Song Jiyun left Yinyu Hall and went to Madam Qian's residence.
Madam Qian quickly had a maid serve a plate of bright purple grapes, saying, "Steward Wu had someone send these over. I served a plate each to Jiyu and Jixue, and this one is for you."
Steward Wu had never been this attentive before.
He must have seen everything that had happened these days, and came to trust her as a reliable person.
Song Jiyun smiled as she tasted a grape.
Quite sweet!
She talked with her mother about the funeral tomorrow, including how Song Daliang, Song Sanliang, and Ninth Grand Master had gone to see Yuan Yunzhong, and relayed everything to Madam Qian.
Madam Qian was quite shocked, but what she asked about was Yuan Yunzhong: "What did he say?"
Song Jiyuan thought about it and found it amusing, saying, "He is quite cunning! No matter who comes to ask, he agrees, but what will happen tomorrow, I really do not know."
Madam Qian said, "It's good that everyone agrees, so they don't offend your grand uncles and look for his trouble later." Then she mentioned Ninth Grand Master, "I really didn't expect him to be that kind of person!"
The midday sunlight was blocked by the dense tree canopy outside, making Madam Qian's living room, decked in green gauze, appear cool and tranquil, which brought upon Song Jiyun a sudden drowsiness, having not slept well these days.
"Wealth tempts the human heart!" she said, unable to suppress a yawn, "If it doesn't move the heart, then the money is not enough yet…"
What is all this about?
Madam Qian couldn't help but smile, and upon looking again, her older daughter had dozed off, her head tilted on the pillow.
Her tears suddenly welled up.
How tired she must be, to fall asleep even while talking.
Madam Qian tiptoed over with a fan, sat by the Arhat bed, and started fanning her daughter.
Nanny Zheng lifted the curtain and entered.
Madam Qian gestured for her to be "quiet", and went with Nanny Zheng to the hall.
Recalling what her daughter had just mentioned, she whispered, "It's about the bowl smashing matter tomorrow, isn't it?"
Nanny Zheng nodded, saying, "Great Master and Ninth Grand Master have gone somewhere unknown, and Third Old Master is staying inside the old lady's room and won't come out. Earlier, Miss Song had instructed to keep an eye out and let her know whether they came over or not."
Madam Qian glanced at the living room and said, "This child, she's been too exhausted. She fell asleep while talking to me. The bowl smashing matter is not urgent, let her sleep well first!"
How could it not be urgent?
Nanny Zheng couldn't help feeling anxious.
Madam Qian scoffed, "They are all rushing to smash the bowls, just wanting to be our family's heir. But I am the legitimate mother, if they don't care for the children, they can just hand them over."
Indeed! How could she forget this point.
A mother-in-law has no way with a son-in-law, but in managing an heir, she is absolutely justified.
Previously, she was worried that Second Madam was too meek, but now that Miss Song often spoke this and that in front of Second Madam, Second Madam was no longer the ever-tolerant woman she used to be!
Miss Song must also know this, and having eased her mind, she had fallen asleep.
Nanny Zheng instantly felt overjoyed.
Madam Qian sat by the Arhat bed and fanned Song Jiyun all afternoon.
*
After dinner, Yuan Yunzhong was yet to see any sign of Shao Qing.
He simply took Liu Zi on a stroll around Yinyu Hall and even paused for a while at the place where Song Youliang was firing kilns, pinching some Kaolin Clay placed in a large vat.
Seeing this, Liu Zi proudly gestured to him, telling him that the blue and white porcelain seawater dragon vats early made for the Imperial Kiln Factory by the Song Family were fired right here.
Yuan Yunzhong was a bit surprised and gestured back: They weren't fired at Song Family's Kiln Factory?
Liu Zi gestured proudly: The good items that the Song Family supplied to the Imperial Kiln Factory were all fired by the master here. The Song Family Kiln Factory only fired ordinary items.
Yuan Yunzhong nodded nonchalantly, then continued strolling in the courtyard before finally returning to the hall.
