Chapter 42: The Measure of a Man

The red candles had burned out, and morning light filtered through the papered windows. The wedding night had passed.

Inside the bridal canopy, it was still dim.

Shen Ti opened his eyes and noticed a faint, unfamiliar fragrance lingering in the air—unlike the usual incense. Subtle and elusive.

He was briefly puzzled by the scent. A moment later, he turned his head toward the inner side of the bed—and suddenly understood.

His cousin, Yin Zhi, was fast asleep. Her cheeks were tinged with a delicate pink, her dark hair cascading across the pillow like silk.

So that was it—the natural scent of a woman’s body.

Shen Ti exhaled softly and looked up at the canopy overhead, pondering his predicament.

It was morning. The light was gentle, and as often happens for a young man of eighteen, his body had... reacted upon waking.

Normally, this would be of no concern. If the woman beside him were truly his wife in every sense, it would be no issue at all. But the one sharing his bed now was his cousin, Yin Zhi. They hadn’t been physically intimate.

If she woke and noticed... it would be extremely awkward.

A problem indeed. Shen Ti was in the prime of his youth. From experience, he knew this particular state tended to last quite a while each morning.

In the past, he would usually lie still until it subsided before calling the maids to attend to him.

But now, Yin Zhi was right beside him. She could wake at any moment.

There was really only one way to deal with this quickly.

Shen Ti glanced at her again.

Her lashes were long, her sleeping face tranquil and lovely. So this was what a young woman looked like in deep sleep—truly beautiful.

Holding his breath, he slowly got up, stepping down as quietly as possible. He gently lifted the bed curtain, put on his robe, and headed for the washroom...

No sooner had Shen Ti left than Yin Zhi opened one eye.

She’d napped a bit before Shen Ti came in last night, and with many things on her mind today, she'd woken early.

Upon waking, she'd instantly noticed—Shen Ti, a robust young man, had only a light blanket over his waist. His physical state was quite obvious.

This old rogue even casually estimated his size and was genuinely happy for the young man.

Although this was a marriage of convenience, Yin Zhi wouldn’t have minded sharing a bed with her handsome young cousin. She was, after all, made of flesh and blood—not a saint. Her body had matured, and its needs came naturally.

And in this world, given their current situation, with their marriage bond, the only permissible person for her to be intimate with... was Shen Ti. No one else.

But not yet.

Once a man and a woman became physically involved, it was only a matter of time before the man instinctively took the lead in the relationship, casting himself in the dominant role and relegating the woman to the subordinate.

Even in her former world, that was often the case—let alone in this ancient time.

So at this early stage of the marriage, Yin Zhi had to shape the relationship dynamic in a way that benefited her.

The ideal setup? The big sister–little brother model.

That was her priority. As for physical needs? Not urgent.

Focus on the main issue first.

When Shen Ti returned from freshening up, he saw the bed curtain partially drawn and Yin Zhi kneeling on the bed, fiddling with something.

"You're awake?" he asked, walking over. "What are you doing?"

"This," she said. "Does it look unnatural when it's so smooth?"

He looked and saw she was arranging the virginity-check cloth—the white silk sheet meant to show signs of consummation.

Yin Zhi held her chin in thought. “It’s been slept on all night—how could it still be this smooth?”

Shen Ti was about to agree, but before he could speak, Yin Zhi flopped down onto the bed and started wriggling on the silk.

Shen Ti: "..."

She rolled to the left.

She rolled to the right.

She curled up and kicked, curled up and kicked.

Then she sat up, inspected her handiwork, and nodded in satisfaction. “Looks more authentic now, doesn’t it?”

After her little performance, the bedding was in disarray, and the white silk had been crumpled and shifted to the side—almost balled up.

Shen Ti had to admit—it was very convincing.

It truly looked like the two of them had a passionate night.

Yin Zhi looked at him with a proud “I’m amazing, right?” expression.

Strangely, the tension of being half-dressed in the same room with a beautiful woman vanished.

They had slept stiffly, awkwardly, the night before.

