In Ciyou Courtyard, Shen Yunshu, already dressed and adorned, sat upright in the main hall with her sleeves gathered, waiting for Pei Huaian.
After they returned from Junzhi Courtyard last night, Shen Yunshu had written the Letter of Separation as agreed and handed it to him for safekeeping.
He had tucked the Letter of Separation away and slept in the side chamber, leaving the main bedroom to her.
Worried about Third Sister, she had not slept all night, rising at dawn to wash and dress. She had now been waiting in the hall for over two quarters of an hour.
Seeing that it was getting late, Shen Yunshu had to send Tinglan to hurry him along.
Shortly after, Tinglan returned in a fluster: “Miss, I didn’t see the Seventh Young Master in the side chamber. I asked the cleaning maid, who said someone saw Seventh Young Master leaving with Qing Wu before daybreak…”
Huh?
Hadn’t they agreed last night? She had even given him the Letter of Separation—why was he running off now?
Though puzzled, Shen Yunshu reminded herself that theirs was merely a false marriage. She already felt guilty for delaying him a year for her own selfish reasons and had no right to discipline him.
“Never mind. It doesn’t matter if he’s not here. We’ll go to the front courtyard ourselves to pay respects to the elders.”
At this time, the elders of the Pei family had gathered in the flower hall. Due to the chaos of the bride-switching incident the previous night, aside from the Second Branch, Old Madam Pei and the elders of the First and Third Branches had slept poorly, dark circles under their eyes and weary expressions.
Shen Yunshu’s solitary arrival inevitably drew questions from the elders. After she answered truthfully, their gazes toward her grew even more sympathetic.
“You’ve been wronged,” Old Madam Pei said, accepting her tea and taking a sip. Following custom, she gifted Shen Yunshu a bolt of colorful silk, then took her hand and slipped a translucent, lustrous white jade bracelet onto her wrist.
The other elders also presented her with meeting gifts. As her father-in-law, Pei Yuanzhou not only gave her a piece of Floating Light Brocade but also an Openwork Purple Gold Inkstone—a rare, high-quality inkstone with dazzling grain, smooth yet firm.
After paying respects to the elders, the Second Branch’s madam led her to the side hall to meet the sisters-in-law of the household.
The Pei family had a simple structure with modest offspring. The First Madam of the First Branch had only borne one son and one daughter, and the First Master had taken no concubines. The Second Master, however, had one concubine, with the Second Madam and the concubine each bearing two children. Aside from one unmarried daughter, the other two sons and one daughter were already married. The Third Branch’s Third Master, Shen Yunshu’s father-in-law, had lost his wife early and never remarried, having only Pei Huaian as his son.
Today, the First Madam was unwell and had not come to the flower hall, leaving only the two sisters-in-law from the Second Branch and one elder sister-in-law in the side hall.
As Old Madam Pei had instructed beforehand that no one was to mention the bride-switching incident, the atmosphere remained amicable. Shen Yunshu presented her own exquisite embroidery to each in turn, and the three sisters-in-law gifted hairpins and jewelry in return. They then sat down to chat politely.
They had only exchanged a few words when a maid from the flower hall entered to announce that the Eldest Young Master and his wife had arrived.
The side hall fell silent at once, the three sisters-in-law simultaneously turning to look toward the main hall.
Though their expressions remained calm, their eyes held a mischievous glint of anticipation.
Shen Yunshu glanced over anxiously, immediately noticing that Third Sister’s eyes were red-rimmed—a sign that her eye condition had flared up again.
Sure enough, as soon as she entered the flower hall, Shen Youran stumbled over the low threshold, bumping into Pei Huaijin beside her and causing him to sway as well.
Such a breach of etiquette made the elders in the hall frown involuntarily.
Pei Huaijin turned to look at her helplessly.
