Even after Wang Gonggong had left, Shen Yunying remained in a daze, her actions driven purely by instinct. She meticulously reviewed her every move in the palace—at most, she had smuggled a small peach. Was that really worth the punishment of an imperial marriage decree?
Her gaze was unfocused, but when it fell upon Jiang Wensheng, she gradually steadied herself and accepted the reality of her betrothal.
Shen Yunman’s face was pale as she cast a cold glance at Shen Yunying, her nails digging sharply into her palms. Second Madam, while resentful, also felt heartache that her daughter had been reduced to a mere foil. Her sharp eyes fixed intently on Shen Yunying.
With the second branch of the family humiliated and Shen Yunman eyeing what she couldn’t have, the First Madam laughed heartily. “Congratulations, sister-in-law, congratulations, Yunying. This is a joyous occasion. An imperial decree for marriage, and Young Master Yan is among the finest young talents. In the future, Yunying will be granted titles and enjoy wealth and honor.”
As the head of the family, Shen Yunnian spoke directly: “The decree has been received. Everyone may return.” He then turned to the Old Madam: “Madam, make good use of the time to properly instruct Yunying.”
“Very well.” The Old Madam gave Shen Yunying’s attire a meaningful look.
With each person lost in their own thoughts, the group dispersed to their respective courtyards.
Shen Yunnian took the imperial decree to the ancestral hall, where he lit incense and bowed. Before long, the chief steward hurried in. “Old Master, only one decree was issued from the palace.”
Shen Yunnian nodded, his aged eyes suddenly opening wide. “It seems this matter has nothing to do with the Crown Prince.”
As one grows old, from the loosening of teeth to the wrinkling of skin, everything serves as a reminder that time is running out. The Shen family rose to prominence with his appointment as Grand Preceptor, and it would likely decline after his passing.
When his wife had mentioned their third granddaughter’s exceptional beauty, he had begun considering sending her to the Eastern Palace. What a pity.
Now, he recalled the great scholar’s evaluation of Yan Peifeng: a talent like the qilin. Given time to grow, with his ties to the imperial family and the trust of both the Emperor and the Crown Prince, this was Yan Peifeng’s greatest advantage.
For a daughter of the Shen family to marry Yan Peifeng as his principal wife… His wife had described Shen Yunying’s temperament as wild and lazy in her studies. Shen Yunnian couldn’t decide whether the current situation was for better or worse.
“Go to the storeroom and find the pearwood book chests. Take them all out and air them—they will come in handy.” Shen Yunnian gave the order and slowly rose, heading toward his study. Tomorrow at court, several old rivals would surely pick faults. After all, it was his granddaughter who had taken the top prize.
Shen Yunnian smiled silently.
In Jiahe Courtyard, the couple of the eldest branch were merely spectators.
The Eldest Master stroked his beard and sighed. “I never expected Yunying to secure such a favorable marriage. Her father, in the afterlife, can rest in peace.”
Even the First Madam had to admit that Yan Peifeng was indeed an excellent choice for a son-in-law. Who would have thought that the mother and daughter of the third branch, usually so quiet, would make such a decisive move at the critical moment?
“Did you see Shen Yunman’s expression just now? Ah, it’s not for me, as an elder, to criticize her. Our Yunzhi made her own mistakes, and if Shen Yunman wants to compete for the Yong’an Marquis Mansion, I won’t stand in her way. But now, seeing a good prospect, she wants to reach for the stars.”
The First Madam sighed. “Even rivalry between sisters should have its limits.”
“Children’s squabbles—they’ll understand better in a couple of years. Once our niece is married off, she won’t be in your way.” The Eldest Master was unconcerned.
“Fine, I won’t argue with the younger generation.” The First Madam fretted. “The Qingming and Dragon Boat festivals are both major occasions. Send more people back to our ancestral home in Tong’an to check on Yunzhi and see how she’s doing.”
The eldest master agreed, his mind already preoccupied with another matter. His two sons, Shen Chujun and Shen Chuyan, were about the same age as Yan Peifeng. This was a perfect opportunity to seize the moment and build connections with him.
Meanwhile, over in the Yonggui Courtyard to the west, it felt as though the sky had collapsed.
“Mother!” Shen Yunman trembled with rage.
Among the three sisters, Shen Yunzhi had ruined her own prospects, leaving only Shen Yunying. Shen Yunman had always looked down on this distant cousin from another branch of the family. Lazy in her studies, fond of eating and averse to work, her plump figure made it clear she was destined for a lowly marriage. Shen Yunman was convinced that, for the rest of her life, she would firmly remain above both Shen Yunzhi and Shen Yunying.
Even if she married into the Yong’an Marquis Mansion and became the wife of the heir, it would only be a temporary lead. The likelihood of Yan Peifeng rising high in rank was too great. Shen Yunman sighed deeply. If only Shen Yunying could be like her mother.
Trapped forever in a single courtyard, living out her days as a widow.
