Chapter 100

Shen Linfeng helped Yao Niang to her feet, gently touching her belly and asking with concern, "My dear, are you feeling unwell? Shall I carry you to the dining hall?"

"No need. I'm just pregnant, not bedridden. I'll change into another outfit and come out. You wait for me outside," Yao Niang pushed him away.

Shen Linfeng finally left, looking back every few steps. She changed into a gauze robe with butterfly patterns on the lapel, loosely tying up her hair with a single hairpin. The couple sat in the outer flower hall, enjoying a sumptuous feast while a cool breeze blew, how delightful it was?

"My dear, crabs are cold in nature; you shouldn't eat them. You can have beef and shark's fin, so I'll get you some of these." Shen Linfeng placed a piece of beef in Yao Niang's bowl.

Yao Niang smiled and ate it. Even when Shen Linfeng mentioned that Ying Niang's husband, the Minister of Justice, had been promoted to Grand Secretary and might advance further, she showed little reaction.

However, Yao Niang also said to him, "If you want to treat me to a meal, you should have asked me first. Qing Da's wife miscarried, and now I am pregnant. It seems a bit inconsiderate."

Shen Linfeng, being a kind person, immediately replied, "I didn't think it through, only thinking about my own happiness."

"Never mind, there's no need to bring someone else's coffin into our home to mourn." Yao Niang comforted him, a phrase her father often used, which seemed fitting here.

Shen Linfeng nodded, "That's true. I heard that Qing Da and his wife made a thousand taels this year."

Yao Niang was surprised, "A few days ago, I heard Qing Da's wife complaining about poverty. I didn't expect her to make so much money. How did she earn it?"

"My late third aunt left a sum of money in a bank before she died. She was good at managing finances. When she was dying, she forgot to tell Uncle Third about this money. They seem to have found it and quietly withdrawn it," Shen Linfeng explained.

Yao Niang frowned, "If they took it quietly, how do you know?"

Shen Linfeng laughed, "Because it was in the Qin family bank, Uncle Qin Bai told me."

So that was it. Yao Niang thought that Qing Da's wife secretly obtained such a large sum of money but still cried poor to Lady Shao. She even heard that Lady Shao pitied Qing Da's wife and stopped giving her things from the common fund. What a cunning woman.

Then, talking about how Qing Da's wife was exhausted after the miscarriage, she unexpectedly heard Yao Niang was pregnant and thought she must have misheard: "What did you say? She is pregnant?"

Lady Shao nodded, "Yes, she is pregnant. Lord Feng was very happy when he heard the news. He invited a chef from Fan Tower to cook for us and asked the steward to buy ginseng from Liaodong. He also gave double the usual reward to everyone in the main house. It's quite lively over there."

"It has come to this..." Qing Da's wife felt as if she were in a dream, hearing such good news, she couldn't help but shiver in pain.

Seeing Qing Da's wife like this, Lady Shao's goal was achieved. Since before the Cold Food Festival, when Yan Shi showed her skills, she had heard Shen Linjiang privately admire Shen Linfeng and praise Yan Shi's intelligence and talent, lamenting that his child would be born without fortune, whereas if born to Yan Shi, it would be a scholar from birth.

Lady Shao, who was already unconvinced, believed her uncle was also a high-ranking official. Although not as illustrious as the Yan family, his position was still quite prominent. A secret sense of resentment stirred within her.

But she was just a hen that couldn't lay eggs!

What was so great about it? Maybe the child would be a girl anyway.

Now, Lady Shao's greatest advantage was having given birth to the first grandchild, a source of pride for years. But now, Yan Shi had caught up so quickly. Now she was sowing discord in front of Qing Da's wife because Qing Da's wife always praised Yan Shi in front of her. Now, see what Yan Shi has done?

Building her joy on others' pain.

"Sister-in-law, don't get too excited," Lady Shao said insincerely.

Qing Da's wife smiled bitterly, "Relatives may still grieve, but others have already begun to sing. I foresaw this long ago, Sister-in-law, don't worry about me."

