Chapter 156
Chapter 156
Gu Wanyun had never attended a poetry gathering, much less befriended any young ladies from noble households. She had spent all of last night too anxious to sleep, yet this morning she felt no fatigue – only nerves.
There were far too many possible themes for poetry. Beyond heaven and earth and the four seasons, or plants and flowers used to convey emotion, women of the inner chambers often wrote about elegant pastimes, exquisite trinkets, and leisurely diversions.
They might also imitate ancient styles to express longing for someone far away, write untitled verses inspired by their feelings, or compose poems on history and the distant past. Gu Wanyun truly couldn’t make sense of it all.
Ji Hanyi only knew that the Shen Residence came from a long line of scholars. Its women were expected to study just as the men did, learning the Four Books from childhood in separate halls from the boys. They were well-versed in both reason and propriety, and their literary talent went without saying.
What was more, the Shen Family Academy was unique in the capital. Even the most prominent noble families often racked their brains for ways to enroll their younger generations there. Ji Hanyi herself wasn’t certain she could remain entirely at ease before the Shen women.
All she could do was reassure Gu Wanyun in a low voice. “The women of the Shen Residence aren’t like other sheltered young ladies. They’re all knowledgeable and worldly. It doesn’t matter if you fall a little short. There’s nothing shameful about it.”
Gu Wanyun did not agree with Ji Hanyi at all. She believed this gathering was a test from Old Madam Shen. As long as she passed it, she was certain to win the old madam’s favor.
Ever since meeting Marquis Shen twice, wild fantasies had taken root in her heart. Day and night, she imagined the moment she would become the Marchioness.
With such a distinguished man as her husband, she would be the most envied woman in the capital.
Gu Wanyun said nothing. She clutched her embroidered handkerchief tightly between her fingers and bit down on her lip.
They soon arrived at the Shen Residence. A servant led them toward the rear courtyard. They had only just passed through the ornate inner gate when they saw a tall young man in red standing nearby, smiling brightly. It was Shen Changling.
Madam Zhang and Gu Wanyun were both startled by Shen Changling’s sudden appearance. Only when a matron beside them respectfully addressed him as “Third Master” did they realize who this handsome, tall, smiling young man was.
Gu Wanyun recalled meeting him on their previous visit and hurriedly greeted him.
Shen Changling, however, did not even notice Gu Wanyun greeting him. His gaze was fixed entirely on Ji Hanyi. The moment he saw her, he exclaimed in delight, “You really came! Then I didn’t wait here for nothing.”
“I begged Mother for ages before she finally agreed to invite you too.”
Seeing that Shen Changling had not noticed her at all and had eyes only for her cousin, Gu Wanyun was taken aback. She fell silent.
By rights, now that she had won Old Madam Shen’s favor, the people of the Shen Residence should have been closer to her. Why, then, did Shen Changling have eyes only for her cousin? Why had he even come here specifically to wait for her?
Her cousin was divorced now and no longer a pure maiden. Why was the Third Master of the Shen Residence still so attentive to her?
Gu Wanyun watched them in silence and took a step back.
Ji Hanyi finally understood why the invitation from the Shen Residence had included her. Shen Changling had asked for her to be invited.
But if he had gone to the trouble of asking, he ought to understand that it was her Third Younger Sister whom the Shen Residence valued now. Ji Hanyi could not help wondering whether inviting her as well might cause trouble.
She sighed inwardly. She had not expected Shen Changling to be waiting for her here either, so she asked, “Why were you waiting for me?”
Shen Changling blinked at Ji Hanyi twice, then grinned. “Because I couldn’t wait to tell you some wonderful news.”
“What is it?” Ji Hanyi asked.
Shen Changling gestured to one side. “Shall we talk over there?”
Ji Hanyi remembered that Eldest Maternal Aunt and Gu Wanyun were still waiting for her. It would be inappropriate for her to go off alone with Shen Changling to talk, and she had no desire to invite any misunderstandings, so she said, “We still need to head to the rear courtyard, and I’m afraid they shouldn’t be kept waiting for me. Would it be convenient to talk as we walk?”
Shen Changling did not think the matter was anything others could not hear. Besides, he understood the implication behind Ji Hanyi’s words: she wished to avoid any appearance of impropriety. It truly would be unwise for them to speak alone. She had only just divorced, and her reputation mattered, so he readily agreed. “We can talk as we walk.”
Shen Changling was tall and broad-shouldered, with a straight, imposing bearing. As the only military officer in the Shen Residence, he lacked the refined, meticulously proper air of the other men. Instead, he possessed an easygoing charm. He did not seem lofty or unapproachable; on the contrary, he struck people as remarkably easy to talk to.
Gu Wanyun could not help glancing at Shen Changling several times. His red robe embroidered with golden lotuses made his handsome face seem as flawless as jade. She found herself thinking that every man in the Shen Family truly was this good-looking.
Then she saw Shen Changling lower his head and smile at Ji Hanyi, and her hands clenched once more.
Winding paths led through the secluded rear courtyard of the Shen Residence, with elegant scenery at every turn. Shen Changling’s amused voice rang out. “Something momentous happened yesterday. The young cousin being raised in the Xie Residence bought an infertility drug from a Western Regions merchant and used it to harm the Eldest Master of the Xie Residence. Then the merchant filed a complaint with my Fifth Uncle, saying that she had not paid him in full and was now denying the debt. My Fifth Uncle immediately sent men to the Xie Residence to arrest her. You should have seen the commotion it caused.”
At that, Ji Hanyi recalled what Xie Yuheng had told her earlier. It seemed the matter really was true.
Shen Changling continued, “You wouldn’t believe the state she was in when my Fifth Uncle’s men brought her in. She was already at death’s door. She had been locked in a woodshed because they intended to let her starve to death.”
“It turned out that the Xie Family had already discovered the truth. They simply didn’t want word of the scandal getting out, so they planned to quietly dispose of her behind closed doors. Who could have guessed that the Western Regions merchant would take his grievance to my Fifth Uncle?”
Ji Hanyi was somewhat puzzled. Since the Xie Family had intended to handle the matter in private, they should also have placated the Western Regions merchant and paid him off. How could they possibly have withheld his payment and driven him to make a formal complaint?
Shen Changling went on, “You have no idea what happened at the Censorate. To preserve their dignity, the Xie Family insisted that the young cousin had indeed bought that sort of drug, but she hadn’t used it on Xie Yuheng. They claimed she’d used it on a dog instead and that Xie Yuheng was still perfectly healthy, without the slightest problem.”
“So they were calling Xie Yuheng a dog, then.”
Ji Hanyi was somewhat surprised that the Xie Family would make such a claim, but she could understand their reasoning.
They had most likely said it so Xie Yuheng could still take a wife in the future. If they admitted that he had been taking that drug for three years, that his health had been ruined, and that he could no longer father children, what respectable family’s daughter would be willing to marry him?
Besides, if Xie Yuheng truly could no longer produce an heir, then although he held the status of the legitimate grandson of the Xie Family’s Eldest Branch, there was no telling who would eventually take charge of the Xie Family. The authority might even pass to the Second Branch. If that happened, who would still agree to marry Xie Yuheng?
More importantly, this was a shameful family scandal caused by First Madam Xie. If word spread, the Xie Family would likely be the subject of gossip throughout the capital for years, and First Madam Xie would be utterly humiliated.