Ji Cheng assessed her gambling skills and realized she couldn’t match Shen Che’s, so she shook her head.
Shen Che said, “In that case, I’ll go upstairs to sleep.” He didn’t leave through the main door but chose the secret passage. This way, others would think the couple hadn’t separated for the night.
Ji Cheng stared at Shen Che’s retreating figure for a long while. She had spent half the day in mental struggle, thinking that for the sake of bearing a son, all sacrifices were temporary. But in the end, Shen Che just up and left.
Even as she lay in bed, Ji Cheng couldn’t figure out Shen Che’s intentions. Perhaps she had been too presumptuous—Shen Che hadn’t planned to consummate their marriage at all?
After a night of confused sleep, Ji Cheng opened her eyes to find Shen Che already in the room. No one could tell that the couple hadn’t shared a bed.
When Liu Ye’er came in to serve, seeing the couple behaving normally, she couldn’t help but feel relieved. She knew best about Ji Cheng and Ling Ziyun’s past affair and had worried that Ji Cheng might be difficult with the Second Young Master. That could have damaged their relationship for life—after all, which man would want his wife to have another in her heart?
During breakfast, Liu Ye’er and Nishang served together. Ji Cheng, having noticed Yu Qian’er’s feelings, intentionally avoided calling her to serve when Shen Che was present. As for Liu Ye’er and Nishang, Ji Cheng felt they would eventually become concubines, so there was no need to be overly cautious.
Although Ji Cheng hadn’t interacted much with Nishang, in these two days, she had observed Nishang’s calm demeanor and meticulous actions. Nishang didn’t try to stand out or vie for favor. Whenever Ji Cheng was present, she never approached Shen Che, showing a clear understanding of her place. Ji Cheng didn’t mind promoting her.
For instance, now when serving dishes, Nishang didn’t crowd around Shen Che but instead attentively served Ji Cheng, leaving Liu Ye’er no choice but to serve Shen Che.
Ji Cheng glanced at the dishes on the table. There were qiou pian, liu jian’er, sheng chao mian, and even a bowl of dao xiao mian—all Jin regional dishes.
“I didn’t often dine in the Nine Li Courtyard before, so there wasn’t a small kitchen here. I had one built thinking of your arrival. I’m not sure about your preferences, but I hired a cook from North Jin, assuming it would be what you’re used to. I know you’re particular about food. If you want dishes from other cuisines, we can hire more cooks.” Shen Che personally ladled a bowl of porridge for Ji Cheng and handed it to her, then turned to Nishang and Liu Ye’er, saying, “You may go now.”
Liu Ye’er glanced at Ji Cheng for her cue, then bowed and retreated.
“Is Miss Liu still in the mansion?” Ji Cheng asked about her former teacher, Cook Liu.
“I knew you’d miss her, so I tried to keep her for you. But she was determined to leave, saying she wanted to travel east, west, south, and north to improve her culinary skills,” Shen Che replied.
Ji Cheng could hardly meet Shen Che’s eyes. When this man truly wanted to be kind to someone, it was hard to resist. A playboy’s tactics might only fool naive young girls. But even if Shen Che was sincere, Ji Cheng felt she couldn’t handle it, had no way to repay him, and thus felt undeserving.
Noticing Ji Cheng’s evasive gaze, a flicker passed through Shen Che’s eyes. “Eat more. This cook’s skills are decent. I’ve tried it for you. Only her wild vegetable cakes are about seventy percent as good as yours.” Shen Che placed a wild vegetable cake on Ji Cheng’s plate and said, “I wonder when I’ll have the fortune to taste my wife’s homemade wild vegetable cakes?”
The term “wife” made Ji Cheng’s skin crawl, even more terrifying than being called “Acheng.” This time, Ji Cheng didn’t even dare to raise her head, just kept stuffing food into her mouth.
Shen Che didn’t push Ji Cheng. Throughout breakfast, he was seen serving tea, water, rice, and dishes to Ji Cheng.
After Shen Che and Ji Cheng left, Nishang was clearing the table when Yu Yi came in from outside and whispered to her, “Sister Nishang, is the new Young Madam easy to serve?”
