Chapter 46: A Vested Interest

When the time came, someone came again to call her—it was time to cook dinner. Yin Shi was already familiar with the routine and followed along smoothly.

Her in-laws were easygoing, no trouble at all, and the dinner went off without a hitch.

Madam Shen quietly observed at the dinner table. After the two youngsters left, she covered her mouth to smile and said to her husband, "I think Ji Yun seems to be in a good mood."

Master Shen nodded. "She’s a good daughter-in-law."

In fact, in terms of manners and bearing, she was even more impressive than Madam Shen had been in her youth. After all, back then, the Yin family had been just small merchants, and Madam Shen grew up meekly under her stepmother’s control.

Now the Yin family was a well-off household in Huaixi, and their daughters were pampered at home—quite different from before.

The Yin family had raised this daughter-in-law to have rosy cheeks and glowing skin, clearly a healthy girl full of vitality.

She was also fond of smiling and showed no shyness before the elders. When she smiled, her face lit up, making the elders feel affectionate toward her.

She had the aura of a lucky woman who would bring prosperity to the family.

Master Shen stroked his chin thoughtfully. This girl was beautiful, no less than Lady Feng.

No matter how stubborn his son was, no matter how much he still thought of Lady Feng, he was still a man. Now he not only had Lady Feng but also young Lady Yin—two beauties by his side, enjoying the blessings of a fulfilled man. As long as he was a man, he wouldn’t feel bad or unhappy.

Naturally, he would be in a good mood.

Master Shen smiled knowingly.

However, even the older generation sometimes miscalculated. Shen Ti and Yin Shi were not truly husband and wife. Shen Ti’s cheerful mood came from sensing that Yin Shi still treated him like a sister does a younger brother.

This showed she had no other intentions toward him—she wasn’t planning to trap him into marriage and then scheme gradually.

She genuinely wanted to find a place to belong.

They suited each other perfectly.

After the new bride had finished serving dinner, Yin Shi’s “work” for the day was done.

“Are Aunt and Uncle satisfied with me?” Yin Shi asked on the way back. From her perspective, it seemed about right—both of them had smiled kindly at her.

Shen Ti answered firmly, “They’re satisfied.”

The father and son had been cold toward each other for a long time over Feng Luoyi’s matter. Even after he had relented, the atmosphere between them rarely returned to how it was before Shen Ti went abroad to study.

But today, on the first day of the wedding, the atmosphere at the dinner table was surprisingly harmonious.

This warmth made him nostalgic. Judging by his father’s expression, it seemed he thought the same.

They even exchanged a glance—just for a moment, reminiscent of the tender days when father and son were affectionate.

Shen Ti glanced at Yin Shi walking beside him.

Yin Shi was still unfamiliar with the Shen family estate. As they walked, she kept looking around at the buildings and surroundings, admiring and memorizing them, her expression and gaze full of curiosity and excitement at the new environment.

She was his sister, but also his wife.

Shen Ti had never been particularly interested in marriage. To him, it was just like studying or taking exams—something one had to do in life, following the proper order.

The Feng Luoyi situation was a brief episode—troublesome but resolved smoothly.

Now, at the right age, he had a wife who took on her responsibilities: serving the in-laws and pleasing the elders.

So marriage wasn’t bad after all.

They had just finished the meal, walking slowly and leisurely back.

Once back in their quarters, Shen Ti noticed Yin Shi’s shoulders relaxed slightly. He was moved and, after sitting casually on the couch, asked, “Were you nervous in front of the two elders?”

“The two elders.”

If he had said “the elders,” Yin Shi would’ve felt fine—because of the family hierarchy.

But he said “the two elders.”

Madam Shen and Master Shen, not yet forty, well-preserved with flawless faces and figures, could have easily passed for young adults in Yin Shi’s time—like an older brother and sister, even stepping back, still vigorous mature adults.

Yet here, they were called “the two elders.”

Well then.

Yin Shi said, “Nervous isn’t the right word. More like holding myself properly. Like a virtuous daughter-in-law.”

Shen Ti turned his head away.

Yin Shi said, “If you want to smile, just smile. No need to hide it.”

Shen Ti turned back. Although he tried to maintain his “calm” expression, the corners of his mouth were definitely curled up as he stubbornly said, “I’m not smiling.”

Yin Shi was speechless.

She tapped her knuckles on the couch. “Even you, when you go to the Hanlin Academy official quarters, have to behave yourself, right? You can’t be as casual as you are at home. People act differently in public and in private, it can’t be the same.”

Indeed, very different. She could be serious yet lively, respectful and warm in front of her in-laws.

There were some colleagues at the official quarters who were like that, very amiable. Both her superior and colleagues liked him.

But Shen Ti had been in office nearly a year and knew well it was exhausting to keep up such an act. That’s why when Yin Shi returned to their courtyard, she could relax and let down her guard.

For her, his parents were “public.”

This courtyard was “private.”

And clearly, she considered him one of her own. So she was relaxed and comfortable around him.

A wife wouldn’t usually tap the table like this while talking to her husband—that was a posture used by a superior speaking to a subordinate at the office.

But it didn’t matter—in this courtyard, she was a sister, not a wife.

Her brother found it tolerable.

“You’re right,” Shen Ti said happily.

Since entering office, or ever since Feng Luoyi’s matter, he hadn’t been able to share everything with his parents.

