In the evening, Third Master Shen Ying and Shen Jing had just returned to the manor when they were summoned to Old Madam’s Rui Ying Hall. Ji Lan and Li Rui were also invited.
The elders of the second branch, Madam Huang, along with Shen Yu and his wife Shen Zhen, were also called to Rui Ying Hall.
Duke Qi and Princess An He from the first branch were also present.
It was rare for the three branches of the Shen family to gather so completely, except for family reunion dinners.
Shen Che said, “I’ve asked all the elders to come today to witness something. Everyone must have heard about the rumors circulating in the manor. I wasn’t here for the past two days, and Cheng was bedridden, so we were at others’ mercy. Now that I’m back, I need to get to the bottom of this.”
Upon hearing this, Li Rui’s face turned pale. She hadn’t expected Shen Che to treat the matter so seriously. She knew she had no evidence, and even the painting had been taken away by Shen Che. In this formal inquiry, she stood no chance of gaining any advantage.
Li Rui looked to Shen Jing for help, but he ignored her completely.
“This matter indeed needs to be cleared up. We must determine right from wrong; we can’t just let it slide,” Old Madam said sternly. “If our family has truly done something shameful, I won’t be lenient. But if A-Rui is sowing discord, she must be punished.”
Shen Ying, who knew little about the inner courtyard affairs, only learned what had happened from Ji Lan after hearing Old Madam’s words. Immediately, Shen Ying became furious. He stood up and berated Ji Lan, “Look at what you’ve done! Is this the kind of daughter-in-law you picked, one who throws mud at her husband and sister-in-law?”
Ji Lan, who also despised Li Rui in her heart, lowered her head without a word.
Seeing the situation, Li Rui realized things had gone awry. Since reconciliation was impossible, she decided to go all out. She stood up and said, “I’m not lying. When my husband was drunk, he kept calling for Sister Cheng. He even painted a portrait of Ji Cheng, and the affection in it was so intense, it made me sick.”
Shen Jing slowly stood up and went before Old Madam. “It’s all this unfilial grandson’s fault. I truly can’t live with Li Rui anymore. She’s always gossiping and belittling her sisters-in-law, looking down on everyone. So I set up a separate residence outside and took a concubine. That Chen woman lives in the third house from the entrance of Qipan Alley.”
Shen Jing’s words stunned everyone, especially Li Rui, who immediately threw herself at Shen Jing’s feet. “How dare you! You kept a mistress behind my back!”
Shen Jing shook off Li Rui and remained kneeling straight before Old Madam.
Old Madam turned and ordered, “Go to Qipan Street and bring that Chen woman here.”
Qipan Street wasn’t far from the Shen manor, and soon the Chen woman was brought in. She was originally the daughter of a poor scholar. To pay for her father’s medical treatment, she had become Shen Jing’s concubine.
Coincidentally, the Chen woman’s name was Hui Cheng.
Seeing that Chen was fair-skinned, quiet, and refined, with proper manners, Old Madam took an immediate liking to her. After learning that Chen came from a good family, she said, “You poor child. Since you’re with Jing now, there’s no reason for you to live outside. I’ll make the decision today—you’ll go back with your mother-in-law.”
Ji Lan, hearing her name mentioned, quickly agreed. Whether this Chen woman was real or not, at least “Sister Cheng” in Li Rui’s accusations could no longer be Ji Cheng.
Chen looked shyly towards Shen Jing, who gazed back at her. The affection between them was palpable.
By now, even Li Rui herself couldn’t be sure who the “Sister Chen” in Shen Jing’s drunken ramblings was. After all, there had indeed been no substantial interaction between Ji Cheng and Shen Jing. Li Rui’s outburst that day was partly due to her hot temper and lack of forethought, and partly an attempt to threaten Shen Jing.
She hadn’t expected Shen Jing to be completely unafraid of her, nor had she anticipated that Shen Che wouldn’t doubt Ji Cheng at all. This put Li Rui in a very passive position.
