Chapter 94

Chapter 94

"Little baby, I'm your auntie, don't you recognize me yet?" Yao Niang teased the little nephew in her arms.

This child was born without his father by his side, and his maternal grandfather had been dismissed from office; Li Shi's mood wasn't good either. Yao Niang occasionally found time to visit this little nephew of hers, hoping he would grow up strong and healthy, with no other desires.

Li Shi said, "His name hasn't been decided yet. Grandfather says that since the child is so young, giving him a name too early might attract evil spirits."

"When I was little, my parents were also afraid I wouldn't survive, so they called me by a nickname for several years until I grew stronger, then they gave me my real name," Yao Niang smiled.

Li Shi always felt that her younger sister-in-law had better luck. Before, she pitied her younger sister-in-law for being tormented by her mother-in-law, but now it seemed that neither in-laws nor a husband's presence mattered. Even though Second Sister-in-Law Qian Niang was the Prime Minister's daughter-in-law, in the end, who could say who was truly better? Prime Minister Wen was reappointed, but who knew how long he could hold on?

Once Prime Minister Wen leaves, the future of the political arena will still depend on oneself. Unless you are the Crown Prince, once someone is gone, their influence fades, and who would still care about them?

As she was thinking, someone outside announced that Shen Linfeng had arrived. Li Shi smiled, "Sister, hand the child over to the wet nurse and go back quickly. Everyone is busy during the New Year."

"I originally planned to visit Sister and the nephew today and have my husband accompany Grandfather, but I didn't know Grandfather wasn't at home. In that case, we'll go back first," Yao Niang said regretfully.

Li Shi replied, "Grandfather is very content. He likes Shen Linfeng very much, saying he can dance with a sword, plays chess well, and is a fine person, making everyone like him when he goes out."

Hearing others praise Shen Linfeng made Yao Niang's heart swell with joy, but she still blushed slightly, "Sister, you're getting better at speaking."

Thinking of her former sister-in-law Guan Shi, Scholar Guan didn't fare well after betraying her brother. After Vice Premier Gong left, many of his past misdeeds were exposed, forcing him to resign and return to Nanjing.

Naturally, she also noticed that Lu Shaner seemed to have little contact with the Guan family, but even if they did, what difference would it make?

Moreover, she observed that Lu Shaner appeared to be clear about her grudges and favors, but was actually a self-interested person. Such people would only act unless they were in a position where even a dog could kick them. For now, she shouldn't worry too much.

Leaving the Yan family, Yao Niang and Shen Linfeng got into the carriage together. Shen Linfeng, who usually wore a sword in public, leaned against Yao Niang's shoulder in the carriage, "I'm so tired, really exhausted today."

"Why don't we have beef spine soup tonight? It will be warm and comforting." Yao Niang caressed his face, admiring his handsome appearance. He was indeed her husband, and among all the men she had seen, none were as handsome or as lovable as him.

She disliked men who were overly slick, had poor manners, spoke with a heavy accent, and acted coyly, especially those who argued with her. Fortunately, Shen Linfeng avoided all the traits she detested.

Shen Linfeng looked up at Yao Niang, "My dear, you are so kind."

"Of course, if I don't treat you well, who will?" Yao Niang held his hand.

Each household was preparing for the New Year. Previously, Shen Er's wife had been generous with the funds from the main house, but now, managing her own household, she had to budget carefully. No one's money came easily, and daily expenses included maintaining over a hundred servants, hosting performances and banquets, tailoring clothes, and covering all living expenses.

Her financial management differed from Yao Niang's, who kept her money in a bank to earn interest. She mostly used cash to buy properties, shops, and land. These assets sounded substantial, but when needed, they weren't as plentiful.

The third house, managed by Lu Shaner, received external funds, which sometimes weren't enough. It was said that the third house had spent a lot on the funeral for Shen Xunfu's original wife and on the wedding of Third Son Shen Linyun. Weddings and funerals were particularly expensive.

Therefore, Lu Shaner discussed with Qing Dama how to celebrate the New Year, as the third house planned to host its own performance and banquet this year.

