Chapter 117

Chapter 117

"The Bi family's usury and deceit against superiors and inferiors, harming descendants, cannot be tolerated by national law or family rules. The clan decided that your uncle should divorce her, but to avoid airing dirty laundry in public, she was sent to the family temple to become a nun. No servants were allowed to attend to her, nor could she take anything with her. Wang also violated national law and was confined to a nunnery for ten years as a warning to others..."

Shen Linfeng read this letter to Yao Niang. It had been brought by Shen Mo, who accompanied her husband to the capital.

Yao Niang was about to give birth, and hearing of Shen Er’s fate, she felt a sense of vindication: "I think for someone who has enjoyed a life of luxury, being humiliated and stripped of dignity is the worst way for her to live."

Shen Linfeng nodded: "Yes, I agree. As the saying goes, those who do evil will eventually destroy themselves. Yao Niang, you're about to give birth, so don't worry too much. Focus on what's right in front of you."

"Right, speaking of which, your sister came to the capital, and we haven't even hosted a welcome banquet. I plan to prepare two tables and invite Mr. Pang and Lady Pang to join us." Although Yao Niang didn’t particularly like Shen Mo, she believed in maintaining proper etiquette and leaving no room for criticism.

Not for any other reason, but because Shen Linfeng treated her parents as if they were his own. Regardless of her feelings towards Shen Mo, she had to act appropriately.

Shen Linfeng said: "Why go through all this trouble?"

"It’s just a matter of giving some instructions. This way, you can also get to know Mr. Pang’s character, and we can see if he is easy to get along with," Yao Niang smiled.

Shen Linfeng nodded: "Then I’ll leave it to you, my dear."

Yao Niang shook her head: "I’m also preparing a dowry for my sister. How can this be considered troublesome? You have been so filial to my parents; this is the least I can do."

The news of the second house's downfall didn’t cause much stir in the main house. Yao Niang wasn’t the type to take advantage of others, but the third house had already taken action. Qing, the eldest lady, used the excuse of the second lady’s departure to entrust her with the care of the second house’s residence. At night, she and her husband, Shen Qing, moved many valuable items that the second house hadn’t managed to take away, securing them well.

They were bold, but Yao Niang had bought off a few servants in the second house, and Zhou’s wife often gathered information, so she naturally knew about these actions.

Zhou’s wife said: "Madam, you wouldn’t believe it, but Qing, the eldest lady, packed all the precious items into gilded chests. Additionally, she moved ten out of eighteen beds from Lady Yan and the second lady’s chambers, giving the remaining eight to Lady Jiang and Lady Yun."

Qing, the eldest lady, was skilled at handling people. If she had taken everything herself, it would have caused a commotion, and both Shao and Han Ruohua might have had something to say. By dividing the spoils among three families, no one could complain. They all shared a secret, and none would expose the others.

"Let them divide it. I don’t care about these things. Though the second house committed crimes, taking advantage of their misfortune, the ill-gotten gains may not even bring them peace," Yao Niang put down her honey water, speaking calmly.

Zhou’s wife felt it was a pity. Clearly, the second house wouldn’t return, so why not profit from their misfortune? Even the former servants of the second house were leaving with valuables.

But since the mistress had spoken, Zhou’s wife didn’t dare to oppose her, only saying: "Madam, you have everything. Your dowry is so abundant that your hands can’t even fit inside. In recent years, our household has gained many more assets. Why compare ourselves to those poor families?"

"Even without money, there’s no need to take such advantages," Yao Niang shook her head.

Among the third house, the first three sons were born to the same mother. While Qing, the eldest lady, was wary of her younger sisters-in-law, she still shared the benefits with them.

Shao said to Shen Linjiang: "This is good news. I’m pregnant again, and if it’s a girl, that’s fine. We won’t need to prepare a dowry bed. The eldest lady said the servants of the second house were like locusts, selling off the second house’s belongings. She advised us to keep some things, and if the second house returns, we can return them. If they don’t, at least we won’t let those lowly servants benefit."

"Uncle Two’s downfall happened so suddenly, it’s truly unexpected," Shen Linfeng sighed.

