Song Jiyun readily agreed and added, "I’ll ask if there’s anything else we can help with. Over in Suzhou, father still has some old relationships. I’ll make sure to let others know, so if he can’t find us, he can go to them."
Madam Qian felt this was a good idea.
Song Jiyun then discussed with her mother other matters: "I plan to seal off the corridor leading to my eldest uncle and third uncle’s places.
"If grandmother still wishes to live with us, we will continue to live together. If not, she can choose whom she wishes to follow.
"Ninth Master Song holds considerable prestige within the Song Family. Now that we’ve fallen out with him, even if he’s willing to swallow his pride for the sake of his reputation, he can no longer support us. For father’s minor memorial service, I plan to ask the monks at Gratitude Temple to see if there are other methods available.
"And we can’t afford to lose touch with Registrar Wang ..."
She spoke with Madam Qian in great detail for almost a shichen, and seeing that her daughter had thought of everything and made arrangements, Madam Qian’s anxious heart finally settled down.
"If your father knew you were doing this, he would be both heartbroken and proud." Madam Qian said through tears, urging her to go and rest, "We’ll seal off the corridor leading to your eldest uncle and third uncle’s places first thing tomorrow morning."
If Song Daliang and Song Sanliang had even a shred of conscience, they wouldn’t have left such a huge funeral task to her daughter.
Madam Qian had decided not to associate with these two families any longer.
Song Jiyun nodded and on her way back, she saw light still shining from Yinyu Hall, and couldn’t help asking Xiang Zhan, "What is Young Master Yuan doing?"
Xiang Zhan said, "Young Master Yuan saw the Kaolin Clay left by master and said he wanted to mold a cup."
Song Jiyun, thinking about the pile of things that needed to be done tomorrow, simply made a detour and went to Yinyu Hall.
Yuan Yunzhong was sitting in her father’s little workshop, molding a hand-pressed cup.
Liu Zi was gesturing frantically towards the potter’s wheel beside him, but Yuan Yunzhong remained unfazed.
He seemed to have quite some ideas.
Song Jiyun smiled faintly and walked over lightly, saying, "That also works. But it’s a bit of a pity. Kaolin Clay is better suited for ceramics. Ordinary clay would suffice for what you’re making."
In her previous life, she had sponsored many artists, including those who worked in pottery.
Remembering how he had assisted her mother, Song Jiyun’s attitude toward him softened considerably, and said, "Would you like to take it with you? I can help you fire it up."
Yuan Yunzhong put down the clay cup he was holding and said, "Does this mean I can leave?"
Song Jiyun replied subtly, "You have been inconvenienced these past days. When you leave, I will make sure to bring your compensation."
Yuan Yunzhong gave an "Oh," and bowed his head to continue with his cup.
Song Jiyun looked at his calm face and thought of the past events, feeling slightly daunted inside.
It all felt a bit unreal.
But she indeed wanted to send him off sooner rather than later.
His status as her fiancé was too sensitive. The sooner he left, the better the closure.
Moreover, as her mother had said, if he spoke out of turn during the vigil, while it wouldn’t stop her from achieving her goals, it would still be rather troublesome.
Considering it his reward for keeping his promise, she decided to be more lenient with him.
"How about leaving tomorrow?" asked Song Jiyun. "Although it’s a bit rushed, I’ll make sure all your necessities for the journey are prepared. If you need, when you reach Poyang Lake, I can also have Zheng Quan buy a few servant boys or attendants to accompany you on your way home."
Yuan Yunzhong nodded, "That’s fine!"
...And there was no more conversation.
That easy?!
Song Jiyun almost doubted she was dealing with the same person.
But just then, Yuan Yunzhong slightly lifted his head, holding up the cup in his hands towards her, and said, "I want to fire this cup and take it home as a memento."
Song Jiyun took a deep breath.
This is more like it!
She just knew, he wouldn’t easily agree to leave without finding something to do.
To fire a cup, it would take at least four or five days, and if luck was not on their side, seven or eight days, or even up to a dozen days could be possible.
However, her family ran a kiln, and he only specified that the cup be fired; he didn’t dictate what it should look like.
Song Jiyun curled her lips at him and said, "Fine!"
Then she snatched his cup and added, "Young Master Yuan, you’ll need to remember your own words!"
Yuan Yunzhong was leisurely washing his hands in the copper basin beside him and responded, "When have my words ever been empty? I accept the loss in a bet, and am I not staying at the place Miss Song specified? Paying money to eliminate disaster, have I said any superfluous words? Does Miss Song have any dissatisfaction?"
Song Jiyun was taken aback by his retort.
It was rather like a worker being passive-aggressive, but still, he met the work goals, purely causing discomfort.
The problem is Yuan Yunzhong was not her employee.
Song Jiyun forced a smile at Yuan Yunzhong again and lifting the cup in her hand, she said, "I’ll send it over together with your luggage tomorrow."
"Many thanks!" Yuan Yunzhong quirked up the corner of his mouth, also with a very forced smile.
Song Jiyun left, holding back her frustration.
Yuan Yunzhong gestured to Liu Zi: have fresh meat-filled Big Square Cake made tomorrow.
Liu Zi nodded and ran off like smoke.
Yuan Yunzhong leisurely headed to the hall.
The Song Family’s cooks were quite good; after a few requests, their Big Square Cake had become comparable to that made by his own family’s cooks.
*
Having returned to her room, Song Jiyun drank two bowls of chilled sour plum soup to feel somewhat soothed.
She called for Nanny Zheng and Zheng Quan.
"Young Master Yuan will leave tomorrow," she said, ignoring the surprise on both their faces, and instructed Nanny Zheng, "Send someone to the best tailor in the county overnight to buy all the clothes Young Master Yuan can wear. Also, have the kitchen prepare some dry food and snacks that are easy to eat on the road. Cool mats, bedding, incense, chess, and backgammon—all must be arranged..."
It would take half a day just to talk about all the preparations, let alone to get them ready.
Nanny Zheng hurriedly departed.
Only then did Song Jiyun instruct Zheng Quan: "As soon as he is out of sight, they will come looking from the Yamen, claiming to be under the County Magistrate’s orders, but despite our long investigations and inquiries, we’ve yet to receive any solid information. His identity must be no simple matter.
"When he leaves, he can’t be seen in Liang County. Prepare a carriage usually used by our servant boys for shopping, and tonight go yourself to contact the boatmen who transport our porcelain. It would be best if he could leave Liang County together with them and be taken directly to Hangzhou, then onto a ship back to the Capital City."
Zheng Quan, perplexed, asked, "Isn’t it Suzhou?"
Song Jiyun smiled and said, "Are you worried he won’t have connections in Suzhou?"
Zheng Quan’s face turned red.
Song Jiyun sighed, "The further he goes, the better. Even if he comes to settle accounts with us, we’ll have time to plan."
Zheng Quan solemnly agreed.
Song Jiyun turned around to get a name card for Zheng Quan and whispered, "This is the name card of the Grand Steward of Prince Ning’s Mansion. Find a way to reach out to members of the Grain Transport Gang on their behalf. Ideally, try to find out who the Yuan Haoran written on the marriage document is. If you can’t find out in Jiangnan, then ask around in the Capital City."
She always felt Yuan Yunzhong’s identity was like a bomb, ready to explode at any moment.
Zheng Quan agreed to each task.
Song Jiyun discussed with him some more details about the travel arrangements, striving to ensure that Yuan Yunzhong would leave peacefully and without incident. Only then did they part ways.
She went to a stone slab house in the southwest corner of her courtyard.
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