“The moonlight is quite nice tonight. It snowed every day recently, and I thought we wouldn’t see the full moon for a while. But the weather cleared up this morning. How about we go to the mountain to enjoy the moon?”
Ji Cheng looked at Shen Che, who was in high spirits and reminded herself not to offend him. So, she wisely agreed, “Sure.”
The so-called mountain was the place where they had the barbecue feast at Jiuli Courtyard last time. After days of heavy snow, the mountaintop was once again a vast expanse of white, without a single footprint in sight.
“Don’t ruin the snow scene. I’ll take you up there.”
Before Ji Cheng could react, Shen Che gently wrapped his arm around her waist and they glided over. It wasn’t exactly flying, just skimming over the snow, but since Ji Cheng didn’t feel her feet exerting any force, it felt almost like flying.
The experience was so novel that Ji Cheng unintentionally ignored Shen Che’s slightly impolite behavior.
A cold blue sky hung above with an icy moon, accompanied by a chilling wind that made it seem distant and lonely, inevitably reminding one of Chang’e, who regretted stealing the elixir on the moon.
The Bird’s Nest Pavilion was unexpectedly warm. Ji Cheng looked around but saw no stove, which was quite magical. She took off her cloak and sat on the long fur rug on the ground. “There wasn’t this rug last time.”
Shen Che just smiled without responding.
Ji Cheng instantly realized that it was probably prepared for her.
The pavilion was equipped with water vessels and tea sets. Ji Cheng couldn’t help but ask, “Are we making tea again?” She wasn’t used to drinking tea at night, as her sleep was already not great.
“Then what else should we drink?” Shen Che countered.
“How about a little drink under the moon?” A bit of wine to warm the stomach was better than the bland taste of tea.
“Alright.” Shen Che tugged at a rope beside him and gave a couple of instructions. “Send up some wine and dishes.” His voice wasn’t loud, and Ji Cheng didn’t know who he was talking to. After a moment, she saw something sliding through the air.
Ji Cheng looked closely and realized that a rope was tied between the tree on the mountain’s edge and the Bird’s Nest Pavilion. A food box filled with wine and dishes was sliding along the rope.
“Why did you set this up?” Ji Cheng pointed at the rope.
“So they won’t come up and ruin my snow,” Shen Che replied.
Ji Cheng immediately remembered how they had trampled the snow into a mess during the last barbecue. “And last time…”
“This winter, A-Qian won’t be able to enter my Jiuli Courtyard again,” Shen Che said as he got up to retrieve the food box.
After a while, another iron box was sent over. Upon opening it, they found it was a simple iron stove.
Shen Che placed the wine pot in the water pot on the mud stove to warm it, then set the iron stove on the low stone table in the pavilion. The charcoal was already burning, and Ji Cheng watched as Shen Che opened the food box, revealing several layers of five-spice pork belly, meticulously prepared. Ji Cheng counted carefully and found it was indeed five layers of alternating fat and lean meat, a rare cut from a pig.
Shen Che used bamboo tongs to place the pork belly slices on the iron stove to grill. Soon, the sizzling aroma of oil filled the air.
Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside the Bird’s Nest, it was a warm haven, creating a stark contrast that brought an inexplicable sense of comfort and joy.
“Try it,” Shen Che said, placing a slice on Ji Cheng’s plate.
Ji Cheng, already tempted, didn’t stand on ceremony. She dipped it in the sauce prepared by Yu Yi, which had a peculiar yet delicious taste—savory and spicy with a hint of sweetness, along with sesame paste and a touch of cream. The bold use of ingredients resulted in a surprisingly good flavor.
Without saying a word, Ji Cheng ate three slices in a row, clearly expressing her enjoyment.
Shen Che poured Ji Cheng a cup of wine. “After this drink, shall we go back to being Cousin Che instead of Second Young Master?”
Ji Cheng blushed, holding the wine without moving.
Shen Che didn’t press further and downed his cup in one go.
Ji Cheng hesitated for a moment before drinking her wine as well.
“How is Third Aunt handling Shen Cui’s matter?” Shen Che asked.
Not well. For Shen Cui, it was all thunder and no rain. Since she had just miscarried, she was only being cared for. There was no scolding or beating, not even a harsh word. The blame was placed on Qi Zheng or Ji Cheng.
As for Qi Zheng, Ji Cheng honestly replied, “The Qi family wants fifty thousand taels of silver to propose marriage, or they’ll let Fifth Sister enter through the side door.”
“Fifty thousand taels?” Shen Che scoffed. “Did Third Aunt ask you for the money?”
Ji Cheng nodded.
“Are you willing to give it?” Shen Che asked.
Ji Cheng smiled slyly, “If Cousin Che tells me to give it, I will.”
“Then I say don’t give it,” Shen Che replied.
Ji Cheng thought Shen Che was truly sly. “When I treated A-Cui that way, you scolded me harshly. But when it comes to Qi Zheng, you remain indifferent?”
Shen Che sipped his wine. “That’s because the more I scold you, the happier A-Cui gets. But if I scold Qi Zheng, my Fifth Sister would probably hate me to the core.”
Ji Cheng laughed, “You see things quite clearly.”
“But since you called me Cousin again, I’ll save you those fifty thousand taels,” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng looked at Shen Che without speaking, thinking to herself: Ha, you couldn’t resist intervening, yet you act like you’re doing me a favor. Do you think I can’t see through it?
“Thank you, Cousin Che,” Ji Cheng said, raising her cup in a toast.
The wine was excellent, a twenty-year-old Yuchun White, sweet on the palate with a strong aftertaste, making one unknowingly drunk.
Ji Cheng’s heart raced, and she lay her head on the table, using her hand as a pillow, not moving.
“What do you want to do most right now?” Shen Che asked.
Ji Cheng turned her head slightly, “I want to dance.”
“What kind of dance?” Shen Che asked again.
“Too bad I didn’t bring my sword,” Ji Cheng lamented.
“Oh,” Shen Che replied, with a hint of disappointment.
“Do you have a sword I can borrow?” Ji Cheng asked.
Shen Che nodded, and after a moment, he produced a light sword from somewhere. Ji Cheng took the sword, and with Shen Che’s gentle guidance, she found herself on the stone platform at the edge of the cliff.
The platform was about six feet square, with only a thin layer of snow left after the wind had blown over it.
Shen Che held Ji Cheng’s arm to steady her. “Can you stand?”
Ji Cheng didn’t answer, simply drawing the gleaming sword from its sheath. Her heart raced, and the blood in her veins seemed to surge too quickly. Eagerly, she began her sword dance.
In the drunken light of the lamp, watching the sword, stepping on the snow, and dancing under the moon, a beauty danced alone in the world. At this moment, no one was more at ease than Shen Che.
Ji Cheng danced joyfully, all her anger, resentment, and frustration dissipating with each swing of the sword. As she danced, she noticed water below the cliff, with ice reflecting the moonlight, mirroring her image. Finding the reflection charming, she lifted her foot and stepped out.
She floated down like a falling leaf, unafraid despite her drunkenness, even laughing. When Shen Che caught her by the waistband, Ji Cheng wriggled, still wanting to fly.
Though she hadn’t flown enough, she was truly exhausted. Ji Cheng wrapped her arms around Shen Che’s neck and fell asleep peacefully in his embrace.
Shen Che’s toes touched the ice below for leverage, and he leaped back to the platform, finally exhaling. Indeed, drunk people have no sense.
When Ji Cheng awoke, it was still dark. Her head ached, her mouth was dry, and her lungs felt hot. She rubbed her forehead as she sat up, taking a moment to recognize her surroundings. She was still in the Bird’s Nest on the mountaintop of Jiuli Courtyard, covered with her cloak and Shen Che’s, having slept on the rug.
Ji Cheng twisted her neck, thinking Shen Che had left. But when she looked up, she saw him with one leg bent and the other straight, leaning against a pillar of the Bird’s Nest, eyes closed as if asleep.
Still groggy, Ji Cheng moved closer to Shen Che, only to hear him say, “Rest a bit more. I’ll take you back later.”
In her half-asleep state, Ji Cheng’s throat was parched, but she couldn’t speak. She struggled to sit up, looking for water.
As soon as Ji Cheng reached out, Shen Che said, “Don’t touch me!”
Unfortunately, he spoke too late. Ji Cheng’s hand brushed Shen Che’s clothes, and she felt a burning sensation at her fingertips. She quickly withdrew her hand, but her fingertips were already red.
Before Ji Cheng could react, Shen Che grabbed some snow from outside and pressed it into her burned hand.
Though the burn was intense, the quick withdrawal and the snow’s icy temperature immediately soothed the pain. Ji Cheng instinctively stuffed the snow into her mouth, too thirsty and needing to wake up.
Shen Che watched with amusement as Ji Cheng crunched on the snow. “Are you that thirsty?”
Ji Cheng nodded.
Shen Che took a cup of warm tea from a small table nearby and brought it to Ji Cheng’s lips. “Drink.”
Perhaps she drank too quickly, for Ji Cheng choked, and water dripped down her chin, sliding into her collar, though she didn’t notice.
Winter clothes were meant to be warm, so they were tightly wrapped. But after sleeping, her clothes had loosened, and the collar opened slightly. Though the gap was too small to reveal her collarbone, it left room for imagination.
Shen Che’s mind wandered as he noticed the faint red mark on the beauty’s cheek from her winter nap, a mere hint of color that sparked endless thoughts.
