Chapter 55

Zhen Li looked at Lady Jie in shock. Lady Jie's attitude was no longer as hasty as before, where she would run away with her daughter. Instead, it was quite intriguing: "Since the Shen family has entrusted you to come here, how can I refuse? However, we must still consult my husband about our third daughter's marriage."

Seeing Lady Jie's softened stance, Lady Gong, an experienced woman, immediately recognized that Lady Jie was now three or four parts in agreement. It seemed that in the Yan family, Lady Jie had more influence than Zhen Li!

Lady Jie did not wish to discuss much about Shen Linfeng and her daughter in front of others, but it was evident that she was in a good mood. The most affected, however, was Zhen Li. She never expected Lady Gong to switch the plan, leaving her completely unaware and harboring false hopes. Even a few days ago, the Undersecretary Hu from the Ministry of Justice wanted to propose a marriage for his son to her daughter, which she had politely declined.

If she showed any abnormal behavior now, others would mock her for eagerly offering her daughter only to be rejected, which would be a great humiliation.

Fortunately, at this moment, Lady Jie got up and instructed someone to send the betrothal gifts over, diverting everyone's attention. Zhen Li bit her lower lip, revealing her thoughts, which were noticed by Lady Yu, who was walking a bit slower due to her pregnancy. Lady Yu was startled but quickly composed herself and left.

The betrothal gifts sent by the Yan family were the same as those given to the Guan family years ago, showing no favoritism. Both Minister Li and his wife were very pleased. Although Yan Jingzhao was remarrying, his previous wife had no children, and he was young, handsome, and highly talented, being a Shujishi (a high-ranking official). Such a son-in-law was hard to find, especially since their daughter was not of extraordinary beauty. This was indeed an excellent match.

Lady Li had no sons and was the head of the household, with a large dowry. She wished to give everything to her daughter.

But Li Ruomei said, "Mother, you should keep these for yourself."

"I don't need them. Having a dowry will help you stand tall in your husband's home. The Yan family is a prominent clan in Jin Ling, with many distinguished officials. You have met Second Lady Yan and Miss Yan San. I saw that Second Lady Yan is gentle, and Miss Yan San is a well-bred lady. They have no brothers. Such a good family is hard to find. Once you marry, don't always think of home; focus on building your own life." Lady Li spoke from the heart.

She was also a second wife, married into a family with sons from the previous marriage. Now, her daughter's situation was similar to that of a first wife, and one must cherish one's blessings.

Li Ruomei only felt that her future husband was exceptionally handsome. They had met once at the Yan residence, and Miss Yan San mentioned her brother's poetic talent, saying they often played music and composed poetry together. Li Ruomei envied this deeply, as her life had been rather monotonous, and she often felt out of place because of her love for reading.

She even heard Miss Yan San mention that Yan Jingzhao studied so diligently that he developed a stomach ailment, which made her feel very sympathetic.

"Mother, where are my storybooks? I haven't finished reading them yet," Li Ruomei thought of the stories she had read, which her cousin had mocked her for, saying she was too idealistic about finding a man of both virtue and talent. Now, she had truly found such a man.

In her heart, she silently repeated that all her dreams had come true.

The prospective bride was filled with joy and even thought about what delicious dishes she would cook for Yan Jingzhao after marriage...

But Ying Niang was stunned by Zhen Li's words: "Mother, what do you mean?"

Zhen Li had remained silent until the engagement banquet ended, then called her daughter over and closed the door, fearing that her daughter would cause a scene, which would only embarrass her.

Ying Niang protested, "You said Shen Linfeng would come to marry me!"

"Lower your voice. Do you want everyone to know? I heard that your uncle in Henan arranged a marriage for your third sister. They kept it secret, and we were careless." Zhen Li now planned to have the Undersecretary Hu from the Ministry of Justice propose a marriage, hoping to salvage some dignity.

Tears welled up in Ying Niang's eyes: "First it was Eldest Sister, now Third Sister. Is my fate worse than theirs?"

