Chapter 152 Lord Shen, oh no, my father-in-law…
Shen Lingyue followed the dog furtively out of the room.
Thanks to Madam Chen for planting so many flowers in the garden, layer upon layer, her whereabouts were perfectly concealed.
But as she got closer to the waterside pavilion and the road gradually widened, more and more maids came and went, so she had to be extra careful.
Until a flower branch that stretched out at an angle hooked her hair and scraped off the pink flower that Madam Chen had pinned to her head.
Shen Lingyue quickly picked it up, then belatedly realized that she had just been stealthing while wearing such a large flower on her head?
It's a miracle no one found out...
She held the flower calyx in her hand, facing a dilemma. It was obviously unrealistic to put it back in her hair, but she couldn't bear to just leave it lying around on the roadside, letting it fall into the mud.
My gaze fell to the left of a winding mountain stream, where fallen leaves floated up and down, like emerald boats drifting away with the current.
Shen Lingyue carefully lifted the hem of her skirt and walked to the rocky beach beside the stream. She gently placed the pink flower into the water and pushed it forward.
A small, rouge-colored boat appeared on the water, swaying gently.
She clapped her hands, about to get up and continue her tracking plan, when a light, melodious female voice came from behind her.
"What are you doing?"
!
She was so frightened that she almost plunged in, and it took a few shakes of her arms to regain her balance.
Shen Lingyue turned around, patted her chest helplessly, and said, "Didn't anyone teach you not to scare people behind their backs?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
The girl in the blue dress apologized sincerely, "I came from over there and saw you squatting alone by the water. I thought you were going to..."
She was born with a graceful and elegant appearance, and possessed a serene temperament. Her eyes were lighter than most people's, and they shone with a hint of light gold in the sunlight, making her appear even more ethereal and otherworldly.
Shen Lingyue rarely gets angry at pretty people, and besides, the other person was just trying to be kind and concerned about her. She shrugged and said, "Did you think I was going to commit suicide by jumping into the river? With this little bit of water, it's unlikely anyone will drown."
The girl looked behind her at the peony flower that was gradually drifting away on the water, and asked curiously, "Then why did you put the flower in the water?"
"Oh, I'm burying flowers," Shen Lingyue said seriously.
The girl clearly hadn't expected this answer. After a moment of surprise, she asked, "Then why not dig a hole and bury it?"
“Water burial is still burial.” Shen Lingyue shook her head. “Fallen flowers and flowing water, spring is gone, heaven and earth.”
The girl chuckled and blinked gently. "Are all the girls in the capital as interesting as you?"
“There aren’t many people more interesting than me,” Shen Lingyue replied confidently.
After saying that, he glanced at her again and asked, "Aren't you from the capital? Then how come you're here?"
"Yes, my home is in Chenliu County, which is now Bianzhou." The girl smiled and smiled. "My surname is Xie. I came to the capital with my elders to visit relatives. What's your name?"
"Why pry into the details of a chance encounter?"
Shen Lingyue hadn't forgotten that she was out to "do something bad," and she'd already been delayed by this girl for a while, so she couldn't exchange names with her. She made up a few words and ran away.
"...See you again someday!"
She quickly darted into the flowerbed, circled in the opposite direction, and arrived at the other side of the waterside pavilion.
There was hardly anyone around, so Shen Lingyue confidently walked out, intending to find Madam Chen's room to rest.
She had barely left her seat when those women chased after her. Who knows if they were in cahoots?
Shen Lingyue tiptoed along the corridor, and just as she turned a corner, she bumped into a woman coming out of a room.
!
Oh no, Melon God is offline?
Her expression changed slightly, and she was about to make an excuse that she was lost when the woman seemed not to recognize her and took the initiative to come forward, asking in a low voice, "Sister, are you also here to deliver tribute to Madam Chen? What rank is your husband?"
Shen Lingyue raised her eyebrows slightly.
Good grief, are they treating her as an accomplice?
Her mind raced, and she immediately adopted a nervous and apprehensive demeanor, biting her lip as she spoke: "My husband is stuck in the Ministry of Works, only holding the sixth rank for so many years..."
"Oh dear, that's a high-ranking official in the capital, one of the Six Ministries. That's already very good." The woman looked on with envy, and then complained to herself, "My husband has been a prefect for over ten years and hasn't moved up a rank. He still has to put up with the pressure from his superiors. If he doesn't find a way to get things done, he'll be driven to his death by frustration sooner or later."
