Chapter 44: Claiming the Household

At this moment, Yin Shi clearly understood what it meant to be a “vested interest holder.”

She didn’t know that earlier, the maids had quickly informed Madam Shen about the situation in Master Shen’s courtyard without Shen Ti’s permission, which angered him. But she guessed something had definitely happened and she accurately received the message Shen Ti was sending her.

Her younger brother openly showed his support for her management of the courtyard and her decisions to replace the maids and arrange her own staff.

Obviously, she wasn’t the only one getting his message; all the maids in the courtyard received it too.

That’s why they shrank back in fear.

Excellent—very good start.

Yin Shi couldn’t help but let the corner of her mouth lift in a slight smile.

One by one, the maids stepped forward to announce their names so the new Young Mistress could recognize them, and each received a red envelope.

They weighed and squeezed the envelopes in their sleeves—everyone’s thoughts were similar: The new Young Mistress wasn’t stingy.

This was truly the advantage of having your own aunt as your mother-in-law.

Yin Shi had spent ten months at home waiting to be married, but she wasn’t idle during that time. While waiting, she and her aunt—her future mother-in-law, Madam Shen—exchanged several letters.

All daughters of the Yin family marrying into the Shen household had to face the Shen clan.

Of course, her aunt didn’t want her niece from her birth family to lose face in the Shen mansion. Every question Yin Shi asked, her aunt carefully answered. And even things she hadn’t asked about, her aunt explained in detail.

How detailed? It included the grading system for rewards given to servants by the Shen household, what amounts were appropriate for what occasions, and what fabrics, patterns, and tailoring styles were currently fashionable in the capital. For example, certain styles that Yin Shi saw in Huaixi had already fallen out of fashion in the capital and should no longer be worn.

For a newlywed, this was basically having a cheat code.

After the introductions, Lüyun brought over a tray and presented it to Yin Shi: “Young Mistress, here are the keys and ledgers for the Hanlin Academy’s money chest and the storeroom.”

The money chest and storeroom had previously been managed by Qiutong and Xiayin. Now that both had married out, Lüyun and Hexin temporarily took charge. But from the beginning, it was known that these responsibilities would be handed over as soon as the Young Mistress arrived. Shen Ti wasn’t particularly fond or close to them, even somewhat distant. So the two maids had no chance to cling to power.

It truly gave Yin Shi a fresh, clean start.

Yin Shi nodded and signaled to Kuier.

Kuier took the keys, and Lüyun stepped back. The transfer of financial authority in Shen Ti’s courtyard went smoothly and without any trouble.

There was no such thing as the favored senior maid deliberately making things difficult for the new Young Mistress.

Kuier and two others, plus Yunjuan, also came to pay respects to the son-in-law and received red envelopes, even thicker than those given to the Shen household’s maids. After all, their numbers were few.

Yin Shi asked Yunjuan, “Where are your men?”

Yin Shi had two sets of attendants. One was given by her grandfather Yin, a couple in their thirties named Wang Baogui and his wife, with two sons and a daughter. The other couple was Yunjuan and her husband, whom Yin Shi herself requested from her grandfather.

She explained her reasons for wanting Yunjuan’s couple, and although her grandfather felt she hadn’t fully met his expectations, he considered her sharp and articulate enough, and at least not likely to bring trouble to her birth family. So he agreed.

Thus, Yin Shi had one more attendant couple than her sisters.

By “they,” Yin Shi meant these attendants.

Yunjuan reported, “The steward arranged for us to stay in the outer courtyard. Baojin and the others currently have no tasks; they’re all waiting for your instructions.”

“Tell them to wait patiently. Once I’m done here, I’ll make arrangements,” Yin Shi said, then asked, “Have my trunks been unpacked?”

Yunjuan replied, “They’re unpacking now. Daily items are arranged according to your usual habits, but since there are many things, it will take a few more days to finish.”

“That’s fine. The rest can wait. Your child is still young; you should go back first,” Yin Shi said.

Yunjuan’s baby was only three months old and had come aboard with Yin Shi soon after the confinement period. Her child was still small, and since Yin Shi was newly married and had many trivial and tedious tasks unpacking, Yunjuan came to help.

Fortunately, Baojin currently had no assignments and could take care of the baby. Yunjuan could take breaks to go home to nurse twice a day.

But although Yin Shi had brought Yunjuan over, she didn’t intend to put her to work immediately.

First, because her baby was still young; second, because she was new and couldn’t immediately compete for positions in the inner courtyard. There was no Grandmother-in-law in the Shen household; the inner courtyard staff were either her aunt’s or her uncle’s people, and she couldn’t take over from either.

It was better for Yunjuan to stay settled at home and raise her child first.

After bowing to Yin Shi and Shen Ti, Yunjuan withdrew.

Yin Shi told Shen Ti, “These are the people who were originally with me, but married out last year. The couple came with me. And another couple with several children.”

She only had a few people with her, giving Shen Ti a heads-up.

Shen Ti nodded, “Good.”

Yin Shi relaxed her shoulders, “Let’s go sit in the side room. No need to stay stiff here.”

Just now, the maids had paid respects to the new mistress and attendants to the new master in the main hall. The main hall had a large eight-immortal table in the center, with two stiff official-style chairs on each side.

These chairs were very rigid—you had to sit upright when seated.

Before marriage, Yin Shi had official-style chairs in her room, which were similar in hardness. They basically served as decoration.

Even when copying scriptures, she had to stuff a thick cushion behind her lower back.

But now, as mistress, she couldn’t be so casual. In formal situations, she had to sit upright on these hard chairs.

After a while, sitting like that became uncomfortable.

