Ji Cheng wasn’t just brave in words; she was truly daring in action. Whenever she thought about the situation Shen Che described, malicious thoughts would arise in her heart. However, no one in this world truly wants to be a villain, so Ji Cheng’s mood inexplicably became somewhat low.
Shen Che knew he had spoken carelessly. One look at Ji Cheng’s expression told him he had some makeup to do.
“You don’t think I’d take a concubine, do you?” Shen Che placed his hand closest to Ji Cheng’s heart.
Ji Cheng remained silent.
Shen Che had no choice but to turn Ji Cheng’s face towards him, looking into her eyes as he said, “I’ve seen for many years that strife between wives and concubines is definitely among the top causes of family turmoil. Our Shen family is peaceful now precisely because we don’t have such sordid affairs.”
But men in the Shen family did take concubines, like Third Uncle Shen Ying, and didn’t Shen Yu also have chambermaids? Ji Cheng thought skeptically.
Knowing Ji Cheng wasn’t easily placated, Shen Che continued, “Actually, Nishang has been by my side for many years and is no longer young. Before I met you, I did intend to take her as a concubine in the future, after all, I’ve held her back for so many years.”
Ji Cheng glared fiercely at Shen Che, “So you’ve finally admitted it!”
Ji Cheng pushed Shen Che, but he held her firmly, not letting go. “Hey, let me finish. Guess what? Nishang herself told the Old Ancestor that she was unwilling to be my concubine.”
Ji Cheng sneered, “Of course she’s unwilling. Who would want to marry such a fickle man like you?”
“Wrong, I’m devoted,” Shen Che corrected Ji Cheng. “She’s been by my side for so many years because she’s clear-headed. Even if I took her as a concubine, it would only be out of the duty of a long-standing master-servant relationship. I wouldn’t mistreat her in the future, and Nishang knows this. So before I married you, she was fully prepared to be a concubine.”
Ji Cheng chuckled, “You’re quite confident. Then why is she unwilling now?”
“What do you think?” Shen Che asked in return.
Ji Cheng pouted, “How would I know?” In her heart, just thinking about Shen Che having such intentions made her want to kick him down the mountain.
Shen Che trapped Ji Cheng’s restless leg and wanted to kick him between his legs, “Aiya, why do you always want to murder your husband?”
Ji Cheng coldly snorted, no longer squirming. It wasn’t that she wasn’t angry anymore, but that she was afraid of Shen Che. This man could even… during an argument.
Shen Che nibbled on Ji Cheng’s lips, “You actually know the answer in your heart, don’t you? After you, there’s no room in my heart for anyone else. Nishang saw this clearly and knew that even if she became a concubine, it would be in vain. No one in this world is a fool.”
Ji Cheng hadn’t expected Shen Che to sell out Nishang just to clear himself. She felt both angry and amused, and bit Shen Che’s lip in return, coquettishly saying, “How do I know you’re not just saying this to coax me because I’m young and beautiful now?”
Shen Che replied, “You will always be young and beautiful. Even when you’re old, you’ll be the most beautiful old lady.”
Women are auditory creatures. No matter how much insecurity Ji Cheng had in her heart, it was temporarily soothed.
Seeing that he had finally placated Ji Cheng, Shen Che embraced her in the bedroom. He took her hand and together they colored in a petal on the Plum Blossom Dispelling Cold painting. “The reason you lack confidence in me now and feel insecure is just because we’re not close enough. When all the petals are colored in, you’ll know how much I can’t live without you.”
It took Ji Cheng a moment to realize that this big bad wolf was talking dirty to her again.
The next morning, after paying her respects, Ji Cheng returned to the flower hall of the Nine Li Courtyard to attend to affairs. She was surprised to see Shen Che walk in from outside. She stood up in surprise, “Didn’t you go out?”
The housekeepers who were reporting all lowered their heads when they saw Shen Che enter, not daring to breathe loudly. Truthfully, Shen Che didn’t usually look as stern as Shen Yu when meeting people, but the people in the house were still afraid of him. It seems that villains indeed have a villainous aura, invisible and intangible, yet feared by all.
Shen Che sat down beside Ji Cheng, his face grim and unsmiling, making Ji Cheng feel somewhat uneasy. Hadn’t everything been fine when they left in the morning?
Shen Che’s gaze swept around the flower hall. Seeing that everyone had lowered their heads, he finally spoke, “The Young Madam has just recovered from a serious illness and is still very weak. You are all old servants of the household. Please be more thoughtful in all matters and consider things for the Young Madam. If you can handle something well yourselves, don’t bring it to her to add to her troubles. If she falls ill again because of overwork, don’t blame me for losing my temper.”
Ji Cheng hadn’t expected Shen Che to say such things. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t moved, but she also found it amusing. She wasn’t made of paper; Shen Che was making a mountain out of a molehill.
In the evening, when Ji Cheng saw Shen Che again, she sweetly complained, “They must be gossiping about how I’m abusing my favor behind my back.”
Shen Che hugged Ji Cheng, gently kneading her as he said, “When I was looking for a wife back then, I wanted to find someone capable and generous, someone who could manage the household and take care of the Old Ancestor and Mother. Then I could set my mind at ease no matter what I did.”
Ji Cheng held Shen Che’s restless hand, “Are you complaining that I’m not capable?”
Shen Che freed his hand from Ji Cheng’s grasp and continued to caress her, “If you’re not capable, is there anyone in this world who is?”
Ji Cheng asked, “Then what do you mean?”
Shen Che pressed down on Ji Cheng, “I mean I can’t bear to see you be so capable. I only have one wife, and if you wear yourself out, won’t I be the heartbroken one?”
Ji Cheng laughed, “Why are you coaxing me like this?” She glanced at the Cold-Dispelling Chart on the wall, “It’s not time yet.”
Shen Che complained pitifully, “What kind of person do you think I am? Am I the type to flatter someone against my conscience just for a moment of pleasure?”
“You are,” Ji Cheng affirmed, then muttered, “You not only flatter people but also force them.”
Hearing this, Shen Che knew someone wanted to settle old scores. He quickly changed the subject, “I don’t want you to be confined at home. After the New Year, quickly train Liu Ye’er and Yu Qian’er to handle the household affairs, big and small. I still need your help with my matters. Besides, you know me, I often have to travel for ten to fifteen days at a time. How could I bear to leave you alone at home? If anything happened, even if I cried to the heavens, what use would it be?”
Ji Cheng didn’t know why Shen Che had such thoughts as if she were fragile porcelain. “What could happen to me at home? Don’t exaggerate.”
Shen Che bit Ji Cheng’s cheek, “When I can’t see you, I become uneasy, worrying if you’re tired if you’ve slept well if you’ve fallen ill. Besides, don’t you worry about me? Although I’m extremely devoted, you know I was born with a philandering appearance. Even if I don’t go after other women, they can’t help but throw themselves at me. Aren’t you worried?”
Of course, she was worried, Ji Cheng thought. “But when you go out on official business, can you take me with you?”
The incident on the great grasslands left Ji Cheng with lingering fears, afraid of becoming Shen Che’s burden again.
“Acheng, one can’t stop eating for fear of choking. Are you content to be confined to the inner chambers for your whole life? Don’t you want to start the southern sea trade route you arranged behind my back?” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng drew in a sharp breath. This man was truly a demon; nothing could be hidden from him. What else could Ji Cheng say? Of course, she would listen to whatever Shen Che said, only able to complain softly, “You’re not cute at all.”
Shen Che coolly replied, “Is someone who wants to run away and divorce her husband cute?”
Ji Cheng couldn’t answer, so she pretended to fall asleep.
The next day, when Ji Cheng went to pay her respects to the Old Madam, she unexpectedly saw Second Miss Shen He, who shouldn’t have been in Rui Ying Hall at this time.
“Second Sister,” Ji Cheng called out, slightly surprised.
Shen He turned her head, and Ji Cheng saw that her eyes were red, seemingly having encountered some trouble. Otherwise, a clan woman wouldn’t be back at her maiden home during the New Year season instead of managing her household.
“Oh, it’s Brother Jing’s wife,” Shen He responded faintly.
Seeing Shen He’s low spirits, Ji Cheng didn’t say much, just quietly sat down beside her.
Shen He dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and said to the Old Madam, “Granddaughter will return first.”
The Old Madam nodded.
After Shen He left, Ji Cheng curiously asked the Old Madam, “Old Ancestor, why has Second Sister come back at this time? Has she encountered some trouble?”
The Old Madam sighed, “Ah.”
Ji Cheng only learned from Cao Mama that Shen He had returned this time because she was angry with her husband, and it had escalated to the point of divorce.
In Ji Cheng’s impression, Shen He was a very tactful person, a famous talented woman in the capital years ago, and also very pretty. She had always been loving with her husband, so how did it suddenly come to the point of divorce?
When Shen Zhen got married, Shen He didn’t come back. Wasn’t it said that her husband was seriously ill at that time?
Ji Cheng was full of doubts, but she wasn’t particularly concerned about Shen He’s affairs. After all, Shen He had been quite unkind to Ji Cheng when trying to marry her husband’s clan sister Shen Che.
Although Ji Cheng didn’t intentionally inquire, when Shen Wan returned upon hearing the news, Ji Cheng still got the information from her.
It turned out that Shen He and her husband were indeed loving in the past, brewing tea and writing poetry together, like immortal lovers. But after being married for a long time, they inevitably lost their freshness. Later, her husband Qu Yu took a new concubine, which was the beginning of their conflict. Now the two were like strangers.
Although Shen Wan spoke vaguely, it seemed that Shen He had caused that concubine to miscarry, was confined by her husband, and even had her household management rights revoked. Even this return to Beijing seemed to be a secret escape.
Ji Cheng was shocked, “The Qu family is going too far.” They were afraid that Shen He would say something unpleasant when she returned to the Shen family, ruining the relationship between the two families, so they confined Shen He this time.
Shen Wan said, “Yes, I didn’t expect my brother-in-law to be so cruel to Second Sister. Men can be heartless when they change their minds. Although Second Sister made mistakes, it’s not right for him to hurt her like this for the sake of a concubine.”
“Has Second Sister decided to divorce?” Ji Cheng asked.
Shen Wan shook her head helplessly, “She can’t bear to part with her children, nor can she let go of so many years of feelings. I think she intends to have our family pressure the Qu family, to make brother-in-law get rid of that concubine.”
This was indeed Shen He’s character. She had always been strong-willed, otherwise she wouldn’t have earned the title of a talented woman. She couldn’t accept failure.
Ji Cheng said in a low voice, “But from what you’re saying, it seems the affection between them as husband and wife is almost gone. Even if the Qu family backs down this time, I’m afraid things won’t return to how they were before when Second Sister goes back.”
Shen Wan sighed, “Isn’t that so? Although one can remarry after divorce, it’s always subject to criticism and scrutiny. It’s difficult either way. This is the fate of us women. Whether we marry a good man or not depends on luck. No one knows how life will turn out until the very end.”
Seeing that Shen Wan was quite emotional, Ji Cheng comforted her with a few words, “Sister, don’t worry. Things will work out. I see that Third Brother-in-law treats you very well.”
Shen Wan smiled and shook her head, “He is indeed good to me, but there are times when he plays around outside. Who knows when he might be bewitched by some vixen out there?”
Ji Cheng said, “Sister Wan, don’t be so pessimistic. I don’t think my brother-in-law is that kind of person. For things to get so awkward between a husband and wife, it’s never just one person’s fault. As long as we do our best, even if things don’t work out in the future, we can be at peace with ourselves and have no regrets when parting. Besides, worrying now about things that haven’t happened yet is unfair to your husband.”
Shen Wan didn’t expect Ji Cheng to say such things, “You’re even more clear-headed than I thought. I just get angry every time I smell that scent of powder and rouge on him when he comes back from social gatherings.”
The customs of the Great Qin officialdom were indeed quite depraved. They liked to discuss everything in brothels, and even if they didn’t go to those places, they would still invite female entertainers to accompany them for drinks at taverns.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore. How are things between you and Second Brother now?” Shen Wan asked. She was afraid that if she said too much, she might bring up painful memories for Ji Cheng.
After all, who went to those pleasure houses most frequently?
“Quite good,” Ji Cheng said.
Shen Wan assumed Ji Cheng was just saving face and didn’t want to tell the truth, so she didn’t want to poke at her sore spot. The two chatted idly for a few more sentences before Shen Wan got up to say goodbye.
In the evening when Shen Che returned, Ji Cheng told him about Shen He’s situation.
Shen Che said, “Don’t get involved in this matter. Second Uncle and Second Aunt are still here, and if not them, there’s still Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law. Why are you worrying about this? Do you think you don’t have enough to do?”
Ji Cheng pouted, “I wasn’t planning to get involved. It’s just that Sister Wan was quite affected after hearing about it. It seems the Third Brother-in-law has been attending too many social gatherings outside. They say he comes home reeking of powder and rouge. You’re better. You always wash up before coming home.”
Shen Che chuckled lightly, “I knew I was going to get stabbed somehow.”
Ji Cheng chided, “I didn’t say anything. I was praising you.”
Shen Che blew into Ji Cheng’s ear, “After this period passes, I’ll show you with actions how chaste I am.”
Ji Cheng burst into laughter at Shen Che’s teasing.
As for Shen He’s matter, it couldn’t be dealt with until the Qu family showed up. Since it was around the New Year, it could only be put aside for now.
During the New Year, the matriarch of the household was always the busiest. Before they knew it, the calendar had turned to the third day of the lunar New Year, the day when daughters returned to their maternal homes.