Chapter 11: Another farewell to A-Lan. From now on... alone, I must protect...

Since that day, the light emanating from Shen Huaiyu has gradually dimmed.

She no longer tried to get others to acknowledge her talent, nor did she write poetry or paint in front of others.

He simply concealed everything, pretending to be dull and mediocre.

She even learned to do accounts and needlework like an ordinary girl, as if she had lost all her lofty ambitions.

Lin Lan looked on anxiously: "Miss, your talent is not limited to this..."

She knew her mistress's ambitions well, and understood that with her mistress's talent, she would never be content to be buried in the inner quarters, serving as a mere foil to some head of the household, silently managing mundane household affairs.

If she were a man, she would surely have carved out her own niche in this world.

Shen Huaiyu smiled faintly, but the smile did not reach his eyes: "Alan, they don't need my talent."

“They don’t want to see me shine, because if I shine too brightly, it will embarrass my future husband.”

"As women, their only measure of value is whether we are gentle, virtuous, obedient, and sensible."

She paused, her voice lower: "Besides, my father is very pleased to see the changes I have made."

This is indeed the truth.

When Mr. Shen saw that his daughter was finally willing to settle down and take up her "duties as a woman," and was willing to start learning the needlework that she had always disdained, and also picked up the tedious abacus and account books, his satisfaction was evident.

He even specifically instructed Lin Lan: "You must also learn these skills diligently, so that when you marry Miss in the future, you can use them to help her with her worries."

Accompanying the young lady to her wedding?

Lin Lan suddenly felt a sinking feeling in her chest, and cold sweat slowly seeped into her palms.

She made a promise to her parents that she would return home to reunite with them after a few years.

Judging from the master's unquestionable tone, even the young lady's fate was not in her own hands, so the return of a maid like her was even more uncertain.

Lin Lan was filled with unease.

----

Faced with the change in their young lady, the first person in the manor to become restless was actually her own brother, Shen Huaijing.

Having just tasted the sweetness of his "talented reputation," how could he be willing to let his sister, his cash cow, no longer bear fruit?

So one afternoon, he barged into Shen Huaiyu's boudoir.

She was sitting alone by the window, but the calligraphy and paintings that she used to keep on the table were no longer there.

Seeing him barge in, she didn't even look up, but silently embroidered a red dress in the light, the beautiful mandarin ducks playing in the water already half-finished.

It is said that it is her future wedding dress.

"Huaiyu!" Seeing that she ignored him, Shen Huaijing reached out and snatched the needle and thread from her hand, slamming it hard on the table. "Are you resentful towards me? Do you hate me for taking your poems?"

He lowered his voice and said urgently, "I admit that I took it without asking that day. But if I want to make a name for myself and for the Shen family to bring glory to its name, how can I succeed without your help?"

Shen Huaiyu, having had her things taken away, simply stared at him numbly, her eyes like a stagnant pool, unable to stir even the slightest ripple.

Shen Huaijing was even angrier at her reaction: "Shen Huaiyu! Are you really willing to accept this? Don't you want to take the imperial examinations, don't you want to serve in the imperial court? Don't you want your articles to be praised by the world, don't you want your talent to be remembered for generations?"

"If I achieve success and fame, it will be because your ideas have been recognized by the world. Supporting me is helping yourself, so why would you destroy your own foundation?"

Lin Lan retreated silently, hiding herself in the shadows behind the screen and holding her breath.

This is not something she can hear.

Shen Huaiyu suddenly smiled.

"So what?" She stood up and approached Shen Huaijing step by step, forcing him to instinctively back away. "As a woman, I have already seen the end of my life."

Shen Huaijing paused, then weakly defended himself: "You're different from them..."

"What's the difference?" Shen Huaiyu went a step further. "I'm just luckier than them. I'm lucky that I can study and learn, and I'm lucky that I've seen through the truth of the world at a young age!"

