The matter of Shen Yue and Shen Dongling's marriage exchange ultimately led to unimaginable consequences. Under the Wang family's demands, Shen Wan had no choice but to agree to let Shen Yue marry into their household as a co-wife. No one knew exactly what Shen Dongling and the Wang family had discussed this time, but the Wangs refused to listen to any of Shen Wan's explanations. A good marriage alliance couldn't possibly end in enmity, so Shen Wan was left with no other option.
However, this was not the outcome Shen Yue desired. This time, with no one left to exchange marriages with, Shen Yue outright tore off all pretenses, clamoring daily that she would rather die than marry into the Wang family, and she absolutely could not tolerate Shen Dongling being her equal.
Not only was Shen Yue unwilling, but Chen Ruoqiu was also furious. Though usually a reasonable person, when it came to Shen Yue's lifelong matter, Chen Ruoqiu couldn't swallow her anger and insisted that Shen Wan demand an explanation from the Wang family. The usually affectionate couple of the third branch had been frequently at odds these days, leaving the servants of Autumn Water Court too afraid to even breathe loudly.
Today was no different.
Chen Ruoqiu paced back and forth in the room before suddenly turning to Shen Wan, anxiously saying, "What exactly is the Wang family thinking now? We can't let Yue'er drag on like this. That little wretch Shen Dongling is taking advantage of our Yue'er's reputation—does she really think she can become the proper young mistress? Husband, you must go and reason with the Wang family!"
Her repeated use of "little wretch" was a far cry from her usual refined demeanor, causing Shen Wan to frown. He patiently replied, "At this point, the only option is for Yue'er to marry over as a co-wife first, and then we'll see. All this daily commotion is unsettling Yue'er and solving nothing!"
"Husband!" Chen Ruoqiu shrilled. "Yue'er is also your daughter, the legitimate daughter of our third branch, cherished like pearls and jade since childhood. How can you speak of making her a co-wife—and worse, on equal footing with that little wretch Shen Dongling! Even if Yue'er is at fault, Shen Dongling must have lured her into it. How can you be so heartless!"
As if stung by Chen Ruoqiu's voice, Shen Wan grew angry. "Then what do you suggest? The longer this drags on, the more Yue'er will suffer. If we make a scene as you say, Shen Dongling, a mere concubine-born daughter, won't be affected, but Yue'er will become the laughingstock, and the Shen Mansion will be ridiculed. What then?"
Chen Ruoqiu flinched at Shen Wan's outburst, but thinking of Shen Yue, she pressed on, "But we can't just let Yue'er suffer like this! No—I'll go to the Wang residence myself and have it out with them!"
"Enough!" Shen Wan snapped. "Stay in the mansion, keep an eye on Shen Yue, and don't cause me any more trouble—that's the right thing to do!"
Chen Ruoqiu froze. In all their years together, even at his angriest, Shen Wan had never spoken to her like this. His tone carried impatience and disdain, and her heart clenched. Without thinking, she blurted, "We were childhood sweethearts, once so loving and harmonious, and you promised never to take a concubine. Now that my beauty has faded, and Mother keeps urging you to take a noble concubine—have you changed your mind? Do you despise me now?"Chen Ruoqiu had always been somewhat petty. Though she came from a scholarly family, she particularly enjoyed throwing tantrums, and Shen Wan was quite taken with this behavior. After years of living in honeyed harmony, life inevitably became dull. A little affectation, when done just right, could stir a man's pity. Unfortunately, while such antics were charming in youth, they became rather off-putting with age.
Especially these past few days, as Chen Ruoqiu had been running about for Shen Yue's sake, her face had grown haggard, and she had neglected her appearance. Coupled with her earlier unruly and unreasonable outburst, Shen Wan found her somewhat laughable. He glanced at her indifferently and said, "Think what you will." Then he turned and strode away, sleeves fluttering.
Chen Ruoqiu stood frozen, swaying unsteadily, until her maids, Shi Qing and Hua Yi, hurriedly supported her. A creeping fear began to rise in her heart. She suddenly felt as though something was slowly changing—and the most terrifying part was that she couldn’t pinpoint where it had started.
The commotion in Autumn Water Court quickly spread to other courtyards, such as the long-neglected West Courtyard.
The West Courtyard had always been spacious to the point of desolation, but since Chang Zaiqing moved in, she had often rearranged flowers and plants, turning it into a uniquely elegant place. At this moment, Chang Zaiqing was sitting inside, tidying up a letter on the table before casually placing it on the desk.
Momo Zhao opened the window to air out the stuffy room and asked Chang Zaiqing, "Is that a letter from Madam Shen?"
