Chapter 67

Chapter 67

"Linfeng, come over and help me choose a bracelet. Which one is better, the jingling bracelet or the jade one?"

A sudden coquettish complaint interrupted Shen Linfeng's thoughts. He gave Yao Niang a deep look, originally thinking that the painting was done by Yan Ningxin, but now he realized it might have been Miss Yan San's work, which the Prince of Qi's heir had presented as a gift, possibly even taking advantage of the young girl's admiration to gain favor.

He thought to himself that regardless of whether Yao Niang had liked the Prince of Qi's heir before, the fact that she painted him as the most handsome in the picture proved that she had good taste from the start. In the future, he must make her fall in love with him. The painting was probably from two or three years ago. The Prince of Qi's heir, hmpf, previously Yan Ningxin had also run off with Wei Wuji out of fear for the Prince of Qi's heir. He would not let the Prince of Qi's heir harm Yao Niang here.

He quickly walked to Yao Niang and carefully examined the two bracelets, shaking his head: "Look at your dress today, it's bright red. Wearing gold accessories will make you look more noble and elegant."

Yao Niang smiled: "That makes sense. The jingling bracelet isn't suitable for me now, and the jade bracelet is too cold. Let's pick a pair of gold bracelets then."

Shen Linfeng swiftly helped her put them on. Yao Niang turned her wrist, looking quite pleased.

The two stayed together, unaware of the approaching night until Mama Gu reminded them to have dinner. Only then did they realize how late it was. Shen Linfeng put away the painting: "Let's have dinner first."

"Okay." Yao Niang took off her hairpins and washed her hands.

During their dinner, Mama Zhou specially sent two dishes, saying they were from Lady Shen, and instructed Yao Niang not to visit for morning greetings the next day, showing her considerate nature.

Yao Niang hurriedly said: "It's so late, yet you still made the trip. I really appreciate it." She then slipped some money into her hand: "I hope you can tell me more about the household matters in the future; I know nothing about them."

Mama Zhou smiled: "Thank you, Madam. I still need to report back. Although you've just joined us, we can see that you are kind and respectable. If it weren't for the new marriage, everyone would have come to greet you. It's just that this old woman could come specially through Lady's arrangement."

...

Shen Linfeng watched Yao Niang converse with Mama Zhou, impressed by her adept handling of the situation.

After Mama Zhou left, Yao Niang said: "Today I met many relatives, and I still can't remember all of them. Linfeng, among your relatives, are there any who are particularly close to you?"

"Auntie Gan treats me almost like her own son. Whatever I like to eat, she always sends it over in baskets," Shen Linfeng replied without hesitation.

Yao Niang thought Auntie Gan was the one who criticized her the most, yet she was the one who doted on Shen Linfeng the most. Despite their current good relationship, she didn't want to pry, so she stopped and asked: "Are there any others who are nice to you?"

Shen Linfeng thought for a moment: "They all seem to be quite good to me."

"That's true." Not only the Shen family, but even Ying Niang had always been fond of Shen Linfeng, everyone unconditionally favored him.

Then she heard Shen Linfeng say: "It doesn't matter, I like you the most."

Yao Niang was somewhat startled. She had never been firmly chosen by anyone before. Her mother's identity was always unclear, and she had relied on her father's occasional affection to get by. Even her brother's love for her came later. No one had ever said they would firmly choose her.

After Shen Linfeng spoke, fearing he might scare the young lady, he smiled: "Come, let me serve you this bamboo shoot braised chicken. This dish is very fresh, and the winter bamboo shoots are delicious."

"Thank you." Yao Niang lowered her head and carefully sipped the soup.

In the evening, the two slept as they had before, with her on the inside and Shen Linfeng on the outside. Unexpectedly, before they went to sleep, a maid came to deliver a message: "Master, Master Lin has come over and says he has an urgent matter to discuss with you."