“If I were to write the same exquisite article and it was signed by me, Shen Huaiyu, they would say that I must have plagiarized someone else, or that someone else wrote it for me, or they would laugh at a woman who dares to dream of getting her hands dirty with literature!”

"Why is it that when your name, Chen Huaijing, is mentioned, you receive cheers and admiration from everyone?"

She approached him step by step, and Shen Huaijing involuntarily took two steps back.

"By borrowing my words, you can pass the imperial examinations, enter officialdom, stand in the court, and eventually wield power, leaving your name in history. At that time, would you be willing to share a piece of the pie with me?"

Shen Huaijing opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

He knew it better than anyone else.

I won't accept this.

Seeing his hesitation, Shen Huaiyu laughed and gave him the answer: "All you do is pat me on the shoulder and sigh, 'Who told you to be born a woman?'"

Shen Huaijing was speechless at her question, his face turning pale and then flushed.

“It’s better to embroider one for myself than to make a wedding dress for someone else,” Shen Huaiyu sat down again, picked up her needle and thread, “At least this dress can still be worn by me.”

----

Later, even the teacher noticed the change in Shen Huaiyu and asked her with concern why she no longer came to class.

She simply lowered her head and answered gently, her attitude impeccably respectful: "I will remember your teachings, sir. However, as a woman, I am bound by my parents' wishes and should prioritize needlework and managing the household."

Even the gentleman couldn't persuade her, so he could only sigh softly, "What a pity..."

On the way back, Lin Lan asked her privately, "Miss, have you really let go?"

Shen Huaiyu remained silent.

Later, Master Shen indeed arranged a marriage for his daughter with the son of Lord Liang, the imperial envoy in charge of disaster relief.

During this prolonged famine, Lord Shen, with his quick wit and keen sense, seized the greatest opportunity and quickly ingratiated himself with Lord Liang, who held great power over money and grain.

Thus, the two families colluded and amassed an astonishing fortune from the disaster relief funds, allowing Lord Shen to maintain a respectable image as a local official.

As one of the bargaining chips, Shen Huaiyu was confined to her boudoir and was not even allowed to easily step out of the courtyard.

The Liang family preferred gentle and obedient young ladies, so she had to grow up according to that mold.

Shen Huaiyu offered no resistance, but simply continued embroidering the wedding dress that seemed to be endless, day after day.

----

Lin Lan looked out the window at the branches, where spring flowers had bloomed all over the trees again.

Every day she would sneak to the side gate of the Shen residence, stand on tiptoe and peek outside, but she never saw her parents again, whom she had promised to see again.

It wasn't until she heard the servants in the manor discussing how the drought outside was getting worse that she suddenly realized that it had been a long time since she had seen any rain.

The Shen family was able to maintain a facade of prosperity by relying on power and money.

In the early morning, servants would bring fresh water from outside the city for their master to wash and groom himself, while the koi in the garden pond swam leisurely as always.

But a pond is ultimately a narrow world, and no matter how well the fish live, they can't swim out.

Lin Lan suddenly understood why her mistress had said that the Shen family mansion was a cage.

Although she is exceptionally talented.

But as a woman, she was... unable to fly away.

----

Over the years, Lin Lan gradually calmed down and simply worked diligently at the Shen residence, waiting for an opportunity to change things.

The flowers on the branches bloomed for the third time. A man named Zhang came to the village, found the steward, and cautiously inquired about the price for redeeming the person.

The manager didn't even lift his eyelids, and held up two fingers: "Two taels of silver, not a penny less."

This is an astronomical sum for Brother Zhang.

Lin Lan, hiding behind a pillar, heard everything clearly, and her heart sank to the bottom.

Her monthly wages here are pitifully meager. Even if she saves for four or five years without eating or drinking, she probably still won't be able to raise enough money to redeem herself.

Brother Zhang was an honest man. When he saw Lin Lan, he looked ashamed and said, "Lan, I'm sorry, I'm not capable enough..."

Lin Lan lowered her head, hiding the tears welling up in her eyes: "Thank you for your trouble, brother."

She hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "Are my parents... alright?"

Brother Zhang couldn't hide his lie; his expression froze instantly, and his eyes darted away: "...It's...it's alright."

“Brother, you don’t have to lie to me.” Lin Lan raised her head, her eyes slightly red. “I dreamed about them a few days ago.”

"My father told me to live well, and my mother cried and begged him not to leave. But I don't know what to do; I can't even see them anymore..."

She choked up and couldn't continue.

Brother Zhang sighed heavily, "Poor child..."

He finally revealed the truth: in his attempt to find water and survive, Lin Wang was attacked by a pack of wolves, suffered severe injuries, and did not survive. Lin Huijun managed the funeral alone at home, and a few days ago she finally fell ill. A high fever struck suddenly, and she almost followed her husband in death.

"She was delirious with fever and on the verge of death when suddenly someone called her name, 'Xiao Lan,' and she sat up abruptly, grabbing the person and asking, 'Where is Xiao Lan?'..."

Before leaving, Brother Zhang patted her on the shoulder: "Lan girl, live well, your mother is still waiting for you to come back."

After Brother Zhang left, Lin Lan stood alone under the corridor.

The wind brushed against her face, feeling slightly cool.

She then realized that she had been crying without even noticing.

----

Shen Huaiyu's docility lasted until the day of her wedding.

Twelve-year-old Lin Lan stood in the corner, watching the young lady who was about to become someone else's wife.

Originally, Master Shen planned to have Lin Lan accompany him as a trusted confidante in his dowry, as she would be easier to control since he knew her well.

Contrary to her usual submissiveness, Shen Huaiyu was unusually furious about this matter and insisted on replacing the maidservant who had accompanied her in her dowry.

The trust that had grown between father and daughter due to her previous "obedience" led Master Shen to not think much of it, assuming that his daughter had simply grown tired of the old servant, and so he went along with her.

Lin Lan was removed from the dowry list.

She knew in her heart that her mistress did not want to drag her into that deeper cage.

Before her wedding, Shen Huaiyu sat before the mirror, fixing her makeup one last time.

Lin Lan walked up behind her and said softly, "Miss, take care."

Shen Huaiyu was combing her hair in front of the mirror. Her hair was adorned with jewels, and she was dressed in a phoenix coronet and wedding gown. She was breathtakingly beautiful in the candlelight.

The person in the mirror did not turn around, but looked at Lin Lan through the bronze mirror. Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice was so low that only the two of them could hear: "Ah Lan, from now on... be alone, take care."

This time, Lin Lan finally saw the expression in her young lady's eyes.

She is no longer the little girl she once was; time has taught her a lot, and at least she can now understand farewell.

----

News of the young lady's death reached the Shen family faster than any other news.

She committed suicide on her wedding day.

Upon hearing the news, Madam Shen was devastated and heartbroken. She divorced Lord Shen and returned to her parents' home with her daughter's belongings.

Although Lord Shen felt it was unlucky, he did not feel much pain from the loss of his daughter.

His wife only gave birth to a daughter named Huaiyu, and failed to produce the son he longed for, which already made him resentful.

He simply lamented the shallowness of his marriage to the Liang family and planned to choose another concubine's daughter to marry in her place.

However, before the second marriage could be finalized, the imperial envoys arrived with an imperial edict and shackles.

The Shen family collapsed, their property was confiscated, and the men were imprisoned.

Lin Lan and the other maids and servants were imprisoned in a secluded courtyard of the Shen residence, living in constant fear.

The new steward brought by the official coldly announced: The Shen family has fallen, and these "official slaves" will soon be sold off.

A somber mood hung over the courtyard, and the sound of sobbing could be heard incessantly.

Lin Lan sat in the corner with her knees drawn up to her chest, gazing at the gray sky beyond the high walls.

A thought involuntarily surfaced in her mind, one that even she found somewhat unbelievable.

Miss... is she really dead?

A note from the author:

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I'm writing at the limit every day...