Chapter 14 (Bug Fix) "If you believe me, I'll still..."
There were some things that couldn't be said in the main courtyard, so Shen Hang took Shen Songyi back to the east wing where Aunt Liu lived.
With no outsiders around, Shen Songyi's grievances became even more undisguised, and she tugged at Shen Hang's sleeve and acted coquettishly, just like before.
“Father, I don’t mean to question you. But I’m the only illegitimate daughter in the family, and I’ve always been favored by you since I was little. Madam has always looked down on me and my aunt… My mother and I can only rely on you, Father.”
Shen Hang's expression softened slightly, and for the first time ever, he said something kind to Zhao Lan.
“You’ve wronged your mother this time. I was the one who carefully selected your marriage from beginning to end. She didn’t interfere at all.”
Shen Songyi: ...
She's actually hoping Zhao Lan will get involved!
The stepmother was a proud and proud person. Even though she disliked the East Wing, she never skimped on their food, clothing, or daily necessities over the years, nor did she ever beat, scold, or humiliate them. At most, she would just confine them to their quarters to copy scriptures and tell them not to go to the main courtyard and get in her way.
She had lived a life of luxury in the Shen family for more than ten years. In terms of appearance and talent, she considered herself to be no less than her legitimate sisters. Whenever she went out to visit other families and saw other women from concubines cowering and following their mistresses, she couldn't help but feel a great sense of superiority.
Shen Songyi and Aunt Liu had long understood Zhao Lan's personality. Unlike other mistresses who were sweet on the outside but bitter on the inside, even if she were to arrange a marriage for Shen Songyi, at most she would be one grade lower than her own daughter, and the dowry from the public treasury would be a few thousand taels less. But she would never put her illegitimate daughter into some kind of tormenting den of wolves and tigers.
It doesn't matter if the dowry is a little less, since Aunt Liu has saved up a lot of money over the years, and she will definitely take it all with her.
What she wanted was to marry into a prestigious and wealthy family!
As a result, her marriage has now been taken care of by Shen Hang, who claimed to have been very selective and had exceptional taste, only to end up picking a poor scholar with an orphan and a widow for her?!
If word gets out, people will laugh their heads off!
"What's going on? Has Yi'er's marriage been arranged?"
Aunt Liu overheard a few words behind the screen and saw that Shen Songyi's dissatisfaction with Shen Hang was about to show on her face, so she quickly pretended to have just gotten up and came out to smooth things over.
With gentle eyes, she hooked her arm around Chen Heng's. "Cousin, tell me quickly, what kind of good family have you chosen for our daughter?"
Aunt Liu was in her early thirties and had already given birth to a son and a daughter, but her eyes still held the gentle charm of a young girl, exactly the kind of woman who would add fragrance to someone's life that Shen Hang liked the most.
The two always addressed each other as cousins in private, and in the undisturbed east courtyard, they acted as if they were a real couple.
Shen Hang then explained Qi Xiuyuan's situation in detail. Seeing that Shen Songyi was still sulking and kept her head down without saying a word, he patiently persuaded her again: "Yi'er, your father has offended your eldest sister and your younger sister for your sake, but what your father is saying is the truth. Look at those noble families, how many of their children are ambitious? They all just lie on the merit books of their ancestors, indulging in extravagance and debauchery, and being lazy and negligent!"
He stroked his meticulously groomed beard with a smug grin, shaking his head and saying, "For a true man, the only right path is to pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom."
*
“Your father prided himself on being a refined scholar and has always looked down on nobles and officials.”
The food was cleared away and tea and snacks were served in the main courtyard, and Zhao Lan's little class on teaching her daughter began.
She slowly sipped this year's new tea and said to Shen Lingyue, "Your eldest and second eldest brothers are both going to take the imperial examinations, so your father would prefer a son-in-law who has passed the imperial examinations, so that they can help each other in the officialdom in the future."
Having been married for over twenty years, she knew Shen Hang's little schemes all too well.
"Don't be fooled by the fact that the imperial examinations are held only once every three years. Finding a suitable son-in-law who is a successful candidate in the imperial examinations is not easy. This year, among the top three scholars, the son of the second-ranked scholar is already in school, while the sons of the first and third-ranked scholars are still unmarried. But these two highly sought-after men are coveted by all the powerful and wealthy people in the capital, and it's not our family's turn."
Then we had no choice but to settle for second best and select from the second-class Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).
After removing those who are too old, those who are already married, and those who are unattractive... only three people are left to "enter the final".
Shen Lingyue asked curiously, "Then why did Father choose Qi Xiuyuan?"
She was from out of town, an orphan and a widow, with no house or carriage in the capital. As a low-ranking official of the seventh rank, her salary was low. Wasn't marrying into that family purely a way to help the poor?
