Chapter 75

"Music fades in the courtyard, lights descend from the pavilion. My lady, you see, no matter how grand a feast may be, it will eventually disperse. Sometimes, why must we cling to these trivial matters?"

Shen Linfeng spoke with feeling, unsure if he was lamenting the rise and fall of his family or the impermanence of life.

Yao Niang took his hand and said, "I don't care about the changing of the times or the rise and fall of dynasties. I only know that I want to live my life well. If I were to sum it up in one sentence, one would have to rely on heaven, always believing that a large cake might fall from the sky. With just a glimmer of hope, infinite possibilities can arise."

After returning from the temple, the couple watched as their home's lantern tower was dismantled, and Shen Linfeng had many reflections.

Although the development of things follows the laws of nature and has its own rules, human effort is not powerless to change the course of events.

"Madam, Uncle Yan and Aunt Yan have arrived," someone called from outside.

Yao Niang asked, "Why would my brother and sister-in-law come at this time?"

It turned out that Yan Jingzhao had learned from the person Yao Niang sent with festival gifts that his sister had fainted from standing for too long during a ceremony and had been carried back. His foolish sister had even kept it a secret from the family.

This made Yan Jingzhao look unfavorably upon Shen Linfeng: "Brother-in-law, I only have this one sister. She is younger than you, and she usually fears we will find out if she is not living well. If I hadn't heard it elsewhere, I wouldn't have known about this."

Shen Linfeng quickly stood and bowed, "Brother-in-law, it is my fault that my lady suffered."

"Don't just say it with your mouth; you must truly protect my sister. If this happens again, I am not without the means to take her back home. My sister is talented and beautiful, to be honest, suitors have worn down the threshold of our house." Yan Jingzhao, seeing his sister sitting quietly, could not help but stand up for her.

Shen Linfeng naturally understood and immediately apologized.

Yao Niang then invited Li Shi into the inner chamber. Li Shi, now in charge of the household, seemed less timid than before. She held Yao Niang's hand and asked, "Is my sister-in-law alright?"

"I'm fine now. Their madam's daily greetings are not enough; she makes me serve the dishes. At first, it was fine, I could move a few chopsticks and return. Later, I had to serve an entire meal, sometimes they had just finished eating, and I still had to come back to eat, and if there were guests, I had to stand again," Yao Niang complained to Li Shi.

Li Shi was amazed, "How could it be like that?"

"Yes, I thought Father and Mother were not in the capital, so I endured it. But Sister-in-law, you must understand, it was the coldest part of winter, and my period came. I couldn't hold on any longer," Yao Niang shook her head.

Li Shi remembered when she first married, how considerate her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law were. Even during the first month of following the rules, she only had to stand and pass a pair of chopsticks, serve a few dishes, and then her mother-in-law would let her go back. After a month, she didn't even have to pay respects every day.

She never imagined her sister-in-law would have such a hard time. "Little sister, what is the situation now?"

Yao Niang replied, "Perhaps because I fainted last time and caused a commotion, my mother-in-law doesn't dare to torment me openly anymore. Recently, it has been better, no need to worry, Sister-in-law."

"How can I not worry?" Li Shi felt heartache just hearing about it.

But Li Shi had no real solution. Not to mention Lady Shen, even Lady Wen was a formidable person who treated her daughters-in-law very strictly, causing much friction among the Wen family's daughters-in-law.

But worrying was of no use, just as Yao Niang had long known that her life depended on herself.

"Sister-in-law, stay for a meal today. The food at the Shen residence is quite good," Yao Niang smiled and instructed Qingdai to add a few more dishes to the kitchen order.

While Li Shi watched Yao Niang give instructions, she observed her surroundings. Indeed, the place was opulent yet elegant, with a spacious courtyard, and the Shen family was indeed one of the wealthiest clans in Wu Xing.

The sisters-in-law dined in the inner chamber, while Shen Linfeng entertained Yan Jingzhao, specially inviting Shen Linqing and Shen Linjiang to join them. Yan Jingzhao was known for his heavy drinking and exceptional talent, lacking nothing in skill or ability, and thus despised mediocre people. Even his own brother, Yan Jingzhang, he considered hopeless and a lost cause.

