"What's wrong?" Madam Shen asked in surprise. "Did the servants at home dare to treat you poorly?"
"Not at all," Shen Ti replied. "It's that they were overly attentive."
Madam Shen understood then and chided him, "I should have known. You're a distinguished guest from the capital—isn't it only natural for the family to be attentive?"
"Too attentive, it makes one uncomfortable," Shen Ti said. "The servants are one thing, but even blood-related cousins and brothers act this way—it's uncomfortable."
"And you think your attitude is comfortable?" Madam Shen tapped his forehead with her finger. "You know this is your maternal uncle's home. Cousins remain close for generations, connected by bonds stronger than bone. Your brothers are being affectionate with you, yet you complain. Does this align with your gentlemanly principles?"
Shen Ti thought for a moment. "Alright, I was wrong."
But Third Master Yin and Third Madam, even the Old Master—the entire Yin family—were determined to treat the Shen family with utmost deference.
Because the Yin family had risen from humble merchants to become wealthy local gentry, and although the Shen family had never actively intervened, having such an in-law connection was already a protective talisman.
Over the years, with an official family as in-laws, their business had faced far fewer difficulties.
Regardless of the era, quality educational resources are scarce. The Yin family came from humble origins; even with wealth, there were things they couldn't achieve. The resources they desperately sought were commonplace to the Shen family.
For a family to rise, wealth alone isn't enough—they must pursue education, for only through education can one become an official.
With this mindset, Third Master Yin and Third Madam naturally admonished their children earnestly. Young boys couldn't grasp the proper measure, and to Shen Ti, the direct impression was that his cousins were almost fawningly enthusiastic toward him.
It made him uncomfortable.
A truly spoiled and arrogant young master might have enjoyed it, but Shen Ti, a budding gentleman who had cultivated self-discipline and virtue since childhood, found it uncomfortable.
Shen Ti admitted his mistake verbally, acknowledging that he shouldn't criticize his blood relatives behind their backs, but he didn't believe the Yin family's actions were right.
By comparison, he said, "Fourth Sister is quite good."
Madam Shen: "Oh?"
Shen Ti said, "Her maid is quite snobbish, eager to flatter—likely the type who fawns on superiors and bullies inferiors. Fourth Sister is about my age, yet she seems more courteous than the three older cousins. Though grieving, she didn't lose herself in uncontrolled weeping. She came out to greet me but said I was too young and wouldn't let me enter the room, fearing I might be affected by something. Actually, Confucius taught not to speak of supernatural forces—I'm not afraid of such things."
"Confucius may be great, but he's not greater than heaven," Madam Shen disagreed, then nodded. "This little fourth, she sounds quite sensible, very much like an elder sister."
"Yes, indeed," Shen Ti recalled Yin Shi's appearance—exceptionally pleasing to the eye, her voice gentle, and even in genuine grief, she hadn't behaved improperly. Her words and actions were comfortable, so he reproached Madam Shen, "Mother, why didn't you give me an elder sister? Even a cousin like her would be quite nice."
Madam Shen gave him a light knock on the head. "Nonsense."
Then she asked, "Did you give her the silver?"
Shen Ti rubbed his forehead. "I didn't mention it."
Madam Shen wasn't worried. "What we gave them will surely be carefully stored—they won't miss it."
She sighed softly. "Poor child…"
After Shen Ti left, Yin Shi had just turned around when Qing Yan complained, "Young Master Shen came specifically to see us, Miss. What's the matter? Why did you send him away?"
Yin Shi said with a straight face, "My concubine mother is drifting around in my room. His child has sharp eyes, and I'm afraid he might get frightened."
Whether Shen Ti would be frightened or not was unknown, but Qing Yan was genuinely terrified: "Wh-what? M-miss, don't talk nonsense!"
"I'm not telling you anymore," Yin Shi walked past her, as if talking to herself, "You can't see her anyway."
Qing Yan's face turned pale with fear.
