February 19 was the birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
The Shen family were devout Buddhists, and everyone in the household who followed the faith would go to the Guanyin temple to offer incense.
That evening, the household would also observe a vegetarian fast and prepare a lavish vegetarian feast, along with flower-shaped pastries and seasonal fruits for the young ladies and gentlemen attending the gathering.
After dinner, the children of the noble families had even arranged to go to the river later that night to release lotus lanterns and pray for blessings.
For such a grand occasion, naturally, Old Madam Shen invited Yun Ni to join them.
Although Yun Ni was Shen Tinglan’s lifesaving benefactor, she came from the countryside and a humble household. There was really no reason for the Shen family’s cousins and young ladies to curry favor with her. They were all busy chatting with their own close friends, leaving Yun Ni alone.
The only exception was Shen Baozhang, the fifth young lady of the third branch of the Shen family, who quite liked Yun Ni. Whenever she tasted a particularly delicious pastry, she would occasionally pick up a piece and bring it over to feed Yun Ni.
Yun Ni was used to being alone. Even though the noble young ladies deliberately ignored her, she didn’t think much of it.
“Wenchun, try this one. It has a walnut filling mixed with sesame. It’s really fragrant.”
Yun Ni wrapped several delicious pastries in a handkerchief and secretly slipped them into Wenchun’s hands.
Although Wenchun had been assigned by Old Madam Shen to take care of Yun Ni, she was only a year younger, so Yun Ni had come to treat her like a younger sister.
Whenever Yun Ni saw something delicious to eat or drink, she would secretly take a few pieces and slip them into Wenchun’s hands for her to enjoy.
Wenchun accepted the fragrant pastries.
They were still warm, nestled in her palm like a little hand warmer, filling her with a comforting sense of warmth.
People had hearts, after all. How could Wenchun not know when her mistress treated her well?
While Wenchun was grateful to Yun Ni, she was also worried that her mistress was too innocent and might easily be bullied if she wasn’t careful.
To protect her, Wenchun always kept a close eye on things and would quietly teach Yun Ni about the complicated social rules among the noble young ladies.
She secretly tucked the pastries into her purse and leaned closer to Yun Ni, whispering, “Miss Yun, that one is the Sixth Young Lady of the Lu family. Her father serves as the Grand Master of Ceremonies. She’s rather spoiled and domineering, so it’s best not to provoke her. Earlier, Uncle Liu, one of the stable hands, merely startled her prized horse and made it snort. She actually lashed him with her whip and knocked him to the ground…”
“And that one is the Fourth Young Lady of the Zhao family. She looks kind enough, but she’s very vindictive. She likes to manipulate others. She’ll smile sweetly to your face, then secretly form little cliques to isolate any young lady she dislikes.”
“And that one… that one is the Third Young Lady of the Wang family…”
Wenchun suddenly fell silent.
The legitimate third daughter of the Wang family of Hexi, Wang Ruodan, was a frequent guest of the Shen family. She was also Shen Tinglan’s future wife.
Everyone in the household knew that the Shen and Wang families intended to form a marriage alliance.
In another year or two, Wang Ruodan would most likely marry Shen Tinglan and become the principal wife of the Shen family—the esteemed mistress of the household.
Wenchun would have needed an extraordinary amount of courage to privately discuss the future mistress of the main branch.
Yun Ni already knew who Wang Ruodan was without Wenchun having to explain.
She had tried her best to forget Shen Tinglan, but hearing the name of the Third Young Lady Wang still made her heart ache, as though she had swallowed an entire bowl of sour plum soup.
After struggling with herself for a long while, Yun Ni finally raised her head and glanced into the distance.
The Wang family had been a family of high-ranking officials for generations. Although they could not quite compare with the illustrious Shen family, they were still an eminent and prestigious clan. A daughter raised in a household that valued poetry and propriety would naturally be well-educated, graceful, and intelligent.
Today was Guanyin’s birthday, and perhaps to suit the occasion, Wang Ruodan was dressed in a flowing gauze robe reminiscent of Guanyin Bodhisattva’s attire.