Naturally, Yan Jingzhao maintained basic courtesy, but his haughty demeanor made Shen Linqing and Shen Linjiang brothers dislike him.

Shen Linfeng, of course, noticed this and said to Yan Jingzhao, "Brother-in-law, I hear Grandfather is also going to the capital for his duties. My lady misses Grandfather dearly; perhaps we can invite him over when the time comes."

"Difficult, difficult, difficult," Yan Jingzhao knew his grandfather very well.

To speak of governance, his father had one approach, and his grandfather had another.

Father relied on guessing the emperor's will and maintained a clear stream to balance the court, in essence, he could be an excellent paperhanger. But my grandfather was the type who served his lord with integrity; despite having reached the pinnacle of officialdom, he still suppressed powerful factions and punished corrupt officials.

Shen Linjiang, puzzled, said: "What do you mean? Mr. Zhushan has always been revered by our generation."

Yan Jingzhao smiled: "My grandfather’s visit to the capital for his report must have kept many people awake at night."

Nowadays, young people generally only know that Yan Mai is an old minister, and also a capable one, even knowing his fondness for writing poems about bamboo, hence his title as Mr. Zhushan.

Shen Linfeng then said: "State affairs are beyond our reach to discuss; we are merely minor officials now. If we can learn some experience from the elders, it would be best."

After saying this, he took a steamed bun, broke it in half, and handed it to Yan Jingzhao: "Try it, it’s made with cow’s milk and leavened dough, very chewy."

Yan Jingzhao took it and said: "We have a skilled cook who specializes in phoenix fish, who came with my sister when she married into your family. Have you tasted her phoenix fish?"

Shen Linfeng, of course, couldn’t admit he hadn’t, so he said: "There will surely be an opportunity to taste it in the future."

After several rounds of drinks, Yan Jingzhao was ready to leave. Shen Linfeng tried to keep him, but he said: "I have two friends from Jin Ling, I need to entertain them."

Shen Linjiang, curious, asked: "I wonder who they are, to receive such hospitality from Brother Boying."

"One is my good friend Master Gu Si, who is here for the imperial examination this year, and the other is here for academic studies." He didn’t mention Zhou Lingguang’s name.

Shen Linjiang, well-connected, said: "Is it not Gu Guan, one of the twin walls of Jin Ling? His poetry has the style of Liu Sanbian, fresh and elegant."

Yan Jingzhao, surprised, said: "I didn’t expect you to know about our talented men from Jin Ling. After he finishes the exam, I will definitely invite you to meet him."

Shen Linjiang gladly accepted the invitation. Shen Linqing, claiming to be the eldest son of the third house, had far less social skills than his younger brother and was less likable. He left the banquet early, sulking at home.

When Shen Linfeng returned to rest, Yao Niang first brought him honey water: "Drinking can make you feel unwell; drink this to sober up and avoid a headache."

Shen Linfeng struggled to get up but was held down by Yao Niang, "Don’t get up, I’ll feed you."

As she fed him the honey water, she said: "My elder sister-in-law is pregnant and suffering from severe morning sickness, unable to eat anything. I ended up eating most of the dishes myself."

"Does your stomach hurt?" Shen Linfeng asked, his eyes blurred from alcohol.

Yao Niang laughed: "No, because my appetite has increased. Drink quickly, after you finish, I need to go to Mother-in-law. My family sent some venison, and I need to distribute some to each household."

The Yan family has an estate in the outskirts of the capital. This year, all members of the main house returned home for mourning, while the third house in the capital had more than enough food, so Li Shi sent over venison, deer, roe deer, and mutton.

Yao Niang’s every word and action followed the example of the Jie family, no one ever criticized her; living in a large family, one must not be stingy.

The Yan family was very considerate, already slaughtering the meat. Yao Niang came and said: "Madam, my elder brother and sister-in-law specially asked me to bring this to you for nourishment. This venison is from a horse deer, known to tonify the spleen and treat weakness."

