Upon hearing that someone from the Wang family, the Assistant Minister's household, had arrived, Wan Yiniang trembled uncontrollably as she looked toward the entrance. Though she firmly believed this matter couldn’t possibly be Shen Dongling’s doing, all the blame was now being heaped upon her. If the Wang family sought retribution, Shen Dongling would undoubtedly be the first to suffer. Wan Yiniang had only this one daughter—how could her heart not ache? Yet, powerless and insignificant as she was, even if she wished to rescue Shen Dongling from this dire situation, she was utterly helpless.
The gathered crowd exchanged uneasy glances. Old Madam Shen finally spoke, “Invite the Wang family’s representatives in.”
The Wang family had sent a stout, dark-skinned woman accompanied by several maids who appeared to hold considerable status. The woman’s naturally dark complexion, combined with her grim expression and imposing figure, made her entrance all the more intimidating—as if she had come to deliver judgment.
When they saw Wan Yiniang collapse to the floor in tears, the Wang family’s envoys showed not the slightest hint of sympathy. Everyone sensed the gravity of the situation. Old Madam Shen frowned, about to speak, when the dark-skinned woman abruptly demanded, “Might I ask where Wan Yiniang of the Shen family’s second branch is?”
Wan Yiniang’s heart lurched, despair washing over her. Chen Ruoqiu, however, breathed a quiet sigh of relief. If the Wang family intended to vent their anger on Wan Yiniang, the Shen family would certainly not intervene on her behalf. In fact, Chen Ruoqiu secretly wished for Wan Yiniang and her daughter to suffer—how dare they scheme against Shen Yue? It was utterly intolerable.
Seizing the moment, Chen Ruoqiu stepped forward with a practiced smile. “Madam, we were horrified to hear of yesterday’s incident. Never could we have imagined that Third Miss would commit such an outrageous act. Yet my Yue’er has suffered unjustly, and I’m certain the young master of your household must be furious. This disgrace stems entirely from our Shen family’s failure in upbringing. We can only hope that after your anger subsides, the master and mistress of the Wang family might reconsider with cooler heads. I’ve already reprimanded Yue’er for being too trusting—this entire affair is truly—”
The dark-skinned woman ignored Chen Ruoqiu’s words entirely, her expression darkening as she repeated, “Might I ask where Wan Yiniang is?”
The room fell silent in shock. Chen Ruoqiu hadn’t expected this servant to so blatantly disregard her, but in front of everyone, she had to maintain her usual gentle and composed demeanor. Moreover, given that the Wang family was the aggrieved party, she could hardly protest. Old Madam Shen answered sternly, “The one kneeling on the floor is Wan Yiniang.”
Wan Yiniang’s eyes brimmed with sorrow, but to everyone’s astonishment, the dark-skinned woman stepped forward and helped her up. Far from delivering any rebuke, her manner was almost respectful as she said, “The young mistress longs to see her mother. The young master has instructed us to bring Wan Yiniang to reside in the Assistant Minister’s residence. I’ve come specifically for this purpose and seek the Old Madam’s permission.”
At these words, the entire Hall of Glory and Scenery fell into stunned silence.
What did she mean—the young mistress missed her mother, and the young master wanted Wan Yiniang to live in the Assistant Minister’s residence?
Who was this young mistress? Who was her mother? Shen Dongling? Wan Yiniang?
Chen Ruoqiu had already sensed something amiss when the dark-skinned woman helped Wan Yiniang up, but upon hearing this, she nearly fainted on the spot. Shen Wan’s expression darkened as he demanded, “What exactly does your family mean by this?”
The dark-skinned woman, however, feigned ignorance. Glancing at Shen Wan’s face, she replied with exaggerated confusion, “Third Master Shen, this servant doesn’t quite understand. Could you explain more clearly?”Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu were simultaneously choked with anger. This servant woman was clearly feigning ignorance while fully aware of the situation. Did they really have to spell out the words "marriage exchange" themselves?
While Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu couldn't bring themselves to say it, Old Madam Shen had no such reservations. Never having been raised as a refined lady, she knew no shame. Stiffening her neck, she declared, "How wrong you are to speak so, in-law. During yesterday's wedding, our family's Third Miss and Second Miss exchanged marriages—the brides were swapped. Now is precisely the time to discuss how to resolve this matter. How dare a mere servant play dumb?"
By the time Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan tried to stop Old Madam Shen, it was already too late. The old madam always had this knack—she truly believed herself superior, that everyone should curry her favor. As for Shen Yue's marriage, Old Madam Shen actually looked down somewhat on the Assistant Minister's family, wishing Shen Yue could marry even higher. Yet in reality, the Wang family's status and connections in court far surpassed what Shen Wan currently possessed. This stout, dark-skinned woman might appear to be just a servant, but without the Wang family's approval, how would she dare speak to the Shen family like this? Old Madam Shen's scolding of this servant was essentially directed at the Wang family, who would only see the Shen family as lacking perception and bullying others with their influence.
Upon hearing this, the stout woman indeed laughed, though the sound grated harshly in Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan's ears. With feigned confusion, she asked, "What does the Old Madam mean? Where does this talk of marriage exchange come from? Yesterday, the young master married, and the bride was sensible and considerate, well-liked by everyone in the Wang household. Why does the Old Madam speak such jokes?"
Well-liked by everyone in the Wang household? Wan Yiniang, who had been somewhat dazed, felt a sudden jolt of hope at these words, as if finding a lifeline in desperate straits. Her Dongling was exceptionally clever, with outstanding temperament and looks. If she had already firmly secured Wang Bi's favor in just one night, with his protection, what did it matter if Shen Yue entered the household later? Being a concubine was still better than becoming a nun in a temple. Moreover, Wan Yiniang believed that Shen Dongling would one day rise to prominence.
Chen Ruoqiu, upon hearing this, was nearly driven mad with rage. Now she couldn't even care about Old Madam Shen's rudeness and snapped at the stout woman, "What exactly does the Wang family mean by this? If they're displeased or angry, they should say so directly—why this insinuating tone? Do they truly intend to have Third Miss live as Yue'er from now on?"
Shen Wan frowned slightly, giving Chen Ruoqiu a surprised look. Her words were no better than Old Madam Shen's. Unless absolutely necessary, Shen Wan didn't want to offend the Wang family, especially since the fault lay with the Shen family this time.
The stout woman turned to Chen Ruoqiu and said, "Madam Shen, your words are strange. What Second Miss, Third Miss? Yesterday, the young master married the Second Miss of your household. The Second Miss is perfectly fine—there was never any talk of a Third Miss."
Chen Ruoqiu stood frozen in place.
The implication of these words was that while the Wang household recognized Shen Yue's identity, the person they acknowledged was actually Shen Dongling?
To have Shen Dongling live under Shen Yue's identity? What kind of talk was this! Chen Ruoqiu was on the verge of losing her mind!On the other hand, Shen Yue, who had been too afraid to speak earlier, finally breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. What she had been longing for was for Shen Dongling to take her place in marrying into the Wang family, turning herself into the victim of a scheme and walking away unscathed. In the end, Shen Dongling would be the one blamed, Wang Bi would suffer the loss, while she, Shen Yue, would remain free and might even gain some sympathy.
Although she was somewhat dissatisfied that the Wang family hadn’t made a scene and caused trouble for Shen Dongling, the fact that she could completely rid herself of this marriage was already enough to satisfy Shen Yue.
Shen Wan’s brows furrowed tightly. The attitude of this sturdy, dark-skinned woman clearly represented the stance of the Wang family. If the Wangs insisted on Shen Dongling living as Shen Yue from now on, what would become of Shen Yue? The Wang family wasn’t usually this harsh—could Shen Dongling have said something to Wang Bi?
Chen Ruoqiu sneered, “Fine, if you insist that the one who married into your household is the second young lady, then I am her mother. Why on earth would we send Wan Yiniang over? Isn’t it absurd to send a concubine?”
Wan Yiniang looked at the woman nervously, but the woman merely smiled and said, “This is how it is. The young madam said that although she isn’t blood-related to Wan Yiniang, she has always been very close to her. Now that she’s just married into another family and is feeling unaccustomed, she wishes to have Wan Yiniang stay with her for a while. The young master, out of love for his wife, has agreed.”
What a brazen lie, yet it felt like a slap across the face of the third branch of the Shen family—especially for Shen Yue. She had assumed that once Shen Dongling married into the Wang family, the Wangs would scorn and torment her for being a mere concubine-born daughter. Never did she expect Shen Dongling to thrive in the Wang household. To her, this was nothing short of a cruel irony. You didn’t want to marry into the Wang family? Well, too bad! Our young master never liked you in the first place. The young madam is beloved and respected, and the Wang family is doing just fine without you!
Shen Yue gritted her teeth in frustration. Initially, she had schemed relentlessly to make Shen Dongling take her place, but now that Shen Dongling might actually win the Wang family’s favor, she couldn’t stand it. It seemed human nature was strange—what one didn’t want for oneself, one didn’t want others to have either.
The entire Shen family was stunned. They had expected the Wang family to fly into a rage upon discovering the truth and sever ties with the Shen Mansion, but never had they anticipated this reaction. Far from resenting Shen Dongling, the Wangs seemed to direct their displeasure squarely at the third branch of the Shen family, lacing their words with open and veiled mockery.
Just as Chen Ruoqiu was about to speak again, Shen Wan stopped her and said, “In that case, I will personally visit tomorrow to explain. Until then, I hope our in-laws will remain rational and not let anger cloud their judgment.”
The sturdy woman chuckled. “What are you saying, Third Master? The household is lively and harmonious right now. The master and mistress are delighted, praising the daughter your family has raised as truly exceptional. Where would anger come from? You must be overthinking things.”
This woman was truly something—her words left even Shen Wan speechless. She patted Wan Yiniang’s hand and smiled at Old Madam Shen. “This servant will now take Wan Yiniang back. I hope the Old Madam will grant permission. The young master is waiting for me to return and report.” She even invoked Wang Bi’s name to press her point.Old Madam Shen frowned as she looked at Shen Wan and Shen Gui. She vaguely sensed something amiss about today's events. After all, Shen Wan was Shen Yue's father, and Wan Yiniang belonged to the second branch of the family. Thus, she could only turn to her two sons for a decision.
Shen Gui had no ideas to offer, while Shen Wan's expression darkened as he said, "In that case, let Wan Yiniang go with them. It's rare for the child to show such consideration." His words carried an ambiguous tone that sent chills down one's spine.
Wan Yiniang was half delighted and half fearful—delighted that the Wang family seemed unwilling to pursue Shen Dongling's wrongdoing, yet fearful that she didn't know whether this was all an act by the Wangs, or if they were deliberately provoking the third branch to express their displeasure, only for Shen Dongling to end up as the sacrificial lamb in the end.
The sturdy dark-skinned woman kept her word and led Wan Yiniang away under the watchful eyes of the Shen family. The Hall of Glory and Scenery fell into silence until Old Madam Shen finally spoke coldly, "What on earth is going on here?"
The Wang family's bizarre attitude was even more unsettling than an outright confrontation. Chang Zaiqing parted her lips as if to speak, but after glimpsing Shen Wan's expression, she swallowed her words.
Shen Gui felt awkward. Originally, it was Shen Dongling who had stolen Shen Yue's marriage arrangement, and he had intended to hand Shen Dongling and her mother over to the Wang family to appease them and the third branch. Never did he expect things to turn out like this. Clearing his throat, he said, "Later, I'll write a letter to Dongling and see what kind of mess she's made!"
Shen Wan smiled faintly and turned to Shen Yue, saying softly, "Yue'er, come back to my room with me first." Then he looked at Old Madam Shen and added, "Mother, we mustn't act rashly regarding the Wang family. Tomorrow, I'll personally visit to apologize, and I believe the matter will be resolved smoothly. It's my fault for troubling you, Mother."
"How could this be your fault?" Old Madam Shen sighed, her tone suddenly turning displeased. "It's all because of that wretched third girl, learning such disgraceful tricks from that lowly Wan woman!" She then reproached Chen Ruoqiu, "If you had been more diligent, the third girl wouldn't have been able to take advantage!"
Chen Ruoqiu, already seething with anger and heartache over Shen Yue's situation, now faced Old Madam Shen's scolding and retorted, "How can you blame me, Mother? I never imagined Third Sister harbored such intentions. To pin this on me is simply unreasonable."
"You're calling me unreasonable?" Old Madam Shen flared up in anger.
Chen Ruoqiu was about to speak again when Shen Wan suddenly barked, "Enough!" She froze in surprise—in all these years, Shen Wan had never raised his voice at her, let alone shouted. "Yue'er, come with me!" he ordered.
Shen Yue murmured an obedient reply.
Chang Zaiqing, who had been watching the scene unfold from the side, allowed a faint, imperceptible smile to curl at her lips.Shen Yue followed Shen Wan back to his room. With his back turned to her, he remained silent. She assumed he was displeased about the Wang family matter. Recalling the Wangs' attitude today and imagining Shen Dongling possibly winning their favor while currently living under her identity and thriving, Shen Yue felt nothing but dissatisfaction. She said, "Father, the Wang family is clearly bullying us with their influence, showing no respect for you. What they said today—if Third Sister continues living under my identity, what will become of me? She stole my marriage, and now she wants to steal my identity too. Father, you can't just ignore this."
Shen Yue spoke as if her claims were entirely justified. Perhaps after telling so many lies, she had begun to believe them herself. At this point, she was nearly convinced that everything was Shen Dongling's doing, that Shen Dongling had secretly harmed her.
"She stole your marriage?" Shen Wan asked slowly, still not turning around.
Unaware of the odd tone in his voice, Shen Yue nodded emphatically. "Exactly!"
A crisp slap landed sharply on her face.
Chen Ruoqiu, who had just followed them in, gasped at the sight and rushed forward, pulling Shen Yue into her arms. She glared at Shen Wan and shouted, "What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?" Shen Wan laughed coldly instead of growing angry. "Why don't you ask your precious daughter what she's done?"
Shen Yue clutched her stinging cheek, her body trembling uncontrollably. The pain of the slap paled in comparison to the fear gnawing at her heart.
"Yue'er, do you dare claim you knew nothing about this? That Shen Dongling truly schemed to steal your marriage?" Shen Wan's voice was icy. "Do you really think your petty tricks can fool everyone? You made Shen Dongling marry in your stead just so you could wed Prince Ding. Did you ever consider how offending the Wang family would affect me? Without this marriage alliance, how will you ever marry in the future? To have such a clever daughter like you—what a blessing from my past life!"
Shen Wan, a refined scholar with a gentle demeanor, had always doted on Shen Yue. This was the first time he had ever shown her such a ferocious expression.
Chen Ruoqiu trembled as she looked down at Shen Yue in her arms and asked, "Yue'er, is what your father said true?"
"I... I just wanted freedom," Shen Yue whispered fearfully. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, she lifted her head. "But Shen Dongling tempted me! The way the Wang family treated us today—it was all Shen Dongling's doing. That vile woman!"
"Enough!" Shen Wan's fury grew with every word. "You blame others for your own stupidity? Have all the books you read gone to waste?"
Never before had Shen Yue faced such wrath from her father. Tears welled up in her eyes, her heart filled with grievance. Chen Ruoqiu closed her eyes in despair upon hearing Shen Yue admit to orchestrating the marriage exchange. She had never imagined her daughter would dare to do such a thing. Yet Shen Yue was her flesh and blood, raised with such care over the years. Chen Ruoqiu had only this one daughter. Unable to bear Shen Wan's reproach, she finally spoke up, "Yue'er may have acted wrongly, but she's still young and naive. I think she's right—Shen Dongling clearly lured her into this. This whole scheme was likely Shen Dongling's doing."
