Shen Chu went home and collapsed into bed, falling fast asleep.
She had been utterly exhausted that day. She’d expected to sleep deeply, but instead she kept dreaming.
One moment, she and Pei Yuan were entangled passionately, his scorching breath and sweat spraying over her body.
Pei Yuan gripped her waist, coaxing her in a low voice: “Good girl, let’s change positions.”
The next moment, Pei Yuan was looking at her with a face full of mockery: “I’ve got something on you. From now on, this prince will work you like an ox and a horse.”
The two scenes wove back and forth, leaving her almost sleepless all night. When she got up in the morning, she made up her mind at once.
She’d look for the pouch some other time. She was going to stay far away from Pei Yuan.
After getting up and eating breakfast, Shen Chu, following Changning Hou’s instructions, went to Songshou Tang to apologize to Old Madame Shen.
Old Madame Shen had a cloth wrapped around her head and lay in bed, moaning constantly about her headache.
Shen Chu knelt and kowtowed obediently. “Paying respects to Grandmother. Father sent me to apologize to you.”
Old Madame Shen was choked with frustration by these words.
What did he mean, “Father sent me to apologize”? So he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong at all?
Old Madame Shen snorted coldly. “When you were born, the master read your fate and said your Ming Ge carries Shaqi, which would clash with the fates of your family members. Now our whole family doesn’t hold it against you—we took you back in to live a life of luxury. You ought to be overflowing with gratitude. But what about you? At such a young age, you have no respect for your elders. Arrogant and overbearing, defiant and unfilial—if this continues, what will become of you?”
Shen Chu smiled sweetly. “Yes, Grandmother, everything you say is right. Whatever you say goes.”
Old Madame Shen felt as if her fist had landed on cotton. Especially when she glimpsed the expression on Shen Chu’s face—”Grandmother is always right, but I absolutely will not change”—she felt even more choked up.
“What kind of attitude is that? Do you think what I said is wrong?”
Shen Chu shook her head. “Not at all. As long as Grandmother is happy.”
Old Madame Shen’s head hurt even more.
This wretch truly knew how to infuriate people!
Just then, Changning Hou came in. Seeing Shen Chu kneeling obediently on the floor, his face filled with gratification.
“It’s good that you know to apologize to your grandmother. From now on, come often to pay your respects and listen to her teachings.”
Shen Chu rose and bowed with hands folded. “Father is right to instruct me. Your son will come every day from now on. I’m sure Grandmother will be delighted to see me.”
Old Madame Shen rolled her eyes in fury. “You’d better come less! One blast of that Shaqi of yours and I’ll lose ten years of my life.”
“Mother.” Changning Hou frowned. “Didn’t we agree not to bring this up? A gentleman does not speak of the supernatural. These things are not to be believed.”
Old Madame Shen looked deeply pained. “In matters like this, it’s better to believe than to disbelieve. You’re all still young—you don’t understand the depths of these things. Since he refuses to drink the talisman decoction, then we’ll try another method.”
Changning Hou said, “And what method would that be, Mother?”
Old Madame Shen cleared her throat. “A few days ago, a grandniece from my family came to seek refuge with me. I had someone read that child’s Ming Ge. Yufang’s Ming Ge is extremely hard—it specifically counters Shaqi. If Chu marries Yufang, it will perfectly suppress the Shaqi in his body.”
Pfft.
Shen Chu sprayed out her mouthful of tea.
Marry a wife? Her, a woman?
She turned to look at Changning Hou.
Changning Hou frowned, clearly also quite taken aback by the Old Madame’s proposal.
“Someone Mother approves of, and a granddaughter of Uncle’s household besides—she must be an excellent person. Chu, what do you say?”
As he spoke, he shook his head at Shen Chu, signaling him to refuse the match.
Shen Chu couldn’t help but sneer.
The Old Madame’s natal family had long since fallen into decline—powerless and without influence. Changning Hou was counting on him to bring glory to the Shen family, so how could he possibly allow her to marry the Old Madame’s grandniece?
It was just that he wanted to play the filial son and didn’t dare refuse the Old Madame, so he made himself the villain instead.
Heh.
Shen Chu slowly wiped the tea from the corner of her mouth and said with a smile:
“Since Grandmother and Father both say she’s good, naturally I have no objection.”