Since the elders had already shown displeasure, as her husband, he couldn’t add fuel to the fire. Instead, he calmly straightened the hairpin that had been knocked askew and explained to the elders on her behalf: “Youran is a bit nervous. Please forgive her, Grandmother, Father, and both uncles.”
With the impeccably graceful Shen Yunshu setting a high standard, the elders couldn’t help but compare when they looked at Shen Youran.
Indeed, Shen Youran was just as they had expected—whether in performing rituals, serving tea, or responding to the elders, she fell short of her sister by more than a little.
Standing beside the steady and dignified Pei Huaijin, the petite and timid Shen Youran seemed utterly mismatched.
Old Madam Pei maintained a neutral expression, but inwardly she felt deeply regretful: this was the most promising child in their family, yet he had married such a wife who was all appearance and no substance. How could it not be lamentable?
Despite her dissatisfaction, Old Madam Pei still presented a mutton-fat white jade bracelet identical to the one on Shen Yunshu’s wrist and took the opportunity to instruct her eldest grandson’s wife: “The foundation of a harmonious household lies in the husband’s righteousness and the wife’s virtue. Now that you are the eldest grandson’s wife of the Pei family, you must strive to improve diligently, studying the virtues, speech, appearance, and skills befitting a woman, so that you may soon assist your mother-in-law in managing the household affairs…”
As the wife of the eldest branch was in poor health, the household management was temporarily handled by the wife of the second branch. Old Madam Pei had originally planned to gradually return the authority to the eldest branch once the eldest grandson’s wife entered the family. However, this tender young girl clearly wasn’t yet up to the task.
Seeing her eyes red and swollen, and noting she was the same age as her youngest grandson, Old Madam Pei felt a twinge of pity. She ended her admonitions there and sent her to the side hall to meet the relatives.
Shen Yunshu came over to her and asked if her eyes were alright.
Not wanting to worry her sister, Shen Youran endured the stinging pain in her eyes and lied, “I’m fine. I’ve already used medicated incense.”
Shen Yunshu felt slightly relieved.
The three sisters-in-law in the side hall stood up and greeted her as “Eldest Sister-in-Law” with laughter. Their tone sounded enthusiastic at first but carried a hint of mockery.
Shen Youran pretended not to notice. After acknowledging them and exchanging gifts, she thought of making a few perfunctory remarks and finding an excuse to leave.
“Sister-in-law looks so delicate—calling you ‘Eldest Sister-in-Law’ makes you sound old. I think we should call you ‘Little Sister-in-Law’ instead…” The one teasing her was a sister-in-law from the second branch. Shen Youran couldn’t quite see her face clearly but found her voice particularly grating.
If it were merely because of her youth, it might have been tolerable, but the fact that she was originally supposed to marry Pei Huaian, the youngest in the family, made the term “Little Sister-in-Law” carry an undertone of mockery.
“Eldest Sister-in-Law is Eldest Sister-in-Law. What is this ‘Little Sister-in-Law’?” Shen Yunshu couldn’t stand it and retorted on her sister’s behalf. “Rules are established for a reason—they cannot be bent at will. Cousin-in-law, you must not disrupt the proper order.”
“Seventh Sister-in-law, don’t take it so seriously. It’s just because our sister-in-law is so young that we call her that…” Another sister-in-law laughed dismissively.
“That’s right…” The young lady from the second branch also sided with them.
Seeing her sister being verbally cornered by the other three sisters-in-law while defending her, Shen Youran abruptly stood up: “If we’re going by such logic, since all of you sisters-in-law here are older than me, why don’t you call me ‘little sister-in-law’ from now on, while I address each of you as ‘elder sister’?”
Being less educated, she couldn’t articulate the profound reasoning her sister had spoken of. Better to muddy the waters and drag them all down with her.