After eating snow and drinking tea, Ji Cheng finally felt a bit more awake. As she prepared to leave, Shen Che said, “Sleep a little longer. I’ll take you back later.”
The last thing Ji Cheng heard before drifting back to sleep was Shen Che’s suggestion to rest a bit more. Overcome by a sudden wave of drowsiness, she obediently lay back down on the rug.
Shen Che stood up and gently covered Ji Cheng with her cloak. As he leaned closer, he couldn’t resist lowering his head. His nose almost touched her lips, and the sweet, fruity scent made his heart race. He slowly lifted his head and leaned back against the pavilion post, calming his breath once more.
When Ji Cheng awoke, she found herself back in her bed in the small courtyard. She rubbed her forehead and sipped some mint water to clear her head, then called for Nan Gui. “When did you bring me back last night?”
“Around the first watch of the Yin hour,” Nan Gui replied.
Ji Cheng forced a smile. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
Nan Gui lowered her eyes. “The young master didn’t allow it. He was afraid it would be hard for you to fall asleep again if you were disturbed.”
Ji Cheng couldn’t fathom what Shen Che was thinking. Even if their relationship was “unusual,” surely he should have considered the propriety between men and women. She had been drunk, and he had stayed with her all night without regard for appearances. It was simply…
Ji Cheng’s fingers tightly gripped the quilt. Finally, she asked, “When he handed me over to you, were my clothes in order?”
Nan Gui was slightly surprised. “Of course, they were.”
Ji Cheng waved her hand to dismiss Nan Gui. Shen Che’s actions were hard for her to understand. If it were another girl, she might have thought of it as something romantic. But Ji Cheng saw no hint of affection in Shen Che’s eyes, so she remained clear-headed.
If Shen Che needed to use “beauty” to win her over, it didn’t seem likely. Even as clever as Ji Cheng was, she couldn’t guess that Shen Che merely saw her as a “catalyst.”
Putting aside these troubling thoughts, a major event occurred shortly after breakfast.
Ji Lan and Shen Cui were both summoned to Ruiying Hall. Ji Cheng could guess with her toes that something had happened, and the old lady had found out.
Sure enough, as soon as Ji Lan and Shen Cui entered Ruiying Hall, Third Master Shen Ying scolded them, “You disgraceful things, kneel immediately.”
Frightened, Shen Cui took a step back and clutched Ji Lan’s sleeve.
Ji Lan glanced around. Princess Anhe and Madam Huang were present, as were Shen Yuan and Shen Qian. Fortunately, the old lady had spared Ji Lan some face; aside from her attendant, Nanny Cao, all other servants had been dismissed.
“Do you know why I’ve called you and your mother here?” the old lady asked coldly. Ever since she had handed over the household affairs to Madam Huang, she had never shown such a stern face.
Ji Lan had already guessed. The first thought that came to her mind was that Ji Cheng, that little wench, must have tattled because she refused to give the fifty thousand taels of silver. Ji Lan now regretted pressuring Ji Cheng so much. If she had known, she wouldn’t have pushed her so hard.
But Ji Lan thought she had been keeping a tight rein on Ji Cheng these past few days. Even her maids couldn’t leave the third house easily, and if they did, they were always accompanied. She couldn’t figure out when Ji Cheng had managed to spill the beans.
“When your father wanted to marry you, I agreed because he liked you, and I didn’t want to break his heart. For so many years, I’ve turned a blind eye to your foolishness. Some things can be overlooked, but some cannot. Our Duke’s family has never been disgraced like this in over a hundred years. A child’s misbehavior is the father’s fault. You, too, go kneel,” the old lady said.
Shen Ying lifted his robe and knelt with a thud. “I am an unfilial son, causing my mother grief. This foolish woman is at your disposal, and as for this unfilial daughter, I consider her as if she were never born.”
“Master!” Ji Lan cried, throwing herself at Shen Ying’s feet. “Master, how can you be so heartless?!” She understood from Shen Ying’s words that he intended to end Shen Cui’s life.
Shen Ying slumped his shoulders, looking ten years older, and ignored Ji Lan. He kowtowed to the old lady, saying, “With such a scandal, I have no face to remain in court. Tomorrow, I will submit my resignation.”
The old lady said, “Very well. It’s a shame after all these years of raising you. Resigning is good; when you can truly stand on your own, it won’t be too late to return. Your wife, despite her faults, has given you two sons and mourned your father for three years. We won’t divorce her but will send her to a family temple for three years of quiet reflection. As for A-Cui…”
Shen Cui, understanding what was happening, crawled to the old lady’s feet, her face full of tears. “Great-grandmother, great-grandmother…”
“You have a choice: either become a nun or end it with a white silk ribbon,” the old lady said.
“Great-grandmother!!” Ji Lan and Shen Cui cried out together.
