Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Time flowed like quicksand, and despite all reluctance, tonight they still had to part.

They embraced for a little while longer before Han Zhang finally turned and left under Shen Qinglan's teary-eyed, reluctant gaze.

Back at the academy.

Han Zhang used his ability to rejuvenate his body, sweeping away the tiredness he had deliberately built up over the past two days. Once his mind was clear and refreshed, he didn't rush to sleep.

Instead, he thought about Shen Qinglan's mention of the ninth day of the next month when the Shen family members would go to Jinguang Temple to burn incense and relax.

He felt this was a perfect chance to bring his beloved home sooner.

Madam Shen doted on her son and insisted on waiting until he passed the imperial examinations with flying colors next year before agreeing to the betrothal. Han Zhang could understand that, but for him, waiting that long was unbearable.

First, the longer they waited, the more could go wrong.

Second, that young lad Shen Qinglan was even better at seducing him than he had realized.

Every time they met, his heart softened a little more. Tonight, seeing the lad's pleading expression as he said he missed him, Han Zhang's first thought was no longer thinking how easy it was to fool the lad.

It was… he wanted to take the lad home and hide him away.

Having lived two lives, Han Zhang was no impulsive youth; he understood exactly what these feelings meant.

He had truly fallen for Shen Qinglan, this young lad—maybe even more.

He couldn't wait a whole year. He also feared that if he messed up in the exam hall, what if he failed the exams?

As someone from a science background, Han Zhang was not entirely confident about the imperial examinations.

So, if he wanted to marry his husband sooner, he would have to play a few tricks.

"Mother-in-law isn't easily fooled. I'll have to pull off something big…"

Han Zhang took a deep breath and mused.

Life was about action. Once decided, he set out to do it.

Having confirmed his feelings and the approximate meeting date, Han Zhang began his preparations.

…

On the other side.

Shen Qinglan wasn't just sitting around.

With the lesson from last time when his mother caught him at the teahouse, he was now more cautious.

After thinking it over, he took an extra precaution and wrote a letter inviting Han Zhang to meet at Jinguang Temple on the ninth day of the next month, sending it out of the mansion by a servant.

He did this for no other reason than to avoid getting caught by his mother again during their secret meeting.

If they were caught, how could he explain that Han Zhang knew about their family's trip to the temple?

Was he supposed to say that Han Zhang had climbed the wall into his bedroom? Or that Han Zhang was scheming and unscrupulous enough to pry into the private matters of the Shen household?

So, after much deliberation, it was better to say that he, longing for his lover, had taken the initiative to write the letter and propose the secret meeting.

After all, his mother already knew his heart was set on marrying Brother Han. One more crime on his record didn't matter compared to his resolve.

In fact, Shen Qinglan's guess was spot on.

When Madam Shen learned that he had secretly sent another letter to Han Zhang, she was not surprised at all, just disappointed.

"This child was born to be a burden… I knew he couldn't contain himself and would eventually do this!"

Madam Shen said with exasperation.

Her trusted maid, seeing that her mistress was tough on the outside but soft inside, chuckled and asked, "Should I burn the letter?"

"Forget it. Too much interference is as bad as too little. Lan Geer is as stubborn as a donkey; if pushed too far, who knows what foolish thing he might do? In my day, didn't I crawl through a doggy door to see that philanderer?"

Madam Shen sighed and waved her hand. "Let them write to each other. It will keep Lan Geer settled for a few days."

Like mother, like son, she had no choice but to accept it.

However, Madam Shen quickly added, "But even if Lan Geer walks down my path, I won't let him suffer the same hardships I did back then."

"Didn't the Vice Minister's wife send a post yesterday, saying her third legitimate son of the Vice Minister's family is interested in Lan Geer? Reply to that post and invite them to go to Jinguang Temple on the ninth as well, so they can see each other."

"I heard that third legitimate son, though not particularly talented, is quite handsome—one of the most striking young men in the capital…"

The Vice Minister's family taking an interest in her Lan Geer couldn't be purely out of affection. If they were truly interested, they would have proposed marriage long ago, not sent a visiting card only now.

Most likely, they had heard about the substantial dowry she had prepared for Lan Geer and were eyeing the dowry money.

Since they weren't sincere, she might as well string them along.

It would serve to show that Han kid that her Lan Geer, even with a flawed reputation, was not unmarriageable. Plenty of decent young men were lining up to marry him!

"People never appreciate what comes easy, even if it's a priceless treasure. Only what is fought for desperately is valued…"

Madam Shen sighed softly.

Her trusted maid curtsied and said, "Rest assured, Madam. I'll go reply to the post."

She was about to leave.

But then Madam Shen added, "Wait. Make sure Lan Geer finds out the background of that third legitimate son from the Vice Minister's family. He's a sucker for good looks—don't mess this up."

What if the man turned out to be even more handsome than Little Han, and more silver-tongued, winning Lan Geer's heart? That would be a nightmare.