Ji Cheng had only arrived two days ago, and Yu Yi hadn’t had the chance to serve her. Yesterday, Ji Cheng had left early in the morning, and when she returned to her room in the evening, Shen Che was there, so Yu Yi hadn’t dared to approach. Even Nishang had only gone in to pour a cup of tea before leaving.
Nishang and Yu Yi had been together for over four years, so there was some affection between them. Fearing that Yu Yi might overstep and offend the Young Master, Nishang quietly advised, “The Young Madam doesn’t talk much, but she’s not difficult to get along with. It’s just that this is the first time the Young Master has married in all these years, so he’s bound to be protective.”
Yu Yi smiled, “Hasn’t the Young Master always been protective and doting when he gets someone new? It’s always just for a few days before they’re cast aside.”
Nishang frowned. Yu Yi had become quite spoiled in the past two years. Nishang was a mild-tempered person who didn’t concern herself with matters outside of Shen Che’s affairs. The household matters were all managed by Yu Yi, so naturally, many people tried to curry favor with her.
“This is the Young Madam we’re talking about. Besides, we rarely go out. How much do you know about the Young Master’s affairs outside? Don’t listen to those gossipers,” Nishang scolded. “In the future, don’t mention such things in front of the Young Madam.”
Yu Yi playfully stuck out her tongue. “Sister, you’re truly virtuous. The Young Madam has just arrived, and you’re already protecting her. Who knows if she’ll allow us to stay?”
Hearing this, Nishang remained silent and lowered her head to wipe the table.
In her heart, Yu Yi despised Nishang for being so wooden, but outwardly she said, “I’m just worried for you, Sister. You’ve served the Second Young Master for so many years, and your relationship is so deep. I’m afraid it might offend someone. I’ve heard that our Young Madam is no pushover and is good at pleasing the Old Madam.”
Nishang sighed, “No matter how deep my relationship with the Young Master is, it’s still a master-servant relationship. I wouldn’t dare to think otherwise.”
Yu Yi naturally didn’t believe this. In Nishang’s eyes, there was only the Young Master. Talk of master-servant relationships and not daring to hope for more was just fooling herself. “Sister, I’ve noticed that the Young Madam’s maid, Miss Liu Ye’er, is also very beautiful. When the Young Master is in the room, the Young Madam doesn’t mind her serving. Do you think she’s been prepared for the Young Master?”
The Shen family had strict rules. Before the Young Madam entered the household, none of the men in various branches could take concubines. So Yu Yi had waited all these years, her feet growing weak with anticipation, until Ji Cheng finally arrived as the Young Madam. How could she not be anxious? She wasn’t getting any younger either.
Seeing that Yu Yi was still deluded, Nishang had to speak more sternly to wake her up. “You know our family’s rules. In the first few years after the ladies enter the household, has anyone added people to their rooms?”
Because the Marquis of Qi had married a princess, there wasn’t a single concubine in his household. Second Master Shen Xiu, being at the border for years, naturally needed someone to serve him, so he had one or two concubines. As for the Third Master, that was a special case.
Sure enough, Yu Yi immediately said, “Doesn’t the Third Master have concubines in his household?”
Nishang fell silent. Some things couldn’t be discussed. The Third Master taking concubines was obviously due to the Old Madam and Third Madam Ji Lan being at odds. The Old Madam disliked Ji Lan, which was why she allowed Third Master Shen Xiu to act recklessly.
However, Nishang and Yu Yi were too young and unclear about the internal situation, so they could only speculate. Nishang had seen the truth, but Yu Yi hadn’t. She continued to mutter, “The Third Madam and our Young Madam are from the same family.”
Nishang no longer had the patience to persuade Yu Yi. Some people were too foolish to turn back. What could she do? Yu Yi wasn’t considering that the Second Young Master wasn’t like the Third Master. He had waited all these years to marry, and if he hadn’t been wholeheartedly devoted, how could the Young Madam have entered the family?
Just the fact that she was surnamed Ji and was Ji Lan’s niece, yet still managed to marry their Young Master smoothly, was enough for Nishang to know which side to stand on.
