Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Yao Niang had already finished half a plate of pastries and was feeling a bit bitter inside. She usually loved peanut pastries, but too many made them overly sweet, which is why Shen Linfeng had told her to eat less, saying that too many pastries could become cloying.

Just then, Lu Shaner entered the room, and everyone turned to look at the door. In came a slender woman in a bright red dress, who, though not yet mature, exuded a certain quick-witted charm. Seeing this, Lady Shen stood up and took her hand, saying, "What a fine young lady, truly beautiful."

Lu Shaner was surprised by Lady Shen's kindness and felt honored. When she heard Auntie Zhou introduce her as the First Lady, she quickly called out, "Sister-in-law."

Lady Shen smiled in response, and Lu Shaner then went to greet Second Lady Shen. She noticed that the First Lady wore a gold-inlaid jade hairpin, while the Second Lady wore a full set of pointillist decorations, appearing much more elegant.

After meeting the two sisters-in-law, there were four young wives to meet next. The first one was of celestial beauty, and Auntie Zhou introduced her, "This is our First Lady."

Lu Shaner naturally knew Miss Yan San. When she encountered a bandit years ago, it was Miss Yan San who helped draw the portrait. Before coming to the capital, Governor Shen also mentioned the family situation, particularly highlighting the eldest son of the main branch, Shen Linfeng, who passed the imperial examination at eighteen or nineteen and married the daughter of a Minister of Personnel.

Miss Yan San was naturally the younger sister-in-law of the Guan family, whose matriarch had passed away long ago, and now few remembered her.

Seeing Miss Yan again, people often said they were beautiful, but compared to her, Miss Yan had an additional air of nobility, something that money alone could not buy.

Yao Niang stepped forward and bowed, calling out "Third Aunt" without changing her expression. Lu Shaner smiled in response and saw Yao Niang straighten up and walk behind Lady Shen.

Then Wang Shi and the two daughters-in-law of the Third Branch paid their respects, and everyone finally sat down.

Lady Shen said, "The Qingyi Garden where you will be staying has been prepared. Afterward, you can go there to take a look. If anything is unsatisfactory, just tell someone to fix it."

"Thank you, Sister-in-law," Lu Shaner replied, somewhat embarrassed because her age was similar to Miss Yan's, but Miss Yan was already a niece-in-law, while she was a co-wife with Lady Shen, who was around fifty.

Yao Niang thought that Lady Shen seemed quite considerate towards Lu Shaner, despite her lack of family background.

Second Lady Shen then said kindly, "How was your journey, Sister? I imagine the travel must have been tiring."

"It was fine," Lu Shaner replied.

She remained calm, but the First Lady and Lady Shao felt uncomfortable. They thought the two elder sisters-in-law were being too kind to this Third Lady Lu.

Lady Shao was still worried about Han Ruohua, as her husband had stayed at the Han residence during his studies in Jin Ling when he was young. Now that Han Ruohua had come to the capital, she had seen the two read the same book together, a situation that drove her nearly mad, as she could not prove anything but knew for sure something was going on.

The First Lady looked at her with a scrutinizing eye, and Lu Shaner was not foolish; she could see it clearly.

Lady Shen then said, "Stay at home for a while after returning. I wonder if Third Son has returned yet? I need to see him later."

Shen Linyun, the Third Son, was a simple and honest boy, and Lady Shen felt quite sorry for him. Her own son, after all, had taken his nephew's wife, and she harbored some guilt over this.

For Yao Niang, Shen Linyun had backed out at the last moment due to his poor knowledge, and Shen Linfeng had initially refused but later took on the challenge for the family. These two were destined to be connected no matter what.

However, given the awkward relationship between Shen Linyun and herself, and considering that Governor Shen had six sons, four of whom had returned this time, she should treat them equally. In this aspect, Lady Shen did not match Lady Zhen, who excelled in maintaining a good surface appearance.

Shen Mo then laughed and said, "Mother really dotes on Third Brother. Have you forgotten about the three cousins?"

Lady Shen then said, "I was wrong. I just feel that my third brother resembles my third uncle the most. He spent a few days with me when he was young, and I miss him."

In reality, Shen Mo was smarter than Lady Shen. She noticed that whenever her mother spoke, her sister-in-law never tried to smooth things over and always observed coldly from the side.

In her view, a daughter-in-law needed to work hard silently and keep giving, so the mother-in-law would naturally see her sincerity. But the First Lady, Miss Yan, did not do this; instead, she was more distant with her mother.