“But what about the painting? You can’t deny that you secretly painted a portrait of Second Sister-in-law, can you?” Li Rui pressed.
“That was commissioned by Second Brother,” Shen Jing replied. “He feared that Second Sister-in-law might… not have anything to remember her by in the future.”
Li Rui shrieked, “I don’t believe it! You’re all in this together, bullying me. Why would he need something to remember her by? He doesn’t even like his Second Sister-in-law. He’s been so cold to her, we’ve all seen it!”
Shen Che coldly addressed Li Rui, “My feelings for Cheng are not for you to judge.”
Li Rui, both angry and desperate, found it hard to sort out her own emotions. She pointed at Shen Che and scolded, “You’re all terrible people. Don’t think I don’t know—you’re a notorious philanderer. At last year’s Mid-Autumn family banquet, you kept staring at me, harboring ulterior motives. Just because I ignored you, you’ve been holding a grudge and want to get back at me!”
As soon as Li Rui said this, everyone in the room was stunned and turned to look at Shen Che.
Shen Che couldn’t help but chuckle, fixing his gaze on Li Rui. “Though I may be a philanderer, those who know me well are aware that all my past lovers were peerless beauties. Someone like you would only hurt my eyes.”
Although these words were harsh, everyone present couldn’t help but silently agree. Li Rui had only been of average looks before, and now she was barely presentable. It was hard to understand where her confidence came from.
Upon hearing this, Old Madam immediately reprimanded Shen Che, “A-Che, don’t speak nonsense. For women, virtue is paramount; appearance is secondary. Besides, you’re at fault too. If you had been more careful in your daily behavior, how could there be such misunderstandings?”
As Old Madam spoke, she couldn’t be bothered to scold Li Rui anymore, feeling that she was beyond help. To claim that a mere glance indicated ulterior motives, and to accuse her husband and sister-in-law of an affair without any evidence—her temperament was truly beyond compare.
Just as Shen Che was about to respond to Old Madam, he caught sight of Ji Cheng entering the courtyard.
Shen Che stood up and quickly went to meet her, his voice filled with concern, “Why did you come?”
Ji Cheng was still unsteady on her feet and had arrived in a bamboo sedan chair, supported by her maids Liu Ye’er and Yu Qian’er.
“I know everything,” Ji Cheng said softly. When she had woken up that evening and couldn’t find Shen Che, she had pressed for answers. Yu Qian’er, unable to withhold the information, had told her everything, believing that Ji Cheng had a right to know and shouldn’t be slandered without cause.
When Ji Cheng heard about it, she was shocked. The situation could be either minor or major, but the accused could never fully clear their names—it was truly unfortunate. She also felt intense hatred towards Li Rui for spreading baseless rumors.
Ji Cheng was even more concerned about Shen Che’s thoughts on the matter, which was why she had insisted on coming despite her weak condition.
Shen Che gently embraced Ji Cheng and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’m here.”
Ji Cheng responded with a soft “Mm.”
In just these few words, their affection was evident, completely contradicting Li Rui’s claims.
Shen Che carefully helped Ji Cheng inside and seated her beside him.
In the lamplight, the contrast between Ji Cheng and Li Rui became starkly apparent, showing a difference as vast as that between clouds and mud. Anyone with eyes could see that it was highly unlikely for Shen Che to have any interest in Li Rui.
Although Ji Cheng was ill and her beauty had diminished by at least half, her features remained exquisite. Moreover, thanks to the nourishment from the Golden Silver Fish blood in recent days, her complexion has improved significantly. With the toxins expelled from her body, her skin appeared even more translucent and delicate, like the finest mutton-fat jade.
However, she was so frail that she seemed as if a gust of wind could topple her, appearing delicate and moving, like mist rising from a pond, adding an ethereal charm to her presence.
With such a pearl before them, Li Rui appeared even more unsightly in comparison.
Shen Che removed Ji Cheng’s wind cap and smiled, “Oh, you happened to wear it.”
