Shen Chu’s face was full of grief. “Granddaughter specifically burned all the deeds to the farmland and estates you’ve treasured over these years, Grandmother, so that you won’t set off on your final journey in destitution.”
Old Madame Shen was so startled her hand trembled, and she nearly hanged herself for real on the white silk.
“You… you just burned the deeds to my farmland and estates?”
Shen Chu nodded. “Oh, and the deed to the hot spring estate in Qinghe—I burned that for you as well, Grandmother.”
Old Madame Shen trembled all over with heartache. “You wretched little bastard! Lowly spawn! I should have strangled you at birth!”
Shen Chu knocked her head against the ground and wailed in a long, drawn-out voice:
“Grandmother, may you travel well on your final journey!”
“My poor grandmother, how could you abandon your children and grandchildren so soon…”
Old Madame Shen was nearly sent off by Shen Chu’s two funeral wails.
Furious and frantic, she stretched out a hand to point at Shen Chu and berate her, forgetting that her hand was gripping the white silk.
The moment she let go, the silk tightened around her neck, strangling her until her eyes rolled back and she fainted.
Mama Zhang was startled and hurriedly directed the maids and servants to take Old Madame Shen down and carry her back to Songshou Tang.
Quiet returned to the area before Cangshulou.
Hong Xiu couldn’t help clapping. “Now the Old Madame will be furious with you. She probably won’t come looking for trouble for a while.”
Shen Chu nodded. “Was the deed matter handled properly?”
Hong Xiu smiled and patted her chest. “Don’t worry, this servant has already put all the deeds away safely.”
Shen Chu chuckled softly.
That’s right—what she had just burned was a stack of fake deeds.
The farmland and estates in the Old Madame’s hands were either Concubine Qiao’s dowry or properties Concubine Qiao had purchased later; most of the deeds bore Concubine Qiao’s name.
The people of the marquis’s residence cared about appearances. Although they had taken the deeds, they only collected the income from the estates and never actually transferred ownership at the government office.
Shen Chu instructed, “Take these property deeds to the broker house immediately and sell them as soon as possible. Exchange everything for bank notes and keep them safe for Concubine Qiao first.”
By the time the people of the marquis’s residence went to the government office to reissue the deeds, they would discover that those shops and estates no longer belonged to them.
Hong Xiu was a little worried. “If the Hou Ye finds out, will he punish you?”
Shen Chu sneered, unafraid of Changning Hou’s punishment.
The moment she entered the capital alive, the good days of Changning Marquis’s residence should have come to an end.
“Don’t worry. Even if he punishes me, it won’t be too harsh. After all, he still needs me to bring glory to the Shen family.”
Having finished her instructions, Shen Chu saw that it was still early and decided to go out.
She was going to Libu to register for the Xuanshi.
When the current Emperor first ascended the throne, he had reformed the imperial examination system. All Jinshi were required to register with Libu after achieving Jidi, listing their preferred departments according to their own wishes and strengths, after which Libu would uniformly hold the Xuanshi.
After the Xuanshi, Libu would report all the Jinshi’s examination results to the Emperor, who would grant official positions based on each Jinshi’s first-choice department.
Shen Chu had long since decided which department she wanted to join.
But when she arrived at Libu, the Libu Langzhong in charge of registration was extremely surprised to see her.
“Lord Hou already came to Libu at noon today and registered on behalf of Young Lord Shen. Why has the young Zhuangyuan come again today?”
Shen Chu was astonished. No wonder the Old Madame had been so emboldened during her tantrum today.
So Changning Hou had already gone to Libu and registered on her behalf.
The Libu Langzhong found Shen Chu’s registration record and said with a smile, “You registered for the Hanlinyuan. As the Zhuangyuan, you’ll have no problem getting in. Besides, the Zhuangyuan doesn’t need to take the quanxuan examination to enter the Hanlinyuan. Congratulations in advance, young Hanlin.”
Shen Chu frowned. She didn’t want to go to the Hanlinyuan at all.
“My lord, could this registration be done again?”
The Libu Langzhong frowned. “Of course not. Each person may only register once. Besides, I’ve already reported that you’re exempt from the quanxuan examination. The Libu won’t prepare an exam paper for you.”
With that, she had no choice but to go to the Hanlinyuan.
Shen Chu clenched her hands to suppress the anger in her heart, thought it over carefully, and returned to the marquis’s residence to find the Changning Hou.