Qing Dama, now helping Lu Shaner manage household affairs, had a different perspective due to the increased responsibilities. She was pregnant and expected to give birth soon, and if she could maintain control over the household, she could also manage external relations, even guiding Shen Linqing through her connections.

Thus, Qing Dama was very attentive, "In previous years, I've seen Elder Auntie buy a batch of firewood early. When it gets cold, charcoal is essential, and buying it later would be more expensive. Also, the estates send some supplies. We have two estates in the capital, and their contributions usually suffice for our household."

Two years ago, before Yan Shi entered the household, Shen Fu had asked her to help verify the accounts, "There are about two hundred deer, boars, sheep, and pigs, and around seven hundred chickens, ducks, geese, and rabbits, and over ten thousand pounds of charcoal..."

Upon hearing this, Lu Shaner was pleasantly surprised, "So much?"

"This is the annual supply. It sounds like a lot, but it doesn't last long," Qing Dama added that these supplies also needed to be sent to Shen Xunfu.

It seemed like a lot, but the third house only had two estates.

Lu Shaner exclaimed, "Then the main house must have even more?"

Lady Qing nodded: "As far as I know, the First House has four estates in Wu Xing, our hometown, and two here in the capital, just like us. Originally, my aunt mentioned that they sold two places for the funeral of the old lady and the old master. Later, the eldest son of the First House suggested to the First Lady to buy two better places, and the First Lady allocated hundreds of acres as school fields."

"I see that the servants of the First House outnumber those of our Second and Third Houses," Lu Shaner, who usually inquired about such matters, said.

"That's because Lady Yan brought many servants with her dowry, several hundred people. When Lady Yan married in, she brought over two hundred trousseau items, nearly filling the storerooms. Firstly, this is why, and secondly, the First House has considerable income, having invested in many trade caravans, and owning two pawnshops and one herbal medicine shop, all of which are managed by Linfeng." Lady Qing was well-informed.

Lu Shaner was puzzled: "Isn't he an official? He also needs to study daily; does he have time for these things?"

"We don't know either, but when I married in, he was already managing them. He is quite generous, known for his kindness, even selecting the finest silk and thread, spending a lot. You know Zilong, right? He relied on him to buy a house and get married. We can't say much about it," Lady Qing sighed.

Though she often used small favors to win people over, the person must be useful. Shen Linfeng, however, supported others for years, throwing money into the water.

Lu Shaner then said: "Though the eldest son is carefree, I find Lady Yan young yet shrewd. Let everyone live their own lives; we should focus on preparing the New Year's guests now."

The sky was turning dark, and the first snow of the year had begun to fall. Unconsciously, Yao Niang had been married for a year, but this year felt longer than the three years she spent in her maiden chamber. Back then, days seemed to flow like water, one after another, but after marriage, being in charge of her household, though not as leisurely as before, gave her a great sense of accomplishment.

Tired of looking at the ledger, Qingdai brought a pot of hot tea. The fragrance of the tea was sweet, and she quickly took a sip: "It really is delicious."

"You've been busy all day. Why don't you take a rest?" Qingdai advised.

Yao Niang yawned: "I don't know why, but I learn painting, playing the zither, reciting poetry, and composing verses so easily, yet the arithmetic problems he gives me are so difficult. The same problem, phrased differently, and I can't solve it."

Hongxiu remarked: "I thought you were very good at abacus calculations?"

"Yes, I am quite good at calculating, but the problems he gives are not just about calculation. I suspect he's deliberately making it hard for me," Yao Niang huffed.

Shen Linfeng, who had just stepped outside, couldn't help but laugh and immediately came in: "I told you not to do it, but you wouldn't listen. Now you're blaming me."

"Exactly, I'm blaming you," Yao Niang deliberately ignored him.

Shen Linfeng gently coaxed her: "Alright, it's my fault. Is that okay?"

Yao Niang wasn't really angry. She said to Shen Linfeng: "Since you're back, sneaking in quietly, were you trying to eavesdrop on me saying bad things about you?"

