The next morning, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.
Outside the window, the shadows of the trees swayed, and the light in the room was somewhat dimmer than usual, yet it felt cooler than on other days.
Song Jiyun had washed up and stood in the hall, enjoying the breeze.
Song Sanliang came looking for him.
From a distance, he shouted toward Song Jiyun, "Are you ready? We should go early and return early to avoid any complications."
Yet Song Jiyun didn't move an inch, and said, "Uncle, after you left yesterday, I remembered that after father passed away, Wang Zhubo seemed to have paid his respects. So, I asked the Ritual Room to fetch the ritual book for me to look over."
Song Sanliang's expression stiffened.
"Then I summoned the former manager of the ritual book overnight," Song Jiyun continued emotionlessly, "and I discovered that father and Wang Zhubo were quite close."
"Is that so?" Song Sanliang said somewhat falteringly.
Song Jiyun nodded and added, "Uncle, I feel that going to collect the silver like this seems a bit improper."
Song Sanliang, barely daring to breathe, asked, "Why is it improper?"
Song Jiyun said with concern, "Isn't there a saying 'out of sight, out of mind'? Father has passed away, and so his relationship with Wang Zhubo has ended. Although Wang Zhubo has extorted silver from our family this time, could this not also be an opportunity to get closer to Wang Zhubo?"
Song Sanliang looked at Song Jiyun as if he thought there was water in his brain.
Song Jiyun explained, "I asked the former manager of the ritual book, who told me that Wang Zhubo is known for his integrity and fairness, not fond of gold or antiques, but has a particular appreciation for calligraphy and paintings. I think when you meet Wang Zhubo, you should bring along an additional painting."
"Yes, yes, yes." Song Sanliang snapped out of it and hurriedly said, "What good paintings are there at my niece's place? Give them to me, and I'll take them along."
There seemed to be a turn of good fortune.
Song Sanliang's gaze at Song Jiyun softened considerably.
"If it were gold or antiques, I definitely have plenty," Song Jiyun pondered, "but as for paintings, my Third Aunt's family are scholars; weren't several famous paintings from the previous dynasty included in her dowry? Could we possibly borrow one temporarily from Third Aunt? Just name the price, and when they withdraw the money, I'll ask them to take out a bit more and give it to you."
Song Sanliang, known for only taking and never giving, felt uneasy about parting with anything.
As Song Jiyun spoke, he took out a small rosewood box inlaid with gold leaf, continuing, "This is also for the benefit of our family. The County Magistrate's term is reviewed every three years; today one person, tomorrow another, they take turns in office. But the Registrar is different; he is our local emperor here."
Song Sanliang, already feeling enthusiastic, immediately said, "I was just worried that you would find it too costly— the paintings from your aunt's dowry aren't worth less than two thousand taels each."
Song Jiyun replied, "Even if it is expensive, the silver isn't going to someone else."
Song Sanliang nodded repeatedly.
Song Jiyun then urged Song Sanliang to send someone to his Third Aunt's place to fetch the paintings, while he invited his uncle to stay for breakfast, "There's no rush at the moment. It's so early, the Silver House hasn't even opened its doors yet!"
Song Sanliang saw the logic in her words and stayed for breakfast at Song Jiyun's place.
The breakfast was buckwheat noodles served with four flavorful dishes and a bowl of vegetarian soup, all vividly red and glistening with oil.
Song Jiyun happily ate a small bowl of noodles.
Having finished, the painting was also brought over.
Song Sanliang stared at the gold-inlaid rosewood box that had been sitting on the long table in the Main Hall, "What about this seal?"
"Naturally, I'll give it to uncle," Song Jiyun said generously, reaching for the box to hand it to Song Sanliang, but a servant boy rushed over, panting, and said, "Third Old Master, Master Wang has sent Legal Advisor Wang to see you. He is waiting at the side door!"
Song Sanliang was startled.
Looking again at Song Jiyun, she had already placed the box back on the long table in the Main Hall and said, "Then, Uncle, you better hurry! If you're late and Wang Zhubo gets angry and orders our house to be sealed, what do we do? I will take the seal to the Silver House now, and we can meet there."
After speaking, she called out loudly for Nanny Zheng, "Quick, prepare my sedan chair. I need to follow Uncle to the Silver House."
Song Sanliang was initially still uneasy, but hearing her say this, coupled with the servant boy's constant urging, he hurriedly followed the servant boy.
The hall quieted down.
"Idiot!" A man's sneering laughter came from the gauze cupboard.
Song Jiyun raised an eyebrow, walked over to the gauze cupboard, and said word by word, "What shall we have for lunch?"
*
When Nanny Zheng relayed the message back and saw that the family's eldest daughter was leisurely flipping through the account book, she also instructed her, "Go tell the steward in the outer yard that it's very hot, the ice at the ancestral hall must not be interrupted, and we should prepare more."
Nanny Zheng said, "What about the Third Old Master... "
Song Jiyun said, "As an unmarried girl, how can I properly follow the Third Old Master everywhere?"
Nanny Zheng couldn't help but smile wryly and simply continued discussing the funeral matters with her, "Last night when I came back, I overheard some servant boys at the back door who were on the night shift quietly discussing that a few days ago, Mr. Han came to deliver a portrait of the old master. In addition to the agreed compensation, a respectable family should also give a piece of filial piety silk and a piece of yellow silk as a thank-you gift.
"But the Great Master accepted the portrait and did not mention anything about a thank-you gift.
"Mr. Han is an intellectual, a painter from the Imperial Kiln Factory, and he couldn't bring himself to speak those vulgar words. He was so angry that his face turned red, and he was about to leave without sitting down.
"If Miss Tao had not heard about it and sent someone to chase after him, Mr. Han would have been completely offended, and the family could not afford to handle things so recklessly with the Great Master."
Song Jiyun felt it was a bit strange.
Her father had already separated from her granduncle and her third uncle, and there was no hierarchy among her siblings.
"Miss Tao" was what they called the third daughter of her granduncle, Song Tao.
Song Tao was only three months older than her but was the epitome of a gentlewoman.
Normally, she would not show her teeth when smiling, nor expose her knees when sitting; she did not leave the front door nor step out of the second.
It was rare for her and her cousins to meet each other, except during festivals.
Why would she get involved in these matters?
Nanny Zheng said, "It was also a coincidence that day. She went to pay respects to the old master and encountered it."
Song Jiyun did not take it to heart.
While her father was alive, he was also very kind to his nieces.
She had initially prepared to go to the ancestral hall to offer incense to her father, but now she had to quickly sort out these trivial matters first.
Busy and bustling, noon arrived in the blink of an eye.
The rain also stopped.
Although maids frequently fanned her, Song Jiyun still felt sticky, and she was about to take a bath when sudden frightened noises and shouts came from outside.
Thinking of the Third Old Master's lies, Nanny Zheng became anxious with worry, fearing changes had occurred, and couldn't help but look greatly alarmed.
Song Jiyun, however, was very calm, comfortingly patted her hand, and sent a young maid to check.
After a long while, the young maid ran back, her face pale, and said, "Eldest Miss, the Third Old Master was beaten thirty times by Registrar Wang, and he was sent back covered in blood and flesh. The Third Madam was wailing and crying as she carried the Third Old Master to the old lady's place.," she added, "The Second Madam was also alarmed and went towards the old lady's place."
Song Jiyun nodded, dismissed the maid, and said coldly, "Only thirty hits, that's too lenient for him, I wonder if he learned his lesson?"
She stood up, turned to Nanny Zheng, and said, "Let's go, it's time for us to make an appearance."
Looking outside, she only saw a tall and straight figure.