Chapter 87
Secrets

“This feeling is truly amazing.” Lin Jiayue gently touched her belly, her eyes filled with tenderness. “I have no family in this world, but now I have you and our child. It feels like my life is complete.”

She looked up at Jiang Xingjian. “Do you like him? Are you looking forward to his arrival?”

Jiang Xingjian remained silent, and Lin Jiayue lowered her head. “I guess you must like him. No one dislikes their own child.”

“Shall we give him a name?”

“What character do you think… Ah!”

As she spoke, Lin Jiayue suddenly turned pale and squatted down, startling Qian Bi and causing Jiang Xingjian to frown.

“What is that sound?”

Images of Jiang Jing’s pale hand hanging from the bamboo frame and Madam Zhou’s blood splattering everywhere after her suicide flashed through her mind.

Lin Jiayue clutched her head, terrified.

Jiang Xingjian looked at Qian Bi, who hurriedly gestured that it wasn’t her doing. They searched the room for a while and finally discovered that a string of pearls had broken on the washstand, causing the pearls to fall into the copper basin.

Qian Bi quickly cleaned up the mess, and Jiang Xingjian picked Lin Jiayue up. She clung to his neck and cautiously asked, “Is it Jiang Jing? Is it Madam Zhou coming back to find me? I didn’t mean to harm them.”

“It was just the pearls breaking. Don’t worry.” Jiang Xingjian stroked her head and sighed. “Rest well and take care of yourself.”

Lin Jiayue nodded blankly. After putting her to sleep, Jiang Xingjian left and went to Huai Su’s room.

As soon as he entered, Huai Su quickly got up to help him remove his outer robe and brought him a cup of warm tea. Jiang Xingjian took a sip and handed it back to her.

“Marquis, the green salt for rinsing your mouth.”

After rinsing his mouth, Jiang Xingjian lay on the bed, letting Huai Su massage his forehead.

They didn’t speak, but Jiang Xingjian felt completely at ease.

“Who in the mansion knows about Jiayue’s pregnancy?”

Huai Su replied, “The people in Lan Ting Courtyard and Madam should know. The physicians in the other courtyards won’t say anything.”

“Tomorrow, tell the people in the courtyard to keep their mouths shut.”

Huai Su paused. “Marquis, do you intend to keep this child?”

Jiang Xingjian didn’t answer and fell into a deep sleep.

Watching him sleep, Huai Su bit her lip, full of worry.

The next morning, two experienced maids were assigned to Lin Jiayue: Jiang Xingjian’s wet nurse, Nanny Li, and a long-time servant of Mother Jiang. The two maids guarded Xiu Yan Pavilion like a fortress, allowing no one in or out.

Seeing this, Song Wan realized that they had decided to keep the child. She paused her flower pruning and shook her head with a faint smile.

Heng Zhi noticed and asked, “Miss, has the Marquis gone mad?”

Song Wan lowered her eyes, seriously focusing on the flower shears in her hand. “With such actions, he must be thinking that no one will know about the illegitimate child. He might even seal off Lan Ting Courtyard to prevent me from leaving. After ten months, he could bring the child to me to raise as a legitimate heir.”

“In this way, the Marquis Mansion would have a legitimate heir, and the rumors outside would be dispelled.”

“Miss!” Heng Zhi’s face turned pale. “Isn’t he afraid that the family will not forgive him if they find out?”

“It’s just a guess. Otherwise, I really don’t know why Jiang Xingjian would keep this child.”

The Marquis Mansion’s reputation was already enough to make the noble families in the capital avoid them. Now, not only were the marriage prospects of the young masters and ladies in the mansion affected, but even Consort Jiang and the Fifth Prince were greatly impacted. At such a critical time, having an illegitimate child would only bring more harm than good.

Even if Jiang Xingjian values Lin Jiayue and is reluctant to part with the child in her womb, he should not risk the reputation of Consort Jiang, the Fifth Prince, and the century-old foundation of the Marquis Mansion.

So Song Wan couldn’t understand.

