Yummy Yummy Yummy

The northern campaign concluded unexpectedly quickly, while the retrial of Prince Wu's case dragged on, delaying Lin Yan and Shen Shaoguang's wedding from early summer to mid-autumn.

After learning that his fourth son, Li Yu, had been captured, Zhao Wang suffered a recurrence of his asthma. His imprisoned second son, Li Xi, seized military power with the help of old allies, while the usually timid third son rallied other troops to challenge his brother. Outmatched, the third son chose to "abandon darkness for light" and defected to the imperial court...

The Army of the Northern Expedition, the Wild Goose Gate Army, and the Army Within the Passes launched a three-pronged encirclement, defeating Li Xi, who fled to Hengzhou under the control of the Chengde Army in Heshuo. After negotiations, the Chengde Army handed over Li Xi along with his key advisors and generals.

In May, an official dispatch of victory was swiftly delivered to Chang'an. The ministers relaxed with smiles, and the emperor breathed a sigh of relief. The common folk of Chang'an, however, remained unfazed—they had long believed the rebels would fail. What could scheming assassins possibly achieve?

Rumors spread that by the time the imperial forces entered the northern capital, Zhao Wang's corpse had already begun to rot, left unburied and unattended. For over a decade, this prince had dominated the strategic northern capital, commanding the armies of three prefectures. During the late emperor's reign, he manipulated court politics through Taoist priests. Who could have imagined such a formidable warlord meeting such a desolate end?

Shen Shaoguang was surprised by how swiftly the war had ended, but then again, history was full of conflicts that flared up fiercely only to fizzle out just as quickly. A swift conclusion was good—fewer soldiers would die, officials like Li Xiang would sprout fewer gray hairs, and people like her could hold their family ancestral rituals sooner.

Shen Shaoguang lit incense for her parents and elder brother in this life. Justice had been served, and their spirits could now rest in peace.

The retrial of Prince Wu's case, however, progressed slowly. The emperor had initially instructed the judicial authorities to expedite the process—after all, regardless of his tyranny, the late emperor was still his father. Ideally, the case would be resolved before the northern campaign ended, with reputations restored, grievances soothed, and confiscated properties returned. By the time the victorious army returned to the capital, the matter would fade from public memory.

But Prince Wu's case was the most significant scandal of the late emperor's reign, implicating countless individuals—officials dismissed, families exiled, lives ruined. How could such a case be wrapped up overnight?

Due to the retrial of Shen Qian's case and rumors about Shen Shaoguang, Shen Pu, the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Works in the Eastern Capital, requested permission to come to the capital and assist in the proceedings.

Upon hearing from Lin Yan that her uncle had arrived, Shen Shaoguang went to the guesthouse to pay her respects.

Shen Pu, around thirty, had refined features and striking eyes. It was said he had earned his jinshi degree at a young age, yet now held the leisurely post of a sixth-rank official in the Eastern Capital—a true sinecure. Dressed in a loose-sleeved robe and wooden clogs, he exuded an air of carefree ease. Shen Shaoguang thought her uncle had chosen his career wisely.

Yet this seemingly carefree man had rushed out eagerly to greet her. Seeing this, Shen Shaoguang reconsidered—perhaps she had been too pessimistic when she first left the palace.

Seated in the guesthouse hall, Shen Pu studied her for a moment, his eyes filled with emotion. "The last time I saw you, you were only this tall—" He gestured to the edge of the couch.

Shen Shaoguang smiled. "I truly don’t remember my time in Luoyang."

Shen Pu replied gently, "It wasn’t when you returned to Luoyang—it was when I came to the capital for the imperial exams and stayed with A Xiong."Both of them fell silent for a moment. Eventually, it was Shen Pu who regained his composure first, smiling as he said, "That little child who used to cling to our clothes and cry is now a lovely young woman. As for Lord Lin, his character and appearance are commendable, though I've heard his temperament is rather aloof."

Just then, Aunt entered with maids carrying tea and pastries.

Shen Shaoguang stood up, and her aunt took her hand to sit down, giving Shen Pu a reproachful look. "Really, my lord—"

Shen Pu chuckled. "What's the harm? In matters of marriage, it's best if the young lady herself is willing. It's the same for A Qi now, and it will be the same for A Jing in the future."

Glancing at her petite cousin, who was grinning at her from a seat barely taller than the divan, Shen Shaoguang felt her uncle was truly far-sighted.

