Chapter 92: Difficulties Within Noble Families

Shen Residence, Creek Garden, Cloud Terrace.

The old Madam Bai Lu of the Shen family has passed away.

Lu Jin sat on a chair, staring blankly at the placid surface of the lake, lost in thought.

At some unknown moment, Shen Yanxi had returned to his side. She said nothing; she simply wrapped her arm gently around him, sitting with him as they gazed out at the water together.

“Do you think I’ve changed?” Lu Jin asked.

“It’s enough that you’ve come back.” Her voice was soft, as tranquil as the lake itself.

Those simple words broke through all the barriers Lu Jin had tried to hold. He clung to Shen Yanxi’s waist and wept, unable to stop. She only stroked his hair with tender, soothing fingers.

He had once suffered hardship and cold indifference, but on this day, he had a wife who loved him, an uncle and aunt, a sister, and, above all, a wise grandmother and the whole Shen family. He had endured grievances here, but here too he had gained everything.

If judged by the standards of this world’s live-in son-in-law, in the aristocratic Shen family, Lu Jin should have died several times over already, and he had no power to resist. How could he ever have dreamed of a day like this?

He could not recall when his heart had ceased to be pure, when he had begun to test and probe the hearts of others. Especially when it came to Shen Yanxi, Lu Jin felt deeply ashamed.

Whether his own scheming was shallow or the old lady’s wisdom deep, none of it mattered anymore.

The old Madam had spoken truly: with knowledge a thousand years ahead of this world, holding absolute truths, why should he stoop to calculating against his own family? With a righteous heart and walking the grand path forward, who could ignore him? What place could he not reach? Who could bar his way?

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Shen Residence, Plum Garden, Tranquil Hall.

Zhou Manyun knelt on the floor, head bowed, her thoughts a mystery.

“Have you figured out where you went wrong?” The old Madam, supported by her maid, entered from outside. The other women of the family had all been summoned back as well.

“A daughter-in-law should not rebuke her son-in-law without first seeking the truth of the matter.” Zhou Manyun kept her head lowered.

“So your half-day of reflection was wasted,” the old Madam said, disappointment clear in her voice.

Zhou Manyun was bewildered. Wasn’t that the reason? She’d questioned him without knowing the whole story and was caught out. Wasn’t that the mistake?

“Please instruct me, Mother!” However headstrong she might be elsewhere, before the old Madam Zhou Manyun was as docile as a rabbit—a common state for daughters-in-law of this era.

The old Madam settled herself on the couch, accepting a cup of tea from a maid.

“Did you know that today, your son-in-law was testing you, testing the whole Shen family?”

“What?” Zhou Manyun was startled. She had suspected the boy was prepared and took the moral high ground to corner her, but she hadn’t considered she herself was being tested.

The other women were equally astonished. Did that child really have such a calculating mind?

“If not for this old woman stepping in, he’d likely be planning to leave again right now!” the old Madam sighed.

Zhou Manyun was speechless. Why was he always so eager to run? Hadn’t the Shen family treated him well?

Seeing her daughter-in-law so confused, the old Madam could only be more direct.

“I told you all to treat him well, to consider him your true son and nephew. Did you listen?”

“Mother, I—” Zhou Manyun tried to explain that she was treating him kindly now, but the old Madam cut her off.

“You didn’t listen, nor did you take it to heart. Today’s test made it clear—you embarrassed yourself. If it had been your own son, would you have charged over so aggressively? Zhou Manyun, you have disappointed your son-in-law, and you have disappointed me!”

Her cane struck the floor with thunderous force. It had been a long time since the Shen family had seen the old Madam so fierce. The room fell silent as stone; Zhou Manyun’s head nearly touched the ground.

“But Mother, I don’t know him well enough, I thought—” Zhou Manyun cried.

“That’s just an excuse. If he were your long-lost son, would you have questioned him without understanding? Over the years, you haven’t truly regarded him as your child—not ever!” The old Madam’s cane nearly deafened them all.

“You are the mistress of the Shen household, the keeper of the family’s inner chambers, the example for our lineage. You are not just responsible for your own family of five. Your private interests are too strong—how can I entrust this house to you?”

Zhou Manyun was alarmed. Her husband, Shen Hao, was the head of the house; unless he made a grave mistake, he couldn’t be removed. But if she wasn’t chief mistress, would that mean she would be cast aside?

“Mother, Mother, I was wrong, I was wrong!” Zhou Manyun threw herself at the old Madam’s feet, clinging to her and wailing.

The others dared not speak, never imagining the situation was so grave.

“My child, you don’t know how blessed you are! You have no idea what kind of son-in-law your daughter has brought you. Barring disaster, he will be a dragon among men one day—but you nearly drove him away.” The old Madam’s tone softened.

“Mother, I truly know I was wrong…” Zhou Manyun sobbed, unable to compose herself.

She had little knowledge and none of the old Madam’s vision, so she could not see Lu Jin’s true worth.

“Whether it was fate or Heaven’s favor, that child entered the Shen family. But a single Yanxi cannot keep him here. Last time, I told Hao’er, I would gamble once—if he returned, he is a man of feeling, someone the Shen family can entrust itself to. If he did not, no matter how talented, he would not be worth another look. He did not disappoint me. When he heard Yanxi was ill, he returned at once, without hesitation. Do you think he cares for the Shen family’s wealth? If he did, he would never have left, nor chosen to stay with river bandits rather than come back.”

