It was rather laughable that she had to be wary of being followed when visiting her maternal grandparents' home, using Huguo Temple as an excuse.
The Yun Family was wealthy and generous. Every time someone came along, they never left empty-handed. Both Shen Wu and Ye Caiwei enjoyed accompanying her to the Yun Family.
In her previous life, the Yun Family had suffered because of her. When she caught Xiao Yun and Shen Wu in the throes of passion, the memory still felt absurd. Xiao Yun had lied, claiming he was helping her counteract the effects of an aphrodisiac, which had left him with lingering side effects that prevented him from consummating their marriage. For four years after marrying him, he never touched her. Because Xiao Yun neither took concubines nor showed interest in women, she had believed him without question. It wasn't until she witnessed their naked bodies entwined in desperate passion that she realized Xiao Yun despised her—so much so that he couldn't even bring himself to feign affection. Xiao Yun no longer pretended and directly sent her to the cold palace.
That same day, the Yun Family was raided on fabricated charges, and her second and third cousins, who were away from the capital, were hunted down.
Out of the hundreds of people in the Yun Family, only her third cousin managed to escape.
She learned that her third cousin was still alive only when Xie Jingyu scattered her ashes. Upon hearing the news, her third cousin rushed to stop him and even tried to beat Xie Jingyu up. That was when she realized he hadn't died and had instead become Xie Jingyu's follower and trusted confidant.
The Yun Family was quite far from Dingguo Duke's Mansion, located in Chengnan. Just like the status of the two households, they were worlds apart.
Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—merchants ranked at the bottom. Even though the Yun Family was immensely wealthy, in Jingdu, where nobility and power were everywhere, few people looked up to them.
The reason her mother could marry her father and become Dingguo Gong Furen was entirely due to her maternal grandfather's courage, foresight, and the dowry that people still spoke of with admiration to this day.
Madam Yun's dowry was not gold, silver, or other vulgar treasures, nor was it fine silks or rare jewels. It was 200,000 dan of grain provisions.
Twenty years ago, the imperial court was locked in a fierce conflict with Nanliang. Coinciding with natural disasters and man-made calamities, the national treasury was depleted, and grain supplies at the border were insufficient. The court had no choice but to borrow grain from the Yun Family. When the court borrowed things, it was always easy to borrow but hard to repay.
The grain provisions couldn't be refused, but 200,000 dan was no small amount. The Yun Family couldn't afford to take such a loss. At the time, to ensure the grain provisions would be delivered safely, Shen Ji was also sent to Yun Zhou to borrow the grain. Yun Laotaiye took a liking to him at first sight and told Shen Ji, "The Yun Family has 200,000 dan of grain provisions. Even if we didn't, we could gather it. But these 200,000 dan are the dowry I've prepared for my daughter."
"If you want to take the Yun Family's grain provisions, you must come with a proper bridal sedan chair."
With the border in urgent need and soldiers already going hungry, Shen Ji had no time to hesitate. He was decisive and resolute.
"I'll marry her!"
Those 200,000 dan of grain provisions were not lent to the court—they were Madam Yun's dowry, a protective talisman Yun Laotaiye had given his daughter.
At the time, Shen Ji was Dingyuan Hou Shizi. Without those 200,000 dan of grain provisions, Madam Yun would never have had the chance to marry into Dingyuan Houfu. According to imperial law, if a wife was divorced or met with misfortune, her dowry had to be returned to her natal family.
With Dingyuan Houfu's financial resources, repaying 200,000 dan of grain provisions would have meant bankruptcy.
Shen Ji married Madam Yun at the Yun Family, and the very next day, he took her and the grain provisions to the border.
Yun Laotaiye, a seasoned veteran in the business world who had seen countless people, had not misjudged Shen Ji. After marrying Madam Yun, the couple was deeply affectionate. Shen Ji never looked down on her because of her background, entrusting her with household management and never taking a single concubine into his inner quarters.
Yun Laotaiye was decisive and pragmatic. Rather than offending the court over the grain loan and planting hidden dangers for the Yun Family, he secured a favorable marriage for his daughter, thereby gaining a powerful ally for the Yun Family. As for the loss of two hundred thousand dan of grain, the Yun Family gained both a son-in-law and prestige, recovering the losses within just two years.
Yet such a far-sighted and resolute Yun Family collapsed overnight because of her.