Lu Shaner mostly remained silent until she understood the relationships within the Shen family, speaking only hesitantly.

Only after Lady Shen sent someone to lead them to the Third Branch's residence did she truly relax.

Earlier, she had arrived at the territory of the Main Branch. Exiting through the west gate, there was a passage. After changing to a carriage, it took about the time of a cup of tea to reach Qingyi Garden. It was said that the old patriarch favored his third son the most, so he left his beloved Qingyi Garden to Governor Shen.

Lu Shaner found that the Qingyi Garden was indeed a riot of flowers and trickling streams, making her momentarily think she was in Jiangnan, with its exquisite beauty. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Yao Niang and the others dispersed early, and it wasn't until late afternoon that Shen Linfeng returned.

Seeing Yao Niang, he took out several stacks of silver bills from his sleeve. Yao Niang, puzzled, took them and was surprised to find there were three thousand taels. She exclaimed, "Where did you get so much money? I dare not accept it."

"From the exchange house," Shen Linfeng smiled.

Yao Niang really didn't dare to go to such places; mainly because she thought it was too risky, only those with a strong grasp of economics and official careers could make money there. Otherwise, as her mother said, many people outside the exchange house had gone mad.

After receiving the money, Yao Niang smiled sweetly and said, "I never expected you to give me so much money."

"What's the big deal? I don't know if I'll have time to go to the exchange house in the future. Actually, two thousand taels of this money I invested with my clan uncle for some shares. We can just take the dividends later. I am an official now, so engaging in business is inconvenient," Shen Linfeng explained with his own considerations.

Yao Niang had always known that Shen Linfeng's family was wealthy, and they indeed were. They traveled generously and spent lavishly, but she never knew he could make money grow on his own.

Yao Niang hugged him and said, "You're so good, but you don't need to worry too much about our livelihood. I still have plenty of dowry." Her father had mentioned that part of her dowry was originally intended for Shen Linfeng.

Hearing this, Shen Linfeng was somewhat moved. He knew that Yao Niang truly didn't care about these things. She was young and sincere towards him, so he held her close, "Alright, from now on, I'll rely on our divine consort sister."

"Don't be cheeky. Let's tidy up; we have a family banquet today," Yao Niang said.

This was the second time since their wedding day that they would see all the male elders of the Shen family gathered at a family banquet. Shen Furen said to Shen Linfeng and Yao Niang, "You two should quickly go and pay respects to your Uncle Three."

Shen Xunfu, a man with a fine beard, looked dignified and handsome. He was very eloquent, "Older Brother, Older Sister, what a fine son and daughter-in-law you have. You two are blessed."

Shen Lao Ye laughed, "We owe this match to Uncle Three."

"Yes, without Uncle Three, how could they have tied the knot?" Shen Furen smiled.

Shen Xunfu then praised Shen Linfeng, "Not to boast, but how talented is our Linfeng? If the woman he marries has a higher family background, and it doesn't work out, I absolutely wouldn't agree. But Miss Yan, her character, talent, and virtue are all top-notch." Then he turned to Yao Niang, "Niece, if Linfeng does anything wrong or bullies you, feel free to tell me."

His praise made both Shen Linfeng and Yao Niang very happy. They both said they wouldn't dare and then retreated.

Shen Xunfu thanked Shen Furen again, "Lin Qing and Lin Jiang are often taken care of by Older Brother and Sister, especially Sister, who has worked hard and deserves credit."

Shen Furen waved her hand, saying it was nothing.

Shen Xunfu had no complaints about the two daughters-in-law, only praising their household management, which clearly pleased Qing Dama and Jiang Erma.

Finally, Shen Xunfu said to Yao Niang, "Niece, your grandfather will probably arrive in a few days. When he comes, you should go home to see him. The old master has endured much hardship."

"Thank you, Uncle, for letting me know," Yao Niang thought it was no wonder that when she heard about the old master and the old lady being alive, they favored their youngest son the most. Her father-in-law was overly proper, not stern but somewhat dull. Uncle Two was known for his stern face and rarely smiled, but only Shen Xunfu was not only eloquent but also highly skilled.

Seeing how much Shen Xunfu favored her among the young daughters-in-law, it was clear he had good judgment.

Then she heard Shen Lao Ye say to Shen Linfeng, "In a few days, we will invite Mr. Zhushan to our residence."

Shen Linfeng quickly agreed.

The women sat at two separate tables. Lu Shaner and Shen Furen and Shen Erfu were at one table, while Yao Niang and the other daughters-in-law sat at another.

