Chapter 88

Shen Linfeng had once seen the two men, Yan Da and Yan Er, who accompanied Yao Niang in Kaifeng. They were big and strong, and their strikes were precise and deadly. Yao Niang, who usually couldn't sleep after reading ghost stories and was afraid of the dark, now sat majestically above, ordering someone to be dragged out for punishment, exuding an air of authority that belied any pretense of weakness.

"This Wangu, she is never to set foot in our main house again." If she were in the Yan family, she would have been expelled long ago for daring to smash the kitchen, truly going too far.

Wangu now regretted her actions bitterly, never expecting this young matriarch to be so tough.

Lady Jiang of the second house was waiting for breakfast, but it didn't come despite her waiting. Hungry, she heard a commotion outside. A group approached, led by Gu Mama, a servant of the Yan family. Gu Mama bowed deeply and said, "Second Lady, your servant recklessly stormed into our mansion yesterday and smashed our kitchen. Today, she tried to force her way in again, claiming you ordered her to do so. Our matriarch said anyone who falsely accuses their master must not be good. Seeing her mouth spewing filth, she was punished further."

"Yes, Second Lady. Our matriarch said since the two families have been separated for days, how could you not know? It must be the mischief of this little slave. Even if it were someone else, they would have to pay three to five hundred taels for breaking things in the kitchen and then be handed over to Shun Tian Prefecture for punishment. What about Wei Wuji back then? Wasn't he also exiled?" Qingdai added with a smile.

To be honest, Qingdai felt the Yan family handled personnel matters much better than the Shen family. The wet nurse of Master Yan Jingzhao dared to give someone a dose of castor beans and was driven to hang herself. Not to mention Wei Wuji, who abducted the eldest daughter, even though he was the son of a military governor, he was severely punished by the Yan family, receiving eighty lashes and being exiled.

Lady Shao never expected the situation to escalate to this point. She thought that even if the Yans were unhappy, what could they do, given that it was her mother-in-law's order.

But now, seeing the grand display, she could only clutch her belly and cry out in pain. Gu Mama had Wangu untied and continued, "Yesterday, we were concerned about your condition, so our matriarch held back."

"Yes, Second Lady, such a person must be severely punished," Qingdai added.

Gu Mama genuinely feared something might happen to Lady Shao's belly, so she quickly pulled Qingdai away. When they returned to the mansion and reported to Yao Niang, they mentioned Lady Shao's condition.

Yao Niang said, "She went to someone else's house and smashed the kitchen. Now she clutches her belly for what? She isn't carrying Shen Linfeng's child or anything special. I won't fall for her tricks."

Coincidentally, Lady Shao lay in bed all afternoon. When Shen Linjiang returned, she burst into tears, complaining, "She's trying to intimidate me. She beat my people and scared me. We're sisters-in-law; how can she treat me like this? I've suffered, you must stand up for me."

Shen Linjiang found it hard to believe and asked, "Aren't you on good terms with the Yans?"

"I don't know why she's acting so imperiously here," Lady Shao wiped her tears.

Shen Linjiang called Wangu in and, seeing her face swollen from the beating, demanded, "Tell me everything that happened, word for word. If there's a single lie, I won't spare you."

Wangu, feeling she had support from her master, began by saying she rushed in to say the matriarch sent them for food and was beaten.

"Who was present when the matriarch spoke?" Shen Linjiang quickly grasped the key issue.

Wangu thought for a moment, "Master was sitting beside the matriarch during the meal."

"Did he say anything?" Shen Linjiang knew if something serious happened, he would deal with Shen Linfeng, not his sister-in-law. Besides, the Yans were ruthless, and Lady Shao was no match for them.

After a long pause, Wangu replied, "Master didn't say a word. Only at the end did the matriarch ask him to check the kitchen. That's when I noticed him there. He came back saying the dishes I broke were from the official kilns of Ruyao, worth three hundred taels. The matriarch said it was bad luck to be related to such people and warned against damaging their belongings, lest they turn around and accuse us."

Shen Linjiang was stunned, pointing at her, "You really went and smashed their kitchen?"

