Chapter 66

Living in the Yan family, a large clan with many siblings and even more relatives, Yao Niang naturally understood human relations well. Therefore, although she did not want to refuse Shen Linfeng's kindness, she still smiled and pressed his hand down, saying, "Today is our first day of marriage. According to tradition, it is my duty to serve Mother and Husband. Let me do it."

Shen Linfeng also came to his senses. He even heard his sister-in-law calling him 'husband,' which made his heart flutter. Watching Yao Niang stand up, he said to Lady Shen, "She asked me this morning what you like to eat, for fear of making any mistakes."

"Oh, this child is indeed filial," Lady Shen said, though her praise was not heartfelt. She did not understand why Shen Linfeng was so fond of Yan Shenefei.

However, now that her son was married, she could no longer quarrel with him as before; it would be bad if he hated her.

The Shen family’s breakfast was quite light, with various kinds of porridge such as peanut porridge, lily porridge, milk porridge, chestnut porridge, and almond porridge. There were also fresh fruits like cherries, kumquats, and honey dates, along with layers of cakes and dishes. Yao Niang could only see a few items in front of her: sesame seed cake, lamb liver cake, crystal dragon phoenix cake, deer meat cabbage, braised mutton, and three-flavored duck.

Yao Niang, of course, could not serve dishes casually. Seeing Lady Shen's maid serve her a bowl of chestnut porridge and a plate of salted duck, she thought Lady Shen must have a taste for Jin Ling cuisine, where people love salted duck.

Therefore, she picked up a piece of bamboo shoot ham and placed it on Lady Shen's plate. Then, she took the knife by the table, broke a chopstick in half, and cut a piece of pan-fried eel for Shen Linfeng.

Although Yao Niang did not know how to cook, she was skilled at serving food. As a daughter-in-law, she had learned from her mother-in-law, who had a formidable mother-in-law herself. Thus, Yao Niang was very experienced in peeling crabs, shrimps, and removing fish bones.

Lady Shen was about to pick up a piece of bamboo shoot ham when she saw her daughter-in-law already placing it near her mouth. She noticed the girl was diligently serving Linfeng, without even glancing at her son, showing a good sense of propriety. She said, "Daughter-in-law, sit down and eat with us. Our family rules aren't that strict."

Only then did Yao Niang sit down to eat. She was not a picky eater, so she finished the peanut porridge and ate some braised mutton, which was excellent for replenishing blood and qi. The sesame seed cake was crispy and fragrant. She smiled at Shen Linfeng, "It's delicious."

Shen Linfeng did not dare to help as he had before, but seeing Yao Niang smile, he felt his heart melt. His initial affection for her stemmed from her efforts to secure a noble title for her mother. He knew all about Lady Jie's background, yet most people simply accepted their fate, even thinking the Jie family benefited from the Yan family. Otherwise, with the Jie family's status, they might not have been able to marry into the Yan family, gaining both honor and benefit.

Yao Niang showed him through her actions that a child does not despise an ugly mother, nor does a dog despise a poor home. No matter one's status, if you are my family, I will always fight for you.

He admired her greatly and found her company very pleasant throughout their journey together.

He had worried that Yao Niang might feel neglected in his family, but seeing her good appetite, he was relieved.

He pretended to be cheerful, while she was genuinely bright.

After the meal, Shen Linfeng excused himself, as men should not linger in the inner chambers. Lady Shen held Yao Niang's hand and said, "In a few days, your second brother will get married, so we have many relatives staying over. You should visit the elders."

"Yes, that's appropriate. But I am young and not good with words, fearing I might offend someone. I hope Madam can guide me," Yao Niang replied with a smile.

A person's skill could be discerned from a few words. Lady Shen, seeing that Yan Ningxin had fled and then came to apologize, knew she was a troublemaker. In contrast, Miss Yan San, the daughter of the Yan Attendant, was always impeccable in her speech and actions.

Lady Shen could not refuse, "Of course, you are my daughter-in-law, and I treat you like my own daughter."

"My mother also said that Madam is kind and that I should respect you after entering the family. I know these acts of filial piety cannot just be spoken; they will be seen over time," Yao Niang said smoothly, ensuring she left no room for criticism. She did not believe the nonsense about treating her like a daughter.

Lady Shen held her hand and sat down. Yao Niang felt somewhat uncomfortable but maintained a smile. Soon, several relatives of the Shen family arrived.

Despite the disagreement with Second Aunt yesterday, Yao Niang greeted them as if meeting for the first time, showing no ill will. The First Aunt praised her, "I see the new bride has a fair and full forehead, a sign of great fortune."

This First Aunt was a grandmother with white hair. Yao Niang, due to the hasty marriage, was not very familiar with the Shen family's relations. She bowed in gratitude upon hearing the compliment.

