Triumph in Her Rise and Love

Song Sanliang and Madam Qian both directed their gazes toward the east side gauze cupboard, with Song Sanliang even more anxiously asking, "What sound is that?"

Song Jiyun, without flinching or changing her facial expression, calmly said, "I had someone cleaning the bathroom."

Madam Qian uttered an "oh" and no longer paid attention to the matter, continuing her previous topic, "Wealth is an external possession. As long as you all are well, I can be at ease."

Song Jiyun, however, was annoyed that Song Sanliang was scheming against her mother, nodded to her mother and said "Yes," then turned and jabbed at Song Sanliang, "Great Uncle also knows quite a few people in the County Yamen, Uncle, do you think we should discuss this matter with Great Uncle?"

Song Sanliang's complexion changed.

He had only just managed to figure out who held his second brother's seal, and he certainly wasn't prepared to let anyone else know its whereabouts before getting his hands on it.

"I think it's better not to tell him," he said with a forced smile, "For such matters, the fewer people who know, the better."

He also took the opportunity to criticize Song Daliang, "Your Great Uncle, he can't keep anything to himself. If he found out, he'd certainly blab about it. If Registrar Wang's extortion of our family gets out, we'll all be in big trouble."

Song Jiyun was never one for arguments. It's better to let actions reveal the truth.

She said, "Uncle makes a good point. Let's all think it over tonight and discuss it further tomorrow."

Seeing he couldn't get his way today, and fearing that making more trouble would alert Song Daliang and give him an advantage, Song Sanliang reluctantly said, "Don't think I'm trying to scare you, but if the County Yamen really seals your front door, you'll have nowhere to regret! When that time comes, don't blame me for not helping you! Don't say I didn't offer you my advice in advance!"

Song Jiyun made some random responses to placate him and saw him off.

Worried that the night might complicate matters, Song Sanliang sent someone to keep watch over Song Jiyun, fearing she would seek out the Silver House's people in the night and that she might trip him up.

After comforting her mother and sending her back, Song Jiyun called for Nanny Zheng.

Holding the ritual book that had not yet been returned to the Ritual Room, she informed Nanny Zheng of her mother and Song Sanliang's intentions, adding, "I see Registrar Wang's name is also here; my father must have had dealings with him before. No matter what you do tonight, you must see Madam Wang at any cost.

"Please ask her to speak on our behalf in front of Registrar Wang.

"See if we can use jewelry or antiques instead of silver.

"If that's not possible, see if they'll let us sign a promissory note.

"Within three days, we will repay the full amount plus interest."

Nanny Zheng, distressed about the silver, exclaimed, "Should we really pay interest for such matters?"

Song Jiyun smiled and said, "Just do as I instructed."

Nanny Zheng nodded, took some items from Song Jiyun's private storage room, and quietly left the estate.

Song Jiyun returned to the gauze cupboard.

The gauze cupboard had changed its appearance.

The small couch originally in the wardrobe had been moved out and placed beneath the cool, airy window. The low cool couch and the high headrest were there, and he was lying on his back with his feet bare, and knees bent, engrossed in reading a booklet she had previously left in the gauze cupboard.

Upon her entrance, he didn't even lift his eyelids.

It was Liu Zi who, feeling guilty, pointed towards the chest and gestured towards her with "ehs" and "ahs," meaning he had tried to move the chest earlier, but ended up making a noise.

Perhaps because he was mute, he was also a bit clumsy, but he would do exactly as she said, never acting against her wishes.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have assigned him to guard this man.

Yet in just a short while, the man managed to give him instructions... She had underestimated him.

Song Jiyun asked Liu Zi, "What made you think of moving that chest?"

Liu Zi "said," because she had decided to let the man stay in the gauze cupboard and the small couch was put under the window, the chest was in the way, making it inconvenient to move in and out, so he thought to move the chest to the side.

He even chuckled and scratched his head, "saying" he wanted to be like Xiang Zhan, knowing what to do without being told.

