Chapter 75: The Dutiful Niece-in-law, Shen Yanxi

Lu Jin saw Shen Yanxi standing at the doorway with a stern expression and felt a jolt of anxiety—wasn't she just here to make things more complicated?

“Husband, go check on Caiwei. I need a few words with Uncle and Aunt.”

Given the situation, why should I bother with Caiwei? Besides, she's ignoring me anyway!

“Jin, let me speak with Miss Shen. Miss Shen, please have a seat,” said Lu Yuanrong, rising from his chair.

Lu Jin had no choice but to leave, though he felt anything but at ease. If this conversation went badly, there would be no turning back. He glanced around the courtyard, but there was no sign of Lu Caiwei. After asking a maid, he took Yuan Fang and Xiao Bai and left the courtyard, yet still found no trace of her.

Frustrated, Lu Jin went to sit beneath the large banyan tree.

“Yuan Fang, do you remember the man we fought today?”

“Sir, what about him?”

“Keep an eye on where he lives. Maybe someday we'll pay him a visit. Second Uncle is a good man.”

“...A good man?” Yuan Fang was bewildered.

...

Inside, the atmosphere was tense.

“Uncle, do you not want Lu Jin to marry into our family?” Shen Yanxi’s face was calm as she sat in the chair, betraying nothing.

“Since you’ve overheard, Miss Shen, I’ll speak plainly. Lu Jin is the only male heir in our family. If he becomes a son-in-law, won’t the Lu line end with him? How could I face my elder brother and father in the afterlife?”

“So, what do you mean by that, Uncle?” Shen Yanxi pressed.

“I can see that you care for Jin as well, Miss Shen. If you truly love each other, could you not marry into our family instead?”

“I agree,” Shen Yanxi replied succinctly.

What? Lu Yuanrong was taken aback. She agreed just like that?

“But my family won’t allow it,” Shen Yanxi added, sorrow now showing on her face.

Lu Yuanrong was at a loss for words. Why not say everything at once? Why bring it up if your family won’t agree?

“Uncle, do you have any ideas?” Shen Yanxi now looked so pitiable, tears welling in her eyes.

“Perhaps I could speak to your family. Where are you from?” Seeing her so distraught, Lu Yuanrong couldn't bring himself to insist on breaking them apart. Better to discuss as two families.

“The Shen family of Jianglin.”

“Which Shen family of Jianglin?” Lu Yuanrong naturally thought of the noble Shen clan but dismissed the idea—how could his nephew possibly be involved with such a family? They were mere small landowners.

“The noble Shen clan of Jiangnan.”

“What?” Lu Yuanrong jumped to his feet in shock and almost toppled over, needing Baili Rou’s help to steady himself.

He had never imagined that this would be the answer—the very Shen clan he considered impossible. Suddenly, his spirits fell. What was left to discuss? They didn’t even have the right to negotiate. It was as if his small-landowner nephew had married a princess—utterly impossible.

“So is Miss Shen trying to use her family’s status to pressure me?” Lu Yuanrong’s expression darkened. He was a man of the battlefield; he would not be cowed.

...

“Husband, weren’t you the one who asked?” Baili Rou was equally astonished. How could their Jin have caught the eye of the Shen family—just because he was handsome? She understood her husband’s concern, but she couldn’t let things escalate.

“Uncle, Lu Jin and I are already husband and wife. Whether he marries in or not doesn’t matter to me, but my family won’t allow it, and neither will you. Then all that’s left is for Lu Jin and me to become a pair of doomed lovers…” Shen Yanxi couldn’t hold back her tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Don’t cry, Xier. Your uncle didn’t mean it that way,” Baili Rou rushed to comfort her, flustered at her tears.

Lu Yuanrong was at a loss. The most iron-willed men are always undone by a woman’s tears.

But how could he let the Lu family's only son marry into another clan? If they didn’t break them up, they’d have to convince her family—but was that possible? Middle-aged as he was, Lu Yuanrong wasn’t naive. This was a deadlock.

“Uncle, Aunt, actually, I have an idea,” Shen Yanxi sobbed.

“Oh? What idea?” Lu Yuanrong’s interest was piqued.

“Let Lu Jin elope with me. We’ll go into hiding. Maybe my family won’t find us. And if they do, well, then we’ll just have to be unfilial,” Shen Yanxi said sorrowfully.

Baili Rou was stunned. Was this girl so determined to be with Jin? To abandon such a great family? But wasn’t this too unfilial?

Lu Yuanrong was speechless. Who suggests elopement in front of the family? What kind of idea was this? The girl was too naive.