Later, when the clan elder Shen Zhi, Prefect of Yingzhou, arrived, he presented a completely different demeanor. Around fifty years old, with a pale complexion and a beard, his eyes carried an air of authority. Shen Shaoguang didn’t dare act carelessly in his presence, adopting the demure demeanor of a sheltered young lady.

Shen Zhi inquired about her time in the palace and her life after leaving. His questions were detailed, and Shen Shaoguang couldn’t evade them. Reluctantly, she confessed her experiences of seeking refuge in a nunnery and later setting up a food stall and opening a tavern.

After a moment of silence, Shen Zhi said, "In the end, it was our fault for not taking better care of you."

Shen Shaoguang felt her uncle had misunderstood greatly. She wanted to say she had been quite happy eating and drinking her way through life, but it didn’t seem appropriate, so she merely gave an awkward laugh.

Remembering that he was to act in place of her father in negotiating the marriage with the Lin family, Shen Zhi opened his mouth, then closed it again. After a pause, he finally spoke. "Lord Lin has good character, though he is somewhat stern. You—" He stopped again, unsure how to phrase such things to a young woman.

Shen Zhi also had a daughter, betrothed to the son of Cui Yan, Prefect of Luzhou. Back then, he hadn’t needed to say anything—his wife had handled the discussions with their daughter. The two families were old friends, and his wife had met the young man. But this time, it wasn’t suitable for his wife to intervene—the "groom" was a special case. In a few days, Lord Lin would become the third-rank Capital Governor, a high-ranking official in purple robes. Shen Zhi had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility himself.

However, both uncles soon found their words overturned.

Every time Lord Lin came to visit, he spoke with utmost respect, a smile always on his lips. When drinking, though his face flushed red, he never refused, proving himself earnest. Most importantly, whenever he caught sight of A Qi, his gaze softened like a gentle spring breeze...

In private, Shen Shaoguang teased Lin Yan. "I’ve never seen you so mild-mannered before. You’re quite the actor."

Lin Yan laughed and admitted, "Being the Shen family’s prospective son-in-law is no easy task."

Not just no easy task—it was downright difficult. In the capital, there was also Li Xiang, who frequently invited him for drinks, and that sharp-eyed Chu Xiansheng would soon arrive in the capital as well...

Shen Zhi, now transferred to a capital post, had ample time, so the Six Rites proceeded at a leisurely pace. By the time Prince Wu’s case concluded in the seventh month and Shen Qian’s name was cleared, they had only reached the Betrothal Gift Presentation stage.

Shen Zhi led his brothers, sons, and nephews in conducting a solemn Family Ancestral Ritual. Li Yue, Chu Di, and Lin Yan all sent offerings. After the ceremony, Shen Zhi, Shen Pu, and Shen Shaoguang all had red-rimmed eyes.

Due to Shen Shaoguang’s merit in protecting the emperor and her role in capturing Li Yu, the emperor restored the Shen family’s original lands and properties, even doubling them as an additional reward—including a former villa of Zhao Wang.

Shen Shaoguang finally experienced the feeling of becoming overnight wealthy.

Imitating a movie heroine, she teased Lin Yan, "Lord Lin, I’ll take care of you—"Lin Yan had grown quite accustomed to Shen Shaoguang's rhythm by now. With a smile, he bowed slightly. "In that case, I thank my lady in advance."

However, such moments of casual banter were rare. Were it not for these official matters, the two would hardly have met before the wedding—now that Shen Shaoguang was living with her uncle and aunt.

On the auspicious day of the tenth of August, they finally reached the last step of the Six Rites—the wedding procession.

This was Shen Shaoguang's first marriage in both lifetimes. Having spent her previous years in the palace, she had never witnessed a folk wedding firsthand. Now, she was thoroughly enlightened—such as by the "Groom Subjugation" ritual.

The sisters-in-law from her uncle's household and a few close relatives each brandished sticks, ready to "deal a severe beating" to Lord Lin—no, rather, to the newly appointed Prefect Lin.

The third sister-in-law from her uncle's house spoke bluntly: "Shiyi Niang, don't you go feeling sorry for him. A son-in-law is like a dog to the bride's family—he must be beaten into submission."

Shiyi Niang was Shen Shaoguang's ranking name within the family.

Shen Shiyi Niang nodded. "Sister-in-law, beat him as you please. He won't behave without a good thrashing."