But now Shen Ti suddenly felt entirely at ease being alone with Yin Zhi like this—just the two of them, in their undergarments.

She was right. They would be like this for the rest of their lives. Even if they didn’t share physical intimacy, they would still be bedmates—intimate in a different way.

“This is good. Let’s leave it like this,” he said, sitting at the edge of the bed, resting his hands on his knees.

Children of scholarly families were taught posture from a young age—how to stand, walk, sit, and lie down properly. It may have been hard for them as kids, but once grown, their grace was obvious at all times.

With his upright posture and calm demeanor—how pleasant it would be to spend a life with someone so composed and good-looking.

“I’ll call for the maids now?” Shen Ti asked.

Yin Zhi nodded. “Go ahead.”

But then he paused, remembering something, and stepped outside the bed.

There was a water-warming stove set up with charcoal inside to keep the water warm—suitable for either drinking or washing.

Next to it were a copper basin and cloths.

Shen Ti lifted the kettle. “We should’ve used water last night.”

He poured some water into the basin.

But it looked too clear—nothing like it had been used to clean up after intercourse. Shen Ti turned to Yin Zhi and asked, “Where are your cosmetics and powder?”

Yin Zhi immediately understood. She brought him a bit of rouge powder from her dressing table.

A light sprinkle and a few swirls, and the water turned cloudy—looked just right now.

Yin Zhi felt that she and Shen Ti had excellent chemistry on their first day as a married couple. They coordinated perfectly.

After confirming everything looked believable and no details were missed, Shen Ti finally raised his voice and called out toward the folding screen door.

Green Smoke and Lotus Heart, who had been waiting outside with the maids for some time, entered to assist with their morning routine.

Kui’er came in with Yin Zhi’s other two maids. They surrounded her to help wash and dress.

The Shen maids handled the water and cloths, so Kui’er didn’t even need to lift a basin—she just focused on helping Yin Zhi wash and do her hair.

Shen Ti’s maids attended to him, and Yin Zhi’s girls tended to her. Everyone stuck to their duties. No one crossed the line.

Seeing how many people were bustling around Shen Ti, Yin Zhi whispered to Kui’er, “Why did all three of you come in?”

By the Yin family’s rules, there were four staff per courtyard: one older maid for heavy work, and three younger ones. Kui’er, the eldest, served personally. Puer, two years younger, helped inside. Ying’er, the youngest, normally handled errands and cleaning—she didn’t come into the bedroom.

But here she was, visibly nervous and uncomfortable.

Kui’er leaned down as she did Yin Zhi’s hair, whispering so close their noses nearly touched, “There were too many people on their side...”

Kui’er had always managed fine on her own. Puer handled bedding, Ying’er stayed outside fetching water.

But this morning, Kui’er had risen early and seen a whole lineup of Shen maids waiting to serve their young master.

And Yin Zhi? Just her.

“We’d look so shabby,” Kui’er muttered through clenched teeth. “So I brought them both in.”

Better to lose the battle than the display.

In a wealthy household, there could be dozens or even hundreds of people. Servants, especially, played favorites and followed the powerful.

Yin Zhi had spent ten years in a large family like the Yins—she understood the game.

Now that she was new here, she couldn’t afford to show weakness.

She quietly gave Kui’er a thumbs up in approval.

Men washed up quicker. Since Yin Zhi still needed her hair done, Shen Ti went ahead. “I’ll wait outside for you.”

Once her hair was done, Yin Zhi joined him in the side room where breakfast was already set. They ate together as if it were an ordinary day—but both kept an eye on the maids moving in and out.

As expected, Green Smoke emerged carrying the white silk, folded neatly on a tray.

She even brought it over for the couple to inspect.

What a disgusting relic of feudalism!

Even someone as chill as Yin Zhi almost lost her composure.

But Shen Ti remained calm. He nodded. “Take it.”

Lotus Heart came forward with a cloth cover, placed it over the silk, and Green Smoke carried it out.

Presumably, it was going to Madam Shen for “verification”—proof of chastity.

Regardless, the water had been poured, the cloth looked real, and no one noticed anything amiss.