Madam Shen smiled: "Thank your family on my behalf; they always think of us."

"It’s what we should do; the gifts we send during festivals are also arranged by Madam," Yao Niang said.

Madam Shen added: "It’s natural for families to exchange visits."

"Yes, I will take my leave now," Yao Niang saw Shen Mo coming and excused herself first.

Shen Mo’s marriage was the most pressing concern for Madam Shen. After Yao Niang left, Madam Shen flipped through the match-making cards sent by the matchmakers.

Shen Mo glanced outside: "Why did Sister-in-law come?"

"She came to tell me that her family sent some venison and other meats," Madam Shen said casually.

Shen Mo replied: "Our Shen family lacks nothing; why go to such lengths to send them over?"

She paid no heed to these matters and said, "I only heard that Yan Jingzhao gave Brother a severe scolding, even blaming him. If it weren't for Brother insisting on marrying the Yan family's daughter at the time, who in our family couldn't have married her?"

Lady Shen could not bear to hear such things, but with her reputation for mistreating her daughter-in-law spreading, she feared others would make a fuss if she acted now.

However, she also told her daughter, "Your sister-in-law has a good relationship with the Lady of the Marquis of Tranquil Sea. This Lady Liu often hosts flower banquets, which I've heard have led to several matches, though she doesn't arrange them easily. You should visit her more often and let her take you out. These days belong to the young; I am old, and I don't find any of these invitations appealing."

Shen Mo was somewhat displeased but said, "Cousin Han is about to come of age, and she is actually older than your sister-in-law. Perhaps you should worry about her first."

The Han family had sent their daughter over with this very intention. Han Ruohua was her niece from her natal family, who should have been easy to marry off, even to her own son without issue, but Shen Linfeng had already taken a wife.

Lady Shen naturally had another idea: "I will handle your cousin's matter as I see fit."

Uncle Shen from the Third Branch was about to return. It was said that his first three sons were all legitimate, except the third son, who remained unmarried, making him a suitable match. Uncle Shen was still young and had a promising career. If Han Ruohua could marry into his family, it would be a union of close relatives.

Speaking of which, Yao Niang then went to the Second Branch to visit Lady Shen Er. Lady Shen Er saw her bring eight wicker baskets, tied with red ribbons, all containing premium meat, and repeatedly thanked her.

Lady Shen Er's household was entirely different from Lady Shen's. In Lady Shen Er's room, apart from a small mirror on the dressing table, there wasn't even a full-length mirror. Lady Shen, on the other hand, had a large full-length mirror, along with round and handheld mirrors on her table.

Yao Niang lowered her eyes, "If you like it, Second Lady, it's nothing special. It was just sent from my natal home, so I brought it over."

In reality, when Lady Shen Er and Yao Niang exchanged glances, all the words she wanted to say were left unsaid. This girl was sharp and not easily deceived. Yao Niang had noticed several times that Lady Shen Er tried to set traps, whether intentionally or casually. They guarded against each other, yet their interactions remained polite.

But Lady Shen Er's evaluation of Yao Niang was higher than Lady Shen's: "They say the Yan family is a prominent noble house. When we met the eldest and fourth daughters of the Yan family, we thought their girls were nothing special. Now, looking at this third daughter, she cannot be underestimated."

Mama Qian agreed wholeheartedly: "What kind of person is the Eldest Master? He didn't show much interest in the eldest Yan daughter back then, valuing only the match between families. But with this third daughter, he can't seem to move forward, captivated by her. Although her methods are naive, being able to hold onto her husband in the inner chambers and stand up to her mother-in-law is no small feat."

Lady Shen Er glanced at Mama Qian, "Uncle Shen from the Third Branch is about to report to the capital. I heard this marriage was arranged by him; he truly knows how to please people."

"Third Master has always been clever, but what does that matter? None of his sons amount to anything, while our Young Master Yan is excellent."

Mentioning her son, Lady Shen Er smiled, "He is indeed excellent, but someone stands in his way, preventing him from advancing." After saying this, she looked at Mama Qian again, "Why does Lady Han have such good fortune? She is the cherished daughter-in-law of her in-laws, while I am the one who married above my station. My eldest son favored her, and when my child died of a high fever, Lady Han was busy taking care of her own son, sending all the doctors to treat him, while my son died of the fever."

