Chapter 43
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After walking back from Fuhe Hall to Lan Ting Courtyard, Song Wan felt completely exhausted. As soon as she returned to her courtyard, she took off her outer garment and sat on the chaise longue. Her mind kept replaying Mother Jiang’s reprimands, and each word made her heart ache.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Song Wan took the fan handed to her by Nanny Zhao and gently fanned herself.

Whether it was due to the day’s anger or the scorching sun, by evening, Song Wan developed a fever.

“Doctor Ding, what’s wrong with our young madam?”

Nanny Zhao carefully placed Song Wan’s hand, which was extended outside the curtain, back under the quilt and asked in a low voice as she saw Doctor Ding packing up his pulse pillow.

“Young Madam’s fever is due to emotional distress and heat. Once the heat is dispersed, she will be fine. I’ll prescribe some medicine, and she will recover soon.”

Hearing this, Heng Zhi and Heng Wu felt relieved, while Lv Zhu followed the doctor to the pharmacy.

Song Wan was delirious with a fever, and Nanny Zhao was heartbroken. She stayed up all night, busy wiping Song Wan’s sweat, changing her clothes, feeding her medicine, and reducing her fever. When Song Wan’s fever finally subsided, Nanny Zhao, with dark circles under her eyes, tearfully thanked the gods.

“Miss, how did you suddenly fall ill? You worried this old woman to death.”

“I’m sorry for making you worry, Nanny. It’s my fault.” Song Wan’s voice was hoarse, but she managed a gentle smile.

Although she had been ill, she felt much better. After being attended to by the maids for a bath and change of clothes, Song Wan went to the study.

“Miss, you haven’t fully recovered. Why not rest for a few more days?”

Song Wan shook her head. “My husband has inherited the title, and the Marquis’ residence needs to hold a grand banquet. The guest list and invitations need to be prepared first.”

After writing for most of the day, Song Wan handed the completed invitation list to Heng Zhi, instructing her to deliver it to the ceremonial office.

The ceremonial office is responsible for the household’s rituals and ceremonies. They handle the birthdays of the masters, ancestral memorial days, and the exchange of invitations and gifts with other households. Once the list is delivered today, the invitations will be sent to the invited mistresses of each household tomorrow. For a grand banquet like Jiang Xingjian’s inheritance ceremony, the male and female guests from the inner and outer courtyards will be hosted separately, making it impossible for Song Wan to manage everything alone.

“Invite these three in my name.”

Heng Zhi glanced at the list. She understood inviting Madam Sun and Madam Lan, but she was puzzled by the inclusion of Madam Bai, the wife of an assistant minister in the Ministry of Personnel.

“My brother has joined the Ministry of Personnel as a low-ranking deputy. This Lord Bai is his superior.”

Mentioning Song Fu’s name, Heng Zhi blushed slightly, nodded, and left with the finalized list.

Nanny Zhao felt a bit uneasy. Her mistress, Song Wan, had a proud and aloof nature. In the past, she would never have done something to benefit the Marquis’ residence for her brother’s sake. Now that she had, it seemed she was thoroughly disappointed with the Marquis’ residence and unwilling to maintain appearances.

Nanny Zhao wanted to advise her, but her lips moved without uttering a word.

For Jiang Xingjian’s grand banquet, Song Wan took care of the invitation list and the menu but left the rest to others. These grand banquets had established procedures in the household, and as long as the stewardesses did their jobs, everything would be fine.

After preparing everything and reporting to the old madam and Mother Jiang, Song Wan no longer concerned herself with it. Even when she heard that Mother Jiang had given part of the banquet management authority to Lin Jiayue, she said nothing.

Later, when a maid occasionally reported that Lin Jiayue had changed the household rules again, Song Wan only asked if Mother Jiang knew about it. Upon hearing that Mother Jiang was aware and still let Lin Jiayue take full charge, she completely relinquished her authority, instructing the maids to follow Lin Jiayue’s directions.

“Miss, aren’t you afraid that little harlot will cause trouble?”

As soon as the stewardess left, Nanny Zhao couldn’t sit still and earnestly advised, “If you let that little harlot handle everything, and something goes wrong, won’t your reputation for wisdom be ruined?”

Song Wan, holding a book, smiled faintly. “Did you see Madam’s attitude when we went to Jiangxiang Courtyard yesterday?”

The old madam had been feeling unwell recently due to the heat, with no appetite and constant fatigue. Except for occasionally seeing Song Wan and Jiang Xingjian, she had excused everyone else from their morning and evening duties. All household matters were handed over to Mother Jiang. Song Wan didn’t want to trouble the old madam with trivial matters, so she could only inform Mother Jiang.

Lin Jiayue’s Huan Yan Zhai had just opened and was already doing good business. The considerable income increased Mother Jiang and Jiang Xingjian’s confidence in her, giving them the assurance to let her host the grand banquet. When Song Wan merely mentioned that old rules shouldn’t be changed, Mother Jiang dismissed her concerns as outdated and boring.

“Now, whatever I say is useless. If I say more, I’ll be seen as petty and jealous, unable to bear the Marquis’ residence doing well.”

“Ahem.”

Just as Song Wan finished speaking, she saw Jiang Xingjian standing in the room with a subtle expression. Nanny Zhao glared at Xiang Cao, who was about to speak, but Jiang Xingjian said, “I told her not to announce my arrival…”

He hadn’t expected Song Wan to bring up him and Lin Jiayue in the room.

Song Wan lazily raised her eyes, showing no embarrassment at being overheard. Her indifferent demeanor made Jiang Xingjian feel awkward as if he were an unnecessary presence.

“Consort Jiang sent you something. I brought it over for you.”

Jiang Xingjian sat down and placed the wooden box on the table.

During this period, he deliberately distanced himself from Song Wan and didn’t visit Lan Ting Courtyard for a long time. He thought she would be resentful, but she seemed completely indifferent.

“If you think Jiayue has done something wrong, you can refuse her. After all, you are the legitimate wife of the Marquis’ residence…”

“Letting a concubine manage the household affairs disregards the ancestral rules and propriety of the Marquis’ residence. What more can I say?”

Song Wan put down the book “Wen Shi Tong Yi” and said indifferently, “People who respect themselves are respected by others. If the Marquis’ residence doesn’t respect itself, how can it expect others to?”

“I’m tired. Husband, please leave.”

Having just sat down, Jiang Xingjian was given a dismissal order. He felt awkward and had no words to argue. From the moment he decided to give up on Song Wan, he could no longer stand tall in front of her or say a harsh word.

In the end, he had wronged her.

Jiang Xingjian pressed his lips together, hesitated for a moment, and left Lan Ting Courtyard.

“Miss, I think the first master still cares about you. Now that Consort Jiang has sent a generous gift, it seems she wants to reconcile with you.”

“If the Marquis has realized his mistakes, you should listen to Madam’s advice and be more flexible…”

Song Wan glanced at the nanmu box on the table and said indifferently, “It’s not about reconciliation. They are just satisfied that I arranged the marriages with the Sun and Lan families for the second master and third sister.”

If she did well, they would reward her with a few trinkets, expecting her to continue working for the Marquis’ residence. If she were useless, she wouldn’t even be allowed to see them in the palace.

In the end, Consort Jiang only saw her as a servant to be used. To Consort Jiang, she might not even be as valuable as a low-ranking maid in Yanqing Palace.

Picking up the nanmu box, Song Wan handed it to Nanny Zhao without opening it. “Put it away.”