Shen Lingyue glanced at her expression and carefully asked, "Madam Chen, is it really that effective?"
She clutched the hem of her skirt, her face full of trouble. "My family isn't wealthy, and I'm afraid that if I spend the money, it will be wasted..."
"Don't worry about that. Although Mrs. Chen's price is a bit high, she really does her job for you."
The woman spoke with great enthusiasm, "Who is she? The eldest daughter of the old Duke of Chen, the younger sister of the current Duke of Chen, the mother-in-law of Prince Yu, and the mother-in-law of His Majesty!"
She counted on her fingers for Shen Lingyue: "For my master, if he wanted to be a prefect in another place, a lateral transfer would only cost three thousand. If he wanted to be promoted one rank higher and get the lucrative position of Salt Commissioner, he would need five thousand... If he could come up with ten thousand, it wouldn't be impossible for him to be transferred back to the central government!"
Shen Lingyue asked naively, "Ten thousand taels of silver to be transferred back to the capital? That's a great deal!"
"What are you dreaming about?" The woman rolled her eyes at her. "Gold, gold!"
She noticed that Shen Lingyue's clothes were expensive and thought she could make friends with a high-ranking official's wife in advance. However, after hearing Shen Lingyue's ignorant manner when she spoke, she realized that Shen Lingyue's family probably didn't have any background. She immediately lost interest in talking to her and left with her handkerchief in her hand.
Shen Lingyue: ...
Was she rejected by the person who offered her a bribe?
But there's a lot of information in what this woman said.
Madam Chen is actually openly selling official positions here, relying on the influence of her brother and son-in-law.
She collects gold by the thousands of taels at a time; no wonder she has the money to maintain such a large peony garden.
But then again, she certainly couldn't put all of that money into her pocket.
After all, Madam Chen was just a money-collecting person; the real power to influence the transfer of officials lay with the Duke of Chen and Prince Yu.
"No wonder His Highness said that although Prince Yu seemed to have a wide circle of friends, the Censorate had never been able to find any evidence of corruption or bribery on him..."
So it turns out that Madam Chen was his "white glove" all along.
Shen Lingyue understood why invitations to the Peony Banquet were so incredibly valuable—literally.
Alright, alright, I'll go back and tell the princess!
...
Princess Yu was socializing at her mother's peony banquet and receiving gifts from local officials.
Prince Yu was happily embracing his newly acquired concubine, indulging in wine and food with unrestrained pleasure.
"Your Highness hasn't come to see me in so long," the concubine said coquettishly, nestled against his chest.
"Sigh, it's all the princess's fault for being so meddlesome, always interfering with me and not letting me drink or eat meat. Is that how a human being lives?"
Prince Yu suffered from rheumatism, and whenever it flared up, his joints would ache and itch unbearably, and his toes would swell so much that he couldn't wear shoes. The doctor said that he had to strictly control his diet, eating only porridge and side dishes, and was forbidden from drinking alcohol, eating meat, or consuming any kind of fish. He also had to abstain from sex.
But Prince Yu couldn't hold on. What was the point of being a human being if he, a prince, had become like a monk?
Taking advantage of the fact that Princess Yu was out today, he immediately sneaked into his concubine's courtyard and indulged in a meal.
As he drank and became increasingly frivolous, his hands began to wander aimlessly, when a servant announced from outside the door, "Your Highness, a guest has arrived."
"...Let him wait!" Prince Yu embraced his concubine and they both fell onto the bed.
The attendant urged again in a low voice, "The guest is in a hurry to see you, why don't you see him first?"
A moment later, Prince Yu came out with a sullen face. While straightening his clothes, he kicked his attendant and said irritably, "How much silver did you take from them that you had to come and invite me like this?"
The attendant rolled on the ground, baring his teeth as he replied, "I dare not accept money, but her status is special, and I cannot delay her..."
"I'd like to see what distinguished guest has graced us with his presence!" Prince Yu stomped angrily toward the front courtyard.
Upon entering the flower hall, Prince Yu was taken aback.
Why is it a woman?
Before he could react, the other person pounced on him like a swallow returning to its nest, grabbing his hem and bowing gracefully: "Your Highness, save me!"
Her eyes were filled with affection, as if she were weeping and pleading, which made Prince Yu's body go weak. He subconsciously supported her soft arms and said in a soft voice, "Don't rush, tell me slowly, how can I save you?"
"The Minister of Rites, Shen Hang, is my father..."
The moment the woman spoke, Prince Yu's expression changed. "Are you the daughter of the Shen family?"