As expected, these words made the smiles on the sisters-in-law’s faces freeze.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the Second Madam quickly intervened to smooth things over: “It was just a joke, how could we actually address each other like that?” Then she shifted the topic to her mother-in-law. “Your mother-in-law fainted once last night and couldn’t even leave her room this morning. Since you’re now her daughter-in-law, you should go pay your respects. Why don’t you have these three sisters-in-law accompany you later to Haitang Courtyard to greet your mother-in-law…”
Though not particularly sharp, Shen Youran could read between the lines. The Second Madam deliberately mentioned that the First Madam had fainted last night, undoubtedly because she couldn’t accept having a different daughter-in-law. Moreover, her absence from the morning greeting ceremony made it clear she didn’t approve of her.
They all knew this perfectly well, yet they were using protocol to pressure her into paying respects to her mother-in-law, wanting to see her make a fool of herself.
The frustrating part was that as a daughter-in-law, she had no valid reason not to visit her sick mother-in-law.
With resentment brewing inside, she was contemplating how to politely decline their “kind offer” when Pei Huaijin entered and said to the Second Madam: “Second Aunt, I was just about to take Youran to see Mother. There’s no need to trouble the sisters-in-law to accompany us.”
After speaking, he looked at Shen Youran. “Let’s go.”
Thus freed from the situation, Shen Youran gave a perfunctory curtsy to the Second Madam before following Pei Huaijin out of the flower hall.
After they had walked some distance, she finally asked: “Are we really going or was that just an excuse?”
The question made Pei Huaijin pause momentarily: “Of course we’re really going.”
“But the First Madam probably doesn’t want to see me,” she said, having thought he only said that to help her escape the situation. She rubbed her eyes, just wanting to return quickly to apply medicine. “Since she’s ill, I shouldn’t go and cause more distress. Could I pay my respects formally another day?”
“We’re just going to show proper respect. There’s no need for you to be nervous.”
“But I’m afraid I’ll make mistakes…” Her eyes were practically half-blind now, and she’d already embarrassed herself once in the flower hall.
“Since you’re aware you might make mistakes, you should be even more careful with your words and actions.”
Pei Huaijin was quite dissatisfied with her performance in the flower hall earlier, but couldn’t show it in front of their elders. Now that she’d brought it up herself, he felt compelled to say more.
“Sitting, standing, walking, every gesture and movement must follow proper form and measure. Your etiquette training is inadequate. Another day, I’ll hire a female tutor to specially instruct you in proper demeanor and manners, as well as the four virtues Grandmother mentioned: womanly virtue, womanly speech, womanly appearance, and womanly work…”
Shen Youran had been unwilling to learn those things even when she was in her maiden home. Now that she was married, having to study them again made her naturally resistant: “Rather than going through all the trouble to cultivate me, wouldn’t it be better for you to divorce me and remarry someone else…”
Pei Huaijin’s face hardened: “I have no intention of divorcing my wife. Don’t say such things again in the future.”
Shen Youran pressed her lips together and followed him to Haitang Courtyard in low spirits.
In the bedchamber of Haitang Courtyard, the First Madam Zhu Shi sat leaning against the bed wearing a forehead band, sighing deeply.
After returning from Chunxuan Hall last night, Zhu Shi had been experiencing chest tightness and shortness of breath. Combined with a sleepless night, her face was now pale, her eyes dull, and her head throbbed as if being pulled by something.
Attending to her medicine by the bedside was Mama Zhang, the steward of the courtyard. Formerly her personal maid who accompanied her to the marriage, Mama Zhang now managed the household staff and often helped her make decisions.
Since Miss Meng left, Mama Zhang remained the only one with whom Zhu Shi could share intimate thoughts.
“Madam, what’s done is done. You must learn to accept it,” Mama Zhang gently advised. “After all, the Shen family’s Third Maiden comes from excellent lineage. If she proves docile, with your careful guidance she’ll eventually become presentable…”
“Who could be more docile than that Wanxin girl?” Zhu Shi massaged her forehead, speaking weakly. “Besides, her father’s notorious spoiling of his children is known throughout the capital. How could a girl raised so indulgently possibly have a gentle disposition?”