Shen Yuanjia guessed, "Could it be because the other two people are not as good as Qi Xiuyuan?"
Zhao Lan smiled, then nodded and shook her head.
The two sisters were completely bewildered.
"The remaining two, one surnamed Tian, comes from a prominent family in the prefecture. Both parents are alive, and there are more than ten brothers and sisters in the family. The family has been doing business for generations, which is why they were able to produce such a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination)."
"But your father dislikes him because he is short, dark-skinned, and has a heavy accent. He also says that his family are all merchants, so he must be full of money and illiterate. If Shen Songyi marries him, she will have to face a group of unromantic relatives and sisters-in-law. They will not have anything in common, and her life will definitely not be happy."
"The last one is surnamed Fang. This young man comes from a good family. He's from the capital, an only son, and his father is the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, a fourth-rank official..."
Shen Lingyue blurted out, "Isn't this much better than Qi Xiuyuan's conditions?"
Zhao Lan shook her head, "But your father and Lord Fang have different political views. Years ago, when they were preparing the etiquette procedures for receiving the Western Regions delegation, the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial Affairs were required to cooperate. As a result, the two of them got into a fight outside Zuoshun Gate. To this day, they spit at each other when they see each other on the road."
How could Shen Hang bear to marry his precious daughter to his mortal enemy's family? What if the Fang family torments Shen Songyi in order to get revenge on him?
Zhao Lan shrugged. "So, after all that, isn't Qi Xiuyuan the best one left?"
Shen Yuanjia and Shen Lingyue exchanged a glance and said in unison:
"...Aren't they all better than Qi Xiuyuan?"
*
Which one isn't better than Qi Xiuyuan?
After hearing what Shen Hang said, Aunt Liu also wanted to ask the same question.
But she still remembered that she had to maintain the innocent and weak little white flower persona in front of Shen Hang, so she could only pretend not to understand while holding her handkerchief: "Cousin, I am not well-educated and do not have as much knowledge as Madam, but isn't this Young Master Qi's family a bit too weak? His family has neither wealth nor connections in the officialdom, so I'm afraid it will be difficult for him to develop in the future."
"Oh, you don't understand. What kind of place is the Hanlin Academy? It's the cradle of future prime ministers. Only those who have studied in the Hanlin Academy can enter the cabinet. Have you heard of that?"
Shen Hang: "Of these three, only Qi Xiuyuan passed the examination to become a probationary official. The other two can only observe the administration of the Six Ministries. After three years, they will be sent out to serve as officials."
He stroked his chin, quite pleased with himself: "You say his family has no money or connections, but ours does. With me, a third-rank official, as his father-in-law, watching over him, if he wants a smooth career, he'll have to treat Yi'er extra well. And when Ming'an and Mingda also enter officialdom in a few years, won't he have to take extra care of his two brothers-in-law?"
He glanced at Shen Songyi before lowering his voice to Aunt Liu and said, "A son-in-law without a family or connections is easier to control. Trust me, would I harm our Yi'er?"
*
"...Isn't this just a typical 'phoenix man' (a man from a poor background who achieves success)?"
Shen Lingyue rolled her eyes, not understanding why there have always been so many fathers-in-law who love to support their sons-in-law.
Don't they read history books? There are so many examples of fathers-in-law being usurped by their sons-in-law, how can they be so confident that they can easily control things?
Neither Zhao Lan nor Shen Yuanjia had heard of this term before, but they could roughly guess what it meant.
Zhao Lan laughed, "Men are just so confident. They always think they have everything under control and that women's opinions don't matter."
She said she didn't care about Shen Songyi's marriage, but privately she inquired a lot about the situation of this year's Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations).
As soon as the information on Tian, Fang, and Qi was presented, she knew that Shen Hang would ultimately choose Qi Xiuyuan.
She tapped Shen Lingyue's forehead. "You should be secretly happy. Luckily, the Emperor granted you a marriage, otherwise you would have to choose your husband from these three people."
Shen Songyi and Shen Lingyue are only three months apart in age, and Shen Hang may very well arrange marriages for both of his daughters at once in order to save trouble.
Shen Lingyue touched her chest in fear.
Since her biased father has already given the "best" Qi Xiuyuan to Shen Songyi, doesn't she have to choose between Tian and Fang?
Tsk, compared to Young Master Pei, these two are truly like the Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix, it's hard to tell who's better...
Anyway, she doesn't want any of them.
*
None of these three can compare to the Second Young Master Pei of the Marquis of Changning's mansion!
Shen Songyi almost blurted out what was on her mind, but Shen Hang still had that look on his face, as if he had accomplished something great and wanted praise, which made her so angry that she almost crumpled the handkerchief.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally managed to say, "Father, do we really have to choose from this year's successful candidates?"