Aunt Gan looked at the needlework Yao Niang presented, picking up a headband and commenting, "We used to embroider intricate patterns on these headbands when we were young. Now that we are older, we just need something to protect against the wind. This headband is beautiful but a bit narrow."

This was nitpicking, Yao Niang thought. She had spent a lot of time on these headbands, and being criticized like this did not make her think it was her fault. It reminded her of people like Ying Niang, whom she had encountered before. Since Aunt Gan was an elder and would leave soon, Yao Niang endured, "Aunt, I will take your advice."

Then, Second Lady Shen said to Lady Shen, "Sister-in-law, it's rare for Linfeng to get married. I truly envy you, hoping he will have many descendants."

Lady Shen smiled in response but thought to herself that the wedding night would not happen until Yao Niang turned fifteen next year. Thinking of this, her mood soured.

Yao Niang was still unfamiliar with everyone, so she listened and observed without expressing opinions. Fortunately, the Shen family members were not uncouth, and even if they had harsh words, they would not say them openly.

Shen Mo offered, "Sister-in-law, if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask me."

"Thank you, sister. Speaking of which, I have something I wish to give you. I noticed your beauty is so striking that few could match it." Giving precious gifts must be done in front of everyone.

Shen Mo did not expect Yao Niang to give her anything else and was quite surprised when she opened the box to find a pair of gold filigree bracelets set with rubies. Not only were these bracelets exquisite in their filigree work, but they were also heavy, made entirely of gold inside and out. They were undoubtedly treasures, and Shen Mo felt somewhat overwhelmed: "Sister-in-law, this is too valuable."

Yao Niang replied, "If it can win your favor, what does value matter? The moment I saw them, I thought they would suit you. But let me add, the rubies come from Zhenla, bought by my father when he served as an Undersecretary in the Ministry of Rites. Sister, keep them well; they will not change color for ten years."

She herself had been a younger sister-in-law, and regardless of whether Yu Shi's small favors were genuine, giving them a makeup box upon entering the household certainly won their affection. Yao Niang intended to give a grand gift. Even if the daughter of the Xinning Marquis were to enter the household later and follow Yu Shi’s example by giving gifts, none would match the value of these bracelets.

Rather than spreading thin by giving gifts to everyone, it was better to focus on Shen Mo first. Even if she couldn’t win her over, if Shen Mo spoke ill of her outside, people would know she had received such a valuable gift and would likely question Shen Mo’s character.

Shen Mo was delighted with the bracelets. The second lady-in-waiting, who had planned to criticize Yao Niang, glanced at her own pair of sachets and pouted slightly.

"Sister-in-law, I will keep them well. By the way, Elder Sister, I’m going to play polo in a few days. Will you join me? I can teach you then," Shen Mo said.

Yao Niang smiled, "Thank you, sister."

Then Shen Mo introduced Han Ruohua to her: "This is my cousin from my uncle’s family, her given name is Ruohua, and like you, she is from Jin Ling."

Han Ruohua stepped forward to greet her, and Yao Niang quickly helped her up, "Sister Han, there’s no need for such formality. Please rise. Since I didn’t know about your visit, I didn’t prepare a gift. If you don’t mind, I’ll give you this pair of bracelets as a token of welcome."

With that, she removed the jade bracelet from her wrist and placed it on Han Ruohua’s wrist.

Lady Shen, sitting above, nodded in approval.

The women chatted, mostly about their children and gossip from the capital. Yao Niang listened carefully. Lady Shen asked the third lady-in-waiting, "Why didn’t you bring Song'er this time?"

"With child, how could she travel? She’s just showing a little, so I didn’t mention it," the third lady-in-waiting said, smiling as she spoke of her daughter.

Lady Shen glanced at Shen Mo. Song'er was the same age as her own daughter and was already pregnant. How could she not be anxious?

...

Leaving her mother-in-law’s quarters, Yao Niang found herself sweating slightly, the room having been too crowded and hot.

Shen Mo, having received the bracelets from Yao Niang, wanted to show concern and walked with her, introducing her to the house: "Now, our family lives together with the second and third branches, but the third branch has its own property. The second branch has only one son, Second Brother Yan, and his mother is always very kind to us younger ones."

"Why doesn’t the third branch rank with the first and second branches?" Yao Niang asked with a smile.

Shen Mo explained, "Auntie Third used to live with Uncle Third in his post. It was only after Auntie Third passed away a few years ago that my two cousins came to the capital to be cared for by my mother. So they follow their own ranking."

"I see. Thank you for telling me, sister. I was worried I might offend someone inadvertently," Yao Niang placed a hand on her chest, seemingly concerned.

Shen Mo laughed, "Sister-in-law, you don’t need to worry. The two sisters-in-law from the third branch often visit us and are easy to get along with."