Wedding night—successfully passed.

Yin Zhi shot Shen Ti a look: We nailed it!

We’re the perfect life partners—what a great team.

The corner of Shen Ti’s mouth twitched—was that a smile?

Close enough.

After breakfast, right on cue, a servant woman came to fetch them.

Yin Zhi and Shen Ti rose together—it was time for the second-day family introductions.

The hall was full of Shen family members. The Shen clan lived near the capital, and the old family home wasn’t far—an easy day’s trip by carriage. So of course, everyone came.

Since it was a joyous occasion, the atmosphere was light, full of laughter and chatter. Until a maid announced, “The Hanlin Scholar and Young Madam have arrived.”

The room quieted.

Soon, the couple was led in.

Beautiful as jade, graceful as a carved gem.

The ladies had seen the bride the night before. Even beneath heavy makeup, she was stunning. Today, with just light touches to her brows and lips, she was radiant.

First, they had to serve tea to the groom’s parents.

Silken kneeling cushions were already in place. Yin Zhi played the part of a gentle lady, following Shen Ti to kneel before his parents and call them “Father” and “Mother.”

She respectfully served them tea.

Only then did she dare sneak a proper look at Father Shen.

Well—just as rumored, he was indeed handsome.

The couple looked to be under forty—he elegant and refined, she noble and beautiful. A match made in heaven.

Of course only such parents could produce a son like Shen Ti.

Yin Zhi offered the tea with care: “Father, Mother, please have some tea.”

With this cup, the fourth daughter of the Yin family officially became the Shen family’s Young Madam.

The parents gave generous gifts in return—gold, silver, and jewels on ornate trays.

All signs pointed to a harmonious and thriving household.

Praise flowed all around.

Next came the formal family introductions.

The Shen side had provided a list of relatives well in advance so Yin Zhi could prepare gifts.

For elders, even shoe sizes were sent ahead so the bride could make slippers. Other gifts included fan covers, pouches, and scented sachets.

This was Yin Zhi’s show. Shen Ti’s role was simply to follow her lead, walking beside her, handing out gifts, receiving return gifts, and thanking each relative.

Just like making the rounds at a modern wedding banquet.

From yesterday to today, all the ceremonies felt like mere formalities to Shen Ti.

Nothing felt real.

Just a performance, part of life’s routine.

Meaningless.

Yin Zhi moved smoothly from one introduction to the next. Shen Ti’s father, now a fourth-ranked official, held a top position among the clan’s bureaucrats—so no one dared pick on them.

But in a large clan, there are always a few who are tactless.

One aunt returned a pair of gold clove earrings—respectable enough—but her words were less so.

Smiling with fake warmth, she said, “Well, your mother-in-law picked you out herself. She must be thrilled. No more worries now.”

Ah, here it came.

Let the household drama begin.

Yin Zhi looked up.

She’d spent ten years playing the harmless little bug in the Yin family, earning a reputation for being kind and mild—not because she was truly that gentle, but because, with two lifetimes of experience, she found petty squabbles among girls tedious and childish.

Back home, even when adults competed, they had a baseline of decency.

Though the First and Third Ladies occasionally exchanged barbs, no one deliberately mistreated her.

Life had been easy.

No need to waste energy on pointless fights.

But in someone else’s household?

Totally different.

Even in her former world, a woman moving into her husband’s family changed everything.

Some things were universal.

Yin Zhi felt like she’d been on a long vacation. Now it was time to stretch, get up, and get back in the game.

She smiled faintly, just about to respond—when Shen Ti took a step forward, blocking her.

He raised his eyes.

“Aunt, you’re joking.”

“Mother has always been easygoing. She’s never been troubled by anything. Our household is always in harmony—quiet enough for reading and study.”

“Perhaps you should take a page from her book. Don’t let petty concerns consume you. It’s wearing out Seventeenth Brother—he can’t even study in peace.”

“If this continues, when will he ever pass the exams?”

Yin Zhi: “…”

Wait a minute.

Wasn’t she supposed to handle the inner household drama?

Why was he stealing her job?