He needed his own domain.

Now, with Yin Shi, he didn’t feel his domain was invaded; rather, it felt more solid.

Maybe because before marriage, they had agreed to stand together against their parents—as comrades, as one of their own.

Shen Ti said, “From now on, in our own courtyard, sister can do as she pleases.”

Yin Shi’s eyes lit up. “You said it.”

“...” Shen Ti asked, “What do you want to do?”

Yin Shi said, “I want to just wear a single-layer gown indoors, is that okay?”

Yin Shi was really living well at the Yin family.

After coming of age, because of gender separation, her brothers rarely came to her courtyard. Also, since she was told by the abbot of Donglin Temple to guard the house for three years, the women in the back were cautious about disturbing her. The younger sisters were controlled by their maids, and rarely played with her.

Before getting engaged to Shen Ti, Yin Shi was so isolated she could even close and bolt the courtyard door during the day.

Normally, according to current rules, the courtyard door should remain open in the daytime.

But when Yin Shi closed it, no one minded. She was free in her courtyard, wearing just a single-layer gown as loungewear, running about comfortably.

But now, having married into another family, she couldn’t do whatever she wanted and had to negotiate with Shen Ti. If he said no, she would have to dress neatly every day.

Yesterday, she wore just a single-layer gown, and Shen Ti dared not look at her unless forced.

But after a night sharing a bed—though without intimacy—he surprisingly felt it wasn’t unacceptable.

They had slept on the same bed, and would continue to do so for life.

In one’s own room, one could be freer. In summer, it was common for both men and women to wear bamboo cloth or nearly transparent thin gauze robes indoors.

He rubbed his fingers, thought it over, and said, “But you can’t go out of the west side room.”

No going into the main room or courtyard. The allowed area was limited to the west side room and the west wing room.

The west wing was the inner bedroom, and the west side room was the couple’s living room—both private areas.

Yin Shi clapped her hands. “Deal!”

She got up from the couch. “I’ll go change.”

Shen Ti nodded.

She took a couple of steps, then stepped back. “I’ll stay in the inner room today and not come out, to let you get used to it.”

With that, she went inside.

Shen Ti: “...”

He shook his head speechlessly.

He called for Lüyun (the maid), “Tell everyone in the courtyard there’s now a young mistress. Guard the door well and report any visitors.”

“Tell Changchuan, from now on he should answer outside the door, no entering the room.”

Then sternly added, “If anyone outside spreads our household matters around, they won’t be kept on.”

Lüyun hurried to carry out the orders.

The Shen household’s maids increasingly felt that with a young mistress, many rules and routines would change.

This courtyard now had a lady of the house.

Another courtyard of the Shen residence.

This one was much smaller than Yin Shi’s bridal chamber but better than the remote small courtyard she’d lived in before.

Feng Luoyi, soon to become a concubine, had moved into this courtyard about half a month ago, waiting for Yin Shi’s wedding rites to be completed before she would pay respects to the new young mistress and formally become a concubine.

The Shen family didn’t skimp on anything. All the furniture and household items were brand new and complete. Besides Zhao Xiang (a maid), Feng Luoyi had four other girls and an older maid attending her.

It was nightfall, lamps lit indoors. Feng Luoyi sat before her dressing table while Zhao Xiang combed her hair.

Feng Luoyi gazed at her reflection in the mirror and quietly said, “Tell me again, what does she look like?”

Zhao Xiang replied, “She’s clearly from the south.”

“How do you tell?”

“Very fair-skinned, fresh-looking—just looking at her, you know she’s from Jiangnan.”

Feng Luoyi was silent for a moment before asking, “Is she beautiful?”

Wasn’t this already clear? Why the repeated confirmation now? Where was that lofty pride she showed when forbidding herself from bothering Shen Gongzi before?

Zhao Xiang grumbled inwardly but didn’t try to flatter her. “Otherwise, why would they have chosen her?”

Feng Luoyi was silent again and asked, “Did Gongzi see you?”

Zhao Xiang said, “I don’t know. It seemed like he saw me, but also seemed like he didn’t.”

“Did he see you or not?”

“Probably not. If he had, he’d have paused. But he didn’t.”

“Maybe because... his new wife was there?”

Zhao Xiang was distracted. “Maybe. You should rest early.”

Feng Luoyi lay down.

Zhao Xiang lay at the foot of the bed to keep watch, listening to Feng Luoyi tossing and turning like a fish frying in a pan.

Serves you right for being so proud.

If you had listened to her sooner and snatched the son from the husband, what would you be afraid of?

Feng Luoyi’s fate was settled. After the new young mistress’s wedding rites were done, Feng Luoyi would offer tea to her.

Her status as concubine was secure, stable for life.

Zhao Xiang now worried more about herself.

Where had she gone today? Not to see Yin Shi.

Yin Shi was Feng Luoyi’s matter. Zhao Xiang had gone to see the new young mistress’s maid.

Looking at her, she wasn’t even as good-looking.

But Shen Ti’s milk brother and long-time attendant, Ping Mo, was twenty-one and unmarried—surely waiting to see the new young mistress’s maid.

The young mistress’s maid hadn’t even arrived in the capital, but many eyes were already on her.

Poor girl really was adrift like a floating leaf, following a low-status mistress with an uncertain future.

Zhao Xiang couldn’t help but shed tears.