Chapter 69
Decline

If she had known Jiang Xingjian would be so understanding, why would she have drunk the bitter melon stalk tea and endured the stomach pain?

Song Wan covered her mouth and glanced at Jiang Xingjian lying on the bed.

“Miss…” Heng Zhi approached with concern, but Song Wan waved her off, indicating she was fine, and continued reading “Ancient Formations.”

Lin Jiayue was delighted to hear that Jiang Xingjian had returned. She hadn’t seen him for a month and missed him dearly. Even when she heard from the maids that the Marquis was furious upon his return, she didn’t take it to heart.

“He must be upset about the Breeding Office. Be careful not to upset him further.” She changed into a fresh and charming silk dress with white butterflies playing among flowers and asked with a smile, “Where is the Marquis?”

“The servants said the Marquis went to see Young Madam as soon as he returned. I saw Cuiwei boiling water in the main courtyard, so he must be resting now.”

“He went to see Song Wan?” Lin Jiayue clenched her fists and stormed into Long Xiang Zhai with an angry expression.

Inside, Song Wan was reading at her desk while Jiang Xingjian was napping on the bed. Seeing them far apart, Lin Jiayue suppressed her anger and approached him. She half-knelt and gently shook him, “Jiang Yi? Wake up.”

After kneeling at the Jinxiang Earl’s mansion for ten days and guarding the poultry shed with the plague doctor at Shanglin Garden for another ten days, Jiang Xingjian felt utterly exhausted. It took Lin Jiayue a while to wake him.

The sunlight in the room was bright, making him squint, “A Wan?”

Barely able to maintain her gentle smile, Lin Jiayue bit her lip and forced a smile, “Marquis, it’s Yue’er.”

“Are you tired? Why are you sleeping here? It’s too much trouble for others.”

She reached out to help him up.

Seeing it was Lin Jiayue, Jiang Xingjian sat silently on the bed, pressing his forehead for a long time without speaking.

Song Wan put down her book and said to Heng Zhi and Heng Wu, “The Marquis is unwell. Help Concubine Lin take the Marquis back to Xiu Yan Pavilion.”

Jiang Xingjian looked up, his eyes dark and unclear.

“Marquis, let me help you…”

“No need.” Jiang Xingjian shook his sleeve and left. Lin Jiayue followed, feeling uneasy.

Entering Xiu Yan Pavilion, Jiang Xingjian coldly ordered, “Everyone, leave.”

Lin Jiayue forced a smile, “What’s wrong? Didn’t you rest well?”

Jiang Xingjian said, “Didn’t anyone tell you that the Marquis Mansion has never sold servants in its hundred-year history? Do you not know the consequences of selling servants?”

Before she could respond, Jiang Xingjian sneered, “You don’t know. You know nothing, but you dare to do anything.”

“When I left, I didn’t give you the authority to manage the household. Do you not understand what that means?”

“Since you entered the Marquis Mansion, how many troubles have you caused? You still don’t know how to restrain yourself? I’ve only been away for a month, and you’ve caused this enormous disaster. Can you not behave yourself?”

Lin Jiayue’s face turned pale, “You want me to behave? If I behaved, who would open the ice shop and rouge shop for the Marquis Mansion?”

“Enough.” Jiang Xingjian’s eyes were cold, “If you value those shops so much, I’ll give them back to you today. How about that?”

“What do you mean?” Lin Jiayue’s eyes filled with tears. “I followed you to the Marquis Mansion and willingly became your concubine. I tried my best to open shops and make money for the mansion. I sold the servants because the mansion was suffocating under the burden…”

“I did everything for you, and now you say you’ll give it back to me? Jiang Xingjian, do you have a heart?”

Jiang Xingjian remained silent, his mind in turmoil.

“From now on, you are not to manage the household affairs of the Marquis Mansion. Focus on the firearm formula in the inner courtyard.”

He was tired of talking and teaching Lin Jiayue. Even though he had carefully advised her to be cautious and consider the thousands of people in the Marquis Mansion, in Lin Jiayue’s mind, the most important person in the world was herself. She didn’t care about the lives of others, let alone the reputation or future of the Marquis Mansion.

“Give me the list of the sold servants, and I’ll try to find them.”

Lin Jiayue didn’t understand why he was making such a fuss today, nor did she understand why the Marquis Mansion was keeping so many useless people. She felt burdened and yet had to maintain the facade of a grand family, which she found ridiculous.

Angrily, she threw the list of sold servants at Jiang Xingjian and sat down, silently crying.

Jiang Xingjian continued coldly, “Mother’s token.”

“Here you go.” She threw it on the ground with a slap, and Jiang Xingjian’s forehead veins bulged, but he gritted his teeth and walked out.

After asking the servants, he learned that his mother was in Fuhe Hall, so he hurried there.

As soon as he entered Fuhe Hall, before he could question his mother about giving Lin Jiayue the authority to manage the household, he heard her crying, “Yi’er, you’re back.”

The Old Madam, lying in bed, quickly raised her head upon hearing this. “Good child, come and let Grandmother see you.”

Jiang Xingjian stepped forward to support the Old Madam, swallowing all his words.

“Is Grandmother feeling better?”

The Old Madam nodded, “Thanks to your mother, who stayed by my side day and night, I was able to wake up. Otherwise, this time I might have…”

“Don’t say such things, Grandmother.”

His mother pressed a handkerchief to her eyes, her face pale and gaunt, showing signs of suffering.

The Old Madam smiled weakly, “How has the mansion been lately? Is everything alright? Did you send Concubine Lin back to Xiu Yan Pavilion as I instructed during the banquet?”

His mother smiled awkwardly and looked away, unable to meet her gaze.

Jiang Xingjian said, “Of course, everything is as you instructed. The mansion is running smoothly, and Wan’er is managing it well.”

“Wan’er is a good child. I trust her with the Marquis Mansion. Yi’er, no matter how much you love Concubine Lin, you must not be estranged from Wan’er. A virtuous wife benefits three generations. Wan’er is intelligent and determined; she will help you protect the Marquis Mansion for a hundred years.”

Jiang Xingjian lowered his head, “I understand.”

“After this illness, my body is not what it used to be. I only hope to see my great-grandson born before I go.”

“Grandmother, you are healthy and will be fine. Don’t say such things.”

The Old Madam chuckled, “Daring to tease Grandmother now, are you?”

The Old Madam, not fully recovered, soon felt exhausted. His mother stepped forward to adjust her pillow for a more comfortable position.

After the Old Madam fell asleep, Jiang Xingjian took his mother outside the bedroom, intending to discuss the recent chaos in the mansion. However, seeing his mother’s weary expression as she rubbed her leg, he hesitated.

Caring for the sick is exhausting, especially for someone of his mother’s age.

Jiang Xingjian’s lips moved, but he finally said, “Mother, go back to your courtyard and rest. I’ll stay with Grandmother today.”

“No, I can’t let you get tired. You’ve just finished your work. Go back to your courtyard and rest. I’ll take care of the Old Madam; you don’t need to worry.”

“……” Jiang Xingjian sighed deeply and nodded numbly.

After walking around the mansion for a long time, he finally suppressed his frustration and went to Lan Ting Courtyard.

With such a significant mistake in the inner courtyard, only Song Wan could salvage the current decline. She was the only one capable of handling the Marquis Mansion’s reputation and the issue of selling servants in the capital without any flaws.