Chapter 21
Struggle

“Husband.”

Seeing Jiang Xingjian approaching, Song Wan gave him a gentle smile.

Jiang Xingjian’s heart tightened, and he found it hard to look at her.

“Did you talk with Father?”

“Yes.”

Song Fu nodded, and seeing Song Wan’s sweet expression, he couldn’t help but smile, “There are many rules in the palace. You two have been busy all day. Go back to your courtyard and rest. We can have a drink together in the evening.”

“Following Brother’s advice.”

Jiang Xingjian watched Song Fu leave, and the smiles on the couple’s faces faded. They walked in silence, with Song Wan tightly holding the small box given by Song Fu, feeling much comforted.

After leaving the palace, the shame, grievance, faint emotions, and rejection she had felt disappeared after seeing her brother.

“Young Madam, the courtyard is very clean. It seems the residence is regularly cleaned, and the bedding has been changed. If you are tired, you can take a nap in the inner room.”

Entering the courtyard where Song Wan had lived as a child, Heng Zhi looked around. The sisters, including Song Wan, had all grown up in this courtyard, and now revisiting it brought joy to their hearts.

“Miss, the bamboo wind chimes you hung yourself are still on the veranda.”

Song Wan glanced at the faded wind chimes and smiled.

Since letting go of her hand, Song Wan had not taken the initiative to approach. Jiang Xingjian felt uncomfortable seeing the three of them enter the courtyard without acknowledging him.

Song Wan had already entered the house, and he inexplicably quickened his pace. But as soon as they entered her childhood boudoir, they both froze at the door.

After six years away, Song Wan no longer knew what was in the room. Seeing those things again now, she felt a sense of bewilderment.

Her boudoir was filled with traces of Jiang Xingjian.

The two were betrothed from a young age. Before she could even speak properly, she knew that her future husband was named Jiang Yi.

The Marquis’s residence and the Song residence were family friends, and they often visited each other during festivals. When Jiang Xingjian was young, he liked to give her small gifts, such as a calligraphy book, a clay figurine, or a string of porcelain beads. The items were not very expensive, but they were mostly delicate and small, which she liked very much.

The set of zodiac wood carvings she took to the Marquis’s residence was her favorite.

There were twelve of them, four each year. He carved them for three years, and she treasured them for nine years, witnessing the carvings evolve from rough and childlike to lifelike.

“This hairpin…”

The girl’s boudoir was filled with warmth and playfulness. The room was draped with gauzy curtains in goose yellow or moon blue, with a few pink and white porcelain pieces as accents, giving it an elegant and fresh look, vastly different from the solemn atmosphere of Long Xiang Zhai in the Marquis’s residence.

The most conspicuous item in the room was a white jade plum blossom hairpin on the mother-of-pearl dressing table.

Song Wan’s face turned pale, and she regretted letting Jiang Xingjian into her boudoir.

“This hairpin… why didn’t you take it to the Marquis’s residence?”

On the day they left the capital, he personally placed this plum blossom hairpin, which he had carved for a long time, on her head. It was originally meant to be her birthday gift that year, but fearing he wouldn’t make it back in time, Jiang Xingjian gave it to her early. Now, touching the warm white jade, his heart tightened. Even now, he seemed to still feel the excitement he had felt that day.

“A widow should live a clean and chaste life. These items couldn’t be taken to the Marquis’s residence.”

Song Wan took the white jade hairpin from his hand and found a red velvet box under the dressing table to put it in. Seeing Jiang Xingjian staring at her, she hesitated for a moment, then withdrew her hand from the dressing table and handed the box to Heng Zhi.

“Miss, First Master, the bedding has been aired. Would you like to take a nap?”

“Lay it down.”

She had risen before dawn to enter the palace and had been left waiting in the small garden by Consort Jiang for most of the day. Song Wan felt she could no longer hold on. Seeing Jiang Xingjian’s interest in her boudoir, she let him observe while she went to take a nap behind the gauze curtains.

Jiang Xingjian turned around and saw a graceful figure under the gauze, removing her hair ornaments. The girl’s slender and delicate figure was enchanting, and he quickly looked away, feeling his face heat up.

Heng Zhi and Heng Wu saw that he neither left nor intended to take a nap, and they were at a loss.

“Leave.” Jiang Xingjian lowered his voice and sent the two away.

For a moment, only he and Song Wan were left in the room. She seemed extremely tired, and soon her gentle breathing indicated she had fallen asleep. Jiang Xingjian smiled faintly, but then his expression turned cold as he remembered something.

Earlier, when he went to see Song Lan’an, every sentence was about why he had not returned for six years and what he had done at the border.

Jiang Xingjian felt that Song Lan’an was guilty of something, but he had to be cautious in his responses.

The thoughts that had just arisen dissipated, and he looked at the sleeping Song Wan with deepening eyes.

“Miss…”

“Hmm?” Still half-asleep, Song Wan was woken by Heng Zhi and was momentarily confused about the time.

“First Master said he wants to return to the marquis’s residence and asked the servant to help you freshen up.”

“How long did I sleep?”

Heng Zhi lowered her eyes, “Not even half an hour.”

“…” Song Wan frowned at Jiang Xingjian, who was sitting on the embroidered stool, and suddenly felt an urge to let him go back alone.

“Never mind, help me freshen up.”

Heng Zhi helped her tidy her hair and makeup again, and she changed into the clothes sent by Madam Song. Once she was dressed neatly, she went with Jiang Xingjian to bid farewell to her parents and brother.

“The house has prepared food and wine. Why not stay and eat before returning? We are only two streets away, and it won’t be too late.”

Madam Song tried to persuade them to stay, but Jiang Xingjian said, “The marquis’s residence is busy, and now that A Wan is in charge of the household, she cannot be away.”

Hearing this, the Song family felt more at ease. Madam Song had a carriage prepared to take Song Wan’s belongings and dowry to the Marquis’s residence. Heng Zhi and Heng Wu also carried many items, and with the additional gifts from Consort Yun, Song Wan’s return was comparable to half of the Marquis’s residence.

Back at the Marquis’s residence, she began to register and catalog the items, recording the gifts from Consort Yun and her dowry. The detailed list needed to be registered in the household archives, and a storeroom in the Lan Ting Courtyard had to be set up for these items. By the time Song Wan and the maids in Lan Ting Courtyard finished their work, it was too dark to see.

“Miss, everything has been accounted for except for one item.”

“What is missing?”

“The painting of the Hehe Erxian given by Consort Yun.”

Song Wan blushed, knowing that only Jiang Xingjian could have taken it. Her face turned red and white, unable to understand him.

“Never mind, record the painting in the inventory. Whatever the first master decides to do with it is up to him.”

Song Wan didn’t know why Jiang Xingjian took the painting, and neither did he. He looked at the painting on the desk, his face darkening.

He didn’t want to have feelings for Song Wan, but…

Jiang Xingjian rubbed his face in frustration, feeling utterly defeated.