Gazing at the gilded plaque of the Yun Family, Shen Wan was filled with self-blame and guilt.
Wiping the tears from the corner of her eye, Shen Wan stepped up the stairs. The Yun Family steward came out to greet her, and Shen Wan asked him, "Is my eldest cousin at home?"
The steward replied, "The young master left the mansion early this morning."
"Send someone to find him and tell him I need to speak with him."
Shen Wan went to see her maternal grandmother, Yun Laofuren.
Upon seeing Shen Wan, Yun Laofuren was delighted but also puzzled. "Why are you alone today? Didn’t your mother come with you?"
Shen Wan sat down beside Yun Laofuren. "Mother originally intended to come with me, but just as we were about to leave, Madam of Duke Zheng arrived, so she stayed behind to entertain her."
Yun Da Taitai smiled and said, "We were just discussing your marriage with Laofuren and preparing your dowry."
Even though her engagement to Zhengguo Gong Shizi had not yet been formally settled, the Yun Family had already received word and was preparing her dowry.
In her previous life, when she married Xiao Yun, the Yun Family gave her eighteen shops, six estates, a thousand mu of fertile land, and countless jewels, paintings, and fine silks. She had used most of it to help Xiao Yun win over court officials.
Her parents and the Yun Family had given her their all, yet she had believed Shen Wu’s words and doubted whether she was truly her parents’ biological daughter. She truly deserved a scolding.
Shen Wan rested her head against Yun Laofuren’s arm. Yun Laofuren asked, "Have you been wronged?"
Shen Wan shook her head. "No, I just missed you, Grandmother."
Yun Laofuren sensed Shen Wan’s attachment. "If you miss me, just come to the Yun Family. I would be overjoyed if you could visit often and keep me company."
The sound of tinkling jewelry came from outside.
Two young ladies walked in.
They were Shen Wan’s cousins, Yun Da Guniang Yun Miao and Yun Er Guniang Yun Qing.
Both were delighted to see Shen Wan.
"Cousin, you’ve come at just the right time. Fuguang Brocade was just delivered from Ji Zhou, and we were planning to send it to you tomorrow. We didn’t expect you to come today."
Behind Yun Qing were several maids, each holding a bolt of Fuguang Brocade.
The shimmering brilliance was breathtaking, even though she had possessed it in her previous life.
In her past life, Yun Miao and Yun Qing had specially delivered the Fuguang Brocade to Dingguo Duke's Mansion for Shen Wan and Shen Wu. The seamstresses worked day and night to finish the gowns, and when the sisters of the Duke's Mansion wore them to a banquet, all the admiration and envy fell on Shen Wan alone, while Shen Wu and Ye Caiwei basked in the glory.
Fuguang Brocade was precious, with only a few bolts produced each year. Yun Miao and Yun Qing, due to their status, were not allowed to wear it. Yet, simply because Shen Wan liked it, the Yun Family had gone out of their way to obtain it for her. To prevent her from being envied, they even ensured that Shen Wu and Ye Caiwei received their share.
But that was in the past. From now on, they would not get to enjoy even the slightest benefit from the Yun Family.
Shen Wan clung to Yun Laofuren’s arm. "Thank you, Grandmother, for thinking of me and the sisters in the mansion. But Fuguang Brocade is too precious. Once I bring it back, they will surely rush to have it made into gowns. When we go out together, it would be too ostentatious and might even seem ordinary. Beautiful flowers still need green leaves to set them off. I’ll take just one bolt back today and collect the rest another time."
Yun Laofuren thought for a moment and agreed it was indeed too conspicuous. "Very well, your grandmother will keep it for you first."
Shen Wan kept Yun Laofuren company to relieve her boredom, then went with the Yun family sisters to admire the flowers in the garden.
Yun Da Shaoye Yun Yan came to the garden looking for Shen Wan. "Did you need something, cousin?"
"I need your help with something, cousin."
Shen Wan called Yun Yan aside and whispered to him for a while.
Yun Yan frowned deeply. "Both matters are of great importance. Have you not told your father and mother, cousin?"
Shen Wan shook her head. "Without solid evidence and catching them in the act, those people won't admit to anything. Father is busy with military affairs, and I'm afraid my elder brother might lose patience and alert them prematurely. After much thought, I decided it would be safer to ask for your help."
Yun Yan nodded. "I'll send someone to investigate. If there's any news, I'll have someone inform you."