104. The Jade Pool, Orchid Pavilion, and the Phoenix Seeking Its Mate

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At the Shen Residence, in the Serenity Garden.
Tonight, Shen Yanxi wore a deep red ruqun with a lightweight, dark-colored cloak featuring wide sleeves. Her already exquisite and flawless face appeared dignified and elegant under the lamplight. The second young lady of the Shen family remained as pure and untainted as before her marriage, untouched by worldly grime or vulgarity.
Beside her stood Shen Yanyun, the eldest young lady of the Shen family, whose incomparable beauty shone brilliantly in the light. Unlike Shen Yanxi’s noble and ethereal aura, Shen Yanyun exuded charm and allure, each frown and smile captivating men beyond control.
Trailing behind the two were two children in their teens: the third young lady of the Shen family, Shen Yanming, and Lu Caiwei, the younger sister of Lu Jin. As a newcomer to the Shen household and the sister of a son-in-law, Lu Caiwei naturally drew little attention.
The two elders and two youngsters walked along the wooden bridge like fairies treading on clouds. Everyone nearby the Jade Pool stopped to watch. Those close hurriedly bowed in greeting: “Greetings, eldest young lady, greetings, second young lady…”
The Shen sisters nodded politely in return and even exchanged brief pleasantries with familiar faces. Yet tonight, Shen Yanxi seemed distracted, her eyes frequently darting around. Then, in an instant, a smile blossomed like a flower across her usually cold and distant face.
“Hey, hey, I just saw the second young lady smile towards us. Do you think she recognized me?” a man in scarlet exclaimed excitedly.
The onlookers scorned him silently. “Give me a break. The second young lady clearly smiled at me. Didn’t you see her walking this way?”
“Hey, brother, your outfit today really matches the second young lady!” someone joked.
“Haha, isn’t this perfect? Let’s see if that son-in-law of hers doesn’t get furious on the spot!” the scarlet-clad man boasted arrogantly.
“But where is that son-in-law? I only see the Shen ladies here; no son-in-law in sight,” someone wondered.
“You don’t get it, do you? A son-in-law wouldn’t dare walk alongside the second young lady at an event like this. He’s probably hiding somewhere in a corner. I bet he won’t even show his face!” the man said.
Everyone thought about it and agreed—if he didn’t appear, it only proved how unworthy that son-in-law was. Yet the man was bold to the point of shamelessly trampling on the Shen family’s dignity. But it didn’t matter; everyone just wanted some excitement.
“Oh no, the Shen second young lady is really coming this way. Why do I feel like I’m trembling all over…”
“Yeah, it’s a pity about the eldest young lady.”
“Well, you could ask to marry the eldest young lady then.”
“Come off it! Do you think it’s easy to marry the eldest young lady just because she’s a widow?”
“Shut up, shut up! Everyone line up properly. They’re almost here. If anyone slips up, even if the Shen family spares me, I won’t let you off.” The scarlet man warned fiercely.
A ripple of nervous excitement ran through the crowd as they took their places as rehearsed. Everyone was thrilled, imagining that tomorrow the streets and alleys would buzz with Shen family secrets, and they themselves would be at the center. Their hands trembled with excitement.
“Do you think the second young lady was really smiling at me? That icy second young lady rarely smiles like this. Maybe I’ve finally entered her heart.”
“If you say that, then I’ll just leave the eldest young lady to myself.”
“Quiet, quiet, don’t embarrass yourselves. Just watch me handle this!” the scarlet man commanded.
After a brief rehearsal and with his talent for words, the scarlet man had become the leader of the group.
As the Shen sisters reached the middle of the bridge and the second young lady was about to greet them, the scarlet man stepped forward boldly from the ranks and shouted:
“Second young lady of the Shen family, please stop! We have a word to say.”
Shen Yanxi, who was walking towards the pavilion, froze. Her smile faded into confusion, but she still stopped a few steps from the pavilion on the bridge. The others followed, puzzled but silent. The guests nearby, noticing the commotion, gathered around.
The scarlet man stood tall, locking eyes with the second young lady calmly and confidently.