Lady Shao comforted her again. Seeing that Lady Shao had no grudges, Qing Da's wife recalled how she had once harmed Lady Shao's child, and now her own child was gone. Deep down, she felt a sense of relief.

But she also felt that she didn't deserve this, that she hadn't done anything wrong, since she never acted herself, why should she suffer the consequences?

Life is like that, it's hard to admit one's mistakes.

After finishing her meal, Yao Niang sat and talked with Shen Linfeng. Both decided to stay at home and take good care of the pregnancy, avoiding going out unless absolutely necessary. Shen Linfeng added, "Nothing is more important than your health and the baby. Just manage the household well, and don't do anything strenuous."

"I understand." Yao Niang was no fool, nor was she one to crave empty fame.

She knew what mattered most, and it was clear to her.

When the Bi family heard that Yao Niang was pregnant, they specially brought several trendy pastries as gifts. This time, it was Aunt Bi who came. Her grandson had no mother's milk to drink, so she hired a wet nurse. Little did she know how expensive wet nurses had become; one asked for eight taels a month, which was almost like robbery. Even the cheaper ones wanted five taels.

A four-month wet nurse cost twenty taels, and in the end, she even had to pawn some of her own jewelry.

This time, she naturally came to seek favors, taking advantage of their good fortune. They wouldn't turn her away when they were celebrating such good news.

But this time, Yao Niang didn't give anything. When Aunt Bi explained her purpose haltingly, Yao Niang simply said she didn't know: "It sounds truly pitiful. Why not wean the child? I heard he is over a year old."

Aunt Bi hurriedly replied, "How can you wean a child at just over a year old? Lady, you live in such a grand house, with great wealth, so you wouldn't understand."

"We only look prosperous on the surface. Look at my husband's monthly salary; it's barely enough to support our large family. We're almost living on debt. To be honest, our life isn't easy either," Yao Niang sipped some water and said.

Aunt Bi smiled and said, "Lady, you must be joking. Who doesn't know your family has mountains of gold and silver, being a prominent clan in Wuzhong?"

Yao Niang smiled faintly, "Aunt, you flatter me. By the way, last time I asked about Brother Bangxing and Elder Brother Linyi, do you know anything about it?"

"It's simple, I won't take your money for nothing," Aunt Bi shook her head upon hearing this, "I really don't know."

The more she denied, the more suspicious it seemed. Aunt Bi quickly thought of currying favor with Shen Er's Lady. She went to Shen Er's Lady and said, "That young wife next door seems to be investigating Shen Linyi's death. She has asked me several times. Sister, rest assured, I won't say anything."

Upon hearing Aunt Bi's words, Shen Er's Lady asked, "Back then, when we asked you to get rid of those two, did you see them die with your own eyes?"

Aunt Bi hesitantly agreed.

Shen Er's Lady coldly snorted, "You can't escape responsibility for this matter. Don't lose your life for a small profit." She then threw a packet of fifty taels of silver to her, and Aunt Bi took the money and hurriedly left.

Because Yao Niang had someone guarding the door, she was soon informed.

"It seems the Bi family is deeply secretive about this matter. The Second Lady stopped giving them money before, but now she gave them a packet of silver." Yao Niang found it increasingly suspicious.

Today, she deliberately asked, intending to rouse the snake from its hole.

Shen Linfeng was busy in the cabinet, his legs swollen from standing all day. He couldn't force others any further; if he did, he might be outmaneuvered, making it harder to advance in rank. They needed to investigate this matter, but they also had to prioritize their own affairs.

Otherwise, once they lost power, they themselves might be treated arbitrarily.

"Lady, Aunt sent the finest blood bird's nest," a maid reported.

It turned out that Li Shi had sent the bird's nest. Yao Niang had it inspected and confirmed it was of the highest quality, so she had Qingdai store it. The Yan family's Third House was now thriving, with both her mother and sister-in-law giving birth to sons, which was why her grandfather was much more relaxed now.