Shen Linfeng feigned surprise: "Eh? What bad things do you often say about me? Can you tell me?"

His words made Yao Niang laugh uncontrollably. Seeing her like this, Shen Linfeng looked at her charming face and remembered how she lay in his arms yesterday, the way her ankle bracelet jingled. His gaze deepened. It was common for young couples to be passionate, and the servants tactfully withdrew.

Yao Niang was lifted up by him and playfully hit him: "I thought you were a proper man, but you always think about these things."

"I'm almost hurting inside from holding back, and you still blame me. I've been quite restrained," Shen Linfeng complained.

Seeing his wife soften, he immediately carried her to the bed, quickly removing her clothes and stockings. Yao Niang was embarrassed to mention that she hadn't bathed, but Shen Linfeng was already ready. The couple played around inside.

Mother Gu led the servants to prepare dinner in the kitchen, while Qingdai said to Hongxiu: "I heard from Jinzhan, who serves the eldest daughter, that when our son-in-law and the eldest daughter are together, they either talk or ride horses, behaving like brothers. But look at how our son-in-law looks at our young mistress; his eyes are glued to her. It's truly different."

Hongxiu scolded: "Don't talk about this. Last time, when you mentioned the eldest daughter, the young mistress made you stop. From now on, you're not allowed to mention it. Our young mistress is not someone who would kick a man when he's down. Since the eldest daughter treats her as if she doesn't exist, why should the young mistress compare herself to such a person?"

Qingdai quickly agreed and slapped her own mouth: "Thank you for reminding me, sister. If I had said something inappropriate, the young mistress would have been angry."

"The young mistress is kind to us, but you know she has been targeted a few times. Fortunately, she escaped due to good luck. Some things may seem trivial to us, but if others use them against us, it could be problematic," Hongxiu earnestly advised.

Qingdai became alert. How could she forget what happened when the son-in-law was away, and You Da's incident, which might still be related to the Second House? The Shen family was not a pure place.

Speaking of Shen Linfeng and Yao Niang, they asked for water twice before finally eating together.

Yao Niang touched her face, feeling it was very hot. Seeing her flushed cheeks, Shen Linfeng said: "Tomorrow, I won't give you any problems. Stay at home and enjoy the winter, don't go out and catch a cold."

"Okay, I'll sleep more tomorrow. Lately, I wake up at noon every day. I'm afraid people will say you married a lazy woman," Yao Niang yawned.

Shen Linfeng took her arm and secretly felt her pulse, relieved to find it steady.

After the meal, Yao Niang felt a bit tired and went to bed earlier than Shen Linfeng. He, however, waited until she fell asleep before thinking about his future. Many people said one should wait or endure, but if he didn't take advantage of his youth to do something, as he grew older, he might lose interest in his career.

Moreover, what he and Yao Niang thought differed. The so-called truth is that everyone hopes for fairness, as if a prince breaking the law would be punished the same as a commoner. But how could You Da suddenly hang himself? No one could explain it. One must climb to a high position to achieve such fairness.

Just like the servants who came with the Yan family's dowry; now that they were paid by the Shen family, even though they obeyed their mistress, they also flattered him. Human hearts are truly ugly.

Thinking of this, he personally lit the lamp and went to the bedside to look at Yao Niang's sleeping face. Seeing her small nose breathe evenly, he couldn't help but find her adorable. He wondered how there could be such a good girl in the world, and his lips curved into a smile. Originally moved by her filial piety and attracted by her talent and beauty, now every part of her attracted him.

"Sleep well, my dear girl." Shen Linfeng put the lamp on the table.

The next day, when Yao Niang woke up, the room was silent. She rang the bell, and only then did the servants come to attend to her washing and dressing.

Aunt Gu smiled and said, "Young Master said he won't give you any problems today. He said your accounts are well done and that you should rest these few days. After all, there are only the two of you at home, so don't overwork yourself."

"Many people are watching me, but I can rest for two or three days. I've been busy from morning till night for the past few days, so I'm already quite worn out." Yao Niang stretched lazily.