“Great-grandmother, A-Cui is your granddaughter. She’s young and ignorant. Please forgive her this once. I’ll spend my life in the nunnery, praying and chanting. I beg you, please,” Ji Lan pleaded. Having been the old lady’s daughter-in-law for so many years, she knew that once the old lady made a decision, it was final.
The old lady waved her hand. “If you knew this would happen, why didn’t you think of it when you were sinning?”
Ji Lan clung to the old lady’s leg. “Great-grandmother, what did that little wench Ji Cheng tell you? A-Cui is your granddaughter. You know her character. She couldn’t have done such a thing…”
The old lady’s eyes widened. “You’re still trying to blame others? Everyone else is wrong, and only you’re right? Is this how you raised your daughter? No wonder Shen Cui could do such a thing!”
Ji Lan was stunned. “It wasn’t her?”
The old lady sneered. “Good, it’s time you understood. You’ve disgraced the Shen family. My A-Yuan and A-Qian have been implicated by Shen Cui. Do you think it was Ji Cheng who told me? I heard it from someone else who overheard Qi Zheng. They said our third madam was so desperate to marry off her shameless daughter that she begged the Qi family, who wouldn’t even consider her as the main wife.”
“How dare he?!” Ji Lan clenched her fists in rage.
Qi Zheng wouldn’t dare, but someone had used his name to inform the old lady.
Ji Cheng, confined to the small courtyard, couldn’t guess how the old lady would handle the situation. After a long while, news finally came.
“Miss, the old lady is sending the third madam to a family temple and wants the fifth miss to become a nun. Nanny Cao is overseeing their packing,” Yu Qian reported anxiously.
Although this outcome had crossed Ji Cheng’s mind, she hadn’t truly believed the old lady would go this far. Hearing it now, Ji Cheng felt a mix of respect and indescribable emotions.
The old lady’s decision was undoubtedly to uphold the family discipline, ensuring that no one in future generations would dare to do what Shen Cui had done. She disapproved of Ji Lan, likely because she felt Ji Lan couldn’t raise children properly and only spoiled them, leading to Shen Cui’s behavior.
But from another perspective, sacrificing Shen Cui’s life for the sake of family discipline seemed to lack familial affection.
Ji Cheng sighed. “Pack our things. We’ll go bid farewell to the old lady later.” With such a scandal, Ji Cheng felt she couldn’t stay with the Shen family any longer. She didn’t need to be told; she guessed it was Shen Che who had exposed the matter, using Shen Cui as a warning. Although it temporarily tarnished the Shen family’s reputation, in the long run, only by upholding family discipline could the descendants prosper, ensuring the Shen family’s continuity.
Ji Cheng rubbed her temples, cursing Shen Cui inwardly, but ultimately blamed herself. If she hadn’t let things develop, if she had warned Ji Lan more, Shen Cui and Qi Zheng’s affair wouldn’t have escalated to this point.
Of course, Shen Cui’s foolishness in meeting Qi Zheng was a key factor, leading Qi Zheng to raise his price. But Shen Che was also a piece of work, two-faced and treacherous. You think he’s good to you, but he can stab you in the back and then turn around to placate you.
If Ji Cheng knew the term “snake spirit disease,” she would surely use it to describe Shen Che.
Just as Shen Cui and Ji Lan were sent away, another major event occurred at the Shen family gate.
Qi Zheng, the eldest son of the Yunyang Earl’s family, knelt at the Shen family gate, begging to marry the fifth miss.
The Shen family gate was surrounded by onlookers. Although Qi Zheng wasn’t a prominent figure, Shen Cui was quite the sensation this year. Her performance at the altar was still remembered by the common folk.
Not only was she beautiful, but her voice was heavenly, and her background was illustrious, fulfilling all the common people’s fantasies.
Many wanted to do as Qi Zheng did and propose at the Shen family gate, but they knew they weren’t worthy. So they watched the spectacle, waiting to see the Shen family’s reaction, wondering if Qi Zheng would win the beauty.
Hearing about this commotion, the old lady felt a throbbing pain in her temples. Leaning on her bed, she complained to Shen Che, “When choosing a wife, choose wisely. If you marry someone like your third aunt, she’ll ruin the whole family. It’s a good thing A-Jing wasn’t raised by her.”
“Don’t worry, Grandma. Each generation has its fortune,” Shen Che replied.
As they spoke, Yun Jin entered to report, “Old Madam, Miss Ji is outside requesting to see you.”
“Not seeing her,” the old lady replied. After Yun Jin left, she continued, “I always thought she was a good one, but it turns out the Ji family is all the same. She was so close to A-Cui. If she hadn’t helped cover it up, would A-Cui have dared to do such shameless things?”
Shen Che said, “Grandma, you’ve never misjudged anyone. This cousin from the Ji family is innocent. You know A-Cui’s nature. Could Ji Cheng control her? She’s smart enough to know the consequences of A-Cui’s actions for herself.”