The third day of the eleventh month was blessed with brilliant sunshine. Such fine weather was rare in winter, and it happened to coincide with Old Madam Shen’s seventieth birthday celebration.

The General’s Mansion had been thoroughly cleaned inside and out, with funds allocated from the family treasury to purchase new items. The banquet was naturally held in the East Courtyard, a serene and elegant environment with meticulously trimmed flower beds. The maids wore fresh, neat gowns and conducted themselves with refined manners, each one pretty and clever. Anyone who entered would immediately recognize the dignified atmosphere of a noble household.

Old Madam Shen sat in the grand hall of Rongjing Hall, where numerous ladies and young misses had already arrived to pay their respects. The Shen family was, after all, a first-class military lineage in the Ming Qi, so officials and nobles had to make appearances out of social obligation. Ren Wanyun was busy greeting the guests.

Although Chen Ruoqiu temporarily held the authority to manage household affairs, Old Madam Shen’s birthday celebrations had always been entirely entrusted to Ren Wanyun in previous years. When it came to socializing with these noble ladies, Ren Wanyun could handle it better than Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu maintained the air of someone from a scholarly family, while Ren Wanyun was different—she managed everything with grace, filling Rongjing Hall with laughter and joy.

Shen Yuanbai nestled against Old Madam Shen, eating honey milk candy as the ladies below frequently complimented him on his intelligence at such a young age, predicting his future greatness. Old Madam Shen listened with evident delight, and even Ren Wanyun’s heart, clouded these days because of Shen Qing, brightened at these compliments.

As for Chen Ruoqiu, she felt quite uncomfortable hearing everyone praise Shen Yuanbai and Shen Yuan, who were serving away from home. The Third Branch’s greatest taboo was talk of sons—everyone knew that Chen Ruoqiu had been married to Shen Wan for many years and had only produced Shen Yue without bearing any sons. To make matters worse, Shen Wan showed no interest in other women. Old Madam Shen had once tried to arrange several concubines for Shen Wan to continue the family line, but Shen Wan had refused them all. For this reason, Old Madam Shen directed her anger at Chen Ruoqiu, clearly favoring Ren Wanyun over her.

“But why haven’t we seen the Shen family’s eldest and fifth young ladies today?” Madam Yi asked with a smile.

Ren Wanyun was responsible for receiving these ladies, while Shen Yue naturally attended to the noble young ladies, accompanying them for tea and snacks in the garden. However, Shen Miao and Shen Qing were still nowhere to be seen.

Upon hearing this, both Ren Wanyun and Old Madam Shen’s expressions darkened simultaneously, while Chen Ruoqiu’s lips curled in a smirk.

Shen Qing’s health had not fully recovered, though she was finally rational enough to see people. However, she repeatedly declared her intention to tear Shen Miao to pieces. These words could not be allowed to reach outsiders, so Ren Wanyun had been consoling Shen Qing these days to prevent her from harboring suicidal thoughts. As for how she had consoled her, Chen Ruoqiu could imagine—it likely involved promises about what miserable fate awaited Shen Miao.

As for Shen Miao, she had somehow learned that Old Madam Shen had privately accepted a marriage proposal from the Wei family on her behalf. From that day on, she had abandoned her previous silence and rebelled frantically, even declaring that she would resist or even flee from the marriage. Such talk was intolerable to Old Madam Shen. Ren Wanyun and Old Madam Shen reasoned that, with Shen Miao’s innate defiance gradually emerging, her threats to resist or flee marriage were indeed possible. However, Shen Miao absolutely could not cause trouble now—if anything happened to her, the plan to exchange the sisters in marriage would fall apart.

So from the moment Shen Miao threatened to resist the marriage, Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun took decisive action and confined her directly to the ancestral hall. The ancestral hall was located in the southwestern-most courtyard of the Shen mansion, generally out of sight. The number of guards posted outside had been increased by at least half, and Old Madam Shen had gathered the indenture contracts of all the maids in the West Courtyard, including Shen Miao’s four personal maids, keeping them tightly in her grasp.

The implicit message was that if Shen Miao made even the slightest move, these maids would not be spared.

Thus, Shen Miao had been confined in the Shen family ancestral hall for days, reciting scriptures and praying daily. Ren Wanyun hoped this would wear down Shen Miao’s rebellious nature and prevent any incidents. Today was Old Madam Shen’s birthday, and they feared that if Shen Miao were released, she might say something shocking in public. After consulting with Old Madam Shen, they simply decided not to let Shen Miao appear before everyone.

Thinking of Shen Miao gave Ren Wanyun a headache. She had been immersed in this household for so many years, yet she couldn’t decipher what was going on in this young girl’s mind. To call Shen Miao simple-minded would be incorrect—she had quietly calculated against everyone in Shen Qing’s matter. To call her calm would also be wrong—she had brazenly announced her intention to flee from marriage without any concealment. The only solution was to confine her.

After enjoying Ren Wanyun’s interesting expression, Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, “Miss Qing is still not fully recovered, so she won’t come out now but will appear later for Old Madam’s birthday ceremony. As for Miss Miao, she has contracted an illness and cannot be exposed to the wind. Her face has broken out in a rash, and with so many young ladies present, we fear she might infect the other misses, so we’ve let her stay in her room alone.”