Although it was said that one should not talk during meals or sleep, Jiang Erma's frequent nausea caught the attention of the elders. Lu Shaner, though young, dared not speculate. It was Shen Furen who said, "What's wrong with you? If you're not feeling well, go rest. Our family isn't the kind that would torment anyone."

Jiang Erma blushed and left. Shen Erfu then smiled, "Could it be that you're expecting?"

Yao Niang, of course, knew what "expecting" meant. In the family, a mother's status was elevated by having a son, and those with sons were naturally stronger than those without. However, a son also elevated his mother's status, and a legitimate child received more attention than an illegitimate one.

Actually, she didn't want to have children at all. She was still too young. As her mother said, Lady Guan married too young, and even she herself married too early. Besides Yan Jingzhao, who survived, her body was damaged, and she couldn't keep the next two children. Seeing Lady Li, who married at seventeen and became pregnant at eighteen, she was slightly older and didn't suffer much during her pregnancy.

Her complexion was still good because she and Shen Linfeng had not consummated their marriage. Despite the forced smile on the face of the principal lady, her slightly trembling hands betrayed her true feelings.

However, soon after, a messenger from Lady Jiang's side came to announce that she was pregnant.

Shen Linfeng and others also congratulated Shen Linjiang. He and Yao Niang shared the same thoughts; they were not particularly eager for a child. It wasn't that he disliked children, but at the moment, all he wanted was to hold his little goddess sister, who, however, found it too hot and preferred to lie on the edge of the bed alone.

Joy spread across Shen Linjiang's face, and the governor immediately said to his son, "Go back and see."

"Father, how can I leave my elders for such a trivial matter?" Shen Linjiang shook his head quickly.

The governor dismissed this with a wave of his hand, "We don't need your company. Go and check on her properly. Don't be so hesitant. No one in our family will blame you, let alone your two uncles."

With a joyful heart, Shen Linjiang left with a brisk pace.

Originally, the governor and his wife were the main figures at this family banquet, but Lady Jiang suddenly became the center of attention due to her pregnancy.

Lu Shaner decided to stay at Qingyi Garden for the time being. Although she did not understand the intricate dynamics of large families, she knew that wherever she went, she must maintain good relations with those in power. Thanks to the Guan family, she could be the daughter of the Lu couple. Her father taught her to read and write, and her mother treated her as if she were her own. If it weren't for the poor health of Mr. Lu, which prevented him from holding office and arranging a marriage for her, she would not have sought out Lady Chen to fulfill the wishes of her adoptive parents.

Little did she know that the marriage Lady Chen arranged for her was to the governor's family. Initially, she heard that it was the third son of the governor, but when Lu Shaner discovered that Lady Chen's daughter returned home weeping, complaining about how the Ye family wanted to drown her newborn daughter, even a family as prestigious as the Buzhengshi (a high-ranking official) would do such a thing.

Lady Chen explained that throughout history, the Wei Dynasty had emphasized lavish dowries, leading many wealthy families to fear the financial burden and thus drown their daughters. This barbaric custom made Lu Shaner shudder. She thought about how Guan had fallen ill during her pregnancy and was sent away by the Yan family to a remote place to recuperate. Guan had even confided in her that Yan Jingzhao might have wanted her to die of her illness.

Given this, marrying into the governor's family seemed better. First, she had no dowry to speak of, and although Mr. Lu had always been a teacher, his family was quite poor, and Mrs. Lu was often ill, unable to provide much. Even if she married into the Shen family, among the five sisters-in-law, she would likely be the weakest. Second, she wanted to investigate whether Yan Jingzhao truly mistreated Guan and needed the support of a powerful figure like the governor's wife.

However, she was in a weak position in the Shen family and needed to find a strong ally wherever she went before standing on her own feet.

Madam Shen was that strong ally. Lu Shaner could see that Madam Shen held the highest status in the household and had a kind and gentle demeanor. She decided to first seek Madam Shen's favor.

In the days since Lu Shaner's arrival, Yao Niang had heard that her grandfather had arrived in the capital. Of course, she wanted Shen Linfeng to personally go and meet him. However, before Shen Linfeng could set out, news came that her grandfather had listed ten officials, including those responsible for the river, as the top ten corrupt officials. Many other minor officials were also named, and he requested the emperor's permission to punish these corrupt officials according to the rules established by the founding emperor of the Wei Dynasty, which stipulated that any official found guilty of embezzling more than fifty taels of silver should be flayed alive.

The capital was in an uproar, with countless people seeking favors. It was rumored that the emperor was also furious.