Chapter 8

Chapter 8

At that thought, Lu Chenzhou could not help feeling a measure of contempt for Madam Shen (eldest branch), as well as a trace of sympathy for Xue Huaicong. “With the prospects you have now, you would be more than worthy of Fourth Miss Shen. I imagine Madam Shen (eldest branch) must be sick with regret at home right now, wondering why she didn’t marry her daughter to you back then, and instead used an orphaned girl with neither father nor mother to fob you off.”

Hearing him say this, Xue Huaicong immediately shook his head. “My lord, you have it wrong. This marriage of mine was not something Madam Shen (eldest branch) forced upon anyone. My wife volunteered to marry in her cousin’s place.”

“Volunteered?”

Lu Chenzhou’s hand, cup in grip, stopped in midair.

A woman like Shen Jin, who loved clinging to power and currying favor with the influential, would willingly marry into the fallen, impoverished Xue Family?

He was certain Xue Huaicong was only saying this to preserve the dignity of both the Xue and Shen families, so he merely smiled.

Xue Huaicong had passed the imperial examination at a young age; he was an exceptionally perceptive man. One look at Lu Chenzhou’s expression, and he knew the man did not believe him.

If it concerned his own reputation, then so be it if Lu Chenzhou did not believe him. But this concerned Shen Jin, and he was always afraid others might misunderstand her, so he continued, “I hope my lord will not laugh at me for boasting, but though my wife is a woman, her conduct and insight are both far above mine. On the day of our wedding, my wife made it clear to me that she was not Fourth Miss Shen, the one betrothed to me in childhood, but Third Miss Shen, who had been adopted by Madam Shen (eldest branch). My wife said that according to the agreement between the Xue and Shen families, she should not have been made to marry in Fourth Miss Shen’s place. But in the Shen Family, brothers are as one body, and sisters are of one heart. After her parents passed away, it was Lord Shen who took her in. To my wife, he and Madam Shen (eldest branch) were no different from parents who had given her a second life. Fourth Miss Shen had already come of age, true, but she was still young, and had always been doted on at home. If she were married into our Xue Family, it was feared she might not even be able to look after herself properly, let alone care for my mother. Therefore, to fulfill the marriage agreement between the Xue and Shen families, and also to repay Lord Shen and Madam Shen (eldest branch) for raising her, my wife willingly married into our Xue Family in her place. To be able to marry a woman so courageous, wise, loyal, and righteous is my good fortune over three lifetimes.”

“Heh.” Lu Chenzhou took a light sip of the weak wine.

From Xue Huaicong’s manner, it did not seem as if he was lying. Could Shen Jin truly have volunteered to marry into the Xue Family in another’s place?

But why would she do that? Even if her parents were gone, and her marriage had to be arranged by Shen Zhan and his wife, if she was unwilling, she could have found another opportunity to marry into a good family. She might not have married into their Dingbei Marquis Estate, but there was no need for her to marry into the Xue Family and suffer poverty.

Especially since when she married into the Xue Family, Xue Huaicong had not yet passed the examination. Who could have known when the Xue Family would regain its former glory?

Lu Chenzhou found Shen Jin’s thoughts somewhat impossible to fathom. But since Xue Huaicong had said as much, he let the matter drop. Since Shen Jin had not in fact been betrothed to Xue Huaicong in childhood, he no longer pressed Xue Huaicong about the engagement, and turned the conversation elsewhere.

Shen Jin waited at home for a long time, but Xue Huaicong did not return. She also had no idea what Lu Chenzhou had invited them over for, or what he might say at the banquet, so she could not help feeling somewhat worried. She no longer had any inclination to go on an outing to the suburbs.

It was nearly noon by the time Xue Huaicong returned. When she heard him say that Lu Chenzhou had merely chatted with him about household matters and had also brought up his marriage, she understood.

At present, the only person in Dingguo Duke Manor of marriageable age was Lu Chenyu. Xue Huaicong’s talent and looks were considered outstanding among the newly minted jinshi. If Lu Chenzhou had asked about his marriage, he was most likely looking for a husband for his younger sister.

As long as it did not involve princes and dukes, then all was well.

Shen Jin relaxed, and as usual, busied herself with managing the household.

In this manner, a number of peaceful days passed, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had gone by. Xue Huaicong received his salary and brought it home, immediately handing all the silver over to Shen Jin.

Back then, Shen Jin had resolved Shen Zhan and his wife’s worries for them. Moreover, because she had married in another’s place, she had brought the Shen Family quite a bit of good reputation. When outsiders mentioned Shen Zhan, they all said he valued trust and kept his promises, and had not despised the poor to court the rich merely because the Xue Family had fallen on hard times. He was considered a man of upright character among officials, and thus had earned a rather good name both at court and among the public. Even Shen Si had consequently been promised to a good family.

Shen Zhan and his wife were overjoyed, and treated Shen Jin with increasing kindness. Aside from the dowry they had added when she married out, they were always afraid her days would be too hard, and often sent people to provide her with a little assistance.

After Xue Huaicong passed the jinshi examination and was granted an official post, relations between the Xue and Shen families became even closer.

Shen Jin and everyone in the Shen Family were truly just as she had said: brothers as one body, sisters of one heart; sharing honor and disgrace alike.

