Chapter 39: The Fragility of Trust

When the red bridal veil was finally lifted, Yin Zhi could at last see her surroundings.

The first thing she saw, naturally, was the handsome groom.

Although Shen Ti wore a calm, indifferent expression, the ceremonial wedding robes suited him so well that he looked stunning.

Yin Zhi had a strong urge to wink at him—to tell him she hadn’t forgotten their agreement. But with so many people crowding the bridal chamber, she didn’t dare.

She stole a glance at Shen Ti and caught his eye, then quickly lowered her head in a show of bashful modesty like a proper new bride.

The bridal chamber was filled with people, all talking and laughing.

“The bride is truly beautiful,” someone praised.

“She’s a real beauty.”

“No doubt—southern women are always the most delicate and lovely.”

Yin Zhi played her part well, acting exactly as a shy newlywed should. But Shen Ti knew it was all just an act.

After all, this cousin of his had once calmly suggested, "You might as well have a child before the wedding, just to secure her future." Someone who could say that with a straight face was clearly not the type to blush in public.

She was simply very good at putting on a show.

The wedding couldn’t be called anything less than grand, lively, and festive.

Not only was Shen Da-ren a fourth-ranked Right Censor at the Office of Transmission, but Shen Ti himself was greatly favored by the Emperor and frequently summoned to accompany him in the palace. It was obvious he held a special place in the Emperor's heart.

Naturally, such a groom would draw crowds of enthusiastic relatives and friends to the wedding. There was no way it could be anything but elaborate and joyous.

Yet ironically, the two people at the center of the wedding—Yin Zhi and Shen Ti—felt none of the emotions typically associated with getting married.

Shen Ti calmly set down one ceremonial item and took the next from an attendant, proceeding through the many rituals with composed precision.

It was all just a formality. Every step was just going through the motions.

She was the person he needed, and he hoped she would remember their shared intention and stay true to their agreement. From now on, he would shoulder her future, and she would help him achieve what he sought.

Once the rituals were complete and the guests began filing out of the bridal chamber, Shen Ti let out a quiet sigh.

Just then, he caught Yin Zhi also sighing.

She must be just as exhausted. Or more so—after all, brides were said to rise at midnight to prepare, and weren’t allowed food or drink all day to avoid any accidents.

It was a tough ordeal.

As that thought crossed his mind, he saw Yin Zhi take advantage of everyone’s turned backs to sneak a quick wink at him.

Shen Ti: “…”

It wasn’t exactly ladylike behavior, but he understood what she meant.

He nodded to her with quiet seriousness.

“Take a rest. I need to go out front and greet the guests,” he said.

Yin Zhi was starving, but at that moment the matron of honor leaned in, and a couple of older women—relatives from the Shen family—were still glancing back into the room. She had no choice but to keep up appearances, bowing her head demurely. “Go ahead.”

Shen Ti turned to leave. The aunts and madams at the door greeted him cheerfully:

“You must be tired, Jiyun.”

“Your bride is quite the beauty.”

They were elders, so Shen Ti remained respectful and polite in his replies.

It took some effort to escort the guests down the veranda. Spotting Changchuan standing near a pillar, Shen Ti waved him over.

Changchuan trotted up eagerly. “Hanlin!”

Shen Ti gave him a few instructions. With a “Yes, sir,” Changchuan ran off.

Just then, a maid hurried up. “Hanlin, the lord is urging you—everyone is waiting up front.”

“I’m coming,” Shen Ti said, smoothing his robes and following her toward the banquet hall.

Along the way, people kept congratulating him: “Your bride is so beautiful.”

Beautiful?

Shen Ti recalled the heavy makeup on Yin Zhi’s face. Honestly, it couldn’t compare to how naturally lovely she looked bare-faced.

Still, he had to admit—his cousin was, indeed, a beauty.

Fake marriage or not, living day to day with a beautiful woman would no doubt be quite pleasant.

Back in the bridal chamber, now finally empty, Yin Zhi felt exhausted and ravenous. She pointed to the heavy phoenix coronet on her head and asked the matron, “Can I take this off now?”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” the matron replied.

“My neck can’t take it anymore,” Yin Zhi said.

The matron laughed and said, “Then take it off. The only one who’ll come in now is the groom.”

Yin Zhi looked around. Kui’er was nowhere to be seen, just two unfamiliar maids.

“You two,” she called.

The girls quickly stepped forward and bowed. “Young Madam.”

“What are your names?” she asked.

“I’m Lüyàn,” said one.

“I’m Héxīn,” said the other.

They looked about fifteen or sixteen, seventeen at most. Yin Zhi nodded. “Héxīn, help me remove the coronet. Lüyàn, go find my maid. If there’s nothing going on, tell Kui’er to come serve me.”

Although the maids had gossiped about the new Young Madam being a small-town girl, standing here now—elegant and poised, giving instructions with quiet authority—they didn’t dare slack off. Héxīn stayed to remove the headpiece, and Lüyàn went to fetch Kui’er.