He subconsciously loosened his grip and took a half-step back imperceptibly. "Ahem, Miss Shen, why are you coming to me instead of your father?"
Shen Songyi turned her head slightly, tears streaming down her face like beads.
"Your Highness, you may not know this, but my father greatly admires your talent and has always wanted to befriend you, but he has never been able to find a way until he remembered that he has a daughter who is of marriageable age..."
Shen Songyi paused deliberately and looked at her with deep affection.
Prince Yu was overjoyed; this was truly like someone offering him a pillow when he was sleepy!
After years of painstaking planning, his efforts are finally beginning to bear fruit, and even a high-ranking official like Shen Hang is taking the initiative to curry favor with him.
Hmph, without the troublesome eldest son, as the eldest among the princes, inheriting the throne is the will of the people and the mandate of heaven!
It's true that Shen Hang has good taste; to show his sincerity, he even prepared to offer up a beautiful and precious daughter...
But it's understandable; who wouldn't want to go further and experience what it's like to be the emperor's father-in-law?
Prince Yu's small eyes, which were experienced in seeking out women, leered as they swept over Shen Songyi's entire body, and he became increasingly satisfied.
He coughed lightly, feigning seriousness: "Since Lord Shen is so inclined, I will send a matchmaker to propose marriage in a few days."
However, he has already filled the positions of one princess and two concubines. If Shen wants to enter the mansion, she can only be made to be a wife first. I don't know if Shen Hang will be willing.
Prince Yu stroked his chin, looking troubled.
If all else fails, we can just say that when the six palaces are officially appointed in the future, we'll promote Shen by one rank...
"Your Highness, you mustn't!"
Shen Songyi suddenly rushed over, tears streaming down her face again. Sobbing, she said, "I dare not hide it from Your Highness. I am actually born of a concubine. Because my father favors my aunt, my stepmother has always seen my mother and me as thorns in her side and has treated us harshly since I was little. When she heard that my father intended to marry me into the royal family, she was afraid that I would take revenge on her if I gained power. So she plotted to kidnap and imprison my aunt and even wanted to marry me off to a distant place, to a den of wolves where my fate is unknown..."
She tugged at Prince Yu's robes, seemingly weak and powerless, and with a soft moan, she threw herself into his arms.
“My stepmother locked me in my room, deprived me of food and water, and forced me to compromise. I barely managed to escape, but the world is so vast, yet I have nowhere to go. I had no choice but to come to the Prince to seek refuge…”
Shen Songyi looked up with tears in her eyes, "Your Highness, please have mercy on me..."
How can you turn away a beautiful woman who throws herself into your arms?
Prince Yu's breathing became heavier. He picked up Shen Songyi and strode quickly into the inner room, his tone urgent.
"Now that you've entered Prince Yu's residence, you belong to me. No one will dare to bully you from now on."
...
Ministry of Rites.
After inquiring for many days, Shen Hang finally selected a person to be the head of the Bureau of Ceremonial Affairs.
This man is thirty years old this year. He was married once before, but his wife died last winter from a cold, leaving no children behind.
Although it was his second marriage, he was tall and handsome, a genuine Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), and his family was a wealthy and powerful clan in the area.
As long as Yi'er agrees to the marriage, even if she has to stay in her husband's family for the first two years to avoid trouble, as long as her father, the Minister, doesn't fall from grace, her family will not dare to neglect her.
Moreover, his hometown is not far from the capital, only a two-day journey by car, so even if there is any accident, he can rush over to support his daughter at any time.
Shen Hang really picked this one out of a lot of choices, and this guy is in high demand. If it weren't for his advantage of being close to the source and taking advantage of his superior's hint that he shouldn't agree to other people's marriage proposals, other colleagues would probably have already made their moves.
That day, as soon as he finished his shift, he rushed home, having mentally rehearsed his plan several times, determined to persuade Shen Songyi to agree, no matter what.
However, when he arrived at the east courtyard and saw the flustered maid and the empty room, he was completely dumbfounded.
His grown daughter has disappeared??
Shen Hang stormed into the main courtyard and immediately asked, "Where did you take Yi'er?"
Zhao Lan slammed her teacup down, her brows furrowed and her eyes cold: "Her legs are her own, how would I know where she went?"
Chen Hang choked, and weakly retorted, "You are the mistress of the house, she always needs your permission to go out..."
Zhao Lan sneered: "Master, you've misremembered. Doesn't the east courtyard have the token you gave me, allowing me to move the carriage around at will without asking my permission?"