Chang Zaiqing nodded.
The letter from Luo Xueyan—though Chang Zaiqing wasn’t entirely sure whether it was from Luo Xueyan or Shen Miao—made her think of Shen Miao. The image of the young girl’s clear, all-seeing eyes from that day flashed in her mind, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. In the letter, Luo Xueyan mentioned that Chang Zaiqing hadn’t visited the Shen residence in a while and invited her to drop by whenever she had time. Luo Xueyan even expressed interest in finding a good match for her.
Though the letter spoke of finding a good match, Chang Zaiqing read something else between the lines.
Some time ago, she had shifted her focus from dealing with Shen Xin to dealing with Shen Wan. To her surprise, handling Shen Wan was much easier than she had anticipated—largely because Shen Wan had a fondness for refined and cultured individuals, and Chang Zaiqing fit his tastes perfectly. Since the incidents involving Shen Yue and Shen Dongling, the rift between Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu had grown wider, and Shen Wan had taken to visiting the West Courtyard more frequently. Naturally, Chang Zaiqing became his confidante, and over time, Shen Wan grew increasingly accustomed to coming here. Chang Zaiqing didn’t miss the growing admiration in his eyes.
Strike while the iron is hot—was now the right time to act?
Just as she was pondering this, a maid entered to announce Shen Wan’s arrival.
Momo Zhao quickly withdrew. As Shen Wan stepped inside, he saw Chang Zaiqing engrossed in reading a letter and asked curiously, "Whose letter is that? You seem quite absorbed."
Chang Zaiqing looked up as if just noticing him, smiling as she set the letter down. "It’s a letter from Madam Shen."
Shen Wan’s smile faltered slightly, and he asked nonchalantly, "What did my sister-in-law write about?"Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, "The first madam of the Shen family is a kind person. She mentioned wanting to arrange a match for me, likely out of goodwill seeing my current age without any support." She spoke cheerfully, glancing at Shen Wan before adding, "If Third Master finds time someday, you might help me assess the 'good family' the first madam mentioned. Perhaps you'd even know them."
Her laughter grew brighter, enhancing her delicate and charming features, yet Shen Wan's smile gradually faded.
Meanwhile, similar discussions were unfolding in the Hall of Glory and Scenery.
Old Madam Shen reclined on the couch, her maid gently massaging her shoulders. Mama Wang said softly, "Madam, Third Master has gone to the West Courtyard again."
The old madam slightly opened her eyes, seemingly deep in thought, before slowly closing them again. "Let him go. Though her status is low, she's still a concubine. Status hardly matters now."
Mama Wang chuckled. "Now Madam can rest easy. Before, Third Master refused to take concubines despite your urging. But with Miss Zaiqing paving the way, he'll surely accept others in time. Eventually, there'll be children to continue the family line."
Old Madam Shen sighed. "If only the Shen family had at least one grandson, I wouldn’t interfere in his affairs. He used to shield Chen Ruoqiu so fiercely, even ignoring his own mother’s words, letting her flaunt her arrogance before me. I always said—let Chen Ruoqiu enjoy her favor now. Without bearing a son, and with men always craving novelty, she’d be cast aside one day. And wasn’t I right?"
Mama Wang quickly agreed. "Indeed, Madam’s wisdom far surpasses theirs. You see far beyond the present."
Pleased by the flattery, the old madam smirked faintly. "Had I known my third son favored such women, I’d have sought more well-bred daughters from scholarly aristocratic families earlier. Chen Ruoqiu thinks herself peerless, flaunting her family’s bookish pride, yet she can’t even manage a household properly." She paused. "Chang Zaiqing, though—she’s decent. Obedient, courteous, and unpretentious. No wonder Third Master likes her."
"But nothing’s settled yet," Mama Wang cautioned. "If this drags on until Third Madam catches wind, she might make trouble."
"Trouble? She wouldn’t dare!" Old Madam Shen snapped, then wearily waved her hand. "Still, a scene would be troublesome. Fine. Since both are willing, go assist in a few days. Once the deed is done, let’s see if Chen Ruoqiu dares interfere. If she does—a jealous, childless wife is a burden the Shen family won’t bear. A letter of divorce will suffice."
Mama Wang could only nod cautiously.
The turmoil in the Shen Mansion’s third branch eventually reached the ears of another key figure—Shen Dongling.Xinghua was carefully brewing tea for Shen Dongling—the finest Junshan Silver Needle. Although the Wang family wasn’t among the wealthiest, they still lived with refinement, a far cry from the treatment a second branch’s concubine-born daughter would receive. Yet Shen Dongling seemed to be doing quite well. If any of the Shen family were present, they would surely be astonished—how could this poised, radiant beauty before them be the same timid, meek girl from the second branch?
