Under the shade of lush locust trees with slender willows brushing against the eaves, Shen Yunshu was playing Go with the Grand Tutor Pei in the Hall of Quiet Joy. When the old master began to lose focus midway through the game, Shen Yunshu switched to playing Gomoku with him instead. Pei Huaian, who had been idly snacking on melons and fruits nearby, eagerly joined them upon seeing the change, offering the old man advice on where to place his pieces.
In this simple game of Gomoku, the grandfather and grandson teamed up to win two rounds but lost three. As the old master grew weary, Pei Huaian had him escorted back to rest, then planted himself squarely at the table, determined to win at least one more game.
Shen Yunshu had only conceded those two earlier victories out of respect for the old master. Facing Pei Huaian now, she felt no need to hold back. Within a quarter of an hour, she placed her fifth stone in a row.
Pei Huaian slapped the stone table in frustration. “Another round! I refuse to believe…”
With time to spare, Shen Yunshu indulged him, winning seven consecutive games. The young man across from her transitioned from competitive fervor to stunned disbelief, then self-doubt, before finally slumping in defeat. “Your skill surpasses mine,” he conceded, then added to salvage his pride, “But I excel at pitch-pot! Shall we compete in that instead?”
A sudden breeze swept through the pavilion, carrying the scent of grass and damp earth. Shen Yunshu glanced at the sky—once clear, now heavy with brooding clouds. “I don’t know how to play pitch-pot,” she said, rising. “It’s about to rain. We should return.”
The young man insisted, “Then I’ll teach you another day! Once you’ve learned, we’ll compete properly.”
Shen Yunshu smiled faintly and left the Hall of Quiet Joy ahead of him.
When the first heavy raindrops fell, Shen Yunshu was still some distance from her quarters. The wind picked up, whipping her skirts into disarray. To continue would mean arriving drenched and potentially drawing unwanted attention. She had no choice but to take shelter in a nearby pavilion.
Through the driving rain, she saw Pei Huaian sprinting toward her, using his hand as a makeshift shield against the downpour.
The moment his foot touched the pavilion floor, his eyes met hers. His jade-like features, now drenched, registered surprise before he sighed and turned back into the tempest.
After all, they were destined to become sister- and brother-in-law. While maids had been present in the Hall of Quiet Joy, making their interaction acceptable, being alone together in a secluded pavilion during a storm would invite not only awkwardness but potentially damaging gossip.
Watching his figure disappear into the curtain of rain, Shen Yunshu reflected that this scion wasn’t so bad after all. Though idle, unscholarly, frivolous, and unrestrained, he wasn’t malicious. Unlike other pampered young nobles, he didn’t chase after every flower and willow but maintained his integrity, understood propriety, and showed genuine filial devotion…
What’s more, he possessed an exceptionally elegant and handsome appearance—no wonder the young maids in the estate found their hearts fluttering, each secretly hoping to catch his attention.
The storm passed as quickly as it came. The bluestone path beneath the pavilion gleamed, polished by the rain. Treading carefully in her pearl-embroidered cloud-tip shoes, Shen Yunshu avoided lingering droplets on bamboo leaves while admiring the freshly washed scenery, leisurely making her way back to her temporary residence.
Tinglan and Qiong Zhi were conversing under the corridor eaves. Spotting the young mistress’ return, they hurried forward to greet her.
“Tinglan?” Shen Yunshu had originally left her at home to supervise her younger sister’s studies, never expecting her to come to the estate today. It seemed something must have happened at the mansion.
Though Tinglan hadn’t spoken yet, Shen Yunshu was already worrying whether it might be related to Lu Yi.
Sure enough, Tinglan’s next words sent a sudden chill through her heart.
“Young Mistress, the eldest son of Minister Lu’s family – your elder stepbrother – intends to propose marriage to Third Sister. The master sent me to ask your opinion, whether you would consent to this match?”
Tinglan had only begun serving Shen Yunshu after she came to the capital, so she didn’t know Lu Yi’s true nature. With a smiling face, she likely thought this marriage would strengthen family ties and assumed Shen Yunshu wouldn’t oppose it.
Yet Shen Yunshu’s face instantly turned pale, her body seeming frozen by frost. After slowly taking two breaths, she finally said: “First return and report to my father that I don’t consent to this marriage.”
Tinglan was puzzled, wondering why the young mistress would oppose such a good match: “If the master asks for the reason…”
Shen Yunshu looked grave, her voice slow but clear: “I’ll explain to father another day. You just need to tell him that Lu Yi is not a suitable match, and he must not approach Third Sister again in the future.”
Tinglan agreed and immediately left to deliver the message.
The air after the rain was heavy with moisture, making breathing feel burdensome.
Shen Yunshu knew Lu Yi wasn’t sincerely proposing to Third Sister – this move was aimed at her, meant to force her out of hiding.
After two years apart, her stepbrother remained as despicable as ever.
Having guessed Lu Yi’s intention, Shen Yunshu naturally didn’t want to play into his hands. If she returned now, she’d be falling right into his trap.
But if she didn’t return…
Shen Yunshu remembered twelve years ago, when she had hidden to avoid being taken away by her father. She thought everything would be fine as long as her father couldn’t find her, never expecting Third Sister would suffer separation from their mother in her place.
Today was the same – if she continued hiding to protect herself, what if Lu Yi truly became mad enough to marry her Third Sister…
The more Shen Yunshu thought about it, the more frightened she became: she absolutely couldn’t let Lu Yi lay a finger on her sister.