“When shall we settle the betrothal? When shall we marry? I’m ready anytime—I could go to the bridal chamber right now.”
Old Madame Shen’s tightly furrowed brow instantly relaxed, and her gaze toward Shen Chu took on a touch of kindness.
“I’m only doing this for your own good. Since you trust Grandmother, Grandmother will make the arrangements for you.”
“Mother.” Changning Hou shot Shen Chu a fierce glare and, anxious, loudly interrupted Old Madame Shen, “Marriage is a major matter after all—it must be carefully arranged. It can’t be rushed.”
Old Madame Shen was dismissive. “What’s there to it? Your brother-in-law’s letter already said it—Yufang’s marriage is to be handled by me. Since Chu agrees as well, tomorrow we’ll send a matchmaker to their door and handle the betrothal gifts, the name inquiry, and the formal gifts all at once. The wedding can take place next month.”
Changning Hou: “But Chu is a Zhuangyuan after all—plenty of people in the capital are asking about him…”
Old Madame Shen grew displeased. “You keep making excuses—could it be you look down on Yufang?”
Before Changning Hou could reply, Old Madame Shen slapped her thigh and began to wail.
“I knew it—you despise your maternal family for having fallen on hard times, you unfilial son! Your uncle doted on you when you were little, and now that your life is good, you’ve started to look down on your uncle’s family. If that’s how it is, then send me back to the Zhao family too. Apparently there’s no place in this household for an old woman like me…”
“Mother, that’s not what I meant.”
Old Madame Shen’s crying gave Changning Hou a headache, and he hurried to explain.
Shen Chu watched from the sidelines with great interest.
Old Madame Shen’s temperament had grown strange these past two years—at the slightest setback she would threaten to kill herself, wailing, making a scene, threatening to hang herself.
Driven to distraction by Old Madame Shen’s crying-and-wailing theatrics, Changning Hou made the excuse that he had to attend to his official duties and would discuss it again when he returned—and slipped away.
The moment he stepped out, he summoned Shen Chu to his study and commanded: “You cannot marry Zhao Yufang. Find a way to refuse this match immediately.”
Shen Chu feigned surprise. “Didn’t Grandmother and Father both say she was good? Why can’t I marry her?”
Changning Hou grew impatient. “Plenty of prominent families in the capital want to marry their daughters to you now. Marrying a capable wife would benefit your career in the future. What could marrying Zhao Yufang possibly bring you? Besides, I’ve already made inquiries through Chief Grand Secretary Feng’s family. Chief Grand Secretary Feng intends to marry his second daughter to you. Marrying the Chief Grand Secretary’s second daughter would greatly benefit your future.”
Shen Chu: “Marriage is a matter decided by parents. If Father thinks it’s a bad match, simply refuse Grandmother directly.”
Changning Hou’s eyes flickered. “Refusing outright would inevitably hurt your grandmother’s feelings.”
“What does Father suggest, then?”
“She is, after all, a child of your grandmother’s natal family—not marrying her would indeed look bad. How about this: take her as a concubine instead.”
“But Grandmother said I should take a wife.”
Changning Hou grew impatient. “Then find a way to ruin Yufang’s chastity. If she loses her virtue before marriage, naturally she cannot be your wife. Then you can propose taking her as a concubine, and your grandmother will surely agree.”
Shen Chu was disgusted by Changning Hou’s proposal.
She looked up and smiled faintly. “Is that how Father took my mother as a concubine back then?”
The muscles on Changning Hou’s face twitched slightly, and he couldn’t help slamming the table.
“Absurd! The matter between me and your aunt’s household—how can a son like you presume to interfere?”
Shen Chu curled her lip and feigned displeasure: “When Father takes a concubine, he knows to find someone like my aunt—young, beautiful, and with a substantial family fortune. Yet when it comes to me, you want to force a woman from a fallen family on me as a concubine? Does Father simply not love his son?”
“You!” Changning Hou’s face turned livid, a shadow of gloom flashing through his eyes.
Ever since this son had become Zhuangyuan, he had been acting rather reckless. Not having been raised at his side, he was indeed not close to him—much harder to control.
Changning Hou’s expression darkened as he gave a direct order: “This matter is settled. Make the arrangements at once—the sooner, the better.”