Aunt Gu and the servants, fearing she was hungry, brought various kinds of porridge and dishes.

After eating, she took a walk around the garden and then stayed at home. Thinking of Shen Linfeng going to work in the snow every day, she instructed someone to send a bowl of ginseng soup to the Imperial Academy.

Receiving the ginseng soup, Shen Linfeng was quite surprised, as Yao Niang rarely sent him anything, believing that official business should be handled at the office.

Everyone around him teased him, knowing that Shen Linfeng had just gotten married.

Shen Linfeng drank a bowl of ginseng soup and looked outside at the snow: "This snow seems to be falling without end."

The government offices closed at the end of the year, and Shen Linfeng had rare leisure time at home. This year, without Lord Shen and Lady Shen, the ancestral worship still took place at the main house. Although Shen Linfeng had performed these rituals for several years, he was particularly cautious this year. It was Lu Shaner's first time participating in such a ceremony, but women were not allowed into the ancestral hall. However, she saw that despite her young age, Lady Yan managed the preparation of the sacrificial cakes flawlessly and distributed them after the ceremony.

"Ladies, sisters-in-law, and younger sisters, please try some. It's my first time doing this, and I'm afraid I haven't done it well," Yao Niang said humbly.

Lady Shen Er saw that the flower cake she ate had fine pores and an even color, not much different from before. She wasn't the type to embarrass people publicly, so she said, "At your age, being able to manage the ancestral worship is better than many others."

"Lady Shen Er is too kind," Yao Niang replied, understanding that while her efforts were not perfect, they were accepted.

Lu Shaner suddenly realized she had much to learn. Lady Yan, who never seemed to enter the kitchen, could lead people in preparing sacrificial items, which was no easy feat.

The large family sat separately, with men and women divided. Lady Shen Er and Lu Shaner sat in the main hall, while Yao Niang and the others sat at another table.

Lady Shao was rather reserved, eating only a few bites of food. Though she and Yao Niang had reconciled on the surface, she still harbored resentment. So, Yao Niang didn't engage her much. To be honest, the former Lady Shen had been too competent as the matriarch, and now that things were more normal, they hadn't adapted yet.

Recently, Lady Qing had become quite popular. She even asked Yao Niang, "I asked Second Aunt, and they plan to have seven days of opera and wine. We're planning to do the same before the Lantern Festival. How is your main house arranging it?"

"I'll be visiting my parents on the second day of the new month. Since Lord and Lady are not in the capital this year, we will invite close relatives and friends. Young Master said the sixth day is auspicious, so we've set it for the sixth." Yao Niang didn't want to organize too many events.

Lady Qing thought the main house was becoming increasingly frugal but didn't say it aloud.

However, Lady Wang envied Yao Niang, who could make decisions and do as she pleased, something she couldn't do, having to listen to her mother-in-law on everything.

After the meal, before the conversation ended, Lady Shao said, "I'm worried the children at home aren't eating well, so I'll go back first."

She had given birth to a son before the New Year, and both Shen Linjiang and she were overjoyed. Now, Lady Shao acted as if having a son fulfilled everything. Her departure left Lady Qing composed, while Han Ruohua, newly married, focused on her husband's studies, and they didn't indulge in frequent intimacy.

Lady Wang, however, felt envious: "I really envy Second Sister-in-Law Jiang. What women hope for is to support their husbands and raise their children. She has everything now."

Today, Lady Wang had drunk a bit more water wine and spoke from the heart. Her relationship with Shen Bangyan was average, and they rarely shared a bed. Yet, she wanted to be a virtuous wife, but how could a virtuous wife not have her own children?

Yao Niang, however, smiled and said, "It will definitely happen. Speaking of children, it's all about fate. Second Aunt often accumulates good karma and helps others. You will surely have both a son and a daughter in the future."

These words were indeed well-spoken. Lady Wang said, "Thank you for your kind words, Sister."

"I'm not saying anything particularly auspicious; we all entered this household at the same time, so we're all the same." Yao Niang was only sixteen this year. She thought it wouldn't be too late to wait another year before having a child, and she wasn't in such a hurry.