After Li Shi's people left, a servant reported that Lady Wen Seven had sent a pair of pillows embroidered with a hundred children.

Of course, Lady Wen Seven was Qian Niang. Gu Mama remarked, "Second Miss always boasts about being the Prime Minister's daughter-in-law, yet she sends this. I could buy this for less than two taels of silver outside. She really doesn't take us seriously."

"Isn't this her usual behavior? She flatters the high and looks down on the low. In the past, she tried to please everyone in the Yan family, but now she reserves her best for those she wants to associate with. Do you remember when Elder Sister was about to marry into the Shen family, she instantly became close friends with Elder Sister. But when Elder Sister had her troubles, she changed completely," Yao Niang shook her head.

Gu Mama added, "Prime Minister Wen can't hold his position forever. No one knows what the future holds. At least our son-in-law is an official."

Yao Niang smiled, "As the saying goes, 'If one cannot endure small matters, one will ruin great plans.' It's easier said than done."

Each gift received revealed her status in others' eyes. Yao Niang had each gift recorded. Afterward, she rested, handling official business only for an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, using the rest of her time for rest.

If she handled everything herself, working tirelessly, she would exhaust herself.

Delegating appropriate tasks to the right people was the key.

After the family split, their lives remained much the same as before, but they saved a considerable amount of money. Yao Niang took two-thirds of this savings and allocated it specifically for Shen Linfeng's social expenses. This way, they still managed to save about twenty percent more than before. Moreover, both she and her husband had substantial private funds, so their life was actually better than before.

After receiving fifty taels, Auntie Bi lived quite comfortably and hadn't visited for some time.

However, Yao Niang began to suffer from morning sickness, vomiting everything she ate, feeling utterly miserable. Her body being in such discomfort, she became even more reluctant to go out, focusing solely on taking care of herself. The sisters-in-law from other branches of the family came to visit, and Lady Wang noticed that Yao Niang, lying in bed with her hair hanging down, exuded a particular charm of a young wife.

"Are you feeling alright? Morning sickness can be alleviated by eating more plums," suggested Elder Lady Qing kindly.

Lady Shao also chimed in, "Yes, eating plums should help."

Yao Niang smiled, "Our Master has already obtained many remedies for morning sickness from Doctor Long. I have sour jujubes here, but I don't particularly like sour things. The doctor said that eating lighter meals will help, and this phase won't last long."

Elder Lady Qing smiled, "I see you've already consulted a doctor. We won't offer unnecessary advice then."

"It's not like that. Your suggestions are very helpful. Speaking of which, my mother gave birth to a child last year, though she isn't with me now. Your experiences are incredibly valuable to me," Yao Niang said.

Lady Shao was surprised, "Lady Yan had a child?" She had met Lady Jie, who, despite her youthful appearance, must have been quite old to have given birth to a son as old as Yan Jingzhao. It was unexpected that she could still bear children.

"Yes, he is extremely intelligent and clever. My father often holds him on his lap and teaches him to read. In fact, it's good that my mother had my younger brother at her age. When we were young, my father was busy with his career, and my mother, being a young wife, didn't have the time to raise us. Now they can take care of my younger brother. Like my nephew, my brother is away on an assignment, and my sister-in-law is raising the child alone," Yao Niang explained.

Elder Lady Qing, who had been extremely jealous, felt relieved after hearing Yao Niang's words. If Lady Yan could have a child at nearly forty, she, at twenty, was much younger and could still hope for the future.

Besides, Lady Yan was only a secondary wife, while she was the primary wife.

Han Ruohua said, "Sister-in-law, you and your mother are truly blessed."

"Speaking of blessings, everything should follow its natural course. I was anxious for the past two years because I couldn't conceive, but once I stopped worrying, I became pregnant. Intervening against nature may not always be beneficial," Yao Niang smiled.

Han Ruohua understood that these words were directed at Elder Lady Qing, but why would Lady Yan warn her?

Elder Lady Qing grasped the underlying message: her actions, which she thought were well-concealed, were known to Yao Niang. Since they didn't harm her interests, Yao Niang chose not to expose them.

Suddenly, Elder Lady Qing remembered how Cousin You Da, a relative of Second Madam, was shot full of arrows, and she realized that Lady Yan was not someone to be trifled with.

Seeing Elder Lady Qing's expression, Yao Niang pretended not to notice and said, "This is my first pregnancy, so I know nothing and rarely go out, focusing only on my health. Please bear with me."

The others naturally agreed, but as noblewomen, they were slightly displeased with Yao Niang's tone.

Then someone outside announced, "Madam, Grandfather-in-law is coming for dinner today. Master said to ask the kitchen to prepare a few more dishes."

"Alright, I understand," Yao Niang smiled.

It was said that Old Minister Yan doted on his granddaughter and often visited her, and indeed, this proved true upon seeing him.

Apart from Yan Mai, Shen Linfeng specially sent some passion fruit, which the servants cut open. The scent immediately lifted Yao Niang's spirits, and she no longer felt nauseous. She smiled, "This is better than sour jujubes and plums; it's sweet and fragrant."

Elder Lady Qing knew that Yao Niang had a strong background and was a tough person, so she didn't say anything more. After all, she wouldn't do something without benefit, knowing well that failing to steal a chicken might cost a bag of rice.

Unlike Lady Shao, who was easy to deceive, Lady Yan was different. No matter what you said, she always had a counter-argument, often quoting classics and refusing to listen, regardless of your seniority or experience. She was overly opinionated, almost treating herself like a queen.

Such a person was hard to persuade and would instead scrutinize you.

The sisters-in-law left one by one, and Yao Niang closed her eyes to rest.

Second Madam Shen remained calm, but the Bi family had already broken down. Shen Linfeng deliberately arranged for a woman to rent a house near the Bi family. This woman had been friends with Auntie Bi for over a year and often invited her to drink. They were about the same age, and the woman frequently complained about her son, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law, which resonated with Auntie Bi.

Today, while drinking together, the woman said, "Your sister-in-law comes from a high-ranking family, unlike mine, who looks respectable but is actually worthless. I never told you, but when our family prospered, they fought over land with others. Do you know they forced a whole family to death just to seize their land and made us clean up the mess? They only think of us when they need help, but forget us when it comes to good things. Last year, during the famine, I asked for some grain, and she kicked me out. Later, my husband had to beg for a bag of rice. Compared to my sister-in-law, you haven't done anything wrong, and your sister-in-law even gives you some money, which is quite generous. Honestly, you should be more aware and stop asking for money."

Auntie Bi was furious, "What are you saying? I didn't help her? No, you're lying. My sister-in-law is vicious. She bribed the servants to harm her elder brother's son after her own son died. That boy was smart and handsome, but he was overworked by two women. Then they opened the windows in the freezing cold, making him catch a chill, and even gave him aphrodisiacs. She also asked us to kill those two maids, but we couldn't bring ourselves to do it..."

After letting out a burp, the person laughed and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's drink first. Once you go back, your daughters-in-law and grandchildren will be clinging to you again."

Auntie Big Jiu’s mind cleared up instantly after she finished speaking, but then she remembered that this person only knew they had a younger sister who was an official, but didn’t know who it was. Besides, as a small merchant, he wouldn’t dare do anything, so she felt relieved again.

If before it was just speculation, Shen Linfeng couldn’t directly press for answers, but now she had revealed it herself.

Upon receiving the news, Yao Niang told Shen Linfeng, who then wrote down the entire matter and sent it back to their home in Wu Xing, confirming that the two maidservants were still alive.

Wu Xing

Madam Shen had been gloomy these past few days. She fainted when she received a letter from the capital recently, and Lord Shen was busy with something unknown. Auntie Zhou brought in some rouge porridge and said, "You must eat something. If you keep this up, your eyes will go blind from crying."

