The northern campaign ended surprisingly quickly, but the review of Prince Wu’s case proceeded slowly. As a result, Lin Yan and Shen Shaoguang’s wedding date was pushed back even further, from early summer to mid-autumn.
After learning of his fourth son Li Quan’s capture, the Prince of Zhao’s asthma flared up again. His imprisoned second son Li Xie seized military power with the help of old allies, while the traditionally weak third son, supported by other military commanders, stood against his brother. Unable to match his brother’s strength, the third son simply “abandoned darkness for light” and turned to the imperial court…
The Northern Campaign Army, together with the Yanmen Army and the Interior Army, surrounded them from three sides. The Prince of Zhao’s second son Li Xie was defeated and fled to Hengzhou, controlled by the Chengde Army. After negotiations, the Chengde Army surrendered Li Xie along with his main advisors and generals.
In May, news of the great victory was rushed back to Chang’an by fast horses. The court officials showed relieved smiles, and the Emperor also breathed easier. The common people of Chang’an didn’t think much of it—they had always known those traitors wouldn’t amount to anything. What capabilities did they have, secretly plotting assassinations?
It was said that when the army entered the Northern Capital, the Prince of Zhao’s corpse had already started decomposing, unburied and unattended. This great prince had occupied the strategic Northern Capital for over a decade, commanding the military forces of three commanderies. During the previous Emperor’s reign, he had manipulated the court through Daoist priests. Who would have thought that such a formidable figure would meet such a lonely end?
Shen Shaoguang was somewhat surprised by how cleanly and quickly the campaign ended, but then again, history books were full of conflicts that began fiercely but ended swiftly. Quick was good—fewer soldiers died, officials like Minister Li grew fewer white hairs, and people like herself could perform ancestral ceremonies sooner.
As Shen Shaoguang offered incense to her parents and brothers of this life, she thought: good and evil are finally repaid, may your spirits rest in peace.
Prince Wu’s case was proceeding slowly. The Emperor had instructed the Three Departments to expedite the process—however tyrannical the previous Emperor had been, he was still his father. It would be best to conclude the review before the northern campaign ended: restore reputations where needed, provide comfort where appropriate, and return estates where due. Once the campaign was victorious and the army returned to the capital, this matter would fade away.
However, as the biggest case from the previous Emperor’s final years, the Prince Wu case had far-reaching implications. How many people had been dismissed from office, how many were banished or exiled, and how many families were destroyed? How could it be resolved quickly?
Because of the review of Shen Qian’s case, and having heard about Shen Shaoguang’s situation, Outer Bureau Director Shen Pu from the Eastern Capital specifically requested imperial permission to come to the capital to assist with this matter.
When Lin Yan mentioned this uncle’s arrival in the capital, Shen Shaoguang went to the guest house to pay her respects.
Shen Pu was about thirty-something, with fine eyebrows and handsome eyes. It was said he had passed the imperial examinations very young, yet now he held only a sixth-rank position as Outer Bureau Director in the Eastern Capital’s Department of State Affairs—truly a position for a comfortable retirement. Seeing him wearing casual wide-sleeved clothes and wooden clogs, in a carefree and unrestrained manner, Shen Shaoguang thought her uncle had chosen his official position quite cleverly.
Yet this seemingly carefree person had hurried to welcome her with quick steps. Shen Shaoguang thought that perhaps when she left the palace, she had been too pessimistic.
Sitting in the guest house hall, Shen Pu looked at her for a moment, his eyes showing emotion: “When I last saw you, you were only this tall—” Shen Pu gestured to the height of the couch.
Shen Shaoguang smiled, “I don’t remember anything from when I returned to Luoyang.”
Shen Pu spoke slowly, “It wasn’t when you returned to Luoyang, it was when I came to the capital for the examinations and stayed at your father’s place.”
They both fell silent. After a moment, it was Shen Pu who recovered first, smiling: “That crying little child pulling at clothes has now become such a lovely young lady. That Deputy Magistrate Lin, his character and appearance are good, though I hear his temperament is quite reserved.”
Just then, her aunt led servants in with tea and snacks.
Shen Shaoguang stood up. Her aunt took her hand to sit down and gave Shen Pu a reproachful look: “My lord is—”
Shen Pu laughed: “What’s wrong with that? Marriage is a major matter, the young ladies themselves must be willing. As it is with A’ji now, so it shall be with A’jing in the future.”