Thinking of this made her cry. Everyone assumed Shen Bangyan was an only son, but in fact, Shen Bangyan and Shen Linfeng were both second sons.

Mama Qian sighed softly and handed her a handkerchief, "Second Lady, don't be sad. Your Second Master has always been filial and intelligent; he may not be worse off than those from the First Branch in the future."

"It's difficult. Linfeng is already a Compiler in the Imperial Academy. I never expected that after the humiliation of eloping, he would become even more determined," Lady Shen Er narrowed her eyes.

Mama Qian looked at Lady Shen Er, "What should we do next?"

Lady Shen Er replied, "We'll act when the opportunity arises. Without a chance, we shouldn't move rashly. By the way, there are a few mischievous little devils around Young Master Yan. Go and warn them. If they don't listen, drive them away directly; we can't let them corrupt the young master."

Mama Qian hesitantly agreed.

After delivering the gifts to the two sisters-in-law in the Third Branch, Yao Niang returned to her room. Her willingness to make the trip was partly to slim down, as she really didn't want to gain weight.

Actually, being a bit plump isn't bad, but she loved beauty.

Upon returning, Shen Linfeng was sleeping soundly. Looking at his peaceful face, Yao Niang leaned down and kissed him. Thinking he was deeply asleep, she didn't expect him to turn over and smile after her kiss.

Worried he might not sleep well, she began singing a lullaby, one that the Jie family used to sing when she was a child. Because of her musical talent, she was skilled at singing lullabies.

"Twenty-four seasonal winds, three periods per season, marking auspicious times. On Minor Cold, plum blossoms bloom, followed by camellias and narcissus. By Major Cold, fragrant orchids and mountain azaleas grace the scene. At the Start of Spring, winter jasmine heralds warmth, with cherry and spring flowers blooming..."

Listening to the lullaby and feeling her gentle pats, Shen Linfeng fell asleep again.

Seeing he was truly asleep, Yao Niang moved to the side room to copy scriptures. Copying scriptures had two benefits: it helped her practice calligraphy and allowed her to give them away.

With the imperial examinations approaching, Yan Jingzhao was entertaining Gu Si and Zhou Lingguang. Gu Si and Yan Jingzhao had been friends for years, maintaining correspondence. This meeting between them was particularly emotional.

"Fourth Brother."

"Eldest Young Master."

Zhou Lingguang said from the side, "Have you two forgotten about me?"

Yan Jingzhao quickly hugged Zhou Lingguang and said, "How could we? I've already had my wife prepare the guest room. You can both stay at my place. My parents are in mourning, and my sister has already married, so feel free to stay."

The three of them laughed heartily, but Fourth Brother Gu pretended nonchalantly, "Has Miss Yan San already married? We should have prepared a gift if we knew."

"She was married before the New Year last year. The Shen family needed someone urgently, so they took her." Yan Jingzhao sounded a bit regretful. In fact, his friend Fourth Brother Gu would have been an excellent son-in-law. If Yao Niang hadn't been betrothed to the Shen family, he would have considered Gu as well.

Though Gu sometimes acted recklessly, he was very emotional and a good friend, much better than that old witch, Lady Shen.

It was pointless to dwell on these things now, so he let it go.

Fourth Brother Gu asked, "The Shen family? Is it the Wu Xing Shen clan?"

"Yes, my brother-in-law is now a compiler at the Imperial Academy. He's a year younger than me but very talented. I'll invite a few of the Shen family's young masters to meet you in a few days," Yan Jingzhao smiled.

Fourth Brother Gu had seen Yao Niang playing the zither at Yan Jingzhao's wedding years ago. She was still young then, and he was afraid of offending her. He hoped to pass the imperial exams or gain some official title before proposing, but he never expected she was already married.

Zhou Lingguang understood and said to Yan Jingzhao, "I won't be staying here. I have an aunt in the capital who treats me like her own son. I can't refuse her kindness."

