Although it was senior imperial physicians who made house calls to the residences of important ministers like the Marquis of Suning, the highest-ranking Left and Right Court Judges of the Imperial Medical Academy were not someone others could easily summon.
Without the emperor’s approval, how could you expect the two top officials specifically responsible for the emperor, the empress dowager, and the crown prince to attend to you?
Do you think your own status is that high, or are you trying to take the opportunity to get acquainted with these two and plot something?
On the other hand, the Marquis of Suning was reporting in advance to see if he could adopt a child with “somewhat distant blood ties” to inherit the title. This was to keep the emperor informed, so that when it came to the matter of the title, he wouldn’t shamelessly propose a reduction in rank or something similar.
Because of the Shen Family’s peculiar situation, you couldn’t find a second family like it in the entire capital.
Despite having nearly fifty half-brothers from the same father, the first Marquis of Suning managed to live as if he were an only child—one who had lost both parents and had no remaining relatives.
Now, the old marquis was clearly planning to select a grandson from among his cousins’ families, which was perfectly fine in terms of blood relations.
But from the perspective of ritual and law, the Marquis’s Mansion was not just separated from them by household division; they had completely severed clan ties and established a separate genealogy.
That meant they were entirely unrelated—even clan extermination wouldn’t affect them together.
Of course, if it really came to beheading the entire clan, whether they counted as one clan would still depend on the emperor’s will.
The final layer of meaning was to use this opportunity to play the victim.
As the emperor grew older, his temper became increasingly unpredictable.
Unfortunately, the crown prince couldn’t maintain control, and several vigorous princes were growing restless.
The old marquis held military authority over the Capital Suburb Garrison, making his position highly precarious. Even when encountering the polite smiles of the princes, he had to maintain the same curve of his lips, emphasizing his impartiality.
Torn between family matters and political affairs, the old marquis was utterly exhausted, yet his request to retire due to old age had not been approved.
All he could do was seize every opportunity to lament his plight, hoping that the old emperor—who had recently taken pleasure in purging court officials—would stop focusing on the marquis’s mansion, which was on the verge of having no heir, and go harass other families instead!
Wu Tianheng, of course, understood these underlying implications.
Stroking his beard, he thought of his son-in-law’s grandfather, Shen Pingqiao, who was one of the many half-brothers of the first Marquis of Suning.
In terms of blood relations, his nominal grandson was among the top tier of candidates for adoption, though the number of children in this tier likely numbered in the hundreds.
After his old friend passed away, his son-in-law Shen Rusong divided the family property with his elder half-brothers, receiving thirty percent. On the surface, this seemed fair.
But after selling the Farmland Property in Anyang County, all that remained was cash and the large mansion in Shouzhou Prefecture’s Fu Cheng.
Although his foundation was much more substantial than Wu Tianheng’s own, his son-in-law faced the same predicament: if he couldn’t find a livelihood, he would eventually exhaust his resources.
When Wu Tianheng saw the Marquis of Suning’s memorial, he couldn’t help but feel a stir in his heart. The more he read, the more he saw it as an opportunity.
He didn’t harbor any illusions about his nominal grandson becoming a marquis.
Especially since An Ge’er had been raised under his care for over a year, and he knew the child was utterly ordinary, completely unremarkable.
He sent a message to Shen Rusong simply because he guessed that the main branch of the Marquis’s Mansion had declined to such an extent that it was on the verge of having no heir. Even if there were lingering grievances with the clan, wouldn’t the current Marquis of Suning have no choice but to select an heir from within the clan?
During this selection process, wouldn’t he naturally promote any promising young clansmen he came across?
Whether it was to have more candidates as backups or to balance the power of the adoptive grandson’s original family, it was unwise to put all eggs in one basket.
All in all, through this matter, his son-in-law was likely to gain the favor of the Marquis’s Mansion.
It just so happened that while this son-in-law of his wasn’t particularly talented in his studies, he was quite adept in worldly affairs, and his appearance was beyond reproach.