The sisters-in-law burst into laughter.

They were rather excited. The new brother-in-law was said to be tall and graceful, exceptionally handsome, and a high-ranking official in purple robes. Such a son-in-law was a rare opportunity to lay hands on...

Lin Yan maintained his meek demeanor from the "father-in-law test," playing no tricks and allowing the sisters to tease him thoroughly. When Shen Shaoguang peeked at him from upstairs, his hat was askew, his hair slightly disheveled, yet his smile remained unchanged.

Shen Shaoguang smirked mischievously. Lin Yan seemed to sense her gaze and looked up, their eyes meeting.

But someone was already calling for Shen Shaoguang: "Shiyi Niang, hurry and finish your makeup!"

The makeup couldn't be rushed—custom dictated she must wait for the groom outside to recite the Bridal Adornment Poem.

Listening from inside, Shen Shaoguang was thoroughly amused. Though Lin Yan occasionally indulged in sweet talk, he had never praised her so blatantly—especially not her beauty! Feeling petty, she thought, let him struggle—a prodigy from Hedong, a young jinshi, surely he could handle this?

The sisters-in-law praised her, "Shiyi Niang is remarkably composed."

Lin Yan could easily imagine Shen Shaoguang's smug expression. Smiling, he composed poem after poem—from her lotus-like face to almond-shaped eyes, cherry lips and shell-like teeth, cloud-like tresses, and graceful bearing... Indeed, my A Qi is a beauty.

After a series of elaborate rituals, when the two finally sat alone in the Bridal Chamber, Shen Shaoguang had long lost her earlier smugness—getting married was exhausting!

Thankfully, her maids had already helped her remove the heavy ceremonial robes, hairpins, and the layers of White Powder, Black Eye Paint, Floral Stickers, Dimples, and Lip Rouge from her face. Shen Shaoguang flopped onto the bed, feeling more drained than after an all-nighter in her past life.

"A Qi—" Lin Yan called softly, sitting beside her on the bed.

Shen Shaoguang tilted her head to look at him, suddenly feeling nervous. Right... there was still that matter tonight.

She sat up. "Husband, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

"I had someone prepare glutinous rice dumplings—the kind you often make. They'll be brought shortly."

Shen Shaoguang laughed. "After getting beaten, you still repay cruelty with kindness. Truly a gentleman."

Lin Yan stroked her smooth hair, smiling silently.

Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

Gazing at her, Lin Yan replied softly, "I'm afraid you might lack energy later."

Shen Shaoguang: "!!!"

Lin Yan chuckled and pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead gently. "Eat a little. The wedding rites were tedious—you surely didn't eat much this evening."The maid announced outside the bridal chamber that the dumplings were ready. Lin Yan had them brought in.

Shen Shaoguang sat at the dining table eating Sweet Osmanthus Fermented Rice Soup with Dumplings, while Lin Yan didn't partake, simply watching her eat.

Under his gaze, Shen Shaoguang grew nervous again.

She began talking about food to ease the tension: "These Sweet Fermented Rice Soup with Dumplings are quite well made. The osmanthus is sugar-preserved—delicious. The fermented rice is good too. Did it come from Old Wang's Wine Shop in the East Market? Their wine is excellent, and so is their fermented rice. It has a richness others lack, probably because of the quality rice..."

"Don't be afraid," Lin Yan soothed softly, "I'll be careful..."

Shen Shaoguang: "..."

Putting down her bowl, Shen Shaoguang rinsed her mouth with tea, then said earnestly to Lin Yan: "The Princess gave me an instructional manual. Should we... study it first?"

As someone whose "study materials" occupied several gigabytes on her F drive, Shen Shaoguang felt her theoretical knowledge was quite solid. But more learning couldn't hurt—the manual from the Princess was exquisitely detailed...

Lin Yan smiled at her, then swept her up in his arms, saying, "Unnecessary!"

"Wait—really unnecessary? I think that—"

Inside the bed curtains, Shen Shaoguang was promptly silenced.

Author's Note:

① "Langzi": Son-in-law.

② "A son-in-law is the woman's family's dog"—a quote from the popular science book "A Guide to Time Traveling to the Tang Dynasty."

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We'll save married life for the extras. The main story ends here. Sign up now for the Zhongnan Mountain villa barbecue and the Lin family's little dumpling sightseeing tour.

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Poor A Qi—after all that flirting before, today is payback time...