Second Madam watched as her daughter’s expression shifted repeatedly, finally settling into one of dark malice. Her heart raced as she lowered her voice and asked, “Yunman, stop thinking about it. After all, Shen Yunying isn’t marrying into the Eastern Palace—it’s just the Yan family. We’re still the Taishi Mansion.”
Shen Yunman shook her head slightly. She possessed genuine talent and learning. Through her interactions with Zhang Xingyu, she had discovered that he did not care for the imperial examinations and carried a touch of naivety in his dealings with others. Moreover, the Yong’an Marquis’s wife, her future mother-in-law, would be extremely difficult to handle.
Yan Peifeng’s scholarly abilities, on the other hand, were proven by his top scholar title. And the Yan family had no in-laws to cause trouble.
If Shen Yunying had entered the Eastern Palace, Shen Yunman could have consoled herself with the thought that, at the very least, she herself would be the legitimate wife. Given Shen Yunying’s temperament, it was uncertain how long she would even survive in the palace.
But Shen Yunying being betrothed to Yan Peifeng made her feel even worse!
Second Madam had no choice but to comfort her with thoughts of the Yong’an Marquis Mansion: “The Yong’an Marquis Mansion holds a marquis title. How many marquises are there in the capital? And the heir is fond of you. Once you marry, give birth to a son first, secure your husband’s heart, and then you can simply wait to become a respected matriarch in your old age.”
“Even more esteemed than the old madam!”
Shen Yunman gritted her teeth and nodded. “I will.”
Finally returning to Jingyuan Studio, Shen Yunying looked exhausted. She collapsed into the reclining chair, her expression dazed.
Jiang Wensheng took a gulp of cold tea, her gaze fixed intently on Shen Yunying. A thousand words ultimately condensed into one sentence: “Ying’er, what did you do?”
Shen Yunying picked up her mother’s blue-powdered round fan and pulled a bright red peach from her sleeve. Placing the peach in the slight hollow of the fan, she presented it to her mother.
“A peach?”
“A peach.”
Shen Yunying’s tone was calm. “I just stayed in a peach grove the whole time. I didn’t go anywhere else, and I didn’t even write the poem to be submitted to the Empress for evaluation at the end.”
“The only unusual thing was tipping the chief eunuch with a gold peanut—the one you slipped to me.” Shen Yunying pointed at the peach. “I saw it ripening quickly, so I asked a young eunuch to help pick one. I wanted to find out the variety so we could plant it in our mansion later.”
Shen Yunying laid out her plans one by one.
Jiang Wensheng: …
My daughter went to the palace for a matchmaking viewing, not to go shopping!
Shen Yunying felt a bit embarrassed under her mother’s gaze and chuckled awkwardly. “Because we were entering the palace, I didn’t eat much last night, and this morning I only had one sticky rice cake. They wouldn’t even let me drink much water. I was bored in the palace, and when I saw these plump, juicy peaches, wanting to taste one seemed perfectly reasonable, didn’t it?”
Jiang Wensheng rubbed her forehead. “Alright then. The young eunuch probably wasn’t some noble in disguise.”
Shen Yunying nodded vigorously.
“Then how did they choose you?” Jiang Wensheng stroked her chin. “You had to pass Yan Peifeng’s test, the Emperor’s test, and the Empress’s test. Each one was difficult, yet you managed to clear them all?”
Shen Yunying choked back her words. “Perhaps… it’s fate.”
Jiang Wensheng’s delicate brows furrowed slightly before relaxing, and she nodded solemnly. “Exactly.”
“After you entered the palace, your eldest aunt came to see me. The First Lady went to the residence in the western part of the city to confront her, and her words were quite harsh. Coincidentally, Jiang Gaoheng overheard them, which led to what he said at the restaurant. Gaoheng is young and impulsive—he didn’t want his mother to be ridiculed because of his marriage.”
Shen Yunying was taken aback, never expecting there to be such a layer to the story.
“Actually, by coming here today, your eldest aunt already had second thoughts. Sigh, power can be oppressive.” Jiang Wensheng poured herself a cup of hot tea. “It seems you and the Jiang family were simply not meant to be.”
Now that the imperial decree had been issued, there was no turning back.
Shen Yunying and Jiang Wensheng exchanged a glance, silently accepting the reality. Marrying Jiang Gaoheng would have been fine, but marrying Yan Peifeng wasn’t bad either.
First, his family background was simple. Both his parents had passed away, and his elderly grandparents resided in Fanzhou. Shen Yunying would be able to take charge as soon as she entered the household.
Second, his future prospects were bright. He had entered officialdom through the imperial examinations as a top scholar and was also the Emperor’s nephew. He embodied both wealth and scholarly prestige.
Finally, his character and temperament. While the specifics were unclear, it was true that he kept his distance from women.
Counting these three points on her fingers, Shen Yunying and Jiang Wensheng fell silent. The reputation of the capital’s most eligible bachelor was well-deserved—and he had actively chosen her.
The mother and daughter’s spirits lightened at once.
Now that Shen Yunying had a good match, life was what one made of it. Jiang Wensheng believed Shen Yunying would not let herself down.