Yao Niang didn’t quite believe this. The relationship between sisters-in-law and among the sisters-in-law themselves was different. Having grown up in a complex environment, Yao Niang naturally distrusted statements like “everyone is so nice” or “so calm.” As long as they were human, they had emotions and desires, and would compete. Unless they weren’t human.

But she wouldn’t say this to Shen Mo. Instead, she looked at her and said, "That’s good to hear."

The two walked arm in arm to the new quarters. Yao Niang, somewhat embarrassed, said, "There are still many things to tidy up. Once everything is settled, I’ll invite you over again."

Shen Mo, tactfully, replied, "I just love Elder Sister so much. I’ll come again next time."

"Good, we have much more to talk about," Yao Niang feigned warmth.

After Shen Mo left, Shen Linfeng’s wet nurse and close relatives came to pay their respects. Aunt Gu led in a woman in her forties, wearing a lake-blue jacket, with two gold hairpins in her hair, looking well-groomed.

Her face was smooth and round, suggesting a gentle disposition.

"Greeting the Young Lady, I wanted to visit the new bride yesterday, but it was such an important day, so I came now to pay my respects," the woman said.

"Madam Zhu, why are you so polite? Since you have been nursing the master since he was young, you can be considered an elder." Yao Niang smiled warmly and then said to Qingdai and Hongxue, "Bring some fresh tea quickly."

Madam Zhu didn't expect this new lady to be so friendly despite her youth. She replied, "I just came to visit the lady of the house; how could I drink your tea?"

Yao Niang then said, "Why are you being so formal with me? I'm new here and am worried about not having anyone to chat with. Your visit will give us a chance to talk properly."

During this time, the maids brought in tea but no pastries. Yao Niang's eyes flickered, and she said, "I remember there were rose cakes in that box. Pick out two plates for Madam Zhu to try."

Being new to the Shen household, she wasn't familiar with anything, including where to get pastries, so she used what she had brought with her.

She was also testing whether Madam Zhu would be truly considerate and helpful. If she really cared, she should tell her more about the rules here. However, Madam Zhu remained silent until she saw the rose cakes and asked a few more questions.

Usually, those who weren't genuinely helpful or sincere, Yao Niang wouldn't treat them sincerely either, but she still needed to gather information.

"Madam Zhu, was Master Shen like this when he was young? I want to serve him well," Yao Niang smiled.

Madam Zhu's expression became a bit strange but quickly returned to normal: "The young master has always been a smart child."

"What does he usually like to eat? Does he have any hobbies?" Yao Niang put down her teacup and asked.

Madam Zhu was quite clear on this: "When we were in Wu Xing, the young master's tastes differed from many others. He loved grilled foods, and even more so after moving to the capital. I remember one year he ate too much and developed pimples on his face, which made him stop eating such foods."

Yao Niang laughed, "Really? That's interesting. His ability to control his appetite shows he has strong willpower. Madam Zhu, I'm not interested in other things; please tell me more about Master Shen."

Seeing that Yao Niang was indeed interested in Shen Linfeng, Madam Zhu mentioned a few more details: "Master Shen is very particular about his appearance. His clothes, accessories, and grooming must be perfect. When he was younger, it was fine, but as he grew older, he became even more meticulous. He doesn't eat beans, glutinous rice balls, pumpkins, tofu, or soy milk."

"Really? Why is that? Is it because they cause bloating?" Yao Niang asked curiously.

Madam Zhu shook her head with a smile, "I don't know. After the young master grew up, I was no longer by his side. But I remember one year when he had a high fever that wouldn't break. Our lord and lady invited many doctors, but none could help. It was only when I remembered an old remedy—using alcohol to wipe his body—that the fever finally broke."

This story sounded familiar, as if she had heard it from the wife of the Censor in Kaifeng. It wasn't particularly novel, so Yao Niang interrupted, "Madam Zhu, what was my husband like when he was young?"

"He always had a smile for everyone, very cheerful and kind. No one disliked him. To be honest, I was worried he might be bullied because he was too good-natured. Some naughty boys would trick him, but he never got angry; I always had to protect him," Madam Zhu boasted about her own contributions.

Yao Niang immediately praised her, "Madam, you've really taken care of my husband. Qingdai, cut two bolts of silk and give this box of rose cakes to Madam as a reward."

Madam Zhu said, "How could I accept your gifts?"

"Don't refuse them. We just met, and I don't know what you like yet. As we become closer, you'll see how good I can be," Yao Niang smiled.

Madam Zhu somehow sensed the underlying message: the more information she provided, the more rewards she would receive. Initially, she thought that as a new bride, Lady Yan would be extremely generous, given her lavish dowry, which filled the storerooms. She hadn't expected only two bolts of silk.