If Yige grew up, he would surely be like that, riding through the streets with flowers in his hat, so spirited and handsome, all because of her momentary negligence, her son died.

"I don't want to eat; I have no appetite. Just put it there. Is Linfeng angry with me? In the letter, he mentioned sending us a painting and asked us to investigate Lingyi's death. What kind of death? This is embarrassing, I don't want his brother to rest in peace even in death." Madam Shen thought her son was too young and didn't realize that once certain things were said, people would only remember the scandal, and Lingyi's reputation would be ruined.

Auntie Zhou said, "How could the eldest son understand as much as you do?"

As they were talking, Lord Shen walked in, and Auntie Zhou quickly retreated.

Madam Shen said, "Where have you been these past few days? I haven't seen you at all."

"I received a letter from Linfeng. He said he overheard Auntie Big Jiu mentioning the cause of Lingyi's death. Here, read it yourself." Lord Shen handed the letter to Madam Shen, his face grave.

Back then, when he heard that his eldest son had died while serving as an official, his hair turned half white overnight. But he only blamed himself for his son's excessive wisdom leading to his downfall, never imagining such hidden details.

"Second Sister-in-law? How could it be her?" Madam Shen found it unbelievable. "I remember one year when Lingyi had smallpox, she was the only one who stayed to help me take care of him."

Lord Shen said, "That only shows how ruthless she is to herself. Otherwise, why would you trust her in everything? Auntie Big Jiu has already said it; otherwise, why would Linfeng write this letter without any reason?"

Madam Shen still didn't understand: "Why would she do this? She clearly loved Lingyi so much. As sisters-in-law, we've never had a quarrel."

Lord Shen sneered, "Can't you see? It's very clear in Linfeng's letter. Her son died of a high fever. Back then, you invited many doctors to our house, leaving her son neglected. She resented you for it. Therefore, she wanted to harm Lingyi. Lingyi was so young, a rising star in our family, yet he was destroyed by a woman in the inner chambers."

Madam Shen's mind couldn't process it. She did have a bias towards her own son, but she had always taken care of her nephews to the best of her ability, never neglecting them. When Bangxing died, she mourned for several days.

"Linfeng used to react slower than Bangyan when they were young. Bangyan was clever and had a good memory. If Linfeng hadn't changed, who do you think would be the most outstanding among the next generation in our family?" Lord Shen, being skilled in solving cases, could deduce this easily.

Madam Shen fell to the ground. Lord Shen said, "Linfeng mentioned in his last letter that he wanted to investigate Lingyi's death. I was already looking into it, but now it's confirmed. The two maidservants are still alive. We need to find them quickly, uncover the truth, hold a family meeting, and determine Auntie Bi's guilt. I won't let her off."

"Alright," Madam Shen thought of her son and felt like dying.

But Lord Shen said, "She is, after all, the legal wife of the second son. It won't be easy to convict her, and the testimony of two maidservants might not be enough. Moreover, those two maidservants were originally your attendants, chosen by you. She can claim you are framing her."

Being experienced in court cases, Lord Shen understood the procedures well.

Madam Shen couldn't believe it: "To such an extent? How could I harm my own son?"

"Yes, I'm saying this because of familial loyalty and for the sake of the entire family. If we accuse her, all the dirty laundry of the Shen family will be blamed on everyone. Linfeng will lose his authority, with his brother being killed by his aunt, and his marriage being sabotaged by his cousin. If we use family law, I need to gather evidence, which might take a long time. During this period, don't trust Auntie Bi or mention this to anyone else, to avoid alerting her." Lord Shen warned.

Madam Shen often received letters from Lady Qing, who frequently inquired about her, showing more affection than her own daughter-in-law, and even told her about the big and small matters in the capital. She shivered when she realized her husband also knew about this: "I understand."

Seeing her like this, Lord Shen softened. His wife was once a little girl he had saved, innocent and carefree, always like that since childhood, but she had a good heart. For many years, while he served as an official outside, she managed the household, especially respectful to his parents.

"You understand well," Lord Shen sighed.