With the preparations for her daughter’s marriage underway, there was one more matter that needed to be addressed.
“Since you are to be married, and by imperial decree at that, the Shen family must send you off in grand style.” Jiang Wensheng’s eyes crinkled into a smile. “It’s time to reclaim the assets your father left behind.”
Shen Yunying rose from her reclining chair, curious. “My father had assets?”
“Of course he did. When I first married into the family, your grandfather, Grand Tutor Shen, laid down the rules: seventy percent of the family property would go to the eldest legitimate son. Your second uncle and your father, both legitimate sons, each received ten percent, while the two younger uncles, born of concubines, received five percent each.”
Jiang Wensheng remembered it clearly. “That was the arrangement. Later, when your second uncle and your father entered court service and needed to socialize, a portion of the assets was allocated for their personal management. Your father was even better at business than I am. When he passed away, he had one hundred thousand taels in silver.”
Shen Yunying’s face was filled with disbelief. Her father—a master of business. Her mother—a skilled businesswoman. And her—utterly hopeless at business.
Shen Yunying had managed a few shops before. The better ones broke even, while the worse ones lost half their value. Eventually, she gave up, deciding to learn from her mother for the next decade or so.
Jiang Wensheng continued, “That’s not all. There were also the subsidies the Old Madam privately gave your father. I have the account books here.”
“What do you think? Should we try to reclaim them?”
Shen Yunying thought it over carefully and shook her head. “It would be quite troublesome. Over a decade has passed, and much of it has likely been spent. After Father’s passing, his private assets should rightfully be managed by his parents. They also have their justifications.”
Jiang Wensheng nodded with a smile. “Well said. If we can recover thirty to forty percent, that would be enough.”
“It all depends on whether Yan Peifeng is worth Grandfather letting go?” Shen Yunying smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. From the way the old madam looked at her today, she understood that she and her mother could no longer hope to live a secluded life in the Shen family from now on.
Jiang Wensheng did not stand on ceremony with the Shen family. The next day, he personally went to Cihui Courtyard to discuss the dowry with the old madam. Citing the imperial edict’s call for an early marriage, Jiang Wensheng made it clear that the Shen family had little time left.
The old madam initially did not believe it. The matter of the dowry also affected the interests of the eldest and second branches. Back when the third master’s properties were merged into the family estate, they had all benefited. Now that these were to be given away as dowry, the eldest madam and Second Madam firmly opposed it.
The matter remained deadlocked for two days until Vice Minister Sun of the Ministry of Rites suddenly paid a visit. The eldest master, Shen Fengze, initially thought his colleague had come to see him. To his surprise, Minister Sun was there to convey the Minister of Rites’ intention: the arrangements for Yan Peifeng and Shen Yunying’s wedding would be entrusted to the eldest master.
Minister Sun spoke tactfully, “It’s only reasonable to entrust you with handling your niece’s wedding. If any disputes arise, you’re family—it’ll be easier to discuss.”
He also did Shen Fengze a favor, adding, “The Emperor’s wish is for it to be held sooner. The Qintianjian has calculated that the nearest auspicious date falls in June. The Ministry of Rites suggests that since Miss Shen the Third will have her coming-of-age ceremony on the sixth day of June, marrying on the eighth would be perfect.”
Shen Fengze nodded in understanding. “Thank you for making the trip, Minister Sun. Won’t you stay for a cup of tea before leaving?”
Minister Sun waved his hand. “I don’t have time to linger—I must hurry back to the yamen to attend to matters.”
After Minister Sun left, Shen Fengze hurried to Cihui Courtyard to seek out the old madam. He explained the Emperor’s emphasis on this marriage and finally suggested, “Yunying is Third Brother’s only descendant. It’s only reasonable to give her more property for security. What do you think, Mother?”
The old madam’s profound gaze softened. “You decide. Inform your father about this. He hasn’t returned home for two days—he should be back today.”
She continued to advise, “As for your wife, you must reassure her. Your second brother doesn’t care about such worldly matters, and that fool Madam Wang won’t be able to stir up trouble.”
Shen Fengze nodded in agreement.
Before the dowry matter was settled, Shen Yunying heard that someone from the Ministry of Rites had come to collect her birth date and time to divine the auspiciousness of her marriage with Yan Peifeng.
A senior monk from Huguo Temple personally declared it a harmonious union, a match made in heaven.
Shen Yunying secretly complained to Jiang Wensheng, “Huguo Temple worked really fast this time.”
In response, she received a light tap on the head from Jiang Wensheng and a scolding, “Do not disrespect the master.”
The wedding preparations progressed smoothly and swiftly. On the day of setting the date, Jiang Wensheng very much wanted to choose the sixteenth day of the eighth month the following year. However, under the intense gazes of Shen Fengze and a group of officials from the Ministry of Rites, he could only select the eighth day of the sixth month this year.
And now, with the Qingming Festival already past, there were only two months left until the wedding day, at most.
Author’s Note: