The Young Lady of the General’s House

The little farce was broken by the sound of Rui-wang smashing his cup, his face was crimson either by anger or by humiliation. Chu Xiuming had just been praising the education of the Mansion, and now……

Rui-wang said angrily, “Whatever is this, you are…..” Too angry to continue speaking.

Rui-wangfei’s expression didn’t change, turning towards Shen Zi and her sisters, “Someone come, send the three misses back to sober up.”

Shen Zi looked at Rui-wang incredulously, her eyes fell on the man in brocade next to Rui-wang and couldn’t move away. Who was this? How come there was an outsider here? Could he be one of the princes from the Palace? The scene just now was very embarrassing in front of an outsider, she covered her red face with a handkerchief.

Shen Rong dared not continue screaming, seeing Shen Zi she also curiously looked into the room, following her sister’s eyesight, her eyes very quickly found the man in brocade.

Shen Jing was blushing, she regretted standing together with Shen Zi and Shen Rong, the embarrassing scene just now might had an impact on herself. Her head lowered but eyes stole a few more glances, she was shy and shamed in the heart.

As soon as Rui-wangfei spoke, Cuixi and a few maids came to take Shen Zi and her sisters away.

Shen Jing couldn’t help turning to look at the man in brocade again before leaving. He was saying something to Rui-wang who was then looking a bit better. Biting her lips, Shen Jing asked, “Cuixi, who was the man standing next to Father?”

Cuixi hadn’t answered, Shen Rong spoke with blame and resentment in her tone, “Yes, how come noone told us there will be a guest today.”

Shen Zi asked directly, “Which cousin is it?”

Cuixi respectfully said, “There is no outsider visiting today.”

Rui-wangfei brought Shen Qi and Shen Jin into the room, she apologetically explained, “I haven’t seen Jin Girl for long time, out of delight I asked for a pot of peach blossom brew. Second Girl, Fourth Girl and Fifth Girl had a few cups, the indiscretion just now was my mistake.”

Drunk? Noone believed it, but as the one losing face was not his own wife, Yongle Shizi laughed and said, “Mother-in-law, we are family.”

Chu Xiuming also smiled, “It is no problem.”

Shen Zi’s husband Zheng Jiaqu’s face changed and changed, he didn’t say anything but his face turned extraordinarily ugly.

Shen Xuan and Shen Xi were not close to Xu-cefei’s children but they were still family. Shen Xi was red to his neck, very cautiously he looked at the calm-looking Chu Xiuming.

In contrast Rui-wangfei still behaved as if nothing happened, “Please sit down, I will let the maids start serving. Today I told the kitchen to prepare your favourite dishes, I just don’t know what Count Yongning likes, so I will prepare it next time.”

Chu Xiuming gave an elegant and warm smile, “I am not fussy, Mother-in-law please just call me Xiuming.”

“En.” Rui-wangfei glanced at Rui-wang.

Only then Rui-wang reacted, he braced himself and said, “Everyone sits.” As if nothing had happened.

The maids removed some of the bowls and plates as there were three less people now. When everyone had sat down, wine and food were served one by one, the dishes were sumptuous and as Rui-wangfei said, everyone’s favourite dishes were there.

In Haitang Courtyard, Xu-cefei was facing her three dazed daughters. After Cuixi left she asked, “What is this? Aren’t you going to eat with Wangfei? Why are you back here?”

Shen Rong was the youngest but she recovered first, “Mother, didn’t you say Count Yongning was extremely ugly?”

Xu-cefei frowned at the still-distracted Shen Zi and Shen Jing, she patted them unhappily, “Am I wrong? Killing people like ants, extremely ugly….”

Shen Zi wasn’t really fainting, she was just too shocked and grief-stricken, at this point she started crying, “Mother, you lied to me!”

“Aiyo, what’s going on here?” Xu-cefei was confused, “Don’t cry, did anyone bully you?”

Shen Zi saw mother like that, her crying was even sadder. Originally it was her who should be married to Count Yongning, that Countess position should had been hers, the one she heard being constantly praised outside should be herself, that husband should had been hers too. “It’s all your fault….. should have been mine…”

Shen Jing was also crying non-stop, but unlike Shen Zi’s, hers was silent tears. Thinking about Count Yongning, her heart beat like a jumping deer, but he was already married to Third Sister so she was heartbroken without consolation. How come all good things fell on Third Sister.

Shen Rong didn’t cry but she was embarrassed, she still felt it hard to reconcile that mother and sisters had always said Shen Jin’s husband was ugly and brutal, border town was poor and dangerous, but …. Her eyes slightly flickered.

Xu-cefei finally figured out the matter with some difficulty, she now felt the headache of being cried to, “First, stop making fuss, afraid your father…… Forget it, Jing Girl and Rong Girl, when your Father is here, remember to cry more sadly. And no need to change the reason, you just keep on saying you were scared from seeing Count Yongning, understand?”

“Understand.” Shen Rong obediently answered.

Shen Jing’s head lowered, her heart wasn’t willing.

After finished crying, Shen Zi gritted her teeth, “So what if he’s good looking, he must be good just on the surface, he had killed countless people.” Not sure if she was persuading herself or trying to convince others, “And today he is just pretending, there is no way border town can raise someone like that. They have to invite teachers from far, so he probably can’t even read.”

Apart from the son, Xu-cefei liked this daughter who resembled herself the most. Hearing it, she said, “Yes that’s true, some time ago when the Barbarians attacked, Shen Jin had to live with a bunch of commoners, she is simply a disgrace to a Junzhu’s honor. If I remember her letters, it’s all about food to eat.”

Shen Zi hmph-ed, she went aside to wash her face. “Who knows if those people are clean or not. Mixing with the barbarians from the border without any rules, and she still have the face to appear in the Capital?”

At that moment Shen Jin who shouldn’t have had the face to appear in the Capital was drinking pigeon soup that Shen Qi had personally laddled for her.

Zheng Jiaqu hadn’t recovered from the embarrassment created by his wife, he sullenly drank wine without a word.

Yongle Shizi had been asking Chu Xiuming many questions on the border town, after several cups of wine, he sighed, “I wish I could kill those Barbarians with my own hands.”

Chu Xiuming laughed but didn’t reply, Rui-wang sighed, “It’s really too dangerous.”

Shen Xi was looking at Chu Xiuming with admiration, “Third Brother-in-law, I want to go with you to fight the Barbarians.”

Rui-wangfei was so shocked that his hands shook, the wine in his cup almost spilled.

Shen Xuan looked as if he hadn’t seen Rui-wang’s agitation, he laughed and said to Shen Xi, “It’s due to Brother-in-law that we in the Capital could be perfectly safe.”

Chu Xiuming shook his head but said nothing, his eyes swept towards Shen Jin who was trying to pour wine secretly. Shen Jin sensed the danger, her hand calmly shrank, then as if there was nothing wrong she filled up Rui-wangfei’s and Shen Qi’s cups and put the jug back on the side.

Seeing her did that, Chu Xiuming turned his sight back to answer Rui-wang’s question. Shen Jin stole a glance, Chu Xiuming was just too savage, before trying to steal wine she had made sure Chu Xiuming wasn’t looking her way.

Rui-wangfei certainly noticed the whole thing, she inwardly sighed as she glanced at Shen Qi with lowered eyes, everyone really had their own destiny.

After the meal, Shen Qi sat besides Shen Jin for a whispered chat, “Do you think Shen Zi is feeling regretful?”

“Why is that?” Shen Jin looked puzzled, after looking at Zheng Jiaqu who was cradling a bowl of sobering soup, she nodded with understanding. “I think she will, I don’t know if Second Brother-in-law will blame Second Sister at home.”

Who was talking about this? Shen Qi glanced at Shen Jin’s completely serious expression. This feeling when you are gossiping with someone only to find that they are thinking of a different thing ….

“It’s not that.” Shen Qi snorted, “Shen Zi isn’t someone who can suffer losing. And if it really comes to a fight, afraid Eldest Childe Zheng isn’t Shen Zi’s match.”

“Ah?” Shen Jin turned her face towards Shen Qi.

What Shen Qi originally wanted to talk about was how Shen Zi had cried and made a fuss about not willing to marry Count Yongning, and after today, how regretful she must have been. But as Shen Jin wasn’t talking about this again, she could only say, “It’s nothing.”

Shen Jin nodded, her slightly dropped eyes showed an innocent expression, she turned to Zheng Jiaqu and said, “Second Brother-in-law, I heard your literary skill is excellent, and you have written a book  <<Reciting Flowers>> that even the Crown Prince had specially bought for his collection.”

Once these words spoken, not only Shen Qi, even Yongle Shizi and the two sons of Shen family turned to Shen Jin with odd expressions.

The green veins on Zheng Jiaqu’s hand on the cup were almost bursting, but as he saw Shen Jin’s innocent and naïve face, his anger fell on Shen Zi. Ignorant woman, how dare she uses this thing to show off, is she not embarrassed.

Shen Jin was slow to realise the strange atmosphere in the room, she was smiling in ignorance, “I wonder if Second Brother-in-law could send me a few copies?”

Rui-wangfei’s arm gently touched Rui-wang’s, he coughed slightly and as Shen Jin looked over, he explained to her, “Don’t mention <<Reciting Flowers>> anymore in the future. The Palace has ordered that your Second Brother-in-law be reprimanded.”

“Ah?” Shen Jin looked confused, “Why is that? Didn’t they say it is widely sung?”

“Not in proper places, so of course noone bothers.” Rui-wang offhandedly said.

Shen Jin was even more confused, her eyes flitted to Rui-wang and Zheng Jiaqu, after some time she finally said, “Oh…..”

Zheng Jiaqu forcefully repressed the the suffocation in his heart, he was about to get up and say goodbye when Shen Jin spoke again, “Second Brother-in-law, it is really too bad, I heard the language is extremely magnificent ….”

She didn’t say who told her, but it was easy to link it to Shen Zi. She sighed, “But why would you be reprimanded?”

Chu Xiuming was looking at Rui-wang, Yongle Shizi said in lowered voice, “Third Sister-in-law, it’s better not to ask about it. The flowers in Second Brother-in-law’s reciting flowers aren’t real flowers, the places it is sung naturally aren’t decent places.”

Shen Qi also spoke, “Third Sister-in-law has just returned to the Capital, she wouldn’t have known this, please Second Brother-in-law not take offense.”

Zheng Jiaqu saw Shen Jin’s appearance, he really shouldn’t blame her, he could only gritted his teeth and gave a nod.

This time Shen Jin felt something was wrong, her face paled, with some trepidation she looked to Rui-wang, Chu Xiuming then Zheng Jiaqu. She stood up and bowed with apologies in her almond eyes, “Second Brother-in-law, I really don’t know, if I have offended you please forgive me.”

“It’s nothing to do with Third Sister-in-law.” Zheng Jiaqu has softened as he saw Shen Jin’s panicking expression like a deer, “If Third Sister-in-law likes poetry, there are many good ones in my collection, I will send some to Third Sister-in-law to appreciate later.”

Chu Xiuming’s eyes narrowed for a moment, he smiled, “Then we’ll trouble Second Sister-in-law.”

Shen Jin stopped talking, she obediently shrank down on Shen Qi’s side, just like a small quail that had just emerged from it’s shell.