Lady Shao chimed in, "Before, when the servants of the second house complained about the food, didn't they also cause trouble? The elder matriarch just had the kitchen improve the meals. We know these cooks are cunning, favoring some over others."

"You're foolish. The elder matriarch left yesterday, leaving the management to the eldest sister-in-law. She just took charge; how could she tolerate such insolence?" Shen Linjiang scolded, then sent someone to inquire how the other houses were handling the situation.

The messenger returned and reported, "The second house is already building a new stove. Yesterday, the second lady hosted several tables at Chunfeng Man Yue Tower and sent some food to our lady. The eldest lady's side sent out servants to buy food, and the third lady bought many snacks."

Lady Shao was taken aback. It seemed no one except her went to the main house for meals.

No wonder the Yans dared to confront her.

**

Shen Linfeng worried all morning, thinking if anyone came, he would protect Yao Niang. But nothing happened, and there were no reports of problems with Lady Shao's belly or of them coming to settle accounts with Yao Niang.

"Yao Niang, why haven't they come yet?" Shen Linfeng asked as Yao Niang recorded accounts.

Yao Niang smiled, "If they come, I'll argue with them for three days and nights. I'm not afraid of them. Don't worry, together we can handle anything."

Someone must have been sowing discord, leading to Lady Shao's troubles, and the blame fell on her. She had no choice but to go and make a scene.

Lady Shen Er never expected Yao Niang to be so bold. In a large family, even if there were disagreements, they would always maintain a good appearance; no one acted like her. Indeed, she had a wolfish heart, not fearing that Lady Shao’s child might fall. Yes, even the pregnant Lady Shao couldn't gain an advantage over her, let alone others.

Following this, Yao Niang patrolled the night for three consecutive days, severely punishing those found gambling, flogging them and sending them away. She then promoted those she deemed capable, causing a state of high alert throughout the main house.

However, the servants' food was noticeably improved, and their workload decreased. The main house had only two masters: Yao Niang and Shen Linfeng. Shen Linfeng was often at the government office, and Yao Niang was not a meddlesome person.

Whenever the servants raised any issues, she always had a solution ready. Her actions were fair, and in just a few days of managing the household, she received much praise.

Shen Linfeng eagerly introduced his friends, Lin Long, Qin Shubai, and Fang Sui, to her. Yao Niang had already instructed the kitchen to prepare a grand feast, with a variety of dishes both from land and sea.

Yao Niang also came out to meet the three men. Shen Linfeng introduced them, saying, "My lady, let me introduce my good friends. This is Master Lin Long."

"Master Lin." Yao Niang bowed. She saw that Lin Long had slender eyebrows and long eyes, with a cunning look, his clothes worn thin but his face showing no sign of distress. He seemed to be a straightforward and talented gentleman, likely around thirty years old.

Qin Shubai, on the other hand, had a strikingly handsome appearance. Yao Niang learned from Shen Linfeng that he originally came from a merchant family but entered government service, passing the imperial examination in the same year as Shen Linfeng. He now held a position in the Ministry of Works. This man was quite adept at socializing, presenting her with a generous gift upon their first meeting.

"Thank you, Master Qin." Yao Niang had the gifts taken away, treating everyone equally.

The last one was Fang Sui, a very young man, descendant of the famous minister Fang Yuan, residing in the capital and fond of eloquent discussions, keeping many scholars who enjoyed such conversations.

These three were all very courteous. Yao Niang said, "It's your first visit, and I didn't know what you liked, so I prepared a bit more. Next time, I'll see which dishes are finished and know your tastes."

They all declined, and Yao Niang said to Shen Linfeng, "Stay and enjoy the meal with them; I'll take my leave."

Seeing Yao Niang's noble demeanor and proper etiquette, everyone praised Shen Linfeng, who couldn't stop praising her: "She's perfect for me. The sachets and handkerchiefs I carry are all embroidered by her, and she's the most considerate."

Lin Long took a sip of wine, "What fine wine, indeed."

"This was given to my lady's grandfather by someone else, and he shared some with us," Shen Linfeng said proudly.