Seeing her daughter cry, Zhen Li felt a pang of sadness: "It's my fault. Your father always favors the third branch of the family, which you know. He probably heard that Shen Linfeng went to Henan and pretended to reject the match, while secretly arranging something else."

But she would not give up. Instead, she taught her daughter: "This shows you the reality. You are older now and should understand. No matter how upset you are, don't lash out. Cursing won't solve anything; it will only make people laugh at you. If you act out, Third Sister will only feel more triumphant, thinking you have lost."

"But what should I do?" Ying Niang looked at Zhen Li helplessly, like a fledgling bird in distress.

Zhen Li smiled: "The Undersecretary Hu from the Ministry of Justice is our fellow townsman and wants to arrange a marriage for his eldest son. The sign you drew might refer to him, not Shen Linfeng."

To turn the situation around, Zhen Li invited Yan Yingqi to discuss the matter that day. Although Yan Yingqi did not live in the main house, he still consulted with Zhen Li on matters concerning his children or the family.

Hearing Zhen Li mention Ying Niang's marriage, Yan Yingqi nodded.

Zhen Li smiled: "They approached me with the idea, but they didn't ask your lordship, and as a woman, I couldn't make the decision."

In fact, Yan Yingqi had his own opinions about both Zhen Li and Lady Jie. He thought Zhen Li's actions were typical of a head of the household, but her thoughts were too deep.

If it were up to Yan Yingqi, a girl like Ying Niang, who was overly expressive and lacked subtlety, would be better off marrying a scholar from a humble background. In such a family, Ying Niang could still be considered well-educated, but if she married into a family of equal status, she would lack her mother's skills.

Like Yao Niang, who, when she went to Henan, managed to impress Governor Shen so much that he wanted to marry her as a daughter-in-law, even without knowing her family background. She even helped Shen Linfeng prepare for his exams, leading him to defy his parents' wishes. All this happened because Yao Niang was reserved and needed encouragement.

So, even if he spoke the truth for Ying Niang's benefit, Zhen Li and Ying Niang would likely think he was evading the issue. Thus, Yan Yingqi smiled: "It's the son of Xu Qiuguan. I've met him once; he seems sincere. If you think it's suitable, I have no objections."

Zhen Li said, "If that's the case, I'm relieved. I've been worried about Ying Niang's future."

For Zhen Li, losing her father at a young age and living under others' roofs made her skeptical of love. Marrying down meant a drop in social status, and she did not want her daughter to suffer. This was why she initiated the conversation, fearing that Yan Yingqi might choose a more ambitious scholar.

The sign seemed to apply here.

Seeing her concern, Yan Yingqi said, "There's no need to rush. We've always been the ones choosing others, not the other way around."

"Your lordship is right. It's just a woman's worry," Zhen Li thought that if her daughter envied Third Sister's success, it could lead to trouble. She feared that if Yan Yingqi did not advance, her daughter would fall behind forever.

Third Sister was fortunate. As part of the third branch, as long as the old patriarch lived, she would remain the daughter of a governor and the sister of a Hanlin scholar. If Yan Yingqi faced obstacles in his career, what would happen to her daughter?

Ten years ago, Zhen Li never imagined she would be overshadowed by Lady Jie. Lady Jie had lost two children in succession, and the matriarch of the third branch had guarded against her like a thief. Now, it seemed she had lost everything.

Yan Yingqi knew Zhen Li was uninteresting and calculating, so he did not say much more.

Each person in the family had their own character. Like Lady Jie, if he were poor, she would sell buns to support him, never abandoning him. Zhen Li, on the other hand, would leave. Zhen Li always sought wealth and status, never considering compatibility. Thus, Yan Yingqi would not share his true thoughts, nor would Zhen Li confide in him.

The day before her birthday, the Shen family sent a matchmaker, which added to Yao Niang's favorable impression of Shen Linfeng.

Some men talk sweetly but do nothing, but Shen Linfeng, though he may not love her, remembered her words.

On her birthday, Qian Niang arrived first, bringing two embroidered sachets: "Third Sister, happy birthday."

"Thank you, Second Sister," Yao Niang smiled.

