Song Jiyun scoffed inwardly, taking the handkerchief from Nanny Zheng's hand and wrung her hair, saying, "Did the Great Master mention the incident with the broken basin?"
It was unlikely that Song Daliang would pass up this excellent opportunity that did not involve Madam Zeng and Song Sanliang.
Nanny Zheng said in a low voice, "He did. But every time he started to bring it up, he was interrupted by Ninth Grand Master. It seems that Ninth Grand Master wants to wait for Third Master to arrive tomorrow so that everyone can discuss it together."
The hand that Song Jiyun was using to twist her hair slowed down as she pondered, "It must be that they also have their own thoughts and want to come up with a unified plan tonight."
As she spoke, she handed the damp handkerchief over to Nanny Zheng.
Nanny Zheng quickly took another handkerchief and offered it to Song Jiyun.
Song Jiyun accepted the handkerchief and spoke softly, "In our family now, it's like a young child holding gold. There are many who have designs on it!"
"What should we do?" Nanny Zheng asked with concern.
"Don't worry," Song Jiyun said, "I have a plan in mind!"
Nanny Zheng's heart relaxed slightly as she asked, "What about Miss Tao?"
"Let her squat there for good," Song Jiyun said with an indifferent smile. "It will be just right to feed the mosquitoes in our garden. Once they are full, they won't just bite anyone. However,"
she turned to look at Nanny Zheng, "we still need to tell Brother Ah Quan to make sure that Young Master Yuan leaves through the main gate."
Nanny Zheng pursed her lips and smiled.
The main gate was precisely where Song Tao wouldn't be able to see.
"Understood!" she said, "I will give the orders right away."
Song Jiyun nodded, continuing to twist her hair slowly, but her mind was mulling over the words Yuan Yunzhong had spoken at the Water Pavilion.
Raised in Jiangnan.
A family business in the Capital City.
Following in his father's footsteps.
She believed Yuan Yunzhong had not lied.
There was a sense of pride in his bones.
Even for making a false marriage certificate, he insisted on "keeping his given name and family name unchanged."
It was unlikely he was lying about this.
So where did he grow up in Jiangnan? What was the family business in the Capital City? Following in his father's footsteps meant that what he was doing now was the same as his father's business.
Song Jiyun took out the marriage certificate and her gaze fell upon the three characters "Yuan Haoran."
Eight or nine out of ten, that name was also real.
Unfortunately, the people she had sent to inquire at the Yamen had come back with nothing.
Song Jiyun had not slept for two days and one night, her eyelids fighting a battle against each other, just wanting to collapse into bed and take even a short rest would suffice.
She couldn't help but rub her eyes and said to Xiang Zhan, "I'm going to sleep for a bit. Call me when Young Master Yuan returns."
Xiang Zhan quickly agreed, "Okay," and added some ice to the basin beside the bed.
Song Jiyun fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
When she was woken up, she heard the drum sound of the Second Watch of the Night.
Xiang Zhan was wiping her hands with a handkerchief soaked in ice water.
Song Jiyun was half-awake.
Xiang Zhan said, "Brother Ah Quan took Young Master Yuan to Yinyu Hall as you instructed."
Song Jiyun wiped her face with the handkerchief and was fully awake.
She got up, donned a purple smoke gray gauze Beizi vest, and left the room.
*
Yinyu Hall was Song Youliang's private workshop.
There, he collected porcelain patterns, various types of glazes and porcelains, copies of famous paintings and name cards, as well as sample boards featuring painting and calligraphy styles from porcelains produced by their family… all were stored there.
He even built a small Kiln Factory in the back courtyard for firing all sorts of things that interested him.
The Imperial Sacrificial White Porcelain that the Song Family fired for the Imperial Kiln Factory was first tried and made here.
This was the most important place in the Song family's second branch.
Logically, this place should not have been arranged for people to live in.
But who would have thought that the location was most suitable!
Its main entrance faced the outer courtyard, and the back door led straight to Song Jiyun's yard through an alley.