Shen Wan pressed his fingers to his temples, his gaze filled with disappointment as he looked at Chen Ruoqiu. "When did you become so blind to right and wrong?"Chen Ruoqiu was taken aback. Shen Wan continued, "Enough. Tomorrow I will personally visit the Wang family to apologize. However, I don’t know if this will succeed. After all, our Shen family is at fault first. If it fails, it’s the consequence of your own actions." After saying this, he glanced at Shen Yue, turned, and left with a flick of his sleeve.
Chen Ruoqiu was unsettled by the disappointed look Shen Wan gave her before leaving. She wanted to say more, but Shen Wan had already exited the room. Seeing Shen Yue sobbing softly, she had no choice but to turn and comfort her daughter first.
After leaving the room, Shen Wan’s attendant noticed his exhausted expression and asked, "Would you like to leave the mansion for some fresh air, Master?"
"No need." Shen Wan waved his hand dismissively, then after a moment of thought, added, "Let’s go to the West Courtyard."
The West Courtyard was now where Chang Zaiqing resided.
The attendant said nothing and silently led Shen Wan toward the West Courtyard.
Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching their retreating figures from a distance—Zhang Mama, Old Madam Shen’s attendant from the Hall of Glory and Scenery. Zhang Mama muttered in confusion, "Why would the Third Master go to the West Courtyard?"
The morning’s drama in the Shen Mansion quickly reached Shen Miao’s ears.
When the Shen family had divided their households, Shen Miao had discreetly placed some maids in the second and third branches, even in the Hall of Glory and Scenery. Chen Ruoqiu’s management skills were inferior to Ren Wanyun’s. During Ren Wanyun’s time as the household manager, every courtyard, especially the Colorful Cloud Courtyard, was tightly controlled, making it difficult to plant spies. Under Chen Ruoqiu’s management, the Shen Mansion was like loose sand. Moreover, with the family’s finances suddenly shrinking, the servants were no longer as well-off as before. Shen Miao only needed to offer some silver to easily bribe them. Besides, the information she sought wasn’t particularly confidential—just the daily happenings in the mansion, which could be easily gathered with a little inquiry.
After the decline of the second branch, the third branch became the pillar of the Shen family. Chen Ruoqiu had gradually adopted the demeanor of the household’s matriarch, and Shen Yue, with no other sisters to compete with, stood out as the sole jewel.
Perhaps prolonged comfort dulls the mind. For instance, the move Shen Yue had made this time was utterly disastrous.
True to his word, the next day, Shen Wan personally visited the Wang family, the Assistant Minister’s household, to apologize. It was unclear what explanation he had prepared—likely an attempt to subtly shift all the blame onto Shen Dongling. However, this time, the Wang family dealt him a harsh slap in the face.
The Wang family refused Shen Wan’s apology outright. They did not acknowledge Shen Yue at all. They insisted that Shen Dongling was the legitimate daughter of the third branch. As for Shen Yue? Sorry, they didn’t know her.
Shen Wan was deeply embarrassed and realized they were deliberately provoking him. He also understood that the Wang family might have learned that the marriage exchange had been Shen Yue’s idea, hence their intentional humiliation. Shen Wan had assumed that, given his relationship with the Wang family, they would eventually agree to swap Shen Yue and Shen Dongling back after some posturing. But this time, he was mistaken.
In the end, two solutions were proposed. The first was for Shen Dongling to marry into the Wang family under Shen Yue’s identity, while the real Shen Yue would disappear from public view. Naturally, Shen Wan could not accept this. Thus, the second option was for Shen Yue to also marry into the Wang family—as a secondary wife.Since everyone had already participated in Shen Yue and Wang Bi's previous wedding arrangements, there was no need for a grand ceremony this time for the real Shen Yue's marriage. Others would simply assume it was a low-key affair because a concubine-born daughter was getting married.
This arrangement nearly made Shen Wan storm out in anger.
In Ming Qi, it wasn't unheard of for a legitimate daughter and a concubine-born daughter to marry the same man—but usually, the legitimate daughter would be the principal wife while the concubine-born daughter would serve as a secondary concubine. However, the Wang family proposed making them co-wives of equal status! Moreover, to avoid drawing attention, Shen Yue would have to marry under the guise of a concubine-born daughter, while Shen Dongling, the actual concubine-born daughter, would take the honor that rightfully belonged to Shen Yue!