So the two of them moved to the side room to sit and drink tea.

Soon, a maid came in to say, “It’s about time.”

Yin Shi stood: “I’m coming.”

Shen Ti looked at her as she rose.

She had slept well the night before, her complexion rosy, eyes bright. She wore lip balm, making her look healthy.

There was a spirited energy, like a warrior marching confidently into battle.

For some reason, Shen Ti wanted to smile.

And he did: “Sister, don’t be nervous. My mother is your aunt.”

The letters exchanged between Yin Shi and Madam Shen weren’t hidden from Shen Ti; Madam Shen often showed them to him and praised Yin Shi’s meticulousness and steadiness.

Shen Ti knew Madam Shen actually liked Feng Luoyi—she had carefully chosen her for her son.

But the Feng family had fallen into trouble, and Feng Luoyi became an official’s servant. No matter how much Madam Shen liked her, it was useless.

Fortunately, the final bride chosen was her niece. Letters were exchanged one after another, advising her. Slowly, Madam Shen let go of her regrets and told herself this daughter-in-law was good enough. She told her son, “See? This wife I chose for you isn’t bad.”

Shen Ti could feel the change in his mother’s mindset through this process.

Yin Shi raised an eyebrow slightly, “No good luck wishes?”

Shen Ti chuckled.

“She’s your aunt, she won’t make things hard for you,” he said. “Even if your cooking isn’t great, she’ll still say it tastes good.”

Why should a young man always wear a stern, old-man face? Smiling suits him better.

Yin Shi smiled faintly, “I know.”

She left.

Shen Ti sipped his tea and looked out through the frosted window paper, vaguely seeing shadows outside.

A maid’s voice warned, “Young Mistress, watch your step.”

He was alone in the room now, his shoulders relaxing.

Mother was right—his cousin was at least easy to get along with.

The rest could be seen with time.

Yin Shi was surrounded and taken to the kitchen.

On the third day after the wedding, a new bride must wash her hands and prepare the soup—a set rule.

A tolerant in-law family might only enforce this rule for three days; stricter ones might insist on it for life, or until the grandmother-in-law passed away.

Yin Shi had no such worries.

She entered the kitchen, where the staff had long been eagerly waiting.

The head kitchen lady was in her early thirties, neat and tidy, with fair skin. She didn’t look like she was from the north.

Yin Shi knew who she was.

The lady greeted politely, “Greetings, Young Mistress.”

Yin Shi smiled, “Are you Mama Wang?”

Mama Wang answered warmly, “Yes, that’s me.”

Mama Wang had been a young maid who accompanied Madam Shen when she married in and was now a respectable head of the kitchen.

Another attendant managed purchases for the inner courtyard.

Madam Shen had already told Yin Shi about these arrangements in letters.

When Madam Shen first married in, she was troubled by some of the Shen family’s old servants. Fortunately, the grandmother-in-law delegated authority, and with the support of the grandfather-in-law and her husband, Madam Shen gradually took control of the Shen household’s inner quarters.

The maids who came as dowry girls also matured and became capable managers, like Mama Qin, who came from Huaixi and naturally were close to Yin Shi.

Marrying into her own aunt’s family, and with no grandmother-in-law, meant the new bride had far fewer troubles.

Yin Shi felt deeply that this marriage was a good match.

The kitchen matters went smoothly; Yin Shi only dipped her hands in and went through the motions to complete the ritual.

At mealtime, her aunt and uncle sat at the head of the table. Although now her parents-in-law, they treated Yin Shi kindly.

Yin Shi respectfully served the elders without waiting for Madam Shen to speak first. But before Madam Shen could, Master Shen spoke: “We are one family; sit down and eat together.”

Master Shen was the head of the Shen family but not Yin Shi’s direct superior.

Skipping ranks was taboo.

Yin Shi looked at her mother-in-law.

In many households, a daughter-in-law would stay hungry serving her mother-in-law, then eat alone in a side room or return to her own room to eat.

Madam Shen smiled gently, “Sit.”

With her mother-in-law’s invitation, Yin Shi accepted: “Thank you, Father and Mother.”

She said this but still served Shen Ti.

Shen Ti looked at her.

She looked like a proper inner-house lady—hair done up like a married woman, young and plump face, delicate and gentle features, warm and kind.

Who would have guessed she was the kind of woman who spoke boldly in private?

Yin Shi’s actions showed she had a husband and despite the affection from her parents-in-law, she wasn’t arrogant. Indeed, Master Shen and Madam Shen were pleased with her behavior.

The meal went smoothly.

After the couple left, the elders relaxed and chatted during their afternoon rest.

Master Shen said, “The daughter-in-law has guts.”

Madam Shen hurried to ask, “What happened?”

Master Shen said, “This morning when she offered tea, she dared to look me straight in the eyes.”

Ordinary daughters-in-law wouldn’t dare look their father-in-law in the eye, let alone the mother-in-law.

When replying, they’d bow their heads slightly, body leaning forward.

They avoided direct eye contact.

Madam Shen said, “In her heart, she thinks of us as aunt and uncle—no offense meant.”

Master Shen said, “Good. I can tell Ti’er no longer holds any resentment.”

He really knew how to protect his wife.

Madam Shen had complaints: “My good son, you all taught him to be so cold and distant.”

No smiles on the happiest days.

Master Shen was speechless: “Boys can’t go around laughing all day. A gentleman…”

“Enough, enough,” Madam Shen quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear more.

Otherwise, once “gentleman” or “Confucius says” came out, a long lecture would follow.

She closed her eyes and took a nap.

Master Shen was left speechless.

Alright then.