Because she was eloquent and sensible, Lord Shen often brought Shen Guiyan along when visiting other officials’ residences. Thus, Shen Guiyan was acquainted with many ladies from various families. Among them, Lady Wu, wife of the Vice Minister of Rites, held her in especially high regard and had even visited Concubine Qin twice, so they had some friendship.
Now that Concubine Qin had passed away, it was reasonable and beyond reproach for Shen Guiyan to send a white mourning card to inform Vice Minister Gao’s household.
However, this Lady Wu was somewhat different from other household mistresses—her temperament was straightforward, and she had always been unable to tolerate injustice. Inviting her at this juncture was naturally the right choice.
“Good girl, everyone says you have good fortune, so how is it that you’ve encountered so many troubles this time?”
Lady Wu wore a plain white long dress with a dark-edged white contrasting vest, no gold or silver ornaments on her head—only a mutton-fat jade ruyi hairpin. Upon arrival, she immediately grasped Shen Guiyan’s hand. “I was planning to prepare gifts to send to the Prime Minister’s residence, but unexpectedly the bride was changed, and Ruoshui also met with misfortune.”
Shen Guiyan’s eyes reddened slightly. Feeling the warmth of Lady Wu’s palm, her voice choked a little. “Concubine Qin’s passing was so sudden—Guiyan doesn’t know what to do anymore. In a few days, I’ll marry the Prime Minister’s Fourth Young Master. A joyous occasion conflicting with mourning—I don’t know if Concubine Qin will resent me from the underworld.”
“How could she resent you?” Lady Wu sighed. “Normally she doted on you most. We met twice this year, and each time she looked forward to your marriage. Though it’s somewhat regrettable that you can no longer marry Young Master Gu, I cannot interfere too much with your marriage.”
“Guiyan understands. That the lady came already shows you remember our bond.” Shen Guiyan smiled and led her toward the front hall. “Since the lady is here, please see Mother. She’s been preparing Guiyan’s dowry these days.”
Lady Wu nodded, though her heart was somewhat unwilling. She and Madam Shen had never gotten along well—best to pay respects and leave quickly.
In the front hall, Madam Shen was having people inventory Shen Guiyan’s dowry. The gift list was written full, but the items in the trunks had no substance at all. Fifteen large trunks—shake any of them and you could hear rattling inside.
Lady Wu stepped in and saw an open trunk—red silk lining the bottom, containing only three official kiln large plates. Such moderately weighted items required an entire trunk.
“Oh my, have I come at an inconvenient time?” Lady Wu quickly withdrew her foot, looking at the scene in the room and smiling at the person in the main seat. “I came thinking to pay my respects, but unexpectedly Madam Shen is busy.”
Madam Shen frowned and glanced at the person outside. Her face still wore a perfunctory smile as she stood up. “So it’s Lady Gao. Why was there no announcement when you arrived?”
Waving her hand to have the servants move things to the side, Madam Shen glanced at Shen Guiyan with a forced smile. “Lady Gao, please come in and sit.”
Lady Wu wasn’t polite and truly entered to sit down. Sweeping a glance at the dowry piled in the corner, she raised an eyebrow. “Are these Third Miss’s things?”
“Yes, she’s about to marry.” Madam Shen sat down as well. Today she wore a white-base long dress paired with a red begonia flower contrasting vest, forcefully overshadowing Lady Wu’s plain attire. As she spoke, she couldn’t help but raise her chin.
Lady Wu snorted lightly and reached for the tea. “Last month my fourth daughter also married—born of the second branch, whom I don’t favor—yet her dowry was still twenty large trunks, full without anything missing. Oh my, it’s not that I’m being nosy about your family affairs, but as the household mistress, one must be generous, otherwise people will laugh and it reflects poorly on your face.”
Madam Shen’s expression darkened, displeasure evident. “Each family’s customs are naturally different…”
“Indeed, each family’s customs naturally reflect each family’s status.” Lady Wu laughed twice and reached to count the trunks stacked there. “These things… I imagine Lord Shen’s salary this year wasn’t enough, to have economized to this extent.”
The ladies of various families always loved to compete—whether jewelry, clothing, daughters’ marriages, or husbands’ official positions, everything was compared. Hearing these words, Madam Shen naturally couldn’t save face and pressed her lips together. “My husband’s salary is no concern of the lady’s.”
“Indeed, it’s not my place to concern myself.” Lady Wu sipped her tea and tutted. “Only when the day comes, we must have Lady Xia from Vice Minister Xia’s household take a look. Last year she gave her concubine-born daughter only eighteen trunks and was laughed at for a whole year. This year it should be someone else’s turn.”
Madam Shen opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say, only glaring fiercely at Shen Guiyan.
Shen Guiyan raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and bowed. “Guiyan feels this dowry is sufficient. The lady need not worry—Guiyan won’t ask for more.”
“You’re a sensible girl.” Madam Shen smiled without warmth. “Since you’re so sensible, why did you invite Lady Gao here?”