If they simply said Shen Miao was ill, someone might be curious enough to investigate, but by saying it was a contagious disease, they ensured that no one would dare approach Shen Miao. Especially since the young ladies all cared about their appearance, none would risk infection to see her.

Jiang Xiaoxuan’s mother, Madam Jiang, also smiled, her words carrying a subtle probe: “So that’s it. I thought perhaps the two young ladies were busy embroidering their dowries and didn’t wish to see us. Wanyun, you must take good care of the young ladies so that when they marry, nothing will delay matters.” This immediately drew echoes of agreement from the surrounding ladies.

The marriage arrangements with the Wei and Huang families had been buzzing throughout the capital, but the Shen family had never officially confirmed them, which seemed strange and had prompted many to probe for information. It remained unclear which miss would marry whom, so today Madam Jiang voiced her question to see if these widely rumored engagements would materialize.

Ren Wanyun’s eyes flashed, recognizing Madam Jiang’s intention. She smiled and said, “What are you saying? Even if they were busy embroidering wedding garments, they would naturally come out to show filial respect on Old Madam’s birthday. If the two children weren’t truly ill, how could they not come out to meet all the ladies?”

Her response both denied and confirmed, implicitly acknowledging the existence of these marriage arrangements.

The assembled ladies, all shrewd women experienced in household affairs, understood Ren Wanyun’s meaning. Congratulatory remarks immediately filled the air while Old Madam Shen stroked Shen Yuanbai’s head with an affectionate smile, creating a scene of perfect harmony between hosts and guests.

In the garden of Qiushui Courtyard, a group of young ladies gathered around a stone table playing chess and card games, eating snacks, and chatting.

“Speaking of which, Yue,” Jiang Xiaoxuan said, “I haven’t seen your sisters yet today. Are they ill?”

“Yes, they are ill,” Shen Yue nodded, her expression showing a trace of concern. “My eldest sister’s condition is improving, but Fifth Sister’s illness is quite severe, with a rash on her face that has even infected several of her maids. As you can see,” she lowered her head, “you probably haven’t even seen their maids today.”

“No wonder,” Bai Wei suddenly understood. “There are so many guards outside the West Courtyard, but no one comes out. I suppose the servants in those courtyards are also afraid of spreading infection to others. Didn’t Teacher Pei at the academy once say that in places with epidemics in the past, to prevent widespread outbreaks, they isolated those who fell ill?”

“That’s exactly right,” Shen Yue said.

Yi Peilan touched her shoulders and shuddered, “How frightening. I hope it doesn’t spread to us.”

“Don’t worry,” Shen Yue smiled. “As long as you don’t go to the West Courtyard, you’ll be safe. Look, I haven’t been infected either.”

“You’re certainly broad-minded to live with such a sister,” Yi Peilan pursed her lips. “This Shen Miao is like a disaster star, always causing such troubles.”

On the other side, Feng Anning’s eyes flashed with anger, which she forcibly suppressed as she muttered, “I don’t know if she’s trying to make people hate Shen Miao or herself. What a hypocrite.”

She was referring, of course, to Shen Yue.

Qin Qing, sitting closest to Feng Anning, gave a cold snort, her expression remaining haughty, but her gaze toward Shen Yue was filled with contempt.

Between the two of them, Feng Anning now had a decent relationship with Shen Miao, which naturally led to her being excluded by Shen Yue. As for Qin Qing, being beautiful and proud, she was already Shen Yue’s rival at Guangwen Hall. Since Shen Yue was hosting the young ladies today, Qin Qing had naturally been ignored. Thus, by coincidence, these two ended up sitting together.

“Who knows if she’s sick?” Qin Qing made no effort to hide her disdain for Shen Yue. Hearing this, Feng Anning immediately said, “So you think so too? Why don’t we go see Shen Miao?”

“I have no relationship with her. If you want to go, go yourself,” Qin Qing refused without hesitation, adding, “But the West Courtyard of the Shen mansion doesn’t allow visitors now, fearing the spread of the rash. I doubt you could get in anyway.”

“How can this be right?” Feng Anning was indignant. “They’re both granddaughters of the Shen family. Why can’t Shen Miao participate in Old Madam Shen’s birthday? Keeping someone confined in the West Courtyard is no different from imprisonment!”

“You’d better not meddle in others’ affairs,” Qin Qing glanced at Feng Anning. “It has nothing to do with either of us.”

Feng Anning bit her lip in frustration but couldn’t argue further. She could only glare hatefully at Shen Yue, who was surrounded by others, laughing and chatting.

No one noticed a shadow flitting through the trees, quickly disappearing into the flower beds.

In the northwest corner of the Shen mansion was an abandoned courtyard, neglected due to poor terrain and overgrown with weeds. Apart from occasional birds flying overhead and wild cats taking refuge, no one ever came here.

Today, however, several people stood beneath the wall.

The leader had his back to the garden, arms crossed, deep in thought. Someone behind him said, “Master, I passed by the East Courtyard of the Shen mansion and heard that the West Courtyard is being guarded.”

Another person said, “I’ve already investigated. The West Courtyard only has guards posted outside, but the guards aren’t there. Instead, many skilled fighters are guarding the Shen family ancestral hall. Could it be…”

“A diversion,” the man turned, revealing a handsome face. “What we seek is in the Shen family ancestral hall.”