She was most afraid of such things. Her lips trembled as she asked, "M-miss, are you telling the truth? Don't scare me. How come you're not afraid at all?"
Yin Shi stopped and glanced back at the maid with a faint, eerie look: "Why should I be afraid? She's my concubine mother. She can't bear to leave and wants to see me more, to stay with me a little longer. She said if it weren't for the fact that getting too close would tire me out and make me feverish and sick, she wouldn't want to drift around like this—she'd just want to stay close to me."
After frightening people with her ghostly act, Yin Shi walked ahead on her own: "Come, let's see what Aunt has given me."
Even as she spoke, she listened carefully behind her. Sure enough, Qing Yan didn't follow immediately.
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Yin Shi's lips.
The Yin family was a large, four-generation household. As the daughter of a Son of a Concubine, Yin Shi's courtyard was not staffed with high-ranking servants. Qing Yan, thirteen or fourteen years old, was already her chief maid. In reality, she was only a second-class maid in the household. Yin Shi's courtyard wasn't even eligible for a first-class maid.
The other, slightly younger maid was called Qiao Que, who was also a capable person in her courtyard. Below them were even younger maids who handled miscellaneous errands and chores.
These three maids were arranged in descending order by age. There was also an older woman who did the heavy labor.
Apart from that, there was no one else—just these few people.
Her wet nurse had passed away when she was very young. After that, she was personally cared for by her own concubine mother, so there were no other older women in her courtyard. As for governesses or the like, those were only found in households of higher status. Although the Yin family was wealthy now, they indeed lacked deep-rooted traditions. Their wealth was mainly reflected in wearing gold and silver, and indulging in fine food and drink.
Though the staffing wasn't high-ranking, Yin Shi was quite satisfied with it.
Having a courtyard all to herself, with four people serving her—what more could she ask for if she wasn't satisfied?
Did she want to reach for the heavens?
In any case, Yin Shi was content.
But among those around her, Qing Yan was the most familiar with the "original Yin Shi." Now that the soul inside Yin Shi's body had changed, she needed to distance herself from and guard against this person the most, fearing others might notice.
Returning to her room, Qiao Que and the younger maid were arranging the gifts sent by Shen Ti. Seeing her return, Qiao Que looked up: "Miss, these are all fine things."
Yin Shi walked over to take a look. What were these? She couldn't recognize several of them. She remained calm: "Do you recognize them all? Sort them properly, and don't mix them up."
Qiao Que replied, "Don't worry, Miss. Of course, we can't mix them up. These spices and medicinal herbs must be stored separately to avoid moisture."
So they were spices and medicinal herbs—no wonder she didn't recognize them.
Digging hard into the original body's memories, she did have some knowledge in this area, but it was neither extensive nor deep, only scratching the surface.
After Shen Ti's mother married above her station, the Yin family did spend a few years strengthening the education of their daughters. But it was of little use—such high marriages depended on opportunity. Madam Shen was simply fortunate to have seized the moment. The other Yin daughters weren't as lucky and ultimately married into local families of matching social status.
The Shen family's marriage to a daughter of the Yin family was never about her exceptional qualities or talents—it was an act of repaying a debt of gratitude. Such a situation could not be replicated. Once the Old Master understood this, he let the matter rest.
Thus, by the time it reached the granddaughter's generation, things remained much the same. The household did employ a female tutor to teach the girls some things, but since girls did not need to take the imperial examinations, the adults did not push them to study diligently. Their learning was sporadic, more for cultivating their temperament and passing the time than anything else.
The original host of this body did not seem to possess any particular talent either, only skimming the surface of whatever she studied.
This was just fine, Yin Shi thought. Pretending to be an academic underachiever was certainly easier than pretending to be a top scholar, greatly reducing the difficulty.
"Ah!" Qiao Que suddenly exclaimed softly. "Miss, look!"
Yin Shi snapped back to attention and looked closely. A small flat box had been opened, revealing four rows of small silver ingots.
