Chi Yan's reputation among the people is mixed, but he himself doesn't really care.
After all, to gain something, you always have to give up something.
But one day, he noticed a subtle change in how the people around him treated him.
The censor, who usually disliked him, awkwardly touched his nose and said as he passed by, "Heaven is about to bestow a great responsibility upon this man."
Chi Yan: ?
One of his political rivals, who was always at odds with him, looked at him with a complicated expression: "Lord Chi, I misunderstood you in the past."
Chi Yan: ?
Even Shen Ci, when they parted, patted him on the shoulder with a heavy expression: "It doesn't feel good to be misunderstood, does it? I understand you, brother!"
Chi Yan: ? ? ?
He was completely bewildered and a little embarrassed, wondering if he had been spotted helping an old lady cross the street on his way home yesterday.
...
Shen Tangning was listening to Feng Zhiwen's endless chatter in front of her:
"Those storybooks are selling really well! My cousin-in-law is amazing! By the way, could you introduce me to this gentleman? I'd love to meet him!"
She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said casually, "Next time."
Chi Yan then learned that a storybook had been circulating recently, which described his glorious deeds, praised his silent contributions, and subtly evoked emotions. The method was quite clever.
Later, he went to listen to it, and his ears turned red the whole time as he just kept drinking water.
What he didn't care about, Shen Tangning took to heart.
*
Rumors circulate that the Grand Secretary is henpecked, and this isn't entirely unfounded.
As Chi Yan's status in the court rose, social engagements became inevitable. There were countless people who wanted to curry favor with him, but those who didn't understand his personality were bound to make a fool of themselves by trying to flatter him.
One day, several ministers in the court gathered together for a meal.
An official who had just been promoted from a local position used his connections to arrange for Chi Yan to be invited.
To establish a firm foothold in the court, one must have a powerful backer. He organized this dinner party to curry favor with Shangchi Yan, a practice known as "paying homage to a powerful figure."
However, this person was new to the place and did not know Chi Yan's personality well, so when the beauties entered the private room, the atmosphere clearly froze for a moment.
Unaware that the official had noticed, he gave a wink to the leading beauty, who then spontaneously walked over to the pool and poured wine.
"Drinking alone can't satisfy me! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have beautiful women and fine wine by my side?" He stood up with a smile, respectfully raising his wine cup. "This humble official toasts you, sir!"
Chi Yan lowered his thin eyelids and remained silent, his expression somewhat languid. He listlessly swirled his wine glass, while the beautiful woman beside him exuded a rich fragrance and spoke softly.
Perhaps because he had been drinking, he felt a slight throbbing in his temples, and his patience quickly wore thin.
He raised his hand to block her, signaling her to stand further away. The beauty seemed a little flustered, but still obediently stepped aside.
Even though the official was slow to react, he sensed something was wrong when Chi Yan didn't respond for a long time. Seeing this, he couldn't help but feel uneasy, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
His raised arm was already aching, but he dared not pull it back, and the smile on his face seemed to falter.
But then he saw the Grand Secretary lazily raise his head, a playful smile on his lips. Though he was smiling, his words seemed to plunge him into an icy wasteland:
"You dare to offer me a toast?"
Realizing he had made a huge mistake, the official's face turned pale instantly.
In the dead silence, the door was pushed open, and everyone was surprised to see who was so reckless. A bright figure stood in the doorway.
Her slender white fingers were still resting on the door, and the lanterns overhead cast a hazy glow. Shen Tangning's eyes were filled with laughter as she looked over with her clear eyes: "I hope I haven't disturbed your enjoyment, gentlemen?"
Everyone was taken aback and stood up one after another: "Shen Zhongshu".
Shen Tangning returned the greeting and smiled as she looked at Chi Yan: "I happened to be eating next door and saw you, so I came over to ask when you're coming back?"
The person who had just been clear-eyed suddenly became listless, resting their chin on their hand: "Now."
He paused, then said slowly and deliberately, "I'm drunk."
"..."
Shen Tangning nodded, ignoring the strange looks from everyone, and walked over. She gently supported his forearm with her hand, and Chi Yan took the opportunity to get up and leaned against her as if he had no bones.
With one hand supporting the person, Shen Tangning politely bid farewell to everyone, saying, "Esteemed sirs, please excuse me."
Everyone watched in silence as the two departed. They saw the Grand Secretary, whose mere glance was enough to instill fear in those below, now relentlessly fawning over his wife.
"If you can't walk, you need to hold your hand."
"Did they come specifically to pick me up, or were there other people there as well?"
After walking a little further away, Shen Tangning's slightly annoyed voice came: "Chi Yan, you stand still!"
"..."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, while the neglected official was still somewhat bewildered.
He had never seen a couple interact like this before.
An adult gave him a meaningful look: "You're lucky today, you ran into Shen Zhongshu. Otherwise..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the official broke out in a cold sweat.
*
Having not seen his wife for several days in a row upon returning home, Chi Yan could no longer sit still. With a dark face, he looked at the culprit with a resentful expression as the Shen family arrested people:
"No wonder people say that every woman wants a home, but doesn't go back."
Faced with the unreasonable accusations, Shen Tangning rubbed her temples, pulled him close, and gave him a perfunctory kiss on the cheek:
"You know perfectly well that Shen Ci is getting married, and I have to make arrangements for him."
Chi Yan glanced at her disapprovingly, not so easily appeased: "Since it's his wedding, why are you so concerned? You haven't come home for days, leaving me alone in an empty room. Shen Tangning, you're so heartless!"
The veins on her forehead throbbed incessantly, and Shen Tangning's lips twitched. Logically speaking, as time goes by, he should become more mature, but Chi Yan's clinginess has only increased day by day, sometimes even she can't handle it.
That night, it took her a lot of effort to coax him back to his senses.
The day of Shen Ci's wedding was very lively.
It was fate, really. The woman he married was Meng Lingxi, the granddaughter of the former prime minister. She had been on a date with Chi Jingyu, but Shen Tangning ruined it.
She never imagined that, after all the twists and turns, the other person would become her sister-in-law.
These two are truly destined to meet, like enemies destined to clash.
Meng Lingxi is spoiled but not willful, and has a very lively personality. Somehow she met Shen Ci, and the two of them would quarrel every time they met, and they never had a peaceful day.
They ended up developing feelings for each other after arguing for a while. When Shen Ci awkwardly asked her to propose marriage, she was quite surprised.
Their married life was still chaotic. Whenever they argued, Meng Lingxi would go to Shen Tangning for judgment, but she knew that this was just their way of getting along.
Shen Tangning always remembered the day she came to propose marriage, and asked Meng Lingxi:
"My younger brother can be impulsive at times, but he's warm-hearted. Most importantly, once he's set his mind on someone, he'll never change his mind. Miss Meng, would you be willing to marry him?"
The delicate young girl lightly bit her lower lip, her cheeks as beautiful and captivating as the rosy clouds at sunset. Her eyelashes fluttered, her eyes sparkling, and she nodded demurely: "Then he can only love me for the rest of his life! He can't take concubines, he can't be fickle, he has to listen to me on small matters, and occasionally on big matters too!"
She spoke with such confidence and self-assurance, with a touch of youthful exuberance that Shen Tangning couldn't help but smile and say, "Of course."
*
"Is this a letter from the State of Qi?"
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