The hairpin in Ji Cheng’s hair was the camellia jade hairpin that Shen Che had made for her.
Shen Che turned to Old Madam and said, “The camellia jade hairpin in Cheng’s hair is one I made myself. At last year’s Mid-Autumn night banquet, I did glance at my Fourth Sister-in-law a few times, but that was because she was wearing this hairpin. Cheng and I even quarreled over it—I was upset that she had given away the hairpin I made. Later, I learned that the Fourth Sister-in-law had been eyeing the hairpin, and Cheng couldn’t refuse her request. I never expected this would lead to Fourth Sister-in-law’s misunderstanding.”
Shen Che’s words left Li Rui feeling utterly humiliated. She covered her face, sobbing, and tried to rush out. However, with just a glance from Shen Che, the maids at the door blocked her way.
“Everyone has seen and heard everything. We must clear Cheng and Fourth Brother’s names. The servants who spread gossip will be severely punished. As for my Fourth Sister-in-law, I still call her that now, but we dare not associate with such relatives anymore. I propose to seal the door connecting Qing Garden and Iron Hat Hutong’s residence. In the future, even if such rumors arise again, they won’t be able to implicate Cheng,” Shen Che said.
Sealing Qing Garden’s door meant a true family separation. Third Master’s face immediately darkened, but he couldn’t blame Shen Che.
Shen Jing said, “I can’t keep such a wife either. I fear Yu’er might be negatively influenced if she stays with her. I want to invite the elders from her family to come and arrange for a divorce with Li Rui.”
Shen Ying spoke up, “Then invite her parents to the manor first thing tomorrow morning.”
“No, I won’t divorce! I won’t!” Li Rui wasn’t too afraid when Shen Jing mentioned divorce, but when her father-in-law spoke up, she lost all courage.
Li Rui cried and clung to Shen Jing’s legs, “It’s my fault, all my fault. I only spoke carelessly because I care about you too much. How was I to know you were calling for Chen when you said ‘Sister Cheng’? There’s only one person in the family with the name Cheng, so I misunderstood. You can beat me or scold me, I’ll accept it all. Fourth Lang, think about our Yu’er. How can she manage without her birth mother?”
Li Rui wept bitterly. Seeing Shen Jing unmoved, she ran to clutch Ji Cheng’s legs, crying, “Second Sister-in-law, please help me. It’s all my fault. I apologize to you. Please persuade Fourth Lang for me. It’s all my mistake, I spoke nonsense…” Li Rui cried her heart out, her face covered in tears and mucus.
Ji Cheng was stunned by Li Rui’s sudden change. It was remarkable how quickly she had gone from being haughty and feeling wronged by everyone to completely humbling herself.
At the core, Li Rui wasn’t entirely without wit. She was just too self-centered, spoiled by her parents at home, and initially indulged by Ji Lan and Shen Jing after marriage, making her unable to tolerate any grievance.
Now, Li Rui knew that persisting would only lead to worse consequences. The Shen family’s status was no less than her own, and Shen Jing had just passed the imperial exams. If she were divorced, where could she find such a good family again? Her parents would likely berate her severely.
In an instant, Li Rui made her decision. To avoid divorce, she was willing to do anything. This was similar to how Ji Cheng had once done many things she now found embarrassing to win back Shen Che.
However, Ji Cheng felt no sympathy for Li Rui. The harm she had caused this time was too great. Even though everything had been clarified, once tainted by such rumors, a person would likely be gossiped about for life. Others didn’t care about the truth; they only cared about how juicy the gossip was.
In the future, if Ji Cheng spoke a few more words with any man, she would likely be criticized. She would have to avoid Shen Jing altogether, which had been Li Rui’s initial goal in causing this trouble.
Seeing Ji Cheng’s silence, Li Rui turned to plead with Old Madam and Ji Lan, crying pitifully. Cui Long couldn’t help but speak up for her, and even the kind-hearted Feng Shuang said a few words on her behalf.