Looking at her cousin who smiled at her, barely taller than the couch, Shen Shaoguang thought her uncle was truly far-sighted.
The later-arriving clan uncle, Prefecture Governor Shen Zhi of Yingzhou, presented yet another demeanor. Around fifty, fair-faced with a beard, his eyes were quite stern. Shen Shaoguang didn’t dare act casually before him, putting on the appearance of a shy maiden.
Shen Zhi asked about her days in the palace, and then about her life after leaving. He asked in great detail, and Shen Shaoguang couldn’t hide anything, having no choice but to tell honestly about staying in the nunnery and running the tavern.
Shen Zhi was silent for a moment, “It was our fault for not taking better care of you.”
Shen Shaoguang felt her uncle had greatly misunderstood—she wanted to say she had been quite happy eating and drinking every day, but that seemed inappropriate, so she could only laugh dryly.
Thinking about having to act as her guardian and discuss marriage with the Lin family, Shen Zhi opened his mouth, then closed it, finally speaking after a moment: “Deputy Magistrate Lin’s character is good, just that he’s somewhat cold and stern, you—” Shen Zhi stopped again, really not knowing how to discuss such matters with a young lady.
Shen Zhi also had a daughter, betrothed to the son of Luzhou’s Prefecture Governor Cui Yan, but at that time he hadn’t needed to say anything—his wife had discussed it with their daughter, and the two families were old friends, his wife having met the young man. This time it wasn’t appropriate for his wife to speak—the “son-in-law” had special status, and Deputy Magistrate Lin would soon be the third-rank Metropolitan Governor, a proper purple-robed high official. Shen Zhi had no choice but to force himself to handle it.
However, the two uncles soon reversed their opinions.
Every time Deputy Magistrate Lin came to pay his respects, he spoke very respectfully, always with a smile; when drinking, though his face would redden, he never refused, being quite honest; most importantly, when he occasionally saw A’ji, his gaze was as gentle as the spring breeze…
When alone, Shen Shaoguang teased Lin Yan: “I never see you this mild normally, you’re quite good at putting on an act.”
Lin Yan also smiled, admitting: “Being the Shen family’s son-in-law is truly not easy.”
Not just not easy, but extremely difficult—in the capital, there was still Minister Li who occasionally sought him out for drinks, and that sharp-eyed Master Chu would soon arrive in the capital…
With Shen Zhi transferred to a capital position, time was plenty, so the six rites proceeded unhurriedly. By July, when Prince Wu’s case was concluded and Shen Qian’s wrongful case was cleared, they had only reached the betrothal gifts step of the six rites.
Shen Zhi led his brothers and nephews in solemnly conducting the ancestral ceremony. Li Yue, Chu Di, Lin Yan, and others all sent offerings. After the ceremony, Shen Zhi, Shen Pu, and Shen Shaoguang all had red eyes.
Because of Shen Shaoguang’s merit in saving the Emperor and her role in capturing Li Quan, the Emperor granted her double the original Shen family estates—including one of the former Prince of Zhao’s villas.
Shen Shaoguang finally experienced the feeling of becoming rich overnight.
Imitating movie heroines, Shen Shaoguang teased Lin Yan: “Lord Lin, I’ll support you—”
Lin Yan, now quite able to keep up with Shen Shaoguang’s rhythm, smiled and bowed: “In that case, many thanks to my lady.”
However, such moments of casual banter were few—if not for these court matters, the couple wouldn’t have seen each other much before the wedding—now Shen Shaoguang lived with her uncle and aunt.
On the auspicious date of the tenth day of the eighth month, they finally reached the last of the six rites—the wedding ceremony.
This was Shen Shaoguang’s first wedding in both lifetimes and has been in the palace, she had never personally seen a common wedding, so this time was eye-opening—for instance, the “groom hazing.”
The sisters-in-law from her uncle’s family and several relatives and old friends each wielded sticks, intending to “severely punish” Deputy Magistrate Lin, no, Metropolitan Governor Lin.
The three sisters-in-law from her uncle’s family spoke quickly: “Eleventh Miss, don’t feel sorry for him, a son-in-law is the wife’s family’s dog, he must be beaten.”
The Eleventh Miss was Shen Shaoguang’s rank in the family.