“Qiong Zhi, accompany me to change clothes.” Though she had carefully avoided the overhanging bamboo leaves along the path, a few raindrops had still dampened her sleeves, leaving faint stains.
After changing into a clear mountain-blue Bei Zi and crimson gauze wrap skirt, Shen Yunshu took Qiong Zhi to bid farewell to Old Madam Pei.
Having grown accustomed to her company these days, Old Madam Pei was reluctant to see her leave so suddenly. But remembering the wedding was little over a month away, she should indeed return to spend more time with her family. Patting her hand, she said: “Very well, return home and prepare for your marriage in peace, enjoy your remaining days as a young lady…”
Worried about her safety on the journey back, she had Pei Huaian summoned and instructed him to escort Shen Yunshu and her maid home.
Finally, she teased her grandson: “You monkey must be tired of being cooped up in this estate every day. Return to the city and have some fun with your friends. Come back in five days to fetch your grandfather and me. Your elder brother will soon return to the capital, and we need to speed up wedding preparations…”
Pei Huaian cheerfully agreed to the task, then went to have luggage packed, horses prepared, and a carriage readied.
Half an hour later, he met Shen Yunshu at the estate gate, and they descended the mountain together.
“Why does sister-in-law suddenly want to return?” She had been leisurely playing chess with grandfather this morning—how could she decide to go home in the blink of an eye?
Shen Yunshu followed the old madam’s words: “The wedding with your elder brother is approaching. I need to check how the dowry preparations are coming along.”
“Oh.” Pei Huaian had only asked casually. He then reminded her that the path would be slippery after the rain and to watch her step before ending the conversation.
Shen Yunshu restlessly boarded the carriage, taking deep breaths to calm herself as she contemplated how to counter Lu Yi’s schemes.
Pei Huaian initially intended to escort her back to the Shen residence, but Shen Yunshu claimed she needed to visit Tianxiang Pavilion to check on custom-made hair accessories, requesting he drop her near Chenxiang Pavilion instead.
After spending less than a quarter-hour at Chenxiang Pavilion, she donned a Muli and exited through the back door, heading to the nearest brothel. There, she selected a courtesan with a similar build to hers, paid the woman generously, and requested her assistance with a small task in a few days.
Only then did she return to the Shen residence, proceeding directly to Shen Youran’s courtyard.
Shen Youran was currently studying diligently in her room.
Having learned earlier that Tinglan had gone to the Pei family’s estate to fetch her sister, and knowing her sister’s wedding to the Pei family’s eldest son was imminent, she expected her sister’s return soon.
Her frequent visits to the Lu residence during recent days had caused her to neglect her studies—eighty percent of the assignments her elder sister had assigned remained unfinished. Fortunately, her sister hadn’t returned with Tinglan today, giving her time to catch up.
While writing furiously, she heard the door open. Assuming it was Danruo entering, she spoke without looking up: “Danruo, please help me write five thousand characters today—your handwriting resembles mine more closely. Also, how is Qinghe progressing with the embroidery? Tell her not to make it too exquisite, or it won’t look like my work…”
Shen Yunshu walked straight to her desk, noticing ink stains on her sleeves and even smudges on her fair hands and face, while her calligraphy remained messy. She frowned: “Practicing calligraphy requires a calm mind. If you’re this impatient, you might as well not practice…”
The brush stilled as Shen Youran abruptly looked up: “Sister, why have you returned today?”
“Is this how you’ve been completing your assignments during my month away?” Shen Yunshu lifted her younger sister’s startled face, using a handkerchief to wipe the ink stains.
The stains wouldn’t come off, instead rubbing her cheeks red.
Feeling the sting but not daring to pull away, Shen Youran guiltily lowered her eyes: “Sister, I was wrong.”
It was always like this—she admitted fault quickly but never changed.
Shen Yunshu sighed in frustration: “You… just how long will you remain this lazy? If you marry in the future, would your husband’s family tolerate such idleness?”
“Why suddenly mention marriage?” Shen Youran looked up at her with alarm. “Have you agreed to let me marry Lu Yi?”
“Do you wish to marry him?” Shen Yunshu gazed down at her.
Shen Youran shook her head vigorously: “No, no! He’s your elder brother, which makes him my elder brother too. How could siblings become husband and wife?”
Shen Yunshu’s expression softened slightly, and her touch gentled: “Good that you don’t want to.” She had worried her naive younger sister might fall for Lu Yi’s deception.
How could siblings become husband and wife?
Even Third Sister understood this basic principle, yet Lu Yi insisted on defying it—truly deranged.
Shen Yunshu stayed at the Shen residence for two days. Though she didn’t explicitly reveal Lu Yi’s true nature to her father, she successfully persuaded him to abandon the idea of marriage alliance with the Lu family.
After returning to the Lu residence, she met with her mother and younger brother, as well as Lu Yi, who had been waiting for her for a long time.
Lu Yi wanted to speak with her alone, but she skillfully avoided him each time. At night, she slept with her mother, making it inconvenient for Lu Yi to disturb them.
It wasn’t until the next day when she deliberately sent Tinglan and Qiong Zhi away, pretending to be alone, that he seized the opportunity to pull her aside: “A-Shu, how long are you going to avoid me?”
“Even if you hadn’t come looking for me, I would have sought you out, Brother.” Shen Yunshu gazed at her stepbrother, struggling to conceal the disgust in her heart as she spoke calmly, “Regarding Third Sister’s matter, I wish to have a proper talk with you. But some things are better not discussed at home. I’ll be waiting for you at Fengle Pavilion at noon today…”