Old Madam sighed, “Enough. For Yu’er’s sake, we can’t let her lose her mother while still in swaddling clothes. Jing, say something.”
Shen Jing looked at Shen Che with some difficulty. Although he despised Li Rui, Old Madam was right – Li Rui was Yu’er’s birth mother, and they had been married for two or three years; surely there must be some affection. But facing Shen Che and Ji Cheng, Shen Jing found it hard to speak words of forgiveness for Li Rui.
Shen Che gave an almost imperceptible nod to Shen Jing, who then said, “Very well.”
After returning to Nine Li Courtyard, Ji Cheng remained gloomy and silent. Others might not have noticed Shen Che’s intention, but she had. If not for Shen Che’s nod, Li Rui would certainly have been divorced.
“Your lips could hang an oil bottle now,” Shen Che said, touching Ji Cheng’s lips.
Ji Cheng turned away, ignoring him, and went straight to bed, feigning a headache.
Shen Che followed, taking Ji Cheng’s hand. “Are you angry with me? You’re not usually so petty.”
Ji Cheng pulled her hand away. “I’m not being petty. It’s just that what she said this time was too much. Even though it’s been cleared up, I’ll have to be extremely cautious for the rest of my life, while she only has to stay in the family temple for half a year. She might even be released early for the New Year. But my reputation is ruined for life.”
Shen Che squeezed Ji Cheng’s palm. “Don’t worry at all, and don’t make yourself sick over this. You’ll see your husband’s methods in the future. I’ll make sure you’re satisfied. It’s just that Princess Zhenping is seriously ill now, and she’s always been close to Old Madam. Divorcing Li Rui now might worsen her condition.”
Ji Cheng wasn’t unreasonable, but she couldn’t help feeling depressed. Li Rui seemed to have been born under a lucky star, always having someone to cover for her mistakes.
Ji Cheng pouted at Shen Che. “In the future, I might be criticized for even looking at other men twice, let alone Fourth Brother. I’ll have to avoid him completely from now on. Fortunately, there was a Chen this time to clear things up. You believe me now, but who knows, if enough people talk in the future, you might start to doubt me too.” Ji Cheng’s words were almost coquettish.
Shen Che tucked Ji Cheng’s hand under the blanket, adjusted her backrest, and instructed Liu Ye’er to bring medicine before saying, “You should indeed avoid Fourth Brother.”
Ji Cheng found this statement odd and looked at Shen Che quizzically.
Shen Che explained, “There is no Chen. I helped him make that up. There are still many loose ends to tie up in the next few days.”
“So, you didn’t ask him to paint that portrait?” Although Ji Cheng hadn’t seen any portrait, since Li Rui mentioned it and Shen Jing didn’t deny it, it must exist.
Shen Che said, “No matter how generous I am, I would never ask him to paint your portrait.” He then kissed Ji Cheng’s cheek. “When spring comes, I’ll take you to San Hao Ju to have your portrait painted.”
Ji Cheng was in no mood to think about San Hao Ju in spring. She now realized that Li Rui hadn’t entirely wronged Shen Jing. “But I don’t think Fourth Brother has such deep feelings for me. He only thought of me because he was unhappy with Li Rui.”
Not wanting any misunderstanding between her and Shen Che because of Shen Jing, Ji Cheng spoke seriously, “I won’t deny that Fourth Brother might have had some feelings for me initially, like King Xiang. But if he truly cared for me, he wouldn’t have married Li Rui later. In these years, I’ve rarely spoken more than two sentences with him, and he treats me no differently than others.”
“What do you mean by ‘truly cared for you’?” Shen Che asked, amused.
Ji Cheng, knowing Shen Che was praising her, said, “Like you, for instance. I think Old Madam might not have initially agreed to let you marry me, and Mother’s side probably never considered me as a daughter-in-law. You must have put in a lot of effort. That’s true sincerity.”
Shen Che moved bit Ji Cheng’s lip. “You’re still conscientious after all. I love this cleverness of yours.”