Song Jiyun commended him thoroughly and, after telling him to ensure no one finds out about the man in her gauze cupboard, sent him to pass a message to Xiang Zhan to bring the evening meal.

Liu Zi assured her with a pat on his chest and happily went to do it.

Song Jiyun scrutinized him closely.

The yellow rattan-colored chinz fabric beneath him highlighted his bare feet, which were as finely carved as jade, not only fair but with clear bones and sinews, and not a scar or callus in sight, as if these feet had never once touched the ground.

Wait, why was the small couch covered with yellow rattan-colored chinz fabric?

Before she left, the small couch was clearly padded with a cool, grass-mat.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn't just the small couch that was padded with thin cotton cloth; even the pillows were layered with it. She just had a matching thin cotton pillow, which she hadn't paid attention to when she entered.

She didn't even know what to say.

That yellow rattan-colored thin cotton cloth was what she used as a cooling mat in the summer.

Custom-ordered from Suzhou.

It was only taken out from the storeroom when the season changed.

Looking at the creases, it was still new.

He certainly knew how to enjoy life!

"Is it comfortable?" Song Jiyun asked him.

He acted as if he hadn't heard her, his gaze moving from left to right, then from right to left, before leisurely turning a page in his book.

Song Jiyun laughed in sheer frustration and said, "Do you like what you see? Do you want me to invite a few gentlemen to perform an opera for you?"

Her words were loaded with implication, and she glanced at the hall where she had just been conversing with her mother and Song Sanliang.

The man merely arched an eyebrow and gave her a glance, showing an expression full of interest.

He really saw himself as the lord of the manor!

Song Jiyun looked at him with cold eyes.

By the time Liu Zi helped Xiang Zhan bring in dinner, there was sautéed lotus seeds with water chestnuts and lotus roots, stir-fried spinach with almond and mushrooms, cucumber and black fungus tossed with peanuts, sweetened winter melon with silver fungus in syrup, and a bowl of fresh wheat and mixed grain rice.

They preferred spicy food here. Except for the sweetened winter melon with silver fungus, even though the rest of the dishes were vegetarian, they were all stir-fried with chili.

Song Jiyun pointed to the sweetened winter melon with silver fungus and instructed Xiang Zhan, "I want to save this one for a midnight snack, take it away first!"

All that was left were spicy dishes.

The man held his chopsticks, motionless, for a long time.

Song Jiyun acted as if she hadn't seen a thing.

You're ignoring me, aren't you?

You won't even tell me your last and first names, will you?

Fine, how would I know where you're from? What you can't eat?

Eat it or starve!

Song Jiyun ate her meal, had someone clear the dishes, changed into pajamas in the outer chamber, and took a bath in the bathtub.

When she came out, the man had his eyes closed, with the book discarded under the couch, appearing to have fallen asleep already.

Song Jiyun, with a handkerchief, dried her waist-long hair and went to the outer hall, where she lit the mosquito-repelling mugwort and thought carefully about what needed to be done in the next few days.

Not until the second watch of the night drum was beaten did Nanny Zheng come back, drenched in sweat.

"Miss!" she said, pulling Song Jiyun into the inner chamber with utter indignation, "Ten Thousand Taels of silver? There's no such thing!"

This was almost what Song Jiyun had predicted.

She poured a cup of tea for Nanny Zheng, urged her to sit down on the embroidery stool, and said, "There's no need to rush, take your time and tell me."

Nanny Zheng had no interest in tea; she said angrily, "It was with great difficulty that I got to see Madam Wang.

"Once Madam Wang became aware of the matter, she was so shocked that she almost dropped her tea cup to the floor.

"She retained me for tea, then went to the front courtyard to see Wang Zhubo, the Registrar.

"Wang Zhubo instructed his wife to pass on a message to us, saying there's no rush about the silver. He would send someone tomorrow to invite Third Old Master over for a talk. He told us to focus on the mourning rituals for the old master without worry, as the government officials wouldn't disturb our family's peace during the mourning period.

In the darkened gauze cupboard, silently and without a trace, the man opened his eyes.