“That’s precisely why you must establish your authority as mother-in-law from the start. Make her respect and obey you, so she’ll be easier to discipline later…”
Zhu Shi sighed, tacitly acknowledging Mama Zhang’s words. “If the Shen family’s eldest daughter had married over, I wouldn’t need to trouble myself with this…”
As they spoke, a maid entered to announce that the young master had brought his new wife to pay respects.
Exchanging glances with Mama Zhang, Zhu Shi waited for her to open the door.
The latticed door swung open, revealing the newlyweds entering one after the other.
Her son appeared as handsome and distinguished as ever, but Zhu Shi’s gaze swept past him and was quickly captured by the snow-jade figure beside him.
Clad in crimson silk robes tied with a palm-width hibiscus patterned sash, she possessed a slender waist and delicate frame. Her luminous, pearl-like skin seemed to brighten the medicine-scented room.
Zhu Shi had never seen Shen Youran before, but having witnessed Shen Yunshu’s remarkable beauty, she had expected her sister to be comely as well. Yet this Third Maiden of the Shen family surpassed even her sister’s looks. The faint redness at the corners of her eyes, glistening with unshed tears, made her appear especially delicate and moving.
With hands clasped before her, she bowed with slightly lowered lashes, appearing quite obedient: “Your daughter-in-law pays respects to Mother.”
For a moment, Zhu Shi almost understood why her son had insisted on changing the marriage arrangement. Beneath such snow-jade beauty, it seemed any flaw could be forgiven.
But Zhu Shi quickly collected herself: A wife should be chosen for virtue, not beauty. Without virtue, how could she serve her husband properly? Such a decorative pillow possessed neither household management skills nor the ability to assist her husband—was she to be married merely as an ornamental mascot?
Despite her resentment, as the elder, Zhu Shi couldn’t openly criticize without cause. She responded indifferently, “No need for such formality. We’re all family now.”
She then signaled Mama Zhang to present the gifts.
Mama Zhang turned and brought over a red sandalwood tray bearing a red envelope and an emerald bracelet. Shen Youran reached for the red envelope first, then moved to touch the bracelet. Unexpectedly, Mama Zhang suddenly withdrew the tray, leaving her empty-handed. The bracelet fell with a crisp clatter.
From the sound, it had shattered into at least three pieces.
Mama Zhang exclaimed in feigned shock, “How careless of you, Young Madam! This was a bracelet Madam personally selected with great care…”
Shen Youran was momentarily stunned, then lifted her gaze to the other party: “I hadn’t even gotten a proper hold of it yet. How could you withdraw the tray so quickly?”
Her eyes stung constantly, always brimming with tears, making it impossible for her to focus her gaze properly. The look she cast appeared soft and gentle.
This inadvertently gave others the mistaken impression that she was easy to bully.
Mama Zhang didn’t argue back with her, but her words carried a sharp edge: “Yes, since Young Madam says it’s this old servant’s fault, then it must be this old servant’s fault…”
Then she turned and knelt toward Zhu Shi on the bed: “This old servant has broken the greeting gift Madam prepared for Young Madam. I beg for Madam’s punishment.”
Zhu Shi weakly extended her hand: “You’ve served by my side for many years, always steady and reliable in your work. How could I blame you? Rise now.”
The implication being that the fault didn’t lie with her.
Her gaze slowly turned toward the delicate figure as Zhu Shi said measuredly: “Jin-ge’er’s wife, could it be that you’re dissatisfied with the greeting gift I prepared for you?”
Though Shen Youran usually avoided overthinking matters, this didn’t mean she was foolish. Moreover, she had long been certain that The First Madam would not regard her favorably, making her mind particularly sharp today.
“It’s not that I’m dissatisfied with your greeting gift, but rather that you’re dissatisfied with me, isn’t it?” Although she hadn’t clearly seen the bracelet earlier, green jade was never considered top-grade jade to begin with. Judging by the sound it made when shattered, she could tell it wasn’t a quality piece.