This was an insult!
Shen Wan firmly refused, but the Wang family remained resolute. After all, the mistake of the wrong bride was not their fault. Shen Dongling and Wang Bi were getting along quite well now, so they couldn’t care less about Shen Yue’s situation. However, while the Wang family could afford to delay, Shen Yue could not. The longer this dragged on, the more Shen Yue would suffer.
Thus, Shen Wan began to waver, and over this matter, he had already quarreled several times with Chen Ruoqiu.
Bailu relayed these updates from Shen Mansion to Shen Miao while observing her barely contained amusement. Shen Miao was usually composed and rarely showed such open delight as she did now, as if she were genuinely overjoyed.
“The young mistress finds this quite entertaining,” Bailu remarked. “Second Young Lady has truly lifted a stone only to drop it on her own foot this time. She stirred up so much trouble for nothing, giving Third Master a constant headache.”
“If you ask me, Third Young Lady got the better end of the deal,” Shuangjiang chimed in. “Not only did she land herself an official’s wife position, but she’s also being doted on by the entire Wang family. They even brought Wan Yiniang over to live with them—what a glorious turn of events.”
“That’s hard to say for certain,” Bailu shook her head. “If Second Young Lady also ends up marrying into the Wang family, even as co-wives, there’s still a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate. Third Young Lady only has a concubine for support, while Second Young Lady at least has Third Master as her family backing. The Wang family would naturally favor Second Young Lady more. Third Young Lady may be thriving now, but the days ahead are long.”
Shen Miao smiled and said, “You’re wrong. Third Sister is a formidable one.”
Bailu and Shuangjiang both turned to look at her. Shen Miao continued, “Even if Shen Yue does marry into the Wang family one day, she would never surpass Shen Dongling. I suspect the Wang family’s cold treatment of the third branch stems from their knowledge that the marriage exchange was Shen Yue’s idea. Tell me, what man in this world would love a wife who disdains him? Even a man’s pride wouldn’t allow it. As for women like Shen Yue and Shen Dongling, once married into another household, before bearing children, their only reliance is their husband’s favor. Unfortunately, Shen Yue has already lost.”
“If Shen Yue can’t win Wang Bi’s affection, he likely won’t even let her conceive easily. Though legitimacy matters, between co-wives, whoever bears a child first naturally gains the upper hand,” Shen Miao said coolly. “Moreover, with Shen Yue’s intellect, how could she ever outmaneuver Shen Dongling? Look at how Shen Dongling has cleanly extricated herself, ensuring Wang Bi doesn’t blame her—even bringing Wan Yiniang out of Shen Mansion. She’s managed to throw every bit of mud the third branch flung at her right back at them. Someone this capable—how could she ever lose to Shen Yue?”
Bailu and Shuangjiang listened in stunned silence. After a long pause, Shuangjiang murmured, “It seems Third Young Lady really is formidable.”
“She’s the only one in Shen Mansion with any real promise,” Shen Miao remarked. “Prepare the ink for me.”
Bailu went to fetch the fragrant inkstick and began grinding it, watching as Shen Miao spread out paper and brush, seemingly preparing to write. Bailu asked, “Young Mistress, are you writing a letter?”
Shen Miao neither confirmed nor denied it.
Naturally, Shen Miao found great satisfaction in seeing Shen Yue’s self-inflicted misery. But she hadn’t forgotten—in her past life, the downfall of the Shen family’s main branch had also been aided in no small part by the third branch.One day, she would claim this grand gift back. The tactic of kicking someone when they're down wasn't exclusive to the Third Branch—she knew it too. She didn't want to do everything herself from start to finish, but if the Third Branch insisted on pushing themselves toward ruin, she wouldn't mind helping them along faster.
Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu quarreled endlessly these days. At times like this, what he needed most was the comfort of a confidante.
It was time for Chang Zaiqing to take the stage.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
First day without Xie-gege, missing him (╯﹏╰)
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