Shao laughed: "Good news is that Eldest Brother has been promoted to a lecturer. It seems the Emperor still shows favor to our Shen family."

Shen Linjiang was anxious: "Father is now in his forties, and Eldest Brother hasn’t succeeded for a long time, nor have I. What about Third Brother? When Father retires, must we rely on the main house?"

"I don’t think you need to worry. If you receive an official position through patronage, that’s not impossible. But the benefits might go to Eldest Brother, leaving nothing for you. Let’s see if we can follow the path of my brother-in-law," Shao said.

Shen Linjiang thought to himself that Shao’s brother-in-law came from a humble background, and serving as the Grand Master of Ceremonies was already the peak. Advancing further seemed unlikely. Besides, he had his own son; how could he help him?

Thinking too far ahead, Shao didn’t want to dwell on it. She just thought Qing, the eldest lady, was clever. The main house’s Lady Yan was smart in appearance but foolish in nature. Even after the second house’s downfall, she remained oblivious.

Compared to Shao’s acceptance, Han Ruohua first had everything hidden, then saw Qing, the eldest lady, send over a stack of fine fabrics—two bolts each of Lu silk, cloud brocade, and Peng brocade, and three bolts each of Goryeo cloth, Japanese brocade, and zhuang brocade. Han Ruohua accepted them all.

These were likely gifts from the Empress Consort, which the second lady hadn’t had time to take away. With so many household items, she could only take the most valuable ones. The remaining fabrics were heavy and took up space, so they were left behind, now benefiting the third house.

Han Ruohua personally hid them and then told her companion, Mother Xu: "Since we’ve benefited from this, we should thank the eldest lady. I have a set of embroidered robes that I haven’t worn yet. Send them to the eldest lady, and make sure the second lady doesn’t find out."

Xu Mama thought that Third Lady was truly shrewd in her calculations. This brocade dress, which she had always found too gaudy and never worn, was made by the seamstress when she got married, at the request of Lady Shen. Now, it was directly used as a favor.

But this was still better than Lady Shao, who, despite spending money, might not know how to do favors properly.

When Han Ruohua's brocade dress was delivered, the eldest lady of the Qing family saw that the golden threads were densely woven. She sniffed it near her nose and detected a scent of camphor.

"This dress must have been stored away for quite some time. Third Sister-in-law is always like this; when she talks about generosity, she actually isn't as generous as Lady Yan from the main house." The eldest lady of the Qing family smiled and shook her head.

"Never mind, put the things away. Tomorrow, our niece and her husband Pang will return, and we all need to go."

In fact, the eldest lady of the Qing family was indeed more flexible than Lady Shao, Wang Shi, or even Han Ruohua. She arrived the earliest the next day, and her eyes were always on the tasks at hand. She said, "Daughter-in-law, you are so heavy with child. If there's anything, just let us handle it."

Yao Niang smiled, "Eldest Sister-in-law, please sit down and chat. There's no need to rush around."

Qingdai quickly added, "Rest assured, we'll take care of it here."

The eldest lady of the Qing family noticed a few plates of pastries and fresh fruits on her table. She naturally didn't want to eat them, as it wouldn't be graceful, so she only drank tea and casually brought up a topic, "This time, Young Master Pang is officially visiting. Last time he came to the manor, we happened to be out."

"Today we can finally meet him. Last time, I only exchanged a few words with my younger sister, but she seemed to be in good spirits," Yao Niang smiled.

The eldest lady of the Qing family spoke a truth, "Who isn't like this during their honeymoon?"

As they were talking, they saw Han Ruohua coming over. As soon as she entered, she asked, "Where's Sister Fu? She usually sits by your side when I come."

"Today she didn't get up early. I'm just having the wet nurse wake her up," Yao Niang replied.

Han Ruohua said, "Children sleep a lot. It doesn't hurt to let her sleep a bit longer."

Speaking of which, after Second Lady Shen left, the people of the third branch became much more obedient. Lady Shao also brought her son over. She now felt superior to her sisters-in-law because she had given birth to the first grandson of the Shen family.

They talked indifferently, and then heard that Shen Mo and her husband were coming together. This time, Yao Niang and the others went out to the second gate to welcome them, and truly saw this son-in-law from the Pang family.