The only thing she could think of was that the Marquis Mansion would strictly guard against any communication with the Song Mansion for the next ten months.

When Lin Jiayue gave birth, she would meet a tragic end, and the child could then be legitimately recognized as the bloodline of both the Jiang and Song families. However, Song Wan didn’t voice this thought, fearing that Heng Zhi and Heng Wu would worry and act rashly.

“Summon Nanny Lang to the mansion today and see what Jiang Xingjian is really thinking.”

Heng Zhi nodded and hurried to deliver the message.

Waiting in the courtyard with Heng Wu, both were anxious. To Song Wan’s surprise, the message was indeed delivered without any hindrance.

In the evening, Nanny Lang entered the mansion, and Song Wan was still a bit surprised.

After some thought, Song Wan had her bring a letter to Song Fu, detailing the matter of the illegitimate child. After finishing, Nanny Lang said, “A few days ago, the eldest young master was transferred to the Department of Civil Affairs to open a new section and became a fifth-rank official. The young master asked me to inform you so you wouldn’t worry.”

“Really?” Song Wan smiled. “My brother is talented and will shine wherever he goes.”

After discussing some external affairs, Nanny Lang left.

After she left, Song Wan said, “I was able to send out the news about the illegitimate child, which means Jiang Xingjian has no such plans. This is truly strange.”

Heng Zhi nodded. “I also think the Marquis wouldn’t dare to mix the bloodlines of the Jiang and Song families. If it were exposed, Old Master and the eldest young master wouldn’t let him off easily.”

Song Wan frowned slightly. “I can’t understand his intentions, and it makes me uneasy.”

Not only Song Wan but also Mother Jiang and Jiang Yan couldn’t understand Jiang Xingjian’s actions. However, Mother Jiang, used to being hands-off, took her son’s reassurance to heart and focused on caring for the old madam, hoping to prolong her life.

On the other hand, Jiang Yan used his own methods to help Song Wan eliminate threats.

Qing Zhai had just brought in a new inkstone when Jiang Yan said, “There should be no illegitimate child in the Marquis Mansion. Today, go find Qian Bi; she knows what to do.”

“I understand.”

After placing the items on the desk, Qing Zhai went to the storeroom to get gold and silver embroidery threads.

Before today, she didn’t know Qian Bi was working for the second master. It seemed that when Lin Jiayue first entered the mansion, the second master had already planted his chess pieces.

Thinking of this, Qing Zhai’s eyes showed admiration.

At the entrance of Xiu Yan Pavilion, she found a low-ranking maid from Lan Ting Courtyard to call Qian Bi.

Soon, Qian Bi stood in the room, and Qing Zhai spoke to her through the window. “When I received the mansion’s allowance a few days ago, I heard you say Lin Jiayue was short of gold and silver embroidery threads. I have some extra this month, so I brought them for her.”

She handed the items to Nanny Li and heard Qian Bi say, “Thank you, Qing Zhai. Our mistress has been too lazy to do any embroidery lately.”

“But Xiu Yan Pavilion is indeed out of gold and silver embroidery threads. I still owe Huai Su two bundles. Could you give these to me?”

Qing Zhai nodded and handed the items to Nanny Li to pass on to Huai Su.

When she returned to Yuling Studio, Jiang Yan was tending to the flowers. Qing Zhai said, “Second Master, Qian Bi said Huai Su acted before us.”

“Huai Su?”

Qing Zhai nodded, and Jiang Yan frowned. “Help her if necessary.”

“I understand.”

Seeing Jiang Yan fully absorbed in his painting, Qing Zhai quietly left the study.

Jiang Yan skillfully sketched a graceful figure, each stroke familiar as if he had drawn it countless times. The person’s features seemed etched into his bones, and each detail made his ears burn.

When the figure came to life on the paper, his expression softened, but there was a hint of sadness.

Carefully rolling up the painting, Jiang Yan found a brazier and slowly burned it.

The ashes scattered, disappearing into the world like the secret thoughts in his heart that could never be revealed in the light of day.