“Why did Father send someone to register me for the Hanlinyuan with the Libu?”
Changning Hou had only just returned home and learned that the Old Madame had fainted from anger. He had been about to look for Shen Chu, and hearing her question him the moment he walked in, he flew into a rage.
“I am your father. Why can’t I register on your behalf? As for you, go kneel in your grandmother’s courtyard at once and beg her forgiveness.”
Shen Chu didn’t move. “Before registering, shouldn’t Father have asked for my wishes first?”
Changning Hou’s face darkened. “Your wishes? What does a green youngster like you know? The place I chose for you is naturally the best. Or do you think the Hanlinyuan isn’t good enough?”
Shen Chu took a deep breath. “The Hanlinyuan is very good, but it’s not where I want to go. I want to go to the Censorate. I want to be a Investigating Censor.”
“Nonsense!”
Changning Hou slammed his palm on the desk, glaring at Shen Chu with a dark face.
” ignorant child, what’s so good about being a Investigating Censor? You’re the illustrious Zhuangyuan. Go to the Hanlinyuan as a Hanlin Xiuzhuan, gain a few years of experience, and in the future, if the opportunity arises, you could even enter the Neige.
What would you gain by going to the Censorate? The highest you could ever rise is Left Censor-in-Chief. I don’t agree.”
Shen Chu was firm. “I don’t want to enter the Hanlinyuan, nor the Neige. I have my own goals.”
“What place is it of yours to have a say in this matter?”
“This is my own life. Even if you’ve registered me for the Hanlinyuan, I won’t go.”
“Rebellious child! Have you no respect at all?”
Changning Hou flew into a fury and slapped her across the face.
Shen Chu didn’t dodge. Five bright red finger marks rose on her cheek.
“Let me tell you, there is nothing to discuss in this matter. The Hanlinyuan—you’ll go whether you want to or not.”
“It’s all for your own good. Since you can’t think it through, go kneel in the courtyard.”
“When you’ve come to your senses, you may get up.”
Holding her face, she said not a word and went out to kneel on the bluestone slabs outside.
Soon, news that Shen Chu was being punished by kneeling spread throughout the entire Houfu.
When Old Madame Shen heard it, her flesh no longer ached and her heart no longer trembled. She ordered the maid beside her to pass a message to the Changning Hou:
“That rebellious son doesn’t listen and has repeatedly defied his elders—it’s all due to his indulgence. This time, Shen Chu must be taught a proper lesson.”
Madam Chen had someone look into the matter, and upon hearing that Shen Chu had clashed with the Changning Hou because she didn’t want to go to the Hanlinyuan, she couldn’t help sneering.
“Since ancient times, the Shoufu has always come from the Hanlin. The Hanlinyuan is a place brimming with talent, and the Hou told her to go, yet she actually refused. Hmph, a lowborn seed born of a lowborn woman—she simply has no vision.”
Nanny Wang smiled and flattered her, “Concubine Qiao came from a merchant family—how could she ever compare to Madam? Your cousin is the Empress, and your uncle on the maternal side serves as a Shilang in the Xingbu. Our heir is destined for a boundless future.”
Madam Chen smiled. “Go, send someone to deliver Yan’er’s recent coursework from the academy to the Hou. Remind the Hou of how good Yan’er is.”
Changning Hou looked over the coursework from Shen Yan that Madam Chen had sent, and his expression grew even darker than before.
Standing at the door of the study, he looked down at Shen Chu from on high. “Look at how obedient Yan’er is. After failing the Chunwei, he went straight to the academy to study hard on his own. And then look at you. You’ve merely placed as Zhuangyuan, yet you’ve repeatedly defied your elders. Relying on your own bit of talent, you don’t even put the Hanlinyuan in your eyes. You’ve been kneeling for so long—have you come to your senses?”
Shen Chu lowered her eyes, silently calculating the time in her mind.
When she went out this afternoon, Concubine Qiao had also gone out to inspect the shops. By her reckoning, she should be back soon.
If Concubine Qiao saw Changning Hou striking her, whose side would she take?
Her thoughts churning, after Changning Hou finished roaring, she said stiffly, “I don’t want to go to the Hanlinyuan.”
“You!” Changning Hou raised his hand again in fury.
“Tsk. Quite the lively scene here at the Hou’s residence. It seems this prince has arrived at a bad time?” A voice with a smile in it suddenly came from the doorway.
An inexplicable chill ran down Shen Chu’s spine as she turned to look.