To everyone's surprise, Pang Qian was not the typical talented scholar from Jiangnan. He had a round face with dimples, an average build, and looked very kind.

Shen Mo's father-in-law was now the governor of Shun Tian Prefecture. Although she married late, she came from a noble family, and her brother held a position as a lecturer in the Imperial Academy. Her dowry was rich, and she herself was eloquent, almost taking control of the household as soon as she entered.

"Little sister, to take charge of the household so quickly, you truly have great ability," Yao Niang praised.

Shen Mo still wasn't very fond of Lady Yan. In the days since her return, she found that her brother completely followed Lady Yan's every word. As a younger sister, she naturally couldn't stand it, and even her brother hadn't taken any concubines, which she found excessive.

But now that she was married, she couldn't say anything directly.

She even brought several carriages of gifts to save face for her family. When Yao Niang saw this, she said, "Since you married in Wu Xing, we haven't given you a dowry. Since you're here today, my brother and I have prepared a few trunks of dowry for you. Take them back later."

The eldest lady of the Qing family didn't expect Yao Niang to have prepared additional dowry, so she also joined in, privately instructing someone to bring two chests filled with gold-painted boxes.

The eldest lady of the Qing family had plenty of money. She needed to persuade relatives to speak on her behalf, and giving gifts to Shen Mo was better than giving them to Han Ruohua and others.

Shen Mo had been unable to marry for a long time, and as a young unmarried woman, she had endured many rumors. Now, back at her parents' home, she didn't want to hide her wealth. When she saw Sister Fu, she immediately gave her two high-quality jade rings. Wearing such rings on a one-and-a-half-year-old chubby child, Yao Niang secretly laughed, thinking her daughter was becoming a little tycoon.

"I wanted to stay and accompany my parents more, but the Pang family insisted on finding me, sending matchmakers three times. My parents, seeing the sincerity of the Pang family and the straightforwardness of my husband, decided to marry me into their family," Shen Mo said as if it were true.

In reality, although Wu Xing had some noble families, those remaining in the hometown were mostly collateral branches or retired officials. Pang Qian returned to his hometown to celebrate his grandmother's birthday. Lady Shen and Old Lady Pang had a good relationship, so the two families arranged the marriage. Now, Shen Mo was merely trying to enhance her own status.

Those present weren't unaware of the situation, but they listened attentively, as if it were true.

Shen Linfeng and several cousins from the third branch were entertaining Pang Qian. Pang Qian, with his keen eye, could see that the next generation of the Shen family almost all submitted to Shen Linfeng.

And indeed, as rumored, Shen Linfeng of Wu Xing had the talent of Zijian, the appearance of Song Yu, and the character of Ji Kang.

"Brother-in-law, you truly live up to your reputation," Pang Qian said.

Shen Linfeng smiled and replied, "Our families are so close; if you have any matters in the future, just come to our door."

Pang Qian then spoke about his recent visit to the capital: "When my wife and I were in Nanjing, we specially visited Uncle Thrice-Grandfather, who told me to seek your guidance more often."

"I dare not accept such praise. I see that your talent is already quite remarkable, and with time, you will surely be named at Donghua Gate," Shen Linfeng raised his cup for another drink.

After the feast, Pang Qian took Shen Mo home first, promising to invite them over to play another day. After seeing them off, Shen Linfeng immediately went to his study.

Shen Linqing and Shen Linjiang asked, "Isn't today your day off?"

"I've been learning to write Qingci recently. With daily official duties, I can only find time during my days off. If there's nothing else, I'll head to the study now," Shen Linfeng said. When he was with Yan Yingqi, Yan Yingqi had told him that the Emperor favored officials who were good at writing Qingci, and he was one of the best, thus earning the Emperor's trust.

At first, Shen Linfeng felt somewhat awkward when he heard this, but his father-in-law made a valid point. If you want the Emperor to support your proposals, you must first be able to speak freely before him. If you can't even get a word in, no matter how capable you are, it's all for naught.

Therefore, Shen Linfeng spent his free time these past few days studying Qingci. Being both intelligent and diligent, he hadn't gone out even when friends called, and if not for his brother-in-law's visit, he wouldn't have come out to drink at all.

When Shen Linjiang returned to Qingyi Garden from the main house, he couldn't help but say, "No wonder Eldest Brother excelled in his studies and has now become an official. He still works hard, making us feel ashamed."

Shen Linqing remarked, "Let's not talk about this. I think Father might be transferred back to the capital soon, which means trouble for you and me."

Despite his gentle demeanor, Shen Laoye was very strict with his sons. Shen Linjiang looked at Shen Linqing and said, "I see that Minister Yan loves his youngest son the most. We now have a full-blooded younger brother. I wonder if Father will be the same?"

"The emperor loves his eldest son, while commoners love their youngest. It's no different," Shen Linqing was taken aback.

In their hearts, they both understood why Shen Linfeng could often let go of things. His successful career already put him ahead of everyone else. They, on the other hand, had no prospects in their careers, so they clung to what they had.

What the third house cared about most was that Lu Shaner had given birth to a boy. This would likely mean another heir to the family fortune, even though Shen Third Laoye held a high position. With too many sons, dividing the family property would be difficult.

Due to the rumors surrounding usury, Qing Dama had long stopped lending money. Now, the six qing eighty-five mu of land in Fangshan brought in 250 taels of silver in rent each year, and forty rooms were rented out, bringing in 40 taels of silver per month. This was after selling an estate.

The monthly expenses for the household servants alone exceeded 40 taels, plus seasonal clothing and social expenses, making money increasingly tight.

Especially during winter, the main house used 1,000 catties of silver-thread charcoal, enough for three people, from October to March, a total of five months.

In the third house, each person received 5 catties of silver-thread charcoal per day in winter. With over ten main family members, they used over 50 catties of charcoal daily, which would last only about twenty days.

Thus, Qing Dama had to mix medium-grade charcoal with silver-thread charcoal for each household. Han Ruohua didn't complain, but Shao Shi insisted that her son's room receive the full 5 catties, as he was the eldest grandson of the Shen family.

Chu Yiniang also had a son, but she didn't mention it to Qing Dama, only to Shen Linqing, who pouted. Shen Linqing thought his son couldn't be inferior to Shen Linjiang's, so he demanded the same allowance. As a result, using 1,000 catties of charcoal for five months was impossible.

Previously, Qing Dama would use the interest from loans to buy charcoal, but now she couldn't lend money anymore. Using her own silver to subsidize it was out of the question.

Moreover, her late father-in-law used to send money back, but now Lu Shaner didn't ask her father-in-law to do so. How could they make ends meet? Qing Dama said to Shen Linqing, "I pawned my gold headdress for 200 taels and bought charcoal. At least we can get through the New Year. With the family growing and income decreasing, I don't think we should host the New Year banquet this year."

"That won't do. What will people think if we lose face?" Shen Linqing immediately objected.

Qing Dama rolled her eyes, "It sounds nice, but bring the money and I'll arrange it. A clever housewife can't cook without rice."

Shen Linqing choked, "If I had money, would I be in debt to Eldest Brother? I still owe him over 200 taels. Don't you have jiaozi? Why not sell some to help us through the New Year?"

Dream on, Qing Dama certainly wouldn't be so foolish as to use her private savings. She would eventually have her own children, and even if she didn't, she wouldn't give the money to that pair of lovers.

But she wouldn't refuse outright, only saying, "Now you all rely on my dowry to get through the New Year, and you want me to use my private savings? If this gets out, wouldn't you be ashamed?"

With the second house collapsing, she had to be cautious and wouldn't take risks for the sake of the whole family.

Shao Shi, who complained openly, came to Yao Niang with her grievances, holding her son. Of course, one reason was to ask Yao Niang for some Yu Rong Powder, and the other was to vent her frustrations.

"You have it good here, using only silver frost charcoal. At our place, we can barely afford two pounds of silver frost charcoal mixed with medium-grade charcoal, and I end up coughing while warming myself."

Yao Niang smiled and said, "Our family is small, while yours is large, so naturally, it's different. But to say we have enough, it’s just barely enough. Adding the charcoal from my dowry estate, it would last at most three months."

In reality, Yao Niang kept Ruo Fu close by her side during the day, and the two of them used no more than five pounds daily, which was certainly sufficient. As for Shen Linfeng, she used a mix of medium-grade and silver thread charcoal, as he spent little time at home. Supporting a large family in terms of food and clothing was not a small expense.

Actually, all these were just public expenses; Yao Niang and her family did not waste money, spending wisely. Despite Shen Linfeng’s carefree demeanor outside, he was very capable of making money. He managed two pawnshops and one herbal medicine shop very successfully, and he was quite reasonable, keeping all his writing fees and turning over everything else.

So sometimes, the silver he used for his carefree lifestyle was just his monthly allowance of five taels plus his writing fees. Yao Niang covered the cost of his clothes annually, and in fact, they were both very practical and frugal. Many of the clothes in the household were made by the people around them, not the seamstresses. Yao Niang even made her own shoes and stockings, as well as Ruo Fu’s.

For instance, Lady Shao drank bird’s nest soup, ginseng chicken, and other tonics every day, but Yao Niang could afford these too, yet she felt that eating regular grains and vegetables was enough, and there was no need for excessive tonics at every meal.

On the contrary, the bird’s nest and such gifts from others could be given away, saving the cost of buying gifts herself. Lady Jie used to do the same at home, which was why she had accumulated over a hundred sedan chairs worth of dowry. Her dowry was equal in value to Yan Ningxin’s, who came from the Prince Qi’s mansion, whereas Lady Jie was just the daughter of an ordinary rural gentleman.

Now, Yao Niang was gradually saving a dowry for Ruo Fu, knowing that it would be impractical to prepare over a hundred sedan chairs at once, especially if something unexpected happened to the family finances.

Lady Jie visited and, seeing how well her daughter managed the household, nodded in approval: "Recently, there have been people coming to borrow, truly never expecting that man to lose his entire fortune through gambling. Your brother might not return next year; he has brought along many staff, including clerks and medical examiners, and his chief clerk is a renowned one, costing six hundred taels a year, not to mention the others."

"Mother, does this mean one needs to be wealthy to be an official?" asked Yao Niang.

Lady Jie laughed, "It depends on how you look at it. There are ways to live frugally when poor and ways to spend wisely when rich. I still have your brother, and I must save some private funds for him."

"Yes, Mother, how is Xin Wan? I can’t visit her, but since you’re here, take some bird’s nest from our house and give it to her," said Yao Niang.

Lady Jie praised her, "Relatives all say you are the most generous, and indeed, she seems much better now. But during the New Year, everyone is busy, not just her, but me as well. What can be done? Just like your sister-in-law, as the eldest daughters-in-law, they can’t just sit around looking pretty."

Yao Niang yawned, "I’m pregnant this year and won’t be hosting any banquets, so I don’t bother with such formalities."

"That’s because your in-laws aren’t around. Even when I was pregnant with you, I was almost too busy to stand. We all go through this, which is why I always say marrying into the Shen family is good. The men are ambitious, and you’re the only daughter-in-law, which is better than anything else." Lady Jie was pleased to see her daughter doing well.

As they were talking, a servant reported that Ying Niang had given birth early to a son. Yao Niang smiled, "That’s great news. Aunt Gu, please go to the Xu family on my behalf."

Lady Jie sighed, "Speaking of Ying Niang, she clearly married down, yet why did she have to open the face of two maids for her husband during her pregnancy? And she keeps giving her cold medicines to prevent pregnancy. Why bother? What difference would it make if she didn’t take them?"

"We shouldn’t meddle in these matters. She boasted about carrying a son before, but I didn’t care at all. Look at our third branch, with six or seven sons, none of whom match Shen Linfeng. Good children are about quality, not quantity. If she continues like this, she will embolden her husband, leading to future conflicts among the wives and concubines, causing chaos in the household." Yao Niang had learned from experience that not caring too much about others’ opinions leads to a better life.

Lady Jie nodded and added, "She even came to borrow charcoal, offering the charcoal from our Yan family to her mother-in-law. I wonder what she was thinking? The old lady from the Xu family is afraid of the cold and uses ten pounds of silver frost charcoal every day."

Yao Niang found this unbelievable, and after Lady Jie left, Shen Mo actually came to borrow charcoal as well.