Yao Niang was also contemplating what kind of daughter-in-law she wanted to be. In her family, Yu Shi was the type who played dumb but gradually revealed her true nature, Guan Shi was the domineering type from the start, and Li Shi was the gentle and obedient type who adored her husband.

The previous generations, Zhen Shi and Jie Shi, were not ideal references.

None of these models suited her, so she decided to just be herself.

Madam Zhu, who spoke reluctantly and sought rewards, was easily dismissed. Yao Niang wasn't the type to hand out money casually; otherwise, she wouldn't have enough silver for monthly expenses to keep the servants happy.

As she was thinking, Shen Linfeng returned, and Yao Niang hurriedly stood up and approached him, "Brother Shen."

Shen Linfeng teased her, "Third Sister, don't you call me 'husband' when talking to others?"

"That's for outsiders. It feels a bit awkward to call you that directly," Yao Niang admitted, blushing slightly.

Shen Linfeng looked at her, "But we need to decide on a way to address each other."

That was true, so Yao Niang suggested, "How about using our names? My full name is Shen Fei, but my nickname is Yao Niang. Everyone at home calls me Yao Niang."

"Then shall I call you Yaoyao?"

"Hmm, it sounds quite adorable. Then I'll call you Linfeng, and outside I'll still address you as Master or Husband." Yao Niang smiled.

Thus, Shen Linfeng agreed.

Yao Niang then spoke to him about Mother Zhu's recent visit, saying, "This mother told me many things. I gave her some colorful silk and a box of rose cakes. Is this appropriate?"

Seeing Yao Niang ask him with the innocence of a fledgling swallow, afraid of making a mistake, he held her hand: "Very good, very appropriate. Don't worry; who would dare say anything against what you give?"

"I remain unmoved by idle gossip, but I fear disgracing you." Yao Niang noticed that he seemed to enjoy holding her hand, so she let him.

Shen Linfeng was not interested in household matters and specifically asked Yao Niang about her hobbies at home. She laughed and said, "I used to play the zither and paint, but after our marriage was brought forward, I spent most of my time doing needlework." Then she added, "I originally planned to learn cooking, but never had the chance."

"No need to learn," Shen Linfeng quickly replied.

But Yao Niang said, "What if neither of us can cook? Someone has to know how. Do you remember when we returned from Kaifeng, the fisherman rowed the boat while his wife cooked at the back, with smoke curling up gently?"

The scene she described also came back to Shen Linfeng, and he laughed, "Why rush? Can't I cook?"

"A gentleman keeps away from the kitchen. How could you possibly know how to cook?" Yao Niang didn't believe him.

Shen Linfeng explained, "During each imperial examination, we stay inside for several days. I always prepared my own meals. I made longan porridge, boiled noodles, and once during the provincial exam, I brought chicken wings in and roasted them right away. They were so fragrant that I fell asleep after eating them."

"Really? That's hilarious. Did any of the nearby candidates get distracted by the smell?" Yao Niang found Shen Linfeng truly amusing.

Shen Linfeng thought for a moment, "It seems someone did say something about a fool coming to the examination hall..."

Yao Niang laughed so hard she bent over.

Seeing her like this, Shen Linfeng thought she was really wonderful. If it were anyone else, they might have scolded him for being so mischievous and blamed his poor performance in the provincial exam on it.

The servants standing outside, hearing the laughter inside, thought that Master and Lady were indeed well-matched.

The two of them then admired some paintings together. Yao Niang relayed what Mother Zhu had said about him: "She said you were adored by everyone when you were young. Honestly, weren't there a lot of little girls who liked you?"

"Not really. I looked quite cheerful as a child, you know. In every family, there's usually someone who acts as the jester, and that was me. Later, around ten years old, I suddenly became more handsome. Everywhere I went, people would look at me—while I ate, walked, even studied. It was actually quite bothersome," Shen Linfeng said.

At first, people praising his beauty and handsomeness made him happy, and his good looks did bring him many advantages. But later, it caused a lot of trouble.

Yao Niang comforted him, "I've had similar worries, but being good-looking is better than being ugly, isn't it?"

Worried he might be bored, Yao Niang drew the fisherman and his wife she had described earlier, adding a small orange cat on the cutting board, trying to catch the fish in the basin.

Shen Linfeng loved the painting. The sunset illuminated the river, with golden light reflecting off the water, and the couple's boat emitting gentle smoke. However, he pointed to the orange cat and asked, "I remember there wasn't a cat here, right?"

Yao Niang covered her mouth and laughed, "I have a habit of adding a little kitten whenever I paint. They're so cute, don't you think?"

Shen Linfeng, however, recalled a painting he had received from the Prince of Qi's heir, which also featured such a cat, and the style was exactly the same. His heart sank.