The young woman was breathtakingly beautiful. A red-gem necklace adorned her waist, while a delicate lotus crown made of sheer gauze rested on her head. A touch of cinnabar colored the space between her brows, and her lips were painted a soft cherry red.
She looked elegant, graceful, and utterly enchanting.
The customs of Wu were relatively open. Young men and women of marriageable age from prominent families often held banquets together or went hunting in the mountains.
As long as they did not secretly exchange tokens of affection or commit some scandalous act that would disgrace their families, their elders generally did not interfere with their socializing and amusements.
Thus, the moment Wang Ruodan appeared in her “Guanyin” attire, some mischievous guests immediately went to invite Shen Tinglan from the front hall to preside over the banquet.
Whether it was coincidence or heaven’s arrangement, Shen Tinglan happened to be wearing an elegant snow-white spring robe as well.
Shen Tinglan already possessed an exceptionally handsome and refined appearance. At that moment, he stood tall and graceful, his wide sleeves fluttering in the breeze. Hazy and ethereal, he looked almost like a celestial deity who had descended into the mortal world.
Wang Ruodan’s gauzy robes and long silk sash fluttered in the wind. By accident, the sash caught on the edge of Shen Tinglan’s light sleeve.
Embarrassed, she lowered her head and carefully tried to free her clothing.
The sight immediately drew laughter from everyone around them.
“Third Lady, don’t tell me you’re actually shy? You’ve come to the Shen residence so many times. Why do you still look so cautious whenever you see Eldest Young Master?”
“I went to invite the Shen family head earlier and couldn’t get him to come no matter how long I tried. But the moment he heard that Third Lady was here, he was willing to put aside his busy schedule and attend the banquet.”
“Hahaha! Our Third Lady really has quite a lot of influence!”
Wang Ruodan was terribly embarrassed.
She had known since childhood that her parents intended to marry her into the Shen family. Shen Tinglan was brilliant in both civil and military affairs, possessed an extraordinary mind, and was incomparably handsome. It was only natural that she had developed admiration and longing for him.
Although she was teased mercilessly now, she did not become angry. Instead, she smiled helplessly and tried to defend the taciturn Shen Tinglan.
“Don’t say such things. Brother Shen only came over to fulfill his duties as host and help Old Madam preside over the banquet. Don’t misunderstand…”
Fourth Lady Shen adored this beautiful and intelligent future sister-in-law. Compared with a crude country girl like Yun Ni, a talented noble lady such as Wang Ruodan was far more suitable for her distinguished cousin, Shen Tinglan.
Fourth Lady Shen affectionately linked her arm with Wang Ruodan’s.
“Who doesn’t know that Big Brother is always buried in work? He’s so busy every day. Since he was willing to attend today, he must have come specifically to support our Third Sister and give her face!”
With Fourth Lady Shen’s playful remark, everyone burst into laughter again and turned teasing gazes toward Wang Ruodan.
……
Laughter and cheerful voices drifted from the distance, filling the gathering with warmth and merriment.
The children of the noble families all wanted to curry favor with Shen Tinglan. They eagerly gathered around him, surrounding him like stars around the moon as they accompanied the seemingly perfect pair.
By contrast, the tables where Yun Ni sat were deserted and quiet.
Shen Tinglan and Wang Ruodan were too far away for Yun Ni to hear their conversation.
From where she sat, she could only see Shen Tinglan occasionally stop and turn his head, seemingly listening attentively to whatever Wang Ruodan was saying.
His expression was gentle, without the slightest hint of impatience. He was graceful and refined, just as warm and courteous as he had always been.
Whenever Wang Ruodan fell behind, Shen Tinglan would occasionally slow his pace so she wouldn’t have to awkwardly lift her skirts and hurry after him.
Yun Ni suddenly realized that Shen Tinglan actually did have a kind and gentle side.
It was simply a tenderness he had never shown to her.
From a distance, Shen Tinglan and Wang Ruodan truly looked perfectly matched—a talented man and a beautiful woman. The sight was pleasing to everyone who saw them.
And yet it made Yun Ni’s heart ache.
Although she had tried desperately to let go of Shen Tinglan, the memories of the year they had spent together as husband and wife remained vivid in her mind.