Shen Dongling took a sip of tea, and Xinghua said worriedly, “This servant heard that people from Shen Mansion came again this morning, saying they want to marry Second Young Lady over as an equal wife. If she really enters the household, what will happen to you, Young Lady? I fear Third Madam and Third Master will make things difficult for you.”
“Don’t worry, she won’t be married here,” Shen Dongling replied with a smile. “The Wang family won’t allow Shen Yue to enter. Even if she does, she won’t have an easy time—she’s destined to be watched with suspicion. Why bother paying her any mind? It’s better to pick out some pretty fabrics for Auntie and have her make a few new outfits.”
At this moment, Shen Dongling carried herself with the dignified air of a household’s mistress. Xinghua thought for a while, then chuckled. “Young Lady has always been clever—this servant won’t trouble herself over it. I still don’t know what you said to Young Master Wang back then, but now he doesn’t spare the third branch even a glance. Still, the third branch brought this upon themselves. It was Third Young Lady who proposed the marriage exchange, yet they tried to pin all the blame on you—how ruthless!”
When Shen Yue claimed the entire marriage exchange had been Shen Dongling’s scheme, the news reached the Wang family, leaving Xinghua furious. Back when Shen Yue had begged Shen Dongling to marry in her stead, she had sworn not to implicate her—only to turn around and wash her hands of the matter. Such a swift change of face was truly shameless, and Xinghua scoffed at it.
No wonder they said Shen Wan was wise in all things but this one moment of folly. The reason the Wang family now held the third branch in such disdain was simply because Shen Dongling had told Wang Bi one thing: Shen Yue was infatuated with Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, and the third branch intended to side with him.
Shen Wan had been desperate to dissuade Shen Yue from marrying Fu Xiuyi and had chosen the Wang family precisely because they did not support Fu Xiuyi in the succession struggle. Yet Shen Yue loved Prince Ding, and the Shen family’s third branch backed him. If Wang Bi married Shen Yue, it would inevitably invite trouble later. If the Wang family formed ties with the third branch, discord would surely arise. Thus, unless the Wangs were fools, they would never allow Shen Yue to enter their household. In fact, Shen Dongling’s marriage exchange was a blessing for the Wangs—what could be better than cutting ties with Prince Ding?
Shen Yue’s fate with the Wang family was doomed to end. Yet Shen Dongling felt neither regret nor pity. One reaped what they sowed—this was Shen Yue’s own doing, and she alone would swallow the bitter fruit.
The Wang family’s proposal for Shen Yue to enter as an equal wife was nothing but deliberate provocation. Shen Wan might have agreed, but would Shen Yue obediently comply? Shen Dongling doubted it.
Not only Shen Dongling, but Shen Miao also thought the same.
Jing Zhe said, “Things are quite chaotic in Shen Mansion—this drama is truly entertaining.”
Shen Miao smiled indifferently. “Perhaps. The bigger the uproar, the easier it is for us to stay clear of it.”Jing Zhe glanced at Shen Miao and walked aside to whisper to Gu Yu, "What's wrong with our lady these days? She seems rather listless."
Gu Yu paused and looked toward Shen Miao, who was sitting in the courtyard. The pages of her book remained unturned as she propped her chin on one hand, gazing lazily at the sky, lost in thought.
"It does seem that way," Gu Yu nodded. "She's been rather indifferent to everything these past few days."
"Indifferent? It's more than that," Jing Zhe shook her head. "In the past, she would have been pleased to hear about the Shen Mansion's misfortunes. But now, even when the mansion is in chaos, she just waves it off as if it doesn't interest her. Could she be ill?"
"If she can eat, drink, walk, and jump around, what kind of illness would that be?" Gu Yu rolled her eyes. "Do you think it's lovesickness?"
"Who's lovesick?" A voice came from behind, startling them. They turned to see Luo Ling approaching. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu quickly greeted him, "This servant greets the young master."
Luo Ling waved his hand dismissively and walked toward Shen Miao by the stone table. Seeing her still sitting there in a daze, he asked, "Little cousin?"
Shen Miao turned her head and, recognizing Luo Ling, smiled slightly. "Cousin Ling."
Luo Ling sat down opposite her. His right hand had yet to fully recover, but Shen Qiu had found him a manual on left-handed swordsmanship, and he had been diligently practicing these days. His temperament had grown more open, and his speech had become even more refined, making him appear as gentle as warm jade. Occasionally, when he went out, young ladies would steal shy glances at him. According to Luo Tan's teasing remarks, several noble daughters in Fixed Capital secretly admired Luo Ling.
