standing around here for?” The voice was extremely grating to the ears, yet no one dared show even the slightest displeasure. Duan Yiting stood before the sedan, and a young eunuch by his side hurried forward to assist him. Jiang Xingjian accompanied him at his side, his expression also carrying a measure of respectfulness. This person was truly too unpredictable—one had to be careful in hosting him.

Song Wan lifted the cloak draped over her body and stepped forward, standing beside Jiang Xingjian. Duan Yiting raised his eyes and looked her over once, his gaze then inadvertently sweeping past Jiang Yan, who had almost no sense of presence, before withdrawing his eyes. Not knowing his purpose in coming today, everyone dared not speak rashly. Only Lin Jiayue, standing at the end of the line, stared with round eyes, but to her surprise, this old eunuch was remarkably sharp and instantly looked toward her.

Lin Jiayue blinked dazedly, then lowered her head.

“Grandmother has been unwell recently and was unable to receive Chief Seal Holder Duan. We beg Chief Seal Holder Duan’s forgiveness.”

“No matter.”

As soon as the words fell, Duan Yiting turned and sat back in the sedan chair, loudly calling out to return to his residence. Instantly, everyone at the Chengyang Marquis residence, young and old, stood frozen in place. Jiang Xingjian’s face turned pale, while Song Wan slightly furrowed her brow.

By rights, Duan Yiting had already passed his sixtieth year, and his body was severely hunched, but how could his feet be so unusually large? However, she had never seen many men in her life—aside from her father, brothers, and Jiang Xingjian, there were no other close acquaintances, so she had no basis for comparison. Setting aside this strange thought, Song Wan lowered her head and fingered the cloak on her body, secretly wondering whether it had played a role.

Jiang Xingjian hurried forward, seemingly wanting to offer an explanation or two, but even when he reached the outer courtyard, he failed to stop the person. For a time, everyone in the marquis residence felt imperiled. Song Wan stood to one side with lowered head, feeling quite satisfied in her heart.

“Chief Seal Holder Duan has always been this capricious. The marquis need not worry.”

Qing Wei had originally been a ceremonial official in the palace, responsible for court audiences and banquets. She had dealt with Duan Yiting before and knew that although this person had unpredictable moods, he had rarely engaged in killings these past few years. She thus advised Jiang Xingjian to set his mind at ease.

“This one is grateful for Aunt’s guidance.”

“The marquis is too polite.”

Having helped manage household affairs at the marquis residence these past days, Qing Wei had developed considerable goodwill toward Jiang Xingjian and was naturally willing to offer words of comfort and guidance now.

“Since Chief Seal Holder Duan previously wanted to visit the old madam, there must be some connection between them. Why doesn’t the marquis go and inquire? Perhaps you’ll find your answer.”

Hearing this, Jiang Xingjian found it very reasonable and dismissed everyone to go to Fuhe Hall himself. At the entrance to Fuhe Hall, Madam Jiang was blocking the doorway, refusing to let him enter. Madam Jiang had been the one caring for Old Madam Jiang this whole time—no one else in the residence had seen her. Now, with Madam Jiang repeatedly obstructing him, Jiang Xingjian grew suspicious.

“Mother, are you hiding something from me?”

“What are you talking about?”

Madam Jiang’s eyes flickered evasively, constantly avoiding Jiang Xingjian’s gaze.

“Today Chief Seal Holder Duan suddenly came, and upon hearing he could not see grandmother, he turned and left. Your son wishes to ask if grandmother has any connection with Chief Seal Holder Duan. Otherwise, your son has no peace of mind.”

Madam Jiang sighed: “Would I not know whether the old madam has any connection with Chief Seal Holder Duan? If she did, our residence wouldn’t have nearly been drained dry these past years. You don’t know how we had to manage him in previous years when the manor harvests were poor.”

Speaking of Duan Yiting, Madam Jiang was full of resentment. These past years, Chief Seal Holder Duan had been engaging in massive financial extortion, whether from senility or what. Their marquis residence had sent over ten thousand taels to the Duan residence annually, yet had never once seen Chief Seal Holder Duan’s face. Every year during festivals, their household steward would go to the Duan residence to pay respects, but was always told to leave the items and go. Two years ago, thinking perhaps Chief Seal Holder Duan simply didn’t regard the marquis residence at all, she had privately cut off the tribute silver. Who knew that within three days, Jiang Man had someone bring word that she was being made difficult by eunuchs everywhere in the palace, asking if she had done something.

That rootless old thing had no descendants—who knew what he wanted all that silver for? Madam Jiang was so angry her teeth ached, yet she dared not speak a single word of these thoughts.

However, Jiang Xingjian had no patience for his mother’s roundabout ways. He knew her temperament all too well. He forcibly pushed open the door to Fuhe Hall and strode in. But as soon as he saw Old Madam Jiang, his whole person froze in shock and disbelief.

“Grandmother, Grandmother.”

Old Madam Jiang’s eye sockets were deeply sunken, her eyeballs turbid and murky. Hearing her grandson’s voice, her withered eyelids only twitched slightly, without any other reaction.

“What’s happened? Why haven’t you summoned an imperial physician?”

Jiang Xingjian pulled back Old Madam Jiang’s quilt. Beneath the bedding was only a dried frame of bones. The old madam, who had been somewhat plump in the past, had now become so emaciated that she was barely skin and bones. Lifting Old Madam Jiang up in his arms, Jiang Xingjian was about to call for the residence physician when he heard two hoarse sounds like gravel grinding emerge from the old woman’s throat.

Madam Jiang said with reddened eyes: “Do you think this was my idea? The old madam ordered me to do this.”

A trail of clear tears fell as Madam Jiang pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her eyes: “You’ve only just gone to the Divine Pivot Battalion. If the old madam were to pass away at this time, you would need to return home for mourning. This position you’ve just obtained would certainly go up in smoke. Previously when the residence was in turmoil, your elder sister petitioned the Emperor in the palace for so long, yet still couldn’t get you released from the Shanglin Garden Bureau.”

“Now that you’ve gone to a substantial position in a department where you can touch military authority, the old madam is too happy—how could she allow herself to be a burden to you?”

“The old madam’s body gave out long ago. These days the residence physician has been using animal medicine to sustain her, which can preserve a breath of life in her, but the person is already beyond help.”

“The residence physician also said that whenever the medicine stops, the old madam will…”

“The old madam treated me like her own mother all her life. Do you think your mother could bear to see her suffer like this?”

Madam Jiang sat on the bed platform, weeping hysterically.

“But what else could be done? You married a wife who manages nothing, and took a concubine who’s nothing but a troublemaker stirring up the household. The residence has neither people nor silver. The money earned from the ice shop and rouge shop isn’t even enough for one round of managing affairs with Chief Seal Holder Duan and Her Ladyship.”

“Chief Seal Holder Duan must be managed, and Dong Chang must be managed. If at this time you were to lose your position at the Divine Pivot Battalion, what would become of our marquis residence in the future? The old madam said this century-old foundation absolutely cannot be destroyed in her hands.”

Jiang Xingjian’s face was ashen. He clenched his fists tightly, his voice hoarse: “So grandmother will just continue like this? And for how long?”