Whenever she imagined Shen Tinglan holding another woman in his arms, whispering sweet words to her in the privacy of their bedchamber, Yun Ni felt as though she couldn’t breathe. Her chest tightened painfully.
So it turned out she wasn’t nearly as carefree and detached as she had thought.
“Wenchun, I suddenly feel a little cold. Let’s not wait for the wild mushroom noodles. Let’s go back to the courtyard and rest first…”
Wenchun knew how cruel this scene must be for Yun Ni.
Although all men in the world were said to be this fickle, she still hoped that Yun Ni could one day receive special affection from her own husband.
At first, Wenchun had hoped that serving Yun Ni would help her rise in status. But after spending these days together, she had come to realize how kind Yun Ni was.
If a woman like her remained in a powerful household, she would probably be devoured alive by the people around her.
It might be better for Yun Ni to leave the Shen residence someday and find a husband from a respectable family who would genuinely cherish his wife.
Wenchun sighed softly.
“All right. Let’s go back first.”
Before Wenchun could help Yun Ni leave the banquet, however, Wang Ruodan and her group unexpectedly approached their table in a large procession.
Wang Ruodan smiled gently.
“Miss Yun, we’re going to release lanterns later. Why don’t you come with us and have some fun?”
Wang Ruodan had long known that Shen Tinglan had been saved by a country woman named Yun Ni.
Her mother had privately warned her before:
“Shen Tinglan is the Prime Minister of Wu. Once he establishes his household, there will certainly be more than one woman in his inner residence. If he insists on taking that country girl as a concubine, you must not become jealous.”
Wang Ruodan did not want her future husband surrounded by other women, but she understood the importance of this marriage alliance and knew just how powerful and prestigious the Shen family was.
No matter what, she intended to marry into the Shen family.
So, in order to demonstrate her generosity and virtue, she suppressed the jealousy in her heart and offered Yun Ni a kind smile, inviting her to join them.
But the gentler Wang Ruodan’s voice became, the more ashamed Yun Ni felt.
For an entire year, she had occupied another woman’s place and taken another woman’s fiancé.
Consumed by embarrassment, Yun Ni deliberately looked away, unable to meet Wang Ruodan’s eyes.
“Thank you for inviting me, Miss Wang. It’s just that I’m feeling a little unwell and would like to return and rest…”
Yun Ni politely bowed before taking Wenchun’s hand and slowly making her way back toward Autumn Lotus Courtyard.
She desperately wanted to flee.
She wished she could run away as quickly as possible.
But there were so many noble young ladies and gentlemen watching behind her…
If she ran too quickly, they would notice her limp.
Things were already embarrassing enough. There was no need to give them another reason to gossip.
That night, Yun Ni bathed, changed into fresh clothes, and slipped beneath the soft brocade quilt.
She had turned the fox fur that was originally meant as a gift for Shen Tinglan into a pillowcase. She buried her little face in the fluffy fur and rubbed against it affectionately, somehow finding a little comfort in it.
Yun Ni tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Suddenly, she remembered something from a long time ago.
Back then, after she and Shen Tinglan had been intimate, she had lain naked against his broad, firm chest.
Perhaps remembering something, Yun Ni suddenly suppressed her embarrassment and took Shen Tinglan’s hand, guiding it to rest against her still-flat abdomen.
“Husband, when I was young, I suffered from a cold-related illness. The physician said it would be very difficult for me to conceive. But we’ve been together so often… perhaps one day we’ll still have a child.”
Yun Ni gazed at Shen Tinglan’s handsome features, flushed with contentment after their intimacy. She gently tugged at his dark hair, her heart filled with longing.
“If it’s a boy, you can teach him to read and write. If it’s a girl, I’ll teach her embroidery and weaving…”
“Shen Tinglan, let’s stay together for the rest of our lives, all right?”
……
Too much time had passed, and Yun Ni could no longer remember exactly what Shen Tinglan had said.
But she remembered the smile on her face at the time.
Her heart had been pounding like a drum, and her eyes and heart had been filled with nothing but happiness.
Yun Ni thought:
Back then, Shen Tinglan must have given her a very, very good answer.