Yin Zhi noticed a few more maids loitering just outside the partition door, but she was too hungry to care.

Still, first impressions matter in the workplace. They determine how smoothly one can give orders later. So despite her hunger, Yin Zhi held herself with dignity.

Marriage was exhausting.

Back at her own home, even when attending to her grandmother and stepmother daily, it had never been this tiring. At home, she could relax.

Now that she’d married into someone else’s family, that ease was gone.

Staring at the unfamiliar maid in the mirror, she suddenly felt like someone who had just returned to work after a very long vacation.

Or maybe she was just dizzy from hunger.

The heavy headpiece finally came off. Lüyàn had also returned with Kui’er. “Miss.”

Yin Zhi didn’t ask where she’d been or what she’d been doing—Kui’er might say something that would weaken her own authority.

In leadership, perception matters. If you command respect from the start, it’s easier to maintain control later. If not, regaining ground will take double the effort.

Yin Zhi simply asked, “Is everything outside alright?”

Kui’er had been tense all day. It was her first time traveling far, her first time living in someone else’s estate—every nerve on edge.

When Lüyàn came for her, she’d feared something was wrong and rushed over.

Only when she heard Yin Zhi’s calm and natural tone—just like at home—did she feel a sense of reassurance and steady herself.

“All is well,” she said. “Madam Baojin is watching over the dowry chests with us.”

“Watching” really meant guarding them to prevent theft in the chaos.

Yin Zhi understood. “Let Madam Baojin handle them. You stay here.”

“Madam Baojin” was Yunjuan, Yin Zhi’s former maid, now married to a gatekeeper named Baojin. After marriage, she was called by her husband’s name.

Kui’er sighed with relief. “Yes.”

She had been pushed out earlier—once inside the Shen estate, the bride’s maids were quickly replaced by Shen family servants. With so many guests and their own attendants, Kui’er had fallen behind and couldn’t squeeze forward again.

Seeing so many wealthy, imposing people made her too timid to force her way back in.

Yunjuan had found her outside and scolded her for not keeping up.

Unlike Kui’er, Yunjuan was now a married woman who had seen more of the world and wasn’t so easily intimidated.

Realizing they couldn’t get back into the crowded bridal chamber, she brought Kui’er to help with the dowry instead.

When the crowd began to thin out, they saw the door still guarded by Shen family maids, so Yunjuan hesitated—uncertain if the rules in a high-ranking family were the same as at home.

Luckily, Lüyàn came looking for someone, and Yunjuan immediately pushed Kui’er forward.

Yin Zhi didn’t know all the details, but she could guess: a small-town maid overwhelmed by the big city.

It couldn’t be helped—people were shaped by their environments. Huaixi was a small place, and the Yin family was just a modest local gentry house.

Even she herself had relied on experience from a past life to cope here.

Kui’er didn’t have that. So getting flustered in a new place was understandable.

Yin Zhi gave her a steadying look.

There was mutual understanding between them. Seeing her mistress’s reassuring gaze, Kui’er instantly felt more confident and stepped up. “Let me do it.”

Héxīn stepped aside without objection. Kui’er began fixing Yin Zhi’s hair.

“This is Kui’er, my personal maid,” Yin Zhi said, watching in the mirror with satisfaction. “These are Héxīn and Lüyàn. Do you know who’s the eldest?”

The three shared their birthdates and arranged themselves by seniority: Lüyàn was oldest, then Héxīn, and Kui’er the youngest.

They began calling each other “big sister” and “little sister.”

It was a rocky start, but Kui’er’s first day on the job had gone fairly smoothly.

Yin Zhi was starving. She glanced at the maids, thinking it was finally time to ask for food.

Before she could speak, a voice came from outside. A moment later, Héxīn entered with a tray. “Young Madam, have some refreshments.”

Perfect!

So thoughtful!

Just as she silently praised the maid, Héxīn added, “Hanlin Shen sent it through Changchuan.”

Shen Ti?

She had just seen him, all dignified in his wedding robes, but oddly, the image that popped into her mind was of the kind boy who had once looked at her with concern.

He’d grown up, yes, but his nature hadn’t changed.

This little “brother” definitely earned some points today.

Héxīn set down a plate of sweet and savory pastries.

Lüyàn went to pour tea right away.

So far, the Shen family maids seemed rather attentive.

Both Lüyàn and Héxīn were young. In theory, a noble household like this would assign more experienced maids to a grown man like Shen Ti—perhaps in private areas like his study.

But Yin Zhi didn’t care. As long as the maids in her courtyard did their duties, respected boundaries, and didn’t provoke her, she was fine with it.

As for whether Shen Ti had favored maids elsewhere? She didn’t mind.

Let’s not forget—Shen Ti had only agreed to marry her because he couldn’t let go of a woman he truly loved.

And let’s also not forget—this was a marriage of convenience, by agreement.