After all, Han Zhang, despite all his shortcomings, had a promising future. Marrying him gave Lan Geer hope.

But that third legitimate son was a total mediocrity—no comparison in any aspect.

"Yes, Madam."

The trusted maid acknowledged again and hurried off to carry out the orders.

Thus.

With Madam Shen's silent approval, the letter Shen Qinglan had written to Han Zhang was delivered.

Han Zhang received another letter. After reading it, he understood that if they were caught meeting in secret again, the lad planned to take all the blame upon himself to cover up his sneaking into her boudoir at night.

"Quite clever..."

Han Zhang let out a low chuckle and burned the letter over the lamp.

He'd love to keep his beloved's love letters, but after all, such things were ammunition. If someone accidentally saw them, for him it would be no more than a romantic anecdote, but for Shen Qinglan, it would be a disaster.

Once they're married, he could ask for as many love letters as he wants. No need to risk keeping them now.

Both were striving for each other, with each other's image in their hearts.

—

On the ninth day.

At the Shen Mansion.

The young ladies and gentlemen in the mansion, whether legitimate or born of concubines, all dressed up and gathered one by one in the main courtyard.

Madam Shen might have been a lovesick girl when she was young, but as the years passed, she had become a typical ancient matriarch of the household.

Although she disliked the concubines and illegitimate children in her heart, and there were often open and hidden rivalries among them, Madam Shen did not mistreat the concubine-born children. She strictly followed the rules on allowances and education, neither giving more nor less, so no one could find fault.

But it was precisely this behavior that made the concubines and illegitimate children clench their teeth in hatred.

The reason was simple.

Shen's father was from a humble background with little family wealth, and the money he could put into the household fund was limited. The Shen family's ability to maintain appearances over the years was thanks to Madam Shen's business acumen.

But even so, the Shen family had only so many assets, and the profits had a ceiling.

Madam Shen naturally wasn't foolish enough to use her dowry to support her husband's concubines and illegitimate kids.

Therefore, based on the household budget, the concubines and illegitimate children could only enjoy a limited amount of luxury.

In contrast, Shen Qinglan and the other legitimate children, thanks to Madam Shen's private subsidies, ate, wore, and lived in only the best.

Not to mention jewelry and clothes worth dozens or hundreds of taels, they even had chests full of hairpins and jade crowns worth thousands of taels, along with fine silks.

Living under the same roof day after day, yet with such a huge disparity in daily necessities, it would be weird if the concubines and illegitimate children felt it was fair.

As for Shen Qinglan and the others enjoying such luxury, it was because their mother had a rich dowry—naturally their clothes and food were better than the concubine-born kids'.

But they didn't see it that way; they just thought Madam Shen was stingy and mean, oppressing them.

Today, going to meet Han Zhang, Shen Qinglan naturally dressed to impress.

He also deliberately wore the yellow jade disc that Han Zhang had given him.

This jade disc was a gift from the emperor, with superior quality and craftsmanship, and unsurprisingly, everyone else in the Shen Mansion was green with envy when they saw it.

But because they feared Madam Shen's authority, and because the girls and lads from the second and third branches had already snatched the legitimate elder brother's fiancés and ruined his marriages, stirring up more trouble would be hard to handle, so they could only hold back and silently curse their stepmother for being unfair.

But the eldest sister-in-law Lv Shurou was different.

As Shen Qinglan's own sister-in-law, she naturally dared to speak up and ask.

After clearly seeing the jade disc at her brother-in-law's waist, whose quality and craftsmanship were rare and supreme, a fine item that couldn't be obtained for less than several thousand taels, Lv Shurou couldn't even hold back a couple of questions and immediately cried out indignantly, 'Mother! Did you really buy such an expensive yellow jade disc for Second Brother?'

'This wasn't bought by Mother; I bought it myself. Sister-in-law, you come from a scholarly family and always look down on gold and silver as vulgar. It's just a mere piece of jade disc; why are you making such a big deal?'

Shen Qinglan snorted upon hearing this and immediately retorted, not wanting anyone to think his mother was that biased toward him.

Sure, his mother was biased toward him in many ways and this wasn't new, but he couldn't carry all the blame, could he?

After all, this yellow jade disc was indeed worth a lot and invited envy.

He also knew that wearing this jade disc out would cause trouble when his sister-in-law saw it, but he rarely got to meet Brother Han, so how could he not take it seriously?

Why should he make himself miserable for his sister-in-law?

It was also a good time to let the people in the mansion witness his formidable side again.

So that when Brother Han comes to propose, these people won't mock him for being poor and drive him away.

Shen Qinglan was already calculating in his mind what style of wedding robe he would wear in the future, how many children he and Han Zhang would have, and what names to give the children...

As for the previous three fiancés, let them be snatched away; he didn't care.

But if anyone dares to seduce his Brother Han this time, he would fight tooth and nail against these flashy vixens in the mansion!