The four of them engaged in lively conversation. Qin Shubai toasted Shen Linfeng, "This cup is to you, Brother Shen. If it weren't for your recommendation, I wouldn't have met Chancellor Yan so quickly, nor would I have been retained in the Ministry of Works as a probationary scholar-official."

Shen Linfeng waved his hand, "It's also because of your talent."

Qin Shubai, considering Shen Linfeng's future, said, "Now, although you are a compiler, how long will you spend editing histories? It would be better to serve in the cabinet early. If a cabinet minister notices you, your prospects are boundless."

"I've considered what you said, but it's not that easy. Our Imperial Academy has many talents, and it's hard for my turn to come. Being a compiler is already better than many, and my rank is the same as the top scholar of our cohort," Shen Linfeng replied.

Qin Shubai waved his hand, "Brother Shen, in officialdom, it's said that the old are deceived, not the young. I know you're concerned about your age, but being young, if you strive now, it will show. But as the saying goes, in officialdom, not advancing means retreating. Think about it carefully."

Among his three friends, Lin Long excelled in esoteric arts and mechanical devices, while Fang Sui could boost his voice in daily life. Only Qin Shubai, from a merchant family, was both wise and ambitious, aiming to climb the ranks in the bureaucracy.

Shen Linfeng took their words to heart and invited them to continue eating and drinking.

Yao Niang, seeing the gifts from these three, noted that Lin Long gave her a delicate sleeve arrow, Fang Sui gave her spices and tea, and Qin Shubai gave her fashionable fabrics, boxes of jade flowers, and two suckling pigs and two jars of Jinhua wine.

"They all have their hearts in the right place. Store these gifts properly," Yao Niang said.

Qingdai and the others put everything away. Yao Niang made no comments about Shen Linfeng's friends, observing them quietly. She wanted to see if these three were worth befriending.

Unaware of all this, Shen Linfeng drank and laughed with them, enjoying himself thoroughly. After they were all drunk, Yao Niang ordered the coachman to safely send them home.

As they were being supported out, Shen Bangyan and Shen Linjiang saw them. Shen Bangyan, who knew what had happened before, couldn't help but say, "Brother really has a wide circle of acquaintances."

"Yes, that Qin from a merchant family, if not for Linfeng's help, how could he stay in the capital and become a chief clerk in the Ministry of Works?" Shen Linjiang knew the ins and outs of these matters.

Shen Bangyan smiled, "No wonder Grandmother didn't agree to Brother marrying a woman from the Yan family. His insistence on marrying her truly showed foresight."

Shen Linjiang, upon hearing this, felt that there was something odd about Shen Bangyan's words. After all, in the past, Shen Bangyan often looked up to Shen Linfeng as a role model. But the world and human relationships were like this.

Soon it was Yao Niang's birthday. Shen Er's wife sent Wang Shi over with a basket of longevity peaches, a pocket watch, and from the Third House, Lu Shaner sent a pair of sachets and a pair of shoes. The eldest lady of the Qing family sent two bolts of colored silk and two bottles of premium clear dew. Originally, Lady Jiang and Yao Niang had the best relationship, and she would specially invite Yao Niang over for her birthday. Now, after their recent quarrel, she couldn't bring herself to do so.

She also saw Han Ruohua, who lived opposite her, having people carry birthday gifts to the main house. Nangu went out to take a look and came back saying, "Lady Yun from the Third House sent a basket of Yu bamboo noodles and prepared two boxes of milk cakes."

"These people's gifts aren't much!" Shao Shi said irritably.

Nangu replied, "How can they compare to you?"

Shao Shi's uncle held a high office, and her family was well-off, which was why Lady Shen helped Shen Linjiang marry her. But now that they had all gone, she couldn't go herself. Shao Shi lay down to sleep, deciding that she would start to cultivate better relations with these sisters-in-law in the future.

Besides the members of the Shen family, even Li Shi, who was heavily pregnant, came over. The wife of the Deputy Minister of Revenue, Lady Li, also arrived, along with Lady Liu, who brought Shan'er and her mother, Lady Du, the wife of the Minister of Rites. Not to mention Grandfather Yan, the old Minister, who came personally, as well as the wives of Qin Shubai and Fang Sui, and the wives of Shen Linfeng's close colleagues.

