After Song Zhimian returned to the Song residence, Madame Ding quickly learned what she had done that day.
"First, the young mistress went to Chun Buwan for tea, likely hearing from the patrons about the Directorate of Supervision's fundraising efforts for Beidi. Later, she donated twenty taels of silver. Probably thinking twenty taels was too little and would tarnish the Hou Mansion's reputation, she then donated the hairpin she was wearing," the person who had been secretly following her reported softly to Madame Ding.
Madame Ding listened, nodding and chuckling lightly. Only after the report was finished did she say with a smile, "Our young mistress truly cares for the soldiers in Beidi! How kind-hearted she is!"
"Yes! It’s all thanks to your guidance, Madam! After returning, the young mistress seemed to tell the coachman that she plans to go out again tomorrow. She said she still has many unworn pieces of jewelry and such, which she intends to donate all at once tomorrow. Madam, should you…" The reporter immediately bowed and replied.
Madame Ding waved her hand, and the maid beside her promptly handed the reporter a banknote.
"If the young mistress wants to do good deeds, let her! After all, our Hou Mansion has already made its official donation. Whatever the younger generation donates is just icing on the cake. It’s good for the Hou Mansion’s reputation anyway. Which young lady doesn’t have a few pieces of unworn jewelry? If she wants to donate them, let her! A good reputation for the Hou Mansion is never a bad thing!"
The reporter immediately took the banknote and withdrew.
Only then did Madam Ding, who had been following Madame Ding all along, step closer.
"Madam, is the young mistress… trying to build a good reputation for herself?" Madam Ding whispered.
Madame Ding chuckled softly, then stood up with Madam Ding’s support.
"Every unmarried girl wants a good reputation. I’m glad she’s doing this. But no matter how much she does, it won’t change anything. Her fate was decided long ago—what’s meant to be will be! What use is a good reputation to her? In the end, won’t she still have to marry a rough man as old as the Marquis? Even if she’s kind-hearted and has a spotless reputation, people will only say our Hou Mansion knows how to raise children well. It won’t be long now—in just over half a month, that deputy general will return. Once the Gengtie is exchanged, we can simply prepare some dowry and marry her off. A good reputation… it’s all just an illusion!" Madame Ding chuckled lightly as she gazed at the lotus flowers in the courtyard’s water vat.
Madam Ding immediately offered a few words of flattery.
Indeed, what else does that young mistress have besides being the eldest daughter of Zhongyong Hou Mansion? In the past, Third Madame protected her, so no one dared go too far. But now, even Third Madame is gone. The young mistress’s only way out is to marry according to the Marquis’s arrangements…
That evening, Madame Ding recounted Song Zhimian’s daytime activities to Zhongyong Hou Song Kaishan.
"That Zhimian girl is really something. If she felt the silver was too little, she could have told me! Donating the hairpin she was wearing—doesn’t that make outsiders think the Hou Mansion’s young lady can’t even spare a few dozen taels of silver? Tomorrow, I’ll have a maid send her fifty taels," Madame Ding chattered as she helped Song Kaishan change his clothes.
Song Kaishan had also heard about Song Zhimian going to the Directorate of Supervision to donate silver. The order at the Directorate of Supervision was maintained by the Xunfang Camp, and as soon as Song Zhimian arrived there, someone had reported it to him.
Song Kaishan thought Song Zhimian was just going to join in the excitement, but he hadn’t expected…
“Well, if she’s going, let her go! It’s good that she’s thinking of the soldiers in Beidi…
Her third uncle died in Beidi. It’s a kind gesture for her to remember him.
She won’t be staying at home much longer. Have you arranged everything?” Song Kaishan frowned as he looked at Madame Ding.
“Rest assured, Marquis, everything is settled!
By the way, about Qing’er…” Madame Ding asked cautiously, watching Song Kaishan.
“Once Mian’er is married, Deputy General Wu will immediately transfer Qing’er to the commander’s tent.
This battle between Dayu and the foreign tribes is sure to be won. Qing’er just needs to wait to claim his merits.”
For his only son, Song Yaoqing, Song Kaishan had truly spared no effort.
“It’s all thanks to you, Marquis, for looking out for Qing’er. He’s been working under his third uncle for a year and is still just a lowly grain transport officer.
If it weren’t for the prince… hmph!” Madame Ding’s face was full of dissatisfaction.
“Enough! Qing’er is still young, there will be plenty of opportunities! Take it slow, and one day he’ll achieve success and fame.” Song Kaishan changed the subject.
As for his third brother’s affairs… he didn’t want to say too much.
…
The next day, Song Zhimian took Cuiguo with her again, holding a wooden box as she prepared to go out.
But before leaving, she made it a point to inform Madame Ding as usual.
When Madame Ding saw the wooden box in Song Zhimian’s hands, she immediately had Madam Ding bring it over to inspect.
With a casual glance, she saw it contained some old-fashioned hairpins and ornaments.
Madame Ding nodded on the surface, but inwardly she was filled with disdain.
These things… ha, even the more respectable maids and concubines in the Marquis’s residence wore better than this.
“The young lady is thoughtful! I’ve prepared twenty taels of silver for you.
Take it with you, young lady!” As she spoke, Madame Ding placed two ten-tael silver ingots into the wooden box.
Song Zhimian accepted them calmly.
“Mother, I should be able to handle these things myself, right?” Song Zhimian asked calmly.