Qiao Que picked one up and weighed it in her hand. "They're five qian each."
Each small ingot was five qian, with five ingots per row and four rows in total.
Qiao Que was delighted. "That's a full ten liang."
Yin Shi still hadn't quite grasped the price levels in this place, but judging by Qiao Que's expression, she knew ten liang must be a considerable amount.
Her little cousin hadn't mentioned this at all earlier. Did the child not know?
No, no, Yin Shi recalled Shen Ti's proper and upright demeanor—young in age but strict in manners. He could even represent adults in social interactions, so he wouldn't be unaware of what was in the gifts he delivered.
He simply didn't think it necessary to mention it specifically.
As far as Yin Shi knew, "Yin Shi" and this aunt had never even met. To be treated so generously truly made her a great person.
She sighed softly and remarked to Qiao Que, "This is 'my' own aunt."
Qiao Que turned and went out. "I'll ask Sister Qing Yan to put the silver away."
Yin Shi: "…"
Right, her money was all managed by Qing Yan.
Qiao Que reluctantly called Qing Yan in, who praised, "As expected of the lady aunt," before taking the silver and storing it in a box inside a cabinet in the inner room.
The box even had a small copper lock.
Yin Shi watched longingly as Qing Yan took out the key, unlocked the box, locked it again, and then hung the key from her own waist.
It was truly frustrating not being able to hold onto her own money.
But that was just how things were here. Masters of the household did not personally carry keys. Those who managed the keys were either trusted matrons or trusted personal maids.
No master would walk around with a bunch of keys hanging from their waist—they would be laughed at.
Yin Shi could only silently remind herself: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
Qiao Que instructed Qiao Que, "You stay in the room. I'll be busy outside. Call me if anything comes up."
With that, she slipped back outside.
Among maidservants, working inside the room was considered the better position, so Qiao Que found this utterly baffling.
But after a while, Qing Yan, who was in the courtyard, saw Qiao Que come out as well, her face slightly pale.
Not daring to approach, Qing Yan gestured for Qiao Que to come over. "Why are you out here?"
Qiao Que grabbed her sleeve. "M-Miss… is talking to the concubine…"
Qing Yan immediately covered her mouth and dragged her into the side room before letting her speak.
Qiao Que said, "…She was talking to herself, facing an empty space. I thought she was just muttering about something."
"But it turns out she was talking to the concubine. I was terrified."
"She told me not to be afraid, saying the concubine just wanted to keep her company."
The two maids stared at each other, both shuddering involuntarily.
A little maid was playing with pebbles under the corridor when suddenly the side room door opened, and Qing Yan called out, "Yunjuan, Yunjuan."
Yunjuan clapped her hands and went over. "Sister?"
Qing Yan said, "We have something to attend to. You go inside and attend to things."
Yunjuan complied and obediently went inside.
Yin Shi, in the room, also scared Qiao Que out. Not long after, she saw Yunjuan come in and felt quite pleased.
Yunjuan was only about eight or nine years old, looking about the same age as her. She usually did odd jobs and wasn't often in the room, so she wasn't as familiar with Yin Shi as Qing Yan and Qiao Que were with the original body, making her much safer.
"Then you stay in the room," she said. "Go to the inner chamber. I'll call you when I need you."
After dismissing Yunjuan, Yin Shi sprawled out on the bed.
It was very comfortable and relaxing, completely different from her state over the past two days.
She had already thought it through earlier: what should she do now? The conclusion was: do nothing.
With mourning duties to observe, she didn't need to attend classes or go pay respects to her legal mother every day.
At this stage, she should just stay quietly in her room and not go anywhere, waiting for that concubine to be buried. After that, she would likely need to live a secluded life for a long time.
For a soul-transmigrating traveler like her, this was simply the perfect transition period.
Yin Shi happily lifted her feet.
By evening, her father, who ranked third in the family, came to visit her.