During the night, the wind was frigid and harsh, however the daytime weather turned out to be surprisingly good. The soft warm sunlight emanating on people seemed to drive away the endless chill.
Lin Xingxue walked on the outside path, the warm sunlight gently caressing her. She tilted her head to listen to Wu Tong’s words, and her coral-red earrings swayed slightly, occasionally brushing against the fluffy scarf around her neck.
Today, she happened to be wearing a padded jacket that covered her neck, with a fluffy scarf wrapped around it, concealing her neck completely. This made it impossible for anyone to notice anything unusual.
“Madam, in the Hou [1]residence now, only General is staying in the East Transverse Courtyard. The old madam resides in Shou’an Hall, while Mr. Shen and his family stay in the West Transverse Courtyard. Yesterday, it was Mr. Shen’s son, Shen Qing, who went to welcome the bride[2] on behalf of the General. Mr. Shen is actually the adopted son of the old madam when she was young, making him like the uncle of the General. The one in charge of the household now is Mr. Shen’s wife, Madam Tao. It is said that Madam Tao manages the household rigorously, and the old madam is quite satisfied with her,” Wu Tong explained carefully.
The maid leading the way walked ahead of them, a bit far away, unable to hear Wu Tong’s voice.
Yesterday, both Wu Tong and the servants of the Lin family were arranged in the outer courtyard and were not allowed inside. It wasn’t until this morning that Wu Tong was allowed to return to accompany Lin Xingxue.
She had been anxious all night, and only after confirming that Lin Xingxue’s life was not in danger did she feel relieved. However, when she noticed the finger marks on Lin Xingxue’s neck, she was once again shocked.
Those finger marks were clearly caused by someone’s grip.
Wu Tong dared not imagine what happened last night and how Miss managed to escape death.
Miss seemed unwilling to mention it, as if she didn’t care much about the incident.
Worried that Miss might encounter trouble again and be harassed by the Hou household, Wu Tong conveyed the information she knew one by one: “After the General’s leg injury, he became distant to everyone. The only exception is the Old Madam, whose words he would consider a bit. Normally, no one dares to provoke the General, and everyone tries to stay as far away from him as possible.”
Of course, this was what others said to each other.
As his wife, Lin Xingxue couldn’t avoid Shen Hanxing.
Moreover, she felt that her husband appeared fierce on the surface but was actually quite soft-hearted.
“All this information was gathered by Ming Wu. He is clever and the day Miss helped him out of trouble did not go in vain,” Wu Tong explained.
Ming Wu, the young servant who was almost beaten by Lin Xingran and was rescued by Lin Xingxue. Lin Xingxue used the term “礼部”
[3]
Lǐbù,
Department/Ministry of Rites to enlighten Lin Xingran through Wu Tong and resolved the situation for him. He remembered this favor, and when Lady Han arranged servants to accompany the bride, he volunteered to go to Hou residence.
In addition to Wutong and Ming Wu, Lady Han also arranged an old nurse and another maid, a total of four people to accompany the bride.
Of course, compared to Lin Xingran’s entourage, the number of people arranged on her side was not much, but it was still sufficient.
After all, the people arranged by Lady Han were not trustworthy.
During their conversation, the guiding maid had already stopped in front of them. Upon lifting her head, Lin Xingxue could see the three characters “Shou’an Hall” on the redwood plaque – the residence of old Madam Shen.
Lin Xingxue looked at the plaque, took a deep breath, and then walked in with a calm expression.
Following the maid through the guest hall and around a partition, Lin Xingxue looked up to see two winged buildings right in front of her.
Shou’an Hall’s main building had a total of five rooms, with two winged buildings on both sides. The main structure was spacious and bright, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters. Valuable decorations and treasures could be seen everywhere.
But all of this was not the most key part.
The most crucial thing was that there was a Di Long[4] burning in Shou’an Hall!
As soon as Lin Xingxue stepped inside, it felt like stepping into spring.
Although there was sunlight outside, the weak winter sunlight was always accompanied by occasional cold winds. It was not as warm as being indoors with burning Di Long.