Shen Linfeng was about to get up. He had a wide circle of friends, and Lin Long (Lóng) was a close friend. He also greatly admired Lin Long, who was always measured. Given that it was his honeymoon, if Lin Long sought him out, something must be amiss.

But thinking of Yao Niang, he glanced at her. Yao Niang smiled: "Go ahead, go and come back quickly."

"Alright." Shen Linfeng knew that although Yao Niang was young, she was reasonable, so he got up.

Just before he left, he heard Yao Niang call him: "Come here, I have something to whisper to you."

Shen Linfeng was puzzled, but when he saw Yao Niang in her nightgown emerge from under the covers, standing on the bed to smooth out the wrinkles on his clothes, she said: "Come back soon."

"Don't worry." As he followed her movements, his eyes traced her every move.

After he left, Yao Niang had planned to sleep but couldn't. Her great-uncle’s health had deteriorated, and he was hanging on for their sake, enduring great suffering. Her father had said he wouldn’t make it past the new year. She wondered how much longer he would last. And who would visit someone on their wedding night?

Though only a day had passed, Yao Niang realized she had become used to obeying Shen Linfeng. Now, when he went to meet other friends, she felt a bit discontent.

She had heard her brother mention before that Shen Linfeng placed family interests above all else, willing to delay anything, even matters between men and women, which he wasn’t particularly interested in. After joining the Imperial Academy, he became even more popular than her brother and was very good at maintaining relationships with his superiors.

Shen Mo had dinner with Lady Shen that evening. The mother and daughter had a quiet meal and discussed the second branch’s wedding. Shen Mo smiled and said, "Even if the marquis’s daughter’s dowry can’t compare to Sister-in-Law’s, it’s both respectable and grand."

"The number of servants in the dowry is less than the previous one. Miss Yan the elder brought five hundred people last time, but this time Miss Yan the third brought only two hundred," Lady Shen remarked, always finding something to pick on.

Shen Mo lowered her head and took a bite of her food. Lady Shen continued, "You should keep the bracelets your sister-in-law gave you safely. With so many people in the household, it wouldn’t be good if someone stole them."

"Mother, I understand. When I came over just now, I met Auntie Zhu. Though she didn’t say it outright, she implied that Sister-in-Law’s gifts were too small." She wasn’t gossiping; her mother’s health wasn’t the best, and although Second Aunt helped with some household matters, she also assisted in managing things.

Lady Shen couldn’t help but ask, "What did Feng'er give as a gift?"

Shen Mo replied, "It was said to be two bolts of colored silk and a box of rose cakes."

"He’s still young. As the saying goes, the king of hell is easy to deal with, but the underlings are difficult. What did your brother say?" Lady Shen asked.

Shen Mo blushed and said, "How would I know about the matters in my brother’s room?"

Lady Shen then called for Mother Zhou and asked. Mother Zhou said, "It’s said that the young master didn’t get angry and found it very appropriate."

"Now, in the early days of the new marriage, everything is fine to say. The fear in marriage is dredging up old grievances," Lady Shen shook her head. She wasn’t worried about this daughter-in-law’s capabilities anymore, though she was only able to enchant men for a while with her looks. There was still a long life ahead.

Shen Mo said, "Mother, it’s said that Elder Miss Yan was confined to the family temple, but why do I feel that you seem more lenient toward her? When she was about to marry into our family, you had no complaints."

Just as she finished speaking, Mother Zhou added, "The people at the second gate said our eldest young master went out to meet Young Master Lin. Young Master Lin is really something, choosing to visit when our eldest young master is newlywed."

Shen Mo smiled and said, "Brother is still the same. Last time, when we played polo with Elder Miss Yan, he was there on the surface but focused more on socializing. This Lin Long, who is known for his expertise in divination, has always had a good relationship with him and provided the most financial support."