And what did she mean by “unfilial”? Wasn’t that just being doomed lovers again? If the Lu family’s only heir had to become a fugitive, he’d rather see him become a son-in-law at least, he’d still be alive.

The couple was helpless. They didn’t want Lu Jin to marry in, but the girl’s tears were relentless.

“What do you think, Uncle?” Shen Yanxi, eyes brimming with tears, looked so pitiable.

What could he say? If he didn’t handle this well, they’d truly run away. And he really wasn’t sure he could stop Jin. If he opposed them too strongly, would they truly elope?

“Elopement is not the answer, Miss Shen. Your family would worry,” Lu Yuanrong tried to soothe her.

“Then Aunt, what should I do?” Shen Yanxi lowered her head, sobbing uncontrollably.

Baili Rou’s heart ached. Such a good girl, and look at her now.

“Husband…” Baili Rou was at her wit’s end. If anything happened to these two, what then?

“Fine, fine. Let him marry in, then,” Lu Yuanrong finally relented, his strength sapped.

What else could he do? Shen Yanxi’s tears were one thing, but more than that, he dared not push Lu Jin too far. With Jin’s temperament, if something happened, he’d never forgive himself.

“I know what you worry about, Uncle. Our children can take the Lu surname and continue your family line,” Shen Yanxi said, wiping her tears.

“Really?” Lu Yuanrong felt hope again. The main reason he was against the marriage was the loss of the family line.

“But will your family agree?” Lu Yuanrong was confused.

“I have two brothers; I don’t need to continue the family line. They just don’t want me marrying out.” In truth, they would agree to her marrying into another noble family, just not to Lu Jin.

It wasn’t that the Shen family was harsh on Lu Jin; it was just that, as a small landowner, he was beneath their notice. How could they let their daughter endure hardship?

Besides, the old matriarch had instructed Shen Hao to treat Lu Jin as a true son-in-law in hopes that, if he proved capable, he could become an asset to the Shen family. No noble house would give away a legitimate daughter for nothing.

“Good, good!” Lu Yuanrong was thrilled, as if a ray of light had pierced the darkness.

“Lu Jin will remain a Lu. After our passing, our tombs will rest with the Lu ancestors,” Shen Yanxi promised, her gaze steady.

“Good, good! But will your family agree to this?” Lu Yuanrong asked in surprise.

“They won’t be able to stop me by then…”

What a dutiful child, he thought.

“Uncle, except for Lu Jin living with the Shen family, there’s no real difference.”

Hearing it laid out this way, it didn’t seem so hard to accept. Apart from residing with the Shen family, it was as if he hadn’t married in at all.

“And Lu Jin doesn’t intend to sit for the imperial exams…”

“What?” Lu Yuanrong was alarmed. The child had loved studying since he was small—was this not the end for him? It hadn’t even crossed his mind until now. In that case, he couldn’t marry in!

“He’s lost his memories! He can’t take the exams!” Shen Yanxi said.

Lu Yuanrong slumped in defeat. Of course—Jin had lost his memory. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t take the exam.

Beside him, Baili Rou was wiping her eyes—her poor son, a decade of study, all forgotten. How heartbroken he must be.

“Does that mean Jin can’t even read or write?” Lu Yuanrong asked, pained.

“He can still read and write, just not remember the classics,” Shen Yanxi replied. She hadn’t considered this detail before.

“That’s a relief,” Lu Yuanrong felt a little better.

“There’s no need to worry, Uncle. If Lu Jin wants a government post, the Shen family can recommend him.”

Shen Yanxi was speaking truthfully. The current system allowed for both imperial examinations and recommendations. Lu Jin’s inability to take the exams was mainly due to his memory loss. If he wanted to, the Shen family could easily help.

Hope flickered again in Lu Yuanrong’s eyes. With the Shen family’s recommendation, he could still become an official.

“But Lu Jin doesn’t seem willing. You should ask him, Uncle,” Shen Yanxi added. She wasn’t sure if he truly objected or simply didn’t want to rely on the Shen family. After all, in this era, few would turn down an official post.

After talking a while longer, Shen Yanxi left the room.

The couple inside no longer felt upset. In fact, this seemed to be the best possible outcome.

They sat together, catching their breath after all the emotional ups and downs, utterly exhausted.

It seemed as if something was still amiss, but they couldn’t put their finger on it.

...

Once outside, Shen Yanxi had shed all trace of her earlier sorrow. She was once again the unflappable second daughter of the Shen family.

The maid trailing her was puzzled—why hadn’t Miss simply told the Lu family everything from the start, instead of going in such circles?

“Where’s my husband?”

“Sir is just outside with Yuan Fang and Xiao Bai.”

But when Shen Yanxi looked, there was no one to be seen.