The direction of the spout on the teapot under the grape arbor had changed.
Yuan Yunzhong dismissed Liu Zi and returned to the inner room.
Shao Qing climbed through the window to enter.
He stood before Yuan Yunzhong with a somewhat embarrassed expression, speaking softly, "Miss Song's side has been quiet—after she left from here, she went to her mother's. She slept all afternoon there, then set up dinner in the memorial hall, having dinner there with her mother and two younger sisters."
Yuan Yunzhong said expressionlessly, "Didn't go anywhere?"
"Didn't go anywhere!" Shao Qing, being the trusted aide of Yuan Yunzhong, was naturally very adept at reading his mind and knew how to answer his questions, "None of the maids, nannies, servant boys, and attendants had any contacts with Song Daliang, Song Sanliang, or Ninth Master Song."
What was she plotting?
He pondered and could only think of one possibility.
But could this enchantress really be so reckless and bold?
If that were true, there would be a good show to watch tomorrow!
For the first time in his life, Yuan Yunzhong hoped for the day to light up quickly.
The next day, as soon as the sky turned pale, he got out of bed, finished breakfast, and went to the memorial hall.
Song Jiyun was having breakfast in the small tea room with Madam Qian and her two younger sisters when she heard he had come, quite surprised.
She thought Yuan Yunzhong would have come only after being earnestly requested by Ninth Master Song several times.
Madam Qian was quite pleased, asking him how come he arrived so early, if he had had breakfast, and if he was getting used to staying at Yinyu Hall.
Yuan Yunzhong answered each question and proposed to go offer incense to Song Youliang.
Madam Qian was even more delighted and personally led him to the front of the altar, handing him three sticks of incense.
He bowed deeply to Song Youliang three times, knocking his head on the floor thrice in respect.
Song Jiyun thanked Yuan Yunzhong as per the custom and invited him to the small tea room for tea.
Noise gradually started to emerge outside the memorial hall.
The relatives and friends for the funeral, as well as neighbors, began arriving one after the other.
Song Tao's elder sisters, Song Mei and Song Xing, being married women, supported by their respective maids, started crying loudly before they even entered the memorial hall.
Soon, tears began falling both inside and outside the memorial hall.
Song Tao and Madam Wang supported them to the back of the mourning tent.
The eyes of Madam Qian and her daughters were tearful.
Song Daliang, Song Sanliang, and Ninth Master Song and others arrived much later.
Madam Wang quietly asked Madam Qian, "Why haven't we seen the Third younger sister-in-law?"
Madam Qian, already too weary to bother, shook her head crying.
The women who had come for the funeral comforted Madam Qian one after another.
Outside, Steward Wu was running back and forth, while the sedan chair bearers, musicians, and servants began to take their respective places as previously arranged.
Ninth Master Song, standing in front of the altar in the memorial hall, called out loudly, "Where is the son-in-law from the Second house?"
Someone hurried off to fetch Yuan Yunzhong.
Ninth Master Song told him, "Stand by my side!"
Yuan Yunzhong nodded his head.
In the crowd, people whispered amongst themselves.
"That's the eldest son-in-law of the Second Old Master of the Song Family!"
"Really, the Second Old Master's son-in-law is quite handsome!"
"I heard he just rushed here the day before yesterday from the Capital City. How could the Second Old Master marry off his daughter so far away!"
"You don't know? The Zeng Family suddenly sent a marriage proposal the day before yesterday..."
They started gossiping about the Song Family's affairs.
Ninth Master Song's face darkened, and he asked Song Daliang, "How much longer until the auspicious time?"
Song Daliang said, "Another hour!"
Ninth Master Song then asked, "Why don't I see the Zeng Family's people? Where is Song Sanliang?"
Song Daliang replied with some schadenfreude, "I don't know! I sent someone to invite them yesterday."
Ninth Master Song did not see Madam Zeng either.
He frowned and asked, "Where is the person who was supposed to break the pot?"