In all these years, when has she ever interfered with Aunt Liu and her daughter going out?
Shen Hang: ...
He softened his voice, "Madam, please don't be angry with me, okay? I know you don't like Yi'er, but she's about to get married, and you don't want anything to go wrong at this time, right?"
Zhao Lan pondered for a moment, then got up and walked outside. As she passed Chen Hang, she glared at him and said irritably, "I'm not doing this for you. I just don't want to drag my children down because of a fool."
She arrived at the east wing. Ever since Aunt Liu was taken away, the maids and servants in the courtyard had lost their leader and were filled with fear.
Zhao Lan waved her hand, and Liu Mama, along with several rough-looking women, stepped forward and neatly bound and gagged the people, locking them in a dark room for interrogation one by one.
Half an hour later, Liu's mother came to report.
"Master, Madam, Cui Ling, who serves the Second Miss, has spoken. She says the Second Miss has been sending her out to inquire about the Yu Prince's residence lately, and she also knows that the Yu Prince's Consort is not home today, as she has gone out of the city to attend her maternal family's Peony Banquet..."
Zhao Lan's expression changed.
"Oh no, could it be that she's considering currying favor with Prince Yu?!"
Shen Hang felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. It took him a long time to react before he stumbled and ran outside.
Just as he reached the main gate of the Shen residence, he saw a carriage bearing the sign of the Prince Yu's residence slowly come to a stop in front of him.
Prince Yu got out of the car and saw that Shen Hang was actually standing at the door to greet him. He was delighted and quickly stepped forward, bowing with his hands clasped.
"Lord Shen... oh no, should I call you father-in-law?"
Shen Hang stood motionless, staring intently at the carriage, his gaze seemingly trying to pierce through the curtain.
It felt like ten thousand years had passed, yet it also felt like only a moment.
A slender, delicate hand reached out from the car window. Shen Songyi lifted the curtain and softly called out, "Father."
Shen Hang's vision went black, and he fell straight backward. ...
After returning from the peony banquet, Meng Wanyin was exhausted. She asked Aunt Qi to prepare a basin of hot water so she could soak her feet and relax.
Pei Xian pushed open the door and came in at that moment.
"How was your trip today, Madam? Was the Cao family's peony garden truly as dazzling and magnificent as the rumors suggest?"
Meng Wanyin was still soaking her feet when she was startled by him. In her haste to take her feet out, she accidentally splashed water all over him.
Pei Xian: ...
Meng Wanyin was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground. She forced a smile and said, "My lord, would you like to change your clothes first?"
Pei Xian didn't move, but instead picked up an embroidered stool opposite her and sat down, saying nonchalantly, "It's alright, I'll change when I go to bathe later."
Feeling uncomfortable being stared at by him sitting across from her, Meng Wanyin could only try to make small talk.
For some reason, she suddenly remembered the thoughts that had been interrupted in the carriage when she went out during the day, and blurted out: "My lord, do you still remember which family's daughter the princess wanted to betroth to Yunzhao back then?"
Pei Xian paused for a moment before speaking: "Why did you suddenly think of this? Did someone say something to you?"
Meng Wanyin quickly shook her head, "Nobody told me anything, I was just thinking things up because I had nothing better to do..."
Pei Xian breathed a sigh of relief, but his face showed some displeasure. "It was just a child's joke. Almost twenty years have passed, and everyone must have married by now. There's nothing to mention."
Meng Wanyin glanced at his expression and muttered under her breath, "Then just tell me which company it is, why be so petty?"
Why didn't I realize before that the Marquis was quite vengeful? Is it because he felt that the woman's family looked down on Yunzhao, which is why he's holding a grudge?
Pei Xian was caught off guard by her retort. He realized what she meant and felt helpless. He spread his hands and said, "That's right. That's the Xie family of Chenliu. They don't even care about our Pei family, let alone the Xiao family."
Meng Wanyin exclaimed, "Chenliu Xie Clan? Isn't that... the maternal family of Emperor Taizu's first wife, Empress Zhaohui?"
Pei Xian nodded, saying meaningfully, "Those are the last remaining noble families who have truly experienced the 'Wang and Ma sharing the world' era since the founding of the Great Ye Dynasty."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Only one update today [let me see] I'm off to celebrate the holiday too~
Doubaozi is here with her daughter and son-in-law, her whole family, her family of six from Weibo, and so on (in no particular order)...
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! May the flowers bloom, the moon be full, and may you all live long and prosper! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Hearts][Hearts]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
