That day, Jiang Si gathered her spirits and busied herself.

Yu Jin was leaving for the south tomorrow. Even though he was traveling light, the luggage still needed to be packed early.

Normally, Yu Jin would have stopped Jiang Si from worrying about such things. They had so many maids and servants; why should the lady of the house trouble herself?

But now, he was glad to see Jiang Si busy.

When people are busy, they have less time to dwell on sadness.

The next day dawned overcast.

Cold winds blew, and thick clouds rolled across the sky, reflecting Jiang Si’s suppressed mood.

“Let’s go back inside. It’s cold out here, and Ah Huan can’t take it,” Yu Jin gently caressed Jiang Si’s cheek, tucking a strand of wind-blown hair behind her ear.

Jiang Si nodded, taking Ah Huan from the wet nurse’s arms. She said softly, “Ah Huan, your father is going on a long journey.”

Little Ah Huan opened her grape-like eyes, looking blankly at her young father.

The tiny infant, of course, didn’t yet understand the pain of separation.

But both adults felt uneasy.

This parting was far from a simple journey.

Yu Jin took Ah Huan and patted her gently, instructing, “Ah Huan, father is leaving. You must listen to your mother, cry less, and try not to wet yourself…”

After holding his daughter and talking for a while, Yu Jin finally handed her back to the wet nurse. He placed a kiss on Jiang Si’s forehead and said hoarsely, “I’m leaving. Don’t worry, I’ll bring Jiang Zhan back.”

As they watched Yu Jin ride away on horseback, Ah Huan began to cry for no apparent reason.

Jiang Si took Ah Huan, holding back her sorrow as she comforted her, “Be good, Ah Huan. Don’t cry. Your father and uncle will be back soon…”

As she finished speaking, A Qiao and A Man, standing behind her, silently shed tears.

After calming Ah Huan, Jiang Si instructed the wet nurse to take good care of the child, then boarded a carriage heading for the Dong Ping Earl’s mansion.

The entire Dong Ping Earl’s mansion had been shrouded in gloom these past few days. Even the stone lions at the entrance, weathered by years of wind and rain, seemed dispirited.

Jiang Si walked in quickly, asking the servant accompanying her, “Where is the Earl?”

“The Earl is with the Old Madam.”

Jiang Si hurried to Cixin Hall. As she approached the door, she heard the sound of an argument from inside.

“We can’t hold the funeral now. Zhan hasn’t returned yet!”

Old Madam Feng’s shout came through, “Nonsense! The palace has already sent word that Zhan’s remains haven’t been found. Are you going to drag this on, preventing Zhan from entering the ancestral grave, not even giving him a cenotaph?”

“Mother, there’s no need to persuade me. Zhan is my son. I will wait!”

Old Madam Feng sneered, “Zhan is your son, but he’s also my grandson, and more importantly, he’s the heir of the Earl’s mansion. I won’t allow you to continue this foolishness!”

If Jiang Zhan’s funeral was delayed, the palace’s compensation for the Earl’s mansion wouldn’t come immediately, and there would be no chance of appointing a new heir.

Jiang Si pushed the door open, also sneering, “Grandmother seems too eager. The remains of the fallen soldiers haven’t even been returned to the capital, yet you want to hold my Second Brother’s funeral?”

Faced with Jiang Si, Old Madam Feng had to soften her tone, “Your Second Brother’s remains haven’t been found. What use is there in waiting for the other fallen soldiers’ remains to return? Rather than this, it’s better to hold the funeral early, set up a cenotaph for him, and give the family some comfort.”

Jiang Si’s tone was icy, “Grandmother, don’t deceive yourself. The second Brother sacrificed himself for the country before even reaching twenty. How can a mere cenotaph console the family’s grief?”

“Then what can we do? Should we postpone the funeral for as long as your Second Brother’s remains aren’t found? Wait like this for a year or two? What if we never find him?” Old Madam Feng asked with a stern face.

“The Prince has gone to search.”

Both Old Madam Feng and Jiang Ancheng were startled, “What?”

Jiang Si said calmly, “Today, the Prince left for the south to search for my Second Brother’s remains.”

Her tone was indifferent, but to Old Madam Feng’s ears, every word was like a thunderclap.

Old Madam Feng asked incredulously, “The Prince went south to search for your Second Brother?”

Jiang Si nodded, “Yes.”

Old Madam Feng opened and closed her mouth, and after a while, she couldn’t help but say, “The Prince went personally—”

This was too perplexing. Even the Earl’s mansion hadn’t considered going to search personally.

Jiang Si gave Old Madam Feng a deep look, saying casually, “What’s strange about the Prince going personally? I am his wife, and the Second Brother is his brother-in-law. Isn’t it right for him to make an effort at a time like this?”

Old Madam Feng was secretly shocked. Her desire to urge Jiang Ancheng to hold the funeral early faded, and even her previously planned suggestion to request Jiang Cang’s appointment as heir was suppressed.

The Prince of Yan valued the fourth girl far beyond her imagination. At this moment, when Jiang Zhan had just died, the fourth girl would not agree to appoint Jiang Cang as heir.

Rather than causing an ugly scene and then compromising later, it was better not to bring it up now and make a fool of herself.

Jiang Ancheng, on the other hand, was moved. Holding back his grief, he said, “Why didn’t you tell me? The Prince shouldn’t have gone.”

The South was so chaotic. His son was already gone; if something happened to his son-in-law, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

“Father, don’t worry. Ah Jin knows what he’s doing. Just treat him like your own son. In the future, if you encounter any troubles, don’t bear them alone. Just send someone to inform me and Ah Jin at the Prince’s mansion.” As Jiang Si said this, she glanced at Old Madam Feng from the corner of her eye.

Old Madam Feng’s expression stiffened slightly.

Was the fourth girl saying this for her to hear?

She had lived for so many years, yet was being taught a lesson by her granddaughter. She was certainly upset, but apart from pretending not to understand, she had no other option.

For now, there was still a fig leaf of dignity. Once it was made explicit, it would be even more embarrassing.

At this moment, Old Madam Feng once again sighed inwardly.

Among all the granddaughters in the family, how did the one with the most difficult temperament soar to such heights?

It had to be said, that this was fate.

Looking at her granddaughter’s cold expression, Old Madam Feng felt a vague sense of dejection.

“Grandmother, Father, I’m heading back to the mansion now. If anything comes up, send someone with a message.”

Jiang Ancheng nodded, “With the Prince away, you need to take good care of Ah Huan. Yi’er, see your Fourth Sister out for me.”

Jiang Yi accompanied Jiang Si towards the main gate.

Along the way, there was a brief silence between the sisters. Finally, Jiang Si asked first, “Elder Sister, how has Father been sleeping and eating these past few days?”

Jiang Yi sighed, “How can it be? It takes time to heal. Fourth Sister, you too, with the Prince away, must take good care of yourself and the child. Second Brother… Second Brother is already gone, we must take even better care of ourselves…”

“I know. I can’t stay at the Earl’s mansion all day, so please take good care of Father for me, Elder Sister.”

“I will. Don’t worry, Fourth Sister.”

As the sisters stood at the gate talking for a while, the red door of the neighboring mansion suddenly opened, and a young man walked out.

Jiang Si was slightly startled, recognizing the person.

It was the former heir of the Yongchang Marquis, now the Yongchang Marquis himself — Xie Yinlou.

Jiang Si quickly calculated in her mind.

Mourning for parents lasted three years, which was twenty-seven months. More than two years had passed in a flash, and now the Xie siblings had completed their mourning period.

Xie Yinlou paused on the steps, then walked towards the two sisters.