Her words stunned the room. With the exception of Shen Yanyun, who had been present, all believed Lu Jin had been kidnapped by bandits and cleverly extricated himself. In truth, he had left on his own, with no intention of returning.

“He came back without a second thought, only because he was moved by Yanxi’s depth of feeling—because they are both people of deep emotion. But in a house like ours, with thousands of people, if we treat him as an outsider, how long can Yanxi keep him? Perhaps you will lose even her!” The old Madam’s voice trembled with pain.

“You are the mistress here—everyone looks to you. Yet you can’t recognize gold for jade, and with coldness, no golden son-in-law will stay! Oh, you…”

“Mother, please…” Zhou Manyun wept.

“Mother, Manyun only acted in haste, she didn’t think it through. She knows she was wrong…” Her own daughter, Shen Hui, seeing the time was right, stepped forward to intercede. But the old Madam, far from calming, turned her ire on her instead.

“You are no better. Did you think I called you all here just to watch a spectacle?”

Shen Hui was stunned. What had she done wrong now?

“Haste, always haste—that’s exactly what he saw. Only when you act rashly do your petty intentions show…” The old Madam’s disappointment was palpable. This generation, both men and women, would amount to nothing.

Shen Hui was shocked. Was her nephew-in-law truly so astute?

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Shen Yanyun and her mother were making their way back to their own courtyard, both still shaken from the old Madam’s fierce rebuke.

“It seems Yanxi’s husband is no ordinary man—who would have thought Grandmother would rage so over a live-in son-in-law?” Cui Shuqin sighed.

Shen Yanyun did not answer; her mind was a whirl of tangled thoughts.

The Shen family had other live-in sons-in-law—indeed, many branches did. The family needed to absorb talented men, and marriage was a means to that end. Sometimes, a branch lacked male heirs and so brought in a son-in-law.

But never, until today, had any son-in-law held the status Lu Jin now enjoyed. They were scarcely more than bonded servants, with no say even within their own households, let alone the broader Shen family. Their children bore the Shen name, and the men themselves faded into the background. Yet, judging by Grandmother’s attitude toward Lu Jin, all the old rules seemed ready to crumble.

Shen Yanyun had not interacted much with Lu Jin, but the few times they’d met left a deep impression. Handsome, refined—were it not for his background, who would not praise him as a noble gentleman? Talented, able to compose poetry and music with ease; cunning enough to become second-in-command among river bandits and escape unscathed. He seemed to shine with his own light. Even so, she’d never imagined he weighed so heavily in Grandmother’s heart.

And yet, for all that, he did not covet his place. He was still ready to leave the Shen residence at a moment’s notice. If the other sons-in-law had even a fraction of Lu Jin’s treatment, they’d be laughing in their dreams. Unmoved by wealth, unfettered by fate, he possessed great ambition yet knew when to advance and retreat. Yanxi was truly fortunate.

Thinking of her own failed marriage soured her mood. She’d hoped for happiness, for a husband to cherish her, but upon marrying, her husband was already on death’s door. Before the wedding was even consummated, he died, and she was saddled with the reputation of a jinx to husbands. Were she not born a Shen daughter, she’d have had no place in the world.

She was still so young, yet had not even tasted the sweetness of love before being branded a widow, now afraid even to step outside.

As she dwelled on it, tears welled in Shen Yanyun’s eyes.

Cui Shuqin had been waiting for her daughter’s reply, but when she turned, she saw her daughter already in tears. How could a mother not know? Her daughter was mourning her ill-fated marriage again. The Jiang family—how heartless!

“My poor child, are you trying to break your mother’s heart? That wretched Jiang family—may even the King of Hell refuse them in the afterlife.”

“Mother, I blame no one. He was a pitiful man himself, and it wasn’t his choice. I can only blame my own misfortune…” Shen Yanyun could hold back her grief no longer and threw herself into her mother’s arms, sobbing.

“Why not come with me to the capital? How can I be at ease if you stay here alone?” Cui Shuqin wept as well.

The Shen family’s eldest legitimate son, Shen Rui, had already returned to the capital after the mourning period, serving as Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Rites. Her son, Shen Yanjia, was also working there. With both men in the capital, Cui Shuqin needed to go care for them. But since her daughter had returned home, she refused to leave, let alone go to the capital. Cui Shuqin was torn between her children, so she stayed to care for Shen Yanyun. But this could not continue indefinitely; her husband had written urging her to come, and she could delay no longer. But what would become of her poor daughter?

“I’ll go nowhere, Mother. I’ll stay home and keep Grandmother company,” Shen Yanyun said, wiping her tears.

Cui Shuqin wanted to scold her, but couldn’t bear to. Always wanting to stay with Grandmother, yet Grandmother didn’t treasure her as she did others.

Cui Shuqin harbored her own resentments toward the old lady. All Shen daughters, yet the third branch’s Yanxi had her own garden and could bring in a husband at will, while her own daughter lived with everyone else in Plum Garden and had even been forced into a marriage for the family’s sake. And now, she was left in such a wretched state. Cui Shuqin felt utterly aggrieved.

“Your grandmother has Yanxi to keep her company. She doesn’t need you,” Cui Shuqin said, trying not to sound too harsh.

“Mother!” Shen Yanyun knew her mother was only speaking out of frustration.

“Come with me to the capital. There are plenty of fine young men there. I’ll find you a good match—this time, no one else will decide, only what my darling daughter wants, all right?” Cui Shuqin pleaded.

Shen Yanyun was instead amused by her mother’s words and, finally, felt a little lighter at heart.