After Shen Mo finished speaking, Lady Shen said, "Yes, when your brother speaks of Elder Miss Yan, although he says she is suitable to be the mistress of our family, it’s because her status is high and matches him. Your brother is the type to wear a jade pendant. If it’s not suitable, he won’t even leave the house. He only wants someone who matches him. It just so happens that the person is also good-looking. But after what Elder Miss Yan did, your brother wanted to gather strength to take revenge on the Yan family. Later, he knelt and begged me to agree to this marriage. At that time, there were many who were of higher status than the Yan family and wanted to marry your brother. Do you think he had any sincerity?"

One had no sincerity, and one had sincerity. How could Lady Shen not be afraid?

Shen Mo, having received Yao Niang's bracelet today, didn’t want to keep talking about her. She changed the subject and spoke a lot, helping Lady Shen to bed before coming out. She didn’t expect to run into Shen Linfeng.

"Brother." She calculated that it had been less than half an hour since he left.

Seeing that it was Shen Mo, Shen Linfeng stopped in his tracks. "Sister, where are you coming from?"

"I’ve just seen to Mother’s rest and came out. Brother, did you just return?" Shen Mo asked.

Shen Linfeng nodded. "I went to see Lin Long. A few of them wanted me to go out and celebrate with them, but I had a headache and wanted to return early to rest."

"I think you returned early because you were worried about sister-in-law," Shen Mo said with a giggle.

Shen Linfeng scratched the back of his head and silently acknowledged it.

Shen Mo teased, "Brother, now that you’ve married sister-in-law, I’m happy for you too. Don’t worry; I’ll handle things with Mother on your behalf. I’ll speak well of sister-in-law."

Hearing this, Shen Linfeng was deeply moved. "Thank you, sister. I appreciate it."

He hadn’t expected Shen Mo to come out and say this. No matter what, he was very pleased.

When Shen Linfeng returned, he thought Yao Niang had already fallen asleep. However, he found her leaning against the bed, reading a book. When she saw him, her eyes lit up with joy, and she was very excited. Shen Linfeng couldn’t help but hug her. "I’m back."

"I’ve been watching the door, wondering when you would return. Even though we’ve only been married for a day, it feels like I can’t be without you. But don’t tell others I said that, or they’ll laugh at me for being so childish," Yao Niang said, nestling in his arms, feeling at ease.

Shen Linfeng rubbed her hair: "No one will laugh at you."

Yao Niang was about to say something when she heard Shen Linfeng say, "It's already the hour of Dog. Let's go to sleep."

"Alright." Yao Niang returned to her own bed, still wanting to speak, but she heard the even breathing of the person beside her. She lay down facing Shen Linfeng, thinking that she would never have dark circles again, as her pillow companion insisted on sleeping at the hour of Dog (9 PM).

She gazed at the dark ceiling, wishing she could call this place home, but she knew that once married, returning to her parents' house made her a guest. No matter how much her parents loved her, it would no longer be her home. In her in-laws' house, she was also an outsider, and her future depended entirely on Shen Linfeng.

She did not sleep well that night, not because the Shen family was unwelcoming, but because she truly realized she could never return to her old life. When she woke up in the morning, her head ached slightly, so she said to Qingdai, "Wring out a hot towel for me; I'll apply it to my eyes."

Whenever her temples ached, applying a warm cloth to her eyes always helped.

Qingdai whispered, "Did you not sleep well last night, Miss?"

"A little," Yao Niang replied, thinking that worrying too much often led to insomnia.

Shen Linfeng, who was lying in bed, happened to hear this. He hadn't expected that Yao Niang didn't sleep well. What could be the reason? He thought he had taken good care of her. Could there be something she was dissatisfied with?

Because there was a very minor wound on her head, those who combed her hair always avoided that spot. Yao Niang, troubled, said, "I don't know when this spot on my head will heal. The medicines I've used haven't worked."

"Let me take a look. Perhaps I know how to help."