Compared to Qian Niang, Ying Niang looked stiff. She had never paid much attention to needlework, just as she had not taken her studies seriously, so she brought two fans instead. Yao Niang said nothing.

Compared to Ying Niang, Zhen Li was much more considerate, even presenting a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Yao Niang glanced at her, understanding the challenges of living under others' roofs. Despite this, Zhen Li's thoughtfulness was commendable. Unfortunately, as Zhen Li's niece, she would not receive the same opportunities. If not for this, her beauty and talents would surpass those of Miss Li.

Gathering together, they enjoyed plays, storytelling, and acrobatics. Yao Niang felt a weight lifted from her heart and enjoyed the festivities without a care.

With her children's marriages settled, Lady Jie was more relaxed than ever, even sending fresh pastries from her teahouse.

"Second Sister, Fourth Sister, and Zhen Jia, try this Snow-Through Rice Cake. It’s new at the teahouse, and I really like its taste. What do you think?" She pushed the plate of cakes forward.

Qian Niang took a bite: "This flavor is just what you like, sweet but not cloying."

"Still, Second Sister understands me best." Yao Niang thought that since Second Sister had been betrothed to the Wen family, she seemed different, more relaxed.

Ying Niang still looked listless. Yao Niang, who was always perceptive, understood most of it. Previously, when Yan Ningxin and Shen Linfeng were to be married, Ying Niang had particularly targeted Yan Ningxin.

But that was Yan Ningxin, who had no roots in the household and wasn’t very clever, so she was easily bullied. However, Ying Niang wouldn’t dare to do the same to her, fearing embarrassment.

Even so, Yao Niang wouldn’t mock her. Instead, she changed the subject: "Mother said that when July gets hot, we can go to the estate for a few days to escape the heat. What will you bring with you?"

The conversation flowed from there. Lady Xie felt relieved to see this. In the past, Yao Niang and Ying Niang often quarreled, but now they had grown up and were at the age of marriage. Ying Niang seemed to have matured overnight. Lady Xie suddenly realized that many things in life don’t turn out as one expects.

She couldn’t use crying, shouting, or tantrums to deal with others anymore, because Third Sister wouldn’t tolerate such behavior. As Mother said, it would only make her look foolish.

That evening, Yan Jingzhao came over. He rarely visited at this time, though he was her brother, and they observed proper decorum. After entering, he took a long box from his sleeve and placed it on the table: "Someone asked me to give this to you."

Yao Niang opened it to find a long jade-green hairpin with a pink lotus blossom at the top. It looked both noble and lively, truly unique.

"Brother, who is this someone?" Yao Niang smiled, clearly delighted.

Yan Jingzhao replied: "Who else? Naturally, it’s my colleague from the Imperial Academy, Shen Linfeng, who was my fellow examinee in the provincial, metropolitan, and palace exams."

"Brother, I know. Thank you." Yao Niang had guessed it might be him, but hadn’t expected it to be true.

Yan Jingzhao, seeing his sister in high spirits, sat down and said: "Sister, though I’ve always thought well of Brother Shen, let me tell you as an older brother. Never be too submissive to a man, ahem, men are inherently base."

He continued, speaking as a man: "Men hope their wives will be gentle and virtuous, but if they’re too compliant, they find them boring and uninteresting. So, don’t be overly proud, but don’t be too submissive either. Sincere advice, brother is off."

Yao Niang understood his meaning: don’t lose yourself in love, don’t revolve entirely around a man, or you’ll lose yourself and his interest.

When she came back to her senses, Yan Jingzhao was already gone.

On the other side, Shen Linfeng had just returned from the office. As a newly appointed compiler, he was busy working in the History Bureau. He wondered if Yao Niang liked the gift he had asked Yan Jingzhao to deliver today.

If she likes it, that would be great; he had spent a long time choosing it.

No, he couldn’t keep thinking about it. He needed to review the book he was compiling, which was crucial for his career. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could sleep. By the time he went to insert the golden hairpin, Third Sister would see him looking radiant again, not haggard and disheveled.