Ji Cheng and Shen Che went together to the South Xun Garden to pay respects to Princess Anhe. Marquis Shen Zhuo originally didn’t live in the South Xun Garden but stayed in the adjacent Mo Hua Hall. However, because the new bride had to serve her in-laws for meals and hand-washing for the first three days after entering the household, he was staying in the South Xun Garden.
Ji Cheng bowed to Shen Zhuo and Anhe, then rolled up her sleeves and washed her hands in the celadon Jun kiln porcelain basin brought by the maid. She then stood beside Anhe and took up chopsticks to serve dishes for her parents-in-law.
Throughout the meal, Shen Che and his parents truly upheld the sage’s teaching of not speaking while eating, without a single word of exchange. Ji Cheng had been standing so long that she had switched from her left foot to her right when she finally heard Anhe speak, “Bring me a cup of plum wine.”
Ji Cheng was startled. Drinking so early in the morning was very harmful to one’s health. She had always known that Anhe loved alcohol, but she hadn’t expected it to reach the point of drinking even at breakfast.
Ji Cheng didn’t dare move and glanced at Shen Che. Shen Che nodded slightly. Ji Cheng then looked at the Marquis, whose eyebrows hadn’t even twitched, before she walked over to Weiyu.
After Anhe had finished her cup of plum wine, Ji Cheng finally heard her speak again, “You don’t need to come pay respects to me here. If there’s anything, I’ll send someone to call for you.”
Before Ji Cheng could respond, Anhe waved her hand again, “I wake up late in the morning. If you come to pay respects, I’d have to make the effort to get up early. If you really can’t sleep, go to the Old Ancestor’s place and show some filial piety on my behalf.”
With things said to this extent, what else could Ji Cheng say? After leaving the South Xun Garden, Ji Cheng couldn’t help but ask Shen Che, “Mother drinks so early in the morning, and none of you try to stop her?”
Shen Che was silent for a moment before saying, “We used to try, but later we lost the right to.”
Ji Cheng blinked, not understanding what he meant.
There were some things Shen Che didn’t want to mention. Back then, by the lotus pond at West Lake, the slap Ji Cheng gave him had naturally been seen by Princess Anhe. Even if Anhe usually didn’t interfere in Shen Che’s affairs, seeing him receive a slap from her cousin without any reaction, Anhe couldn’t help but inquire.
“What’s going on between you and that Ji girl?” This was Anhe’s first question to Shen Che.
At that time, the handprint on Shen Che’s face hadn’t even faded; Ji Cheng had used considerable force. “I want to marry her,” Shen Che’s answer was completely off-topic.
Anhe wasn’t surprised. She knew her son to some extent, and it was unprecedented for him to be slapped without retaliating.
“Why her?”
Shen Che thought for a moment and said, “I’m willing. Look, only she can keep me in check.”
This reason was utterly baffling, yet Anhe accepted it. Perhaps after waiting so many years, she had lowered her expectations for a daughter-in-law again and again.
However, who would have thought that on that very day, they would receive news that Ji Cheng’s mother had passed away? This meant three years of mourning, which Anhe was unwilling to accept. In the end, the deal Shen Che made with her was that she wouldn’t interfere with Shen Che’s marriage if he stopped meddling in her drinking.
Because both marriage and drinking were personal choices, since Shen Che demanded that Anhe not interfere with his preferences, he naturally couldn’t interfere with Anhe’s either. The way mother and son interacted was indeed unusual.
Thinking Shen Che wouldn’t answer, Ji Cheng didn’t pursue the question further. But the atmosphere during the meal had already given Ji Cheng a glimpse into Shen Che’s relationship with his parents. No wonder he was unrestrained—had he never been disciplined since childhood? Only the Old Madam could say a few words to Shen Che.
At Rui Ying Hall, the atmosphere was completely different. There was always laughter and conversation in the Old Madam’s room. However, Shen Che only went in to inquire about her well-being before leaving, while Ji Cheng had to stay behind to entertain the guests who hadn’t left yet with the Old Madam.
Shen Yun approached Ji Cheng, took her hand, and said, “Oh my, what’s going on with you newlyweds? How come you’ve moved the bed out of your new room already?”