Shen Linfeng's voice came from behind. He usually paid attention to his appearance, but now he got up in his nightclothes, approached her, and dismissed the servants. Yao Niang turned to look at him: "Don't bother. It might have healed in a year or two, but I couldn't resist trying to remove the scar, which only caused more bleeding."

Shen Linfeng smiled, "Let me check it. I promise I won't touch it. Alright?"

"Okay, it doesn't hurt or itch," Yao Niang said hesitantly. She felt that if things went wrong, it would only make her condition worse.

Shen Linfeng held her gently, "What are you afraid of? I really do know medicine. Where is it?"

Feeling his sudden assertiveness, Yao Niang, who usually encountered men with the worst temper being her brother, found herself unable to move, feeling a tingling sensation.

Yao Niang pointed to the spot on her head, and Shen Linfeng moved her hand away, parting her hair to reveal a tiny brown scab.

"Such a small scab? This area is connected to your blood vessels, so it heals slower. But don't worry, I'll clean it with realgar wine twice daily and apply jade dew ointment. It will definitely heal if you keep doing this," Shen Linfeng said, feeling quite concerned.

Yao Niang turned to look at him, "Really?"

Shen Linfeng nodded, "Of course. It's not a big issue. Just keep applying the medicine."

"But last time they applied the medicine too roughly and broke the skin," Yao Niang pouted, almost like she was teasing him, as if she could treat him like a brother.

Shen Linfeng, feeling very protective, said, "I'll be gentle, okay?"

His tone was so tender that Yao Niang felt a warm, lingering affection.

It was Mother Gu who reminded them to have breakfast, and Shen Linfeng began to wash up. There was no need to pay respects today, as she planned to inventory her dowry and arrange the servants.

Yao Niang's dowry consisted of over two hundred items, extremely generous. The family provided ten thousand taels of silver, and Lady Jie privately gave fifty thousand taels. The money was stored in a bank, while the storage room contained various screens, beds, cabinets, and other valuable items, leaving Shen Linfeng speechless.

"I'll check the list today. If anything is damaged, lost, or broken, I'll record it," Yao Niang said.

She had inspected her dowry several times before, knowing exactly what she had. There were twelve beds, eight screens, two coral pots, two jade pots, vases, and other items. Lady Jie had thoughtfully included some of Yao Niang's favorite preserved crab sauce and dried vegetables.

"My mother is so busy, yet she still cares for me so much," Yao Niang couldn't help but wipe away tears with a handkerchief.

Seeing her cry, Shen Linfeng's first reaction wasn't to comfort her, but to think how she looked like "a peony in mist, a pear blossom in rain." He felt a strange warmth and dizziness, as if he had been poisoned.

Yao Niang turned to look at him, seeing him standing still, and pulled his hand, "Why are you just standing there, silly?"

Seeing Shen Linfeng obediently following behind her, Yao Niang thought that he could be domineering at times and incredibly compliant at others. Much of the gloom from last night had dissipated.

On the third day, when they returned to visit her family, Lady Shen had already prepared all sorts of gifts, filling three carts. Yao Niang said, "Madam, this is too much. If my mother finds out, she will say I didn't try to stop you."

For such occasions, the Yan family always made a grand display, and the Shen family would not let their son lose face on his return visit. Lady Shen smiled and said, "Dear child, this is also for your parents and mine. If they have anything to say, they can come to me. It has nothing to do with you."

Thus, Yao Niang did not refuse and set out with Shen Linfeng.

In such cold weather, riding horses was inconvenient, so the two of them shared a carriage. Yao Niang's clothes today were chosen by Shen Linfeng, all in shades of purple. She wore a light purple robe and skirt with a white fox fur coat, while Shen Linfeng wore a deep purple, which looked very noble, symbolizing the color of royalty.

"My father and brother are both men of character, easy to get along with. If you have any problems, just call me over," Yao Niang said, feeling very happy as she was about to return home.

Shen Linfeng smiled, "Don't worry."

