33 Returning to the Bride's Home
"Judging by his physique, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle him alone."
The price of cloth in the capital suddenly skyrocketed, changing almost daily.
The next day, Ju Tao returned to the general's mansion and told Shen Suqin about it.
"The people from Jinyunfang have already connected with the people we arranged, and the price is about what we expected. However, as soon as Jinyunfang received the expensive fabric, they immediately raised their prices and forced all the fabric shops in the city to raise their prices as well. Many people who are busy buying winter clothes are scrambling to buy fabric, fearing that prices will rise even more in a few days."
"What did Su Yubai say?" Shen Suqin asked.
"Master Su said that if we need it, he can send a batch of cheap coarse cloth from the north to stabilize the market price."
"Let's do as he says."
"Yes. Also, we've almost finished acquiring Jinyunfang, so we can move on to the next step."
“Okay,” Shen Suqin said. “You’ll come with me when I return to my parents’ home tomorrow.”
"Is the general going?"
"have no idea."
"What about the return gift?"
"Go to the storeroom and pick out two portions, one for the main courtyard and one for the side courtyard. The portion for the main courtyard doesn't need to be too good; just make sure no one makes a mistake."
"I know."
The next morning, after breakfast, Ju Tao put the return gifts into the carriage and waited for Shen Suqin to leave.
Shen Suqin changed her usual plain white clothes today and chose a pale yellow embroidered floor-length dress. Such a bright color rarely appears on her, making her look radiant and elegant.
As she left the main courtyard and turned into the covered corridor, she suddenly saw Xiao Pingchuan leaning against the wall, waiting for her.
Upon seeing her arrive, Xiao Pingchuan turned to look at her, momentarily lost in thought.
"Do I look good in this?" Shen Suqin asked.
Xiao Pingchuan smiled faintly and said in a low voice, "It's beautiful."
Shen Suqin knew that he was trying to process what she had said at Shuyu Pavilion that day. She felt a little guilty and sorry for herself. She had spoken without thinking, and that was not what she really meant.
The situation was urgent, and the Crown Prince's men only asked her once, saying that she was the most suitable person to step forward, but if she was unwilling, the Crown Prince had other methods.
Shen Suqin agreed without hesitation, without even thinking about whether it was pitiful or not.
Even if she did feel a pang of pity for him that day at the training ground, it was only when she saw him being attacked by dozens or even hundreds of people, when she saw his fists bound with cloth strips and dripping blood.
She felt that her sense of "pitifulness" was not the same as Xiao Pingchuan's understanding of "pitifulness."
But she herself couldn't tell the difference, so she kept quiet.
"Will the general accompany me on my homecoming?" she asked.
“Logically speaking, yes,” Xiao Pingchuan said. “If you go back alone, people will point fingers at you, and it will also make Lord Shen and the others worry.”
"Well then, I'll leave it to you, General."
"It's no trouble at all."
Upon arriving at the Shen residence, there was no one in front of the gate.
Princess Changtai knew perfectly well that they were returning to their parents' home today, yet she didn't even arrange for a servant to announce their arrival.
Xiao Pingchuan frowned: "Go directly to the side courtyard?"
Shen Suqin thought for a moment, "Let's go to the main courtyard first. I won't be living in the mansion from now on. If we don't establish rules, I'm afraid the princess will cause trouble for them."
"Alright."
After the conflict that night, Shen Suqin hired thugs to guard the entrance of the small courtyard, preventing people from the main courtyard from entering.
They also opened a small door on the side of the courtyard for Mr. and Mrs. Shen to enter and exit. In this way, apart from not moving out of the Shen residence in a grand manner, it was almost the same as living separately from the residence.
Shen Suqin beckoned to Ju Tao, "Go and get the gift for the head of the household."
"Yes, Miss."
The main courtyard of the Shen residence was much more imposing than the general's residence. Shen Suqin and Xiao Pingchuan walked side by side into the main courtyard, passing through corridors and courtyards before finally arriving at the main courtyard.
"Princess, Miss is returning to her parents' home and has come to pay her respects." Ju Tao announced loudly from the courtyard, holding gifts.