Feeling the warm air rushing towards her, Lin Xingxue felt a sense of comfort throughout her body.
‘Husband’s room was indeed very cold, and yet he seemed completely unaffected.’
‘Otherwise, waking up the next day without hiding in the warmth of the blankets while getting dressed would surely be very cold.’
After walking for a while, she finally stopped in front of a thick and luxurious curtain, behind which laughter and conversation could be faintly heard.
At this point, Lin Xingxue’s back had broken into a thin layer of sweat, and her face was slightly flushed. She took off her cloak and handed it to Wu Tong to hang up, feeling much more comfortable.
The Di Long burned very hot, and because she was afraid of the cold, Lin Xingxue wore a lot of layers. Now, she was feeling uncomfortably warm.
The maid noticed her discomfort and whispered a reminder, “Madam, you can take off the scarf too.”
Lin Xingxue smiled and shook her head, while Wu Tong helped explain, “Madam is afraid of the cold, so it’s fine like this.”
Perhaps their conversation had alerted the people inside, as the laughter suddenly stopped, and the atmosphere behind the curtain became extremely quiet.
Lin Xingxue, who had just relaxed, tensed up again. She took a deep breath, and following the maid, she stepped into the inner room.
As soon as she entered, she felt numerous eyes focused on her.
Lin Xingxue dared not casually lift her gaze and stood quietly below, allowing everyone to scrutinize her.
Old Madam Shen sat in the main seat, looking down at the quiet and obedient young girl.
Although she appeared constrained and nervous, her movements were not frantic. Quietly, she lowered her gaze, and this calm demeanor even brought a sense of fondness to Old Madam Shen’s heart.
“Good girl, come over here.”
Old Madam Shen smiled and beckoned. When Lin Xingxue approached, she held her hand, pulled her closer, and gently patted her, saying, “Don’t be nervous, look up, I am your grandmother.”
Old Madam Shen’s voice was gentle, carrying a soothing power that eased Lin Xingxue’s mind. Lin Xingxue’s tension eased slightly as she looked up at Old Madam Shen, a silver-haired old woman with a dark pearl-studded forehead ornament. Her smile was kind, and her expression radiated a mix of serenity and a hint of dignity.
Old Madam Shen, in her youth, had accompanied Shen Hanxing’s grandfather in battles, making her not an ordinary woman confined to the inner chambers.
As Lin Xingxue looked at Old Madam Shen, the old lady was also carefully observing her.
Old Madam Shen had already inquired about Lin Xingxue’s background early on, not particularly concerned about the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate status. She was more worried that Lin Xingxue might be too reserved and cautious. Now, taking a closer look, she was relieved.
The young girl was in the prime of her life, exuding a lively spirit. She was like a little sun, bright and warm.
Old Madam Shen was about to continue speaking, thinking that Lin Xingxue might not talk much, but suddenly, she saw Lin Xingxue slightly open her mouth and silently say two words.
“Grandmother.” [5]
Old Madam Shen’s eyes flickered with delight, and her joy deepened. She patted Lin Xingxue’s hand and said with a smile, “Very good, very good.”
Since she could actively speak[6], there might be hope for a cure in the future.
However, Old Madam Shen wouldn’t explicitly mention this, considering that it hadn’t been cured for so many years, there must be reasons for it. She wouldn’t step on someone’s wounds.
“You’re new to the family, and I assume you’re not familiar with the situation here. The woman sitting here is your aunt-in-law, and over there is your aunt’s daughter, who is a year younger than you. She also has a brother. Your uncle-in-law and your older cousin [7] have matters to attend to today, but you’ll get to see them during the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve.”
Following Old Madam Shen’s guidance, Lin Xingxue looked and saw a woman adorned with jewels and pearls. The woman had a gentle smile, and when she noticed Lin Xingxue looking, she returned the smile. Next to the woman sat a girl also dressed in exquisite clothing, with a beautiful appearance. Although she seemed somewhat aloof, when Lin Xingxue looked over, she faintly curled her lips.