Luo Ling asked, "What has you so lost in thought, little cousin?"
Shen Miao smiled faintly. "Nothing much, just sitting here spacing out."
Luo Ling recalled Jing Zhe and Gu Yu's earlier mention of "lovesickness," and his heart sank slightly. Masking his concern, he probed, "I thought perhaps you were feeling listless because you've reached the age for marriage."
Shen Miao seemed not to grasp his implication and replied indifferently, "Speaking of marriageable age, perhaps Cousin Tan should be the one in a hurry."
Luo Ling chuckled. "True enough."
Shen Miao looked at him. "Did you come to see me for something, Cousin Ling?"
Luo Ling froze, a hint of embarrassment coloring his handsome face. He had only come to check on Shen Miao, but now that she was asking so directly, he didn't know how to respond. Thinking quickly, he said, "Ah, well, the pastries you sent me the other day were a bit too sweet, so I wanted to mention it."
Behind them, Gu Yu looked indignant. Their lady was neither a cook from Shen Mansion nor a professional pastry chef—how could Luo Ling complain after eating her treats?
Jing Zhe, however, stifled a laugh. Unlike the dense Gu Yu, she could see through it—this young master clearly wanted to get closer to Shen Miao but couldn't find a better excuse. Yet, seeing her lady's complete obliviousness to romantic matters, Jing Zhe shook her head regretfully. The flower may be willing, but the stream is heartless—this young master's earnest affections would likely go unnoticed by their lady.
Sure enough, Shen Miao frowned and asked, "Too sweet? I didn't add much sugar."Luo Ling scratched his head awkwardly, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Ahem, Tan'er mentioned that little cousin knows how to make pastries with fruit juice fragrance. Could you make some for me next time?"
Shen Miao was taken aback.
Luo Tan often visited Shen Miao's courtyard to chat, and whenever there were pastries on the table, she would eat them without hesitation. Those pastries were something Shen Miao had tried making herself—after all, she hadn't made them for a lifetime, so her skills were a bit rusty. But Luo Tan found them delicious and ended up finishing the entire basket.
The pastries were infused with fruit juice, a flavor favored by the Great Coolness imperial family. Previously, Xie Jingxing had asked Shen Miao to make two baskets of pastries for him to snack on while carrying out assassinations. Later, Ming An Princess was indeed eliminated by Xie Jingxing, but the two baskets of pastries were never given to him. After that, Xie Jingxing disappeared for a while. During these days, while watching the drama unfold in Shen Mansion, Shen Miao occasionally made pastries, thinking she should repay the favor she owed him.
As these thoughts crossed her mind, Shen Miao's gaze gradually lowered. Speaking of which, Xie Jingxing had been gone for several days now. Prince Rui of Great Coolness had left so casually, yet there was hardly any news about it in Fixed Capital. She wondered if Xie Jingxing was safe—after all, he still carried the identity of the prematurely deceased young lord of Marquis Lin'an Manor, making his situation precarious.
Seeing Shen Miao lost in thought again, Luo Ling waved his hand in front of her and asked, "Little cousin?"
Shen Miao snapped back to reality and gave Luo Ling an apologetic smile. "Sorry, cousin. That pastry recipe was something I improvised. It was pure luck that I managed to make that one basket, and Tan'er ate all of it. If you ask me to make it again, I'm not sure I can recreate it."
Jing Zhe, standing behind Shen Miao, widened her eyes in disbelief. Her young miss could actually lie so convincingly to their cousin! Jing Zhe naturally knew whether Shen Miao could make those pastries or not—she had seen her young miss silently jot down the recipe and make them herself, seemingly quite skilled. Why wouldn't she make a basket for Luo Ling?
Had cousin offended her young miss somehow? Jing Zhe couldn't figure it out.
Luo Ling, too, hadn't expected Shen Miao to refuse and was left even more awkward and at a loss.
Shen Miao remained composed, her expression showing not a trace of guilt. Since those pastries were originally a Great Coolness imperial recipe with a complicated process, she had made them once but lacked the patience to keep making them for others. Luo Ling would have to ask the kitchen's pastry chef to make him something else.
Their conversation, however, was observed from afar by another figure standing under the eaves. Dressed in white and gently waving a paper fan, he cut the image of an elegant gentleman—none other than Gao Yang.
After Xie Jingxing left, Gao Yang had stayed at the Shen residence under the pretext of treating Luo Ling's hand injury, as per Xie Jingxing's instructions, to keep an eye on Shen Miao's activities. This surveillance inadvertently allowed him to witness Luo Ling and Shen Miao chatting so animatedly.