After discussing with Madam Qian, Song Jiyun had arranged for Yuan Yunzhong to stay here.
However, when she knew her father's funeral required the presence of uncles from the clan, she had everything cleared out.
The current Yinyu Hall no longer had the disorder, vitality, and warmth from when Song Youliang was here.
Song Jiyun gazed at the West Residence Begonia she had planted with her father in front of the steps, fell silent for a moment, then entered the hall.
Yuan Yunzhong was sitting on the Arhat bed in front of the Main Hall, draped in a still damp head of hair, wearing a moon-white color summer Taoist robe, drinking chilled sour plum soup.
As soon as he saw Song Jiyun, he smiled with a hooked corner of his mouth and ordered Liu Zi, "My fiancée is here, see to her seat!"
His manner, as insolent as it could be.
Song Jiyun kept her composure, sat on the stool beside her, took a sip of the chilled sour plum soup Liu Zi brought over, and then slowly said, "The young master has traveled a long way and drank too much. You got a fever last night unexpectedly."
She called for Zheng Quan, who was to stay the night with her in the hall, "Remember to invite a doctor for Young Master Yuan tomorrow."
Zheng Quan hesitated, wanting to speak.
But Yuan Yunzhong had already put down his sour plum soup and smiled at her with raised eyebrows, "That's a good excuse."
Immediately, Song Jiyun realized there was an implication in his words and looked towards Zheng Quan.
Zheng Quan lowered her eyelids and whispered, "Young Master Yuan did not drink today."
Song Jiyun was taken aback.
But as long as you are not embarrassed, the embarrassed one is someone else.
Unmoved as the mountain, she said to Zheng Quan, "Then just say Young Master Yuan caught a cold during the night."
Zheng Quan quietly agreed.
Yuan Yunzhong said, "Second Old Master's funeral is the day after tomorrow. Should I attend?"
He was threatening her. He could go to the County Yamen tomorrow to register the marriage, if not tomorrow then the day after, and if not then, the day following. As long as the marriage license was in his hands, he held the initiative.
However, considering he had not disrespectfully called her father "father-in-law" or made jokes about him, Song Jiyun decided to be more lenient toward him and said, "We haven't even completed the six rites of marriage, what would you go there for?"
Yuan Yunzhong nodded pretentiously, "What if someone comes to visit me tomorrow?"
He was talking about the basin-throwing incident, wasn't he?
Song Jiyun blinked, looking at him with a smile, "If the young master does not wish to leave and insists on becoming our family's son-in-law, I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to!"
Not scared at all!
Yuan Yunzhong clicked his tongue several times.
Song Jiyun suddenly turned her face, stood up abruptly, and said to him with a cold sneer, "The young master is an honored guest of our family, of course, you can do and say as you please. I'm just kindly reminding the young master, lest you say too much and couldn't go back."
Yuan Yunzhong scoffed disdainfully, thinking that these were all the same old tricks.
"I know!" he said nonchalantly, "The waterways of Poyang Lake are tough to navigate…"
"No!" Song Jiyun interrupted him, "What is Poyang Lake compared to winning Ninth Grand Master's favor? I'm just worried that our clan elders won't let you go, turning a false performance into a real one, and you'd find yourself unable to leave!"
As she spoke, Song Jiyun bent down and whispered into Yuan Yunzhong's ear, "I don't mind, though. Such a pretty man, I'd not be at a loss. If we've slept together, then we've slept together…"
Yuan Yunzhong instantly blushed red, jumped to his feet, and nearly knocked Song Jiyun over.
"You…" he trembled as he pointed at Song Jiyun, unable to speak for a long while.
Song Jiyun said coolly, "Rest assured, no matter what you say, I can help you recover. Just speak freely."
She swept away.
Yuan Yunzhong's heart pounded uncontrollably and took a long time to calm down.
The moonlight gently shone through the white soft misty gauze.
He tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
What kind of woman had he encountered!