“Oh my, what kind of thing is that to say?” Lady Gao was displeased and stood up to look at her. “Third Miss invited me to offer incense for Concubine Qin—that’s not excessive, is it? Who knew you’d be handling these things? You act miserly yourself, yet don’t want to hear people speak of it?”
Madam Shen also stood up, looking ready to lose her temper.
Shen Guiyan sensed the situation was wrong and quickly stepped forward to pull Lady Wu. “Lady Gao, please first offer incense for Concubine Qin. Coming here today wasn’t to discuss these matters.”
“Offer incense? With Concubine Qin watching her daughter suffer such grievances from the underworld, I fear she cannot rest in peace. No amount of incense will help!” Lady Wu snorted coldly. “It’s fortunate I came and saw this today. Otherwise, outsiders would all say you, Bao Shilan, are a virtuous and generous mistress. I won’t meddle in your family affairs—we’ll just come watch the excitement on Third Miss’s wedding day.”
With that, she swept her sleeves and left first. Shen Guiyan quickly had Baoshan see her out while she herself braced herself to remain in the hall.
If she followed Lady Wu out now, it would appear to Madam Shen as though she’d brought reinforcements to pressure her. Though this was indeed the case, she couldn’t let it show.
“What a meddlesome shrew!” Madam Shen raged. “Why did you have to invite her? Now she’s managing the Shen family’s affairs. Is her Gao residence’s courtyard not large enough?”
Shen Guiyan quickly said, “Madam, please calm down. Lady Gao simply has that temperament—you know this isn’t the first time. She truly came to offer incense for Concubine Qin today. I didn’t know you were organizing things in the front hall, so…”
Madam Shen snorted coldly, sat in her seat fuming for a while, then waved her hand. “You may leave.”
“Yes.” Shen Guiyan assented and obediently withdrew from the front hall, then hurried to catch up with Lady Wu.
Lady Wu stood waiting for her at the front gate, not a trace of anger on her face. When she approached, Lady Wu sighed. “You clever girl—I knew you must have some difficulty to have called me here.”
Shen Guiyan’s face flushed slightly as she curtsied. “Thank you, my lady.”
“Very well, I’m always willing to help you. You did right to invite me—this matter, even if it were the Prime Minister’s wife, I fear would be useless.” Lady Wu smiled and said in a low voice, “That Bao Shilan loves face dearly. Being choked by me today, she’ll certainly not dare reduce your dowry again. Otherwise at future gatherings, we’ll mock her every time, and she definitely won’t be able to endure it.”
Shen Guiyan nodded and said softly, “Guiyan doesn’t ask for an extravagant dowry—just enough not to lose propriety. Thank you for your help, my lady.”
“You child…” Lady Wu patted her hand. “When you have time, come talk with Jin’er. She’s waiting at home and has nothing to do.”
“Very well.” Shen Guiyan nodded and saw Lady Wu off to her carriage.
After Lady Wu made this appearance, Madam Shen fumed for half the day but still quietly instructed the steward to purchase additional items. Piecing things together here and there, they managed twenty trunks.
She hadn’t considered it properly before—shortchanging Shen Guiyan didn’t matter, but losing her own face was serious business. A few more trunks were just a few more—once Shen Guiyan married over, wouldn’t she still be beneath Ya’er?
Having resolved the dowry matter, Shen Guiyan peacefully prepared for her marriage. Fifteen days of mourning, then she could wear the wedding dress.
However, less than five days after the discipline rod incident, someone was hanging outside her window again.
“Yan’er, I’ve thought about it at length since returning home, and I feel unwilling to accept this.” Gu Chaodong stood outside her window with a serious expression. “That day your clothing and hair—you disheveled them yourself. When you opened the window to respond to me, you were perfectly fine. You and fourth brother—nothing actually happened between you, am I right?”
Shen Guiyan looked calmly at the person outside the window. “Young Master Gu, everything that needed to be said was said last time. Since you’ve willingly married Fifth Sister, you shouldn’t come entangle yourself with me again. What’s between Fourth Young Master and me is not for you to question.”
Already married, yet still running to her window in the middle of the night playing bat—if Shen Guiya knew, what would she feel?
Gu Chaodong’s face lit up with joy, completely ignoring her words and continuing on his own. “My thinking was correct—you’re still untouched. If that’s the case, then submit to me instead. At worst, I’ll accept punishment from Father. Even if it means taking the rod, I want to be with you.”
“Slam.” Shen Guiyan expressionlessly closed the window.
How much hope she had placed in this man—were her eyes full of sand before? To have actually thought Gu Chaodong, such a refined gentleman who understood propriety, would be a good husband.
She had been raised by strict rules. Since it was by parental decree and matchmaker’s word, she had always regarded Gu Chaodong as her husband in her heart, entrusting much emotion to him. Now this man had not only betrayed her but fantasized she would carry on an affair with him?
Did he have no shame left?
For the first time, she found Gu Chaodong’s face utterly detestable. Shen Guiyan turned to the table and grabbed the half-cooled teapot, then opened the window again.
“Yan’er, listen to me…”
She poured the pot of tea out and conveniently placed the teapot in Gu Chaodong’s hands. “A person’s virtue lies in knowing shame. I won’t see you out, First Young Master.”