She specifically emphasized the pronunciation of "进士" (Jinshi).
Why can't we look at the families of dukes, marquises, and nobles, or even the sons and nephews of our colleagues in officialdom?
But Shen Hang clearly misunderstood and asked in return, "The next imperial examination is in three years. You'll be twenty-one then, and your sister is getting married next month. How can your father bear to let you waste another three years?"
Besides, what if the quality of the graduates three years later is not as good as this year's?
He also advised Shen Songyi: "Father knows you have high standards, but when it comes to marriage, you have to listen to your parents. We are older than you, experienced, and we won't make a mistake in choosing someone."
Just as Shen Songyi was about to explode in anger, Aunt Liu stepped on her foot under the table.
She stopped her daughter with a look, then turned to Shen Hang with a smile and said, "Cousin has been praising Young Master Qi to the skies, and I'm starting to get curious myself. Do you think we could invite him over for a visit these next few days, so Yi'er can catch a glimpse of him from afar? After all, they're the ones who are going to live together, so they should at least get along well, right?"
"You're thinking the same thing as me."
Shen Hang nodded repeatedly, "It just so happens that the Hanlin Academy is closed tomorrow, and the Academy is also on holiday. I'll have Ming An and Ming Da come back, and then invite Qi Xiuyuan to our home to discuss the classics with them. You and Yi'er will then be able to see the real person."
Aunt Liu smiled and said, "Alright, my daughter and I will listen to you."
Before leaving, Shen Hang was particularly confident, "My good daughter, Daddy is not lying to you. Qi Xiuyuan is really good-looking. If our family doesn't act quickly, someone else will definitely snatch him away."
For the first time ever, Shen Songyi didn't get up to see him off. Only Aunt Liu reluctantly saw him off out of the courtyard. As soon as she returned to the room, she saw that Shen Songyi had pushed the things on the table all over the floor.
"What's wrong with you?" Aunt Liu quickly closed the door. "Your father isn't far away yet. If he hears you flipping tables and smashing bowls here, do you still want to get married?"
"So what if I heard it? I don't want to get married!"
Shedding her gentle and delicate demeanor in front of others, Shen Songyi stomped her feet in anger, "What a destitute man! Yet he praises him to the skies. If he likes her so much, why doesn't he go and marry her himself!"
What makes someone good at writing, good-looking, and academically successful? Is it being able to eat or drink a lot?
So what if one has to be a member of the Hanlin Academy to enter the cabinet? The Hanlin Academy produces hundreds of people every year; can every single one of them become a Grand Secretary?
Shen Hang has been working in the Ministry of Rites for over a decade, and he's only the second-in-command now.
If being a Grand Secretary were so easy, why didn't he join the cabinet? Did he not like it?
Shen Songyi was already caught up in a mood of blaming heaven and earth and the whole world. Just thinking about the future when the three sisters returned to their parents' home, Shen Yuanjia and Shen Lingyue would ride in the carriages of the Marquis and Earl's Mansion, while she, the wife of a seventh-rank official, would probably have to rent a carriage from outside!
She suddenly glared at Aunt Liu with reddened eyes: "If I had known this would happen, I should have given Shen Lingyue a stronger dose of medicine in the first place..."
Snap!
Aunt Liu raised her hand and slapped him hard, making a loud, crisp sound.
Shen Songyi was stunned by the blow, her ears were ringing, and she stared blankly at her while covering her face.
Aunt Liu's face was frosty as she adjusted the position of the jade bracelet on her wrist; her calm tone sent chills down one's spine.
"I think you've lost your mind. What do you mean by drugging her? The Third Miss was clearly upset about the imperial decree for the marriage and fell ill from anger. What does that have to do with us?"
Shen Songyi was startled by the sharp look in her eyes. She looked away and bit her lip, remaining silent.
"Alright, Auntie didn't mean it. Let me see, did it hurt?"
Aunt Liu put on a smile again and gently rubbed her face with a handkerchief.
"We've been able to live peacefully in the Shen family for so many years because of your father's favoritism and protection. If you directly contradict him and hurt his feelings, what will happen if he abandons us in the future?"
To put it bluntly, Shen Songyi will get married sooner or later, but she and her son will stay in the Shen family for the rest of their lives.
She spoke kindly: "As long as the marriage isn't settled, there's still a chance. Tomorrow, let's see what that young master Qi is like. Maybe you'll really like him?"
Shen Songyi snorted coldly.
What good is it for Qi Xiuyuan to look like an immortal? Can he turn stones into gold?
In any case, she must find a way to ruin this marriage tomorrow.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Shen Hang (confidently): I have excellent taste in choosing sons-in-law!
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