If his son-in-law could seize the opportunity and secure some kind of livelihood, then he wouldn’t have to worry about his daughter anymore. Perhaps even his own family could gain more room to maneuver.
Thus, while the other members of the Shen clan remained completely unaware, Shen Rusong, through his father-in-law’s affectionate insider connections, obtained this crucial piece of information in advance.
Upon learning of it, Shen Rusong deeply agreed.
Although the Marquis’s Mansion had largely ignored them for many years, wasn’t it because there was no suitable heir?
In the past, with no interaction between the two sides, he couldn’t find a way to latch onto a powerful patron. This time, by making a good impression during the selection of an heir, even if he merely caught the eye of the clan elders, wouldn’t that bring resources his way?
An Ge’er didn’t have any outstanding qualities, and he had initially been quite distressed that such a good opportunity might slip away.
But now, a wonderful daughter had descended from the heavens!
Boys mature later. Look at how intelligent his twin sister is—could he really be that far behind, right?
Even if, in the worst-case scenario, An Ge’er’s performance truly fell short, the fact that they were the only “dragon and phoenix twins” in the entire clan—such a significant auspicious sign—would surely prompt the Marquis’s Mansion to ask a few more questions, wouldn’t it?
But he never expected that the first step of his auspicious plan would hit a snag right here with Wu Shi.
Seeing that Wu Shi was unwilling to accept those fields on behalf of her family, Shen Rusong gently patted her back and patiently persuaded her: “Why must you be so distant with me, my dear?”
“Your father is also my father, and Ming Hua is also my brother. At such a critical moment, how could I not lend a hand when I have the means?”
“If I were to give money directly, your father would certainly refuse. That’s why I thought of buying some land to send over. Whether they grow grains or vegetables, it could help with household expenses and wouldn’t attract attention.”
“This…” Wu Shi hesitated but still shook her head. “It’s too extravagant! My parents might not accept it. Let’s just forget it.”
Wu Shi kept refusing, and Shen Rusong grew a bit anxious. Couldn’t his wife be a little less virtuous? If she kept rejecting his offers, how was he supposed to proceed with his plans?
“If your parents won’t accept it, just take the land deed to your mother and say I entrusted it to them for safekeeping. When An Ge’er and Yuan Jie’er grow up, whichever of the two is more filial and pleasing to them, they can bestow it upon them when they marry.”
Wu Shi was finally moved: “But my family doesn’t have many servants to begin with. Who will take care of the land if we buy it?”
Shen Rusong thought to himself, after all this circling, we’ve finally reached the point!
“Here, and among the servants already dispatched to Shouzhou Prefecture, I plan to select a few and send them to your family along with their deeds of servitude.”
Wu Tianheng, who was about to receive another “thoughtful” gift package from his son-in-law: …
Those were all long-serving family retainers, some even house-born servants of two generations.
Seeing Wu Shi’s startled expression and about to refuse again, Shen Rusong quickly interjected: “Hear me out first, my dear. After the major upheaval in the court last year, your father should only use trusted people around him for peace of mind. It’s better not to hire temporary laborers.”
“If Ming Hua passes the Jinshi examination next year and is appointed to an official post outside the capital, he’ll also need a group of loyal and capable followers. The people I plan to send are experienced in various areas. Let your father choose—those he can train can stay in the household, while the rest who aren’t up to the task can be sent to tend the fields.”
“Only, land near the capital must be quite expensive. If we can only buy a few dozen acres, I hope you won’t be disappointed, my dear!”
Wu Shi truly burst into tears this time. How could her husband be so considerate! Not only was he giving her land, but also people—and these were all seasoned servants accustomed to the ways of Shen Mansion!
Her husband was wholeheartedly thinking of her father and younger brother, yet she had been consumed by petty jealousy day after day. Not long ago, she had even wronged him over those two Illegitimate Daughters! Overwhelmed, Wu Shi buried her face in Shen Rusong’s chest and wept uncontrollably.