Gao Yang's gaze toward Luo Ling carried a hint of sympathy. Then, glancing at Shen Miao, he shook his head and let out a deep sigh.
"What are you sighing about?" A head suddenly popped out from behind Gao Yang, startling him so much he nearly stumbled backward. The person emerged from behind him—lively and spirited in demeanor—who else could it be but Luo Tan?"Doctor Gao," Luo Tan asked, "what are you standing here for?" She followed Gao Yang's gaze and saw Shen Miao and Luo Ling sitting together in conversation, then looked back at Gao Yang. Under Luo Tan's peculiar stare, Gao Yang felt uneasy, only for her to suddenly exclaim, "I get it now—you have feelings for Little Cousin!"
Gao Yang was so startled he immediately reached to cover Luo Tan's mouth. This was no laughing matter—Xie Jingxing hadn't sent just him to the Shen residence; there were other Shadow Guards around. If some loose-lipped guard repeated those words to Xie Jingxing, he might as well leave Ming Qi for good. Watching Luo Tan struggle against his hand, a wave of helplessness washed over him. This woman seemed born to cause him trouble—how many times had she gotten him into scrapes now?
Finally breaking free, Luo Tan seemed to realize she'd been too loud and lowered her voice, though her triumphant expression remained, as if she'd uncovered some secret of his. "So you like Little Cousin," she teased. "So you're jealous."
"Don't be so presumptuous," Gao Yang said. "I wouldn't dare entertain any thoughts about Fifth Miss Shen."
Luo Tan curled her lip. "At least you know your place. A girl as clever and beautiful as my little cousin is hard to find even if you search the entire Fixed Capital with a lantern. How could a mere physician like you dare to aspire to her? You should take a look at yourself in the mirror."
The disdain in her tone stung Gao Yang deeply, making him genuinely consider finding a mirror to see if he truly appeared as unworthy as Luo Tan claimed.
Thinking of his lord, Gao Yang sneered and jerked his chin toward Luo Ling. "If I'm delusional, does that mean he's qualified?"
Luo Tan glanced at Luo Ling and sighed. "Cousin Ling is wonderful, but unfortunately, he isn't the right match for my little cousin."
This surprised Gao Yang. He had expected Luo Tan to wholeheartedly defend her cousin. "Oh? Why do you say that?"
"My cousin has a strong will, and Ling-ge is too gentle. There wouldn't be any sparks between them. I think my little cousin only sees him as an elder brother," Luo Tan said regretfully.
"You even know about sparks?" Gao Yang raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me, what kind of person could ignite sparks with your little cousin?"
Gao Yang had only meant to tease her, but Luo Tan actually pondered the question seriously before answering, "Someone like Prince Rui."
Gao Yang froze.
"Prince Rui is handsome, enigmatic, and deeply loyal. He's probably the rarest kind of man in this world. Someone like my little cousin deserves a husband like him. But it's probably just wishful thinking." Luo Tan's voice trailed off. When she looked up and saw Gao Yang smiling at her, she realized she had said far too much to him—they weren't that close, after all. Instantly, her expression shifted. She leaned in and whispered fiercely, "Hey, last time you caught me sneaking into Prince Rui's Residence, you got dirt on me. Today, I found out you have feelings for my little cousin—now I have dirt on you. We're even. From now on, don't you dare try to blackmail me about the Prince Rui's Residence incident again, or I'll tell my little cousin about your little crush and make sure you never live it down!"
Gao Yang was torn between laughter and exasperation. Truthfully, compared to Shen Miao, he was far more wary of Xie Jingxing. But seeing Luo Tan's smug, scheming expression, her eyes brimming with mischief, he suddenly felt playful. He leaned closer and said, "Fine, let's call it mutual blackmail, then."
With his refined, jade-like features, his proximity made him look even more handsome. Luo Tan, who had always been fond of beautiful things, inexplicably felt flustered. She shoved him away with a slap—her martial arts training made the blow nearly strong enough to make him cough up blood.
Luo Tan turned and stormed off, shouting, "You lecher!"
Gao Yang rubbed his chin and slowly smiled.
These trivial squabbles in the Shen household went unnoticed by Shen Miao, who considered them unimportant and dull—until the next day, when something rather interesting happened in the Shen Mansion.
Shen Yue had run away.
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Luo Tan is totally Xie-gege's die-hard fangirl ＿（：3ゝ∠）＿
Xie-gege: I'll treat you to chicken drumsticks when we get back ( ＾＿＾ ）
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