If she really cared, why did she ignore him for so many years? Zhou Lingguang's living expenses were all covered by the Yan family. Yan Jingzhao wanted to persuade him but remembered his father's advice to stay out of Zhou Lingguang's affairs. So, he patted his shoulder and said, "Since you say so, I won't insist. But if you need anything, don't forget me."

"How could I? Without the Yan family, where would I be today?" Zhou Lingguang raised his cup.

Yan Jingzhao and Fourth Brother Gu also raised their cups.

Although Fourth Brother Gu felt bitter inside, he was a man who could let things go. He hoped Miss Yan San would have a happy and harmonious life.

Zhou Lingguang used to have a good relationship with Yan Ningxin. When she was secretly sent back to the family temple, he even visited her once. He didn't have romantic feelings for her but considered her a friendly person in the Yan family.

He learned she was sent to the family temple because she tried to escape her marriage. The people in the family temple treated her very strictly. Although the Yan family provided enough food and clothing, they didn't value her, so the people in the family temple didn't treat Yan Ningxin well. Zhou Lingguang once brought her a roasted chicken as a token of their friendship.

He never expected that Miss Yan San would replace her sister and marry into the Shen family.

"Boying, did your sister marry Shen Linfeng?" Zhou Lingguang suddenly asked.

Yan Jingzhao nodded, "Who else? The next leader of the Shen family treats my sister like a treasure. It's just that his mother isn't very kind to her. My sister has to pay respects morning and evening in the snow, and she has to stand and entertain guests all day long, even when she's not feeling well."

Yes, when I visit the Shen family, I see Shen Linfeng treating my sister like a doll. His mother is old and doesn't show herself to outsiders, but how can I not speak up about her cruel ways?

But since he was talking to two men, neither of whom liked gossip, they instead consoled him, "Brother Boying, try to be more open-minded."

Yan Jingzhao then joined them in drinking.

After Zhou Lingguang left, Fourth Brother Gu stayed at the Yan residence. Yan Jingzhao invited Shen Linjiang and Shen Linfeng over for drinks. Shen Linfeng admired Fourth Brother Gu's talent and specially invited him to visit.

Yao Niang borrowed the kitchen and had her four attendants prepare a full table of dishes.

Since they were all close friends, Yao Niang personally served a roasted suckling pig. This dish required careful preparation: selecting a six- to seven-pound piglet, roasting it slowly over charcoal until golden brown, and then applying milk and butter under the skin while continuing to roast.

Shen Linfeng recognized immediately that this roasted pig was specially made for him. At twenty, he still had his wife sing him to sleep and think of him constantly. How fortunate he must be!

When Yan Jingzhao saw his sister enter and place her hand on Shen Linfeng's shoulder, and Shen Linfeng smiling warmly, it was clear they were a loving couple. It was the first time Fourth Brother Gu saw Yao Niang as an adult; she was even more beautiful than before. Now, seeing Shen Linfeng, who was around his age, with his fair complexion and deep eyes, he seemed almost divine. When he spoke, he was like the warm autumn sun, a bright and charming young man. They were a perfect match, and he could only offer his blessings.

"Brother, Fourth Brother Gu, please enjoy your meal. I've had the flower-carved wine warmed, so do drink to your heart's content," Yao Niang smiled.

Fourth Brother Gu hurriedly returned the courtesy. Shen Linfeng noticed that although Fourth Brother Gu appeared calm, his ears were slightly red. He wasn't stupid, especially when it came to Yao Niang. He was always extra cautious and protective of her, even wary of being alone with Commander Liu, let alone others.

But this feeling was too unfamiliar to him, and he didn't know how to express it.

That day, when Yan Jingzhao brought Fourth Brother Gu to visit, Lady Shen had already heard the news. She couldn't help but call Shen Mo over and said, "The Gu family is also a prominent family in Jin Ling. I knew Fourth Brother Gu's aunt when we were young. He is handsome and talented, having passed the provincial exams at twenty. Your brother says that even if he doesn't pass this year, he will definitely pass next year. He is still unmarried, and I think this young Master Gu is quite suitable."