Yao Niang couldn't help but laugh, "It was just a small birthday celebration, but I didn't expect everyone to come. It truly overwhelms me."

"Why be surprised? Yao Niang, look at the hairpin I gave you. I know you're not holding a coming-of-age ceremony, but I still wanted to give you something," Li Shi said, specifically supporting her younger sister-in-law.

Yao Niang opened it and found a gold hairpin inlaid with turquoise. Turquoise was not easy to obtain, so she quickly said, "Thank you, Sister-in-law. With your large belly, you still came for my birthday, it's really..."

Lady Du and Lady Li knew each other. Seeing Li Shi's actions, Lady Du couldn't help but say, "As the saying goes, an elder sister is like a mother, and this is exactly what it means."

Lady Li thought of her daughter and son-in-law, who had been married not long ago, but the son-in-law was demoted to a county magistrate. Fortunately, the Yan family understood and allowed her to return to her natal home to recuperate. When she was at the Li residence, only her sister-in-law, who had married into the Shen family, frequently visited, always bringing many things. The relationship between the two sisters-in-law was extraordinary.

The young wives of the Shen family, standing nearby, hadn't expected Yao Niang to have such strong connections. Although she emphasized a simple gathering, today's guests included the wives of high-ranking officials, such as the wife of the Marquis of Jinghai and the wife of Commander Liu.

Yao Niang, amidst all this, introduced everyone, "Lady Liu, you are from Changyang in Nan Zhili, don't you know that Lady Qin is also from Changyang? In fact, you share a hometown connection."

Lady Qin, originally the wife of a merchant, was often ridiculed by the wives of officials when her husband was not yet successful. Now, with her husband's career being promoted by Shen Bianxiu, although she received only a few words of encouragement from Lady Shen, she felt immensely grateful.

After introducing everyone, Yao Niang invited them to taste the fruit wine: "My family has brewed lychee wine, plum wine, and coconut wine. Although they are ordinary, if you taste them, you will find them different from others."

Wang Shi, skilled in cooking, took a sip of the coconut wine and said, "Ordinary coconut wine is made by natural fermentation of coconut juice without yeast, which already tastes good, but this one is even more fragrant."

"Because it's mixed with citron, making it both fragrant and fresh, without a strong alcohol taste," Yao Niang explained.

Everyone saw that despite her youth, Yao Niang spoke eloquently and cleverly, and they couldn't help but nod in agreement. Lady Liu, of course, had more private matters to discuss with Yao Niang. After entertaining everyone in the flower hall, she used the excuse of changing clothes to speak with Lady Liu, "Do you have something to tell me?"

"How could I not? You will consummate your marriage tonight, remember not to be shy. You are still young, so don't let him exhaust you too much," Lady Liu said.

Yao Niang blushed but nodded slightly.

Then, she invited everyone to watch a play. On the table, fresh water lilies and various fruits, drinks, and snacks were arranged, making everything very considerate.

Lady Du looked at Yao Niang and said, "You are young, but you handle things very well. I see that the servants in your household are orderly."

Yao Niang's dowry servants were originally a simple four departments and six bureaus. This time, she drafted the menu and added more staff, making everything run smoothly. But such hard work was not worth mentioning to outsiders.

On the other side, Han Ruohua suddenly became more perceptive, actively pouring wine, serving tea, and chatting. Wang Shi, seeing Han Ruohua's actions, immediately followed suit. Yao Niang was happy to let them show off, occasionally praising them, which made them even more enthusiastic.

Outside, Shen Linfeng was sitting with Minister Du, Deputy Minister Li, and Yan Mai, while Lin Long, Qin Shubai, Fang Sui, and the Shen family's descendants accompanied them with drinks. He also told everyone, "Commander Liu will be here today."

Yan Mai smiled, "He's coming too? Minister Du, your son-in-law is quite intimidating, but he did secure a good opportunity for my granddaughter. If there are similar matters in the future, involve my granddaughter more. Although she is not a famous painter, she has a photographic memory and can paint anyone she has seen vividly."

