New coal had been added to the bronze stove at the Marquis's Mansion clan gathering. The warmth of the incense, mingled with the soft rustling of snowflakes tapping against the window paper, gave the hall a gentler atmosphere than usual. Jiang Wan knelt beside her grandmother, listening to the murmurs of her Second Aunt from down the row, her fingertips unconsciously gripping the corner of her skirt. Since the Lu family’s financial crisis had been resolved, the attitude of the Marquis's Mansion’s collateral branches toward her had eased, yet there were still undercurrents of discontent.
"Old Madame," the Second Aunt began, clutching her handkerchief, "though the Lu family’s troubles have passed, Jiang Wan is but a woman. Once married, will she be able to manage the household affairs of the General's Mansion?"
Just as Jiang Wan was about to speak, the Marquis suddenly stepped into the hall, the snowflakes on his fur coat yet to melt. "As to whether she can manage it, I am the most qualified to speak." He swept his gaze across the room, causing everyone to fall silent, and fixed his eyes on Jiang Wan. "Last month, when the mansion’s storehouse suffered a moth infestation, it was Wanwan who led the servants in airing out the ledgers for three days; when the West City Gruel Kitchen lacked grain, it was she who sold her own jewelry to bridge the gap. Looking across the entire Capital, how many noble ladies possess such ability?"
Chapter 219