Shen Linfeng was not afraid of social interactions; he easily got along with people, but truly opening up to someone was difficult. However, when he first met Yao Niang, he felt a bright spark, as if meeting an old friend.

The Yan family was waiting outside to greet them. As soon as Yao Niang saw Jie Shi, she forgot about Shen Linfeng and ran up to hug her, "Mother."

That day, after sending her daughter away, Jie Shi felt a sense of loss, often feeling empty inside. She couldn't help but go to her daughter's room, only to find it empty, unable to eat or sleep, and no one could console her. Now, seeing her daughter embrace her, Jie Shi couldn't help but say, "You silly child, you're still like when you were little, don't you care what others might think?"

"Why should I care what others think? I really, really miss Mother." If she could, she would stay by her mother's side forever.

Shen Linfeng followed behind Yao Niang. He had always known how filial Yao Niang was, otherwise, she wouldn't have fought for her mother's honor. Seeing her so openly affectionate, he envied her, wishing she would embrace him like that one day.

They had held hands for only a short time, and Shen Linfeng naturally wanted to get closer to Yao Niang. But whenever he tried to show affection, she became uncomfortable. He knew he must respect her and make her feel at ease.

Therefore, he came forward and greeted Jie Shi respectfully, "Mother-in-law."

Jie Shi noticed that her daughter and son-in-law were dressed in matching colors, and her son-in-law always looked spirited. She had a good impression of him, as young people nowadays were generally weak, especially scholars who couldn't carry a load or lift a hand. Someone like Shen Linfeng was rare.

"My daughter has caused you a lot of trouble."

"Not at all, Yao Niang is praised in our household. She truly lives up to being a daughter of the Yan family. My mother even asked me to bring some tonics specially for you, thanking you for raising such an outstanding daughter." Shen Linfeng spoke highly of Yao Niang without reserve.

Jie Shi was pleased to hear this. Yao Niang glanced at Shen Linfeng, knowing that his mother was not entirely satisfied with her, yet he could speak so tactfully. She appreciated his consideration.

Yao Niang originally wanted to talk to Jie Shi about her troubles, but considering her parents would soon be in mourning, she didn't want to burden her mother with worries. Her mother was already prone to anxiety, and with Yao Niang not by her side, it was better not to add to her concerns.

Thus, Shen Linfeng was taken away by her brother, and she talked with the other women of the Yan family.

Jie Shi was busy, but Li Shi said, "Mother, I'll take care of the arrangements. You and Sister should talk more."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you, Daughter-in-law." Jie Shi realized she was being overly anxious. Her daughter was young, and despite her intelligence, she was still naive. How could she not worry about her being bullied?

Even Zhen Shi had similar concerns. Ying Niang was spoiled and domineering, less clever than Yao Niang, and would soon be married. Even if she could teach her, her daughter's character was already formed and hard to change.

Moreover, Zhen Shi learned from relatives in the capital that her father-in-law's illness was likely incurable, which explained why Jie Shi had arranged her daughter's marriage early. They thought it was a smart move, but with several members of the Yan family in mourning, including Yan Jingzhao, who was capable but arrogant and reckless, having once dared to submit a petition criticizing the government directly as a junior official. If not for Yan Yingqi's intervention, he would have been demoted long ago.

Once the Yan family left, what good could the third daughter expect in the Shen household? In politics, people quickly forget those who are no longer in power. Even with her uncle's support, he was far away and could not offer immediate help. Zhen Shi, who often dealt with the Shen family, understood their ulterior motives. The third daughter's life would be difficult.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter how well one's own life is going; it feels good to see others struggle.

"Third daughter, I see that Lord Shen treats you very well. You two are a perfect match, and we all hope you will grow old together," Zhen Shi smiled.

"I appreciate your kind words," Yao Niang replied.

She admired Zhen Shi, who never lost her composure, regardless of her true feelings.