Granny Gui pushed open the door in response. "Oh, General, General's wife," she said, standing behind the door with her chin slightly raised. "It's really unfortunate. The princess is not feeling well and is currently being treated by the imperial physician. Please wait in the courtyard for a while."
“Since the princess is not available, we will not disturb her any longer,” Shen Suqin said. “Ju Tao, give the gift to Granny Gui.”
Ju Tao stepped forward and handed the gift to Granny Gui.
"I can say the same thing to the nanny. Please tell the princess that if she makes a move against the side courtyard, I dare to make a move against Shen Suqiu. Let her think it over."
"You dare!"
“What wouldn’t I dare to do? I could have someone beat her up or ruin her reputation as a talented woman. You know, that would be easy for me.”
She needed to take an extra layer of insurance to prevent Shi Yunzhu from resorting to underhanded tactics.
Granny Gui was so angry that she almost fainted on the spot. She had always thought that this wild girl from the countryside was a jinx, and since she came to this house, she had caused trouble everywhere.
"So what? Do you think the princess is someone to be trifled with? Don't think you're something special just because you married a general. What use is a general without real power?"
Shen Suqin snorted coldly, "I think you're used to being a lackey, so you think everyone is like you who only knows how to rely on others. It's just a matter of dealing with a mere Shen Suqiu, there's no need for the general to get involved. Besides, even if he doesn't have power, he still has merits to rely on, it's not your place to bark like this."
Granny Gui was so angry she almost fainted.
Shen Suqin glanced at her indifferently and said to Xiao Pingchuan, "General, let's go."
Xiao Pingchuan nodded.
Upon arriving at the side courtyard, Jiang Yao and Shen Jinghe were already waiting at the gate, with Tu Kesu standing beside them to protect them.
After Shen Suqin got married, Tuksu stayed in the courtyard to protect Jiang Yao and the others, mainly to maintain communication with the general and prevent the princess from causing trouble.
After spending these few days together, Jiang Yao and Shen Jinghe treated Tu Kesu like their own child, arranging a bedroom for him and eating with him.
Shen Suqin quickly took two steps to meet him.
Jiang Yao pulled her aside and asked incessantly, "Are you settling in well after moving to the General's Mansion? Are you eating and sleeping well?"
Shen Suqin replied, "All is well."
Shen Jinghe personally welcomed Xiao Pingchuan into the courtyard. "If we had known you were coming back, we would have gone to the market early to buy some food. Eat as much as you like, and take any leftovers back with you."
Xiao Pingchuan saw that the stone table in the courtyard was indeed full of things. "Thank you for your trouble."
Shen Jinghe waved his hand, "General, please sit down. Asu, go and bring some tea."
Tuksu ran off in a flash.
"A-Su?" Xiao Pingchuan asked.
"Oh yes, Asu, this child is very diligent and quick at work. He just eats a lot, but being able to eat is a blessing, we can afford to feed him."
After saying that, Shen Jinghe looked at Tuksu, who was running around, with a loving expression.
Xiao Pingchuan: "..."
Tuksu was the most ruthless one in his scout camp; he left no survivors when he struck.
On the other side, Jiang Yao pulled Shen Suqin into the house for a private talk.
The doors and windows were all closed, and Ju Tao was instructed to stand guard at the door.
“I heard from Asu that General Xiao is cold-hearted and doesn’t like to talk. He also doesn’t have any elders in his family. How will he manage in the future?” Jiang Yao said.
Shen Suqin touched her nose. "Isn't it good to not have elders? Less trouble."
"But since there are no elders to manage the inner courtyard, this responsibility will fall on your shoulders."
"That's not difficult. There aren't many social interactions in the General's Mansion, and there are few servants. There's not much going on in the inner courtyard."
"Didn't the general mention taking a concubine?"
"Taking a concubine? Who told you that?" Shen Suqin had never really thought about this.
"Nobody said anything, but judging from his physique, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to handle him by yourself," Jiang Yao whispered as she leaned closer to her.
Shen Suqin, who has never been averse to meat or vegetables, immediately blushed, unable to understand how Jiang Yao came up with this idea.
"Don't be shy. You're already married, so you should know what's important. Right now, you need to hurry up and have a child so that when the general goes to the north to fight on the battlefield, you'll have a voice in the household."