After Old Madam Shen finished the introductions, the maid by Lin Xingxue’s side timely served tea.
Lin Xingxue respectfully offered tea to Old Madam Shen and Madam Tao. After the rituals were complete, Old Madam Shen pulled her to sit beside her.
“Hanxing has been in a deep sleep for nearly six days. Unexpectedly, he woke up as soon as you got married. It seems that the astronomical observatory’s predictions were accurate; your marriage with Hanxing might indeed be destined by fate. With you by his side in the future, Grandmother can feel more at ease.”
As Old Madam Shen spoke, Lin Xingxue couldn’t help but recall the events of last night.
She had secretly lifted the curtain to look at her husband and inadvertently woke him up…
As she lowered her head, her neck was exposed. Old Madam Shen squinted slightly, noticing a trace of finger marks.
Thinking of the maid who was strangled to death last time, Old Madam Shen vaguely guessed the origin of these marks, sighing softly in her heart.
No wonder it was so hot in the inner room, and this girl refused to take off her scarf.
“I remember the set of red coral headpieces bestowed by the palace is still here. Nanny Wu, go and fetch it.”
Red coral was particularly precious, and the entire set of headpieces taken out by Nanny Wu was made from red coral. Paired with blue gemstones, they shine with a soft and radiant luster, truly dazzling to the eyes.
Sitting below, Shen Li noticed the set of headpieces, her brows and eyes moved slightly, and she straightened her body.
She clenched her hands tightly, feeling somewhat excited. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Old Madam Shen placing the set of headpieces in front of Lin Xingxue.
“This red coral jewelry is rare, and it suits you well. Consider it a gift for our first meeting.” Old Madam Shen pushed the headpieces towards Lin Xingxue.
Lin Xingxue looked at the set of headpieces in surprise, quickly waved her hand, indicating that she couldn’t accept it.
Just now, Old Madam Shen mentioned that this was a gift from the palace. How could she casually wear it?
Old Madam Shen sensed her concern and signaled Nanny Wu to pass the headpieces to Wu Tong. She said in a gentle tone, “Now that you are the Lady of Jinnin Hou, why can’t you wear this jewelry? Don’t think too much about it. As long as you like it, it’s fine.”
As long as you like it, it’s fine.
Hearing this sentence, Lin Xingxue showed a hint of confusion.
After her mother passed away, she lost her last reliance in the Lin family. She dared not step out of line, hiding her preferences, only hoping for a stable life.
It had been a long time since someone told her that it was fine as long as she liked it.
Lin Xingxue blinked back the sudden welling of tears, nodded, and accepted the set of headpieces.
Until she walked out of Shou’an Hall, she still felt a bit dazed.
She had actually anticipated today’s tea ceremony scene, perhaps expecting some difficulties or being reminded of her status as illegitimate and a mute.
However, all the anticipated unpleasant scenarios did not happen. Old Madam Shen made her feel the long-lost warmth of familial affection.
Lin Xingxue’s pace gradually quickened. She couldn’t wait to return to the East Transverse Courtyard, eager for Husband to see her wearing the red coral headpieces. She wanted him to praise her for looking good.
Husband, would he praise her?
She walked very fast, not realizing that someone was following her until she approached the end of the corridor. Only then did the person behind couldn’t help but call out, “Sister-in-law.”
At the same time, at the corner of the corridor, there was a sound of a heavy object touching the ground.
The sound suddenly stopped, and only a glimpse of a red robe corner could be seen. Soon, the robe corner was well hidden in the shadows, making it difficult to discern.
[1] this is Shen Hanxing’s title
[2] which was Lin Xingxue, however, the maid is speaking in 3rd person for respect
[4] medicinal preparation based on abdominal extracts from the earthworm species Lumbricus rubellus used in traditional Chinese medicine for a wide variety of disorders, from convulsions and fevers to rheumatoid arthritis and blood stasis syndromes
[5] it’s two words in Chinese
[6] speak as in mouthing her words, since she currently can’t produce sounds
[7] her aunt’s son; male cousin from the same paternal uncle