Now, seeing Xue Huaicong hand over his entire salary, Shen Jin was both amused and touched. “You have only just become an official. Social calls and proper courtesies will all require money. I can manage the household expenses myself, so you needn’t worry about them. You should keep this money for your own use.”

Xue Huaicong refused to let her decline and insisted she take it. “Since I’m an official now, naturally I ought to be a good one. Have you ever seen a good official spend silver on currying favor and smoothing things over? Keep this money for our own household. Save your private savings to buy yourself some hairpins, dresses, and padded jackets. I don’t think you’ve had any new clothes made these past two years.”

At that, Shen Jin’s dowry maid covered her mouth and laughed. Back when her young mistress had said she would marry in another’s place, the maid had worried she might be marrying the wrong sort of man. Now it seemed her young mistress had chosen exactly right.

Shen Jin flushed under the maid’s teasing laughter. Too embarrassed to keep refusing Xue Huaicong, she accepted the silver and put it away.

Only then did Xue Huaicong return to the matter at hand. “I heard from my colleagues that a new entertainment house has opened on North Street. The grounds are large, and inside they have not only wrestling and kickball, but also newly written plays. I was too busy with official duties before and never had the chance to take you and Mother out for some fun. Tomorrow is my day off, so why don’t we go listen to a play?”

Entertainment quarters and theaters were places men frequented far more often than women. Shen Jin had only ever heard rumors of how amusing they were.

Seeing that Xue Huaicong wanted to take her along, she hesitated. “It’s one thing for you to go, but can I go too?”

Xue Huaicong did not think there was any problem at all. “Why couldn’t you? Women have hands and feet, ears and eyes, just like men. Why should men be allowed to go somewhere women cannot? Why should men be allowed to watch plays women cannot watch?”

Shen Jin’s heart stirred.

In her youth, she had lived far away in Gusu with her parents. Since she was their only daughter, they had indulged her in many ways. Not only had they hired a tutor to teach her to read and write, they had often taken her along whenever they went out to amuse themselves.

She had grown used to a life as free as drifting clouds and wild cranes. She had once thought that since the capital was so prosperous and bustling, it would surely be even more interesting than Gusu. Who would have thought that rules were everywhere in the capital? Even an ordinary outing had to be conducted by the book.

Later, after she married into the Dingbei Marquis Estate, the rules there became even more numerous and more restrictive. Food, clothing, and daily necessities all had their own strict procedures. She had felt as though she had been placed under a cover, with no freedom in anything she did.

Now that she had married Xue Huaicong, she never would have imagined she might still have the chance to go into an entertainment house to watch a play. How could she possibly refuse?

So she went to ask Madame Xue. Madame Xue saw that the young couple had not been married long, and because of the spring examinations, Xue Huaicong and Shen Jin had spent quite some time in separate rooms. Now that he had passed and received an official post, he was busy with all manner of affairs, and the two of them still had few chances to go out together.

It was rare that Xue Huaicong had time the next day, so Madame Xue made the excuse that she was feeling unwell and declined, leaving the husband and wife free to do as they pleased.

Shen Jin understood her kindness, and felt all the more that marrying into the Xue Family had been the right choice. The next morning, she rose early and changed into a different outfit before coming out.

Xue Huaicong had been reading in the courtyard. When he saw her step out and turned to look, he froze on the spot.

Shen Jin was dressed in a bamboo-green cross-collared scholar’s robe. Her ink-black hair was tied high with a matching ribbon, black cloth shoes on her feet and a folding fan in her hand. Dressed like a young scholar, she possessed a pure, elegant charm unlike her usual appearance.

Shen Jin grew a little embarrassed under his gaze. She turned once and said with a smile, “Although Mother agreed to let me go with you, you do hold an official post now. It wouldn’t be good if I caused people to gossip about you. So I dressed as a man. If anyone asks, just say I’m your younger cousin.”

Xue Huaicong was made to laugh again and again by her explanation. Seeing how rare and amusing she looked, he said no more, and the husband and wife left the house hand in hand.

Because the entertainment house had only just opened, many people had come after hearing of it. By the time Shen Jin and Xue Huaicong arrived, they could barely squeeze through the entrance in the crowd.

Afraid Shen Jin might be jostled, Xue Huaicong had no choice but to devote all his attention to protecting her. Because of that, he failed to notice several familiar faces not far away.

It was a day off, and Lu Chenzhou had no urgent business at his estate. As it happened, Prince Jin, Young Lord Qin, Earl Anning, and the others had invited him to come watch a play at the entertainment house, so he arrived right on time.

The moment he entered, he saw Xue Huaicong maneuvering left and right in the crowd, and the corner of his mouth lifted.

People always said this Xue Huaicong was extremely devoted to his family, that every time he received his salary, he handed it over to his wife as soon as he returned home. Now it seemed that was all there was to it. If he truly handed over all his salary, how would he have spare money to come watch performances?

Intending to see Xue Huaicong’s expression, Lu Chenzhou followed the flow of the crowd a little farther inside. Only when he reached Xue Huaicong’s back did he realize that the man was shielding a young gentleman in his arms.

Lu Chenzhou was just about to speak to Xue Huaicong when the young gentleman in front suddenly turned back and smiled at Xue Huaicong.

That face was refined, graceful, and breathtakingly lovely-so familiar he could not possibly mistake it.

It was Third Miss Shen, Shen Jin, whom Xue Huaicong had married and brought home!