"Is there really such a talented person in the world?" Minister Du stroked his beard, puzzled.

Shen Linfeng laughed, "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it either."

Minister Du looked at Yan Mai and said, "To have such a talented daughter in your family, it's truly enviable."

"Never say that. My granddaughter told me that your daughter has been very kind to her. In the future, we can consider our families as close friends, what do you think?" Yan Mai laughed heartily.

Du Shangshu came from a humble background and found it hard to stand alone in the official circles. Although his son-in-law was Liu Zhishi, if he could associate with a family like the Yans, it would certainly be beneficial. Li Shilang, on the other hand, was in a precarious position since he had been promoted by the Gong family, and now that Vice Premier Gong was gone, his status was likely to become even more unstable.

The political arena is like this; one move affects everything.

Shen Linfeng personally poured wine for the elders. He was open-minded, highly talented, and wise. Elders particularly liked young men like him, and Du Shangshu even asked his son to seek advice from Shen Linfeng, who modestly declined.

Yan Mai looked very pleased and, upon hearing Shen Linfeng mention that Lin Long was skilled in mechanical engineering, immediately asked several questions, unable to resist praising, "Our Ministry of Works is in dire need of talents like you. After the banquet today, why don't you come to my residence for a detailed discussion?"

Shen Linfeng had been trying to recruit Lin Long for a long time, but never expected him to be recruited so quickly by his wife's grandfather. He couldn't refuse, but Yan Mai and Lin Long were having a pleasant conversation. Lin Long then looked at Yan Mai and said, "Old Sir, I am honored by your praise, but after helping you, I still need to return to Shen Bianxiu."

Yan Mai glanced at his grandson-in-law, "My grandson-in-law is busy with textual research in the Imperial Academy and probably doesn't need you much. Why don't you follow me? There will surely be a bright future ahead."

Lin Long shook his head, "Although Brother Shen is younger than me, he once saved me from a dire situation and promised to provide for me for life. I appreciate your kindness, Old Sir, but I must decline."

"Alright, alright, I'll just take you back from my grandson-in-law later. My grandson-in-law is born into wealth and can easily support you." Yan Mai waved his hand and gave up on taking Lin Long from his grandson-in-law.

The young men of the Shen family watched enviously. Shen Linfeng was only twenty years old, already a compiler in the Imperial Academy, with followers, and he was the center of attention at the banquet.

As they were chatting and laughing, someone outside announced that Liu Zhishi had come to deliver an imperial edict. Shen Linfeng quickly had the incense altar prepared and invited Yao Niang out.

Yao Niang came out from the inner room and knelt with Shen Linfeng to receive the imperial edict.

"Your servant, Lady Yan, greets His Majesty and wishes him a long reign." Yao Niang bowed deeply.

Liu Ji smiled, "His Majesty is well."

"To Lady Yan, born of noble lineage, virtuous and harmonious, who has greatly assisted the Imperial Academy compiler Shen Linfeng, we hereby confer upon you the rank of Sixth Rank Lady and grant your son special permission to enter the National University. This is by imperial decree."

Yao Niang bowed again, feeling excited. She helped her mother obtain a court rank, and now she herself could also bestow benefits on her descendants. If only she could be granted an official title herself, but being honored in such a way today was already a great privilege.

Without further ado about the ceremony, the arrival of Liu Zhishi pushed the banquet to its climax. Yao Niang realized that Liu Ji actually had a good sense of humor and whispered with Shen Linfeng, though she didn't know what they were talking about.

After the banquet, the guests dispersed.

Yao Niang met Shen Linfeng and asked, "What did Liu Zhishi say to you just now?"

"Not much, actually. Without these external titles, I think everyone is quite nice. Liu Zhishi knows I practice the Jingchu long sword and discussed some techniques with me. Your grandfather jokingly suggested that I protect him alongside Liu Zhishi," Shen Linfeng said with a sigh.

Yao Niang couldn't help but laugh, "You're always talking about others. Have you thought about what you want to do today?"

Shen Linfeng suddenly blushed, naturally thinking about it all the time.