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“Recite!”
The scarlet man called out loudly. Two graceful women behind him bowed and unfurled a scroll before him.
“There is a beauty, unforgettable upon sight. A day apart, and thoughts run wild.” The man recited without glancing at the scroll, staring directly into Shen Yanxi’s eyes.
“There is a beauty, unforgettable upon sight. A day apart, and thoughts run wild.” Those behind him echoed the line after he finished.
To their surprise, the repetition was not only by men but also by women, slightly delayed by a word or two, creating a triple harmony.
With the first line, the surrounding guests erupted in shock. Who were these brash men?
The second young lady of the Shen family was already married; whether happy or not, she was another’s wife. How could anyone openly express such affection in public?
Moreover, the words were too bold, too direct. Yet their attire didn’t suggest they were uncouth.
Some wanted to reprimand them, feeling it improper, but seeing the Shen ladies standing calmly on the bridge without rebuke, they reluctantly held back.
“The phoenix flies and soars, seeking its mate across the four seas…” The scarlet man continued, undeterred by the external noise, his voice rising and falling with rhythm.
“The phoenix flies and soars, seeking its mate across the four seas…” The male and female harmonies made the scarlet man’s recital a unique performance in the Jade Terrace. Few knew it had only been rehearsed moments ago.
…
“O phoenix, return to your homeland, roaming the seas in search of your mate.” The strange recital silenced the Serenity Garden as if frozen in time; only the voice from the pavilion remained.
Everyone was stunned but captivated, moved by the fiery passion expressed in the poem.
Yet they worried silently—what if the Shen family came out to stop this? It would be unbearable to leave the recital unfinished. Fortunately, no one had intervened.
These young men were reckless; this Mid-Autumn banquet might end in disaster. Publicly humiliating the Shen family—would they get away with it? Better to finish quickly and flee.
The strangest sight was the Shen eldest and second young ladies. As the recital deepened, tears fell like pearls.
Had they truly been moved by these words? Or had they long been involved and only married the son-in-law out of compulsion? The crowd buzzed with excitement and anxiety. How would the Shen family conclude this affair?
“Why do we entwine our necks as mandarin ducks, soaring together through the skies!” The recital went on, and Shen Yanxi sobbed uncontrollably.
Some guests sympathized, lamenting the heartbreak if the pair was truly torn apart; others scorned, saying noble birth meant little if virtue was absent.
“O phoenix, come to rest with me, entrusted to remain my queen forever.” The scarlet man immersed himself in the verse, his eyes moist as he watched Shen Yanxi cry, yet his voice softened but remained strong.
Behind the scarlet man, the others recited along, their hearts stunned. They did not know where the son-in-law was, but they never expected the second young lady to be so deeply moved.
From initial confusion to moist eyes, and now uncontrollable sobbing, they witnessed every expression and felt it in their bones—marriage had not been kind to her. Tonight might just be their godsend.
…
“With both wings raised, we soar high, never to part through millennia!”
The final line fell, ending the entire poem.
The group behind the scarlet man exhaled in relief. Regardless of whether they embarrassed the son-in-law, simply composing and performing this poem made the night worthwhile.

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After tonight, this poem would become a timeless love classic, a must-read for countless young women and men.
Everyone’s gaze fixed on the scarlet man ahead. According to their plan, he still had words to say—the climax of the evening. They wondered if the son-in-law could still hide. The anticipation made their breaths uneven.
“On this Mid-Autumn night of the twenty-fifth year of Taihe, Lu Nanqing of Jiangzhou composes ‘Phoenix Seeks His Mate’ for his wife, Shen Yanxi.” The scarlet man’s eyes were filled with the image of the approaching woman.
Those behind him were startled. “That’s not the line! He said the wrong thing. Wait… what did he just say? Lu Nanqing for his wife, Shen Yanxi…?”
“Husband!” a sweet voice cried out, and the second young lady of the Shen family leapt into the scarlet man’s arms.
Everyone present—except the Shen family and servants who knew Lu Jin—was dumbfounded.
Where am I?
What’s going on here?
What did the second young lady just call him?
Damn it, he’s the son-in-law!
What a clown!
Countless shock and awkwardness echoed silently, but for Lu Jin and Shen Yanxi, only each other existed.
“Did you like this surprise?” Lu Jin held his weeping wife close, his voice full of tenderness.
“Yes! You silly fool, where did you learn these tricks? You’ve made me cry every day these past few days…” Shen Yanxi could only laugh.
She had wanted to approach him earlier, but just as she was about to greet him, he called her back.
Though puzzled, she stayed, trusting her husband wouldn’t harm her. She never imagined such a surprise and moment of emotion. But how did he pull it off?
“How did you manage this, husband?” Though deeply moved by tonight’s ‘Phoenix Seeks His Mate,’ Shen Yanxi was no longer surprised. Yet she was curious, knowing her husband was not one to easily mingle with strangers.
“I came here and overheard them plotting against me, so I turned their scheme against them…” Lu Jin whispered the story in her ear.
Those nearby winced in embarrassment. Couldn’t he lower his voice? This was a pavilion with many people; it was impossible not to overhear.
Shen Yanxi couldn’t hold back a giggle. This silly man was so mischievous—using counterintelligence just to express his feelings and utterly humiliating those who sought to harm him.
With so many watching, Lu Jin couldn’t hold her forever. Seeing no sign she wished to separate, he reluctantly patted her back.
“I, Lu Jin, also known as Lu Nanqing, along with my wife Shen Yanxi, greet everyone and welcome you to the Shen family’s Mid-Autumn banquet! Wishing you all a perfect moon and harmonious fortune!” Lu Jin held Shen Yanxi’s hand and bowed sincerely to the crowd.
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