Eleventh Miss Shen nodded: “Sisters, beat him as you please, he won’t behave without a beating.”
The sisters-in-law all laughed.
They were quite excited, having heard that the new brother-in-law was tall and handsome, and a purple-robed high official—such a son-in-law, chances to beat him were rare…
Lin Yan maintained his honest image before the “father-in-law squad,” didn’t use any tricks, and quite let the ladies tease him. When Shen Shaoguang secretly watched him from upstairs, his hat was crooked and his hair somewhat disheveled, but his smile remained unchanged.
Shen Shaoguang gave a mischievous smile, and Lin Yan, as if sensing something, looked up, their eyes meeting.
But someone had already come to call Shen Shaoguang: “Eleventh Miss, time to dress up!”
The dressing couldn’t be rushed—tradition required waiting for the groom outside to recite makeup-urging poems.
Shen Shaoguang listened with great amusement inside the room. Although Lin Yan occasionally said sweet words, he had never praised her so openly, especially never praising her beauty! Shen Shaoguang became a bit petty, making him do it—what did a Hedong talented scholar, a young imperial exam graduate, have to fear?
The sisters-in-law all praised, “Eleventh Miss is steady.”
Lin Yan could imagine Shen Shaoguang’s smug expression, just smiling and composing poem after poem, from lotus face to apricot eyes, to cherry lips and pearl teeth, cloud-like hair, and graceful bearing… My A’ji truly is a beauty.
After going through another series of complicated ceremonies, when the two finally sat alone in the bridal chamber, Shen Shaoguang had long lost her earlier smugness—getting married was too exhausting!
Fortunately, the maids had already helped her remove her outer clothes, hairpins, facial powder, blue-black makeup, flower marks, and lip rouge. Shen Shaoguang threw herself on the bed, feeling more tired than pulling an all-nighter in her previous life.
“A’ji—” Lin Yan sat at the edge of the bed calling her.
Shen Shaoguang turned her head to look at him, suddenly feeling nervous, that thing, oh yes, there was still that thing today.
Shen Shaoguang sat up, “My lord, are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”
“I had them cook glutinous rice balls, the kind you usually make, they’ll bring them soon.”
Shen Shaoguang smiled, “After taking a beating, you still return kindness for injury, truly a gentleman.”
Lin Yan stroked her smooth hair, just smiling.
Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow, “What are you smiling at?”
Lin Yan looked at her with a smile, “Afraid you won’t have energy later.”
Shen Shaoguang: “!!!”
Lin Yan smiled even more, embraced her, kissed her forehead, and said softly: “Eat a little, the wedding ceremonies were complicated, and you certainly haven’t eaten much this evening.”
The maid outside the bridal chamber said the rice balls were ready. Lin Yan had them brought in.
Shen Shaoguang sat at the table eating osmanthus wine-soaked rice balls, Lin Yan didn’t eat, just watched her eat.
Being watched like this, Shen Shaoguang became nervous again.
Shen Shaoguang started talking about food: “These osmanthus wine rice balls are well made. The osmanthus flowers are candied and delicious. The wine is good too, did you buy it from Wang’s Old Wine Shop in the East Market? Their wine is good, their fermented rice is good, has a mellowness others don’t have, I guess it’s because of the quality of their rice…”
“Don’t be afraid,” Lin Yan softly comforted, “I’ll be gentle…”
Shen Shaoguang: “…”
Shen Shaoguang put down her bowl, took the teacup to rinse her mouth, and then solemnly said to Lin Yan: “The Princess gave me a book. Should we… study it first?”
As someone whose F drive had several G of “study materials,” Shen Shaoguang felt her theoretical knowledge was quite good, but more study couldn’t hurt, and the Princess’s book was so exquisite…
Lin Yan smiled at her once, picked her up by the waist, “No need!”
“But… no need? I think, that…”
Inside the bed curtains, Shen Shaoguang was directly silenced.
Author’s Note:
① Son-in-law: Groom
② “A son-in-law is the wife’s family’s dog”—quoted from the reference book “Tang Dynasty Time Travel Guide”
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We’ll put married life in the extras, the main story ends here. Now taking sign-ups for the Zhongnan Mountain villa barbecue and the Lin family’s little ones’ sightseeing group.
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Poor A’ji, she teased too much before, today is a major payback scene…