Lady Wang nodded.

After the meal, as Lady Shen Er and others went out, they felt the snow and wind blowing fiercely. When they reached the side gate of the main house, something suddenly fell. Her attendant, Aunt Qian, picked it up and saw it was a jade pendant with a character on it. Since Aunt Qian couldn't read, she handed it to Lady Shen Er.

"This seems to be someone's jade pendant, how did it happen to fall right by your feet? This old servant has never seen such fine jade." Aunt Qian had never seen jade with such clarity.

Lady Shen Er was older, but her eyesight and hearing were still good, and her health was much better than Lady Shen's. She picked up the jade and saw that it clearly bore the character "Yi." The tassel attached to it looked weathered, but the knotting technique was very familiar—it was a plum blossom knot.

After the Bi family fell into poverty, they relied on sewing to earn money.

But after marrying into the Shen family, with its wealth and status, she rarely did such tedious needlework anymore. Whenever she did, it was always as a gift, and this seemed to be one of those she had made back then.

Lady Shen Er's heart tightened. Seeing no one around except her attendants, she retraced her steps to the west corner gate and found no footprints nearby. She snorted coldly, unafraid of any tricks, living or dead.

Aunt Qian, not understanding, asked, "Second Lady, what is this?"

"Nothing, just a jade pendant some child must have lost." Lady Shen Er put the jade pendant in a box on the table when she returned.

It was late, and Yao Niang had already come back to sleep. Shen Linfeng insisted on keeping watch himself, urging Yao Niang to return early to rest, fearing for her health, and even escorted her to the main courtyard.

"Baby, rest well. I'll keep watch tonight."

"You were out seeing guests for so long just now. They're all family, why did you see me off so far?" Yao Niang was worried he might catch a chill.

Shen Linfeng shook his head, "I'm fine."

Yao Niang smiled, "There's no need to see me off, I'm fine."

Shen Linfeng, who usually went to bed on time, was determined to keep watch, and Yao Niang felt very sorry for him, but there was nothing she could do. Sometimes, even as a couple, one couldn't sway the other's resolve.

Because Shen Linfeng was keeping watch, Shen Bangyan and several of the Shen brothers also stayed behind. On his way back, Shen Linfeng heard Shen Bangyan teasing, "Big Brother Feng really dotes on his sister-in-law, personally escorting her back and then returning."

"Ah, my sister-in-law married me at a young age, and her parents and siblings are not around. If I don't take extra care of her, it wouldn't be right. As for you, Second Brother, you didn't pass the local examination this year, but don't be discouraged. You will surely succeed in two years. Thirty is considered old to pass the Mingjing exam, and fifty is considered young to become a Jinshi." Shen Linfeng patted Shen Bangyan's shoulder.

Shen Bangyan hadn't expected Shen Linfeng to hit his sore spot. If he passed the examination and became a scholar at thirty, it would still be at least ten years away.

In fact, if Shen Linfeng hadn't passed, the many students of the Shen family wouldn't have minded so much, but since Shen Linfeng had already entered the Imperial Academy, he was far ahead.

Shen Linjiang sighed, "Why is the imperial examination so difficult!"

"Still, Linfeng has been successful all along." Shen Linqing praised Shen Linfeng.

Shen Linfeng laughed, "What am I? Speaking of which, I can't compare to Big Brother. Back then, he didn't need to study so hard, with his natural ability to remember everything he read." Thinking of this, he added with a hint of regret, "Unfortunately, heaven envies talent."

Shen Linqing, who was about the same age as Shen Linyi, had once been very jealous of Big Brother Yi. His mother was still alive then, proud and demanding, forcing him to study until midnight, yet he still couldn't match Big Brother Yi.

Hearing them talk about Shen Linyi, Shen Bangyan couldn't help but say, "My mother treated Big Brother Yi better than me. There was no one in the family who didn't like him."

Shen Linfeng's eyes darkened, then he smiled, "Second Aunt indeed doted on Big Brother Yi, but she loves you even more, Bangyan."