Madame Ding smiled lightly.
“Of course, these are your own things, Mian’er. You can handle them as you wish, no need to worry too much.
The eldest daughter of the Song family should have some grace.
Alright, you should go now! Leave early and return early.” Madame Ding urged Song Zhimian.
Song Zhimian gave a slight curtsy and turned to leave.
After Song Zhimian had left, Song Zhiqing, who had been sitting nearby, asked disdainfully, “Mother, if those things were sold, they could fetch over a hundred taels of silver, right?”
“They’re just worthless trinkets. Even your personal maids might not look twice at them.
If she wants to use them to gain a good reputation, let her!
Come, the Linlang Pavilion has sent over some jewelry. I’ll take you to have a look. If there’s anything good, we’ll keep a couple of pieces.”
Song Zhiqing immediately forgot about Song Zhimian’s affairs and happily followed Madame Ding out.
…
Meanwhile, Song Zhimian and Cuiguo soon arrived at the same house they had visited the day before.
Cuiguo was once again left outside by Song Zhimian to watch others line up to donate silver, while Song Zhimian herself took the wooden box into the room for appraisal.
As soon as Song Zhimian entered, she noticed two more people in the room than the day before.
Besides the female supervisor, there was also the noble-looking man and a woman in her thirties, already seated at the desk reviewing the account books.
This woman wore the official robe of the Directorate of Supervision, her hair tied up with a jade crown. Though she wore no makeup, she remained radiant and captivating.
With just a glance at the woman's fourth-rank official robe, Song Zhimian knew that the woman before her was the renowned Minister of the Supervisory Department, Ye Yunshu!
"Greetings, Lord Ye!" Song Zhimian quickly curtsied in respect.
Only then did Ye Yunshu set down the account book and look at Song Zhimian.
"You are… the eldest daughter of the Song family, Song Zhimian? Was it you who requested to see me yesterday, saying you had something to donate to Beidi in exchange for provisions?" Ye Yunshu asked softly.
Song Zhimian nodded, then placed the wooden box in her hands before Ye Yunshu.
Ye Yunshu opened the wooden box, and the female steward and Prince Qi immediately leaned in to look.
They, too, wanted to know what treasure could be so valuable that Song Zhimian insisted on presenting it only to Ye Yunshu.
However…
The items inside the box seemed rather ordinary.
"A pair of gold earrings, damaged, can only be valued at the price of gold—ten taels!
Three kingfisher feather hairpins, with the feathers detached and beyond repair, can only be valued as ordinary gold hairpins—three hairpins for sixty taels of silver.
A pair of jade locks, average in quality but with exquisite craftsmanship—one hundred fifty taels.
Two pairs of jade rings, average in quality—fifty taels…"
Ye Yunshu meticulously appraised each item in the box, even giving a fair price to a pair of silver bracelets.
As she took out the last pair of silver bracelets, Ye Yunshu was about to ask Song Zhimian if all the items were here.
But when she looked inside the box, she paused for a moment.
With just one glance, Ye Yunshu, who had spent her entire life dealing with finances and account books, could tell.
This box had a hidden compartment.
Seeing Song Zhimian looking at her with anticipation, Ye Yunshu picked up the box and slowly felt around it…
A soft click was heard, and the hidden compartment of the box opened.
Ye Yunshu looked down and saw a thick ledger of gifts inside…
"Is this what you wanted to donate?" Ye Yunshu did not immediately take out the ledger but instead pressed her hand on it.
Song Zhimian nodded.
"Yes! This is what I wanted to donate!"
Ye Yunshu looked at Song Zhimian's youthful yet determined face, thought for a moment, and then glanced at the other two people in the room.
"Both of you, step outside for now!"
The female steward immediately walked to the door and stood guard there.
Prince Qi still wanted to protest…
"Your Highness!" Ye Yunshu merely looked calmly at Prince Qi.
Prince Qi could only sigh, rise, and walk out through the back door of the room.
Only Song Zhimian and Ye Yunshu remained in the room.
"What is this?" Ye Yunshu looked at Song Zhimian.
"My mother left it to me as my dowry!" Song Zhimian replied softly.
"But now you want to donate all of this?" Ye Yunshu kept her gaze fixed on Song Zhimian's eyes.
"Yes! I want to exchange it for more provisions for the soldiers in Beidi." Song Zhimian still answered softly.
Ye Yunshu touched the ledger, thought for a moment, and then looked at Song Zhimian again.
"Does your father know?"
Song Zhimian did not speak, only gently shook her head.
"You’ve donated so much and insisted on seeing me before presenting it—you must have a request, don’t you?" Ye Yunshu continued.
"Yes! I do have a request, but it’s certainly not something that would put you in a difficult position.
I… just want to find a way to survive!" Song Zhimian also looked into Ye Yunshu's eyes.
For a long time, Ye Yunshu remained silent.
Song Zhimian was unaware that Ye Yunshu had already mentally reviewed all the information she knew about the Song family.
Finally, Ye Yunshu spoke.
"Within the bounds permitted by law, I can help you!"
Song Zhimian let out a deep sigh of relief.
This time, she bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Thank you, Your Honor!"
"Good, now you can tell me what you want me to do!
Remember, I only listen to the truth!" Ye Yunshu closed the secret compartment of the box.
Only then did Song Zhimian softly state her request…