Even though Old Madam Pei didn’t like her, she had still given her a white jade bracelet of the finest texture. Yet her own mother-in-law had “carefully selected” such an ordinary bracelet and deliberately let it break, clearly demonstrating she had never sincerely intended to give a proper greeting gift.
She had been enduring since the reception hall. The Pei family elders treated her differently, and her sisters-in-law openly and covertly belittled her. The grievances she suffered today exceeded all she had experienced in her previous sixteen years. Even when her father married her stepmother Wei Shi, he had sought her approval before proceeding. Though her stepmother hadn’t been particularly close to her after entering the household, she had never made life difficult for her. Now, even an old servant of the Pei family dared to play tricks on her, all because they relied on The First Madam’s dislike of her.
She might have fair complexion, but she wasn’t made of dough. If the tiger doesn’t show its claws, do they all think she’s a sick cat?
Zhu Shi hadn’t expected her to dare talk back, her face abruptly darkening: “You… How dare you speak to me like this?”
When Shen Youran got angry, she recognized neither family nor reason, let alone a mother-in-law she had just met. She mercilessly exposed the other’s hypocrisy: “Then why do you indulge your old servant in bullying me?”
“This has nothing to do with Madam,” Mama Zhang, who had been about to rise, quickly knelt back down, “It’s all this old servant’s fault. I accept punishment. Please don’t let this old servant damage the harmony between Madam and Young Madam…”
Her strategy of retreating to advance didn’t work with straightforward Shen Youran, who instead seized on her words: “Since you admit it’s all your fault, then how will you compensate me for breaking my mother-in-law’s greeting gift to me?”
Mama Zhang: “This…”
Shen Youran narrowed her eyes and noticed a touch of green in the other’s hair bun—likely a jade hairpin. Without another word, she pulled it out, and without even looking at it, threw it directly to the ground.
The sound of the jade hairpin shattering was even clearer and more pleasing than when the jade bracelet had broken.
Only then did Shen Youran feel her anger subside: “You broke something of mine, so I’ve broken something of yours. Now we’re even!”
Mama Zhang had her hairpin snatched away, causing half her bun to tumble loose. With a pained “Aiyo!”, she collapsed to her knees, momentarily stunned by the girl’s audacity.
“You…” Zhu Shi had never encountered such a girl before. After a moment of shock, she trembled with rage, pointing a shaky finger. “How uncouth!”
Shen Youran had completely shed the meek demeanor she’d entered with earlier. Her delicate face now wore an expression of utter indifference. “If you find me uncouth, then tell your son to divorce me…”
Zhu Shi’s pale face turned livid with fury, inevitably directing her anger toward her son: “This… this is the ‘good wife’ you insisted on switching to…”
Before she could finish, her breath caught and she actually fainted.
The room instantly descended into chaos.
Pei Huaijin stepped forward to check on his mother. Initially, Shen Youran thought the older woman was feigning, but when the Doctor arrived, felt her pulse, and uttered some concerning words before preparing acupuncture needles, she finally realized she had genuinely provoked the woman into fainting.
She approached and tugged at Pei Huaijin’s sleeve. “I… I didn’t mean to…”
His wrist shifted slightly, causing the sleeve to slip from her grasp. His brow furrowed deeply. “Go back to your room first.”
Author’s Note:
The next chapter marks the VIP entry! Get ready for my storm of updates!
Over the next three days, there will be double updates—one at midnight and another at 12:00 noon daily, totaling six chapters with 36,000 words combined.
After three days, the update schedule will change, so please pay attention to future author’s notes.
Additionally, each chapter will come with red packets for everyone, and lottery draws will be arranged soon!
Finally, thank you to every reader who has commented, nourished with nutrients, or gifted thunder coins. I look forward to seeing you all every day from now on!
Love you all! [Sparkling eyes]