Shen Rusong held her tightly, deciding to strike while the iron was hot. “Don’t cry, my dear. Look, we won’t be coming back to Anyang again in the future. As for our old home in Meizhou, I’ve never been close with that half-brother of mine. Now that the family property has been divided, we’ll have even fewer dealings going forward.”
“In a few days, we’ll return to settle in Shouzhou City. The servants who used to attend us have all been sent to the capital. Aside from Nanny Tong, Song Jian, and a few other trusted aides, who else knows the two children aren’t your own?”
“We are a loving couple, and you’ve given birth to a pair of dragon-phoenix twins. Who in the entire clan wouldn’t envy us? By then, I’m afraid the ladies from every household in Fu Cheng will be lining up at our door to share in the joy. Our threshold might even suffer from the wear!”
Wu Shi was coaxed into tears and laughter, and in a daze, she became the birth mother of the “dragon-phoenix twins.”
During dinner, Shen Yiyi and An Ge’er were brought together to the main house.
Shen Rusong sat at the table, watching the two children stand side by side and bow in greeting.
Even twins can look different, but these two were the same height and similarly fair-skinned—it could pass.
However, looking at An Ge’er, who was nearly twice as wide as Shen Yiyi, Shen Rusong decided: this son must lose weight!
“Sit! Sit down quickly! You must be hungry, right?”
Sitting closer, Shen Yiyi keenly noticed that Wu Shi’s eyes were more swollen than in the afternoon, with a slight redness at the corners. Had she been crying?
Yet she seemed to be in high spirits, so it likely wasn’t anything bad. Moreover, she was especially warm toward the two of them.
Faced with Wu Shi’s sudden warmth, An Ge’er appeared even more reserved than Shen Yiyi.
“I heard you two spent the whole afternoon studying. Aren’t you tired?” Wu Shi teased with a smile. “Speaking of studying, Yuan Jie’er, after you fainted yesterday, you were still muttering something about ‘tests’ and ‘real exam questions.’ Could it be you were still studying even while unconscious?”
There was such a thing? Shen Yiyi felt a bitter taste in her mouth. That wasn’t about any “test”—it was the lament of a “postgraduate entrance exam” struggler.
Shen Rusong glanced at Shen Yiyi. What one says in such a state must be words deeply etched in the heart. He grew even more convinced that he had come up with an excellent plan, one that would surely shine within the entire clan!
And with Shen Yiyi guiding the studies, perhaps An Ge’er would also become enlightened?
An Ge’er, meanwhile, was greatly astonished. Even while unconscious, she was still thinking about solving problems? This new girl was a tough one, no wonder she could recite so many texts!
On the table were already set two cold dishes: marinated walnuts and pickled sweet snails, along with three hot dishes: five-spice tenderloin, red-braised soy sauce chicken, and stir-fried heart of cabbage.
Though they were all homestyle dishes, this was undoubtedly the best meal Shen Yiyi had enjoyed since crossing over!
Saliva began to flow automatically. Seeing the two adults had already picked up their chopsticks, Shen Yiyi decided to first try this so-called marinated walnut.
She had never seen it before—was it sweet or savory?
Just then, Hong’er brought over a flat plate covered with a thick layer of crushed ice, which had already begun to melt.
On the ice shavings lay slices of milky white meat tinged with a faint pink, and in the center of the plate was a small bowl containing a thick sauce.
Could this be sashimi?
Yes, from memory, Japan’s beloved sashimi was actually passed down from ancient China—it should be called “Fish Kuai,” right?
Sure enough, Shen Rusong said to Wu Shi, “This is Carp Kuai. At the Guo family’s place at noon, I heard that Baowei Restaurant had just received fresh carp. Thinking you’d enjoy it, I ordered a portion of Fish Kuai to bring back.”
Wu Shi, like any virtuous housewife receiving a gift from her husband, was already beaming with joy, but she still chided, “Their dishes are so expensive. We could have bought a carp and prepared the kuai ourselves.”
Her husband had just spent a large sum of silver on her family, and she genuinely felt she should be more frugal with food, clothing, and daily expenses.