Shen Suqin opened his mouth, thinking: The entire Black Flag Army might depend on me for support, and I wonder who has the final say.
"We've discussed it, and we think we might not have children for the next two years."
"Don't have children!" Jiang Yao shouted in fright.
These four words pierced through the window and reached the ears of the people in the courtyard.
Xiao Pingchuan paused, and Shen Jinghe awkwardly refilled his teacup and continued, "I heard that the land in Jinzhou is severely abandoned, and the people are migrating south in droves."
"That's right, mainly because the Shatuo have never stopped causing trouble."
Shen Jinghe sighed, "If one day Jinzhou is completely reduced to a desolate state, what's the point of fighting over it?"
“Jinzhou is Daliang’s land. Since it is Daliang’s land, we must fight for every inch of it.”
"I was wrong. Fortunately, you all guarded Daliang. You've suffered so much these past years."
"It's alright, thank you for your understanding, Father-in-law."
Shen Jinghe: "Your situation is probably getting worse now. Hasn't the Crown Prince said anything?"
"?"
No one in the court could tell that he had a private connection with His Highness.
How did Shen Jinghe, a person who has held a sinecure for years, find out?
Shen Jinghe could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression, and he stammered, "If I hadn't been... I should have been appointed as a Chaosan Dafu back then."
The position of Chaosan Dafu is a civil official position, mainly serving as an advisor to His Majesty, and requires extensive knowledge.
"Unfortunately, in the decades that followed, I could only waste my time holding a nominal position."
"Then you and Elder Ji Weiya?"
Professor Ji was the one who adopted Shen Suqin when she was a child, and also the one who taught her.
Shen Jinghe shook his head, "I am not worthy of Elder Ji's attention. It is all Zhaozhao's own fate."
"If I may ask, what would you, father-in-law, think if one day she wanted you to divorce the princess?"
“She mentioned it to us,” Shen Jinghe sighed, “but the county magistrate is powerful and influential, how can Zhaozhao possibly defeat her?”
"You said yes to her?"
"I agreed, but the general has been on the battlefield for a long time and may not understand the intricacies of officialdom. Jiang Yao and I are already quite old. We can live our remaining days however we want. Don't take risks for the sake of us old bones. Just live your own lives well."
Xiao Pingchuan: "You should trust her; she's very capable."
“I know she’s very capable. I just don’t want her to suffer, but this girl is very stubborn and won’t listen to reason.” Shen Jinghe smiled. “If you have some free time, please help me persuade her. She’s had a hard life before, so please be kind to her.”
Xiao Pingchuan was puzzled.
Shen Jinghe explained, "Our Zhaozhao has had a hard life. She was abandoned in the countryside before she was even born. Although her mother and I send her money every month for food and other necessities, the princess sends people to intercept it. For eighteen whole years, she hasn't received a single penny. We don't know how much hardship she's endured to grow up to be the way she is today. Please help us be more considerate of her and give her more leeway."
Xiao Pingchuan was unaware of this, turned to look in the direction of the side room, and earnestly agreed to Shen Jinghe's request.
Inside the room, Jiang Yao was still quietly trying to persuade Shen Suqin: "How can you not want the child? Do you think the general will agree to that?"
"He does whatever I want."
"But...but the matter of having offspring is no small matter."
"It's not that I won't want it forever; I'll want it when the time is right."
"When would be a suitable time?"
"I don't know. Okay, let's not talk about this anymore," Shen Suqin quickly interrupted her, "I've finally come back, tell me something else."
"Otherwise... speaking of which, it's Madam Pei's birthday in a few days. She specially sent me an invitation this year, so I'm afraid I'll have to go," Jiang Yao said.
Is this the first time you've received an invitation?
"yes."
"Then don't go. They're probably after me."
Shen Suqin had told her about this long ago; it was an obvious trap.
“I’ll listen to you. I’ll pretend to be sick and not go that day. But could you also not go?” Jiang Yao asked.
"I want to go; there's something I want to figure out."
After leaving the Shen residence, the two were supposed to part ways on East Street, but Shen Suqin suddenly asked Xiao Pingchuan a question.
"If the general is not busy today, please come with me."
Where to?
"You'll see when you get there."
Xiao Pingchuan: "Okay."
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